The Weekly Theme
Each week, we feature a new theme of solutions for those passionate about learning in-depth on how we are building a better world!
How divers recovered a man’s lost prosthetic leg from the ocean floor
DeWalt Mix was paddle-boarding off the coast of Long Beach, training for the 2021 Paralympic Games in Tokyo when he lost his specialized prosthetic leg. The Fire Department dove right in to try to retrieve it for him, but to no avail. When rescue divers couldn’t find it on Sunday, Mix all but Read More...
Future of food: The world’s biggest rooftop urban farm is now bearing fruit
In the summer of 2019, we published a story about a rooftop urban farm being constructed in Paris that was set to be the biggest in the world. Now, nearly a year later, the world’s largest urban rooftop farm has started to bear fruit. Strawberries, to be precise: small, intensely flavored and Read More...
Greenspot finds community nutrition solutions California’s bountiful backyards
Southern California’s mild climate and fertile soil make it an ideal habitat for the multitude of fruit trees that dot its landscape. Now, Santa Barbara-based Greenspot is looking to share the produce riches and promote nutritious local food with its harvesting and hosting programs. If you Read More...
Optimist View: Transformative tech teachings in a distanced world
BY PIETRO VIGILANZA Since the start of the global pandemic, our dependence on technology has crystallized to an extent that would have seemed farfetched this time last year. While this certainly has some glad that we can function while we stay physically distanced to cut down on disease, it has Read More...
The case for relocating small businesses back to residential areas
If you walk around some 1920s-era neighborhoods, it’s not unusual to see a tiny grocery store inhabiting the street corner. This used to be normal in residential areas, but as cars became more widespread, businesses relocated to more centrally-located commercial centers such as malls. The Read More...
This NFL champion will skip 2020 season to fight Covid-19 in his hometown
In February, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif won America’s biggest sporting event, the Super Bowl, with the Kansas City Chiefs. But rather than spend the offseason getting ready to defend the Super Bowl title, the football player has been on the front lines of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, Read More...
How America can recover from the pandemic
As the pandemic continues to advance in the US, it is clear that better leadership and government action is needed, but what should that look like? The EU just passed a €1.82 trillion COVID relief package, but will the US do the same? Elizabeth Warren has ideas on how the US can most effectively Read More...
This mom donated her lottery winnings to a wounded police officer
Shetara Sims is a single mom who was down to her last $7 when she found a dollar bill in a grocery store parking lot. The Kansas City native used it to buy a lottery ticket and ended up winning $100. But rather than keep it for herself, she listened to her daughter Rakiya’s advice and donated Read More...
Oxford's COVID-19 vaccine succeeds in triggering immune response
The path towards a coronavirus vaccine has been tumultuous, but a new trial from Oxford University is showing the most promise to date in developing an immune response to covid-19. The study of 1,077 people showed that the developed injection produced antibodies and T cells to fight the Read More...
Got milk? These shirts made from spoiled dairy sure do
You know the saying there’s no use crying over spilled milk? Well for LA-based startup Mi Terro, spilled milk truly is a new opportunity. The company is using biotechnology to turn a portion of the 128 million tons of milk wasted every year into sustainable fibers for biodegradable Read More...