Minneapolis plans to abolish police, anti-discrimination law in Berlin, bees and butterflies on Irish farms

Photo: Julian Wan / Unsplash (CC0)

In today’s edition of Squirrel News, we cover the historic move by Minneapolis city council to replace the police with a different model, Berlin’s move to pass an anti-discrimination law to address Germany’s systematic racism, and how farmers in West Ireland are working to encourage butterflies and bees to flourish on their land.

Historic move in Minneapolis as lawmakers seek to abolish police department

Following the killing of George Floyd, members of the city council give plans to replace police with an alternative model.

Source: The Guardian

First German state anti-discrimination law passed in Berlin

The law bans public authorities, including police, from discriminating based on skin colour to help address Germany’s systemic racism.

Source: Deutsche Welle

Copenhagen, Oakland and Mexico City leading the way in keeping air clean

Measures implemented to curb coronavirus have reduced air pollution. These cities have created plans to ensure clean air becomes a permanent factor.

Source: The Guardian

Statue of slave trader pulled down in Bristol in Black Lives Matter protest

The statue of Edward Colston, that was pulled down and thrown into the port, has created a dialogue that makes people think about the history of their city.

Source: Deutsche Welle

A million pieces of plastic-free and recyclable PPE to be produced weekly

The international campaign group A Plastic Planet had developed visors that don’t add to plastic pollution and can protect staff.

Source: The Ecologist

Crops sprayed with ‘barcode spores’ to help track food poisoning

The WHO estimated 1 in 10 people get food poisoning and 400,000 die from it each year, and this move would trace the cause of it a lot faster, saving lives.

Source: New Scientist

Project in Peru utilises drones to strengthen and protect housing rights

The drones helps to put urban settlements on the map, aiming to improve climate change resilience and housing rights for local residents.

Source: Reset

New Tourette’s syndrome treatment that helps dampen tics

The unusual treatment works by applying an electrical current to the wrist that travels into the brain and changes brainwaves.

Source: New Scientist

Tree-free paper start-up saves over 55,000 litres of water daily

The home-made paper upcycles secondary agro and industrial waste, including coffee husk, cotton rags, and even elephant poo.

Source: The Better India

The Irish farmers encouraging biodiversity

Ireland’s landscape has been threatened by carbon emissions and water pollution, which farmers are seeing to counteract by encouraging butterflies and bees.

Source: The Guardian

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