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Pizza Hut is Testing a New Compostable Round Pizza Box That Uses Less Material Than Squares

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Since the beginning of time, pizza boxes were square and the round pies inside of them were topped with meat.

Starting this week, however, Pizza Hut will introduce a limited-time test of a plant-based pizza topping served up in a round pizza box.

The test of both innovations will take place exclusively at one Pizza Hut location in Phoenix where America’s Original Pizza Company will introduce the new Garden Specialty Pizza topped with Incogmeato by MorningStar Farms Italian sausage.

“At Pizza Hut we don’t do anything halfway and improving the customer experience and delivering a better tasting pizza is our core mission,” said Marianne Radley, chief brand officer, Pizza Hut. “When we talk about feeding more possibilities we mean it—and I can’t wait to share these two new industry-changing innovations with our customers.”

RELATED: EU Approves Groundbreaking New ‘Right to Repair’ Laws Requiring Appliances to Be Easier to Fix

Pizza Hut partnered with Zume, a company pioneering the shift to a more sustainable future of food, to design a way to put a round pizza in a round box. Not only does the round box contain less overall packaging compared to a typical square pizza box, it’s also industrially compostable (where available) and interlocks easily to ensure a smoother delivery. In other words, no pizza insurance policy needed and freed up space in the fridge for leftovers.

Following the event in Phoenix, Pizza Hut will look at ways to roll the box out more widely in the near future.

“This revolutionary round box—the result of a two-year journey—is the most innovative packaging we’ve rolled out to date,” said Nicolas Burquier, chief customer and operations officer, Pizza Hut. “The round box was engineered to make our products taste even better—by delivering hotter, crispier pizzas. This box is a win-win—it will improve the pizza-eating experience for our customers and simplify the operating experience for our team members.”

CHECK OUT: LEGO is Now Offering to Pay For You to Ship Your Unused Bricks to Children in Need

Additionally, this limited-time test run of the plant-based Italian sausage Garden Specialty Pizza topping will feature Incogmeato Italian sausage, onions, mushrooms and banana peppers and will be served exclusively on Pizza Hut’s large, hand-tossed crust.

Customers in the Phoenix area were encouraged to stop in at the Pizza Hut restaurant located at 3602 E. Thomas Rd to be among the first to try the limited-run Garden Specialty Pizza, served in the new round box featuring Pizza Hut’s green roof logo, on October 23rd. The new product combo was sold for $10 and was available in-store only. All proceeds raised from the sale of the round box pies during the one-day event were donated to Arizona Forward, a Phoenix-based sustainability organization.

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Watch This Young Fisherman Melt Hearts By Releasing the Biggest Fish He Ever Caught

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This little boy from Florida has won the hearts of millions of internet users after his father published a viral video of his fishing skills to social media earlier this month.

Ke’Mari Cooper was out fishing with his father Velt in Quincy, Florida when the youngster reeled in the biggest fish he has ever caught: a massive bass weighing 7 pounds and 1 ounce.

The youngster pulled off the impressive catch using a “black trick worm” lure—and he could barely contain his excitement.

LOOK: After Years of Gaining Trust of Local Squirrels, Photographer Has Captured the Most Wholesome Pictures

After reveling in his achievement, however, Ke’Mari eagerly and earnestly released the fish back into the water.

“I hope you grow to be bigger, baby,” the boy gently tells the fish before setting it free.

Since his father published the video to social media, it has been viewed more than 14 millions times, with many fans saying that it is the most wholesome video to grace the internet this week.

(WATCH the sweet video below)

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“Loneliness is a power that we possess to give or take away.” – Jon Anderson (born 75 years ago today)

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Quote of the Day: “Loneliness is a power that we possess to give or take away.” – Jon Anderson (born 75 years ago today), from the Yes song, ‘Starship Trooper’

Photo: by Henry Burrows – CC license on Flickr, cropped

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

 

Uber Driver Surprises Distressed New Mom, Buying Her Sick Baby All New Clothes

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McKinley Corbley
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A compassionate Uber driver stopped her work day solely so she could help a distressed new mother with a sick child.

Nicole Ihus’s son John Henry was born last month with a life-threatening disease called congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Nicole and her husband, who live in Kansas City, contacted doctors from Minnesota and Missouri in hopes of finding a physician who could treat John Henry for the condition—but to no avail.

Luckily, Nicole managed to get in contact with the “best doctor in the world for this condition” at Johns Hopkins All Childrens in St. Petersburg, Florida—so she traveled all the way to the Sunshine State to give her newborn son a fighting chance.

MORE: Crane Operator Makes Heartwarming Pact With Dying Man Who Had Been Watching Him Work Every Day

After John Henry was born into the capable hands of the NICU, Nicole felt overwhelmed and alone in the new state, although she knew that she had to leave her son’s side in order to buy him some new clothes.

Upon ordering an Uber ride to the nearby Rhea Lana children’s clothing store, she was picked up by a woman named Belinda.

Shortly after Nicole got into Belinda’s car, the new mother couldn’t help but vent about her heartbreaking circumstances.

RELATED: Mom Overwhelmed With Gratitude When Hotel Manager Befriends Autistic Boy Wanting to Show Off His Card Tricks

“She told me her story,” Belinda told WFLA in the interview below. “She was in tears a couple of times and I really felt for her.”

Rather than simply dropping Nicole off at the store, however, Belinda parked the car and insisted on accompanying her passenger into the store so she could treat John Henry to a new wardrobe.

Needless to say, Nicole was overwhelmed with gratitude.

WATCH: How Nasty Note From a Neighbor Inspired a Community to Show the Best in Humanity

“She was like, ‘I’m going to help you buy you some clothes for your son.’ I asked her, ‘Are you serious?’ I can’t even imagine,” said Nicole. “For this stranger to go completely out of her way—stop what she was doing and stop making money—to come be with me for a couple of hours while we shopped together, that was just incredible.”

As Nicole cares for her newborn son and raises money for his medical conditions, she hopes to introduce the Uber driver to her son as a thank you for her compassionate gesture.

(WATCH the news coverage below)

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This Ancient Oak Has Just Been Voted England’s Favorite Tree for Its 1,000-Year Legacy of Luck

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Andy Corbley
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This 11th century tree tucked away in the suburbs of Liverpool has just won a 21st century prize.

Liverpool’s Allerton Oak tree—which is said to have been present in the city when the Normans conquered England in 1066—has just won England’s 2019 Tree of the Year award: a contest which has been celebrating trees for their beauty, character, and special history across Ireland and the UK since 2014.

Receiving 34% of the 11,000 votes in the contest, the Merseyside Oak defeated a sycamore growing atop a castle in Essex and “The Dragon Tree” on the Isle of Wight to claim the coveted arboreal prize. Allerton Oak will represent its home country in the 2020 European Tree of the Year contest held next year.

According to local legend, The Dragon Tree is actually the body of a fearsome dragon, slain by a knight returning to England from the Holy Land. Upon its death, the dragon’s body turned into a gnarled oak; its feet digging into the ground to become roots.

MORE: City Gives Trees Email Addresses So Folks Can Report Problems, But They Send Love Letters Instead

The Allerton Oak, on the other hand, is believed to be more than 1,000 years old—and it has played a far greater part in Liverpool’s history than simply standing still and converting CO2 to oxygen. A placard at the foot of the great tree reads “One thousand years ago, Allerton did not possess a courthouse and it is believed that the sittings of the Hundred Court were held under the spreading branches of this tree.”

In World War II, Liverpoolians who were off fighting in Europe often received acorns and leaves from the Allerton Oak as a little piece of home, and a sign of strength to protect them in battle.

In 1086, William the Conqueror requisitioned the famous Domesday Book, a large land registry, and one that has helped modern Britons snatch a glimpse of what was present on their island a thousand years before they were.

RELATED: Tree-Filled City Parks Make People as Happy as Christmas Day, Says New Study of Twitter Posts

The suburb of Allerton was mentioned in that book, and experts believe that’s a good indication the tree was there when the census was conducted.

The trunk of the beloved tree features a large crack; attributed to the explosion of a gunpowder ship on the River Mersey in 1864.

Reprinted with permission from World At Large

Plant Some Positivity By Sharing The Enlightening Story With Your Friends On Social Media – Photo by Geograph.UK

More Than 200 Homeless Seniors Will Have Tiny Houses of Their Own After Donations Pour In

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Two hundred homeless seniors in Texas will soon have a roof over their heads thanks to this nonprofit raising more than $2 million in donations.

Earlier this week, the Housing First Community Coalition (HFCC) announced that it had successfully raised the funds for its new 17-acre Towne Twin Village community that will provide housing and support services for seniors in San Antonio experiencing long-term homelessness.

The community will house 200 individuals who are 50 years or older and be the city’s first single-site Housing First – Permanent Supportive Housing property.

The Towne Twin Village community will feature apartments, 350-400 square foot tiny houses, RV park, community garden, picnic areas, art studio, pet park, pet rescue facility, chapel, and an outdoor amphitheater for movies, musical performances, and theatrical events.

LOOK: After Success of First 3D-Printed Home in US, 50 More Homes Are Being Built for Poor Families

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Annual Point-In-Time and Housing Inventory Count evidentially supports that Housing First is a proven model that has helped reduce homelessness nationwide by 13% between 2010 and 2017.

According to the Interagency Council on Homelessness, providing supportive housing opportunities to people with the most intense needs, communities spent much less on preventable costs for public programs as well as on shelters, jails, ambulances, and emergency rooms. Other benefits to the San Antonio community will include the redevelopment of a 17-acre vacant property into a beautiful community asset, employing dozens of construction workers for months, and creating multiple jobs long-term.

The Housing First model employs evidence-based practices to streamline connections to housing opportunities and to provide people with the appropriate level of services to support their long-term housing stability.

MORE: Taxing Empty Apartments Could Be the Solution to Affordable Housing in Expensive Cities, New Study Says

Mark Wittig, HFCC chairman, stated: “Our vision is to develop a housing community where everyone is cherished. The community will provide permanent housing and assistance to meet the needs of seniors experiencing long-term homelessness in San Antonio and develop a community that offers safety, stability, dignity, and purpose.”

In addition to housing, the community and its partners will provide concentrated support services including case management, job training, professional counseling, legal advocacy, and health care to help residents pursue personal goals and improve their quality of life. The community will include approximately 200 units (mostly efficiencies) and 25 units for peer volunteers. A low-barrier Housing First model will be used in selecting housing applicants and supporting residents. Applicants will be prioritized according to their vulnerability index (age, duration of homelessness, additional risk factors, disabilities, and high utilization of city services).

“HFCC aims to serve chronically homeless vulnerable people as they outnumber chronically homeless families by 36 to 1,” said Alice Salinas, senior program manager of San Antonio Local Initiative Support Corporation.

“Our goal is to restore dignity and to build a therapeutic community that will promote the flourishing of natural support systems through socialization and development of friendship with volunteers, neighbors, and other residents.”

Build Up Some Positivity By Sharing The Good News With Your Friends On Social Media — Photo by HFCC

It’s Not Fowl Play: Police Assist Woman Chasing a Chicken Around the Highway

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When this plucky chicken found itself running rampant on the median strip of an Ohio highway, a pair of police officers went above and beyond the call of duty to keep it from getting to the other side.

Earlier this week, Officer Brad White from the Columbus Division of Police received a call about a distressed woman seen wandering around the highway.

White—along with an officer from the Ohio Department of Transportation State Farm Freeway Safety Patrol—arrived on the scene only to find that the woman was an Ohio State University veterinary student who was chasing down a rogue chicken.

WATCH: Police Officer Helps to Shave Homeless Man’s Face in the Rain After Seeing Him Struggle Without a Mirror

The student, who was identified only as Jessie K., had been trying to keep the chicken from wandering into traffic. White and his colleague then spent the next fifteen minutes assisting Jessie by chasing the chicken around the median strip and preventing it from entering traffic.

“We are unsure how the chicken ended up in the median. Jessie advised me that she was waiting on dusk so the bird would roost and be easier to capture,” the Columbus Police Department wrote in a Facebook post.

“Jessie waited for the right opportunity and was able to make an apprehension. The chicken is now safe at her family’s farm.”

(WATCH the video below)

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“Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.” – Theophrastus

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Quote of the Day: “Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.” – Theophrastus

Photo: by postscapes – CC license on Flickr, cropped

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

 

These Mexican Villagers Have Been Working to Plant 5 Millions Trees To Ease the Climate Crisis

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McKinley Corbley
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With reforestation being hailed as one of the easiest natural strategies for combatting climate change, a team of Mexican conservationists are working to plant at least 5 million trees around their village.

Over 100 plantation workers from the southeast town of Constitución have been planting native saplings across the region.

Since they first began their mission in collaboration with Plant for the Planet back in 2016, the team has planted more than 500,000 trees in the area.

WATCH: Man Succeeds Where Government Fails: He Planted a Forest in the Middle of a Cold Desert

Plant for the Planet—an organization that is dedicated to planting 1 trillion trees around the world over the course of the next three decades—strategically targeted the Mexican region because trees grow four times faster than they do in central Europe.

Collectively, the organization has managed to plant 13.6 billion trees around the world since 2006—and they are now planting one more tree every 15 seconds.

Not only is the initiative helping to bring trees and greenery back to the region, it also provides work and income to the local workers.

(WATCH the FreeThink video below) – Photo by FreeThink

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Stephen King is Using His Property to Open a Writer’s Retreat

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McKinley Corbley
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Posted by Connie Johnson on Friday, October 18, 2019

 

Legendary horror writer Stephen King recently announced that he will be opening up his property to his fellow writers and literary scholars.

King’s home in Bangor, Maine has become something of a tourist hotspot since it served as the inspiration for the town in the “It” novel. Visitors often take photos outside of his red house and its wrought-iron gates—but now, the estate will reportedly be used to house all of his literary archives.

The Bangor City Council recently approved a re-zoning request from King and his wife to officially designate the house as a nonprofit space for the archives, which—up until now—have been kept at the University of Maine. The archives will be made available to scholars and researchers by appointment only.

Not only that, King made a Facebook post about his plans to transform the house next door to his home on 47 West Broadway into a writer’s retreat.

RELATED: JK Rowling Funds MS Research With Whopping $18 Million Donation to Honor Her Mother

“We are in the very beginning of planning the writers’ retreat at the house next door, providing housing for up to five writers in residence at a time,” says King. “The zoning change getting press coverage was the first step. We are 1 to 2 years away from an operating retreat.”

Though King and his wife do not often spend time at their Bangor home, the city council has been eager to accommodate the family’s intentions for the property.

City Councilor Ben Sprague told Rolling Stone: “The King Family has been wonderful to the City of Bangor over time and have donated literally millions of dollars to various causes in the community. Preserving his legacy here in Bangor is important for this community.”

Posted by Suzanne Burke on Friday, October 18, 2019

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You Can Now Take ‘Puppy Pilates’ Classes and Help Train Service Dogs for Veterans With PTSD

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McKinley Corbley
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Exercise enthusiasts in New York can now help veterans in need by getting a workout in a room full of playful puppies.

The Precision Pilates studio in Fayetteville, New York is now hosting “Puppy Pilates” classes for $25 so they can donate all of the proceeds to a program that trains service dogs for veterans suffering from PTSD.

The Clear Path for Veterans’ Canine Program, which is run entirely on donations, says that raising and training a service dog usually costs about $25,0000.

MORE: College is Pairing Service-Dogs-in-Training With Stressed Students Who Could Use a Furry Friend

However, service dogs have been shown to have a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of ex-military members.

Ryan Woodruff, who is a US Marine Corp veteran and director of the program, told CNN: “We have done scientific research showing that our training model significantly reduces symptoms associated with PTSD, decreases stress, increases self-compassion, and improves their overall quality of life.”

The proceeds from the pilates studio will help to train the eight puppies currently being managed by Clear Path. Since the response to the pilates classes has been overwhelmingly positive, the studio will be hosting their next class on October 27th for up to 40 participants.

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Wells Fargo to Donate $1 Billion to Affordable Housing and Homelessness Across America

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In June, Wells Fargo announced a new philanthropic strategy that will address the key issues of housing affordability and small business revitalization with one billion dollars in grants and support.

The bank that serves one in three households in the United States said it is committing $1 billion over the next six years to support nonprofits and private entities that demonstrate ability to create positive outcomes in homelessness, available and affordable rentals, transitional housing and home ownership.

Last year, the Wells Fargo Foundation donated $444 million to more than 11,000 nonprofits to help address economic and social needs in underserved communities—and yesterday it announced $9 million in grants to more than 60 nonprofits, such as Habitat For Humanity and Covenant House, in support of housing affordability solutions. (See the full list below)

Bringing more than 30 years of experience in public and private philanthropy, Brandee McHale stepped in to take over the helm at the Foundation in August, after being the head of Corporate Citizenship at Citigroup. and president of the Citi Foundation, and previously working at the Ford Foundation.

To address challenges in construction, financing, and support services for low- and moderate-income families, the elderly and the homeless, Wells Fargo hopes to ease the cost burden for housing across the country, “from Alaska to Florida.”

RELATED: Canadian Credit Card Holders Are ‘Over the Moon’ With Chase Bank’s Decision to Forgive Outstanding Debt

“We have a unique opportunity to work together with nonprofits to make an even greater impact,” said Eileen Fitzgerald, head of housing affordability philanthropy with the Wells Fargo Foundation.

The $9 million in grants this week are “a key component” of the recently announced Wells Fargo philanthropy strategy to address the housing affordability crisis over the next six years.

This housing-and-neighborhoods-first strategy may help the nation’s fourth largest bank turn around its reputation after a 2016 scandal involving setting up fake customer accounts, and other controversies.

MORE: In ‘Massive Boost’ to Climate Goals, Banks Responsible for $47 Trillion in Assets Are Committing to Saving the Earth

The Recent 2019 Grant Recipients Include:

Cook Inlet Housing Development Corporation (Anchorage, Alaska)
Covenant House Alaska (Anchorage, Alaska)
Foundation for Senior Living (Phoenix)
Habitat for Humanity Fresno (Fresno, Calif.)
Resources for Community Development (Berkeley, Calif.)
Pueblo Unido Community Development Corporation (La Quinta, Calif.)
Community of Friends (Los Angeles)
Neighborhood Housing Services (Sacramento, Calif.)
Volunteers of America (Sacramento, Calif.)
Habitat for Humanity San Diego (San Diego)
SVDP Management, Inc. (San Diego)
Bridge Housing Corporation (San Francisco)
Mercy Housing California (San Francisco)
Rebuilding Together San Jose (San Jose, Calif.)
Habitat for Humanity Santa Ana (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Mercy House CHDO, Inc. (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (Ventura, Calif.)
Self-Help Enterprises (Visalia, Calif.)
Brothers Redevelopment, Inc. (Denver)
Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (Denver)
Tampa Bay Community Development Corporation (Clearwater, Fla.)
Habitat for Humanity Panama City (Panama City, Fla.)
Florida Home Partnership, Inc. (Ruskin, Fla.)
Habitat for Humanity West Palm Beach (West Palm Beach, Fla.)
Neighborhood Renaissance, Inc. (West Palm Beach, Fla.)
CSRA Economic Opportunity Authority, Inc. (Augusta, Ga.)
NeighborWorks Boise (Boise, Idaho)
Northwest Real Estate Capital Corporation (Boise, Idaho)
Women’s Institute for Housing and Economic Development, Inc. (Boston)
Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. (Columbia, Md.)
Mary Harvin Transformation Center Community Development Corporation (Baltimore)
Unity Properties, Inc. (Baltimore)
City of Lakes Community Land Trust (Minneapolis)
Project for Pride in Living, Inc. (Minneapolis)
Community Housing Solutions of Guilford, Inc. (Greensboro, N.C.)
DHIC, Inc. (Raleigh, N.C.)
Habitat for Humanity Newark (Newark, N.J.)
La Casa De Don Pedro, Inc. (Newark, N.J.)
Saranam LLC (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Nevada HAND, Inc. (Las Vegas)
Common Ground Communities, Inc. (New York)
Access (Medford, Ore.)
Native American Youth and Family Center (Portland, Ore.)
Northwest Housing Alternatives, Inc. (Milwaukie, Ore.)
Tri-County Housing Development, Corporation (Harrisburg, Pa.)
Housing Development Corporation of Rock Hill (Rock Hill, S.C.)
Habitat for Humanity Sioux Falls (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Saint Joseph Catholic Housing, Inc. (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Rebuilding Together Nashville (Nashville, Tenn.)
Foundation Communities, Inc. (Austin, Texas)
Habitat for Humanity Austin (Austin, Texas)
Habitat for Humanity Fort Worth (Fort Worth, Texas)
Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County (Fort Worth, Texas)
Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation (Houston)
Neighborhood Recovery Community Development Corporation (Houston)
Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (Arlington, Va.)
Southside Community Development and Housing Corporation (Richmond, Va.)
Habitat for Humanity Renton (Renton, Wash.)
Bellweather Housing (Seattle)
Acts Community Development Corporation (Milwaukee)
Habitat for Humanity Jackson (Jackson, Wyo.)
Jackson Hole Community Housing (Jackson, Wyo.)

SHARE the Hope on Social Media… (Photo courtesy of Wells Fargo Foundation)

“Life could be magical; it could be special if we were only willing to take a few risks.” – Donald Miller

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Quote of the Day: “Life could be magical; it could be special if we were only willing to take a few risks.” – Donald Miller

Photo: by Caatje (Carin) Winkelman – CC license on Flickr, cropped

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

 

Rather Than Sending Old Pillows Straight to Recycling, Hotel Chain is Using Them to Host Pillow Fight Clubs

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Good News Network
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SWNS
James Walkinshaw pillow fights with his son Freddie – SWNS

An underground pillow fight club opened its doors to the public this week for those seeking the ultimate “smack down”.

Imitating the iconic Hollywood blockbuster starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, more than 100 people joined the club to be schooled on the rules, learn the technique, and battle it out in the ring.

Parents were pitted against their children; friends came to blows; but every participant was trying to make it to the top of the leaderboard.

Points are awarded based on where the pillow strikes the body, with one being awarded for a leg shot, two for a torso shot, and five for the head.

MORE: LEGO is Now Offering to Pay For You to Ship Your Unused Bricks to Children in Need

Further events took place in adapted hotel rooms across the UK including Edinburgh, Cardiff and Bristol to celebrate the release of Premier Inn’s best ever pillow.

The new pillows are being introduced across 800 hotels, with as many as 300,000 leftover cushions being used to launch Pillow Fight Clubs across the UK.

Sarah Simpson, head of product at Premier Inn, said: “Pillow fights are one of the few childhood ‘sports’ people can take through to adulthood and still be good at.

LOOK: Entrepreneur Has Bought 10,000 Unused Ride-Sharing Bikes So He Can Donate Them to Poor Students

“We thought Pillow Fight Club would be the perfect way to use leftover pillows before they are recycled as a way to bring families together to have some fun.

“With the launch of our new pillow in hotels and available to purchase online it seemed like the perfect time to open up the club to the public.”

SWNS

The most famous scene from the Hollywood blockbuster, which celebrates its twentieth anniversary this autumn, was recreated to explain the eight simple rules of Pillow Fight Club.

Leading the shot-for-shot remake is the clubs’ very own mini Tyler Durden: the character who was famously immortalized by Pitt in the cult classic movie.

MORE: This Revolutionary Blast Furnace Vaporizes Trash and Turns It into Clean Energy (Without Any Emissions)

Other than not talking about Pillow Fight Club, other rules include stopping a duel if someone dozes off and limiting the number of bouts to one at a time.

They also stipulate that the “floor is never lava” and that if this is your first fight, “grab a pillow—you have to fight.”

If you want to keep an eye out for a Pillow Fight Club near you, be sure and check out the Premier Inn’s Facebook, Twitter, or Eventbrite page.

(WATCH the adorable video below)

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Carbon-Neutral ‘Artificial Leaf’ Produces Clean Gas Which Could Help to Replace Fossil Fuels

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Photo by Virgil Andrei (via Cambridge)

A widely-used gas that is currently produced from fossil fuels can instead be made by an “artificial leaf” that uses only sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water—and it could eventually be used to develop a sustainable liquid fuel alternative to petrol.

The carbon-neutral device sets a new benchmark in the field of solar fuels, after researchers at the University of Cambridge demonstrated that it can directly produce the gas—called syngas—in a sustainable and simple way.

Rather than running on fossil fuels, the artificial leaf is powered by sunlight, although it still works efficiently on cloudy and overcast days. And unlike the current industrial processes for producing syngas, the leaf does not release any additional carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The results are reported in the journal Nature Materials.

Syngas is currently made from a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and is used to produce a range of commodities, such as fuels, pharmaceuticals, plastics and fertilizers.

MORE: Instead of Burning Coal, New Fuel Emits Zero Harmful Emissions – and It’s Made From Sewage

“You may not have heard of syngas itself but every day, you consume products that were created using it. Being able to produce it sustainably would be a critical step in closing the global carbon cycle and establishing a sustainable chemical and fuel industry,” said senior author Professor Erwin Reisner from Cambridge’s Department of Chemistry, who has spent seven years working towards this goal.

The device Reisner and his colleagues produced is inspired by photosynthesis—the natural process by which plants use the energy from sunlight to turn carbon dioxide into food.

On the artificial leaf, two light absorbers, similar to the molecules in plants that harvest sunlight, are combined with a catalyst made from the naturally abundant element cobalt.

LOOK: New Power Plant Turns Waste into Energy—and Doubles as a Ski Slope and Climbing Wall

When the device is immersed in water, one light absorber uses the catalyst to produce oxygen. The other carries out the chemical reaction that reduces carbon dioxide and water into carbon monoxide and hydrogen, forming the syngas mixture.

As an added bonus, the researchers discovered that their light absorbers work even under the low levels of sunlight on a rainy or overcast day.

“This means you are not limited to using this technology just in warm countries, or only operating the process during the summer months,” said student Virgil Andrei, first author of the paper. “You could use it from dawn until dusk, anywhere in the world.”

MORE: First Fully Rechargeable Carbon Dioxide Battery is Seven Times More Efficient Than Lithium Ion

Other ‘artificial leaf’ devices have also been developed, but these usually only produce hydrogen. The Cambridge researchers say the reason they have been able to make theirs produce syngas sustainably is thanks the combination of materials and catalysts they used.

These include state-of-the-art perovskite light absorbers, which provide a high photovoltage and electrical current to power the chemical reaction by which carbon dioxide is reduced to carbon monoxide, in comparison to light absorbers made from silicon or dye-sensitized materials. The researchers also used cobalt as their molecular catalyst, instead of platinum or silver. Cobalt is not only lower-cost, but it is better at producing carbon monoxide than other catalysts.

The team is now looking at ways to use their technology to produce a sustainable liquid fuel alternative to petrol.

CHECK OUT: This Revolutionary Blast Furnace Vaporizes Trash and Turns It into Clean Energy (Without Any Emissions)

Syngas is already used as a building block in the production of liquid fuels. “What we’d like to do next, instead of first making syngas and then converting it into liquid fuel, is to make the liquid fuel in one step from carbon dioxide and water,” said Reisner, who is also a Fellow of St John’s College.

Although great advances are being made in generating electricity from renewable energy sources such as wind power and photovoltaics, Reisner says the development of synthetic petrol is vital, as electricity can currently only satisfy about 25% of our total global energy demand. “There is a major demand for liquid fuels to power heavy transport, shipping and aviation sustainably,” he said.

“We are aiming at sustainably creating products such as ethanol, which can readily be used as a fuel,” said Andrei. “It’s challenging to produce it in one step from sunlight using the carbon dioxide reduction reaction. But we are confident that we are going in the right direction, and that we have the right catalysts, so we believe we will be able to produce a device that can demonstrate this process in the near future.”

Reprinted from the University of Cambridge

Photo by Virgil Andrei

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Garbageman Develops Sweetest Friendship With 88-Year-old Woman After She Fell in Her Driveway

By
McKinley Corbley
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When sanitation worker Billy Shelby first saw an older woman trip and fall back in January, he helped the woman because he wanted to do the right thing—but he never expected it to blossom into a lasting friendship that would inspire the nation.

Shelby, who works as a garbageman in Independence, Missouri, had been driving along his usual route when he saw 88-year-old Opal Zucca hit her head as she was trying to take out her garbage can.

Shelby helped her to safety and stayed by her side until she received medical attention. After that, he insisted on taking out her garbage cans every week.

Now, whenever Shelby brings the trash bins up to Zucca’s house, the elderly woman with dementia is always there to greet him with a hug.

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Zucca’s daughter Colette Kingston never knew very much about her mother’s friendship with the 50-year-old garbageman until she saw security footage of him and Zucca walking arm in arm up her driveway.

Kingston was so touched by the gesture, she published the video to Facebook in hopes of identifying the compassionate man.

“He demonstrates such care for her,” wrote Kingston. “It takes a village—such a small kind gesture, but leaves an enormous relief for us.”

The video ended up being shared thousands of times until Shelby finally saw the footage on his local news channel—and he says that he was incredibly humbled by the response to the video.

LOOK: Despite Language Barrier, Family Develops the Sweetest Connection With Japanese Neighbor

“I was just trying to take the trash back up there and get my hug … that’s it,” he told WDAF as he embraced Zucca with a smile.

He now hopes that his friendship with Zucca will help inspire other people to kind to their neighbor.

“Here I drive a trash truck. That’s it, right? But even with that, I can still be the best person I can be, and it can help somebody through their day,” he added. “I just believe in good energy, man. If you give it out—more than likely—that’s what you’re going to get back.”

(WATCH the news coverage below)

Be Sure And Share This Sweet Story Of Kindness With Your Friends On Social Media…

Eye Drops Shown to Temporarily Reverse Far-Sightedness in Adults Could Replace Reading Glasses

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By Lars Andreas, CC license

Reading glasses could soon be a thing of the past thanks to a new eye drop solution that can help treat far-sightedness.

Earlier this month, Israeli-based Orasis Pharmaceuticals announced that its CSF-1 corrective eye drop successfully met the primary endpoint in a Phase 2b clinical study in temporarily reversing presbyopia, a very common condition that gradually causes far-sightedness in older adults.

According to the company, CSF-1 successfully demonstrated statistically significant improvement in distance-correction. Not only that, the drops also demonstrated an exceptional safety and tolerability profile.

“The successful completion of the Phase 2b study is a significant milestone for Orasis. We are encouraged by these results and CSF-1’s potential to improve the quality of life for people with presbyopia,” said Orasis CEO Elad Kedar. “CSF-1 can potentially alleviate the burden of reading glasses and offer a meaningful solution for billions of people living with age-related farsightedness worldwide.”

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The Phase 2b study was a multi-center, double-masked clinical trial that evaluated the efficacy and safety of the drops in 166 participants across several research centers in the US. The study was conducted on 166 individuals across a number of US medical facilities.

Kedar told Forbes that the drops, which are made out of chemicals that are already found in common eye medications, were shown to immediately reverse farsightedness for a number of hours.

“We now have all relevant preparations in order to start phase 3 as soon as possible,” explained Kedar. “Results have been consistent. We are really excited about the next steps and working to get the full product on the market as soon as possible.”

Help Your Friends See This Good News By Sharing It To Social Media – File photo by Lars Andreas, CC

25 Years After Woman Gave Favorite Childhood Book to Charity, She is Reunited With It in a Museum

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SWNS

It has been 25 years since Zoe Andrews gave away her favorite childhood book to charity—so imagine her surprise when she recently found the very same copy in a museum shop.

Even though Zoe and her sister Hannah loved Frances Hodgson Burnett’s “The Secret Garden” as children, they eventually outgrew the classic novel and gave it to an Oxfam charity shop, leaving Hannah’s name in “hieroglyphics” on the front cover.

The book was then forgotten for about a quarter of a century until Zoe saw a copy of it in the second-hand store at the The Museum of English Rural Life in Reading, England.

Upon picking up and opening the book, Zoe recognized her childhood doodles within the pages and realized it was her own long-lost copy.

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The museum had purchased the family’s copy of the book in order to re-sell it, which Zoe promptly bought back for 50 pence.

“I thought ‘oh wow, I had this book,’” recalls Zoe. “As I held it, I just felt like it was my old copy. It’s hard to explain—and probably sounds a bit naff—but it just did.

“I was on my own but I said to myself ‘if this is my copy, it will have some writing on the inside.’ I was thinking this as I turned the page to see my old handwriting, Hannah’s name, and a bunch of symbols which I recognized as being from my hieroglyphic obsession.

SWNS

“I stood there dumbfounded. I texted my mother immediately. I thought ‘well, I have to buy it—it’s meant to be.’

“It’s a very bizarre feeling to find something you loved as a child and to think of its journey,” she continued. “How many other children owned and read that book? Did they ever wonder who Hannah was?

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“Well, she’s my little sister. I say little, she’s 33 and I’m 35 now. We read these books in the late 1980s and early 1990s but they brought great joy.

“I always loved the story and when I reflect on it now it really is a fantastic story about strength and well-being.”

Zoe and Hannah Andrews –SWNS

The story sparked a cheery response on social media, with others sharing similar tales.

“The reaction through the museum’s Twitter page has been incredible,” says Zoe. “It has been so lovely to see the reaction of people and so many other stories where old books, possessions have turned up years later. I love the serendipity of it.

“After three weeks of feeling very under the weather, it was a perfect pick me up. And now it’s back on my book shelf, where it will stay.”

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Danielle Eade, who works at the museum, told BBC: “Zoe almost didn’t tell us the story behind it.

“When she did, I couldn’t let her leave without finding out more and asking her for a photo. It was such a lovely and heart-warming tale.”

SWNS

Help Your Friends Read This Story By Sharing It To Social Media…

“Being Optimistic is like a muscle that gets stronger with use.” – Robin Roberts

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David Poe, CC license

Quote of the Day: “Being Optimistic is like a muscle that gets stronger with use.” – Robin Roberts

Photo: by David Poe – CC license on Flickr, cropped

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

 

NFL Football Star Pays For 500 Mammograms to Honor His Mother

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DeAngelo Williams Foundation

Former NFL running back DeAngelo Williams has paid for over 500 mammograms for women—because, to him, the issue is personal.

He always wore the color pink in his hair, which flowed out from his helmet, during his later years as a player for the Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Pink is not a color—it’s a culture to me.”

He created the DeAngelo Williams Foundation in honor of his mother, Sandra Hill, who died of breast cancer in 2006. All four of her sisters then died from the same disease—all before the age of 50.

He originally chose to pay for 53 mammograms because his mom died at age 53. He called the project #53StrongforSandra.” Since then, they have paid for 500 mammogram screenings for under-insured women in four states—North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Arkansas, all states he has football ties in.

The foundation eventually hopes to host a free mammogram screening event in all 50 states.

DeAngelo Williams Foundation

They also help pay for any treatments or follow-up appointments for the patients after their mammograms.

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“To be able to help all these women is amazing, he told TODAY. “This can be life-changing for these women (and) we are enabling them to get this care that no one should ever be denied or not have access to.”

He opened his heart during a public service announcement that aired on TV during NFL games for breast cancer month, saying simply, and with pink tips on his hair:

“To all the survivors and the ones that are going through it, we love you. You’re not alone.”

MORE: Strangers Write 125,000 Loving Letters to Breast Cancer Patients – How You Can Join Their Mission

SHARE the NFL Player’s Love on Social Media and tag #53StrongforSandra…

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