Good News for the Environment

Sustainable stories of progress for the planet

A photo collage of Ms. Rachel, flood-ridden establishments, a solar panel, and a black bear lying down amongst tree branches

Good News This Week: September 5, 2026 - Bears, Bakeries, & Turtle Women

Your weekly roundup of the best good news worth celebrating...

The colorful Javan blue flycatcher (Cyornis banyumas) used to be a common sight and sound in the Menoreh Hills, but the species is now critically endangered

Former bird hunters work to rebuild a songbird haven: 'We hope it's not too late'

Some former hunters on the Indonesian island of Java have abandoned catching birds for the songbird trade and have since become notable local conservation figures.

Two workers in yellow safety vests and hard hats stand beside large cardboard boxes wrapped in plastic and blue strapping on what appears to be an airport or cargo tarmac, with an overcast sky visible in the background.

84 metric tons of humanitarian aid arrive in Nepal in the wake of deadly floods

This represents just one aid intervention amid countless international organizations mobilizing to help.

A desert landscape with large rounded boulders in the foreground and a distinctive peaked mountain in the background at sunset. Several vehicles and a tent are parked in a sandy clearing among the rocks.

Federal judge halts data center construction on public land

A federal administrative court has temporarily revoked authorization to build a massive data center near Boulder City, Nevada.

Industrial facility with multiple tall smokestacks emitting dark smoke against a sunset sky at dusk. Silhouetted factory buildings and structures visible in the foreground with lights glowing along the base.

A landmark UN report says the world will overshoot the 1.5° climate target. But hope is not lost

For over a decade, the world has been trying to limit global warming to 1.5°C. That’s no longer possible, according to a new United Nations report. But it's not time to give up, experts say.

A man in a dark jacket walks through a farm field alongside a large flock of brown and white birds standing on grass, with vineyard posts and mountains visible in the background.

This vineyard adopted a clever alternative to using pesticides: Let 1,000 ducks roam free instead

Wine farmers in South Africa are borrowing inspiration from a centuries-old practice in Indonesia.

An older woman with long gray hair, Jane Goodall, wearing a dark green shirt with "the Jane Goodall Institute" visible on it looks to the side in an indoor setting with blurred figures in the background.

Need an excuse to hike? Jane Goodall's nonprofit calls on America to hit the trails in her honor this October

The first inaugural “Hike for Hope” will honor the conservationist’s legacy.

A man wearing a red and blue sleeveless shirt splashes water on his face with both hands, squinting and smiling. Water droplets spray around his head as he holds a paper cup in one hand.

Climate change is messing with sports. Here are 10 ways athletes and fans can take action

From snowless ski slopes to dangerously hot conditions at the World Cup, climate change is changing the sports and recreation landscape. Fans and athletes have the power to make a difference.

Black bears are typically associated with forest and mountainous habitats, but were once abundant throughout the southeast, including in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley and the Atchafalaya Basin.

Black bears were nearly hunted to extinction in the US South. Decades later, they're finally rebounding

The Mississippi Alluvial Valley was once the ‘bread basket’ of black bears.

Map of Nepal in blue with a dark blue heart symbol positioned in the central region.

GoFundMe launches hub of verified Nepal flooding relief fundraisers

The death toll has reached over 1,000 in the wake of devastating flash floods in Nepal.

A man in a dark blazer and lei sits at a wooden table facing a woman with long brown hair, in what appears to be a formal indoor setting. Several other people wearing lei stand and sit nearby.

13 young people sued Hawaii over climate change. Here's what happened next

Charlotte Madin joined the lawsuit at age 12. Today, she is part of a youth council advising the Hawaii Department of Transportation on climate priorities.

New Mexico's electricity prices are some of the lowest in the country. Solar is to thank

Abundant sunshine and smart policy have made New Mexico’s grid far more climate-friendly.