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“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” --Harriet Tubman
Hello everyone! All around us are visionary thinkers helping us make sense of an abundance of ideas and transform them into action. A Greek Island is the first in the world to have zero waste. In São Paulo, creative uses of micro-housing are allowing homeless families to stay off the streets. And through technological breakthroughs, a bionic hand allows control of each individual finger rather than the whole hand. These examples of innovations offer examples of how our world can be. May our hearts and minds freely open to what is possible. Wishing you well!
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Nikolaj Lock | Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0
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Tilos, a small Greek island, has been certified as the world's first zero-waste island. Aiming to keep their beautiful isle free of trash, local authorities and residents joined hands two years ago to make this happen. Through a waste management program called 'Just Go Zero' which involves methods like waste sorting and recycling, Tilos has managed to recover 90% of its waste. The island's mayor, Maria Kamma, proudly announces, "The [island] has achieved a green revolution beyond comparison." This not only proclaims Tilos as a champion in environmental performance but is also expected to accelerate the transition to zero waste on other European towns and cities.
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Tiny homes placed around a playground
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In São Paulo, Brazil, there's a rising solution to the homeless crisis: micro-housing. Amid the towering buildings and the traffic bustle of the Minhocão, an elevated highway, thousands of homeless families are settling in. Their numbers have spiked by over 31% during the pandemic, and they're braving chilly winters, as traditional soup kitchens and shelters can't keep up. To battle this, the city is now building "micro-houses," tiny container-like homes near the Tiete River. The houses have basic amenities and are designed to help families get back on their feet. But critics argue they are no substitute for a comprehensive housing policy. "This is a place where we are trying to get back to living in society, to be human again," explains one resident. São Paulo aims to build 1,000 such homes by the year's end.
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Go Nakamura for The New York Times
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As flames engulfed his Lahaina home, Frederick Shaw grabbed Munchkin, one of his five cats, but had to let go while darting through a cloud of thick smoke from the inferno engulfing the Hawaiian city. When Claire Kent returned to Lahaina the day after the fire to check on her house, she heard a loud meow from a nearby pile of debris. She took the cat with her to central Maui, where she has been staying with a friend. Seeing photos of the cat on Facebook, a neighbor said he was pretty sure he knew the owner. Ms. Kent tracked down Mr. Shaw at a shelter and texted him a photo."My brain almost exploded because I'm looking at my cat," he said. Ms. Kent drove to the shelter, carrying Munchkin in a cardboard box. "Miracles occurred that night," said the 73-year-old Navy veteran. "Finding my cat is probably the top miracle of all.
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A game-changing bionic hand that enables users to control each digit has been developed by a team of engineers and surgeons. This technological breakthrough could revolutionize prosthetic limbs, providing users with more natural and complex movement. This innovative device uses a technique called neuromuscular reconstruction, which involves rewiring the nerves in the residual limb to control different muscles. This, in turn, allows for greater maneuverability of the hand, such as typing or picking up small objects. The main architect behind the project, Max Ortiz Catalan states "this is a major breakthrough in the field of bionic limbs...it opens up the possibility of creating bionic hands that are as functional as natural hands." After successful trials on a patient who lost his arm above the elbow, this transformative tech is expected to bring new hope to the nearly 60 million amputees worldwide when it becomes commercially available.
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Kampus Production | Pexels
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A simple hello can do more for your wellbeing than you think! According to a recent poll from the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index, American adults who regularly greet multiple neighbors have a higher wellbeing score. But here's the catch: the increases in wellbeing cap at greeting about six neighbors, with no notable change for additional interactions. Interestingly, not only does this amicable habit affect a person's overall wellbeing, it also highlights a common pattern across all five domains: social, community, career, physical, and financial wellbeing. But don't feel you have to move to the countryside -- even urban dwellers benefit from an 'hi' exchanged on the street. As the article points out, 'social wellbeing, to which greeting neighbors is certainly related, has been linked to faster healing, reduced stress and better engagement at work.' So perhaps it's time to reconsider those noise-cancellling headphones on your daily walk, and opt for a friendly, neighborly hello instead!
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