Good News Notes: “Americans aren’t the biggest wine sippers in the world — imbibing a mere 3.2 gallons per person in 2020 versus the 16 gallons guzzled by Portuguese residents, according to estimates from the industry’s primary source of stats. But the habit still translates into a whole lot of single-use bottles: About 4.3 billion of…
Tag: Massachusetts
Engineer discovers how to extract water from air and sunlight
Good News Notes: “When you have sugar in a bowl, that sugar gets a little clumpy over time,” says Cody Friesen. “Have you ever thought about why?” Friesen, who teaches materials science at Arizona State University, explains that the sugar absorbs moisture from the air around it. “The science term for that is the sugar…
He Lost Nearly Everything To Addiction. Then An Arrest Changed His Life
Good News Notes: “Heroin started rewiring and taking control of Will’s brain in the early 2000s, as he turned 40. “Back then, if you used drugs people didn’t want anything to do with you,” Will recalls. “People gave up on me.” Will lost almost everything: jobs, his driver’s license, his car, his marriage and his…
Inventor creates new material that can keep buildings cool without air conditioning
Good News Notes: “A Boston professor created an invention that reflects the heat off of rooftops and even sucks the heat out of homes and buildings — and the real kicker is that it is 100 percent recyclable. Yi Zheng, associate professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at Northeastern University, created “cooling paper” so that…
Major Offshore Wind Project Sets Stage For Clean Energy Shift
Good News Notes: “The U.S. Interior Departmentapproved the country’s first large-scale offshore wind project Tuesday, a final hurdle that reverses course from the Trump administration and sets the stage for a major shift in the energy landscape. This “is a significant milestone in our efforts to build a clean and more equitable energy future while addressing…
Making Conventional Plastics Biodegradable
Good News Notes: “With decades of experience in the polymers industry, the Radical Plastics founders have targeted the agricultural market as the initial testing ground for the commercial viability of their product. The company has been working with a third party to validate that their resin can meet the standard for degradation of a soil…
RI nonprofit helps 27K+ families put food on the table throughout pandemic
Good News Notes: “The founder of local nonprofit organization tells 12 News that they’ve helped a record number of families put food on the table since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic last March. Project Hand Up, created several years ago by Coreen St. Jean, is a food supplement program that offers a variety of products in…
Dunkin’ debuts new sip lid for sweet cold foam drinks, continues testing biodegradable straws at Massachusetts locations
Good News Notes: “Dunkin’s drinks might look a little different starting Wednesday, as the company introduces a new type of lid. The new sip lid is designed specifically for sweet cold foam drinks, which also debuts nationwide on Wednesday. ‘The sip lids are a great innovation to introduce with our sweet cold foam because they enhance the sipping…
Sen. Warren to donate proceeds of book to Berkshires nonprofit
Good News Notes: “Senator Elizabeth Warren will donate a portion of the proceeds from her new children’s book debuting this fall to Girls Inc. of the Berkshires. The Massachusetts Democrat will debut her picture book, ‘Pinkie Promises,’ in honor of a favorite campaign ritual. The book will feature illustrations by Charlene Chua. Warren is donating…
Look: Hawk rescued from netting at Massachusetts golf course
Good News Notes: ” Animal control officers in Massachusetts came to the rescue of a red-tailed hawk that took a night flight to a golf course and ended up tangled in netting. Billerica Animal Control said officers responded to a golf course in the town Sunday night when the bird of prey was spotted trapped in…