These environmental good news stories will add cheer to your day

More often than not, news articles about the environment are headlined by intimidating statistics. However, the silver lining is that there have been some positive changes as well that deserve to be celebrated. The road towards building a more sustainable future for the planet is a long one, but we can fuel the change by celebrating the small wins along the way. If you’re looking for some news to cheer you up, here are the environmental good news stories you’ll want to hear from this past month!

KLM makes first passenger flight with sustainable fuel

The battle for climate change has long been overshadowed by concerns about the carbon footprint of air travel. However, positive change may be in sight with Air France-KLM’s first passenger flight to use plant-derived fuels that reduce the company’s dependence on fossil fuels.

Snowy owl spotted at Central Park in New York for the first time in 130 years

If you’ve been looking for reasons to visit New York, here’s one: on your next stroll down Central Park, you could make a historic sighting of the snowy owl that hasn’t been spotted there in the past 130 years. It is said that the baseball fields may have reminded the owl of its own native hunting grounds and convinced it to stop by the park.

517 species receive wildlife protection in China

In a massive step forward for wildlife conservation efforts, 517 new species were added to China’s list of protected animals. This marks the first major adjustment made to the list since 1989, and it is said that population concerns of the endangered species, which includes the Myanmar snub-nosed monkey and wolves, prompted the change.

Markha Valley in Ladakh comes out of poverty by ending wildlife hunting

Two decades ago, Markha Valley in Ladakh was driven to poverty as a result of excessive hunting. However, after making the change to tourism, the remote village has witnessed the return of the snow leopard, blue sheep and ibex, among other species.

Delhi forest department conducts workshop on eco-friendly construction

Road owning agencies in Delhi were provided with a workshop on how to undergo construction activities without harming the ecology of the area. The workshop was provided upon the direction of the Delhi High Court to sensitise the agencies on preserving trees while undertaking civil construction work.

Nestle and Mars team up to tackle packaging waste

In a bid to end packaging waste, the two FMCG giants have together enlisted the help of recycling experts to explore solutions for flexible packaging waste, such as pet food pouches and bread bags. Acknowledging that the problem cannot be solved alone, the consortium is calling upon other names to join in the fight as well.