In today’s edition of Squirrel News, Patagonia stock donated to environmental trusts, São Paulo expands car-free streets and a comedian helps humanity with humour.
Patagonia stock donated to environmental non-profit
The founder of the outdoor gear company, Patagonia, has decided to transfer 100% of his voting stock to an environmental trust. This stock is projected to provide the trust with 100 million dollars annually from dividends.
São Paulo’s Paulista Avenue has been closed to cars on weekends since 2019. Now the city looks to expand the programme to other streets. Locals say that the increased walkability has been good for business and community.
Spain passes a law requiring affirmative consent before sex. Additionally, the new laws will target street harassment and improve sex education in schools.
Chitin, harvested from crabs and other crustaceans, may be used as a sustainable, biodegradable casing for electric batteries. These batteries disintegrate in soil in half a year.
The EU Parliament passes bill limiting imports linked to deforestation
The European Parliament has introduced legislation that will ban the import of products linked to deforestation. The bill aims to combat global deforestation and the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest in particular.
Architects take lessons from traditional buildings to keep out heat
From locally-sourced clay to “green roofs,” architects around the world are implementing features of traditional architecture to build more sustainably.
Floating solar arrays produce energy while limiting evaporation
From China to Portugal, more countries are installing solar arrays over bodies of water, such as reservoirs, to both produce carbon-neutral energy and keep water from evaporating.
Bio-fences replace barbed wire as sustainable barrier
Indian activist uses biofencing as a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to masiony and barbed wire. Live fences, made from local shrubs or even cacti, reduce soil erosion and protect crops from pests.
Male contraceptive studies looking promising for the future
Following the recent overturn of abortion legislation in the U.S.A., more and more people are looking for ways that men can help shoulder the responsibility of avoiding unwanted pregnancies.
Can humour help solve social problems? Comedian Jimmy Tingle thinks it can. With his project “Humor for Humanity” he aims to raise spirits, funds and awareness for non-profits and social causes. In our new podcast episode, he explains how that works and shares anecdotes on the President of Moldova and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.