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Here’s How Families and Groups Are Pitching in to Maintain National Parks During Government Shutdown

By
McKinley Corbley
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Though the partial US government shutdown has left some national parks scrambling to maintain their lands and facilities, hundreds of civilians are stepping up to care for the public lands of their own accord.

In Tennessee, a father-daughter duo has been tackling the litter left behind on the trails of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

With park services lacking funding to keep parks clean, Marc Newland and his 10-year-old daughter Erica have spent their days hiking the mountain trails with trash bags in hand so they can pick up litter along the way.

The Newlands have always been avid hikers, but when Marc told his daughter about how the shutdown would affect the mountain park, she suggested that they take it upon themselves to keep the trails tidy.

RELATED: Swiss Businessman is Contributing $1 Billion Towards Protecting 30% of the Planet

“Erica says that she would like to challenge other hikers to take one day off from getting in miles and impressive vista pics and instead, give back by grabbing a trash bag, heading to the park and collecting some litter!!” Mark wrote in a post to the Hike the Smokies Facebook page. “These mountains give so much to so many people. Imagine if only a fraction of those people decided to give back to the mountains.”

Meanwhile, hundreds of Muslim men volunteering with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association have been picking up trash in parks and public spaces across the nation – from the Everglades in Florida to the National Mall in Washington DC.

The group recently made headlines for their early morning clean-up of the trash left behind by New Year’s Eve festivities. According to a press release from Dr. Madeel Abdullah, the president of youth group, “service to our nation and cleanliness are important parts of Islam.

“We could not sit idly by as our national parks collected trash,” he added. “We will lead by example and dispose of this garbage appropriately and invite all Americans to join us in these parks and others across the nation.”

LOOK: This Simple Solution for Pollution Kept 815 Pounds of Trash Out of the Water–Make Sure Your City Does it

This is not the first time that the group has volunteered their services, either. With over 5,000 members of various ages, the organization has reportedly logged over 200,000 hours of public service since 2016.

In addition to individuals lending a hand, dozens of small businesses located in proximity to Yellowstone National Park have all chipped in thousands of dollars to keep the park open and tidy during the winter tourist season.

MORE: Couple Takes It Upon Themselves to Turn Ocean Trash into Prosthetic Limbs for Kids That Cost Only $45

With the breathtaking scenery blanketed in snow, the park is visited by over 20,000 tourists every month. Since many of these travelers had already planned their wintery expeditions months in advance, local tour guide services, snow mobile rentals, and park resorts volunteered to split the costs of paying park rangers to keep bathrooms and park lands clean.

“I mean it’s not cheap [for these families],” one snowmobile guide told NPR. “They had to plan and budget for this, and to all of a sudden get the carpet ripped out from underneath them, I think is not fair.

“[The park] should be open, and services should be there, because it is the people’s park,” he added, saying that he was happy to help keep the park open until the park received funding once more.

LOOK: When School Places Ad For Male Mentors, They’re Overwhelmed by ‘Volunteer Dad’ Responses

There are other smaller efforts underway to help keep the parks clean as well. According to the Washington Post, a team of 40 volunteers have been cleaning toilets, restocking toilet paper, and recovering trash throughout Joshua Tree National Park. Another group of civilians is maintaining Yosemite National Park.

While none of these efforts can replace the full force of the National Parks services, the volunteer-led initiatives show that Americans will always be willing to take care of its lands and communities when adversity arises.

Clean Up Negativity By Sharing The Good news With Your Friends On Social Media – Photo by Marc Newland

When Mom is Whisked to Hospital After Kitchen Accident, Firefighters Stay Behind to Take Care of Things

By
McKinley Corbley
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The firefighters who rushed to Rachel Schoonover’s aid last month did a lot more than just ensure her imminent safety.

The 6th grade teacher had been washing dishes at her home in Elmira, New York when a wine glass suddenly shattered and cut an artery in her wrist.

“Instantly, blood was everywhere, spraying all corners of my kitchen,” Schoover wrote in a Facebook post. “I wrapped it up in a towel, called 911, called my mom, and continued to bleed everywhere.”

Responders from the Elmira Fire Department were the first to arrive on the scene, and as they tied a tourniquet around Schoonover’s arm to slow the bleeding, they simultaneously helped her son Declan into his pajamas and kept the two of them calm as they waited for an ambulance.

LOOK: Family Was Filling Up Swimming Pool Using Only Pots and Pans Until These Firemen Came Along

Since Schoonover’s husband was still at work and her mother had not yet arrived, there was no one to stay behind and watch her son. Some of the firemen immediately volunteered to stay behind and hold down the fort until someone else arrived.

After being whisked to the hospital, Schoonover received some stitches and a tetanus shot before being discharged later that very same night – and she was surprised by what she found when she got home.

“When we got back to my house, I was dreading the bloody mess that was waiting for me in every room,” says Schoonover. “Surprisingly, though, the mess was nearly nonexistent.

RELATED: Hero Cop Holds onto Van Dangling Over a Bridge Until Man Inside is Saved

“These men wiped down my fridge, coffee maker, speakers, cupboards, bathtub, floors, and even individual K-cups that had been hit. They put the dirty towels in my bathtub, threw away the glass, and cleaned up the blood in my sink.”

Furthermore, they left a note for the young mother.

“Hope you feel better and have a happy holiday with your boy,” said the note. “We cleaned up some shortly after you left. Hope you don’t mind. We didn’t know what to do with the rug though. Have a glass of wine for us and feel better.”

MORE: When Pizza Driver Gets into Accident, Firefighters Deliver the Hot Pizza Themselves

Schoonover posted a photo of the note to social media where it was shared thousands of times.

“While everyone last night went above and beyond to help me, I am especially grateful for these guys,” wrote Schoonover. “Thank you so much, West Elmira Fire Department!”

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

“We are all lies waiting for the day when we will break free from our cocoon and become the beautiful truth we waited for.” – Shannon L. Alder

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Good News Network
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Joel Olives, CC license

Quote of the Day: “We are all lies waiting for the day when we will break free from our cocoon and become the beautiful truth we waited for.” – Shannon L. Alder

Photo: by Joel Olives, CC license, via 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?

 

 

Hundreds of People Are Saving Feral Felines From Death in NYC By Adopting Them as ‘Worker Cats’

By
McKinley Corbley
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There are thousands of feral felines living on their own in the United States – and with some cities scrambling to control the increasing number of wild cat colonies, homeowners and businesses are lending a hand with a special kind of adoption program.

Instead of laboring to turn feral cats into pets, more cities are offering “adoptions” for cats as working animals.

By caring for homeless cats as mousers, animal lovers are able to rescue the felines from euthanization while simultaneously purging their properties of rats and mice.

“Even though there’s absolutely no guarantee they will get any rodents, it often works out that way. The cat gets a home and the business or owner gets reduced or no rodents,” Jesse Oldham, a community cat expert for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), told the New York Times. “We’ve also seen a lot of people who just like cats. It’s nice having them around, even if they’re not particularly social.”

LOOK: One Cat’s Obsession With Hunting Birds Leads to Invention That Has Saved Hundreds of Thousands

Following in the paws of several working cat adoption programs in the United States, the NYC Feral Cat Initiative has met with plenty of success, processing over 1,000 feral cats in veterinary offices or animal shelters across the city every month.

Using a trap-neuter-return approach, volunteers humanely capture the cats, bring them to a vet to be spayed, neutered, and vaccinated — and their ear is painlessly clipped at the corner so that rescuers can see it has already been treated.

If the cat’s original territory has been destroyed or is being permanently altered, the program pairs the feline with someone who has a rodent problem. (Though adjusting a cat to a new property and caregiver requires more work than adopting a house pet, the pairings have proven to be ideal.)

LOOK: Photos of 75-Year-Old Volunteer Napping With Cats Hauls in Funds to Run Sanctuary for a Year

The Tree House Humane Society of Chicago launched a similar program in 2016, placing “unadoptable” working cats in rodent-infested environments with such great success that they have a 60+-day waiting list for the feral felines.

Animal rights organizations in Austin and Los Angeles became inspired to start their own working cat programs.

One client in The Big Apple boasted to the Times: “I tell the neighbors how important they are. They don’t need any poison or mouse traps around the house.”

Be Sure And Share This Pawesome Story With Your Friends On Social Media

Read Woman’s Heartfelt Open Letter to Flight Attendant Who Extended Simple Offer of Kindness 17 Years Ago

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Good News Network
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17 years ago, Annemarie Kaan was on a plane flying from Australia to Canada, preparing to start her new life in a totally different country.

The nurse had just said goodbye to her family at the Sydney airport, and she was feeling anxious and lonely about living in Vancouver.

“Of course, I was excited — I’m a nurse and love to ski so when an opportunity to work at St. Paul’s Hospital came up, I grabbed it — but I also had a lot of trepidation,” Kaan wrote in an open letter published by CBC. “I didn’t know anyone where I was going so was feeling quite lonely and worried about how it was all going to pan out.”

A flight attendant for Air Canada then brought Kaan a cup of tea and the two started chatting about how she was nervous about the move.

RELATED: Mom Brought to Tears When Airline Stranger Gives Up First Class Seat for Her Sick Daughter

Sympathetic to her anxieties, the man continued to check up on Kaan throughout the journey and offered her words of comfort and encouragement.

But as they were nearing their arrival, the flight attendant approached Kaan and said: “You know, it’s going to be okay in Canada but if you ever feel like you need help or want to have dinner with someone, here’s my parents’ phone number. They live in Vancouver and if you feel lonely, call them and they’ll have you up for a meal.”

Kaan was stunned by the simple, comforting gesture. In her open letter, she said: “It was such a lovely offer and it blew me away.

MORE: When Boy Mails a Birthday Card to His Dad in Heaven, Postman Comforts Him With a Celestial White Lie

“There was no ulterior motive — you weren’t asking me out on a date or anything like that — it was just a pure act of kindness coming out of concern for me.

“It’s a moment that’s stuck with me all these years. Seventeen years later, I still think about it.”

Kaan never ended up phoning the man’s parents because she was immediately swept into a flurry of activity upon arriving in Vancouver – but she says that she often wishes she had. She even tried emailing the airline in hopes of getting the attendant’s contact information, but to no avail.

LOOK: When Stranger Finds Lost Wallet on Airplane, He Returns It to Owner With Even More Cash Inside

Regardless, Kaan published the letter in hopes of her story reaching the flight attendant – and she hopes that it will inspire others to perform similar acts of compassion.

“The kindness you showed me that day had a lasting impact,” writes Kaan. “I’ve taken a page out of your book and I try to show small acts of kindness every day — I make an effort just to smile at someone or offer them a cup of tea. It can make such a difference.

“Thank you for teaching me that life lesson because it has served me well over the years.”

Fly This Sweet Story Of Compassion Over To Your Friends On Social Media – Photo by Annemarie Kaan

“The world is not to be put in order, the world is order incarnate. It is for us to put ourselves in unison with this order.” – Henry Miller

By
Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “The world is not to be put in order, the world is order incarnate. It is for us to put ourselves in unison with this order.” – Henry Miller

Photo: by Alicia Lynn, 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?

Watch Aussie Woman Share Her Water With Thirsty Koala on a Hot Day

By
Good News Network
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When this good Samaritan saw a koala who was hanging out in the Australian heat, she didn’t hesitate to share her water with the thirsty critter.

Chantelle Lowrie had been staying at a campground in southern Victoria last week when she saw the marsupial on the side of the road.

Temperatures had reached a sweltering 111º Fahrenheit (44º Celsius) when Lowrie spotted the koala, and she couldn’t help but wonder whether it needed some hydration in the heat.

“My first thought was that the poor little fella needs a drink,” Lowrie told ABC News.

LOOK: Fearless Uber Driver Stops Mid-Trip to Scoop Up Injured Hawk and Save It From the Highway

Lowrie then approached the koala as it was climbing a tree and held out her water bottle. When it spotted the water, however, it stopped and enjoyed a 25-second respite as Lowrie poured the water into its mouth.

Once it was satisfied, it continued on its merry way and Lowrie posted a video of the exchange to Facebook where it garnered thousands of views from social media users applauding the Aussie woman for her compassion.

(WATCH the video below) – Photo by C’Lowrie’s Photography

Are Your Friends Thirsty For Good News? Be Sure And Share This Story Of Compassion To Social Media

Surgeons Successfully Implant World’s First 3D-Printed Rib – and They Plan On Doing Even More in the Future

By
McKinley Corbley
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In a world first, surgeons successfully implanted a 3D-printed rib into a hospital patient.

The procedure, which was recently performed at Tokuda Hospital in Bulgaria, used an implant which was crafted out of an FDA-approved material called Nylon 680.

In addition to being drastically cheaper than titanium, the material was used to make the rib in less than 24 hours for the insignificant cost of $114.

According to 3DGence, the company that manufactured the 3D-printer used for the procedure, the material is unique because it can withstand the temperatures necessary for sterilization and it functions much more similarly to an actual rib than titanium implants.

RELATED: World’s First Cell-Grown Steak Doesn’t Cause Harm to Animals

“The patient, Ivaylo Josifov, was diagnosed with a rib deformation (and) the doctors were concerned that the deformity may progress, and decided to replace the rib with an implant,” Mateusz Sidorowicz, director of marketing at 3DGence, told Digital Trends.

The physicians say that the 35-year-old patient is in “perfect health” after the procedure, and they are already planning on performing additional surgeries with the 3D-printed ‘bones,’ including three ribs along with a sternum.

MORE: Researchers Develop Cheap, 10-Minute Test That Can Detect Cancer Anywhere in the Body

“This is a new era in thoracic wall reconstruction for patients with tumors,” says Professor Tzvetan Minchev, Head of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department at the hospital.

“The material used has proven tissue compatibility and the accuracy of reproduction allows for large chest wall resections …with individually designed implants.”

Cure Your Friends Of Negativity By Sharing The Good News To Social Media – Photo by 3DGence

Blue Light Reduces Blood Pressure, Just as Effectively as Medication – UK Study

By
Good News Network
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File photo by Aki Sato, CC

An exciting new study says that exposure to blue light is an effective, non-pharmaceutical treatment for high blood pressure, which simultaneously reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

During this study, which was published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology, participants were exposed to 30 minutes of whole-body blue light at approximately 450 nanometers – a dose comparable to daily sunlight – followed by exposure to a control light on a different day.

Visible blue light, as opposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, is not carcinogenic. To assess the impact, participants’ blood pressure, stiffness of arteries, blood vessel dilation, and blood plasma levels of nitric oxide stores were measured—before, during, and up to two hours after irradiation with both lights.

The researchers who conducted the study from the University of Surrey and Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf discovered that exposure to whole-body blue light significantly reduced the systolic blood pressure of participants by almost 8 mmHg, compared to the control light which had no impact.

RELATED: When Blueberries and Grapes Are Combined, a Dramatic Decline in Memory Loss and Aging – Study

What’s even more remarkable is that the reduction of blood pressure from blue light is similar to what is seen in clinical trials with blood pressure lowering drugs.

Besides the blood pressure lowering effects, it was also uncovered that exposure to blue light improved other cardiovascular risk markers, including reduction of arterial stiffness and increasing blood vessel relaxation. This further supports the notion that light could aid in preventing cardiovascular disease, which kills over 150,000 people in the UK alone every year.

Researchers also found that exposure to blue light increased levels of nitric oxide which is an important signaling molecule that protects the cardiovascular system. It is believed that blue light releases it from the skin into the blood stream where it relaxes the blood vessels, increasing blood flow and decreasing blood pressure.

MORE: Want to Stop Eating Junk Food? New Research Says You Should Get More Sleep

Christian Heiss, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Surrey and NHS consultant, said: “Exposure to blue light provides an innovative method to precisely control blood pressure without drugs. Wearable blue light sources could make continued exposure to light possible and practical. This would be particularly helpful to those whose blood pressure is not easily controlled by medication, such as older people.”

This is not the first time that blue light has been revealed to have a positive impact on people’s health. Because blue lighting has been linked to improving mood, dozens of Japanese train stations have installed blue lighting as a means of reducing their suicide rates. Over the course of 10 years, the suicide rate at the stations plummeted by 84%.

Shine A Light On This Fascinating Story By Sharing It With Your Friends On Social Media – File photo by Aki Sato

Kidnapper Got More Than He Bargained for When He Chased Woman into Karate Dojo

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Good News Network
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A man who apparently was attempting to kidnap a woman off the street made a big mistake when he followed her into a North Carolina karate dojo.

Randall Ephraim, the head instructor of Bushiken Karate Charlotte Dojo, says that he was tidying up the studio earlier this week when the woman ran into the building.

“There were still some kids in the dojo being picked up by parents and a couple of adult students cleaning up when a young lady came through our doors and stated that someone was trying to harm her,” Ephraim told CNN. “Shortly afterward, a big male entered the building. Not knowing what he wanted, I assumed he was inquiring about classes.”

RELATED: Woman Prevents Girl’s Kidnapping by Pretending to be Her Mother

“I asked how I could assist him and he stated that he was there for the lady. She insisted that she did not know him and tried to kidnap her.”

The 47-year-old perpetrator had reportedly tried to force the woman into his car just outside of the facility.

Ephraim simply asked him to leave, but the kidnapper refused and began “aggressively swinging” his way further into the dojo.

MORE: Quick-Thinking Teen ‘Befriends’ Couple to Thwart Kidnapping in Progress

Ephraim then took action and forced the man outside where the perpetrator unwisely attempted to attack the instructor.

According Ephraim, the man was “dealt with accordingly.”

Although the man was later taken into custody, he first had to be wheeled away from the scene on a stretcher before being taken to jail and charged with drug use and kidnapping.

(Photo by Randall Ephraim ,Bushiken Karate, Charlotte Dojo)

Be Sure And Share The Inspiring Rescue Story With Your Friends On Social Media

Instead of Running, These Inmates Rush to Aid Their Supervisor Who Collapsed From Stroke Along a Roadside

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Good News Network
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These three inmates could have taken advantage of their security supervisor’s medical emergency earlier this week – but instead, they stayed by his side and ensured that he was taken care of.

The Bladen County inmates from North Carolina were picking up trash on the side of the road as a part of a program that allows them to perform community service in exchange for having their jail time reduced.

Their work was interrupted, however, when their supervisor James Smith started to stumble, which led him to fall into a ditch.

The inmates immediately rushed to his side. When Smith was unable to answer basic questions, the men used his phone to call for an ambulance before stopping traffic and asking drivers for help, according to the sheriff department’s Facebook page.

LOOK: Inmates Write Heartfelt Letter to Police Department Offering Condolences for Slain Officer

Paramedics escorted Smith to the Cape Fear Valley Medical Center where doctors were able to diagnosis the episode as a stroke.

While the supervisor has been recovering in the hospital, each of the three men were honored with the sheriff department’s esteemed Life-Saving Award.

The awards can dramatically improve their chances of landing employment once their are released from prison, but the men say that they are simply happy that Smith is okay.

MORE: Organizations Learn Cheap Tattoo Removal to Help Inmates Get Jobs

“At the end of the day, knowing he is OK, that makes you feel better,” one of the inmates told WECT, with another inmate adding: “He’s a good man. He’s more than a police officer. He’s more or less like my friend. He’s just a really good guy all the way around.”

Upon presenting the awards, Sheriff Jim McVicker said: “It goes to show, if you treat people right, they’ll return the favor and treat you right, and that’s exactly what [these men] have done here.”

(WATCH the news coverage below) – Photo by WECT

Save Your Friends From Negativity By Sharing The Inspiring Story To Social Media

“You will either experience the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The choice is yours.” – Zig Ziglar

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “You will either experience the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The choice is yours.” – Zig Ziglar

Photo: in public domain, 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?

Want to Fight Air Pollution? New Study Says Planting Hedges is More Effective Than Planting Trees

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Good News Network
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If you want to protect your lungs from nearby road pollution, new research says you should be planting some hedges as the most effective way to cleanse the air.

In a paper published in Atmospheric Environment, researchers looked at how three types of road-side green infrastructure – trees, hedges, and a combination of trees with hedges and shrubs – affected the concentration levels of air pollution. The study used six roadside locations in Guildford, UK, as test sites where the green infrastructure was between 3 to 6 feet (1 to 2 meters) away from the road.

The University of Surrey researchers found that roadsides that only had hedges were the most effective at reducing pollution exposure, cutting the black carbon by up to 63%.

They also observed an appreciable reduction in harmful heavy metals that originated from the traffic.

LOOK: City is Converting Highway Pillars into Vertical Gardens to Clean the Air

Roadsides with only trees showed no positive influence on pollution reduction at breathing height, as the tree canopy was too high to provide a barrier/filtering effect for road-level tailpipe emissions.

MORE: Don’t Rake Those Leaves – Good for Your Yard, and the Planet

“The best way to tackle pollution is to control it at the source,” said Professor Prashant Kumar, the study’s senior author and founding director of the university’s Global Centre for Clean Air Research. “However, reducing exposure to traffic emissions in near-road environments has a big part to play in improving health and well-being for city-dwellers.”

“There are many miles of fences in urban areas that could be readily complemented with hedges to reduce pollution exposure for pedestrians, cyclists and people who live close to roads. Urban vegetation should be about much more than just trees on wide urban roads.”

(Source: University of Surrey)

Clean Up Negativity By Sharing The Research With Your Friends On Social Media

Police Are ‘Happily Surprised’ to Report Zero Roadside Busts for Drunk Driving On New Year’s Eve

By
McKinley Corbley
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Contrary to what you might expect, the police officers of this major city were delighted to report that none of the drivers they breathalyzed at road checkpoints were busted for driving while illegally impaired.

Surrey is the second largest city in British Columbia, Canada with a population of roughly half a million. Vancouver holds the title for biggest city with just 100,000 more residents.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police of Surrey had several road stops set up across the city throughout New Year’s Eve and New Year’s – and despite breathalyzing hundreds of drivers, no one had a blood alcohol content over the legal limit.

“We had no criminal impaired investigations or charges this year,” Surrey RCMP spokesperson Chad Grieg told Global News. “Surprised? I am, happily surprised.”

LOOK: Parking Officer Takes Pity on Driver After Finding Note in Windshield

“I think it’s people understanding it’s not just their safety, it’s the safety of other people on the road,” he added.

Additionally, Grief said that drivers were also better behaved in contrast to years past.

The lack of impairment is a prime example of the continuously declining rate of drunk driving across North America. According to the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, their education efforts and outreach programs have been linked to a drop in impaired driving over the course of the last two decades in the United States.

RELATED: Random Company Will Pay Man’s Drunken $1,600 Uber Fare As Thank You For Not Drinking and Driving

“For more than two decades, the foundation has been leading the fight to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking,” reads their website. “During this time, drunk driving fatalities have declined 31% and among those under 21, the number of fatalities has decreased 65%.

“Underage drinking among the nation’s youth has continued to decline with fewer reporting drinking each year – past month consumption decreasing 53% since 1991 – while the number of conversations among parents and kids has increased.”

Be Sure And Share The Good News With Your Friends On Social Media – File photo by Tech Sgt. Chad Thompson / U.S. Air Force

Instead of ‘We Are What We Eat,’ the Science of Kindness Says ‘We Are What We See’ in Daily Life

By
David Fryburg, MD, Founder, Envision Kindness
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Reprinted with permission from Envision Kindness

As a doctor who specializes in diseases like diabetes, I know a bit about nutrition and metabolism.

I really believe in the old saying “You are what you eat.” That is, the amounts and types of different foods we eat affects not only our weight, but our general health. Food is a complicated mixture of energy sources (calories), protein (to make new tissues like muscle and skin and heal wounds), and micronutrients like vitamins to support a wide range of biochemical processes.

It is pretty well understood that when our diets are imbalanced, different functions in our bodies may suffer. Taking in too little or too much of something can lead to the development of diseases. There are plenty of examples that have filled medical textbooks: people who are deficient in vitamin D, for example, suffer from bone problems and weakness; too much vitamin D may have high calcium in their blood, kidney stones, and possibly liver problems. The key to a successful diet (and nutritional health) is balance and moderation of good quality food.

Years ago when I realized that I was “ingesting” way too much negative news, I began to think about my “visual diet” and wondered what the research had to say about it. The analytical side of my brain was fascinated to find out that a few short minutes of exposure to negative news can induce anxiety, stress, and symptoms of depression.

WATCH: Heartwarming Data Reveals the Most Popular Google Searches Were About How We Can Be Good

One group of researchers found that a 14-minute video of negative TV news (not even internet-delivered news) can rapidly increase anxiety and sadness. What’s particularly noteworthy is that beyond induction of anxiety and sadness, participants of the study who saw negative news (in contrast to positive or neutral films), expressed greater anxiety related to their own personal issues.

A preliminary report from scientists and collaborators from the Huffington Post suggested that the effects of negative news exposure can last hours into the day for a substantial amount of people.

So depressing and fear-inducing news can make people feel more sad and anxious, which, in turn, can magnify their own problems for quite some time. Wow—a difficult, negative emotional cycle that can be self-reinforcing.

RELATED: 10 Best Stories When Kindness and Heroics Went Viral in 2018

How about “positive” news or stories? The few studies that exist suggest that inspiring, positive media sources have the opposite effects of negative media. These researchers found that viewing a short (4-minute) video of a young man who established a homeless shelter in Philadelphia was specifically able to induce gratitude and love in contrast to videos that were focused on inspiring admiration.

Another group of scientists showed some volunteers a video from the Oprah Winfrey show in which a musician pays tribute to his former music teacher for saving him from a life of gang activity and violence. Seeing that 7-minute video significantly increased the willingness of the participants to volunteer compared to an amusing video. Other studies of this kind showed that viewing uplifting videos may have positive or desirable effects on sexual prejudice as well as stimulating mothers to nurse.

LISTEN: A Happiness Lesson From Waitressing – It’s Not About You

All of this research led me to coining the phrase: “Just as you are what you eat, you are what you see.” In fact, I only recently learned that the word “diet” does not just refer to what food we eat – it comes from the Greek meaning for “way of life” or how one lives his or her life. With that broadened definition, the word “diet” has a greater, more all-encompassing meaning in relation to the things that we absorb–food, stories, images, sounds (music)–and how they impact us.

This does not mean we have to ignore negative news. There are important things that we can learn which can help us understand what other people are going through and how we can help to fix their problems. This all just means that we need a balanced visual diet—one that nourishes the soul and yet motivates us to take action and make things better.

Interested in learning more about the science of kindness and its role in your life? Visit EnvisionKindness.org to learn more.

Cure Your Friends Of Nasty Negativity By Sharing This Article To Social Media – Photo by Sarah Vega via Envision Kindness

Woman Who ‘Hated Muslims’ Now Wants to Share the Understanding and Love She Found in an Afghan Refugee

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Good News Network
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SWNS - Blur is at the request of the subject and was a condition of the pictures on the SWNS newswire.
SWNS – Blur is at the request of the subject and was a condition of the pictures on the SWNS newswire.

An American Christian woman who says she used to “hate Muslims” ended up falling in love with an Afghan refugee – and now she hopes that their romance will inspire and educate others.

30-year-old Krystal Ashley says she and Rayi Khan are similar to a “modern day Romeo and Juliet” after they kindled a relationship in spite of their contrasting backgrounds.

Ashley, who works as a teaching assistant, was raised in a conservative family and admits that she was once very intolerant of Islam following 9/11.

Meanwhile, 31-year-old Khan is a Muslim who fled Kabul for Paris to escape the Taliban.

WATCH: When Filmmaker Sits Down With Neo-Nazis to See if They Would ‘Hate in-Person’, She Had Extraordinary Experience

“Not at all in my wildest dreams did I expect that I was going to fall in love with someone from Afghanistan,” said the English tutor. “I had grown up in a very conservative home, and after 9/11, I jumped on the anti-Muslim bandwagon that was going on in the States.

The pair’s unlikely romance began in July 2016 when they met through friends during a soccer match in Paris, where Ashley was volunteering with a Christian nonprofit.

“It’s a complete 180,” she continued. “My first impression of Rayi was just that he was super soft-spoken and he just seemed super gentle and kind, and I did find that kind of surprising.

SWNS – Blur is at the request of the subject and was a condition of the pictures on the SWNS newswire.

They kept their relationship secret at first and Khan still hasn’t told his family because they are unlikely to accept his new girlfriend – especially since he was forced into an arranged marriage at the age of 16.

Ashley, from King and Queen County in Virginia, said Khan being married was an issue for her at first, but she has come to accept it because the marriage is null in France.

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Additionally, she says the relationship has challenged her to become more open-minded.

“I tried to keep [the relationship] a secret from everyone I knew because most of the people I knew were very conservative Christian, so it was quite the scandal. On the other hand, his family basically would never accept me.

SWNS – Blur is at the request of the subject and was a condition of the pictures on the SWNS newswire.

“Also, our nations, America and Afghanistan, have been at war for a long time and his people have a lot of hard feelings against the American government,” says Ashley. “It’s a true, modern, Romeo and Juliet.”

Ashley moved to Paris in 2012 to work as a teaching assistant and began volunteering in the midst of the refugee crisis in December 2015.

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Khan fled Afghanistan in 2012 and spent time in Bulgaria before moving to France in 2014 where he was granted refugee status and granted temporary residency.

He said both his parents were murdered by the Taliban and the Islamic fundamentalist group had threatened him because he worked for an American contractor building warehouses.

SWNS – Blur is at the request of the subject and was a condition of the pictures on the SWNS newswire.

“When we talked about it it made me cry. It’s just so hard to fathom that someone can live through so much violence and come out and are still a good person,” says Ashley. “He has got this soft, gentle spirit. It is heartbreaking for me to imagine him going through so much. It made me cry when he told me.”

Khan, who does not wish to include his real name for security reasons, added: “I had a good life in Afghanistan … but I had so many problems with the Taliban and the government, I had to leave everything.”

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“But the best part about being with Krystal is having someone close to me who I can trust.

“Before, I spent so much time alone, going in the Metro every day. I just listened to music to pass the time. Even when I was with my friends I wasn’t really there, I was feeling unhappy,” says Khan. “Krystal has helped me so much, and she makes me feel full. I know she loves me, for real, not because of obligation or because of money.”

SWNS – Blur is at the request of the subject and was a condition of the pictures on the SWNS newswire.

The loved-up pair admit they have encountered some cultural roadblocks, but Krystal said that since they are both open-minded, they make sure to have plenty of free discussions about their beliefs.

“Culturally we have very different upbringings,” says Ashley. “Sometimes I struggle with it, but the good outweighs the bad.”

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As for the future, the couple aren’t sure whether kids or marriage are on the cards. For now, they are taking each day as it comes.

Ashley concluded her story by saying: “I think people will be surprised by our relationship, but I hope they will read this and rethink things in their mind about their perceptions of people in Afghanistan.”

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11-Year-old Boy Saves Drowning Man Twice His Size When No One Else Could Swim

By
McKinley Corbley
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When no one else was capable of saving a drowning 34-year-old man, a boy weighing only 80 pounds quickly became the victim’s hero.

11-year-old Advaik Nandikotkur was hanging out at the pool of his apartment building with his family when the man sank to the bottom of the deep end, his arms outstretched and his eyes wide from eight feet down in the water.

Surprisingly, the youngster was the only one at the pool who was capable of swimming at the time. Before his family had migrated to St. Paul, Minnesota from India three years ago, his father had never had the ability to take swimming lessons and his mother had not been allowed to take lessons because she was a woman.

Luckily, they had insisted on giving Advaik a few swimming lessons in America – “some survival skills for his own sake,” his father told CNN.

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When trouble finally struck in the pool, however, Advaik’s father had attempted to help the man from a flotation device, but he couldn’t reach the man’s hand.

Then, at the urging of his mother, Advaik took the plunge.

Despite the man weighing almost 100 pounds heavier than the youngster, Advaik successfully managed to pull him up to the surface and tow him to the edge of the pool. Though Advaik’s uncle had never undergone CPR training, he started performing the procedure based on what he had seen in movies and television.

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A few minutes later, the man started to move his hands. Paramedics then arrived on the scene and escorted the man to the hospital where he has since made a full recovery.

The man stopped by the boy’s house later the very same week to thank him for saving his life and give him some money as a gift.

Advaik, who is very shy in the spotlight, has been reluctant to be the center of attention, but local police officers insist that he is a hero.

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“I’ve never heard of a boy jumping in and saving an adult from a pool,” Eagan, Minnesota Police Officer Aaron Machtemes told CNN. “Officers on the scene commented the man was very lucky to be alive.”

“It’s simply superb,” added Advaik’s uncle. “If he had not been there, I don’t know. I’m sure it would not be a happy ending.”

Advaik’s father also says that he plans on taking swimming lessons alongside his son in the near future.

(WATCH the news coverage below) – Photo by Raghu Nandikotkur via CNN

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“He who fears he shall suffer, already suffers what he fears.” – Michel de Montaigne

By
Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “He who fears he shall suffer, already suffers what he fears.” – Michel de Montaigne

Photo: by aka Tman, CC license, via 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?

 

Watch Roger Federer and Serena Williams Positively Geek Over Finally Getting to Play Each Other

By
Good News Network
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Though some athletes might jump at the chance to criticize their opponent, these titans of tennis had the most endearing reactions to squaring off on the court.

Serena Williams and Roger Federer played each other for the first time in their careers during a mixed doubles match earlier this week.

With 37-year-old Williams playing alongside Frances Tiafoe and Federer playing with Belinda Bencic, the tennis champs finished up their round-robin tournament with a quick match – and they were delighted by the challenge.

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“It was a great experience. I’m kind of sad it’s over — I was just warming up!” Williams said about Federer after the match. “Honestly, it was so fun.

“We grew up together, and so having an opportunity after all of these years to play each other — we’ve actually never done this,” she added. “It’s super cool that we actually get to do this, at this pinnacle of both of our careers.”

When asked specifically why she adored Federer as a player, she simply said: “Well, the guy is great. He’s the greatest of all time, to be honest.”

(WATCH the heartwarming interview below) – Photo by Tennis World

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Listen to Woman’s Incredible Story of How an Accidental Phone Call Pulled Her Out of Drug Addiction

By
Good News Network
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You never know who is willing to offer a helping hand – Auburn Sandstrom learned this when she was a young mother neck-deep in the throes of drug addiction.

Yet despite struggling with abuse and poverty, she found help in an unlikely place after she dialed a phone number that was written on a slip of paper – and that phone call ended up becoming a pivotal moment in her life.

Sandstrom first recounted her tale for The Moth, a nonprofit dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. Speakers are given the opportunity to tell a true story in front of a live audience, and sometimes, their stories are then shared on the radio or The Moth podcast.

Since Sandstrom’s performance was broadcasted in 2016, it has been viewed and shared millions of times.

(WATCH the video below) – Photo by Sean Carter

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