Saving Syria’s seeds, $1 houses in Italy, tiny house villages for the homeless

Photo: High Resolution Photography/Unsplash (CCO)

In today’s edition of Squirrel News, we’re looking at a pioneering scheme to preserve a huge variety of seeds from Syria, a new model breathing life into rural Italian communities, and the effectiveness of tiny house villages in supporting homeless people.

Norway is helping Syria preserve its native seeds using a unique gene bank

The seed bank not only keeps the plant material safe and secure whilst the country recovers from its civil war, but also distributes some of the seeds to researchers and farmers.

Source: Grist

The Italian method of selling houses for $1 is bringing new life to rural communities

The southern town of Castropignano is the latest in a series of small towns to adopt the model, which encourages people to return to these areas and invest in local economies.

Source: CNN

Tiny house villages are giving homeless people safe accommodation and a sense of community

The Low Income Housing Institute provides insulated and heated huts for those struggling to find permanent homes, with the initiative lowering the likelihood of residents returning to a life on the street.

Source: Seattle Times

Repurposed shipping containers are being offered to those in need of housing

Ending homelessness through sustainable methods is the goal of Flyaway Homes, with the furnished apartments providing homeless families with a stable and comfortable living space.

Source: Goodnet

The European Parliament has taken a big step towards the “right to repair”

The proposed legislation would be a win for climate activists, as it would force retailers to provide clear repair instructions for the consumer and hopefully reduce e-waste.

Source: The Verge

AI can now diagnose tuberculosis via smartphones

By applying a deep-learning model to a photograph of a chest X-ray, providers in low-resource areas will now be able to recognise and treat the disease.

Source: Diagnostic Imaging

Welsh commissioner offers funding to help staff leave abusive relationships

The pioneering scheme will provide grants or loans to help pay for relocation or essential supplies.

Source: The Guardian

A Bahamian woman is tackling racial prejudices in the fight against plastic pollution

Kristal Ambrose founded the Bahamas Plastic Movement, which advocates for a more responsible and sustainable relationship between the islanders and single-use materials.

Source: The Guardian

Young people are using coding to find solutions to life’s everyday problems

From tracking heart health and mental wellbeing to helping players cheat at online games, an increasing number of children are writing computer programs with the aim of making our lives easier.

Source: The Guardian

A Minneapolis garden is bringing together communities in the fight against inequality

The organisation Appetite for Change improves access to healthy food for local residents, in addition to being a “healing space” to address racial tensions.

Source: NPR

Read more