Today in Squirrel News, Portugal’s €20 monthly rail pass grants unlimited access to national trains; Community suppers in Copenhagen bring together hundreds of different people; and a new method is helping to regrow Ecuador’s rainforest.
New 20€ rail pass in Portugal grants unlimited national travel
Portugal is moving to make train travel more affordable and accessible as an investment in a greener future. The new monthly “Green Rail Pass” will cost less than half of its predecessor.
Community dining in Denmark, convivial and affordable
Community suppers at Copenhagen restaurants are welcoming groups in the hundreds. Locals and tourists alike sit together at long tables and enjoy locally-sourced meals with changing daily menus for a low set cost.
Colorado monitors landfill methane emissions with cutting edge technology
Landfills are the third largest source of methane emissions. In this new EPA-funded programme, Colorado sets a precedent in monitoring its 80 landfills that activists hope other states will follow.
Top EU Court rules gender identity changes must be recognised in all member states
The ruling establishes a new precedent for the universality of legal gender changes in the EU. It is a landmark victory for transgender rights with significant practical implications in removing bureaucratic obstacles for transgender people living, working and traveling in Europe.
The mini islands cannot truly replace the loss of natural wetlands, but dozens of them in lakes and ponds across Missouri allow native plants to filter out the excess nutrients that would otherwise create algae bloom and require herbicide treatment.
Change Clothes on a mission to repurpose fashion in Ireland
With the motto, “Secondhand is feckin’ grand”, this non-profit offers used fashion to rent, swap or buy, while teaching the art of fixing and upcycling old clothes. With workshops and pop-up shops across the country, the flagship store is in Dublin.
Scotland is bringing its abandoned houses back to life
A collaboration of the Scottish government and a UK homelessness charity, the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership is supporting the conversion of the many abandoned properties in Scotland into affordable housing to address the housing shortage.
Some African farmers succeed with greener methods and smaller scale
The Guardian talks to farmers in Africa using small-scale agroecology and traditional methods like diverse cropping and irrigation trenching to succeed where methods of big agriculture have failed.
This video documents an experimental programme in the Choco region of Ecuador, where a multinational team is having early success with a new approach to reforesting. They are planting small areas rich in fruit that encourage animals to reseed the forest with their poop.