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 —
Once “at risk of extinction” from HIV, Botswana is now a world leader in eliminating the virus in children
In the 2000s, HIV was rampant in Botswana, with one in eight infants reported to be infected at birth, and rates of mother-to-child transmission between 20 and 40%. Mortality among children under five nearly doubled between 1990 and 200 because of the virus.
Now, Botswana has one of the world’s most successful HIV-elimination programs, with interventions that slashed the mother-to-child transmission rate to under 1% over the course of just two decades. Fewer than 100 HIV-positive infants are born annually, an event so rare that each case is evaluated to determine how it happened.
The remarkable turnaround was thanks to political will, investment in scientific infrastructure, and sustained public health education that brought the latest, most effective tools to those at highest risk.
Even better: Initially, even the World Health Organization was skeptical the country was seeing such low infection numbers. Then, earlier this year, Botswana became the first country in the world with a high HIV burnden to achieve WHO Gold Tier status for eliminating mother-to-child HIV transmission as a public health threat.
‘Controlled infections’ may be corals’ secret weapon against climate change, new study reveals
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The amount of oil spilled from tankers has declined dramatically — especially recently
Despite global oil production and trade increasing dramatically, the amount of oil spilled from tankers has declined since the 1970s, most dramatically since the turn of the century.
In the 1970s, over 300,000 tonnes of oil were spilled from tankers pretty much annually. That dropped to over 100,000 tonnes by the 1980s and 1990s. In 2024, there were 10,000 tonnes spilled, less than one-thirtieth of the amount spilled in the 1970s.
While that’s still far too much and still leads to extensive environmental damage and expensive clean-up efforts, there is far less damage being done today — and that’s something to celebrate.
Illinois launched the first legal help line in the U.S. for LGBTQ+ residents
Illinois became the first state to launch a legal advice line for LGBTQ+ residents, providing free and confidential legal advice on discrimination, harassment, safety, and more.
The helpline, called Illinois Pride Connect, will also provide access to housing, health care, government benefits, and more, and is available in both English and Spanish.
Developed in partnership with LGBTQ+ organizations in the state, a Chicago nonprofit, Legal Council for Health, will lead the helpline with support from a $250,000 investment from the state and $100,000 in philanthropic support.
Why is this good news? Last month, the Trump administration shut down the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline’s specialized service for LGBTQ+ youth, who are already at an enormously high risk of mental health conditions, suicide, homelessness, and poverty. LGBTQ+ folks need more support — not less — and Illinois is helping make that happen.
These teens had just 2 days to design and build a tiny home — then they gifted it to the homeless
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A community leader is restoring the Solomon Islands’ vital mangrove forests
Mangroves are crucial ecosystems for coastal communities around the world, providing fish, timber, and building materials, while their winding root systems protect shorelines and provide habitat for marine life. They’re also threatened by land clearing, development, and rising sea levels.
In Oibola village in the Solomon Islands, Ben Waleilia saw the rapid disappearance and growing threats to the mangrove forests and took action. He leads a grassroots campaign to restore and protect the plants, collecting and replanting mangrove seedlings.
Over the past eight years, he’s planted more 16,000 seedlings, restoring approximately 40,000 square metres of degraded coastal habitat around Oibola.
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Two local businesses in Orlando honor the painted-over Pulse crosswalk with new memorials
Last week, the Florida Department of Transportation painted over the rainbow crosswalk near Pulse, a gay nightclub that was the site of a 2016 mass shooting that took the lives of 49 people.
In the days since, community members have shown up with sidewalk chalk to fill it back in, but with the rain continuing to wash it away, two small businesses in the community are making a more permanent solution, ensuring the symbol of love and resilience lives on.
Trina Gregory owns the popular brunch spot Se7en Bites and is hosting an event to transform her restaurant’s private parking lot into a community art space. And at MojoMan Swimwear, owner Lane Blackwell painted a large Progress Pride flag over the pavement in its parking lot.
Why is this good news? A rainbow-painted crosswalk might seem like a small gesture, but for the Orlando community, it was a cornerstone, preserving the memory of those it lost in the Pulse shooting. The state of Florida’s efforts to, quite literally, erase this memory is heartbreaking — but helpers in the community stepping up to keep that memory alive brings some hope, too.
Conservationists ‘moving on turtle time’ might not know the impact of their work for decades. Still, they press on
The first openly gay men’s tennis player is advocating for a more welcoming sport
With the U.S. Open underway, United States Tennis Association President Brian Vahaly is opening up about his own coming out journey — while working to make the sport more welcoming. Tennis has a reputation of being largely white, straight, and conservative, so Vahaly spent most of his career hesitant to come out.
In 2017, Vahaly became the first current or former ATP Tour player to come out as gay. He received some support … and a lot of hate. While there is now greater cultural acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community in tennis, Vahaly knows that many factors are still preventing players from wanting to come out.
Especially since President Trump’s return to office, Vahaly has been using his power and position to use the U.S. Open to amplify the work of LGBTQ organizations such as The Trevor Project, Athlete Ally, You Can Play, and the Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance.
Why is this good news? Representation in sports is important — and that includes men’s sports. Traditionally rewarding a single, narrow view of masculinity, when queer athletes are visible, welcomed, and supported in men’s sports, it allows both current and future athletes to feel safe to be who they are, and to know that there’s a place for them, too.
A superintendent 3D prints violins in her office so every student has the opportunity to join the orchestra
Dr. Laura Jacob, superintendent of the California Area School District in Coal Center, Pennsylvania, has 30 3D printers in her office that she uses to print violins for low-income students.
More than 70% of students in Jacobs’ district are low-income, meaning “100% of our kids receive a free breakfast and free lunch every single day.” It also means rental fees for orchestra instruments, like violins, are out of the question.
Each violin costs just $50 to make, and they are now offered free to any student who wants one, thanks to grant funding. They sound a little different than traditional wood violins, but are perfect for beginners to learn on. She’s also working on more instrument designs, like the cello.
Why is this good news? No student should be held back from participating in the arts because they can’t afford it. For schools, violins can cost $500 to $2,000 each, often representing hundreds of dollars in rental fees per family each school year, which is prohibitively expensive for many families.
These schools are trying a new ‘pay-it-forward’ student loan plan: ‘No interest, no fees’
A med student in California launched a “little free podiatry practice” to help homeless people get back on their feet — literally
On TikTok, Steffi Casimir details her life in medical school, as well as one very unique extracurricular: Taking care of homeless people’s feet.
Studying to be a foot and ankle surgeon, it’s not far off from the work she will be doing once she graduates — and it’s an often overlooked, critical part of helping people experiencing homelessness.
In fact, she shared in a video, “Foot problems are one of the most common reasons homeless people end up in the ER. Providing free care … gives them relief, dignity, and a chance to walk forward with less suffering.”
Volunteering with a local church’s “mobile response unit,” Casimir sets up a makeshift “office” under a tent in a parking lot, with folding chairs and a table full of supplies to provide a variety of care services for folks in need.
Florida labor unions are celebrating Labor Day by collecting donations to support families experiencing homelessness
Representing various labor unions in Florida’s “Big Bend” region, which includes Tallahassee, the Big Bend Central Labor Council is hosting a fundraiser on Labor Day to help families experiencing homelessness in the community.
In partnership with a local nonprofit that supports youth and families in crisis, the council will be collecting hygiene products, nonperishable food, water, new clothes, toys, monetary donations, and more.
The fundraiser will be preceded by a protest at the Florida State Capitol building against political corruption and advocating for working people.
Why is this good news? There may, perhaps, be no better way to commemorate the significance of Labor Day than by helping your neighbors and protesting on behalf of working people — it’s what the organizers of the very first Labor Day did, bringing different types of workers together to advocate for their common interests.
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Aiming to bring transparency to the industry, an innovative clothing line makes ‘human labor visible’ on every garment
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A new study found that stronger labor rights could help reduce economic inequality
According to a new study, when workers gain collective labor rights — like the right to form and join a union, bargain for higher pay and better benefits, and more — it benefits society as a whole by reducing economic inequality.
Researchers looked at human rights data to score countries on their collective labor rights on a scale from zero to four. They found that even a one-point increase in collective labor rights reduces vertical inequality by 10 times the average change in inequality.
In the U.S., a one-point increase in collective labor rights would be about enough to undo the increase in inequality that occurred between 2008 and 2010 due to the Great Recession and its aftermath. It would also likely help stem the growing wealth gap between Black and white Americans, the result of income disparities compounding over time.
Some context: The gap between rich and poor Americans is increasing. The wealthiest 1% of Americans have more than five times as much wealth as the bottom 50%, up from four times as much in the year 2000. In 2024 alone, the wealthiest 19 families got a total of $1 trillion richer — the largest one-year increase on record. Meanwhile, 59% of Americans don’t have enough money saved up to cover an unexpected $1,000 expense.
More good news of the week —
In an early trial, a one-size-fits-all vaccine showed promise in preventing hard-to-treat pancreatic cancers from coming back. This is especially exciting and potentially life-saving, since the five-year survival rate of pancreatic cancer is about 13%, and up to 80% of pancreatic cancers may come back.
Denmark is eliminating it’s world-highest 25% VAT on books to tackle the country’s growing literacy crisis. The move follows the release of alarming literacy statistics from the OECD which warned that one in four Danish 15-year-olds cannot understand a simple text, and surveys showing falling reading levels among teenagers, linked to shorter attention spans.
‘Deaf President Now!’ filmmaker Nyle DiMarco became the first deaf director to be nominated for an Emmy. The documentary, which also had more than 40 deaf people hired across departments behind the scenes, follows the DPN4, a group of four Gallaudet University students who organized a protest of the university’s appointment of yet another hearing president.
Scientists developed a honeybee “superfood” that could protect the animals against climate change and habitat loss. Honeybees are a vital part of food production and contribute to pollinating 70% of leading global crops, but are facing severe declines globally due to nutrient deficiencies, viral diseases, climate change, and more.
Welfare policies in Mexico helped lift 13.4 million people out of poverty in six years. The dramatic decline in the number of people living in poverty — 2 million out of extreme poverty — were achieved under former Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who, among other things, tripled of the minimum wage from 88.40 pesos ($4.75) per day when he took office to the current rate of 278.80 pesos ($15) a day.
Experts say solar panels in space could provide 80% of Europe’s electricity by 2050 and cut battery use by two-thirds. Putting solar panels in space would also help get around the drawbacks of land-based renewable energy, which can be irregular and weather dependent, complicate a reliable supply of electricity, and come at varying costs.
A “pollinator pathways” project in the U.K. is transforming boring alleyways into insect havens. The project was started by a trail runner and fitness influencer whose chronic illness left her unable to spend as much time running in the countryside — so she looked to bring more nature into her local community.
After years of being banned by the former regime, dozens of long-sought-after books are flooding stores across Syria. An epicenter of the country’s post-revolution literary freedom is the so-called “bookshop alley” in the Halbouni neighborhood of Damascus, a leafy street lined by two dozen bookshops and printers, big and small.
Adaptation efforts like early warning and preparedness plans have reduced flood deaths in Europe by more than 50% since 1950. Non-structural adaptation measures have also cut economic losses from flooding by 63%, despite the number of people affected by flooding in Europe increasing by 8% due to climate change over the same period.
Only the second of its kind in the world, Japan just opened the country's first osmotic power plant. It is expected to generate about 880,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year, enough to help power a desalination plant that supplies fresh water to the city and neighbouring areas.
Shops and chefs in Los Angeles have come together to provide meals for people forced to stay home amid immigration raids. Immigrants make up a sizable share of the workforce in the restaurant industry: 20% nationwide, and in California, restaurants are staffed overwhelmingly by Latinos and immigrants – 79% and 66% respectively.
Researchers found that no-strings-attached cash payments cut infant mortality rates in Kenya by nearly half. Infants born to people who received $1,000, no-strings-attached, were nearly half as likely to die as infants born to people who got no cash. Cash also cut mortality in children under 5 by about 45%, the study researchers found, on par with interventions like vaccines and anti-malarials.
Habitat for Humanity is building homes for public school employees in a Colorado school district. A recent report found that fewer than 20% of homes on the market are affordable for the average teacher in Colorado, and other school districts in the state have implemented similar plans featuring tiny homes and affordable rental homes.
Elementary schoolers in Florida built a remote control trash-collecting robot for their science fair. The two young entrepreneurs were inspired to take action after learning that over 800 species of wildlife are impacted by beach pollution across the globe.
A UN-backed “school for husbands” is helping shift gender roles and reduce infant and maternal mortality in Senegal. In the program, respected male community members learn about “positive masculinity” in health and social issues — from reproductive health care and women’s rights, to the harms of practices like female genital mutilation — and promote them in their communities.
This summer, two teachers biked across Vermont to raise money for classroom supplies and to advocate for immigrant students. Their goal was to raise $500 each to fund their next year of classroom essentials like notebooks, pencils, snacks, hygiene items, and more — anything else they fundraise will go “directly to organizations in Tennessee supporting immigrant families and fighting legislation like SB836.”
Update: Their bike ride may be over, but Pedals for Pencils is just getting started. (TikTok)
A special education teacher in Utah has raised thousands to pay off student lunch debt by dancing on TikTok. Knowing kids can’t learn on an empty stomach — or while worrying about their parents paying for food — Katie Jo Christensen turns her classroom into a stage for just 60 seconds to raise funds through the TikTok Creator Fund, even inspiring direct donations from viewers.
Exploring “Minecraft in real life,” students at a primary school in the U.K. are learning to connect with nature. (Video) Students had seen “a dip in communication,” partly due to excessive screen time, and teachers in the district found that spending time outside together boosted their teamwork skills.
Cities like Houston are joining a nationwide movement of protests on Labor Day to fight a “billionaire takeover” of the U.S. government. There are now more than 500 “Workers Over Billionaires” events planned across all 50 states as part of a national day of action to “demand a country that puts workers over billionaires.”
About 450 immigrant workers hired to clean the NYC subway during the height of the pandemic won over $3 million in back pay. Working in already dangerous conditions, the cleaners often received substandard cleaning equipment, worked with harsh chemicals that would cause skin irritation, were given regular masks instead of respirators, and more.
Thousands of workers in California ratified a new, three-year contract with a local supermarket chain. The new contract for workers at 172 Stater Bros. stores secures higher wages, pension contributions, healthcare improvements, staffing and safety practices.
Union workers secured a breakthrough contract that will deliver cleaner air and better working conditions. The first-ever contract includes at least a 12% raise for every Blue Bird worker — the lowest paid workers will see a raise of 40% — and perhaps most notably, a trigger in which net company profits of over $30 million entitle workers to a 4% share of those profits.
The country’s first women-led workers’ hub is helping immigrants know their rights and fight for better working conditions. About 50 women make up the quickly-growing Liberty Cleaners, a group under the New York City-based Worker’s Justice Project that started in 2018 with just a few women.
