Mental health training for barbers, hempcrete buildings, Britain’s most ambitious rewilding project

Jonathan Widder | Posted on November 14, 2022 |

Photo: Rob Sarmiento / Unsplash (CC0)

In today’s edition of Squirrel News, Black British barbers participate in mental health training, hempcrete offers a promising path to sustainable construction, and a community in Scotland inspires the world as it takes on an ambitious rewilding project.

‘I nearly took my life’: Islington council training black barbers in mental health issues

Black British barber shops have long been a sanctuary for black men and youth, not only to transform their hair.

Source: The Guardian

Hemp-based construction materials seen to combat climate change

As buildings account for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions, finding concrete alternatives with low carbon footprints is critical.

Source: Reasons to be Cheerful

A coup for poo: why the world’s first faecal transplant approval matters

Australia’s green light for the procedure opens up potential to treat bacterial infections, as well as other diseases.

Source: The Guardian

LED lights could contribute to massive carbon reductions

Despite the widespread adoption of the technology, virtually no LEDs are currently recycled or reused for their parts. To counter this problem, researchers are exploring ways in which LEDs can be designed for reuse and repair.

Source: Mongabay

How ‘bringing the government to the people’s doorstep’ motivates immigrants to vote

Non-citizen residents of Takoma Park, Maryland have been able to vote in municipal elections since 1993. They say participating in city elections makes them feel more welcome in the community and helps them get invested in local issues.

Source: DCist

Grassroots movement pushes for creation of public bank in NYC

Many local governments place their assets in private banks, which may invest in projects that are detrimental to communities, such as fossil fuels. To address this, an organisation in NYC is advocating for the establishment of a public bank that would benefit justice-focused organisations.

Source: Yes! Media

How fasting from smartphones can benefit your mental health

A boarding school recently conducted a social experiment in which students and faculty were not allowed to use smartphones, and the results were positive. Here’s how spending time away from electronic devices can improve one’s health.

Source: CNN

To fix broken maternity care system, moms and providers build all-in-one clinic

Patients at Millie are guided from their first positive test until 12 months postpartum, a period that is frequently overlooked.

Source: Bloomberg

How Jared Genser rescues hundreds of political prisoners

One lawyer’s unwavering pursuit of freedom has helped at least 350 people reunite with their families after being wrongfully detained. Many of them were imprisoned for their political or religious beliefs.

Source: The Christian Science Monitor

Scotland’s largest community land buyout makes way for nature reserve creation

It seemed a long shot at first, but a Scottish community now legally owns 5,200 acres of land, including upland moor, peatlands, and a river valley. Now, a nature reserve is in the works to help fight climate change, among other goals.