Real, messy hope delivered to your inbox daily, from Good Good Good.
Together with
In the headlines...
✝️ Yesterday, cardinals elected a new pope to lead the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics. Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, is the first pope in history from the United States. Born in Chicago, he spent his career ministering in Peru.
🛍 Today is World Fair Trade Day! Celebrate the power of fair trade in fighting poverty, exploitation, and more by shopping the Fair Trade-certified products in our ethical shopping guides (a.k.a. our alternatives to big-box retailers like Target and Amazon).
Governments doing good
Photo: Ashley Detrick/Salt Lake City Mayor's Office
To get around a statewide ban, Salt Lake City and Boise designated the Pride, transgender, and Juneteenth flags as official city flags
Earlier this year, both the Utah and Idaho state governments passed bans on flying the rainbow Pride flags and other "unofficial flags" on government property.
In Utah's capital city, the mayor of Salt Lake City proposed adopting three new official city flags, which were unanimously approved by the city council. The three flags feature the city's traditional sego lily design over a Pride, trans, and Juneteenth commemoration flag.
And in Idaho, the capital city of Boise's mayor issued a proclamation to retroactively make the Pride flag an official city flag.
Why is this good news? As Salt Lake City's mayor said, flags are "powerful symbols" of the state's values. And in Idaho, the state capital building has flown the Pride flag for years, and its mayor said that removing it at this point "would not be a neutral act" and "signal a retreat from values we've long upheld."
In a final act of kindness, Pope Francis donated his entire personal bank account to prisoners right before he died
As Catholics around the world mourn the death of the late Pope Francis, more details are surfacing about his final days. One thing is more clear than ever: he will be remembered as someone who fought for the rights of prisoners.
The official responsible for managing Francis' charity and prison pastoral care in Rome said that before his death, the pope donated €200,000 (about $226,400 USD) to a juvenile prison in Rome.
That last bit of his personal wealth specifically went to fund a pasta factory he'd maintained a close connection to throughout his papacy, which employs inmates to work toward reintegration in society and prevent recidivism.
Even better:Throughout his time as pope, he was entitled to a papal salary of some €30,000 a month, but Pope Francis refused to collect it. Instead, he deferred it to various organizations, churches, and groups in need.
Our sponsors help keep the Goodnewsletter free — thank you for supporting them when you can! If you prefer an ad-free experience, become a Good Good Good subscriber.
It's not too late to give mom a thoughtful gift this Mother's Day
Need a last-minute Mother's Day gift? Libro.fm has you covered.
Give the gift of audiobook credit bundles to the mom in your life who loves to read. You choose the credit bundle, your gift recipient picks their own audiobooks, and your local bookstore is supported by your purchase!
Credits never expire and can be redeemed on any audiobook, regardless of price, you can send your gift instantly or schedule it for later, and it's an eco-friendly option with a low carbon footprint.
Support indie bookstores — and the people who always support you — this Mother's Day.
National park advocates erected hundreds of billboards in cities across the U.S. to protest 'DOGE's dangerous cuts'
To protest the Trump administration's funding and staffing cuts at national parks, pro-labor news outlet and advocacy nonprofit More Perfect Union launched a multimillion-dollar campaign, erecting 300 billboards in more than 40 cities across the country.
The billboards show the notoriously gorgeous vistas of various national park sites, designed to resemble a classic postcard. But instead of a "wish you were here" message, the billboards say things like: "Rocky Mountain National Park: Now with reduced staff," and "Death Valley National Park: Heat deaths rise, safety staff cut."
Spanning locations from Arizona to North Carolina, the campaign aims to demonstrate the impacts of these funding cuts and remind people of their power to protect national parks.
Why is this good news? There's been an influx of in-person protests at all 433 national park sites in the U.S. in recent months, and it's entirely possible that these billboards could inspire a longer-term effort to protect public services like the NPS.
While the policy is expected to add between £3,000 and £4,000 ($3,984 to $5,312 in USD) to building costs, homeowners would also save over £1,000 on annual energy bills — helping them recoup the added cost within around 4 years.
The government is also planning to offer government-funded loans and grants to help install solar panels on existing homes.
Why is this good news? While commercial-sized clean energy installations are essential, rooftop solar has enormous potential, too. One study estimated that it alone could provide nearly two-thirds of the world's electricity.
Two major scientific societies are reviving a cornerstone federal report on the impact of climate change in the U.S.
The American Meteorological Society and the American Geophysical Union announced they would work together to provide peer-reviewed research that assesses the current and future impacts of climate change on the U.S.
The announcement comes after the Trump administration dismissed about 400 scientists working to produce the National Climate Assessment, required every four to five years by a 1990 federal law, putting the publishing of the next report in jeopardy.
One climate scientist said that the two groups stepping in to fill these scientific research gaps "is a testament to how important it is that the latest science be summarized and available."
Why is this good news? This comprehensive report forecasts 25 to 100 years into the future, which helps people, communities, governments, and more understand how climate change is impacting decisions made today — from the size of sewer pipes to install or preparing for extreme heat.
As the world welcomes a new pope, I love that we're continuing to learn more about the good the previous pope did in his final days of the papacy, including transforming a popemobile into a mobile health clinic for children in Gaza.
Which good news story inspired you most this week?
Need help? Contact us for assistance. We've got your back.
You received this email because you signed up for the Goodnewsletter from Good Good Good — or because you followed a recommendation from another newsletter or ordered a Goodnewspaper.
To stop receiving The Goodnewsletter, unsubscribe. To opt in or out of other emails from Good Good Good, manage your email settings. To stop receiving all emails from Good Good Good — which may potentially include paid subscriber-exclusive content — you can opt out entirely.
Nema komentara:
Objavi komentar