Despite setbacks for clean energy and the environment in the U.S. — the news is not all bad. Today’s Goodnewsletter is dedicated to stories of hope and progress being made for the environment and in combating the climate crisis — both in the U.S. and around the world. 🌎

Conservation

A massive conservation deal saved nearly 8,000 acres of forest in Alabama from becoming a wood pellet mill

Nearly 8,000 acres of forest in Alabama’s Mobile-Tensaw Delta, one of the most biodiverse places in North America, is now protected as the E.O. Wilson Land Between the Rivers Preserve — named after a pioneering biologist from the state.

The land was at risk of becoming the site of a wood pellet mill, and large swaths of the forest were at risk of being cut down, chipped, and shipped overseas to be used as biomass energy — which has competing claims about the risks and benefits as an alternative to fossil fuels.

The land was purchased for $15 million with funds from Patagonia’s Holdfast Collective alongside an anonymous donor.

Why is this good news? Sometimes called “America’s Amazon,” the Delta is not only incredibly biodiverse, the hardwood trees and surrounding ecosystem stores an incredible amount of carbon — and that needs to be protected.

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More Good News

​A study found that plastic bag bans and fees are helping stop them from ending up on U.S. shorelines. While more plastic bags are being found across the U.S., it’s happening less in the places trying to tackle the issue, which saw them fall by at least 25% as a percentage of total litter collected compared to places that didn’t try.

​Researchers are making progress on bladeless wind turbines that are are quieter, occupy less room, and safer for birds. The BWTs also typically require less maintenance due to their simple design, and the researchers have found a “sweet spot” for maximizing power generation without sacrificing strength.

​Pacific Island nations launched a plan for the world’s first Indigenous-led ocean reserve — it would cover an area the size of the Amazon rainforest. The Melanesian Ocean Reserve would be located within the region known as Melanesia, which is one of the world’s most biodiverse regions, home to an estimated 75% of known coral species, and more than 3,000 species of reef-associated fish.

​Canada just broke ground on its largest off-grid solar project to provide a First Nations government with renewable energy. The project will help reduce the remote Ulkatcho First Nation community’s use of diesel for electricity generation, which it is currently entirely reliant on, by 64%.

​The world’s largest sand battery is now storing wind and solar energy in Finland. Capable of storing 100 MWh of thermal energy from solar and wind sources, it will enable residents to eliminate oil from their district heating network, cutting emissions by nearly 70%.

​Volunteers in Guatemala are fighting deforestation by planting thousands of trees to regenerate their community’s landscape. The Chico Mendes Reforestation Project in Pachaj started its work in 1999 after the region had suffered extensive deforestation over several decades.

Recycling

Norway offered residents a chance to win a $1,000 prize for recycling; now 97% of all plastic bottles are returned

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Clean energy

In one of its strongest quarters ever, the U.S. just added 8.6 GW of new solar module manufacturing capacity

In the first quarter of this year, the U.S. solar industry added 8.6 gigawatts of new solar module manufacturing capacity — the third-largest on record.

The record-setting capacity comes from eight new or expanded factories located in Texas, Ohio, and Arizona. Additionally, solar cell production capacity doubled in the first quarter to 2 GW thanks to a new factory in South Carolina.

Also in that time period, the solar industry installed 10.8 GW of new electricity generating capacity, with solar and storage accounting for 82% of all new generating capacity added to the grid.

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More Good bits

🚧 Deconstructing buildings is a climate solution.​

🗺️ Better maps of carbon sinks are also a climate solution.​

😊 Boost your happiness in just four minutes.​

🍄 Baby poop and fungi work together to tackle landfill waste.​

✈️ A flight tax could raise billions to fight the climate crisis.​

🧽 Adapt to a warming world with rain tunnels and sponge parks.​

What’s good?

I know the news about the fate of the planet can be overwhelming.

Did today’s Goodnewsletter help you feel a bit more hopeful?

Reply and tell me if our efforts were successful!

— Megan