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Family Farms Use ‘Crop Mobsters’ to Prevent More Than 1 Million Servings Of Food From Going To Waste

By
Michael Goonan
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Although 96% of the 2 million farms in the United States are family-owned, the top 5% of farms, mostly run by large corporations, make 75% of the sales. Worst of all, one-third of the food produced by local families never makes it from farm to table.

With its innovative online platform, CropMobster is solving that problem by helping family farms to find buyers for this excess food—while supplementing their income, it also funnels food to those in need. To date, CropMobster has prevented more than a million servings of local food from going to waste.

“I don’t believe in competition in this sector,” Papadopoulos told TechRepublic. “In almost every case, these businesses are totally complementary of each other.”

The website, founded in 2013, allows farmers to list surplus food and other farm products for sale, giving buyers the opportunity to purchase these useful supplies at an affordable rate.

It also allows farmers to list their surplus items for donation if they so choose. CropMobster also uses Facebook and other social media to get the word out about unused goods, as well as a free email list for subscribers.

RELATED: Atlanta is Transforming an Abandoned Plot of Land into the Largest Public Food Forest in the US

Among the many success stories in California, CropMobster has helped an elementary school to start a vegetable garden, has provided an easy vehicle for a grocery delivery company to donate its leftovers, and has helped the Ceres Community Project to acquire food for its healthy meal programs for the seriously ill.

“We had a professional chef posting the contents of her fridge and it was gone within the hour,” said Papadopoulos.

In addition to its philanthropic and family-farm-sustaining impacts, CropMobster is also doing addressing the climate crisis. If food waste were a country, it would be be the third-largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, after China and the United States. By helping producers to find those who need their surplus food, these emissions are being reduced every day.

ALSO: Student Proves We Can Grow Millions of Pounds of Food By Planting it on Top of Trash

CropMobster’s online platform is free to use for both farmers and buyers. To learn more or get involved, watch the video below, and visit cropmobster.com. (Featured Photo courtesy of GaryCedar/Cropmobster)

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Turkey Will Declare a Holiday Dedicated to Planting Trees After Young Man’s Tweet Goes Viral

By
Jennifer Zolper
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Enes Şahin has only 212 posts on his Twitter account, but a recent tweet starting with, “I have an idea” went viral with over 55,000 responses—and it attracted the attention of a member of the Turkish government, who vowed to establish his ‘National Tree Planting Day.’

“Let’s set an example to the world,” tweeted Şahin, “and hand down a green country to the upcoming generations.”

Many countries already have a national day dedicated to planting trees. For example, 34 nations are listed on The Arbor Day Foundation’s website, each celebrating an Arbor Day that corresponds with their best planting season. Other countries have developed their own versions of a national tree-planting day, including Australia, Kenya, North Korea, and Iran. But until now, Turkey hasn’t had any official push to grow trees for a greener landscape.

The Turkish official who noticed Şahin’s Tweet is Rumeysa Kadak, the youngest elected deputy. She replied that she would present Enes’s idea—and within hours, the president himself responded to Şahin via Twitter.

“This is a great idea, Enes. We‘ve always worked for a greener Turkey and continue to do so. My friends and I will undertake all responsibility to make sure that we have a national tree planting day,” said President Erdoğan, according to the Daily Sabah News.

In response, Şahin tweeted, “Mr. President, we are very happy that you responded to our call. We are grateful that you are the voice of young people and hundreds of thousands.”

Even before an official Turkish tree-planting holiday is established, the ‘idea’ has spurred a sweeping commitment nationwide, with citizens saying they’ve already begun planting saplings.

The planting of massive numbers of trees around the world has become more and more commonplace as people have realized the benefits both to the stability of the land and the air we breathe. India previously held the world record for planting the most trees in one day with 49.3 million saplings in Uttar Pradesh in 2016, and that one-day record was smashed in July 2017 with 66 million trees planted—by India again, in Madhyar Pradesh.

If you would like to get involved with a community tree-planting effort, the Arbor Day Foundation’s Time For Trees campaign was recently launched, and it seeks to plant 100 million trees around the world by 2022.

Additionally, you can check out nonprofits like One Tree Planted and The Nature Conservancy, (which has pledged to plant 1 billion trees worldwide)—or get involved with TreeSisters, a UK charity led by women who intend to plant 2 million trees in the tropics each year.

PLANT Some Good Feelings… Share This on Social Media! (Photo by S Kaya, CC license)

Native Bumble Bees Are Poised to Be First Pollinators Protected Under California Endangered Species Act

By
Michael Goonan
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Creating new buzz following National Pollinators Week in June, the California Fish and Game Commission has voted to begin the process of classifying 4 species of bumble bee native to the state as endangered.

With wild bees being responsible for the pollination of 80% of crops on Earth, the listing would be a crucial step in protecting many plant species from extinction. It would also be a major step in ensuring sustainable food supplies for generations to come, as one out of every three bites of food we eat owe their existence to pollinators.

“This vote is crucial for the continued survival of these pollinators,” said Kim Delfino, California program director for Defenders of Wildlife. “The Commission’s vote sets a precedent not only for California but for the country to express the important role pollinators play in preserving our biodiversity.”

The process began last year when a coalition of conservation and food safety groups filed a legal petition to classify the western bumble bee, Franklin’s bumble bee, Crotch’s bumble bee and the Suckley cuckoo bumble bee as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act. The vote will begin a 12-month scientific review process leading to official protection.

RELATED: Over 1 Million Gardeners Have United to Create Global Network of Greenery That Nourishes Bees and Butterflies

“This vote by the Fish and Game Commission is very timely,” said Sarina Jepsen, director of the Xerces Society’s endangered species program and an author of the petition.

The Crotch’s bumble bee and the western bumble bee have declined by 98% and 84% in relative abundance. The Suckley Cuckoo bumble bee has been classified as critically endangered by the International Union of the Conservation of Nature, while Franklin’s Bumble Bee hasn’t been seen in the wild since 2006.

According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), “worldwide, approximately 1,000 plants grown for food, beverages, fibers, spices, and medicines need to be pollinated by animals in order to produce the goods on which we depend.” While birds, bats, butterflies and moths are also pollinators, bees are generally considered by experts to be the most important.

SEE ALSO: The Grateful Dead Helps to Save Bees and Butterflies Through Jerry Garcia’s Legacy (The Jerry Garcia Foundation)

Meanwhile, we can all do our part by avoiding pesticides harmful to bees and planting landscaping flowers that bees love—like bee balm, cosmos, echinacea, snapdragons foxglove, and hosta (and Minnesota will pay you to do this). You can even now use these pocket-sized ‘Bee Savior’ cards to rescue hungry honeybees you find on the ground.

Be Sure And Share The Buzz With Your Friends By Sharing This To Social Media – Photo by Jim Smart, CC

Canadian Supermarket Proves a Little Humor Can Go a Long Way to Help Save Ourselves From Plastic Bags 

By
Marta Peterson
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Even though plastic bags are bad news for the planet, we may accept them at stores when we’re in a hurry or forget our reusable ones. But, if you happen to be in the East West Market in Vancouver, British Columbia, you might think twice…

The Canadian supermarket came up with an amusing (and some might say devious) strategy to encourage their customers to avoid using the store’s “single-use” bags.

Rather than featuring their store logo on the front of their disposable bags, they have imprinted 1,000 of them with embarrassing slogans.

Some of them were emblazoned with “Colon Care Co-op”; others featured a fake logo for an “Adult Video Emporium”; and some were labeled “Wart Ointment”.

RELATED: Another Victory Against Plastic: These Water Brands Will Soon Be Packaged in Aluminum Cans

The supermarket’s owner, David Lee Kwen wanted to use reverse psychology because it’s only human nature for people not to like being being told what to do. (Maybe a little playful jab will help them make up their own mind.)

He said he hoped the gag bags would, at the very least, be a conversation starter. “We wanted to give them something humorous, but also something that made them think at the same time,” Kwen told The Guardian..

For most of Kwen’s customers, the bags had their intended effect.

“I’d probably carry [my groceries] in my arms before I took one of those bags,” one customer told Global News reporters.

POPULAR: Students Design Beach Vacuum That Can Suck Up Microplastics While Leaving All the Sand

Another quoted Kwen’s new slogan, “Avoid the shame. Bring a reusable bag!” (continue reading below...)

Kwen said, “The message behind this is that we all need to make a conscious effort to save the planet, one step at a time. No matter how small, everybody should start somewhere.”

Although Kwen’s creative approach to decreasing the use of plastic bags, instead of legislating behavior, has led to an increase in people wanting the cheeky bags, he has quickly transitioned to printing the slogans on reusable bags.

So, yes, Mr. Kwen, your bags have started many a conversation.

(WATCH the news coverage below) – Photos by East West Market

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“Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don’t.” – Steve Maraboli

By
Good News Network
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Egret in flight by Jason Jacobs, CC license

Quote of the Day: “Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don’t.” – Steve Maraboli

Photo: by Jason Jacobs, CC license on Flickr

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?

 

Conservationists Purchase Rare Temperate Rainforest, Protecting the Habitats of 40 At-Risk Species in Canada

By
Michael Goonan
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Photo by Darren Kirby, CC license

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has achieved one of its highest conservation priorities: protecting a British Columbia watershed containing a rare temperate rainforest from development. This type of “snow forest,” which receives most of its moisture from snow, is found almost nowhere else on Earth.

The national land trust hailed its purchase of the Next Creek Watershed as “filling the hole that has been in the center” of the Darkwoods Conservation Area, the largest private land conservation project ever achieved in Canada. Darkwoods protects the habitats of nearly 40 confirmed species at-risk, including the grizzly bear, wolverine, peregrine falcon, and the only remaining herd of mountain caribou in the region.

Darkwoods’ forest ecosystem is home to the highest tree diversity in BC. Its forests store more than 2 million tons of carbon, roughly equal to the annual carbon footprint of over 500,000 Canadians.

The purchase of the Next Creek property expands the size of Darkwoods by 14%—adding 79-square kilometers (30 sq-mi).  NCC raised close to CAD$20 million in order to purchase the land from its private owners. In addition to support from private donors, businesses and foundations, the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia made foundational investments.

POPULAR: For First Time Ever, Scientists Identify How Many Trees to Plant and Where to Plant Them to Stop Climate Crisis

The Minister of Environment in Canada, Catherine McKenna, congratulated the group for their dedication to expanding and managing the Darkwoods forest tract, saying, “With efforts made by partners like the Nature Conservancy of Canada to preserve our natural heritage, our government is making progress towards doubling the amount of protected nature across Canada’s lands and oceans.”

Photo by Darren Kirby, CC license

Located between Nelson and Creston, the watershed extends from Kootenay Lake, a popular tourist destination, to the center of Darkwoods. NCC now intends to undertake a restoration project on parts of the property which had been subject to logging.

LOOK: Dozens of Creatures Thought to Be Extinct Found Alive in ‘Lost City’ in the Jungle

“The threat of intensified or unsustainable industrial or recreational activity made the acquisition of the Next Creek property NCC’s highest conservation priority in BC,” according to a NCC press release. “With the addition of Next Creek, the network of conservation lands in the South Selkirk Mountains now spans more than 1,100 square kilometers.”

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Grandma Missing 5 Days is Found Alive After Her Grandson and Friends Decide to Search One Last Time

By
James Michael
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A North Carolina grandmother’s typical daily walk turned into a 5-day missing-persons search after her frightening disappearance last week—and thanks to her grandson and his friends who decided to search “one last time,” tragedy was averted.

Sandra Adams’ family went to spend time with their grandmother on a Friday morning, only to discover her missing. They had last seen her two days before, but were worried, so they reported her disappearance to the police.

The Charlotte police department and family members searched for days, but had no luck finding the 69-year old woman, so the team gave up their search.

Nate Cassel, Sandra’s grandson, and his friend decided to give one last search effort. They figured that she had to be somewhere around her apartment building.

On the morning of Monday, July 8th, Cassel, Shawn Willis, and two other friends set out into the woods behind his grandmother’s building. “He wanted to go look in the woods—I woke up this morning with the same idea: Let’s go search the woods in the neighborhood,” Willis told WSOC-TV.

HERO: Youth Charges Straight Into Fire To Save his 8-year-old Niece: ‘I’d do it again… even if I died’

After hiking about a quarter mile through the woods behind her apartment, Cassel and his friends discovered his grandmother lying facedown in a creek. He feared the worst, and called the police and his family to share the news. As he approached her though, she raised her arm; she was alive.

She later told officers that she had fallen while going for a walk.

Thanks to the her grandson’s love and dedication, Sandra Adams will make a full recovery and live to enjoy more walks through the park.

(WATCH the WSOC interviews below…)

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Need a Smile? Watch Dog’s Gobsmacked Reaction to Cat Companion Swatting Her on the Head

By
Good News Network
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While dogs may be loving and forgiving of humans, they might not share that same sentiment for cats—and this amusing clip is the perfect example.

In a sweet new video from Ohio pet owner Kyle Debecky, a pup named Navi is being a little too playful with her feline roommate Fireball.

Unfortunately for Navi, Fireball got fed up with the dog’s antics and delivered a swat to her nose and Navi’s reaction to the smack is nothing short of bamboozlement.

The evil-eye stare is sure to be turned into a GIF that will have internet users laughing for years.

RELATED: Watch Cheeky Feline Get Caught Raiding the Sweets Drawer in the Kitchen

Debecky reassured everyone that Fireball and Navi are good buddies, but the video captures perfectly the poor dog’s confounded expression over the sudden betrayal of friendship.

(WATCH the cute clip below)

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“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” – Mahatma Gandhi

By
Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Photo: by gail, CC license on Flickr

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?

 

Youth Charges Straight into Fire to Save His 8-year-old Niece: ‘I’d do it again… even if I died’

By
Jennifer Zolper
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20-year-old Derrick Byrd doesn’t believe he’s a hero, but rushing through flames—not once, but twice—was his automatic response to a terrifying situation.

When he awoke to a loud boom and his sister’s screams in the early morning hours of July 4th, Derrick realized their Aberdeen, Washington house was on fire and sprang into action.

He kicked in his sister’s bedroom door, then ran downstairs through flames so he could catch the children as his sister helped them jump from the upstairs window.

“Kayla wanted to get the kids out, so I ran downstairs even though I got burned,” Derrick told KOMO News.

Although it was still dark outside, Derrick safely caught Junior, 6, and Rory, 3, before Kayla herself fell off the roof. The third child, eight-year-old Mercedes, fell back into the room and screamed Derrick’s name as the house continued to burn.

Derrick didn’t think twice about his own pain when he ran back into the flames and up the stairs to rescue Mercedes.

LOOK: As Disabled Man Frantically Wheels Himself Home Before Tornado, Teen Hops Out of His Car to Help

“I could feel it burning me,” Derrick said from his hospital bed. “I got her and took my shirt off and put it around her face so she wouldn’t breathe in any smoke, and I just carried her out as fast as I could.”

After making sure his sister and her children were safe, Derrick banged on the neighbor’s door to alert them to the blaze and then, fueled by adrenalin, ran ten blocks to his mother’s house to get a ride to the hospital. By the time firefighting crews arrived on the scene, everyone in the home had survived the blaze, thanks to Derrick and Kayla’s quick and decisive actions.

Derrick suffered second- and third-degree burns on his face, back, and arms for his selfless rescue. With bandages covering his burns, the youth said he would “do it again.”

And Derrick Byrd might not agree, but those words are the hallmark of a hero.

MORE:19-Year-old Construction Worker Uses Crane to Rescue Over a Dozen People From Apartment Fire

(WATCH the KOMO interview with Derrick below) – Photo from KOMO News video

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109 Countries Coordinate Sting Operation to Seize Illegally-Captured Wildlife, Leading to 600 Arrests

By
Andy Corbley
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Operation Thunderball: No, it isn’t the convoluted scheme by a James Bond villain, but the name of Interpol’s largest-ever coordinated seizure in history, capturing wildlife traffickers and their ill-gotten specimens.

The massive operation involved 109 countries and resulted in nearly 2,000 seizures of protected wildlife, 440 ivory pieces, more than 4,300 birds, and nearly 10,000 live turtles and tortoises, according to the group that organizes international police cooperation and crime control (Interpol).

Trafficking of wildlife, both flora and fauna, is the third-largest criminal enterprise worldwide behind drugs and firearms. While one might imagine elephant ivory or exotic big cats its only victims, many species are targeted, including those which aren’t yet endangered. Rare wildflower and tree specimens, in fact, are popular targets for trafficking.

The practice of traditional Chinese medicine creates an infamous demand for the illegal trade of shark fin, rhino horn, and the scales on a small mammal called the pangolin, the most trafficked animal on the planet.

Interpol and the World Customs Organization (WCO) have executed plans like this before; Operation Thunderbird in 2017, and Operation Thunderstorm in 2018. But it was Thunderball that led to the identification of nearly 600 individuals and arrests all over the globe—breaking their own record for the third year in a row.

RELATED: African Elephant Poaching Has Fallen By More Than 50% Over the Course of the Last 6 Years

Over the month of June, officials seized 23 live primates, 30 big cats, more than a ton of pangolin scales, 74 truckloads of timber, more than 2,600 plants, and nearly 10,000 marine species. One of Operation Thunderball’s primary efforts was identifying routes and hot beds of activity ahead of time, and by the number of countries involved in the rescue, this was the largest operation targeting wildlife crime in history.

Russian police seize 4,100 Horfield’s tortoises, photo ©INTERPOL

On a positive note, the month’s seizures included only 5 rhino horns—compared to 50 seized last year.

“If we keep the pressure on and if we clamp down on specific routes and specific countries,” says Roux Raath, WCO’s environment program manager to National Geographic, “it forces criminals to either look at different commodities or either different countries, different routes….It’s changing the patterns”.

ALSO: Black Rhinos Return to Landscapes 50 Years After They Were Wiped Out

“As clearly illustrated by the results of Operation Thunderball, close cooperation at international and national levels to combat wildlife crime must never be underestimated,” said WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya.

“Such initiatives will be replicated to raise awareness within the global law enforcement community on the gravity of global wildlife crime and to better coordinate cross-agency efforts, including the engagement of civil society groups to detect and deter wildlife criminal networks,” added Mikuriya.

It’s bold action like Operation Thunderball that gives animals like the pangolin, and so many more, a fighting chance.

MORE: Watch the Badass Footage of Africa’s First All-Female Anti-Poaching Team in Action

– Featured image: white tiger cub, by Mexico’s Fiscalia General de la Republica ©INTERPOL

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Midas Provides a Golden Touch When Kitty is Stuck Inside a Car’s Frame

By
James Michael
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Everyone enjoys a nice morning drive, but one kitty was the unwitting passenger in a wild ride that ended in a rescue.

The 9-week-old kitten found her way into the subframe of a 2000 Honda Accord in Lexington, Kentucky and became trapped in one of the holes. Unnoticed by the owner at first, she was carried, hidden in the car, from Lexington to Frankfort, where she was discovered—still stuck.

When the man stopped for lunch on his way home, the trapped kitten was spotted out the window by the manager of a Hardee’s drive-thru restaurant. The concerned worker jumped into action, contacting local firefighters and the nearby Midas auto shop for help to free the feline.

A Midas mechanic posted photos and wrote on Facebook: “After an hour of rear subframe removal, a Lexington Fireman, my lead tech and myself, with some soap, sweat, and prayers, were able to extract the kitten from the clutches of the rear subframe.”

RELATED: Frantic Trucker Miraculously Reunited With Cat Co-pilot After Posting Photo to Obscure Online Forum

Though she was tired and frightened, the kitten appeared to be alright. The crew took her to the veterinarian’s and she was released quickly with a clean bill of health.

The Midas workers named her Marigold, after the fictional daughter of King Midas in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Tale of King Midas and the Golden Touch.

Marigold is now starting her new life with an adopted family, and hopefully that’ll be the last car ride for her for awhile.

High Schoolers Give ‘Amazing’ Silent Ovation for Classmate With Sensory Issues Receiving His Diploma

By
Good News Network
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According to everyone who knows him, principal Lou Riolo has been a ”fantastic educator” for over 20 years, and he recently had a chance to evoke his style of compassion among the packed house in his auditorium for graduation.

One of Carmel High School’s students is Jack Higgins, who has autism. He is so sensitive to noises that he plugs his ears even when only anticipating them.

Being nonverbal, it took Jack eight years to graduate—and his parents wanted him to be able to celebrate this milestone achievement, and walk across the stage with his peers.

But what about the loud cheering and clapping?

Jack’s parents approached the principal about their son, and Riolo and school leaders came up with a solution.

“He is a wonderful member of our student community,” said Principal Riolo, as he took the stage to prepare the audience for what was to come.

In a large gymnasium with 2,200 people accustomed to cheering, would it be possible for them to remain quiet?

“An amazing thing took place,” wrote the California principal after the ceremony, when the school uploaded their video.

“At graduation, the student body and several thousand individuals were asked to not clap or cheer so Jack could participate—and what followed was nothing short of a miracle.”

RELATED: Non-Verbal High School Student Makes History By Giving Stunning Graduation Speech With Voice Tech

“We shot for the moon but instead reached the stars.”

(WATCH the video below) – Photo by Carmel High School / Raney Day Media

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

When Mom Skipped Her Commencement to Attend Her Son’s, College Surprised Her With Degree (WATCH)

Disabled US Veterans Could Have Student Loan Debts Automatically Erased Thanks to New Bipartisan Bill

By
Good News Network
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A trailblazing new piece of bipartisan legislation could wipe away millions of dollars worth of student debt for disabled US veterans.

At the end of June, a group of representatives from both sides of the partisan divide introduced the Federally Requiring Earned Education-Debt Discharges for Veterans Act (FREED Vets Act) in the House and the Senate.

The act would automatically forgive the student loan debt of any eligible veteran who is permanently disabled.

In October 2018, the U.S Department of Education established a program with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to identify vets who are disabled or unable to work. Under the current program, the Department of Education then notifies veterans who are eligible for debt forgiveness of the opportunity to apply.

MORE: Veterans Are Finding Peace From PTSD Through ‘Float Therapy’

More than 42,000 eligible veterans have been identified by the Department of Education, yet only 20% of those eligible have applied for the program.

The FREED Vets Act, however, would automatically forgive these loans and eliminate the paperwork barrier that prevents eligible veterans from attaining student loan debt relief.

Congressman Conor Lamb, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, who also happens to be a former Marine, introduced the legislation last month along with two Republicans from that state—Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick and Rep. Guy Reschenthaler.

Congressman Conor Lamb with disabled veteran

“Congress has an obligation to ease the challenges our veterans face when they come home and return to civilian life,” Lamb wrote in a statement. “This important bipartisan legislation provides a clear pathway for eligible disabled veterans to receive a benefit they have earned through their service and sacrifice.”

CHECK OUT: Answering Trivia Questions With This App Can Pay Off Other People’s Student Loans

Reschenthaler added: “As a veteran, I’m proud to join with my colleagues to introduce legislation that streamlines student loan forgiveness for disabled veterans. These men and women served on the front lines defending our nation, and this bill will cut the red tape that stops them from receiving their benefits. I look forward to working with my colleagues in support of our nation’s heroes.”

The automatic discharge of student loan debt for eligible disabled veterans has been supported by multiple veterans groups and tax law experts, as well as 51 state attorneys general.

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“Psychoanalysis is in essence a cure through love.” – Sigmund Freud, in a Letter to Carl Jung (1906)

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Psychoanalysis is in essence a cure through love.” – Sigmund Freud, in a Letter to Carl Jung (1906)

Photo: by christopher walling, CC license on Flickr

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?

 

University of Texas Announces Full Scholarships to Residents With Family Incomes Under $65K by 2020

By
Good News Network
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The University of Texas in Austin is making an investment in the future of students in the ‘Longhorn state’ by increasing tuition assistance for those from middle- and low-income families and making its flagship research school even more affordable.

The Board of Regents voted unanimously Tuesday to establish a $160 million endowment from the state’s Permanent University Fund that will generate money for financial assistance beginning in the fall of 2020.

“Recognizing the need for improved access to higher education,” the new endowment will be used to expand UT Austin’s Texas Advance Commitment program for in-state undergraduate students.

  • It will completely cover full tuition and fees for students from families that earn up to $65,000 a year who have financial need—for more than 8,600 undergraduates a year.
  • It will expand a program to provide some assured tuition support to students from families with incomes of up to $125,000 who have financial need—for an additional 5,700 students

RELATED: Banker Picks Up College Tuition for School’s Entire Graduating Class… Again

“I am grateful to the UT System Board of Regents and Chairman Kevin Eltife for prioritizing students and investing in the future of our great state,” said UT Austin President Gregory L. Fenves. “College affordability is one of the most critical issues affecting all Texans. Thanks to his leadership and the board’s action, this new endowment will go a long way toward making our university affordable for talented Texas students from every background and region.”

The regents’ vote represents one of the largest financial aid commitments to improve the predictability and affordability of higher education among the nation’s leading public research universities. The endowment (from a fund that includes money from oil and gas royalties earned from state-owned land) will support undergraduates from across Texas, including first-year through fourth-year and transfer students.

MORE: Disney Offers to Pay Tuition for 80,000 Hourly Workers

“There is no greater engine of social and economic mobility than a college degree, and this initiative ensures that more Texans will benefit” said Chancellor James B. Milliken.

UT Austin, recognized as one of the world’s leading research universities, already has a smaller annual average for its undergraduate in-state tuition ($10,314 with fees) than 12 other Texas public universities, according to data published by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Thanks to recent financial aid expenditures by the school in 2016 and 2018, it currently provides full tuition assistance for students from families earning up to $30,000 a year and guaranteed financial aid for qualified families earning up to $100,000. More than 4,000 students were supported by that program during this past academic year, its first year of implementation.

ALSO: Watch Billionaire Tell College Grads He Will Pay Off All $40 Million of Their Collective Student Loan Debt

In awarding financial aid to middle- and low-income students, the university will continue to draw from multiple sources, including federal Pell grants, and the TEXAS Grants program, which received additional support from the Texas Legislature this year. The funds from the new endowment will then be used to supplement grants and scholarships.

In 2018, Kiplinger’s Best Value Colleges ranked UT Austin No. 8 in the nation, in a state where median household income was $59,206 in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Be Sure And Share The Good News With Your Texas Friends By Posting This To Social Media

‘Lemon Aid’ From a Kind 10-year-old Soothes Sad Neighbors After House Fire

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Good News Network
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A family who lost everything in a house blaze has been humbled by their ten-year-old neighbor who raised a surprising about of money on their behalf by serving homemade lemonade.

Kayley Cross, 10, was devastated when she saw flames destroy the home of Brooke and Josh Rummonds while they raced to safety with their young sons.

The fire, which started in bins outside their Fresno home, destroyed all their possessions. Two days later, Kayley sat across from the building’s remains and sold 100 cups in return for donations, raising $1,000.

People drove from far and wide to donate cash, after hearing about dedicated California youth.

The Rummonds are being helped by friends and family—but said Kayley’s thoughtful gesture touched them the most.

“We know our neighbors really well,” said Kayley. “I sat on the front step and watched the fire, and wanted to help in some way.”

RELATED: Teen Girls Have Raised Over $1.5 Million for Clean Water Simply By Embracing Their Love of Origami

She had already planned to raise money for a dog shelter, but after the fire, she chose to donate that money to the Rummonds instead.

“We didn’t expect so many people to donate so much money,” said the young philanthropist.

Kayley Cross, 10, raised $1,000 for her neighbors with lemonade. Photos by SWNS

“We saw our neighbors come out their homes and instinctively rally to our side and look after us,” said Mrs. Rummonds. “That spirit of friendship was summed up in Kayley, who is a wonderful girl.”

“It’s going to be hard for a while, but we’re so humbled by these wonderful people who’ve come together for us in such a big way.”

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“All that I hope to say in books, all that I ever hope to say, is that I love the world.” – E.B. White (born 120 years ago today)

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “All that I hope to say in books, all that I ever hope to say, is that I love the world.” – E.B. White (born 120 years ago today)

Photo: by McKinley Corbley, Copyright 2019

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?

 

New Research Says That Short Bursts of Exercise Could Make You Smarter

By
Good News Network
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Most people know that regular exercise is good for your health – but this new research shows that it may make you smarter, too.

Neuroscientists working with mice at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland have discovered that a short burst of exercise directly boosts the function of a gene that increases connections between neurons in the hippocampus, the region of the brain associated with learning and memory.

The research is published online in the journal eLife.

“Exercise is cheap, and you don’t necessarily need a fancy gym membership or have to run 10 miles a day,” said co-senior author Gary Westbrook, senior scientist at the OHSU Vollum Institute.

MORE: Training for Your First Marathon ‘Reverses’ Aging of Major Blood Vessels on Par With Medication

Previous research in animals and in people shows that regular exercise promotes general brain health. However, it’s hard to untangle the overall benefits of exercise to the heart, liver and muscles from the specific effect on the brain. For example, a healthy heart oxygenates the whole body, including the brain.

“Previous studies of exercise almost all focus on sustained exercise,” Westbrook said. “As neuroscientists, it’s not that we don’t care about the benefits on the heart and muscles, but we wanted to know the brain-specific benefit of exercise.”

So the scientists designed a study in mice that specifically measured the brain’s response to single bouts of exercise in otherwise sedentary mice that were placed for short periods on running wheels. The mice ran a few kilometers in two hours.

CHECK OUT: 86-Year-old Has Lost 120 Pounds Simply By Walking Around Her One-Bedroom Apartment

The study found that short-term bursts of exercise – the human equivalent of a weekly game of pickup basketball, or 4,000 steps – promoted an increase in synapses in the hippocampus. Scientists made the key discovery by analyzing genes that were increased in single neurons activated during exercise.

One particular gene stood out: Mtss1L. This gene had been largely ignored in prior studies in the brain.

“That was the most exciting thing,” said co-lead author Dr. Christina Chatzi.

LOOK: 78-Year-old Bodybuilder Opens His Home Gym to Youngsters for Free So They Won’t Get Into Trouble

The Mtss1L gene encodes a protein that causes bending of the cell membrane. Researchers discovered that when this gene is activated by short bursts of exercise, it promotes small growths on neurons known as dendritic spines – the site at which synapses form.

In effect, the study showed that an acute burst of exercise is enough to prime the brain for learning.

In the next stage of research, scientists plan to pair acute bouts of exercise with learning tasks to better understand the impact on learning and memory.

Reprinted from the Oregon Health and Science Institute

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Two Little Girls Have a Petition and Powerful Video for McDonald’s—It May Signal the End of Wasteful Plastic Toys

By
McKinley Corbley
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Two determined little girls are rallying thousands of people to sign a petition demanding that Burger King and McDonald’s stop giving away free plastic toys – and they have almost met their goal of half a million signatures.

With the help of their mother, 9-year-old Ella and 7-year-old Caitlin Wood started an online Change.org petition in order to persuade the fast food giants to do away with the wasteful toys that come with Happy Meals and Junior Meals.

Since launching the petition, the youngsters have garnered over 350,000 signatures of their 500,000 goal – and the call to action has already accumulated further support from adults and children alike.

“We’ve been learning all about the environment at school and the problem of plastic. It made us very sad to see how plastic harms wildlife and pollutes the ocean, and we want to change this,” reads the petition. “That’s why we want Burger King and McDonald’s to think of the environment and stop giving plastic toys with their kids meals.

CHECK OUT: Another Victory Against Plastic – These Water Brands Will Soon Be Packaged in Aluminum Cans

“We like to go to eat at Burger King and McDonald’s, but children only play with the plastic toys they give us for a few minutes before they get thrown away and harm animals and pollute the sea. We want anything they give us to be sustainable so we can protect the planet for us and for future generations,” they continued.

In addition to the girls making a compelling argument, the amount of signatures on the petition almost doubled after reporters with the BBC 1’s “War on Plastic” followed the determined young activists to the McDonald’s headquarters in order to hand-deliver the petition.

Since the little girls’ story started being picked up by international news outlets, Burger King and McDonald’s have both emailed statements to CNBC detailing their plans for making their free toys more sustainable.

(WATCH the powerful BBC coverage below) – Photo by BBC1

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