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Customer Raises Huge $12K Tip to Give His Favorite 89-Year-old Pizza Deliveryman –Watch The Tearful Surprise

By
Judy Cole
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Carlos Valdez and his wife love pineapple on their pizza. It’s the couple’s standing order from Papa John’s in Roy, Utah—but along with their topping of choice, Carlos and his wife always requested that the pies be brought to them by their favorite deliveryman, Derlin Newey.

At 89 years old, Newey is a lot older than your average pizza delivery dude, yet the Valdezes fell in love with the senior citizen’s positive attitude and his cheerful catchphrase, “Hello, are you looking for some pizza?”

The Valezes were so taken by Newey’s charming manner, they started filming Newey’s dapper deliveries and posting them to their TikTok video feed. Soon enough, he became something of a senior sensation with their 53,000 followers.

But as much as people loved Newey’s charisma, a lot their feedback expressed concern that an elderly man was still spending so many hours on the job.

With that in mind, the Valzezes decided to reach out to their fans in hopes of raising a little money to help Newey out.

The response was off the hook.

WATCH: Couple Leaves a $2020 Tip That Shocks This Single Mom Waitress During a ‘2020 Tip Challenge’

“Collectively as a TikTok community, we all came together, and we were able to raise $12,000 for this amazing person,” Valdez told KLS.

This past Tuesday, Newey got a surprise delivery at his own home. Valdez showed up at his door with a t-shirt that read ‘Hello, are you looking for some pizza?’ in one hand—and a check for $12,069 in the other. (Watch the moment below…)

The former ski champion, who was working as many as 30 hours a week to supplement his Social Security, was overcome with emotion by the generosity of so many strangers. “How do I ever say thank you? I don’t know what to say,” Newey told Deseret News.

For his part, Valdez was thrilled to be able to give something back to a man who’d delivered so much joy to those around him just by being himself. “This couldn’t have gone any better,” Valdez said.

POPULAR: After Weeks of Struggling to Make Ends Meet, Hair Stylist Surprised With $2,500 Tip From Walk-in Customer

“He needed this. I’m just glad we could help him. We just need to treat people with kindness and respect the way he does. He stole our hearts.”

On the great, big pizza of life, it’s hard to top that.

WATCH his reaction in the KSL video below… (Screenshot courtesy of KSL / YouTube)

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World’s First Hydrogen-Powered Passenger Plane Lifts Off On Maiden Zero-Emissions Flight

By
Good News Network
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ZeroAvia retrofitted Piper hydrogen plane takes off

The world just got one step closer to zero-emission aviation this week as ZeroAvia completed the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell powered flight of a commercial-grade aircraft.

Partly-funded through the UK Government, the flight in Cranfield, England used 4lbs 6 oz of hydrogen fuel and reached an altitude of 1000 feet.

With its Piper six-seat plane, ZeroAvia’s achievement is the first step to realizing the transformational possibilities of moving from fossil fuels to zero-emission hydrogen as the primary energy source for commercial aviation.

“Eventually, and without any new fundamental science required, hydrogen-powered aircraft will match the flight distances and payload of current fossil fuel aircrafts,” the company said in a statement.

RELATED: JetBlue Going Carbon-Neutral in 2020 On All Domestic Flights—The First Major US Airline to Do So

This major milestone on the road to commercial zero-emission flight is part of the HyFlyer project, a research program supported by the UK Government and follows the UK’s first ever commercial-scale battery-electric flight, conducted in the same aircraft in June.

ZeroAvia retrofitted Piper hydrogen plane takes off

ZeroAvia will now turn its attention to the next and final stage of its six-seat development program—a 250-mile zero emission flight before the end of the year. The demonstration of this range is roughly equivalent to busy major routes such as Los Angeles to San Francisco or London to Edinburgh.

MORE: World’s First Commercial Electric Airplane Successfully Completes Test Flight in Canada

“It’s hard to put into words what this means to our team, but also for everybody interested in zero-emission flight,” said CEO Val Miftakhov. “While some experimental aircraft have flown using hydrogen fuel cells as a power source, the size of this commercially available aircraft shows that paying passengers could be boarding a truly zero-emission flight very soon.”

Business and Industry Minister Nadhim Zahawi said, “Developing aircraft that create less pollution will help the UK make significant headway in achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. It shows that technologies to clean up air travel are now at our fingertips – with enormous potential to build back better and drive clean economic growth.”

CHECK Out: Watch Toddler’s Overjoyed Reaction Inside Airplane Doing Loops and Rolls

Based in London and California, the company plans to control hydrogen fuel production and supply for its powertrains, and other commercial customers, substantially reducing the fuel availability and pricing risks for the entire market, a “novel approach” that removes many limitations of the current zero emission programs.

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Getting to Know Neighbors Will Get Easier As H&R Block and Nextdoor Fund 10 Projects to Reduce Isolation

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Good News Network
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H&R Block and Nextdoor announced this week that they have chosen 10 community projects to fund, specifically designed to build more resilient communities, reduce social isolation, and improve the quality of life in neighborhoods.

In January 2020, the two companies launched a nationwide search calling on neighbors to submit projects that would revitalize or create local spaces to provide more opportunities for connection. Little did they realize how crucial this philanthropy would become.

Within months, COVID-19 had isolated communities, making this mission all the more compelling, especially for peoples’ mental health.

More than 2,000 project ideas were submitted by Americans in 50 states.

The 10 selected neighborhoods will soon see these visions become a reality. Located in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, the projects will all be built using materials and labor sourced from local businesses.

RELATED: Neighborhood Has Been Staying Connected During Social Distancing With Creative ‘I Spy’ Game

“Given how unprecedented times have been, it was exciting to read so many ideas from neighbors on how we could help improve the spaces around them in order to increase conversations and meaningful connections,” said Jeff Jones, president and CEO of H&R Block.

In Green Valley, AZ, they will be constructing a communal space at a community garden for residents to step out of the sun and form better neighbor-to-neighbor relations, an idea submitted by Kim Barney.

In Oakland, CA, a beloved community recreation center will be restored for neighbors to have a safe and beautiful place to connect, which was suggested by Maribel Lopez.

In Miami, FL, plant sanctuaries will be created at a local library for residents to learn about community gardening—submitted by Mary Benton.

In Acworth, GA, construction will begin on a gazebo, picnic tables, and a community garden for relaxing and growing healthy food for families in need, envisioned by resident by Gisele Butker.

SWEET: When Sick 3-Year-old is Quarantined, People Begin Showing Up at His Window to Entertain Him

In Kuna, ID, they will be upgrading youth baseball and softball fields, fulfilling a wish by Daniel Edralin.

In Topeka, KS, they will be transforming an empty alley into a pollinator garden to beautify an outdoor space for neighbors, to make Mike Spadafore’s vision a reality.

In Detroit, MI, Latisha Johnson wanted to help others, and will see a community closet built from recycled shipping containers to provide free clothing, household, and personal items to residents in need.

Likewise, in Buffalo, NY, a community garden will be constructed so neighbors can grow plants for contributing food to the local food pantry, while meeting neighbors, a request from Susan Bradbury.

In Cincinnati, OH, they will be building a muralled crosswalk to safely connect a community garden with a local elementary school, an idea from Gary Dangel.

And, in Philadelphia, PA, they will be upgrading courts and sports equipment at a local recreation center that emphasizes inclusive programs—a project submitted by Laura Lucas.

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To view details on the selected projects and involvement from local organizations and small businesses, visit the nomination website.

SEND Kudos to These Neighbors and Companies – Share on Social Media…

“The ultimate challenge is to accept ourselves exactly as we are, but never stop trying to learn and grow.” – Tony Schwartz

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “The ultimate challenge is to accept ourselves exactly as we are, but never stop trying to learn and grow.” – Tony Schwartz

Photo: by Rupert Britton

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

 

Floater Wetsuit Helps People Overcome Their Fear of Water

By
Good News Network
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Donna Mudge

A wetsuit called the Floater is getting people in the water after decades of living in fear.

Traditionally, there are flotation belts, but they can be difficult to use with a tricky center of gravity that can leave the wearer face down. Life jackets often ride up on the neck and can be uncomfortable and bulky.

Donna Mudge, a resident of Santa Barbara, needed something special to conquer her fear. Now in her mid-fifties, she never learned to swim. “Every time I was swimming, I feared that I would sink. And when I panicked, I would sink,” said Mudge.

Swimming lessons from a lifeguard friend did little to alleviate Mudge’s fear. After one bad incident in the deep end during her swimming lessons, Mudge said, “I gripped the edge of the pool so tight, my friend couldn’t get me to let go.”

Since then, the flotation wetsuit by Airtime Watertime has taken away her doubts about swimming in deep water.

“I felt I could get in the water without someone watching me,” said Mudge, who now has the confidence to go boogie boarding by herself for the first time ever.

Donna Mudge

Invented by surfer and entrepreneur Mark Okrusko, the Floater wetsuit keeps people buoyant with a patented flotation panel in the chest, which was first developed to give people confidence about being in the water.

“All wetsuits may look similar; however, the Airtime Watertime wetsuit stands, or floats, above the rest because of the added flotation in the front panel.” said Okrusko.

RELATED: This Cheap, Amphibious, 3D-Printed Prosthetic Means That Amputees Can Now Enjoy the Water Without Stress

Sandra Brodeur of Nashua, New Hampshire, has also overcome her fear of water. For as long as she can remember, Brodeur always feared not being able to touch the bottom, which made it difficult to learn to swim. “I tried everything—including private lessons, and could never get over the panic when I couldn’t touch the bottom of a pool or ocean floor,” said Brodeur.

Then her boyfriend, an avid sailor, wanted to take her to the British Virgin Islands for a sailing and snorkeling vacation. “He found the Floater wetsuit online and we ordered one. I felt so safe and confident at all times from the buoyancy of the suit that for the first time in my life I could relax in the water and enjoy it. At times, I was in 30-40 feet of water without fear! To me, that is a miracle.” said Brodeur.

“People write to us all the time about how they can now do activities in the water they never felt confident to do before, from children to young adults to seniors,” said Ruth Wishengrad, VP of the company.

The suit is also helping first-time snorkelers. Lisa Robinson, a resident of Los Angeles had never snorkeled before until she bought the Floater wetsuit. “I had my husband’s 50th birthday coming up and I wanted so desperately to snorkel with him on his birthday trip in Hawaii,” said Robinson.

Lisa Robinson

It didn’t take long for Robinson to gain confidence. “I practiced swimming in the suit for about 2 hours in the hotel pool. The next morning, I got on a boat all dressed in my Airtime Watertime floating suit with all the confidence of a seasoned swimmer. I jumped off the side of the boat into the Pacific Ocean and began to swim. It was the most beautiful life experience I have ever had.”

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Moreover, due to the Floater’s buoyancy, Robinson feels she can enjoy all water activities without fear. “Because of the Airtime Watertime Floater, at 50 years old…I no longer have to sit on the edge of the pool and wish to be in the water. I can now enjoy the pool in my backyard and share the experience of snorkeling with my husband. Because of this suit, my life has been changed forever…I feel like water is no longer a limitation for me.”

“To swim or not to swim” that WAS the question.

The Airtime Watertime floater is sold at their website, and you can use a coupon code GNN2020 for a 10% discount on your order.

WATCH the company video…

SHARE With Someone Who Has Always Wanted to Swim…

How Going Back to School is Changing American Kids’ Eating Habits

By
Good News Network
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Zoya Gervis / SWNS

It’s a year for change, and seven in 10 American parents say they are radically changing their approach to kid’s lunches and snacks this school year, according to a new survey.

Half of the parents say they’re using “back to school” as a way to get their kids back to healthy eating, as a way to backtrack all the comfort food they fed their little ones when the pandemic and virtual school began.

The study of 2,000 parents of school-aged children conducted by OnePoll in conjunction with Sabra aimed to discover just how parents are approaching the new school year in these unique times and uncovered 79% say they are stocking up on food differently than they did in the spring.

With the hopes of getting their kids to live healthier this school year, 78% of parents will plan on bringing some semblance of normalcy to their kids’ school days by pre-planning their snacks and lunches whether they are in the classroom or in virtual school.

Many feel their kids will have better choices at home than they do at school (50%) The reality is, 72% say their kids tend to eat healthier at home.

RELATED: Bone Broth Strengthens Immunity, Body, and Joints, And You Don’t Need To Spend A Bunch To Make It

With new respect for school cafeteria workers, 64% complain they are dreading becoming the ‘lunch lady’ at home. Maybe because nearly three in four caregivers (73%) say they will be limiting their kids’ sugar intake.

Zoya Gervis / SWNS

Some of the snack items they will buy include granola bars (36%), trail mix (34%), hummus (33%), and veggie chips (33%).

“Many are seeking to reduce sugar intake and boost plant-based food consumption and stocking up on fruits, nuts and quick, kid-friendly foods like hummus,” said Jason Levin, Sabra CMO.

“We’ve teamed with plant-based TikTok sensation Tabitha Brown who took over our social platforms to share easy, kid-friendly recipes to help rescue those ‘lunch ladies’ at home,” continued Levine.

RELATED: Parents Reveal Their Top 10 Sneaky Techniques for Getting Kids to Eat Vegetables

Maintaining structure for kids is so important for parents because they find their kids are better behaved (53%), they are able to focus more on their schoolwork (69%) and they tend to sleep better (48%) when they have a set routine they consistently follow.

So, four in five plan on scheduling their kids’ days from beginning to end—including mealtime.

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Tennessee High School Students Collect 10K Face Masks For Those in Need, Sharing Advice For Other Youth

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Good News Network
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A group of Tennessee High school students, led by Ben Beard, set out to make a difference during the COVID-19 crisis by collecting over 10 thousand masks for anyone who can’t afford to buy them.

By Ben Beard (right)

Beard and Ty Anderson, like so many of their classmates who were making college plans, had their lives turned upside down when COVID struck their city of Nashville.

“We were all working hard on our academics, looking for ways to volunteer in our communities and have well-rounded college resumes. Then everything came to a halt,” Ben told GNN.

But adversity actually spurred Ben to a new level. “I was actively searching for ways that I could give back to our community. Not just play the game of looking good for college. Sometimes it’s hard at our age to really make a difference. When the coronavirus hit, I knew this was a way I could mobilize fellow students to make a big impact.”

“When I heard about the mandatory mask mandates, although probably a necessary measure to keep everyone healthy and protect those at high risk in densely-populated areas, I knew that purchasing the masks was going to put a lot of stress on people who were already struggling.”

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The friends then discovered the organization Mask Now TN that was distributing masks to underprivileged populations and essential workers. Their need for donations was huge.

Selected as Williamson County Entrepreneurship and Innovation students, the pair led the charge, motivating and equipping fellow high schoolers at Independence High School to gather donations through online fliers posted to social media pages. Then they set up collection boxes.

“Everyone we reached out to in Williamson County were just so generous,” Ty said. “We cannot thank them enough.”

RELATED: Hair Stylists Infected With COVID-19 Were Wearing Masks Along With Their 140 Clients—Tests Prove No One Got Sick

The effort took about a month and a half to organize with Mask Now TN, but once they began accepting donations it was only three weeks before they hit their goal of 10,000.

“Getting our eyes off of our own problems and finding a way to help others who have just had it so much harder than we have through this whole crisis has been so empowering for us as students,” said Ben’s younger brother, Andrew, who joined the team.

Anderson says the biggest obstacle was building trust with people, once they pivoted to monetary donations to buy masks wholesale. They created an official email and promised to send updates on the purchase and delivery of all the masks.

Although the fundraiser was a great adventure, at times the kids felt overwhelmed—but they learned a lot and have advice for other youth who want to make a difference.

“Though it may seem daunting at first, it is not really that hard to start a project like this as a teenager,” Beard says. “Once you get over the hump of starting out, if you have a good idea that will genuinely help your community, people will get behind you and everything else will fall into place.”

RELATED: Scuba Diving Group Swamped With Orders for Its Face Masks Made From Recycled Ocean Plastic

When asked if she had any advice for fellow teens, Siler Blackburn, who also joined the core fundraising team, summed it all up, “The world might be different right now. But we can still work to make it a better place.”

This is just one of many positive stories and updates that are coming out of the COVID-19 news coverage. For more uplifting news on the outbreaks, click here.

SHARE The Idea And Advice With Young People on Social Media…

The City of Berlin Now Runs a Department Store That Sells All Recycled Goods

By
Michael Goonan
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SenUVK

In an effort to topple the “throw away culture,” and promote re-use and repair, the city of Berlin has taken the unique step of opening its own secondhand department store.

This isn’t your grandma’s thrift shop. It resells perfectly good items from retail outlets that would otherwise be thrown away.

SenUVK

A pun on the German words for “department store” and “conserving house”, B-Wa(h)renhaus sells a wide variety of products, including clothing, furniture, cell phones and other electronics.

Far from simply selling old junk “as is,” the electronic goods have been fixed by expert technicians and come with a one year warranty.

And, to reach beyond the normal demographic of secondhand shoppers, the store was erected right in the middle of the famous Karstadt department store.

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With the success of its initial six-month trial run on the third floor of that store, the city plans to open four more similar operations in other parts of Berlin. By 2030, it hopes to have at least one location in each of Berlin’s 12 boroughs.

These stores are just the latest addition to Berlin’s impressive sustainability resume. Since 2008, city policies and educational campaigns have reduced average annual household waste by about 25 pounds (11kg) per resident. It also recycles about 49% of its mineral construction waste—such as brick and concrete.

Kai Branss

Currently, the city estimates that 8% of discarded electronic goods and 6% of bulky items thrown away can actually be re-used. The goal is to expand the market for these items beyond the usual bargain hunters and eco-conscious consumers.

RELATED: Sweden Opens World’s First Mall for Repaired and Recycled Goods

“Three years ago, we started collecting all kinds of used goods that people have in their cellars or attics,” city spokesperson Dorothee Winden told Bloomberg CityLab. “Things that are well-preserved and functioning but aren’t being used anymore. The goal is to give these things a new life with somebody who can use them.”

The stores also include an education center inside the store to encourage more sustainable lifestyles—and also gave an award (pictured above) to a project that recycled school uniforms, so that parents don’t have to buy new ones every year.

The green enterprise has also connected the Berlin City Homeless Mission with online apparel retailers that provide clothing which has been returned to them and cannot be re-sold.

SHARE The Green Success To Inspire More Cities to do it!

“Let go of certainty. The opposite isn’t uncertainty. It’s openness, curiosity and a willingness to embrace paradox, rather than choose up sides.” – Tony Schwartz

By
Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Let go of certainty. The opposite isn’t uncertainty. It’s openness, curiosity and a willingness to embrace paradox, rather than choose up sides.” – Tony Schwartz

Photo: by Virgil Cayasa

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

 

New Zealand Prime Minister Pledges to Reach 100% Renewable Energy Across Nation by 2030

By
Good News Network
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Photo by Swisscan CC

Since Jacinda Ardern became New Zealand’s prime minister in 2017, she’s emerged as one of the world’s climate leaders.

Government initiatives over the past few years have included planting 100 million trees a year, banning all future offshore oil exploration, and placing a cap on the use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer in a bid to protect freshwater from agricultural pollution.

Now, the Labour party has pledged that—if elected in the upcoming October 17 elections—all energy generation in the country will be 100% renewable by 2030. This ups a previous target of phasing out all non-renewable energy by 2035.

According to a party statement, the pledge involves accelerating “the electrification of the transport and industrial sectors” and investing “in emerging technologies such as green hydrogen while continuing to make energy affordable New Zealanders.”

RELATED: New Zealand Government Announces Plan to Plant 1 Billion Trees, Get to Zero Emissions

“The COVID-19 economic recovery represents a once in a generation opportunity to reshape New Zealand’s energy system to be more renewable faster, affordable and secure,” said Ardern.

“Investment in renewable energy is also jobs rich. Our plan will creating new jobs and develop the high skill workforce our future economy needs to thrive.”

Labour Energy Spokesperson Megan Woods added, “New Zealand produces 84 percent of its electricity from renewable sources now, but we can do better. We will stop activities that increase our emissions by, for example, banning new thermal baseload generation; and promote clean energy development.

“Our plan for clean energy and lower carbon emissions will help us seize the economic opportunities of being the clean, green country that New Zealanders see ourselves as being and that we can market ourselves as.”

The government also sees further investment in clean energy as being a means of reducing the country’s reliance on imported energy.

“We can produce some of the cleanest green hydrogen in the world,” explained Woods, “and potentially receive a premium for it in international markets.”

CHECK OUT: Work Less, Accomplish More: New Zealand Firm’s 4-Day Work Week an ‘Unmitigated Success’

If New Zealand’s Labour Party wins the national election and meets its promises, the country could soon join Iceland and Paraguay in the list of nations that rely on 100% renewable sources for energy.

Costa Rica is also an impressively green state, with 99% of its energy coming from green sources.

MORE: New Zealand Launches Dramatic Ban on All Future Off-Shore Oil Exploration

We’ll be sure to share more renewable news from New Zealand, and around the globe, as soon as it comes in.

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Inspired By Dog’s Survival During Wildfire, She Donates 7,500 Pet Oxygen Masks–And Adopts the Pup

By
Judy Cole
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Debra Jo Chiapuzio

Back in 2017, Southern California firefighters rescued a 4-month-old puppy from a raging wildfire.

The Great Dane/Lab mix was placed in an Anaheim animal shelter, with hopes of being reunited with her owners. When no family came to claim her, she was put up for adoption.

Debra Jo Chiapuzio

The pup’s soulful brown eyes and engaging demeanor soon won the heart of Debra Jo Chiapuzio, a former medical tattoo artist who’d employed her skills to lend emotional support to burn victims and cancer survivors.

In addition to her “ink creds,” Chiapuzio was also a longtime teaching practitioner of animal first aid and CPR.

She named her new fur baby Emma Zen because “she’s as Zen as her name—super mellow, super sweet, easygoing, and very adventurous,” Chiapuzio said in an interview with TODAY.

Even before adopting Emma Zen, no one understood better than Chiapuzio the devastating toll California wildfires were taking companion animals. Along with that knowledge, Chiapuzio saw an untapped need she felt destined to fulfill.

READ: After Australian Bushfires, People Knit Mittens for Burnt Koalas and Raise Almost $2 Million to Help

Chiapuzio started out by donating 17 specially fitted pet oxygen masks to the Anaheim fire department. She trained the firefighters to use them—but in her heart, she knew there was more to be done.

RELATED: Dog Hailed as Hero After Refusing to Leave Goats Alone in Wildfires

So, in 2011, Chiapuzio launched the nonprofit Emma Zen Foundation with the goal of distributing pet oxygen masks and offering education in their proper use to as many first responders as possible.

The dynamic duo of Chiapuzio and Emma Zen has since been checking in with fire stations up and down the West Coast.

As a result of their efforts—along with some much-appreciated help from a variety of donors including Girl Scout troops, the Annenberg Foundation, and numerous individuals—so far, the Emma Zen Foundation has been able to distribute 7,500 pet oxygen masks nationwide.

With the increasing frequency and severity of wildfires in the States, Chiapuzio eventually decided to dedicate herself to the Emma Zen foundation full-time.

At 13, in spite of a bit of age-related doggy arthritis, Emma Zen the canine still keeps her dog mom company as she makes the rounds.

MORE: Two Surfers Save a ‘Starving, Cold’ Dog From Sea Cave After It Had Been Missing For 3 Months

“If I died tomorrow, we left behind—Emma and I—something that means more to me than anything, and that’s the animals on this planet,” Chiapuzio said. “This has been my biggest accomplishment, and I was led there by a dog.”

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Generous Boss Gives $12.7 Million to His Staff, Saying ‘Thank You’ As He Retires

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Good News Network
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When a person retires after many years of service, they traditionally receive a card full of farewell wishes from their colleagues, and often a thoughtful gift—a framed photo or a large bouquet of flowers, perhaps.

That tradition has been turned on its head at one UK company: The boss is retiring, and he’s gifting £10 million ($12.7 million) to his employees as a goodbye.

David Stevens is the chief executive of Admiral, the successful Wales-based motor insurance company that’s been listed on the London Stock Exchange since 2004. He co-founded the business with his wife Heather in 1991.

Starting with a team of just 57, they now have 7,500 staff in the south of Wales, and 3,000 overseas in the US, Spain, Italy, France, India, and Canada.

Full-time workers will get £1,000 ($1,270), and part-time staff will receive £500 ($635).

RELATED: Charitable Donors in U.S. Give Record Amount, As Support Surges in First 6 Months of 2020

The 58-year-old CEO explained to the BBC, “Saying thank you to all Admiral staff in this way is the right thing to do.” We’re “proud and fortunate to have worked with a such a special group of people.”

Stevens isn’t the only businessperson to do good recently.

MORE: Billionaire Reaches His Goal Of Giving Away His Entire Fortune After 38 Years Of Secret Donations

After four decades of making secret donations, the Irish-American duty-free shopping billionaire Chuck Feeney has managed to give away his entire fortune at the age of 89.

(WATCH the Odgers Berndtson video below for Stevens’ wise words for future leaders…)

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Australian Scientists Create Seaweed Supplement for Cows that Reduces Methane Emissions by 80%

By
Andy Corbley
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An Australian company has produced a seaweed-based dietary supplement for dairy and beef cows that eliminates 80% of the methane content emitted by the animals.

Dave, CC license

If only 10% of global cattle herds consumed the supplement, created by FutureFeed Ltd, it would be the same as taking 50 million cars off the roadways.

Trialled for efficacy over five years with help from the Australian national science agency (CISRO), the supplement is based on a species of seaweed called Asparagopsis, and has been deemed safe for lifetime use in cows.

Furthermore, in news that will cause beef/ozone lovers to jump for joy, $13 million has already been secured from five investors to allow FutureFeed to establish the entire supply chain—from seaweed cultivation to production and distribution, and the company expects to see commercial volumes of the feed additive supplied into the Australian beef and dairy market by mid-2021, with international markets to follow.

READ: How an Indian Architect is Sucking Carbon Emissions Out of the Air and Turning it into Stylish Tiles

Over a billion people globally depend on methane-emitting livestock for their livelihoods, and their presence in the economies of the developed and more importantly, the developing world, is nearly irreplaceable.

Winning the war

According to FutureFeed, animal protein is the only reliable source of protein and key micronutrients for 1 billion of the world’s inhabitants experiencing food insecurity.

CHECK OUT: Kroger Buys and Redirects Dairy Farmers’ Excess Milk, Sending 50,000 Gallons Per Month to Food Banks

However, ungulate burps, a long-persecuted source of greenhouse gases actually represent a fairly low percentage of GHGs in the world—about 5%.

Nevertheless, the battle to slow climate change has had scientists concerned about that 5% for years. Experts are quick to point out that ungulates emit methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. It’s about 28 times more powerful than carbon dioxide at warming the Earth over a hundred years, and 80 times more powerful over the course of two decades—so their impact on the atmosphere belies the small overall percentage.

Fortunately for ranchers, consumers, and the thousands of industries that rely on cow products, such as pet food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and more, methane only stays in the atmosphere for 12 years, compared to the CO2 life cycle of around 1,000.

This means FutureFeed’s supplement will need only a few years before virtually erasing the atmospheric footprint of livestock methane production.

“FutureFeed enables agriculture and the environment to be partners not competitors, helps overcome negative perceptions of the cattle industry, and gives Australian farmers an advantage in the global marketplace as first adopters of this Aussie innovation,” Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall of CISRO said.

“FutureFeed is addressing some of the greatest challenges we face, including food security, sustainable production and climate change, by turning science into a real product in the hands of business so they can turn it into jobs and economic growth.”

MORE: Topping Soil With Rock Dust Could Suck Billions of Tons of CO2 From the Air and Increase Crop Nutrients–Study

Good News Network reported earlier this year on a similar, garlic-based supplement produced in Switzerland called Mootral, that was found to reduce methane emissions from cows by 30-38%; not nearly as much as FutureFeed, but market competition is important to drive innovation—even in “public good” sectors like carbon reduction, and so having two separate supplements available will only increase the chances that the following two decades will see an end to the concerns of animal agriculture as a direct GHG producer.

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Taking Hot Baths Regularly May Lower Blood Pressure, Study Says

By
Andy Corbley
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Representative file photo by Witches Falls Cottages, CC

Taking a hot bath several times a week has been shown in a study to possibly reduce your risk for blood pressure and diabetes.

Representative file photo by Witches Falls Cottages, CC

These findings came from a cohort study of 1,300 individuals in three different bathing groups—those who took a hot bath less than one, from one to four, and four or more, times a week.

Consistent with other findings based on the therapeutic benefits of extreme heat, the European Association for the Study of Diabetes collected measurements like blood pressure, body mass, and blood tests, and found that those with a higher frequency of bathing saw decreases in body weight, diastolic blood pressure, and glycated hemoglobin (a marker of blood sugar).

The highest average risk reductions were observed in those who bathed four or more times a week for a mean duration of 16 minutes, and the improvements in blood pressure and blood sugar were observed in adults regardless of weight, age, sex, or medications taken.

“Heat therapy, shown here with hot tub bathing, can be one effective therapeutic option for type 2 diabetes in daily life. An alternative form of heat exposure might be nutrition therapy and exercise,” noted Hisayuki Katsuyama, MD, in a report with Medscape news.

Heat shock therapy

One of the reasons heat therapy, as Katsuyama pointed out, can produce positive results with diabetes is that as blood moves from your core to your skin to facilitate sweating in the hot environment of a Jacuzzi or a hot bath, your heart starts to beat faster—up to 150 beats per minute, which is about the same as moderate intensity exercise.

READ: Dutchman Proves He Can Teach Anyone to Control Health With the Power of Ice

Since exercise is an all-cause mortality mitigator, it’s no surprise the similar physiological effect would be beneficial for such significant morbidity factors like high-blood pressure, or diabetes.

These two conditions, along with a host of others, were improved with another form of therapeutic heat—saunas.

A Finnish sauna session was found to increase heart-rate variability, which is indicative of the heart’s capacity to react strongly under stressful conditions. Long-term sauna use was also found to improve left-ventricular function and blood pressure.

Finnish saunas when used a similar number of times per week were also found to decrease the risk of death for stroke, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease by around 46%.

MORE: 30 Years of Research Shows Sauna Bathing is Game-Changer for Longevity and Heart Disease

Sauna and hot water bathing can reduce your risk for all manner of heart-related diseases, possibly because it mimics exercise. In any case, if you’re the person who likes a hot bath before bed, you’re likely benefiting in ways you could never have imagined.

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“A limited self will insist on a limited desire. The real truth about you is the life beyond your fears.” – Tama Kieves

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “A limited self will insist on a limited desire. The real truth about you is the life beyond your fears.” – Tama Kieves

Photo: by Vita Vilcina, cropped

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

 

How Transparent Solar Panels and ‘Quantum Dots’ Could Make Skyscrapers Power Themselves

By
Andy Corbley
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University of Michigan

In labs around the world, scientists and engineers are working to transform skyscrapers into giant solar energy-generating pylons.

University of Michigan

This has been made possible by a seemingly fictional invention that has appeared over the last few years—organic, transparent solar cells that when inserted into panes of glass, absorb sun and turn it into electricity to power the building.

A team from the University of Michigan contributed massively to this research, which was supported by the U.S. Dep. of Energy, by recently breaking the established scientific record for conversion efficiency (8.1%) and transparency (43%) in their carbon-based solar cells inserted into window glass, turning it to a slightly greyish-green tint like sunglasses or car windows.

“The new material we developed, and the structure of the device we built, had to balance multiple trade-offs to provide good sunlight absorption, high voltage, high current, low resistance and color-neutral transparency all at the same time,” said Yongxi Li, an assistant research scientist in electrical engineering and computer science who participated in the record breaking.

In addition, the researchers developed optical coatings which when applied to the glass, as is often the case with treated windows on skyscrapers, boost both power generated from infrared light and transparency in the human-visible range—two qualities that are usually in competition with one another.

RELATED: This New German Car is Covered With Solar Panels and Charges As It Drives

Both versions of their cells can be manufactured at large scale, using materials that are less toxic than other transparent solar cells, and they can be placed in between the panes of double-glazed windows.

The transparent organic solar cells can also be customized for local latitudes, taking advantage of the fact that they are most efficient when the sun’s rays are hitting them at a perpendicular angle.

While they haven’t yet brought any of their remarkable technology to market, another company looking to turn skyscraper windows into electricity-rich solar panels is already making profits.

UBiQD and their “Quantum Dots”

Another set of engineers and scientists looking to help change the way skyscrapers power themselves is UBiQD, a development-stage company manufacturing nano-crystals in Los Alamos, New Mexico.

Calling their technology “Quantum Dots” in reference to their size (it would take 100,000 of them to span the width of your fingernail) they are used to make solar-powered windows that operate in a truly mind-boggling fashion.

CHECK OUT: First Hybrid Floating Ocean Platform Can Generate Power From Waves, Wind, And Solar

Like tiny nano-onions, their layers protecting the light-emitting core, they are laminated onto a window pane where their crystalline structure captures sunlight and emits it through internal reflection outward in a two-dimensional grid towards the edges of the window pane.

Once there, the frame in which the glass is fitted can absorb the photovoltaic energy and convert it into electricity without the need for wires or other components to appear on the glass, thereby disrupting the view out of the window.

“A minimal photovoltaic profile and efficiently designed electronics allow UbiQD solar windows to fit into existing manufacturing and installation practices, making for a truly ubiquitous solar window,” explains the company website.

The company is also using another configuration of Quantum Dots to power a warp-speed jump in greenhouse technology. Greenhouse windows treated with special Quantum Dots will actually convert part of the sunlight’s blue spectrum during absorption.

MORE: Solar-Powered Panels Pull Water Out of the Air For Navajo Families Who Have None

Upon exit, the blue light becomes red, thereby increasing the potency of the plants natural photosynthesis processes.

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Worried About Socially Distanced Trick-or-Treating? Build a Candy Chute Like This Family!

By
Judy Cole
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Andrew Beattie, Facebook

Halloween is a holiday many relish with fervor—the homes and yards decked out with ghosts and Jack o’ lanterns, and families decked out in costumes taking to the streets for some trick or treating.

Andrew Beattie, Facebook

This year, with the COVID-19 pandemic putting a damper on many annual customs, it looked like celebrations-as-usual might be out of the question.

But for one die-hard Ohio Halloween fan, the importance of letting off some much-needed  steam while making sure kids could enjoy the holiday in safety was all the incentive he needed to come up with a brilliant socially distanced trick-or-treating tradition—a contact-free candy chute.

“[Halloween] is just something I’ve always been passionate about,” Andrew Beattie told KSDK 5 News.

RELATED: Uncle Makes Nephew’s ‘Lockdown’ Dream Come True, Building A Rollercoaster In The Backyard—WATCH

Even prior to the pandemic, Beattie had been toying with an idea for a candy chute prototype to make participating in the holiday easier for neighbors with mobility issues.

Having an immune deficiency himself, Beattie thought the buffer of a little extra distancing was just common sense, “especially at the time of year when people are having colds and things.”

Beattie, along with his 6-year-old daughter, constructed the chute using a six-foot by four-inch shipping tube. After spray-painting their creation orange and finishing up with a spiral of black duct tape, they were ready to attach it to the railing that runs from the family’s porch down to the street. Decorative strings of green and purple lights completed the ghoulish theme.

MORE: Watch Boy’s Secret Act of Kindness When He Finds Empty Bowl of Halloween Candy

“This is something that the kids will enjoy and not think of it as ‘I’m doing this to prevent disease,’” Beattie told CNN. “They’re doing it to have a good time… We need that. We need the community spirit back right now.”

Within three days of posting the invention to Facebook, Beattie’s chute went viral, garnering 8,000 comments, 27,000 reactions, and 62,000 shares.

“Even if people are completely comfortable with how things are, there are a lot of people who aren’t,” Beattie acknowledged. “If they can see people doing things like this, it can give them a little bit of grace, and that it might encourage more people to get involved and get out there and get us back to looking the way we want to look.”

A BOO!tiful sentiment indeed, and not surprisingly, Beattie’s invention triggered a score of DYI Halloween enthusiasts to come up with their own socially distanced candy chute variations.

CHECK OUT: Artist Spends Hours Carving These Spooky Jack-o-Lanterns—and They’re Stunningly Elaborate

Want to give it a try yourself?

(WATCH this video from Good Morning America for inspiration.)

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Mystical Urge To Get Weird Tattoo Pays Off As She’s Presented With The Exact Item Years Later By Strangers

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Good News Network
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A New York woman saw a random picture of a fish chair years ago and felt a “mystical” pull towards it—so she got the funky furniture tattooed on her leg.

The moment came full circle recently when a group of strangers traveled 300 miles to present her with the exact chair that she admired long ago.

You may not have heard of the Facebook group “Weird Second Hand Finds That Just Need To Be Shared,” but with nearly two million members, it’s an active community.

When a member posted a picture of a fun, if slightly surreal, chair with rainbow-colored fish for back rails, one group member was especially amazed. Syracuse auto mechanic Emily DelFavero had an inking of the exact item on her calf.

When she mentioned this weird piece of kismet to the strangers on Facebook, they soon jumped into action, insisting that she needed to own that chair.

Starting a GoFundMe to buy the quirky piece, they raised $600 and purchased the piece from the Baltimore flea market where it was located. According to On The Road with Steve Hartman, they then devised a plan to transport the fishy item more than 300 miles upstream to Emily.

MORE: Spunky Grandma Uses Virtual Goggles to Ride Roller Coaster For First Time (With Hilarious Irish Profanity)

Talk about a random act of kindness.

(WATCH the video of Emily and the fish chair below… EDITOR’S NOTE: Foreign viewers can see it at CBS News.)

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Listen To The Sassy Singing Parrot That Thinks It’s Beyoncé

By
Good News Network
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SWNS

A singing parrot has been wowing visitors to a wildlife park by belting out hit tunes by Beyoncé.

SWNS

Chico is a nine-year-old yellow-crowned Amazon parrot. A species native to tropical South America, these birds are able to repeat human speech in a clear voice and can live often up to an astonishing 100 years old.

Based at Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, Chico has been amazing customers with his performances since arriving at the Boston sanctuary 18 months ago.

Footage of him singing an impressive rendition of Beyonce’s ‘If I Were A Boy’ has gone deservedly viral since being uploaded on Facebook by the park—the video has been viewed more than 100,000 times.

Chico can be heard hitting all the right notes as he sings the opening lines to the 2008 hit by the US megastar (on listening, you might also be able to hear visitors chuckle in the background).

RELATED: Firefighters Amused After Rushing to a Call Only to Find Parrot Impersonating a Smoke Alarm  

The talented bird can also mimic other pop tracks such as ‘Poker Face’ by Lady Gaga, ‘Firework’ by Katy Perry, and ‘You Drive Me Crazy’ by Gnarls Barkley.

Lincolnshire Wildlife Park CEO Steve Nichols, joked, “Who’d have ever thought that a parrot would cause social distancing problems due to being so popular?”

A regular visitor, Graham Gardner, said, “People can’t get enough of him, there’s always a line of people waiting to see him—it’s like he’s an actual pop star at times… He’ll just break into song randomly and it leaves people in hysterics.

“He’s actually got a very good voice,” Graham explained, saying, “Maybe Simon Cowell might get in touch, you never know.”

(WATCH the video of Chico belting out Beyoncé’s famous tune below.)

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“Limits, like fear, is often an illusion.” – Michael Jordan

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Good News Network
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Man in a wheelchair on grassy terrain

Quote of the Day: “Limits, like fear, is often an illusion.” – Michael Jordan

Photo: by britt gaiser, cropped

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

 

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