A popular saying goes: “nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come,” and the four-day work week (without any salary cuts) seems to be exactly such an idea. More and more companies around the globe are introducing it. In the UK, the world’s largest trial so far has just ended with positive outcomes regarding health, productivity, revenues, job satisfaction and more. In this episode, Dale Whelehan, a behavioural scientist and the new CEO of the NGO 4 Day Week Global, tells us why he wasn’t surprised about the results and how the positive outcomes are interconnected.
Jonathan Widder
#31: The ‘Solar Punks’: Bringing power to the people
What can citizens do to contribute to halt global warming? Dan Edelstyn and Hilary Powell set out their plan to turn their London street into a community solar power station. In this episode, Dan tells us why they use art and filmmaking to promote their project, how they crowdfunded the necessary money and how the couple is inspiring more and more neighbourhoods and public institutions to follow their model.
Historic ocean treaty, schools teaching happiness, free higher education for single moms
Today in Squirrel News, nations have reached a historic agreement to protect the oceans, German elementary schools teach happiness, and a programme in southern Arizona gives single moms access to free higher education.
23 stories about solutions and progress from February 2023
Today in our monthly recap: eight countries have eliminated tropical diseases, dozens of UK companies opted to continue with the four-day working week, and schools from London to Minnesota announced free meals.
#30: Zero-interest loans for Black homebuyers
Classical reparations may be a good idea, but financially such one-off payments are not very sustainable. That’s why a congregation from the Bay Area came up with another idea and introduced a zero-interest loan programme for Black homebuyers. In our new episode, Susan Russell from the Black Wealth Builders Fund explains to us how it works and how it could drive change in the future.
Free public transport in French cities, free school meals in London, sea cucumbers fixing the world
In this edition of Squirrel News, we visit French cities with free public transport, London will provide free meals to primary school children, and sea cucumbers emerge as heroes of the sea.
26 stories of solutions and progress from January 2023
Until now, Squirrel News has only looked back at the stories of the year. From now on, readers can expect a monthly recap of the the most important and exciting solutions. In January 2023, we saw fewer traffic deaths, more 988 lifeline users, zero-interest loans for Black home buyers, and literary treasure hunts.
Co-buying real estate, cabs for people with disabilities, Gaza’s first women’s boxing club
In today’s edition of Squirrel News, friends escape renting by co-buying houses, Green Cab provides transportation for people with disabilities and Gaza’s first boxing club for women opens.
A ‘ring of blossom’ around Birmingham, boost in 988 Lifeline use, “smart” tampons to screen for cervical cancer
In today’s edition of Squirrel News, Birmingham improves city life with hundreds of trees, the new US crisis line 988 sees a boost in usage, and innovative tampon technology detects cervical cancer.
Green jobs boom, name-your-price produce, reviving dead languages
In today’s edition of Squirrel News, the boom in green jobs benefits people and villages in the US who need it most; inventive UK farms let customers pay what they can for fruits and vegetables; and a Jewish professor revives Australia’s dead languages.
Zero traffic deaths in Jersey City, legal protection for formerly incarcerated people, literary treasure hunts
In today’s edition of Squirrel News, a town outside of NYC records zero traffic deaths on its streets, Atlanta fights impacts of incarceration with new ordinance, and an initiative takes kids on hidden book quest to encourage reading.
New York injection sites save lives, tobacco companies forced to clean up cigarette butts, batteries from trees
In today’s edition of Squirrel News, injection sites in New York have saved lives, Spain forces tobacco companies to pay for cigarette clean-up, and scientists develop batteries that use a material from trees.
