October positive news
Ten positive environmental news stories from this month.
Article by: Eveline Vouillemin
This month’s collection of climate positive news stories highlight community efforts to reduce food waste, the Indigenous communities working to restore bisons to North America’s grasslands and the international pop star partnering with Google Maps to help fans find sustainable travel and food options on their tour.
Pine martens return to Dartmoor after 150-year absence
Fifteen pine martens are living in the woods of Dartmoor for the first time in 150 years after the rare but recovering species was reintroduced into south-west England.
They were released last month at secret locations in the valleys of Devon in what conservationists are hailing as a historic step in the restoration of the region’s woodlands.
Find out more on the Guardian website.
Zoo plants 19,000 trees in unused field
Chester Zoo has planted a new area of woodland across nine-hectares of a low-biodiversity silage field in Upton, Cheshire.
The attraction said it was their biggest habitat creation project to date and one of the largest tree planting projects to take place in the county in several years.
Jennifer Kelly, Chester Zoo's head of sustainability, said the new woodland would provide a "lasting legacy for future generations".
Find out more on the BBC website.
Comedian educates on climate change in his comedy act
Stuart Goldsmith, from Totterdown, Bristol, has been a comedian for 20 years, after training at Circomedia as a street performer.
He has developed a climate change focused act to help get people engaged in the climate crisis and to deal with his own fears about it.
He said: "I started to feel like I have a responsibility to talk about this. I have a responsibility to say to people that this is a frightening thing”.
Find out more on the BBC website.
Community fridge saves 24,000 meals from landfill
Tens of thousands of meals have been saved from being dumped thanks to a community fridge in County Tyrone. Local supermarkets and businesses donate fresh food, keeping the fridges stocked with perishable food which was destined for landfill.
Angela O'Brien, who manages the Owenkillew centre where the community fridge in Gortin is based, said it had saved 10 tonnes of edible food - 24,000 meals - since it was set up in 2023.
The Community Fridge Network is coordinated by Hubbub, external, a UK-wide charity dedicated to promoting sustainability and protecting the environment.
Find out more on the BBC website.
Chemical-free method for treating seeds
Heat-treated seeds could offer farmers a chemical-free solution for pest control. Typically, seeds are treated with chemicals to keep them healthy and kill pests, but this does not align with organic farming principles.
'ThermoSeed', an invention by former researcher Kenneth Alness, offers a sustainable alternative. It uses sharp blasts of steam, which kill pests and preserve the seeds. The innovation has already been a success in Alness's home country Sweden and neighbouring Norway.
Find out more on the Euronews website.
Indigenous communities restore bison herds
Indigenous nations are leading efforts to bring back bison to North America's grasslands in order to re-establish ecological and cultural connections nearly erased by colonisation.
As a keystone species, they have played a significant role in shaping these lands. Not only do their grazing patterns help maintain the grassland ecosystem by preventing the encroachment of shrubs and trees, but their dung fertilizes the soil and supports a diversity of plant life.
Find out more on the Narwhal website.
Billie Eilish partners with Google Maps to offer fans eco-friendly options on tour
As part of her upcoming worldwide tour, Hit Me Hard And Soft: The Tour, Billie Eilish is working with Google Maps to help fans make more sustainable choices.
The nine-time Grammy Award and two-time Oscar winner, who is well known for her environmental activism, hopes the partnership will help fans to find eco-friendly transportation and fuel-efficient routes as well as plant-based food options around the cities she will be visiting.
Find out more on the Time Out website.
Sweden show how to slash emissions and boost the economy
Since 1990, Sweden has managed to cut 80% of its emissions while doubling its economy, proving that economic growth and climate protection can go hand in hand.
By investing in green tech, enforcing strict environmental regulations and pushing for a circular economy where waste becomes a resource, Sweden is showing the world that you don’t have to choose between a healthy planet and a thriving economy.
Find out more on the DW website.