No jail time for misdemeanours, flooded coal mines heat homes, beavers to flush deserts
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Photo: Tim Umphreys / Unsplash (CC0)
In today’s edition of Squirrel News, we’re talking about a reduction in violent crimes after Suffolk County’s decision to not imprison people for misdemeanours, how former and now flooded coal mines are used for carbon-reduced heating, and beavers replenishing ecosystems and rivers in deserts.
Reducing incarceration decreases number of violent crimes in the US
Nonviolent crimes – such as drug possession and disorderly conduct – are no longer punished with jail time in Suffolk County. The rate of violent offences has since dropped by 64%.
Flooded former coal mines could heat homes in the UK
Abandoned and flooded coal mines can be found in 25% of the country’s underground. They could now replace gas heating through geothermal engineering, reducing carbon emissions by approximately two thirds.
Printable blood sugar saliva test for diabetics developed in Australia
In an attempt to replace the sometimes painful needle-based test, Australian scientists have developed a low-cost alternative, which can be produced with a regular printer.
Open source voice recording software helps digitise native African languages
Often neglected by well-known voice recording softwares, Mozilla’s open source software Common Voice allows languages such as Rwandan Kinyarwanda to be recorded and verified by its users.
Fact-checking organisation debunks fake news throughout 12 African countries
20 fact-checkers across 12 African countries at PesaCheck are working together to address vaccination myths circulating on social media – in French, Swahili, Amharic and English.
Writing workshop offers mental health support in Canada
The writers at InkWell Workshops offer insights to their own suffering from mental health issues and drug abuse, in addition to providing mentoring services in a safe haven for Toronto’s writers.