8 Under-Appreciated Autumn Veggies and Fruits You Should Be Eating

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Oct 8, 2018

Autumn is my favorite time of year, not just because the weather is beautiful, but also because fall brings some of the most delicious and nutritious fruits and veggies into bloom.

The interesting thing is that some of the most nutrient dense produce is also some of the most overlooked. Use these under-appreciated fruits and vegetables to spice up your mealtime, especially when it is so easy to include them.

Persimmons

My husband introduced me to Persimmons 16 years ago when he took me to meet his parents, who grew a giant tree dripping with these orange fleshy fruits in their backyard (photo, top, by eliza adam). Packed with Vitamin A and fiber, these sweet powerhouses are also known for their anti-inflammatory and anti-infective properties.

Try It: Puree the soft fruit and use it instead of oil when baking muffins, or carrot and spice cakes, for a sweet boost of fiber.

Pomegranate

I have to admit that Pomegranates are my fall obsession. They are incredibly versatile as they can be added to savory and sweet dishes alike – they can be made into sweet treats, and even used in drinks. Their touted health benefits span from protecting the heart to aiding the preventing of colon, breast and prostate cancer. They can reduce symptoms of depression by stimulating serotonin and estrogen receptors.

Try it: Add pomegranate seeds to your stuffing for an unexpected twist at the Thanksgiving table.

Rutabaga

Just a single serving of rutabaga provides you with 50% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin C. Low in calories and a rich source of soluble fiber, this almost unknown root vegetable can be used to maintain digestive health and aid in weight management. With such an impressive profile, it has become a much more interesting and nutritious alternative to potatoes in our home.

Try It: Slice the rutabaga, toss with some olive oil and bake like French fries – your kids won’t know the difference!

Celery Root

No, not celery… its root. Aside from being a great source of antioxidants, dietary fiber, vitamins and nutrients, celery root provides many other health benefits. With excellent benefits from analgesic, antiseptic, and anti-allergic properties and its regulation of the digestive system, this root should not be overlooked.

Try It: Eat celery root raw with some hummus for a new take on a mid-day snack.

ALSO: Healthy Flavored Popcorn: 5 Easy Variations You Can Make in a Pan

Collard Greens

collared greens cc garlandcannon — Photo by Garland Cannon, CC license

Loaded with the three major anti-oxidants found in foods – Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E – collard greens help strengthen our body’s ability to fight the effects of chemicals and free-radicals. With amazing anti-inflammatory benefits, this cruciferous plant helps keep digestive health at its best.

Try It: Add chopped collard greens to a stir-fry mix for a colorful boost of vitamins.

Endive

One of fall’s powerhouse greens, endive lettuce is low in calories and rich in fiber. It is also packed with Vitamins A, beta-carotene and essentials from the B complex, such as folic acid. Its complex nutritional profile and rich flavor make it a great addition to any salad or stir fry.

Try It: Chop it up and add it to a stir-fry in the last 3 minutes of cooking for that extra crunch. Or, use the sturdy leaves as little bowls and fill with spinach dip or melted brie.

Parsnips

It might be hard to believe, but parsnips are actually more nutritious than carrots! As cousins, their flavor profile is similar making parsnips a great alternative, but unlike carrots, parsnips boast a high concentration of folate and potassium, both integral in keeping our bones, cells and muscles running efficiently.

Try It: Roast parsnips and sprinkle with Thyme and maple syrup for an energizing and sweet side dish.

Dates

A few years ago I attended a friend’s birthday dinner at a Persian restaurant and enjoyed one of the most memorable meals I’ve had in years. The reason? Dates. I had never thought to add dates to savory dishes, and found myself completely enthralled by the combination. The best part is that dates are high in fiber and contribute to heart and digestive health.

Try It: Substitute one date per tablespoon of sugar to sweeten your baked goods for a healthier treat. Mix them with hot curried chicken or rice dishes.

MORE: Five Fun, Creative Ways To Get Your Veggies In

Bonus: How to Cook a Whole Pumpkin

It might seem that pumpkins are everywhere during the fall, but the reality is that people rarely take real pumpkins seriously when it comes to meal preparation. Pumpkins are one of the best sources of alpha and beta-carotene, which are essential for cell growth and healthy vision. Not to mention, pumpkin seeds are also a great source of omega-3s, a brain and mood booster.

To cook the pumpkin, use a crockpot, place the pieces in the crockpot with 1 cup water. Cover and cook on high for approximately 4 hours, it’s done when it’s soft! Scrape it from the rind and sprinkle with a bit of coconut, nutmeg, or cinnamon for a sweet treat.

Be adventurous and add some under-appreciated produce to your shopping list, you’ll be glad you did.

CHECK OUT: A Healthy Start to Your Day: How To Pick a Good Cereal

Monica Klausner is the Co-Founder of Veestro, a modern, plant-based meal delivery system that makes healthy eating “consistent, delicious and realistic.”

Share These Delicious Tips With Your Friends…

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” –Anne Frank

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Oct 8, 2018

Quote of the Day: “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank

Photo: by Greener Leith, CC license

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 Good Samaritan Teenager Revive a Squirrel With CPR After it Ran Into His Car

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Good News Network

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Oct 7, 2018

Police in Minnesota pulled over when they saw a vehicle stopped in the middle of the road with its door wide open. A young man was bent down near the curb, so the officers stopped to see if everything was alright.

They soon realized the teen was performing tiny chest compressions on a squirrel sprawled in the grass on its back.

Chris Felix told them the squirrel ran into his car, even though he swerved to avoid the worst.

“I’m trying to help it out,” he said.

The compassionate driver said he had been tending to the squirrel for nearly 20 minutes before the Brooklyn Park Police Department arrived, and their body cameras recorded the scene.

They noticed the squirrel looked like it was “coming around” — and quipped that they should “put him up for a life saving award.”

Then, the camera caught he joyful moment when the critter was suddenly revived, and bolted off to the nearest tree.

“There he goes!” yelled the officer, who gave Chris a high five. “You saved his life, Dude!”

Chris told a WCCO news crew, “Little things mean a lot, in the long run… I gave it my best shot.”

(WATCH the video below)

MORE: When Man Suddenly Collapses, People Line Up For 96-Minute CPR Marathon to Save Him

Spread the Love for Animals on Social Media…

Surgeon Finds Fame When His First Tweet is About Stitching Up Little Boy’s Teddy Bear Before Operation

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McKinley Corbley

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Oct 7, 2018

Dr. Daniel McNeely has only published one tweet in his entire life and it has already earned him internet fame for the sweetest reason.

The neurosurgeon from the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, Canada recently posted photos of himself performing “surgery” on a little boy’s teddy bear before the youngster was put to sleep for an operation.

8-year-old Jackson McKie was undergoing surgery to have a cyst removed from his brain. Since he suffers from a chronic condition called hydrocephalus, McNeely has been taking care of Jackson since he was an infant.

So when Jackson brought in his teddy bear for the surgery, he asked McNeely if he could treat the toy as well – and the neurosurgeon was more than happy to oblige.

McNeely asked the nurses to set out an extra table and set of tools for the stuffed animal so he could sew up a small tear in the teddy’s arm. He even managed to fix the “injury” with some of the leftover stitches from Jackson’s surgery.

Since it was his first time operating on a toy, he asked the nurses to take pictures of the heartwarming gesture so he could post them to Twitter with a caption reading: “Patient asks if I can also fix teddy bear just before being put off to sleep… how could I say no?”

Not only was it McNeely’s first time operating on a toy, it was also his first ever tweet – and it earned him thousands of followers.

MORE: Doctors on a Plane Save Woman’s Life by Constructing Makeshift Ventilator Out of Nearby Parts

“I thought it might make a few people smile, that was the only intention I had,” McNeely told CTV News Atlantic. “I’m glad that others are enjoying it.”

He hopes that it will help to set a higher bar for how healthcare professionals can go the extra mile to care for their patients and make them feel more comfortable in non-medical ways.

“[McNeely is] one of the nicest human beings I’ve ever met,” Jackson’s father, Rick McKie, said about the surgeon earlier this week, adding that Jackson was “tickled pink” to wake up from surgery and find that he and his toy friend had both been successfully treated.

Patient asks if I can also fix teddy bear just before being put off to sleep... how could I say no? pic.twitter.com/WOKFc5zr91
— P. Daniel McNeely (@pdmcneely) September 30, 2018

Cure Your Friends Of Negativity By Sharing The Sweet Story With Your Friends – Photo by Dr. Daniel McNeely

Uber Driver Stumbles Into Gift of New Hands For His 11-Year-old Daughter After Picking Up Engineering Student (Podcast)

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Good News Network

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Oct 7, 2018

A stunningly serendipitous Uber meeting resulted in a college student giving a big hand to a little girl who needed it most. Hear The Good News Guru tell the surprising story (from the October 5, 2018 Ellen K. Morning Show on KOST-103.5 radio in Los Angeles).

WATCH the video at Good News Network…

Uber Driver Stumbles Into Gift of New Hands For His 11-Year-old Daughter After Picking Up Engineering Student

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McKinley Corbley

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Oct 7, 2018

LISTEN to this story in our podcast, told by The Good News Guru (the GNN Founder) on Friday’s radio broadcast with Ellen K on KOST-103.5 — Or, READ the story below… (Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes – or for Androids, on Podbean)

A stunningly serendipitous Uber meeting resulted in a college student giving a big hand to a little girl who needed it most.

Back in February, University of Notre Dame student Michael Skinner called for an Uber to take him home from a parenting event. The chatty engineering major started talking to his driver—and fortunately asked about his family.

Doug Anderson talked about his 11-year-old daughter Tori. He and his wife adopted her from China when she was 5 and brought her back to their home in Indiana. She was born with only one finger on each hand, a condition that caused her a lot of embarrassment and insecurity.

LOOK: World’s Largest 3D Printer Makes Almost Zero-Cost Homes Out of Mud

He and his wife had approached different hospitals about getting Tori fitted for prosthetics, but doctors said she would quickly outgrow them—and they’re expensive. Money has been tight for the parents who have adopted two other special needs children. Doug, 58, took up Uber driving to earn extra money, and because he liked to socialize.

As fate would have it, the student in the back seat, Michael Skinner, was the perfect person to chat with.

Skinner works with an engineering group called e-Nable. The group 3D-prints robotic hands—and had been searching in vain for a child who needed one.

After several months of sizing and collaboration, Tori has been fitted with a new set of 3D-printed hands. She can now throw a baseball, write, and blow bubbles.

Her father, overwhelmed with gratitude, told the university, “I think that God absolutely had his hand in this.”

(WATCH the video below)

Give Your Friends A Helping Hand: Share The Good News To Social Media – Photo by University of Notre Dame

Scientists Are Replacing Plastic With Algae, a Revolutionary Idea That Can Suck Carbon Out of the Air

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Andy Corbley

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Oct 7, 2018

Two Dutch scientists are using algae to replace plastics throughout their city – and if their mission proves successful, they believe that no one will ever have to use plastic again.

Lounging on the surface of uncountable numbers of lakes, ponds, seas, and riverways, are mats of aquatic vegetation called algae – and they use photosynthesis to take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen back into the atmosphere just like every other plant species.

However, as useful as that function is to the planet’s survival, Dutch designers Eric Klarenbeek, and Maartje Dros have found another feature which could prove just as useful.

They have developed a bioplastic made from algae which they believe could be used to replace synthetic plastics over time. Dros and Klarenbeek grow algae, which they then harvest, dry, and turn into a material that can be used in 3D printers to create plastic items from trash cans and tableware to shampoo bottles.

The designers believe that the algae polymer could entirely replace plastics made from fossil fuels, and they are kickstarting the transition by providing every restaurant and catering establishment in their city of Zaandam with completely new sets of flatware made from the algae-plastic.

Their goal is certainly ambitious, but not when compared with the true dream of these remarkable designers. They have partnered with a number of other companies producing bio-polymer to create a network known as 3D Bakery. They hope that – instead of buying products from large multi-national companies – one could simply walk down the street and “bake” some replacement items, whether it be cups, plates, flower vases, or tables.

Photo by Erick Larenbeek, company website

Together with American company Ecovative, the studio has developed a commercial line of fungus-based products called Krown. The DIY kits allow consumers to grow their own lamps, tables or biodegradable picnic items.

MORE: America’s Largest Grocery Store Chain is Saying Goodbye to Single-Use Plastic Bags

Another feature of the studio’s 3D-printed products is that because they’re made of algae, a substance which absorbs CO2 from the air, they internally bind with the carbon when they are turned into solids, effectively becoming CO2 jailers that prevent the carbon from being released back into the atmosphere.

The designers believe that if algae were used to create the every day household products we depend on, the cultivation of algae would increase the amount of carbon being pulled out of the air; and considering the Earth’s surface is 71% water, algae mats wouldn’t take up essential land space.

CHECK OUT: Instead of Tossing it Back, 5,000 Indian Fishermen Now Collect Ocean Plastic to Build Roads and Prosperity

“Everything that surrounds us – our products, houses and cars – can be a form of CO2 binding,” the engineers told Dezeen. “If we think in these terms, makers can bring about a revolution. It’s about thinking beyond the carbon footprint: instead of zero emissions we need ‘negative’ emissions.”

The algae project has been nominated as a finalist for the New Material Award of 2018. If it wins, then the team could be awarded up to $17,300 to continue development and manufacturing of the bioplastic.

Plant Some Positivity With Your Friends By Sharing The Good News to Social Media

Andy Corbley is the founder and editor of World At Large, a small environment, travel, and lifestyle focused journal that stresses integrity, nuance, and honesty which launched in early March 2019.

“Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness.” – James Thurber

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Oct 7, 2018

Quote of the Day: “Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness.” – James Thurber

Photo: by Elliot Margolies, CC license

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 Hospital Staff – From Janitors to Surgeons – Line Hallway to Honor Organ Donor in ‘Walk of Respect’

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McKinley Corbley

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Oct 6, 2018

In an emotional gesture of support and respect, these hospital employees have a special way of honoring patients who choose to be organ donors.

A video that was released last week by St. Luke’s Medical Center in Meridian, Idaho shows the staff members lining the walls of the facility’s fourth floor so they can pay homage to a 53-year-old organ donor.

The man, whose family asked to remain anonymous, was on his way to being taken off of life support so that his organs could immediately benefit another patient.

Whenever a patient or a patient’s family agrees to organ donation, the hospital employees – from janitors to surgeons – quietly stand in the hallway as the donor is wheeled to the operating room.

WATCH: In Twist of Fate, NFL Star’s Organs Go to the Ailing Sports Hero Who Inspired Him

The hospital has been performing the “Walk of Respect” tradition since they paid homage to an employee’s son who passed away a few years ago.

“It’s just a way we can honor the family who has made a difficult decision,” St. Luke’s spokeswoman Anita Kissée told the Idaho Statesman. “The family said it was just one of the most special things.”

Since the video has been shared across social media, other hospitals have reached out to St. Luke’s to express their interest in starting up the tradition at their own facilities.

(WATCH the video below)

Be Sure to Share This Love With Your Friends – Photo by St. Luke’s Meridian Medical Center

In the Market for a New Vehicle? Here Are Some Options for Joining the Electric Car Revolution

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Good News Network

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Oct 6, 2018

Nissan e-NV200 electric car-cc-Kārlis Dambrāns-flickr — Kārlis Dambrāns, CC license

EarthTalk® From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine

“Dear EarthTalk: I’m getting ready to join the electric car revolution now that my old clunker is getting on in age. What’s the latest and greatest? And is now a good time to buy an EV?” –Doug Ellis, Sacramento, CA

Hybrid-electric cars have become more and more common on American roads since the Prius launched here in 2001. Now, fully electric vehicles (EVs) are finally coming of age thanks to innovations by Tesla, Nissan, BMW, General Motors and others.

It is not uncommon today to see a zippy little Nissan Leaf or a stately Tesla Model X silently waiting for the light to turn green next to you at an intersection. Believe it or not, some 21 different automakers now have some form of EV for sale in the U.S. And they have big plans—think SUVs—to raise the EV stakes over the next few years, beginning with a raft of new models slated for release in 2019.

Perhaps the biggest new player on the EV scene is Audi. The German company’s new e-tron Quattro SUV can drive for roughly 250 miles between charges and features a styling equivalent to Audi’s luxe gasoline cars. It will be unveiled later in the fall, and American consumers can expect to shell out some $80,000 for a new one. A smaller model, the e-tron Sportback, will ride on the same platform—and get a similar range rating—but will sport a zippier ride and a lower price tag (around $50,000).

On the cuter end of the spectrum, BMW will make an all-electric version of its iconic revamp of the Mini Cooper— the “Mini E”—in 2019. The car will get upwards of 200 miles per charge, and with a price tag around $36,000 will compete directly against the Tesla 3 for customers looking to spend on the lower end for an EV.

Another big emerging EV player is Volkswagen, which is hoping to clean up its reputation after the big emissions cheating scandal that cost the company $30 billion in fines and settlements. By slashing production costs, VW expects to make and sell some of the lowest cost EVs around, with four new models (two crossovers, a hatchback and a sedan) available in 2019 in the vicinity of $35,000.

Of course, Tesla is poised for a big year, having worked out some production issues on its new Model 3 line and settled its financial differences with the SEC (following separate $20 million penalties to both CEO Elon Musk and Tesla the corporate entity). Customers have had to wait upwards of six months to get a new Model 3 once they sign on the dotted line, but Tesla hopes to eliminate the lag time in 2019 and rocket ahead of its competitors in the electric car space.

And yes, now may be the best time ever to buy an EV, given the profusion of advanced and now finally lower cost choices and the fact that there is still a federal tax credit of between $2,500 and $7,500 for doing so (depending on the size of the vehicle in question and its battery). Also, several states offer their own incentives to pile on the reasons to go electric now. That said, these incentives could expire or get cancelled depending on the political winds, so get it while you can.

EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk. To donate, visit their website – or send questions to: [email protected].

This Man Used His Motorcycle to Rescue 166 Abandoned Cows

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McKinley Corbley

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Oct 6, 2018

This biker loves cows so much, he has taken it upon himself to rescue cows that have been abandoned on the street – and he does so using his motorcycle.

These cows end up on the streets of Nepal after their farmers feel that the animals have outgrown their use – which is why R.B. Neupane has dedicated his life to providing a better life for the livestock.

Neupane has set up a makeshift sanctuary, but cannot afford a truck for transportation. He simply recruits volunteers to rescue the cows and take them to safety on his motorcycle.

The biker now cares for 166 cattle – all of whom he saved from the streets. He has orchestrated dozens of campaigns that encourage the people of Nepal to care more about their bovine companions. As a result, city residents have been stopping by Neupane’s sanctuary in Kathmandu with food, vegetables and treats.

Since the cow is the national animal of Nepal, Neupane hopes that the government will soon implement legislation that will care for the cows more efficiently.

Until then, Neupane is determined to continue rescuing cattle from the streets.

(WATCH the video interview below) – Photo by BBC Reel

Be Sure And Share This Man’s Inspiring Story On Social Media

Campaign to Get ‘Peacebuilding’ in Dictionaries is Gaining Traction

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Peace News

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Oct 6, 2018

Reprinted with permission from Peace News Network
September 29th, 2018

The word “peacebuilding” gets 7 million hits on Google, yet isn’t in most dictionaries—but a campaign is well on its way to changing that.

“Peacebuilding” was coined in the 1970’s by Norwegian scholar Johan Galtung, who defines it as projects that involve “concrete action” towards peace. Mike Jobbins from Search for Common Ground says it’s been a real frustration in the peacebuilding field to constantly get the Microsoft Word red squiggle from the spellchecker.

“We have UN departments, we have legislation in the States, we have governmental departments from Nigeria to Myanmar that use the word peacebuilding, but fundamentally we’re not well understood in the general public,” Jobbins said. “You sit next to someone on an airplane and say ‘I work for a peacebuilding organization’ and people don’t really know what that means, and there’s so many great people doing such amazing things around the world that we thought it was time to make sure that gets recognized.”

Harriet Lamb, CEO of International Alert, pointed to the variety of new words that have recently been introduced to dictionaries that are being recognized as part of the English language. “You’ve got words like ‘hangry, which means you’re so hungry you’re angry, through to ‘instagramable’, ‘bingable’, ‘totes’ and ‘adorbs’. Yet peacebuilding – an incredibly serious concept that’s been around for 40 years has still not been recognized in our lexicon of words, so that’s why we launched this campaign.”

The campaign, led by several organizations such as Alliance for Peacebuilding, Conciliation Resources, International Alert, Peace Direct and Search for Common Ground, seems to be gaining followers on social media and has had some success.

“We’re super pleased that in the last week, we’re now in three – Collins Dictionary, Cambridge Dictionary and Macmillan Dictionary have all added it in so it’s fantastic progress in just a week after 40 years of set-backs,” said Jobbins.

WATCH: After Man Plays His Cello at Bomb Site, He Spurs Citywide Movement to Combat Violence With Music

Oxford University Press confirmed that while “peacebuilding” is not currently covered in the Oxford English Dictionary, it will be considered. “We have collected evidence for the term and will consider it for potential inclusion in a future update,” their publicist said.

Leaders of the campaign have been inspired by the response they’ve received from the public, said Lamb. “We’ve had lots of positive responses, and from the dictionaries themselves, so we are really hopeful the campaign will achieve its first objective of ensuring peacebuilding takes its rightful place.”

Ms Lamb said getting the term peacebuilding into the dictionary is a first step in a much larger issue. Peacebuilders are keen to see peacebuilding used as a viable option in conflict zones, and for policy makers to know that it works, is popular, and is cost-effective.

(WATCH the video below)

Help Your Friends Read The Good News By Sharing It To Social Media – Photo by Peace News Network

“Nothing is worth more than this day.” – Goethe

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Oct 6, 2018

Quote of the Day: “Nothing is worth more than this day.” – Goethe

Photo: Farm in Virginia, by GWC

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 Study Says That By Changing the Air We Breathe, Migraine Attacks Can Be Treated Without Medicine

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Good News Network

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Oct 5, 2018

An exciting new study shows that some migraine patients may be able to cut down on medication – or stop using it completely – by using a newly developed inhaler that changes the composition of the air they breathe.

The eleven patients who participated in the pilot study suffer from migraine with aura, which is where they experience either sensory or visual disturbances before the painful headaches begin.

Over the course of the randomized double-blind study from 2016 to 2017, the patients self-treated 41 migraine attacks. The participants were instructed to use the device at the onset of first aura symptoms, followed after 40 minutes by a second use.

The research results show that the effect of the pain relief increased significantly with each use of the inhaler. After the first use, 45% of the patients experienced relief – and that number rose to 78% after the second use.

The only recorded side effects included such mild symptoms as perspiration and feeling slightly more cold or more warm.

The results were published in the scientific journal Cephalalgia.

Troels Johansen, one of the authors of the study from Aarhus University in Denmark, explains that migraines occur as part of a chain reaction during which the veins in the brain contract and the blood cannot therefore supply the brain with sufficient oxygen.

MORE: Got Kidney Stones? Ride a Roller Coaster, Says Study

“We utilize CO2 and oxygen, which are the body’s natural molecules for mobilizing its own defense against migraine attacks. The inhaler expands the blood vessels that supply the brain with oxygen by up to 70% and thereby stops the destructive chain reaction,” says Johansen, adding that the effect of the treatment starts after a few seconds.

“The study shows some very significant physiological effects in the body,” says Johansen, who currently teaches at the Aarhus University School of Engineering. Together with a team of employees, he has put the inhaler into production through the company BalancAir.

Since the pilot project is limited to migraine with aura and was only comprised eleven patients, Johansen is now planning to conduct a large clinical trial that will also include migraine without aura and chronic migraine.

Cure Your Friends Of Negativity By Sharing The Good News – Representative photo by NIAID, CC

Amused Parents Are in Luck After Toddler Puts $1,000 Through Paper Shredder; Government is Piecing It Back Together

By

McKinley Corbley

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Oct 5, 2018

Most new parents know all about toddler-proofing their home – but no matter how prepared you are, mistakes can always happen.

Ben and Jackee Belnap had to learn this the hard way after their 2-year-old son Leo found an envelope filled with cash that was laying on the kitchen counter of their home in Holladay, Utah.

The Belnaps have been saving up money for the last year to pay Ben’s parents back for University of Utah football season tickets. Originally, the couple had kept the cash locked away in a filing cabinet – but once they had squirreled away $1,060, they placed the cash in an envelope and set it on the counter so they would remember to deliver it to Ben’s parents.

Then one day over the weekend, the Belnaps were confused to find that the envelope had disappeared. They looked all over their house, even in the trash.

Finally, Jackee thought to look in their paper shredder.

“I’m digging through the trash and she hollers and says, ‘I found it,’” Ben told KSL-TV. “She’s holding the shredder and she says, ‘I think the money is in here.’”

Jackee goes on to say that Leo loves to help them use the paper shredder, whether it is for junk mail or important documents that need to be destroyed. So when he saw the envelope on the counter, he happily took it upon himself to help out his parents and dispose of the mysterious paperwork by putting $1,060 through the shredder.

So me and my wife had been saving up to pay for our @Utah_Football tickets in cash. We pulled our money out yesterday to pay my mom for the season... Well we couldn’t find the envelope until my wife checked the shredder. Yup. 2 year old shredded $1,060. pic.twitter.com/93R9BWAVDE
— BB (@Benbelnap) October 2, 2018

Though Ben and Jackee initially shed some tears over their savings, their grief eventually turned into laughter.

“For like five minutes, we just shuffled through it, not talking. We didn’t know what to do and then I broke the silence and I’m like, ‘Well, this will make a great wedding story one day,’” Jackee said.

MORE: After Happy Dad Holds Door Open for Stranger, She Slips His Son a Graduation Gift in Return

Thankfully, the good-natured parents have not lost their savings after all. The US Department of the Treasury can reimburse people for mutilated currency as a free public service, provided that the pieces of the bills can be returned.

After a quick phone call to the bureau, Ben was simply told to put the remnants of the money into a plastic baggie and mail it to the department with anticipation for a full value redemption after processing.

When Ben made a humorous Twitter post about the incident, sympathetic social media users tried to start a GoFundMe to reimburse them for their savings, but the Belnaps politely declined the offer. Instead, they asked their followers to donate to the Refugee Aid charity.

I’m not after any go-fund me or anything but this is a cause that my family and I care a lot about. We’ll hopefully get our money back from DC but refugee aid is a problem today. Hope everyone had a laugh at the story and brought you a little smile. https://t.co/M6Pp6AUjJl
— BB (@Benbelnap) October 5, 2018

In the mean time, the Belnaps “hope everyone had a laugh at the story” and they’re reassuring concerned readers that Leo will not be allowed near the paper shredder until he is older.

Pass On The Sweet Story Of Patient Parenting To Your Friends By Sharing It To Social Media – Photo by Ben Belnap

World’s First Hydrogen-Electric Passenger Plane Will Soon Take to the Skies With Zero Pollution

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Good News Network

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Oct 5, 2018

This alternative energy company has just unveiled the designs for the world’s first regional hydrogen-electric passenger aircraft – and it is set to take to the skies by 2025.

The plane, which has been called Element One, will be a quiet, zero-carbon, and economically inclusive mode of transportation for rural communities.

Element One is designed to fly 4 passengers for 310 miles to 3,100 miles (500 kilometers to 5,000 kilometers) depending on whether hydrogen is stored in gaseous or liquid form – on top of that, it will only take up to 10 minutes to refuel.

HES Energy Systems has spent the last 12 years developing hydrogen propulsion systems for the small unmanned aircraft. According to the company, this design is several times better than any battery-electric aircraft attempt so far, opening new aerial routes between smaller towns and rural areas using an existing and dense network of small-scale airports and aerodromes.

“It’s now possible to break past the endurance limits of battery-electric flight using HES’ ultra-light hydrogen energy storage in a distributed propulsion arrangement,” says Taras Wankewycz, founder of HES. “Element One’s design paves the way for renewable hydrogen as a long-range fuel for electric aviation.”

Last week, HES announced its plans to begin associating on-site hydrogen generation with fuel cell-powered unmanned aircraft across a network of hydrogen-ready airports, in preparation for larger-scale electric aircraft such as Element One. HES is now in discussion with industrial-scale hydrogen producers to explore energy-efficient refueling systems using renewable solar or wind energy produced locally.

In an effort to explore new business models that help position the plane into new travel segments, HES has aligned its zero-carbon aviation roadmap with Wingly, a French startup that offers flight-sharing services for decentralized and regional air travel.

“We analyzed the millions of destination searches made by the community of 200,000 pilots and passengers on our platform and confirm there is a tremendous need for inter-regional transport between secondary cities,” says Emeric de Waziers, CEO of Wingly.

“By combining autonomous emission-free aircraft, such as Element One, digital community-based platforms like Wingly and the existing high density network of airfields, we can change the paradigm. France alone offers a network of more than 450 airfields but only 10% of these are connected by regular airlines. We will simply connect the remaining 90%.”

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Targeting a first flying prototype before 2025, HES is in the process of building a technical and commercial consortium involving both the aviation and hydrogen eco-systems.

Be Sure And Fly This Story Over To Your Friends By Sharing To Social Media – Photos by HES Energy Systems

Video of Deputy Pushing Stranded Senior One Mile in Wheelchair is Just What We Needed to See

By

McKinley Corbley

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Oct 5, 2018

This police officer is being praised for taking a hands-on approach to rescuing an older woman from the side of the road.

The rescue mission began earlier this week when Deputies Chapman and Montanez from the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station in California got a call about a road hazard.

When they arrived on the scene, they found that the road hazard in question was a broken-down electric wheelchair. Not only that, there was a woman sitting in the chair.

The woman explained how her wheelchair had run out of battery. The policemen offered to give her a ride back to her home, but she was anxious about leaving the wheelchair on the road since it was her only mode of mobility.

Additionally, the wheelchair was too heavy for the officers to load into their car – so Montanez simply stepped out onto the road and started pushing the woman and her wheelchair back towards her house one mile away.

With Chapman slowly cruising behind Montanez, he took a video of the good deed and posted it to the sheriff’s station Facebook page.

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“Deputy Chapman teased him about his ‘slow’ pace and you can hear our elderly friend getting a good laugh out of it!” writes the department.

All jokes aside, however, people are calling Montanez a hero for coming to the rescue of a senior in need.

“We are so incredibly grateful to all of our deputies for the work they do on a daily basis. My hero wears a badge,” added the station.

(WATCH the clip below)

Push Your Friends Towards Positivity By Sharing This Sweet Story To Social Media – Photo by Lancaster Sheriff’s Station

“Wisdom is oft-times nearer when we stoop, than when we soar.” – William Wordsworth

Quote of the Day

By

Good News Network

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Oct 5, 2018

Quote of the Day: “Wisdom is oft-times nearer when we stoop, than when we soar.” – William Wordsworth

Photo: Honza Soukup, CC license

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?

Students Spend 200 Hours Making Halloween Costume For Girl With Rare Mutation #TBT

By

McKinley Corbley

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Oct 4, 2018

These students are making sure that everyone can enjoy a little Halloween magic – no matter their disabilities.

16-year-old Alex Hayes has trouble dressing up for the spooky holiday because her rare chromosomal mutation, called GRIN2B, requires her to use a wheelchair.

As a means of including Alex in on the fun, however, a team of students and alumni from the Virginia Commonwealth University Schools of Medicine and Dentistry spent 8 weeks and 200 hours of work building a costume for Alex.

The students first met Alex back in August 2017. After chatting with her and her family, they discovered that Alex had an affinity for farm animals. So, the team set up shop in a rental storage unit and started building a barn costume that could fit on top of the youngster’s wheelchair.

Measuring in at 7 feet tall and 5 feet wide, the finished foam costume featured everything from hay bales, to a decorated sign reading “Alex’s Barn”.

When the costume was finished, Alex made her big debut during a Halloween costume party two months later. All of her friends and family – even the dog – were dressed as farm animals in celebration of the teen’s costume. Her grandfather, who was dressed as Old McDonald, pushed her wheelchair out to the spectators and “her eyes lit up” with joy.

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This is not the first time that the VCU students have made a special costume for a differently-abled child – the team works in partnership with Magic Wheelchairs: a nonprofit that builds Halloween costumes for children in wheelchairs.

Ryan Weimer, the founder of Magic Wheelchairs, first got the idea for the nonprofit after he built a pirate costume for his son with muscular dystrophy in 2008. The costume was featured on so many social media channels and news outlets, that other parents started reaching out to Weimer asking for help building their own wheelchair costumes.

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Weimer’s brother Travis, who is a student at the VCU School of Dentistry, worked with Ryan on Alex’s barn creation, as well as a turtle costume they built for a girl named Chloe last year.

“This is becoming a tradition that I hope VCU will continue,” said one of the students. “Because little girls like Chloey and Alex will never forget the impact that Magic Wheelchair and the volunteers made when they dressed up as their favorite things and had the time of their lives.”

Click To Share The Spooky Story With Your Friends (Photos by Sarah Simpson)

When Street Musician Offers His Earnings to Homeless Vets, He is Stunned By How They Pay It Forward

By

McKinley Corbley

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Oct 4, 2018

An ordinary day turned extraordinary for one California musician after a homeless man approached him in hopes of getting a dollar for an egg sandwich.

Adam Kightlinger recently made a Facebook post about his incredible experience playing guitar on the streets of San Diego last week.

“The music was flowing, my voice was strong and the sunshine came out quickly,” wrote Kightlinger. “The crowds of people who walked by me were giving today, throwing in a fair amount of cash and dollar bills as I played.”

More importantly, he also noticed three homeless men lying in the grass to the right of his jam spot.

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“They sat up and listened to a few songs here and there, giving me a thumbs up and even smiling after I would finish a song,” he remarked.

One of the men, Michael Briggs, eventually approached Kightlinger and asked if he could have a dollar bill from the guitar case so he could have enough money for a sandwich. Kightlinger, who estimates that he had $65 in the case, simply told the homeless man to take all of the money.

Stunned by the compassionate offer, Briggs started to cry and asked why Kightlinger would offer up his earnings.

MORE: Cops Pay Restaurant Bill For Couple Who Refused To Sit Next To Them

“I said ‘Because you are hungry and in a few hours, you are going to be hungry again, so you’ll need some extra cash to get a big meal,” says Kightlinger.

With tears still in his eyes, Briggs took a single dollar from the case, saying: “I know folks who need this more then me, so because you’re a good man and wanted to help me, it’s only right that I do what you did and help someone else.”

Briggs later returned to Kightlinger’s spot with another homeless man named Stanley. When Stanley asked if he could have three dollars for a sandwich, Kightlinger repeated his offer to take all of the money in the case.

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“Stanley started to cry as well and also asked me ‘why,’” recounts Kightlinger. “I said ‘I am going to treat you the same as I treated Michael. I don’t need to know you to care about you – plus, you all have been very supportive of my music [for] the last hour or so, showing me some love.”

The two men then asked if they could distribute the money amongst the other homeless veterans in the area – and Kightlinger was stunned by their camaraderie.

“Turns out every single man and women I met today in that group (which grew to 10 people by the time my conversation was done with them) were all Navy, Marine, Army and Air Force veterans and served for 10 to 25 years each. [One man] was a captain In the Army and had been shot multiple times in the back (he showed me his scars and photos of him in the military). He saved multiple lives during his tours.

“Michael’s son is a Navy officer … and pays for Michael to stay in a single room apartment. Michael says that a lot of the men and women in this group come stay with Michael in his 75 to 100 square-foot small room and they sleep on the floor and bed with him. Taking care of each other every day.”

To top off the emotional experience, a bystander named Jeremy had been listening in on the conversation, and he proceeded to reward the musician for his kindness.

“Jeremy said ‘do you see what you did, how one single act of kindness has blown up into a wave of giving?’” says Kightlinger. “Jeremy then handed me 30 dollars cash and said ‘you deserve to be taken care of as well’ and walked away with a smile on his face.”

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Kightlinger says that it is an experience that he won’t soon forget.

“I am so provided for, I have everything I need, and yes, I am human and go through some challenges from time to time, but really, I am so provided for and have a beautiful opportunity to give and change lives when I sing and share what I love to do.”

Play It Forward To Your Friends And Family: Share The Story Of Kindness To Social Media – Photo by Adam Kightlinger