In today’s edition of Squirrel News, read how four countries have decriminalised suicide in the past year, a charity hopes to create a ring of trees around London and ancient animal breeds aid wildfire prevention in Spain and Portugal.
‘It’s a huge sign of progress’: the battle to decriminalise suicide
In at least 17 countries, suicide remains a criminal offence – a ‘huge barrier’ to mental health care. As Ghana becomes one of four countries to overturn its law in a year, others could follow.
Source:
The Guardian
Environment charity bids to encircle London in ‘M25 for nature’
CPRE London hopes to surround the capital with trees by weaving existing areas of green belt in outer boroughs.
Source:
The Guardian
Ancient animal breeds aid wildfire prevention in Spain and Portugal
To combat wildfires, Spain and Portugal are recruiting endangered Garrano horses and European bison to naturally clear vegetation, reducing fire risks.
Source:
Euronews
Text alerts prove effective in preventing California’s heat-driven blackouts
As summer heat threatens California’s power grid stability, a system of mobile alerts urges residents to conserve energy, successfully helping to prevent rolling blackouts.
Source:
Bloomberg
Australia eyes extending parental leave with superannuation benefits
Australia is rekindling an effort to boost financial stability for new parents by adding superannuation to extended paid parental leave. The plan comes alongside proposed taxation reforms for better housing affordability.
Source:
Bloomberg
U.S. incentives fuel boom in EV battery recycling
The United States is spurring EV battery recycling via the Inflation Reduction Act, encouraging local production and reducing dependency on overseas supply chains.
Source:
Reuters
Reviving housing affordability through a co-op expansion
In response to soaring rents and isolation, a cooperative housing model founded in the ’60s, once primarily for students, now addresses housing affordability for broader demographics.
Source:
Next City
Summer camp elevates reading skills for kids of color
A learning centre addresses the reading fluency disparity among students of colour with a free, literacy-focused summer camp. The programme ensures no backsliding in reading skills during summer, while preparing students for the new academic year.
Source:
KERA News
Student-led project fighting period poverty earns charity status
The Pachamama Project, now a recognised charity, combats period poverty globally through reusable sanitary pads. It delivers to ten countries including Lebanon, Greece and Pakistan.
Source:
BBC News
Botanists eye herbaria collections to revive extinct plants
Leveraging new technology, botanists plan to resurrect extinct plants from seeds in centuries-old herbarium specimens.
Source:
Yale Environment 360
How linking patches of wilderness is saving Borneo’s wildlife
Palm oil plantations have fragmented Sabah’s rainforest but land corridors let pygmy elephants and orangutans roam again.