360 - Changing the World by Degrees
Created | Updated May 22, 2006
Latest news from 360 -
Changing the World by Degrees.
The first 360 Good News Report is up - but we are looking for more and more good news, so let us know what's going on in your area - whether it's great or small.
India
The Supreme Court of India has directed the The Central and state
Governments to constitute a task force to work out detailed plans to develop a national water-grid to supply water by transfer from surplus river basins into the deficit ones.
This could eliminate drought, food and drinking water scarcity and
unemployment and prevent disease and environmental destruction. It is
excellent news for those, such as Professor Shivaji Rao who has written about this problem on the site - and, we hope, for India's future.
England
Starbucks in London (and hopefully elsewhere) is selling Free Trade coffee - though only in packs for taking home. Costa Coffee is serving CafeDirect coffee in the cafes - at 10p extra per cup.
The Metro publishes weekly details of a missing person. What is unusual is that they also publish notice of them returning home or being found when that happens. Where else do you hear what the result is? (Apart from the news on TV when it's not always so good.) They've had good response and several people who were missing have seen the notice about themselves and chosen to respond. Whatever the circumstances of the people's running away or disappearing, it is good to know that something effective is happening.
Scotland
In Edinburgh's Old Town, the Crighton Street Car Park now has plastic
bottle recycling as well as cans, glass, paper and clothes.
And on a related note, there will be a referendum on whether cars should be charged for entering the city.
The puffins of Ailsa Crag have been seen breeding this year for the first time in 50 years. They were massively abundant in the 1800s but after rats were accidentally introduced to the island the population plummeted. The puffins are vulnerable because they breed in burrows and the rats found the nests a nice easy source of food. Over the last 10
years a concerted effort to get rid of the rats has been successful and the puffins are now safe to breed again.
General
Money can't buy happiness: A survey had been done of the world
richest nations. The bottom that could be measured was Pakistan (at
something like 179th - or maybe 197th). After that they were too poor to be measured on the indicators.
Then they did a study of the world's happiest nations, and Pakistan came Number One. The survey says that someone like a taxi driver in Pakistan will be very proud that he is a very successful man.
Contributors
...and finally
Emma from Wave got told she was a mean, money-loving bitch on her latest workshop.
Read her report on Just Get Real and Get a Life
Changing The World By Degrees Archive
