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 —
France just added over 387,000 acres of protected forest
On June 9, France moved one step closer to its 2030 goal of placing 10% of its land under “strong protection” by creating seven new biological reserves and expanding two existing ones.
The largest land area protected under the new measures is the Armontabo Rocky Peaks integral reserve in French Guiana. The reserve accounts for 156,290 hectares — or 387,955 acres — of tropical rainforest and granite peaks.
The other eight reserves are spread across metropolitan France and range from the mountain forests of Vosges to the Mediterranean woodlands of Hérault.
Why is this good news? Protected nature reserves are widely known to prevent species extinction, mitigate climate change by safeguarding carbon storage, and buffer neighboring areas from flooding and erosion.
Divers on a marine litter mission shocked by ‘insane’ great white shark encounter: ‘It was pretty special’
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Thanks to solar and batteries, the US grid is better equipped and will be more reliable this summer
The U.S. is on track to see an unusually hot summer, but thanks to rapid expansion of solar and battery storage — and just a few new gas plants — its grid is equipped to handle the high temperatures and power demands that they bring.
The NERC forecasted “strengthened readiness” thanks to the widespread, lowest-cost new sources of power — and their assessment didn’t include any of the aging coal power plants the Trump administration forced to remain open.
The 30.5 gigawatts of new solar power in particular is generating 16.4 gigawatts of capacity when demand is at its highest — during the day in summer. A few regions still face risks of shortfalls, but it’s a major improvement over last summer.
A free grocery store in Portland will serve 100,000 households this year
To fight food insecurity in Portland, a nonprofit called Sunshine Division recently opened a grocery store where everything is free. The market is designed to give families in need access to fresh, nutritious food in a way that feels similar to a traditional grocery shopping experience.
The new market is located in a 30,000-square-foot facility with warehouse space, cold storage, loading docks, volunteer areas, and offices — and it expects to serve 100,000 households this year.
Much of the store’s offerings are made possible through donations, and about 80% of the inventory comes from contributions by local grocery stores, retailers, farms, and other food partners.
Even better: Instead of handing out prepacked food boxes, the market lets people shop for themselves and choose the items that best fit their family’s needs, allergies, and dietary restrictions. This approach gives people more choice and a shopping experience that feels familiar and dignified.
Harry Styles donated to a British marathon runner who ran across the UK from ‘end to end’ for charity
Gas’s share in the global energy mix declined for the fifth consecutive year
Electricity demand is rising around the world, but for the fifth year in a row, the share of gas meeting that demand declined, replaced primarily by renewables.
Even in traditionally coal-heavy regions like Asia and Oceania, which are relying less and less on coal, gas still has a relatively limited share of the supply — accounting for 10.2% in Asia, down from 13.9% in 2015, and 15.1% in Oceania, down from 18.5%.
And in Europe, the share of gas peaked in 2010 at 28.4% and has fallen ever since alongside the decline of coal, while renewable sources continued to grow. The only parts of the world where gas power is rising is in North America, parts of the Middle East, and Africa.
Spain just launched a new floating ocean solar farm
Spain just launched one of its biggest marine solar energy projects to date with the “Paiporta” platform, a megawatt floating photovoltaic system designed to operate in offshore waters and port environments.
The project is a huge step forward for Spain when it comes to renewable energy. Instead of competing for agricultural land and forests, offshore floating solar installations have been shown to speed up the energy transition by taking advantage of underutilized marine surfaces.
The design of the floating solar farm itself has an added benefit. The cooling effect of the water beneath the platforms reduces the risk of panels overheating, which in turn generates higher electricity. Researchers from Oregon State University said that the cooling effect on floating solar farms can boost panel efficiency by up to 15%.
Why is this good news? When offshore solar farms succeed on a large scale, it helps reduce dependence on fossil fuels and cut greenhouse gas emissions — all while avoiding many of the land-use conflicts that often slow new energy projects.
‘Girl dads’ are talking periods and hairstyles over beers at the pub: ‘It's not a mom topic, it’s a parenting topic’
China’s rapid transition to electric vehicles cut enough pollution to prevent 262,000 deaths
A new study found that China’s swift shift to electric vehicles has cut urban air pollution so much, it’s prevented an estimated 262,000 premature deaths. It’s among the strongest evidence so far that transit electrification brings real-world public health benefits.
Using air quality data and machine learning across 150 cities, researchers found that the growth of “new energy vehicles” – including battery-electric, plug-in hybrid, and hydrogen – was linked to a 28.80% reduction in PM2.5, and a 30.67% reduction in carbon monoxide.
They then estimated that improvement in air quality prevented an estimated 262,000 non-accidental deaths, as well as around 75,000 all-cause deaths.
Stephen Colbert’s ‘Peanuts’ gag on the Late Show finale led to a major donation to World Central Kitchen
Before its cancellation, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” poked fun at its parent network. In the finale, Colbert read a headline about how license holders for Vince Guaraldi’s famous “Peanuts” compositions frequently sue for unauthorized use of the music.
Immediately after, the house band, Louis Cato and the Great Big Joy Machine, began playing the Guaraldi tune: “Linus and Lucy.” In response, Colbert smiled and said, “Oh no! I hope this doesn’t cost CBS any money!”
CBS just confirmed it would pay the licensing fee. The license holders, Lee Mendelson Film Productions, announced they would donate the payout to World Central Kitchen — the same nonprofit that “The Late Show” recently donated $2.5 million to.
Why is this good news? World Central Kitchen was founded by Chef José Andrés in 2010. Since then, their organization has served over 600 million chef-prepared meals to people around the world, often at the heart of natural disasters and the frontline of humanitarian crises.
Young women move in with NYC nuns to save money. Rent is $200 a week, and no boys are allowed after curfew
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A new study found that the COVID-19 vaccine is linked to a lower risk of heart attack and stroke
According to new research, the COVID-19 vaccine lowered the risk of cardiovascular death from the virus by nearly 60%, the risk of heart attack by around 40%, and the risk of stroke by over 30%.
The researchers also found that the risk reduction for these health issues was greatest for people over the age of 75 and those with preexisting health conditions.
The study looked at the impact of the vaccine on these health conditions in veterans in particular, and supports findings from prior research.
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Juneteenth celebrates freedom from slavery — and it recognizes the Black struggle for education
Prior to the enactment of the 13th Amendment in 1865 — and the origin of the Juneteenth holiday two years later — anti-literacy laws in southern states across the U.S. continued to impact formerly enslaved people.
While responses to their newfound freedom varied, a primary goal of newly freed people was to receive an education. They gathered in churches, homes, cellars, sheds, and more to learn how to read and write.
About 90% of the Black population in Southern states were illiterate in 1865 — that percentage dropped to 70% by 1880. In the 15 years following the Civil War, a total of 59 HBCUs had opened their doors to Black students.
Juneteenth is a celebration of that progress — and the continued struggle for true freedom and equality.
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More good news of the week —
Arizona wildlife experts saved a baby coyote after he was found covered in hundreds of cholla cactus barbs. The Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center said the four-week-old pup is recovering well after two and a half hours of careful cactus removal.
Ariana Grande launched a new foundation that will help protect trans and LGBTQ+ rights. Also supporting youth mental health and arts education, the Brighter Days Ahead Foundation includes four different funds that partner with existing organizations including Lambda Legal, Trans Lifeline, and more.
A Florida sea turtle made a miraculous recovery after a boat propeller cut open the underbelly of its shell. A vet at the Florida Aquarium said the sea turtle has its “feisty” attitude back and will soon return to the ocean.
Charli XCX is donating 50% of ticket sales from her “Music, Fashion, Film” tour to the Transgender Law Center. The human rights group is the largest American transgender-led civil rights organization in the US.
Researchers found that weather radar data could be used to reduce the risk of bird collisions with wind turbines. Strategically shutting down turbines when particularly large numbers of birds are in flight could save birds while having a minimal impact on electricity production.
Farmers in a national park are turning down lights to protect wildlife and improve the health of their crops. Research indicates that pressures on ecosystems from things like light pollution could also create a devastating decline in the insect population, and subsequently, the food chain.
Defying a statewide ban on rainbow crosswalks, El Paso wrapped Pride flags around its street lights. City officials collaborated with local LGBTQ+ communities to find a legal loophole around Governor Greg Abbott’s 2025 order.
Matt Damon is challenging Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to roll back irresponsible water consumption. Damon’s nonprofit, Water.org, successfully pressured America’s biggest corporations to give back by embedding water philanthropy into day-to-day operations.
Kyrgyzstan established a “climate-ready corridor” for snow leopards, argali sheep, and wild goats. The corridor connects 2 million acres of pastureland, forest, and high-altitude landscapes and is designed to protect wildlife from predicted climate scenarios.
In new trials, dogs consistently detected spotted lanternfly eggs that experts had missed, outperforming humans 2-to-1. Thanks to the trial’s success, researchers believe everyday dogs and their owners could be crucial to early pest detection.
Thanks to new, living “microbots,” scientists are one step closer to repairing spinal cord injuries. The tiny robots, which are a tenth of the width of a human hair, are already being used to repair damaged nerve tissue in laboratory mice.
Residents in a Pennsylvania town are fighting back against proposed data centers that could cover 14% of their town. Residents of Archbald, Pennsylvania are creating the blueprint for how to protect communities from the noise, heat, and utility costs of massive data centers.
A Scottish man is walking 3,200 miles from Los Angeles to Boston for the World Cup while raising money for men’s mental health. Craig Ferguson’s mission is rooted in the loss suffered by his best friend, Struan, whose father, Russell, died by suicide seven years ago.
More than 50 organizations and 25 countries launched a new alliance to protect the Atlantic Ocean’s leatherback sea turtles. Leatherbacks are classified as “vulnerable” globally on the IUCN Red List, but more recent regional conservation status assessments for the turtles show more concern about their status.
Amtrak delivered its first high-speed train for final testing in Seattle ahead of passenger service launch later this year. It’s the first of eight that will replace the aging fleet of passenger trains currently serving the Amtrak Cascades route, and 83 trains Amtrak plans to deploy around the country.
Researchers created a 3D-printable architectural material made out of yeast. Traditional construction materials are long-lasting and durable, but also contribute a large amount to global emissions and consumption of resources, while the yeast-based material is biodegradable, sustainable, and zero-waste.
Mushrooms helped remove sewage and filter out 80% of E. coli bacteria in a U.K. river. In a separate trial, a similar mushroom filter barricade caught 83% of phosphorus and 35% of nitrogen from rainwater running off farmers’ fields.
A rare olive ridley sea turtle was seen nesting in Florida for the first time ever. Olive ridleys, also known as Pacific ridley sea turtles, are among the most abundant sea turtle species in the world and are primarily found in India, Mexico, and Costa Rica.
A first-of-its-kind hepatitis B drug is helping a subset of patients achieve a “functional cure.” In recent trials, 1 in 5 patients saw their virus reduced to levels low enough for their natural immune system to keep it in check.
The biggest expansion in federal scholarship money in 50 years is set to launch this summer. The new policy, known as Workforce Pell, widens the scope of federal Pell Grants by helping lower-income learners pay not just for associate or bachelor’s degrees, but for nondegree job training in high-demand fields.
A six-year-old girl in England has had her eyesight fully restored after a pioneering eye gene therapy. The little girl, Saffie, had been born with a rare condition called Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis, which causes low vision from infancy.
U.K. conservationists just welcomed a new baby pancake tortoise, giving hope for one of the world’s most endangered reptiles. The new hatchling is the child of tortoise parents Waffle and Maple and will soon be named by the public.
Scientists at the University of Missouri mapped 2,000 acres of land to better understand how nature has progressed in the last 200 years. The field research is part of the Lewis and Clark Trail Resurvey, which aims to map America’s forests ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary.
