Captive elephants were rehomed in Europe’s first large-scale elephant sanctuary
The first large-scale elephant sanctuary in Europe is receiving its first residents: Julie, the last circus elephant in Portugal, and Kariba, who has been living alone at a Belgian zoo.
The sanctuary is located on a former cattle ranch in the Alentejo, east of Lisbon, Portugal, and close to the border with Spain, and is opening to provide a more natural environment for the around 600 animals still living in captivity across Europe. It will not be open to the public.
Initially just 28 acres — still a much larger area to roam than the elephants have been used to — the sanctuary will raise more funds to expand into the 405 hectares available, which could welcome 20 to 30 elephants.
Why is this good news? Studies have found reduced life expectancy and increased infant mortality rates among elephants held in captivity, with one study finding African females lived 17 years on average in zoos, compared to 56 years in the wild. These first two residents will not only have critical autonomy, but expert care available, too.
The University of Chicago is offering free tuition for students from families earning less than $250k annually
In a move affirming its “core belief that costs should not prevent a student from joining UChicago’s community of extraordinary scholars,” the University of Chicago announced a significant expansion of its guaranteed free tuition program.
Under the newly expanded threshold, it says that 90% of U.S. households would qualify for free tuition.
Why is this good news? Amid growing income inequality, rising tuition costs, and affordability issues in general, the University of Chicago’s move to dramatically expand access to free tuition to those who may not otherwise be able to afford it is critical to ensuring that education is accessible to everyone — not just the wealthiest.
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War & Conflict
Courtesy of Phoenix Library/Instagram
Two men opened the first new library in Gaza, filling it with books found in rubble
The Phoenix Library is a project of Omar Hamad and his friend, Ibrahim Massri, who together raised over $100,000 and secured a location to rebuild Gaza’s first new public library.
As a child, when Hamad first learned that Israel monitored curriculum in Palestinian schools, he would hide pocket money until he could buy a few books at the end of each month, which he describes as “the first seed of rebellion.”
While his book collection dwindled during numerous evacuation orders, they miraculously survived and became the foundation of the Phoenix Library, which is growing every day with new books donated from around the world, along with 1,000 collected from rubble throughout Gaza.
Why is this good news? Israel has destroyed 90% of Gaza’s schools, all of its universities, numerous archives, museums, and historical sites, and at least 13 libraries — destroying along with it critical works of art, literature, and historical information. While there are certainly urgent humanitarian matters to address in Gaza, preserving its history and knowledge is among them.
A new study confirmed that electric vehicles are already making a ‘remarkable’ difference for cleaner air
While scientists have long suspected that electric vehicles lead to an undeniable reduction in air pollution, scientists used satellites to measure just how big that impact is.
From 2019 to 2023, a national team of scientists measured nitrogen levels across nearly 1,700 ZIP codes in California, the state with the highest rates of EV use in the country, and found that for every increase of 200 electric vehicles, nitrogen dioxide emissions decreased by 1.1%.
As the study’s lead author said, “We’re not even fully there in terms of electrifying, but our research shows that California’s transition to electric vehicles is already making measurable differences in the air we breathe.”
Why is this good news?Air pollution from combustion engine vehicles has been shown to exacerbate asthma and respiratory disease, increase hospital and emergency room visits for respiratory illness, worsen lung cancer outcomes, cause adverse birth outcomes, and more. Cleaner air means a healthier planet and healthier people.
Illinois just opened a massive community solar project in an area where residents have faced a history of environmental harm
Located on the rooftop of an industrial building, a new 1.62 megawatt community solar project just opened in Illinois thanks to the state’s Illinois Shines program, which prioritizes bringing the benefits of solar to “communities that have historically shouldered the burden of pollution.”
This new project is located in an Illinois Environmental Justice Community, areas where residents have faced a disproportionate burden of environmental harm due to heavy industry activity, air and water pollution, or an underinvestment in infrastructure.
The project also creates local jobs during both construction and ongoing maintenance, helps strengthen the state’s energy grid, and receives incentives for using existing rooftop space rather than undeveloped land.
Why is this good news? Communities that have long suffered the brunt of environmental injustice are often also the last to see the benefits of clean energy solutions like solar. This not only reverses that trend, it puts what would be wasted space atop massive industrial buildings to good use.
Scientists are turning cigarette butts into sustainable construction bricks. Cigarette butts are the most common form of litter in the world, with over 6 trillion tossed each year, and because they’re made of plastic, nicotine, tar, and heavy metals, they’re not just a public health risk — they’re an environmental hazard.
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