Cop Shows a Student How to Tie His Tie Instead of Writing a Ticket (WATCH)

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Dec 22, 2016

This student was sure that he was in trouble after he got pulled over by Officer Martin Folczyk for speeding.

But after explaining that he was running late for a school presentation and he needed someone who could help him tie his tie, the officer took pity on the tardy student.

LOOK: Rescued Pit Bull is Showered with Love From the Police Who Saved Her

While Trevor Keeney from the University of Wisconsin-Stout was fetching his license and insurance papers, Officer Martin knotted the tie around his own neck before giving it to Trevor and explaining how to adjust it.

Keeney was let off with a warning and – thanks to Officer Martin’s lesson – a chic, properly knotted necktie for his presentation.

(WATCH the video below)

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Black Man Befriending KKK Members Has Led to 200 People Quitting the Organization

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McKinley Corbley

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Dec 22, 2016

Daryl Davis is a black blues musician who has traveled the country for the last 30 years befriending members of the Ku Klux Klan.

This mission is not out of any sort of misplaced empathy with the organization’s racism – the 58-year-old believes that when Klansmen actually sit down and talk with a black man, they will find that their hatred is misplaced – and he’s usually right.

Since Daryl started his outreach goal, over 200 KKK members have told the musician that they had seen the error in their ways and they were hanging up their hoods for good.

MORE: A Trump Supporter and Man He Punched Hug in Court, Vow to Heal America Together

A Grammy award-winning musician himself, Davis has often used rock and roll as a platform to interact with racists. His affinity for Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Muddy Waters has reportedly helped give common ground to conversations with white supremacists.

Though the majority of Daryl’s encounters have ended in empathy and greater racial understanding, only two have turned sour. His preparation for these violent encounters, however, has helped him successfully defend against the attackers. One ended up in jail – the other, in the hospital.

“I never set out to convert anyone in the Klan. I just set out to get an answer to my question: ‘How can you hate me when you don’t even know me?’” Daryl told the Daily Mail. “I simply gave them a chance to get to know me and treat them the way I want to be treated. They come to their own conclusion that this ideology is no longer for them. I am often the impetus for coming to that conclusion and I’m very happy that some positivity has come out of my meetings and friendships with them.”

Accidental Courtesy is Davis’s new feature-length documentary that follows his racial exploits around America. The film has already been given awards by the Nashville Film Festival and the SXSW film festival. His book, Klan-destine Relationships: A Black Man’s Odyssey in the Ku Klux Klan, also documents his interactions with the KKK.

(WATCH the interview below)

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Watch Adorably Determined Panda Wrestle Defiant Winter Snowman

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McKinley Corbley

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Dec 22, 2016

Who will win: a feisty giant panda or a half-finished sedentary snowman?

After several side swipes and tackles, the battle looks like it comes to a draw – but Da Mao the panda didn’t go down without a fight.

In a video filmed by the Giant Panda Cam at the Toronto Zoo, Da Mao can be seen sizing up her opponent before climbing on top of its head.

Unfortunately for both of the fighters, Da Mao tumbles to the ground and is hit in the face with the snowman’s head.

Finally, the bear settles for smothering the headless opponent with his tummy while slowly – but surely – scraping away at its icy body.

(WATCH the video below)

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A Heartwarming Story About the True Meaning of Christmas

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Brad Aronson

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Dec 22, 2016

In our family, we have a special way of transitioning the kids from receiving Santa’s gifts, to becoming Santa. This way, the Santa construct is not a lie that gets discovered, but rather an unfolding series of good deeds and Christmas spirit.

When your kids turn 6 or 7 – or whenever you see start to see the dawning suspicion that Santa may not be a material being – that means the child is ready.

I take them out “for coffee” at the local wherever. We get a booth, order our drinks, and the following pronouncement is made:

“You sure have grown an awful lot this year. Not only are you taller, but I can see that your heart has grown, too. [Point out 2-3 examples of empathetic behavior — consideration of people’s feelings, good deeds, acts of kindness etc., that the kid has done in the past year.] In fact, your heart has grown so much that I think you are ready to become a Santa Claus.

WATCH: Bearded Walmart Shopper Is Mistaken for Santa, Plays Along For Tot

“You probably have noticed that most of the Santas you see are people dressed up like him. Some of your friends might have even told you that there is no Santa. A lot of children think that, because they aren’t ready to BE a Santa yet, but YOU ARE.

“Tell me the best things about Santa. What does Santa get for all of his trouble? [Lead the kid from “cookies” to the good feeling of having done something for someone else.] Well, now YOU are ready to do your first job as a Santa!”

Make sure you maintain the proper conspiratorial tone.

(Read the rest of the story at Brad Aronson’s website)

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These 10 Top Dogs of 2016 Will Warm Your Pup-Loving Heart

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McKinley Corbley

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Dec 21, 2016

10. Stolen Dog Can’t Contain Himself When Reunited with Man After 2 Years (WATCH)

José only relinquished Chaos to his friend because he didn’t have the stability to take care of him post-divorce – when his friend refused to give the pup back, however, José was heartbroken.

Two years later, an animal shelter in Wisconsin said that they had found a lost dog who they believed to be Chaos.

9. Mom is Brought to Tears Over Boy’s Moment of Peace with New Service Dog

Shanna Niehaus’s 5-year-old son has a hard time making friends because of his high-functioning autism – but after meeting Tornado the dog, their connection was instantaneous.

8. They Survived Together, Now Watch 2 Dogs Reunite a Year After Their Rescue

Buddy and Shelby were sibling puppies that were abused – and eventually rescued – together. Though they were adopted into different families, PETA made special arrangements to have them joyously reunited in a dog park one year later.

7. Flight Attendant Adopts Stray Dog That Always Awaited Her Return From Countries Abroad

Every time Olivia Sievers returned to Argentina, it seemed like Rubio was waiting for her – that’s why she made sure that when she flew back to Germany, he was coming with her.

6. Give a Prisoner an Abused Dog and WATCH What Happens, Karmic Connection

A documentary titled “Dogs on the Inside” explores the goings-on of a Massachusetts program that pairs prison inmates with abused dogs.

5. Every View of this Adorable Doggie Video Earns One Pound of Food for a Shelter

This pawsitively adorable video was created by Soul Pancake to celebrate the release of Purina’s new Puppy Chow Natural. For every view it scored, the pet food company donated one pound of food to the Rescue Bank charity.

4. Dog Breaks Out of Kennel to Comfort Frightened Puppies (WATCH)

When Maggie the momma dog heard some new pups nervously barking in the next kennel over, she used her wily canine abilities to sneak out of her pen. She snuggled up to the anxious puppies and eventually lulled them to sleep with her calming presence.

3. Dog Wearing Life Jacket is Found Adrift in Vast Gulf of Mexico (WATCH)

If it hadn’t been for Jagermeister’s bright orange life vest, he might not have been spotted floating above the ocean waves.

2. Cat Rescued by 3 Huskies is Now One of the Pack (Cuteness Overload)

Lilo the husky couldn’t help but fall in love with feeble little feline Rosie – a few months after the cat’s ‘adoption’, she had become one of the family.

1. Hummingbird Refuses to Leave the Dog Who Saved Her Life (WATCH)

When Rex the German shepherd found Hummer the hummingbird, the little birdlet was covered in ants and seemed dead.

But the pup refused to leave the injured creature’s side until his owner rescued Hummer and nursed it back to health.

Now, Hummer is just another member of the family.

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California Town is Offering Free College Courses for Residents and Workers

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McKinley Corbley

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Dec 21, 2016

Mountain View, California is giving free college education to anyone living or working in the city.

Through a partnership between online course provider Study.com, the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce, and Thomas Edison State University, prospective participants can apply for the Mountain View Working Scholars program. The program gives working adults the freedom to work with a success coach in orchestrating a degree program, choosing their classes, and completing their workload online at their own pace. This way, they can flexibly earn their degree while continuing to work.

200 people have already applied for the Working Scholars program while over 30 have already started their online courses.

Though most people associate Mountain View with Silicon Valley and the tech industry, the reality is that for every tech worker, there are 5 non-tech workers in service related industries. Approximately 45% of adults over the age of 25 living in Mountain View do not have a bachelor’s degree. With the high costs of rents, home prices and other living expenses in the bay area, a college degree can be the key to unlocking greater earning potential.

Study.com, which offers over 70 different online courses, has already invested $60 million in creating an affordable and accessible platform for getting a college degree.

MORE: Homeless Teen Bikes 6 Hours To College, Sleeps In A Tent —Determined to Be a Doctor

“As an edtech company in the heart of Silicon Valley, we have been grateful to participate in the tech boom, but realize that many outside the tech industry have not prospered and are increasingly burdened by the rising cost of living,” said Adrian Ridner, CEO and Co-founder of Study.com. “We started Mountain View Working Scholars because we wanted to give back to local community by removing barriers to a college education. A bachelor’s degree is the key to upward mobility and the foundation for success in today’s knowledge economy.”

Click To Share The News With Your Friends (Photo by University of Central Arkansas, CC)

D.C. City Council Approves Nation’s Most Generous Paid Leave Program

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McKinley Corbley

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Dec 21, 2016

The Washington D.C. city council just approved one of the nation’s most generous paid parental leave programs.

The Univeral Paid Leave Act passed on Tuesday would ensure up to 8 weeks of paid leave for employees with medical conflict or any parents with newborn or adopted children. The worker would be assured up to 90% of their salary, or $1,000 a week.

Financing for the program would come from a payroll tax increase on the commonwealth’s business. Though the tax has been a rather controversial method of funding, many argue that if the program was instead financed by an employer mandate, it would put small businesses more at risk of being unable to properly pay their employees.

MORE: New Jersey to Become First State That Bans Declawing

After the bill passed by an 11-2 vote, the mayor suggested a veto due to many of the possible recipients of the paid leave being commuters from the surrounding Maryland and Virginia areas.

There is currently only three American states that necessitate paid parental leave, the U.S. is still one of the only countries that does not have a nationwide program in place.

Click To Share The News With Your Friends (Photo by Mynameisharsha, CC)

Postal Worker Rescues Christmas Gifts From Fire (WATCH)

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McKinley Corbley

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Dec 21, 2016

Even though her mail truck had ignited into a blaze, this fearless postal worker made sure that all the Christmas gifts in the rear were properly saved.

The driver was reportedly driving the truck when her dashboard started to smoke, leading her to pull over. As the fire spread from the engine, the worker calmly started removing the packages from the vehicle.

MORE: School Bus Driver Calmly Rescues 20 Children From Flaming Vehicle

A bystander – after making sure that the mail woman was okay – joined in to help. Once local firefighters arrived on the scene, the flames were quickly extinguished.

Only two packages were consumed in the blaze thanks to the worker’s quick-thinking. Since the rest of the packages were mostly products of Amazon, the online retailer issued a statement thanking the woman for her compassion.

There’s nothing more heroic than risking one’s own health for the delivery of a happy Christmas.

(WATCH the video below)

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Las Vegas Now Draws 100% of its Energy From Renewables

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McKinley Corbley

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Dec 20, 2016

Thanks to the tireless work of city officials for over a decade, Las Vegas is now entirely powered by renewable energy.

The goal’s completion is largely in part to a revised utilities deal that the city struck up with NV Energy. Over 140 facilities –including all their streetlights – are powered by geothermal, hydro-electric, and solar energy.

CHECK OUT: Costa Rica Has Been Powered Only By Renewable Energy For 122 Days

Starting at the end of 2017, Sin City will also start drawing power from the Hoover Dam.

As well as becoming one of the only cities in the world powered only by sustainable energy, Las Vegas will reportedly save an estimated $5 million annually.

(WATCH the video below)

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Indian School Asks Parents to Plant Trees Instead of Pay Tuition

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McKinley Corbley

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Dec 20, 2016

This Indian primary school is being praised for its unique environmental initiative that asks students’ parents to plant trees instead of pay tuition.

The school, Shiksha Kuteer, is located in the Chhattisgarh’s Ambikarpur area. It provides quality education to 35 different students ages 4-5.

The facility’s establishment was to help poorer families afford quality education for their children.

MORE: India Plants 50 Million Trees in One Day, Smashing World Record

Since its construction one year ago, over 700 saplings have ben planted in the area. Should one of the trees die, the parents are simply required to replace it with another.

Click To Share The Inspiring News With Your Friends (Photo by Travfotos, CC)

Berlin Senior Uses Spray Paint to Turn Swastikas into Hearts

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McKinley Corbley

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Dec 20, 2016

Irmela Schramm is a 70-year-old woman intent on fighting hate with spray paint.

The Berlin senior always carries a bag reading “Anti-Nazi”, containing red paint, nail polish remover, and a scraper so that if she sees a swastika or hate sign, she can turn it into a big beautiful red heart instead.

The “Polit-Putze” – or “political cleaner” in English – has reportedly removed over 130,000 signs and stickers in just 30 years.

MORE: Syrian Refugee Saves Ontario Wedding With Master Sewing Skills

“I’m really concerned by this hate propaganda. And I want to take a stand,” Irmela told CNN. “Not just hollow words. But to do something. I could look at that swastika and ‘Nazi Kiez’ graffiti and say ‘oh, that’s awful’ and walk by. But no one would dare to do anything. Well, I don’t want to wait for someone else to do something about it.”

Though Irmela has received threats from neo-Nazi organizations and light warnings from the police, this determined woman doesn’t plan on backing down anytime soon.

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These Engineers Customize Christmas Toys For Disabled Children

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McKinley Corbley

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Dec 20, 2016

Though there are now dolls modeled after children with disabilities, there aren’t any toys on store shelves that can be used specifically by children with severe disabilities.

That’s why two University of North Florida professors started the Adaptive Toy Project three years ago.

The program puts physical therapy students and engineers into a laboratory so they can recreate and adapt regularly manufactured toys to suit the needs of special needs children. While simultaneously providing youth with the tools needed to play, it gives the students valuable experience and inspiration.

MORE: Autism-Friendly Clothing Dumps Zips, Buttons and Tags, Offers GPS

Since someone with cerebral palsy might not be able to open their hands and grab a toy car’s steering wheel, an ATP worker rewired the circuity so it could be steered by a push button. They also replaced the seat with a safer foam-padded strap-in chair.

Though these customizable toys could easily cost thousands of dollars, 18 families have already received them for free thanks to a five year grant from the National Institutes of Health.

(WATCH the video below)

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Daughter Fulfills Dad’s Last Wish With Side-Splitting Obituary

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Good News Network

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Dec 20, 2016

Even if we did not know the legend personally, Caitlin Connor’s obituary for her father Chris paints the picture of a pretty interesting guy.

Chris, who lived in York, Maine with his wife Emily, recently passed away from pancreatic cancer and Motor Neurone Disease. His last wish? He refused to be given a “run of the mill obituary”.

That’s why Chris’s family reportedly got together over some bottles of champagne and had an obituary-writing party. The heartwarming – and cheeky – results are as follows:

Chris Connors died, at age 67, after trying to box his bikini-clad hospice nurse just moments earlier.

Ladies man, game slayer, and outlaw Connors told his last inappropriate joke on Friday, December 9, 2016, which cannot be printed here.

MORE: Dying Man’s Last Wish Fulfilled 45 Minutes Before He Passes Away

Anyone else fighting ALS and stage-4 pancreatic cancer would have gone quietly into the night, but Connors was stark naked drinking Veuve in a house full of friends and family as Al Green played from the speakers.

The way he died is just like he lived: he wrote his own rules, he fought authority and he paved his own way.

And if you said he couldn’t do it, he would make sure he could.

He lived 1,000 years in the 67 calendar years we had with him because he attacked life; he grabbed it by the lapels, kissed it, and swung it back onto the dance floor.

At the age of 26 he planned to circumnavigate the world — instead, he ended up spending 40 hours on a life raft off the coast of Panama.

In 1974, he founded the Quincy Rugby Club. In his thirties, he sustained a knife wound after saving a woman from being mugged in New York City. He didn’t slow down: at age 64, he climbed to the base camp of Mount Everest.

Throughout his life, he was an accomplished hunter and birth control device tester (with some failures, notably Caitlin Connors, 33; Chris Connors, 11; and Liam Connors, 8).

Of all the people he touched, both willing and unwilling, his most proud achievement in life was marrying his wife Emily Ayer Connors who supported him in all his glory during his heyday, and lovingly supported him physically during their last days together.

Click To Share This Sweet Story With Your Friends (Photo by The Chris Connors Fund)

Theatre Company Creates Sensory-Friendly Christmas Carol Play to Include All Audiences

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McKinley Corbley

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Dec 19, 2016

Going to see Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol can be a classic holiday tradition for American families – but for the people who get overwhelmed easily by sights and sounds, the play can be pretty intense.

That’s why the Berkshire Theatre Group at the Colonial Theater in Pittsfield, Massachusetts is creating a sensory-friendly version to include audiences of all backgrounds and conditions.

Many educational initiatives in the county are reportedly very inclusive of kids with autism who may struggle with overstimulation. Autistic children often experience an increased sensitivity to light, sound, visuals, or music.

With the sensory-friendly production, however, there will be several revisions that will create a safer environment for sensitive individuals.

For starters, the troupe is creating special cues that will warn viewers of an upcoming emotional scene, like the appearance of the Ghost of Christmas Future. Audience members will have access to a theater exit at all times should a scene be too overwhelming to handle. There is also a designated safe space next to the restrooms for anyone who would like to take a break from the play.

MORE: Autism-Friendly Clothing Dumps Zips, Buttons and Tags, Offers GPS

Instead of dimming the lights to pitch darkness, the crew will only lower them to half-brightness. The troupe will eliminate the use of stage fog and flashing lights as well as rambunctious motions like the party scene’s typical laughing and clapping display.

“For audience members familiar with the production, they’ll still see the same story, just a modified version,” Allison Rachele Bayles, administrative director of education for the theater group, told the Berkshire Eagle. “It’s important for people, to be able as a whole family, to see a production and also be themselves. So if the mood strikes and someone wants to sing along with a carol, that’s great. We want to support their experience.”

Click To Share This Festive Story With Your Friends – OR, (Photo by John G. Meadows, CC)

Sweet Shop Owner Showers Sick Children and Their Families With Gifts, Meals

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Good News Network

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Dec 19, 2016

Tis’ the season of giving – but for Al DiGuido, every season is full of giving.

Al DiGuido is the owner of Saugatuck Sweets; an ice cream and sweets shop with branches in Westport and Fairfield, Connecticut. When he opened the stores, he knew nothing about the candy business – he only knew that he wanted to do something to support his local community.

In 2004, Al also started Al’s Angels: a charity best known for helping the families of children facing severe financial hardship because of their fight against cancer or rare blood diseases.

MORE: Woman Donates Entire Toy Store to Kids in Homeless Shelters

Al has raised millions of dollars and distributed every penny. This year alone, he will be providing 3,200 families with meals and 10,000 kids with holiday gifts.

His advice to us all: “We need more angels… We need more angels to get involved so we can help more people” said Al.

To find more information about Al’s Angels, you can visit the charity’s website by clicking here.

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share This Sweet Story With Your Friends – Photo by Hooplaha

Watch Guys Give Out $100 Tips to Fast Food Workers

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McKinley Corbley

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Dec 19, 2016

Nothing says the holidays like random acts of kindness – that’s why these two YouTubers decided to surprise random drive-thru workers with a hefty tip.

Kyle Oreffice and Jesse Hill of Give Back Films gave five different fast food restaurant workers $100 bills on Saturday as a way of spreading Christmas cheer.

The stunt is not out of the ordinary for the duo’s channel – Kyle and Jesse’s other films feature such gestures as making 100 sandwiches for the homeless, surprising street performers with massive amounts of money, and paying for other people’s drive-thru meals.

(WATCH the video below)

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Touching Video Tribute Gives Thanks to Firefighters Who Saved Their Town

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McKinley Corbley

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Dec 19, 2016

These North Carolina communities would have been toast if it weren’t for firefighting teams from 24 different states surging in to extinguish a rampant wildfire blaze.

The Party Rock Wildfire consumed almost 8,000 forest acres and threatened 1,200 homes during its 25-day streak last month. More than 700 firefighters were working around-the-clock to make sure no one was injured and no buildings were harmed.

When the blaze was finally extinguished on November 29th, North Carolina communities came together to make a heartwarming thank you video for the brave volunteers that kept their neighborhoods safe.

MORE: Firefighters Pay it Forward Big Time After Waitress With Heart of Gold Picks Up Tab

“Our entire town was turned upside down, but SAVED by firefighters from all over the country, more than 700 of them,” Valerie Hoffman told Good News Network. “We had no individual way to thank all of those firefighters who came to help us, so we created this video.”

“I think we live in a time when that level of deep thanks is simply missing for those who risk it all to save the rest of us,” added Hoffman.

(WATCH the video below)

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New USDA Guidelines Will Prevent Thousands of Pounds of Food Waste

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McKinley Corbley

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Dec 19, 2016

Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced plans to clarify expiration date printing so that less good food will be thrown out by American families.

According to the National Resource Defense Council, nine out of 10 shoppers are confused over the difference between “sell by”, “best by”, and “use by” dates. This leads consumers to reportedly throw away over $1,500 worth of perfectly edible food.

MORE: Tesco to Give All Unsold Food to Charity in its 800 UK Supermarkets

That’s why the USDA is telling manufacturers to only start using “best if used by” stamps.

The “best if used by” doesn’t count as an expiration date either – it usually amounts to the food seller’s best guess at the product’s freshest quality peak. Milk, however, can usually last up to a week after a typically given expiration time stamp, while eggs can stay fresh for weeks after the “use by” guidelines.

“This new guidance can help consumers save money and curb the amount of wholesome food going in the trash,” said Al Almanza, USDA deputy under secretary for food safety.

Don’t Throw This Story Away: Click To Share (Photo by USDA, CC)

Poland Completes the Destruction of One Million of its Landmines

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McKinley Corbley

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Dec 18, 2016

Polish representatives officially announced this week that their stockpile of over one million anti-personnel mines has finally been destroyed.

Though the nation’s elimination goal was set for 2017, the country disposed of its last mine in April 2016, eight months ahead of schedule. All the mines were dismantled in an environmentally friendly way, “through recycling of its components, wood and metal, and using extracted TNT material for military training and other specific purposes, such as breaking ice jams on rivers.”

Poland is now one of 157 states that have destroyed their land mind stockpiles since the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention was signed into effect back in 1999.

Over 48 million stockpiled mines have allegedly been destroyed since the convention’s creation.

“Even before joining the Convention, Poland never wavered in its commitment to the Convention’s humanitarian goals. That is why, Poland began destroying its stockpile even before reaffirming our attachment to the objectives of the Convention,” said Ambassador Piatkowska.

MORE: Jew Saved From Nazis Now Helps Christians Flee ISIS to Repay ‘Debt’

“The Convention is not only a humanitarian treaty but a disarmament instrument that works. Poland is demonstrating real commitment to the aims of eliminating landmines and has done so prior to its deadline.”

Click To Share The News With Your Friends – OR, (Photo by Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention)

Sawdust Reinvented into Super Sponge for Oil Spills

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Good News Network

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Dec 18, 2016

Lowly sawdust, the waste that’s sometimes tossed onto home garage floors to soak up oil spilled by amateur mechanics, could receive some new-found respect.

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have chemically modified sawdust to make it exceptionally oil-attracting and buoyant—characteristics that are ideally suited for cleaning oil spills in the icy, turbulent waters of the Arctic. The nontoxic material absorbs up to five times its weight in oil and stays afloat for at least four months.

Containing oil spills in cold waters is especially tricky, as bobbing ice chunks push oil below the water’s surface, making it difficult to collect. The same goes for rough waters, whose tall, clashing waves disperse oil.

The team looked to develop an environmentally-friendly and inexpensive material that floats despite rough or freezing waters and can support in-situ burning. Not wanting to create more pollution if emergency responders can’t retrieve oil cleanup material, Bonheyo’s team considered other natural ingredients like rice hulls and silica. But they ultimately found their winner in a fine dust called wood flour–A woodworking byproduct often used to make wood composites.

MORE: Costa Rica Has Been Powered Only By Renewable Energy For 122 Days

“Most of today’s oil remediation materials are designed for warm water use,” said PNNL microbiologist George Bonheyo, who leads the modified sawdust’s development from PNNL’s Marine Sciences Laboratory. “But as ice retreats in the Arctic Sea, fossil fuel developers are looking north, and we need new oil spill response methods that perform well in extreme conditions.”

To make the dust into a thirsty oil mop, researchers chemically attach components of vegetable oil onto the material’s surface. These attachments make the modified material oil-grabbing and water-shunning. The final product is a light, fluffy, bleached powder. The team is also trying out adding tiny, oil-eating microbes – fungi and bacteria – to the powder’s surface so any left-behind material could naturally break down oil over time.

Applying the modified sawdust is simple: sprinkle a thin layer over oil on the water’s surface. The material immediately starts soaking up oil, creating a concentrated and solid slick that stays afloat thanks to the material’s buoyant nature. The oil-soaked material can either be burned or retrieved.

CHECK OUT: FDA Finally Bans Antibacterial Soaps Containing Triclosan and 18 Other Chemicals

The team is using PNNL’s unique Arctic simulation lab in Sequim, Washington to evaluate the material in icy waters. The facility is a customized shipping container that cools down to as low as 5 degrees Fahrenheit, which prompts researchers to don snowmobile suits and ski masks while they work. Ice slush forms on the surface of water that circulates inside a 290-gallon raceway pond placed inside the bitterly cold lab space. Oil is spilled on the slushy surface, followed by a sprinkle of modified sawdust. Tests have shown the material’s water-repellent nature prevents ice from forming on it, allowing it to soak up oil and remain at the surface.

In the coming months, PNNL will further evaluate the modified sawdust. The material will need additional testing and approval by multiple agencies before it can be used at actual oil spills.

(WATCH the video below)

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