Today at Squirrel News, we delve into Australia’s move to eliminate $3 billion of student debt, the launch of Germany’s long-awaited suicide prevention programme, and the positive outcomes of social media detox, as revealed by a recent study from York University.
Australian government erases $3 billion of student debt
Highlighting the pressing issue of escalating student debt, which had soared to a staggering $74 billion, the Accord emphasised the urgent need for reforms to alleviate financial burdens on students. The move is set to provide debt relief for more than 3 million Australian students.
Germany announces long-awaited national suicide prevention strategy
The new strategy introduces expanded telephone and online counselling services for both families and professionals, alongside the establishment of a suicide register containing pseudonymised data and an evidence-driven approach to prevention.
The less time people spend on social media, the better, new study suggests
As part of a new study, researchers monitored participants’ screen time usage throughout the social media-free week to ensure compliance. While the results of this study were expected based on previous research, the extent of the impact on increased self-esteem and body satisfaction went far beyond researchers’ predictions.
Manitoba uses tobacco company settlement funds for CancerCare facility
In 2012, Manitoba sured major tobacco companies, including Imperial Tobacco, Rothmans, Benson & Hedges, and JTI-Macdonald, aiming to recover healthcare expenses related to tobacco-induced illnesses. The lawsuit was a success: settlement payments will go towards a new CancerCare HQ and other preventive initiatives.
Fast-charging EV stations surge, closing gap with petrol stations in US
In the first quarter of 2024, the US saw a surge of 7.6% in the count of public fast-charging stations tailored for electric vehicles, hitting a new high of nearly 8,200 installations. This means that the US now has one EV fast-charging station for every 15 fossil-fuelled based stations.
Ecosia expands its green initiative with ‘eco-friendly’ web browser
With a focus on generating clean energy from users’ browsing habits, the browser comes equipped with a built-in adblocker – a measure designed to curtail energy consumption.
The integration of a growing number of college programmes into US correctional facilities is steadily gaining momentum: recent data indicates that 44 state corrections agencies and the federal Bureau of Prisons have developed protocols or applications to greenlight prison education initiatives since last summer.
From parks to social media, creative thinkers build better public spaces
Thinking out of the box, letting communities allocate funds themselves, bringing urban design concepts to online spaces and artistic imagination to renovating unused buildings are some of the ways innovative planners are creating safe, welcoming and inclusive public spaces online and off.
Initiatives to safeguard and revitalise kelp ecosystems along California’s coastline are gaining traction. Serving as crucial habitats and sustenance sources for aquatic life, they play an indispensable role in marine ecosystems – and a growing number of projects are working to stem their decline.
