Over the last two decades, this Indian NGO saved more than 72,000 victims of human trafficking
In 1996, the Supreme Court of India passed a historic judgement completely banning the cutting of trees in the seven north-eastern states of the country. While the move was welcomed by environmentalists, it spelled doom for hundreds of women artisans in the area who depended on access to bamboo and cane for their work. Thus began the process of mass migration of rural communities to urban areas in search of...
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Ikea bans plastic straws from UK and Irish stores
In a bid to raise awareness on the issue and tackle the ever increasing of plastic waste, Swedish furniture chain Ikea ditched single-use plastic straws from all of its UK and Ireland stores, restaurants and bistros this week. Ikea unveiled its last single-use plastic straw in a display at London’s Design Museum yesterday to symbolize the end of an era of single-use plastics. The so-called Last Straw...
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Simon Cowell donates money to help shut down a South Korean dog meat farm
America’s Got Talent judge Simon Cowell donated over $32,000 to animal welfare charity Humane Society International, which will help the latter save more than 200 dogs from getting slaughtered at a South Korean dog meat farm. HSI plans to go to the dog farm next week to pick up the canines. Then, they will send the dogs to various countries including the US, Canada, the UK, and the Netherlands for recovery...
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Puerto Rico planting 750,000 new trees to protect itself from future natural disasters
Almost a year ago, Puerto Rico was battered by Hurricane Maria, which proved to be the deadliest natural disaster in 100 years of U.S. history. The island is still suffering from the after effects of the devastating storm, and is determined to take necessary steps to protect its land from such future calamities. As an example, non-profit organization Para La Naturaleza (PLN) is working towards the ambitious goal...
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The Ocean Cleanup vessel clears initial tests, all set to hit the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
System 001, the ingenious vessel designed by Boyan Slat’s non-profit organization Ocean Cleanup, began its journey to clean the Great Pacific Garbage Patch on September 9 from San Francisco Bay. The vessel is supposed to fulfill its 5-item checklist before taking on the gigantic trash island. Now according to the Ocean Cleanup organization, one of the tests has already been successfully checked off the...
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Cycling to work in an air-conditioned car? Well, this might soon be a reality!
Although cars, with their comfortable seats and air conditioning systems, are world’s most favored mode of transport, carbon emissions make them a serious health hazard. And while bikes, on the other hand, are good both for our health and the environment, they fail to protect us from heat and cold, not to mention the uncomfortable seats. This is why the FitCar might be the greatest transportation invention...
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Indonesian teen who spent 49 days adrift at sea in a fishing hut finally rescued
Aldi Novel Adilang, a 19-year-old boy who works as a lamplighter on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, has finally returned home after being adrift at sea in a small fishing hut since mid-July. Aldi’s job comprised of maintaining the lights aboard a floating fishing hut called a ‘rompong’. The vessel doesn’t have any engine or paddles. While Aldi had been aboard the rompong during a particularly windy night, the...
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Sandals Resorts ditches single use straws across all its properties in the Caribbean
Sandals Resorts International, the famous hospitality chain that has 19 resorts across seven Caribbean islands, has just announced its plans to remove single-use plastic straws from all its properties. The company estimates that the initiative would save 21 million straws used at the resorts each year from ending up in our landfills and waterways. More eco-friendly, paper straws will be available upon request....
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Norway is world’s first country to ban deforestation
Norway has become the first country in the world to put a ban on deforestation. The country has pledged not to use any product that contributes to deforestation. The pledge is the result of years of hard work of Rainforest Foundation Norway, an organisation that seeks to protect biodiversity by saving forests. “This is an important victory in the fight to protect the rainforest,” Nils Hermann Ranum, head...
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As Ganesh Chaturthi gets over, these Mumbai volunteers are cleaning up beaches by collecting broken Ganesh idols
Ganesh Chaturthi is a ten-day long Hindu festival which celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesh. The festival begins with people welcoming Ganesh idols into their homes and ends with the idols getting immersed in a nearby water body. As the festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm especially in Mumbai, innumerable idols end up getting immersed in the sea. Although several people have shifted to using idols made...
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