Neighbours keeping each other cool, a pinecone that detects wildfires and a city-wide reuable cup scheme
Reasons to be hopeful: 1,2,3...
I believe in what I call ‘defiant hope.’ This is not blind faith or passive optimism; it’s about waking up every morning and—despite all evidence to the contrary—choosing to believe a better world is possible and then taking steps to bring that world about.
The problem is that your brain has an in-built negativity bias, designed to keep you safe, and media outlets disproportionately report bad news. All of which can leave you (and me!) feeling like the world is a bad place and there’s nothing we can do to change that.
So, this new weekly round-up of reasons to be hopeful is my attempt to counter that, to reconnect you with the good out there and to support you in choosing hope.
If you want more, sign up for my short course ‘Cultivating Hope’, which will help you to move through feelings of hopelessness, reconnect with the natural world and find the positive changes that you will actually enjoy bringing about.
Reasons to be Hopeful: 1,2,3…
As our summers get hotter, people are building community while helping their neighbours to stay cool.
“When temperatures soar in Sacramento, Joe Robustelli loads up a cooler with ice and bottled water, and sets it in front of his home on a busy downtown street. A laminated sign invites passersby to help themselves.
“Robustelli is part of a network of dozens of Sacramentans who have turned their front yards into pop-up cooling stations during heat waves. In addition to hosting his own pop-up, he helps set up and refill others around the city through his job at Alchemist Community Development Corporation, a local food system organization.”
»» Via Reasons to be Cheerful: Read more »»
Design graduates create a pine-cone sized wildfire detector to give firefighters in vulnerable communities more time
“In the multibillion-dollar global fight against wildfires, early detection is critical. That’s why a group of recent design graduates has developed a smaller, simpler and, they say, cheaper solution: A pinecone-sized fire detector that can give vulnerable communities an invaluable head start in the race to escape or contain major blazes.
“Made primarily from wax and charcoal composites, Pyri’s sensors are designed to blend in with — and leave no footprint on — the environment. The device can be deployed in fire-prone areas and left for years without maintenance, according to its creators. When a fire occurs, the heat melts an internal trigger, producing a low-frequency signal that raises the alarm.”
Lisbon becomes the first European capital with a citywide reusable cup scheme
“Every night, around 25,000 cups are used in Lisbon's entertainment areas. Although many cups are sold as "reusable", until now there was no system in place to ensure the effective collection, cleaning and recirculation of these containers.
“Through a new citywide reusable cup system, supported by a local deposit and return model, Lisbon has become the first European capital to implement an initiative that aims to combat plastic waste, reduce emissions and introduce a smart reuse model in the city's restaurant sector and bustling nightlife.”
»» Via Euro News: Read more »»
Seth Godin said that ‘spreading the word about the superstars is far more likely to change the culture,’ so let me know in the comments what’s got you feeling optimistic this week and let’s change the world for the better—together.
Stay curious, imperfect and defiantly hopeful,
