The Best News of Last Week — September 26, 2022
✈️ — Now I wanna fly to Denver to meet these dogs
1. Connecticut Becomes One of the First States to Require Schools to Teach Climate Change
The new law requires every school district within the state to teach climate change education in line with the Next Generation Science Standards. The mandate was included within the state’s budget implementer bill.
Through the curriculum, students will gather an understanding of how human activities have influenced changes in the climate, how the changing climate and its adverse effects can impact populations, and learn about possible climate solutions and their related costs, reliability, and socio-environmental impacts. Fifth-grade, eighth-grade, and eleventh-grade students are tested on climate change.
2. Stadler unveils first hydrogen train for U.S., announces order for up to 29 more.
The two-car trainset was ordered by the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority in 2019 for use on the 9-mile “Arrow” rail line between the University of Redlands and the San Bernardino Transit Center.
California aims to make all its passenger rail 100% emissions free by 2035 and this order and option will be a key part of that effort.
3. John Cena breaks Make-A-Wish record after granting hundreds of wishes
American actor and WWE superstar John Cena has set a new record for the most wishes granted through the Make-A-Wish Foundation with 650. Nobody else has ever granted more than 200 wishes in the 42-year existence of Make-A-Wish.
4. Cancer death rates continue to fall, driven by new treatments and improved screening
Significant strides in cancer treatments, diagnostic tools and prevention strategies continue to drive down cancer death rates, according to a report published Wednesday by the American Association for Cancer Research.
Death rates from cancer have been falling over the past two decades, particularly sharply in recent years, the group’s annual Cancer Progress Report found. As a result, there are now more than 18 million cancer survivors in the U.S. — up from 3 million in 1971.
5. Ozone layer passes ‘significant milestone’ on road to recovery
Scientists predict the hole in the ozone layer will close in the next 50 years.
Earth’s ozone layer protects all life on Earth from the sun’s harmful radiation. In 1987, just seven years after scientists discovered man-made chemicals were damaging the ozone layer, the Montreal Protocol was signed to try and curb the amount of harmful chemicals in the atmosphere.
In early 2022, NOAA scientists found that concentrations of harmful chemicals had declined by just over 50 per cent in the mid-level of the stratosphere compared to the 1980s.
6. Buzz stops: bus shelter roofs in Holland turned into gardens for bees and butterflies
Butterflies and bees are getting their own transport network as “bee bus stops” start to pop up around UK cities and across Europe. Humble bus shelter roofs are being turned into riots of colour, with the number of miniature gardens — full of pollinator-friendly flora such as wild strawberries, poppies and pansies — set to increase by 50% in the UK by the end of this year.
The CATS program, which began in 2015 with 28 dogs from 14 breeds, now includes 84 dogs from 33 breeds and one cat.
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Have a great week ahead.
