Every day the Good Good Good team collects the best good news in the world and shares it with our community. Here are the highlights for this week!
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The Best Positive News We’re Celebrating This Week —
Baltimore is turning ‘911’ into more than just an emergency number, expanding services provided
For years, mobile crisis teams in Baltimore have helped divert applicable emergency calls from police to mental health professionals, but they had limited scope, focusing mostly on people in mental health crises.
Now the city is using some of the $400 million it received from opioid-related legal settlements to expand its emergency response offerings, operating around the clock to respond to calls that “don’t require a badge, a gun, and handcuffs to resolve.”
Baltimore saw 1.68 million 911 calls in 2024, but tens of thousands of them didn’t require police, firefighters, or an ambulance. The expanded 911 services will help people get connected to the appropriate community service.
Why is this good news? When police respond to situations that don’t require them, it can lead to higher rates of arrest and people not being connected to the actual support they need. This expansion of Baltimore’s mobile crisis teams will prioritize connecting people in need with the appropriate resources, rather than putting them in jail.
Visible mending: Why you should give your clothes a second life — and show off the repairs
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Battery costs have declined by 99% in the last three decades
Of the 20 million electric vehicles sold globally in 2025, most of them sold for around $40,000, but some as cheap as $10,000 — sales prices only feasible because of how inexpensive batteries have become.
Today, lithium-ion batteries cost just $78 per kilowatt-hour — in 1991, they were around $9,200 per kWh. Batteries in a standard EV today cost around $5,000 — they would have cost nearly $600,000 in 1991, and $20,000 just a decade ago.
Rather than one big breakthrough, thousands of small ones have driven continuously lowering prices: incremental improvements in chemistry, manufacturing, and supply chains.
The world just passed a huge solar milestone: three trillion watts of power
The last decade and a half has been monumental for solar power. The world first crossed the 100-gigawatt mark in 2012, and by 2022 had deployed 1 terawatt — or one trillion watts — enough to meet all U.S. power demand at its peak.
Now, in 2026, the world has reached 3 terawatts, with experts seeing no sign of rapid solar deployment slowing. Experts forecast that global solar capacity will exceed 9 terawatts by 2036.
So far, high-income countries have accounted for the lion’s share of solar deployment, while photovoltaics have remained too expensive for many low- and middle-income countries. But in recent years, Pakistan, Nigeria, and the Philippines have seen huge growth in rooftop solar, and forecasters expect more of the world to benefit from the cheapest source of electricity.
Even better: The rapid uptake of solar power is often followed by a “battery boom,” as lithium-ion batteries store excess electricity during the day and release it at night. Data shows that in low-income countries such as Pakistan and the Philippines, battery adoption surges soon after solar takes off.
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Louisiana is sinking. This business is using the state’s glass bottles to restore the coastline
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Hunger has declined globally for three consecutive years
According to the latest report from the United Nations, an estimated 645 million people faced hunger in 2025. While that’s still a heartbreakingly high number, it’s 14 million fewer than in 2024, and 43 million fewer than in 2022.
It’s the third consecutive year hunger declined globally, after surging during the COVID-19 pandemic, though hunger levels are still higher today than they were in 2019.
An estimated 7.8% of the global population experienced hunger in 2025, down from 8.1% in 2024 and 8.6% in 2022 — demonstrating that progress is possible, and we must continue to make it.
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The nation’s first public ‘nature library’ just opened in Colorado: ‘Part REI, part library’
The Anythink Nature Library, the first public nature library in the nation, just opened in Thornton, Colorado, around 11 miles north of Denver. It’s the eighth branch of the Adams County Library.
Visitors can play in an on-site mud pit, walk along a trail system, become a green thumb in the “kinship garden,” and grab free outdoor gear for the whole family: Bird-watching kits, snowshoes, waterproof tents, telescopes, gardening equipment, and more.
It’s also powered by 300 rooftop solar panels.
Why is this good news? Beyond helping inspire a love of adventure and nature, the library will also help lower the cost barriers for locals who don’t have an annual ski pass or the materials they need for a fun, safe time outdoors.
How long is the ‘perfect hang’ with friends? It’s oddly specific
Solar just eclipsed all other electricity sources for the first time ever in Utah
In May, for the first time ever, Utah’s solar generation eclipsed all other electricity sources, the culmination of a years-long shift away from coal.
Photovoltaic panels in Utah produced nearly 1 terawatt hour in May 2026, making up nearly a third of all electricity generated in the state that month. Natural gas generated 32%, coal generated 28%, and wind generated 2%.
Solar also now supports nearly 8,000 jobs in the state, which is home to 132 solar companies. Investors committed $1.5 billion to Utah’s solar market in 2025 alone.
The only person to break the sound barrier on land just broke a new record — with a hydrogen engine
In 1997, British driver Andy Green drove a jet-powered car at 763 miles per hour in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert and became the first — and only — person to break the sound barrier on land.
Nearly a decade later, the retired Royal Air Force fighter pilot then set the land-speed record for driving a diesel-powered car, zooming through Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats at 350 miles per hour.
On Tuesday, August 11, he returned to the salt flats to drive a car powered by two hydrogen internal combustion engines. In his latest run, Green reached 406 miles per hour, easily toppling the previous hydrogen combustion world record of 185.
Why is this good news? Although hydrogen cars aren’t currently poised to replace diesel or gasoline cars, this demonstrates that hydrogen combustion, which Green hailed as “the fuel of the future,” can deliver enormous amounts of power under extreme conditions. As the technology’s potential continues to be studied, test cases like this give engineers useful real-world data.
John Oliver has beef with Buc-ee’s. It’s led him to raise $500K for charity
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Australia saw its ‘best year yet’ for large-scale renewable energy projects completed
In the 2025-26 financial year, and after a surge in June, Australia saw a record level of new solar, wind, and battery projects completed and join the nation’s electricity market.
With a record 9.1 gigawatts of new generation and storage capacity completed, it was the country’s best financial year yet — more than double the 4.4 gigawatts delivered the prior year.
In the June quarter alone, 3.9 gigawatts of capacity came online across 14 different projects. It also saw 42% growth in its new connections pipeline, promising continued expansion of renewable energy.
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A group of amateur archivists is documenting national park signs to preserve US history
After the Trump administration began ordering National Park Service rangers to remove signs about slavery, Indigenous history, and the climate crisis at locations around the country, a Minnesota librarian launched an effort to preserve the information.
Jenny McBurney and several colleagues launched Save Our Signs to document every sign in the more than 400 national parks and historic sites around the U.S. before they’re removed.
The crowdsourced project is made up of mostly anonymous volunteers who submit photos of national signage to the archive — so far, over 17,000 photos have been submitted, at least one from every national park and historic site. Some have even captured “before” and “after” photos of changes that had been made.
Why is this good news? The public deserves to know the country’s history — not just “sanitized” or select parts of it. Save Our Signs is a way for everyday citizens to mobilize to fight back against the erasure of critical historical information.
Man saves otter strangled by fishing net using mouth-to-mouth CPR
Five decades of research show solar will be the world’s dominant energy source
While today’s models continue to underestimate it, two studies showed solar consistently at the top of the world’s energy systems.
Crucially, the studies synthesized decades' worth of research from independent teams and methodologies to reach their conclusion: solar will provide an estimated 61% of the world’s electricity by 2050.
Solar has emerged faster than any electricity source in human history, driven by dramatic reductions in cost, being almost universally available, and a diverse range of applications.
→ Read more
More good news of the week —
College students in New York City were facing homelessness, so a group of nuns welcomed them into their convent. At the University of Mount Saint Vincent in the Bronx, eight women pay $250 a month for a room of their own — and the stability to pursue a college degree.
A former dairy farm in England is being transformed into a new, climate-resilient nature reserve by a wildlife trust. The Avon Wildlife Trust will turn the “nature-depleted” 44-acre farm into a haven for wildlife as part of the “largest initiative [it’s] ever undertaken.”
A new study found that transgender youth in Canada very rarely detransition. The Canadian researchers found that 97% of youth who seek treatment for gender dysphoria still identify as trans years later.
The largest offshore wind farm in the U.S. is now 81% complete. Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind delivered first power to the grid in March 2026, with each completed turbine becoming operational as installation progresses.
For the first time, solar power was Portugal’s main source of electricity in July. Last month, renewable sources accounted for 53% of consumption, with solar providing 19% of that energy, followed by hydro, wind, and biomass.
An actor’s new nonprofit is awarding thousands of dollars in scholarships to college students. After more than 400 students applied for the award, Gail Bean is awarding scholarships worth $1,913 to 22 high school seniors in the metro Atlanta area.
More than 170,000 borrowers will see $11 billion in student loan balances disappear. The “huge accomplishment” follows a federal court decision and is the largest settlement against the U.S. government in the nation’s history.
England is opening 200 new walk-in mental health centers in banks and libraries across the country. (May require login) The aim is to give those experiencing a mental health crisis or significant distress somewhere to go to get help when they need it.
Chappell Roan announced a two-night benefit event in Los Angeles to raise money for trans youth and LGBTQ+ communities. The “Super Graphic Spectacular” will take place in October, and Roan will deliver special performances at the shows.
After years of decline, Mexico’s overwintering monarch numbers were 64% higher this past winter. The increase is especially notable because it also marks a 226% jump from the winter of 2023-24, and it could mean anywhere from “a few million to tens of millions” more monarchs than the previous winter.
Trail cameras captured the “first confirmed evidence” of an elusive lynx in the Himalayas. The rare sighting challenges the perception that high-altitude rangelands are empty and barren, and even suggests a full predator-prey system.
Two dogs in Nevada are helping teach black bears to fear people again. Badger and Banjo, a pair of Karelian Bear Dogs, are trained to chase, corner, and intimidate bears so the animals relearn an important survival skill: keeping their distance from humans.
Researchers in Hawaii developed a better, low-impact way to track humpback whales by using drones. The drone-integrated tagging technology allows scientists to collect detailed data without approaching by boat, which can disrupt a whale’s natural environment.
A stranded mountain biker was saved by a memorial honoring a heat stroke victim who died on the same trail. “We’re grateful that a space created in Jeff Higgins’ memory provided shade and comfort when it was needed,” officials said.
Last year, homelessness declined across all 3 of Utah’s reporting regions. About 4,500 Utahns were experiencing homelessness during the January 2026 Point-in-Time Count, down 1.6% from the previous year.
A high schooler created a new plant-based plastic that removes microplastics from the environment as it biodegrades. For her invention, Arya Satheesh won the European category of the 2026 Earth Prize, the world’s largest environmental competition for young students.
A crane chick born on a U.K. nature reserve is giving hope that the species is thriving after 400 years. Its mother is the offspring of two first-generation Somerset cranes, which were hand-reared and released as part of The Great Crane Project between 2010 and 2014.
To improve air quality, India’s capital launched an ambitious electric vehicle adoption policy. The policy provides EV buyers with subsidies and waivers on registration fees and some road taxes, incentives to scrap gas vehicles, and it offers plans to expand the charging infrastructure.
Six thousand digitized portraits of Black history are now available and free to the public for the first time. “What we are seeing when we look at these pictures is African Americans the way they wanted to be seen and remembered,” said one historian.
A new “Sesame Street” special follows Elmo and friends as they prepare for a big storm and help their community in the aftermath. The episode was designed to help kids better understand extreme weather events as climate change affects their frequency.
A 41,000-person Facebook group is leading the fight against data center proposals in Pennsylvania. A recent poll of Pennsylvania voters found that 74% opposed having a data center built in their community while 16% said they supported it.
Two of Africa’s rarest birds broke a dry spell after the dad finally stepped in to raise his eggs, a first in 95 years. Secretarybirds are an endangered species, and like many other wild animals, the biggest threat they currently face is rapid habitat loss.
After their mailman had a stroke, Chicago neighbors rallied together to support the veteran postal worker’s recovery. So far, the residents of Old Irving Park have raised $20,000 to cover James Tate’s medical expenses.
A college student reading near a Seattle lake rescued three strangers from drowning. Lillie Vehling, who had previous lifeguard training, dove into the water and brought each of the girls to shore, one by one.
A mass evacuation drill weeks before fires broke out helped save residents of Spokane. More than 950 vehicles participated, nearly three times the number that took part in the city’s first drill the previous year, making it one of the largest neighborhood evacuation exercises of its kind in the region.
Scientists are using spider webs to develop materials that can treat burns and reverse nerve damage. Spiders produce silk from a specialized gland and use it to build incredible web structures, and scientists are figuring out how to replicate this biological feat.
New Jersey passed a new “big tech” law to regulate kids’ social media use. The law will limit social media platforms’ use of children’s data, restrict algorithmic content recommendations to minors, block notifications during school hours, and more.
The world’s first seahorse hospital is fighting to save them from extinction. In Europe and countries like Indonesia, seahorses are being poached in the millions for sale to a traditional medicine market where they are consumed as an aphrodisiac and alleged cure for impotence, asthma, and kidney problems.
After decades of drought, water is rising in the African Sahel again. The news is nuanced, as erratic but extreme rains are returning to the semi-arid region, both causing lethal floods and replenishing rivers, filling desert depressions, and restoring water to dried riverbeds.
Noah Kahan announced his second annual “Folk and Fairways” golf and concert charity event. All proceeds from the two-day event will benefit Kahan’s organization, the Busyhead Project, which promotes mental-health awareness and provides resources to local communities.
