In 2019, more than 99% of Costa Rica’s electricity came from renewables
With a population of less than 5 million, Costa Rica is committed to becoming 100% carbon neutral this year.
2020 C.E.
Landmark French law will stop unsold goods being thrown away
France is to ban designer clothes and luxury goods companies from destroying unsold or returned items under a wide-ranging anti-waste law passed by parliament.
British Columbia government to offer 24/7 mental health support to post-secondary students
The Province has selected Morneau Shepell to develop a free mental health counselling and referral service for post-secondary students throughout British Columbia.
U.S. life expectancy goes up for the first time since 2014
Life expectancy in the United States went up for the first time in four years in 2018, thanks largely to a decrease in death rates from cancer and drug overdoses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Germany is turning 62 military bases into wildlife sanctuaries
The German government has announced plans to convert 62 disused military bases just west of the Iron Curtain into nature reserves for eagles, woodpeckers, bats, and beetles.
Minnesota will pay homeowners to make their lawns bee-friendly
A new spending program approved by lawmakers in 2019 called Lawns to Legumes sets aside $900,000 annually to pay homeowners who replace traditional lawns with bee-friendly wildflowers, clover and native grasses.
Santa Cruz decriminalizes psychedelic mushrooms
The City Council of Santa Cruz voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve a measure that will make investigation and arrest for “the adult possession, use or cultivation of psychoactive plants and fungi” a low-priority infraction by law enforcement.
GM to invest $2.2B in Detroit to build electric vehicles
General Motors is spending $2.2 billion to refurbish an underused Detroit factory so it can build a series of electric and self-driving vehicles, eventually employing 2,200 people.
India’s gigantic Bhadla Solar Park sets new world record
The 2.2GW park is almost 50% more than all the solar installations that the US’ largest residential solar installer has completed. It’s also about 50% larger than the world’s previous largest solar farm. It is just one small part of India’s ambitious plan to install 100GW of solar by 2022.
Madagascar commits to planting 60 million trees
To celebrate 60 years of independence, Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina has pledged to plant 60 million new trees and restore the island to the green haven it once was.