Los Angeles County is dismissing 60,000 cannabis convictions
The dismissals aim to reverse the racial injustices of drug laws as many of the cases are those of people of color disproportionately incarcerated for drug offenses.
North & Central America
This archive covers progress stories from North and Central America, spanning the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the countries of Central America. The 1,760 articles here track milestones in areas such as public health, conservation, policy, and community-led initiatives across the region. Browse to find reported evidence of what is working and why.
Ford announces $11.4 billion investment in electric vehicle manufacturing
According to Ford, the move will create 11,000 jobs and enable the company to produce more than a million electric vehicles per year.
Historic Indigenous water rights agreement finalized in Montana
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are celebrating the final approval of a $1.9bn water rights settlement that resolves tribal claims throughout Western Montana and authorizes funding to 1,300 miles of canals.
Hawaii pledges to conserve, restore or grow 100 million trees by 2030
The One Trillion Trees Pledge is part of the 24-hour Global Citizen Live event today to “defend the planet and defeat poverty” and is meant to achieve net-negative carbon goals and combat climate change.
New California laws make housing more affordable and sustainable
California got three new laws that allow more homes to be built. Denser cities should shorten commutes, lower emissions, and make for more equitable housing.
Alabama begins removing racist language from its constitution
The state government is drafting amendments to its 1901 State Constitution that would remove discriminatory language. The changes would mark the end of the last remaining legal remnants of what are generally referred to as Jim Crow laws.
Boston University to fully divest from fossil fuel industry
Going forward, BU will phase out any investments in companies that extract oil and natural gas. The University’s endowment, more than $3 billion, will not have any direct investments in fossil fuel companies.
New York City is removing policing from city schools
The city’s 5,000 school safety agents will be transferred from the supervision of the New York police department to the Department of Education in June of next year.
World’s first battery-powered freight train unveiled in Pittsburgh
The train was built by rail-freight company Wabtec and showcased at Carnegie Mellon University as part of a bid by the two organizations to decarbonize rail freight transport in the U.S., The Guardian reported.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs grants all benefits to those discharged under ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’
Veterans who were discharged because of their gender identity, sexual orientation or HIV status will now receive the full range of veterans’ benefits including home loan guaranty, pension benefits, health care, and more.