The best good news of October 2026 came down to these 16 stories, ranked by how many times they were viewed on Instagram. Our 1,028,157 Instagram followers gave them a total of 260,594 likes, 33,710 shares, and 9,180 saves.
The number one story, “Democrats introduced a bill that would ban Flock cameras nationwide,” led with 662,272 views. Stories about Native communities took three of the 16 spots.
Megan Burns, Good Good Good’s social media editor, wrote every story below, and each appears as she published it on Instagram.
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16. Six Flags installed California’s largest solar carport
159,001 views · 5,213 likes · 667 shares · 150 saves
One of the largest in the U.S., it will produce enough electricity to offset both the amusement park and neighboring Hurricane Harbor Los Angeles.
Visitors to Six Flags Magic Mountain will return to cooler cars after a day at the amusement park thanks to the new solar carport. The largest in California and one of the largest in the entire country, the 12.37-megawatt installation will offset 100% of the park’s annual energy usage — and that of a neighboring water park.
One of the largest solar carport projects in the country, it uses bifacial panels, which collect sunlight reflected from the ground, too. The installation will also allow employees and customers to return to cooler vehicles that have been shaded all day.
15. 11,000 acres of ancestral homeland were just returned to a Native tribe in Maine
177,435 views · 12,577 likes · 2,011 shares · 464 saves
The first phase in what will be one of the largest land returns between a U.S. nonprofit and tribal nation, the Penobscot Nation will receive a total 30,000 acres.
Maine’s Penobscot Nation just received 11,000 acres of its ancestral homeland, the first phase in a land transfer that will eventually return around 30,000 acres to the tribal nation.
When the swath of land initially came up for sale, the Trust for Public Land purchased it with the goal of returning it to the tribe. In total, the tribe will receive around 30,000 acres, the rest of which will be returned after another $12 million is raised.
Once complete, the transfer from the Trust for Public Land back to the Penobscot Nation will eventually be one of the largest between a U.S. nonprofit and a tribal nation. The tribe already has plans for how it will steward, restore, and conserve the land.
14. Kentucky is erasing $250 million in medical debt for more than 130,000 residents
199,582 views · 4,853 likes · 454 shares · 131 saves
Gov. Andy Beshear designated $2.5 million to Undue Medical Debt, a nonprofit that has eliminated more than $49 billion in debt nationwide.
Kentuckians are about to see some medical debt relief. Gov. Andy Beshear just signed an executive order creating the Team Kentucky Medical Debt Relief Program to eliminate $250 million in medical debt, impacting over 130,000 residents.
The order directs $2.5 million to Undue Medical Debt, which can purchase $100 worth of medical debt for just $1. The program specifically targets residents who owe at least 5% of their annual income for medical bills or earn at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, around $100,000 for a family of three.
The relief will come in partnership with Undue Medical Debt, national organization that negotiates with hospitals to acquire medical debt for pennies on the dollar. There’s no application or process people need to do to request relief, they’ll automatically be notified.
“Medical debt isn’t a choice — it’s what people are faced with after a serious accident, cancer diagnosis, and more. Relieving this debt is the right thing to do to help Kentuckians who are overwhelmed by these extreme costs, which can cripple families for years, if not a lifetime.”
KENTUCKY GOV. ANDY BESHEAR
13. ‘Heated Rivalry’ producers launch real-life Irina Foundation
208,536 views · 9,321 likes · 2,364 shares · 289 saves
With Kate Spade New York as its inaugural donor, the foundation will “champion LGBTQIA2S+ and underserved communities through participation in sports and the arts.”
From the page to the tv screen, and tv screen to real life: the Irina Foundation from “Heated Rivalry” is now a real-life charity. Launched by executive producers Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady, the real-life Irina Foundation will help build “a world where LGBTQIA2S+ individuals and underserved communities experience genuine belonging and opportunity through organized sports and arts programs.”
“Heated Rivalry” executive producers Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady just launched the Irina Foundation, which will “champion LGBTQIA2S+ and underserved communities through participation in sports and the arts.” Characters Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov start a charity by the same name, in honor of Ilya’s mother, in Rachel Reid’s “Game Changers” universe.
Kate Spade New York is the foundation’s inaugural donor with a founding contribution, and it already has support from men’s grooming brand Harry’s.
12. Native tribe in Arizona passes data center moratorium on its nearly 1 million-acre reservation
228,141 views · 17,137 likes · 1,580 shares · 553 saves
The Hualapai Tribal Council said the facilities pose “a direct and severe threat to the tribe’s sacred water, lands, environment, and way of life.”
The Hualapai Tribe in northern Arizona shares a 108-mile border with the Colorado River. Amid growing concerns over the impact of data centers on surrounding communities and the environment, the tribe’s council just passed a resolution opposing “the irresponsible development of hyperscale data centers” powering AI, saying they pose “a direct and severe threat to the tribe’s sacred water, lands, environment, and way of life.”
The data center moratorium applies to the tribe’s entire nearly 1 million-acre reservation.
“Moving forward, we will always protect our air. We will always protect our land, and we will always protect our water. Hualapai Tribe will stand strong with any community — and we will oppose these data centers.”
Duane Clarke
HUALAPAI CHAIRMAN, IN AN INTERVIEW WITH KJZZ
11. Patagonia is giving people $100 to help their friends vote
258,615 views · 9,302 likes · 1,607 shares · 394 saves
The company announced it’s giving up to 112,000 customers a $100 discount on Patagonia merchandise for helping three friends make a plan to vote.
An estimated 11.2 million “environmental voters” don’t participate in elections, and Patagonia launched a new campaign to get more people who’ve care about the climate and environment out to the polls — by giving them $100 in merchandise credit.
As of October 1, Patagonia’s website says they’ve met their $11.2 million goal, meaning at least 112,000 people have helped three of their friends or family members make a plan to vote in the midterms.
The company is giving a $100 credit to up to 112,000 customers who enroll three people in a program that encourages registered voters to cast a ballot in the midterms. Patagonia’s chief executive said “The 11.2 Million Vote Project” was an effort to “cut through the apathy” and hopelessness people are feeling.
10. Native Hawaiians are giving ‘DeTours’ to decolonize the island
304,884 views · 16,691 likes · 1,489 shares · 1,548 saves
Through tour guides and literature, Hawaii’s Indigenous communities are decolonizing travel and protecting the islands.
In 2015, Hawaii received 8.6 million arrivals, most of them Americans from the lower 48 states, who spent $15 billion that year alone. But tourists and visitors rarely consider what processes took place to enable such a mass tourist presence to exist within Hawaii.
Hawaii’s Indigenous communities are working to educate settlers and tourists alike on the island’s colonial past and present through “demilitarization tours” – or DeTours – that highlight historic points of U.S. intervention on the islands. And it’s all in an effort to repatriate Indigenous lands to Kānaka Maoli, the Hawaiians native to the islands.
9. MapQuest adds new ‘Surveillance Layer’ that displays Flock camera locations
318,859 views · 18,331 likes · 5,123 shares · 1,355 saves
Like traffic and incident layers, users can toggle the layer on and off to display “known license place readers ... and other outdoor surveillance cameras”.
MapQuest just debuted its new “Surveillance Layer” feature that lets users see where “known license plate readers” from companies like Flock Safety are located on their driving route.
There has been a growing public opposition to the surveillance devices after cases of alleged police misuse, canceled city contracts, and more.
The feature can help drivers plan routes that reduce their exposure to the devices — and MapQuest joins a growing number of platforms and websites helping people avoid being surveilled by the cameras.
8. In a new study, bleached corals recovered in a record seven weeks after touching healthy coral
338,903 views · 15,732 likes · 2,151 shares · 837 saves
Initially discovered by accident by Stanford University scientists, the approach could help restore coral reefs as rising sea temperatures cause more severe and frequent coral bleaching events.
When an accident in the lab becomes a breakthrough discovery: Stanford scientists just discovered that bleached coral, when touched with a healthy coral from the same colony for just a few days, can make a full recovery in just seven weeks.
The bleached coral continued to recover after it was no longer touching the healthy coral. The scientists noted that the solution wasn’t ready for wide-scale application in the ocean, and it could not protect coral from rising sea temperatures: “There is still a huge need to reduce heatwaves and protect all of Earth’s life from rapid climate stress.”
7. Georgia ‘shattered’ its first day early voting record for a midterm
392,109 views · 19,358 likes · 2,614 shares · 342 saves
More than 188,000 Georgians voted on day one of early voting, about 50,000 more people than cast a ballot in the 2022 midterm election.
Black voters drove the high turnout numbers, making up more than 36% of early votes cast on day one, 6% higher than in the 2024 election.
Georgia’s secretary of state said, “This record-breaking turnout proves that voters have confidence in the integrity of our elections.”
Why is all this good news? Voting is a critical first step in fighting for the change you want to see in the world. Strong voter turnout helps ensure elected officials better reflect the people they represent — and the change they want to see.
6. Animal shelters are rehoming ‘unadoptable’ cats on farms to replace rat poison: ‘Our program has ended euthanasia for feral cats entirely’
403,649 views · 29,427 likes · 4,252 shares · 949 saves
“Barn cat” programs are a win-win: Cats get shelter, food, and water, and farmers see reduced rodent populations without the use of poisons or chemicals.
The Helping Animals Rescue Team in Tennessee has helped adopt out 634 cats to local farmers since 2015 – it “has ended euthanasia for feral and semi-feral cats at our local shelter entirely.”
HART Rescue is one of many nonprofits and shelters across the United States that rehome feral cats through barn cat programs.
5. Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon is at its lowest level in nearly 40 years
Ran only in our Oct. 22 roundup
Between August 2025 and July 2026, 1,288 square miles of forest were cleared, the lowest level since records began in 1988.
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon is at its lowest level in nearly 40 years — a “historic achievement.”
4. In just 10 months, North America’s largest wildlife overpass has reduced animal-vehicle collisions by 91%
426,403 views · 22,452 likes · 3,265 shares · 618 saves
A stretch of highway in Colorado used to see an animal-vehicle collision about once a day — in the past 10 months, thanks to a massive wildlife crossing, there have been just two total. Including a 209-by-200-foot bridge, the largest overpass in North America, the crossing has reduced animal-vehicle collisions by 91% in the 10 months it’s been open. Editor’s note: The title slide should read “… about once per day” (“at least once per day” is incorrect).
That 91% drop is thanks to North America’s largest wildlife overpass that spans six lanes of Interstate 25. Connecting 39,000 acres of wildlife habitat, it includes a 209-by-200-foot bridge, five underpasses, and miles of fencing to direct animals toward the crossings.
3. New York City is banning horse-drawn carriages starting in 2028
451,011 views · 13,839 likes · 2,232 shares · 285 saves
New York City is officially banning horse-drawn carriages, after years of backlash and a growing number of public and animal safety-related incidents. Most recently, an 18-year-old tourist died after falling from a carriage over the summer.
The bill comes after years of backlash and both public and animal safety incidents. Notably, the bill also prohibits the horses from being sold to slaughterhouses and sets up a “workforce transition program” for the carriage drivers, who are unionized, including job placement, financial compensation, and more.
2. Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford just raised $7.65M for children in war zones
506,658 views · 39,391 likes · 2,514 shares · 673 saves
The couple are founding global ambassadors of Children in Conflict. Their annual Wassail benefit raised “more money than we have ever raised before.”
Both founding ambassadors of Children in Conflict, Mulligan and Mumford host an annual star-studded Wassail benefit. This year, it was hosted for the first time in Los Angeles and featured performances from Mumford & Sons, Brandi Carlile, and Jensen McRae.
This year’s benefit also raised a record $7.65 million to protect, educate, and provide mental health support “to over one million children” living in war zones and high-conflict areas.
As founding ambassadors, the couple also travel to the areas where Children in Conflict works globally.
1. Democrats introduced a bill that would ban Flock cameras nationwide
662,272 views · 26,970 likes · 1,387 shares · 592 saves
Introduced by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sens. Bernie Sanders and Jeff Merkley, the Ban Flock Act would prohibit federal agencies from using automated license plate readers.
Featured Image: Colorado Department of Transportation, Crave, Courtesy of Six Flags Magic Mountain
