In today’s edition of Squirrel News, artificial intelligence meets seed pods in the fight against deforestation, ‘solar boxes’ generate electricity in villages, and US cities take steps to address race and income gaps.
With around 1 million animal and plant species at risk of extinction, a startup is helping halt biodiversity loss by merging artificial intelligence and seed pods.
Solar boxes’ provide power to dozens of communities
Around 770 million people, mostly in Africa and Asia, still don’t have access to electricity, according to IEA. But the so-called solar boxes are reaching more communities, taking into account the goal to provide affordable and clean energy.
U.S. cities are getting rid of fines & fees seen fueling race & income gaps
From San Francisco to the Midwest to New York, the pandemic has triggered a policy rethink about the fairness of fines and fees for prison phone calls, overdue library books, and parking violations.
Sweden to be first to report on consumption-based emissions
No country has ever reported on consumption-based emissions in climate targets, but Sweden is poised to be the first to do so. Under the ‘historical’ proposal, carbon emissions of products manufactured overseas will be included in the country’s total count.
Philippines’ CHR finds climate-destroying companies liable for damage
Filipino advocates commend the Commission on Human Rights for upholding climate justice. Greenpeace Southeast Asia says the findings are ‘a vindication for the millions of people whose fundamental rights are being impacted by the corporations behind the climate crisis.’
The group, which is heading the 25×25 campaign, cites the climate crisis, air pollution, the death toll from car crashes and community cohesion as urgent reasons to hand room from cars to people.
Community land trusts are at the forefront of tackling the housing crisis. Among other advantages, the community-based organizations provide low and moderate-income people with the chance to build equity through homeownership.
A collective push for safe breastfeeding in shelter settings
Amid increasing threat from climate change, a doula collective finds ways to better assist breastfeeding parents in the event of hurricanes and wildfires in Louisiana.
The pioneering women’s collective harvesting the Gambia’s oysters
The all-female workforce is part of a visionary project committed to protecting the wetland forests. Now their challenge is to earn a sustainable living year-round.
