Every day the Good Good Good team collects the best good news in the world and shares it with our community. Here are the highlights for this week!
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The Best Positive News We’re Celebrating This Week —
20,000 people signed up to donate clothes and essentials to LA fire victims through an online secondhand marketplace
Seconds Market, a secondhand clothing organization based in Los Angeles, normally buys gently used clothes from locals and hosts pop-up sales in the LA area for secondhand shoppers.
In the wake of the devastation caused by the LA wildfires, it decided to use its platform to connect Californians in need with clothing donors from across the country.
In 48 hours, Seconds Market said 20,000 donors had signed up. They’ll be connected with someone who requested support based on clothing size, age, and gender. They also are looking to set up a free “store” so locals can shop for what they need, too.
Good to know: Experts suggest that major influxes of donations can be overwhelming to folks immediately working to rebuild their lives. Still, others who have survived house fires have also shared that it helps to be given something right away instead of having to go shopping amid recovery.
There was record-breaking clean energy progress all around the world in 2024
Last week, we shared the news that the U.S. government permanently closed most federal waters — more than 625 million acres — to offshore oil and gas drilling.
It’s a great way to kick off a year of more good climate action. And as the year-end data rolls in, there are even more stories of progress in fighting climate change via transitioning away from fossil fuels toward clean energy sources across the globe. In 2024...
📍 In Great Britain, wind power alone provided more electricity than ever before, and all renewables together generated around 56% of electricity.
📍 In Germany, renewables made up a record 59% of electricity generation and became the “backbone of the system” in the country.
📍 In Poland, a record 29% of its power came from renewable sources, showing great progress in a country that still heavily relies on coal.
📍 In India, the “transformative growth” of its renewable energy sector led to it surpassing 200 GW of installed capacity, making up 46% of the country’s total installed capacity.
→ Read more stories of progress for the planet
Following years of campaigning from activists, Thailand has now banned imports of toxic plastic waste
Thailand is one of several Southeast Asian countries where developed nations have historically paid to import plastic waste. Following China’s ban on plastic waste imports in 2018, the country became the leading destination for the waste.
Between 2018 and 2021, Thai officials said more than 1.1 million tonnes of plastic scraps were imported from Japan, Europe, the U.S. and the U.K.
Many factories would burn this waste rather than recycle it, which led to damaging conditions for both people and the planet. Thanks to years of campaigning by activists, both people and the environment will be better protected from this hazardous waste.
Why is this good news? For those living in developed nations, dumping toxic waste in other countries is not a sustainable solution to the plastic waste crisis. While much larger solutions are necessary to solve this crisis (like a global plastics treaty), Thailand’s refusal to be dumping grounds in the meantime is very good news — and could help lead to more urgency in addressing the plastic waste crisis.
Thanks to more public transit and fewer polluting vehicles, Barcelona’s air quality has improved for the second year in a row
In 2024, Barcelona’s air quality improved for the second year in a row, reaching the lowest levels of nitrogen dioxide ever recorded. Nitrogen dioxide is a pollutant mainly linked to vehicle traffic.
The city credits new and improved measures to increase the use of public transit in the city as well as the implementation of Low Emission Zones, or ZBEs, throughout the city where certain polluting vehicles are not allowed to drive.
Additionally, the number of electric and hybrid cars increased over the course of the year, and the number of the most polluting vehicles declined.
Together, these changes resulted in a nearly 6% drop in nitrogen dioxide levels at one monitoring station, and record low levels at others.
→ Read more
(P.S. Did you know Barcelona’s subway system is also now powering EVs with regenerative braking?)
The U.S. Supreme Court denied oil and gas companies’ attempt to block lawsuits over climate damage
Right now, a number of lawsuits are looking to hold the fossil fuel industry liable for billions of dollars in damages from climate disasters because of their alleged role in driving the climate crisis.
The lawsuits argue that the companies deceived the public about how fossil fuels contribute to climate change. In response, governments in states like California, Colorado, and New Jersey are looking to hold them responsible for billions in damages from wildfires, rising sea levels, and more.
The companies appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to block the lawsuits — and the court just rejected that appeal, allowing the lawsuits to continue.
Why is this good news? The evidence connecting a rise in the burning of fossil fuels by humans with unprecedented global warming is vast — and new investigations show that fossil fuel companies have been aware of that connection since the 1970s.
As it stands, individuals and communities impacted by climate disasters made worse by that warming are responsible for footing the bill for the damages — via insurance, out-of-pocket costs, and tax dollars. Allowing these lawsuits to continue is good news for justice and accountability.
→ Read more
A Toronto man invented ‘tiny tiny’ homes that fit on the back of bicycles to combat rising homelessness
Living in downtown Toronto, construction manager Ryan Donais saw first-hand how the homelessness crisis impacted the people of his city and realized he could help be a part of the solution.
So, he invented Tiny Tiny Homes, a mobile home camper that attaches to a bicycle and provides temporary shelter for people experiencing chronic homelessness.
Each Tiny Tiny Home model is insulated, weatherproof, and watertight, with thoughtful essentials: a sofa that converts into a bed, solar-powered electricity, storage, safety features, and much more.
Donais acknowledged that they’re not meant to be permanent — and that he wishes he didn’t have to build them at all, pushing the local government to provide more safe, affordable housing to those in need.
After 15 months of war, Israel and Hamas just agreed to a six-week ceasefire deal in Gaza
After months of negotiations facilitated by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, Israel and Hamas agreed to a deal to pause the fighting in Gaza for six weeks and release both Israeli hostages held in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
The exact details and phases of the deal have yet to be made public, but officials have said it will likely go into effect on Sunday. It would also involve allowing people in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes and allowing in much-needed humanitarian aid.
Why is this good news? On October 7, 2023, Hamas killed 1,200 soldiers and civilians and took more than 250 hostages in Israel. In the months since, Israel’s attacks in Gaza have killed a reported more than 46,000 people, reduced the region to rubble, left the region on the verge of famine, and displaced around 90% of the 2.3 million people living there.
While heartbreakingly long overdue, this ceasefire will at least temporarily stop the death toll, reunite loved ones, and hopefully be the start of a journey toward true peace, justice, and healing in the region.
A Los Angeles teen created a ‘one-stop shop’ website to help wildfire victims more easily find the support they need
As blazing wildfires continue to scorch through Los Angeles, California, thousands of people have been temporarily displaced or rendered homeless by the ongoing disaster.
As nonprofits throw open their doors, restaurants offer free meals, and crowdfunded campaigns roll in thousands of donations, there are an overwhelming number of resources cropping up — both from people wanting to help and those seeking aid.
In the chaos, one teen wanted to make it easy for everyone to find information in one, tidy place.
Ruben Varghese, a 16-year-old Angeleno, launched save-la.org to help give victims an easier way to find everything from food to free housing.
→ Read more
A 14-year-old created a viral “Altadena Girls” recovery fund to help teen girls impacted by the Eaton fire
In response to the destruction caused by the Los Angeles fires, people have moved quickly and collectively to meet the immediate, essential needs of those impacted.
In an effort to help her classmates whose Altadena homes were destroyed by the Eaton fire, 14-year-old Avery Colvert started “Altadena Girls” to gather donations including beauty and hair products and new clothing.
Shared by high-profile brands, artists like Charlie XCX, and celebrities like Paris Hilton, the initiative went viral and grew to nearly 32,000 followers on social media over a few days — resulting in a packed-out distribution center for teen girls in Altadena to come “shop.”
Why is this good news? While meeting immediate safety needs like food, water, clothing, and shelter is essential in the midst of this disaster — mental health is important to care for, too.
As Colvert put it: “They’ve lost everything, and I want them to feel a sense of normalcy when nothing else in their life is normal.”
→ Read more
The U.S. government is taking action to support public servants, outdoor recreation, immigrants, and more
With the inauguration of the next presidential administration coming up on Monday, the current administration has used its final days and weeks in office to protect more land, support retired public servants, commemorate important history, and more.
Whether via legislation or executive branch power, these points of progress in politics are important to celebrate:
- The Social Security Fairness Act was signed into law, enhancing retirement benefits for firefighters, police officers, teachers, and more public servants.
- The Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act was signed into law to improve outdoor recreation opportunities in national parks and forests.
- The Women’s Suffrage National Monument Location Act was signed into law, authorizing the first and only monument dedicated to American women’s history to be built on the National Mall.
- The Department of Homeland Security extended Temporary Protected Status for immigrants from Venezuela, El Salvador, Sudan, and Ukraine.
- Another 150,000 borrowers had their student loans forgiven, bringing the total number of people who have had their debt canceled under the Biden-Harris administration to over 5 million.
- Honoring tribal requests, President Biden signed a proclamation designating two new national monuments in California, which prevents drilling, mining, and other development.
- Notably, with that national monument designation, Biden will have protected about 674 million acres of federal land, more than any other president in history.
More good news of the week —
After confiscating a shipment of trafficked animals, biologists identified a new critically endangered pangolin species. Across Asia and Africa, pangolins are critical for environmental health — called the “guardians of the forest” because they primarily feed on termites and protect trees from destruction, creating a balanced ecosystem.
A first-of-its-kind test can detect different types of asthma with a nasal swab. The research focused on Black and Puerto Rican children, who have higher rates of asthma and asthma-related deaths, and researchers hope the test can help match patients with better treatments.
Celebrated by activists, an oil and gas lease sale in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge received no bids. After receiving very few bids four years ago when the land was last opened, the Interior Department said it demonstrated that “there are some places too special and sacred to put at risk with oil and gas drilling.”
The world’s first blood test for endometriosis is a step closer to reality after a successful recent trial. The blood test was 99.7% accurate at distinguishing severe cases of endometriosis from patients without the disease but with similar symptoms — and 85% accurate even in earlier stages of the disease.
To help prevent house fires, a teen invented a “smart fire extinguisher” that automatically puts out flames. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, while most Americans have a fire extinguisher in their home, only a small percentage of adults know how to actually use one.
A dad walked for six days straight in the cold to raise thousands of dollars for charity in his daughter’s memory. Santino Sellick’s daughter died at just 17 years old, and he and some friends walked 124 miles from London back to his home in Codsall — sleeping in tents, braving blisters, and fighting the cold along the wa
Run by a nonprofit, a wildfire-tracking app is providing real-time, life-saving information to people in Los Angeles. The app Watch Duty is run by volunteers and full-time employees, including retired firefighters and dispatchers, to provide live updates on fire conditions — sometimes faster and more reliably than the city’s alert system.
The UK government has backed a £15 million fund to repackage food that would go to waste and donate it instead. Grants starting from £20,000 will be given to the not-for-profit food redistribution sector in England to repackage surplus farm food and deliver it to homeless shelters, food banks, and charities.
In a first for Ireland and the UK, event venues in Belfast will completely eliminate single-use plastic cups. With major venues coming on board, the initiative aims to address “one of the biggest sustainability challenges affecting us all — single-use plastic.”
Michael J. Fox funded new diagnostic testing that could detect Parkinson’s ‘even before symptoms appear.’ The actor’s charitable foundation has just unlocked the key to flagging the disease early, putting us one step closer to ending Parkinson’s for good.
Despite ongoing efforts to roll them back, an LGBTQ+ rights group says workplace protections and benefits have actually improved in the U.S. The Human Rights Campaign’s 2025 Corporate Equality Index revealed that 765 of the 1,449 companies graded received a perfect score, 28% more than last year.
A UK conservation charity announced plans to restore 250,000 hectares of nature across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. A total area 1.5 times the size of Greater London, the National Trust celebrated its 130th anniversary by unveiling the “moonshot” plans to address the nation’s climate and nature crises.
British Sign Language added new vocabulary so the deaf community can discuss climate change. While terms such as greenhouse gases, carbon footprint, and sustainability have quickly slipped into everyday use in English, turning them into sign language is a more complicated process.
“Sing Sing” is the first film to ever be released in movie theatres and prisons simultaneously. The film follows a group of men enrolled in a prison theater program and will screen inside correctional facilities in 46 states, making it available to nearly a million incarcerated people across the U.S.
Sister Simona Brambilla just became the first woman to lead a major Vatican department. She was appointed by Pope Francis, who has named other women to high-ranking positions in an effort to give women greater leadership roles in the Roman Catholic Church.
Thanks to polka-dotted windows, thousands of bird deaths were prevented on a Chicago high-rise building (paywall). Since the bird-safe film was applied last summer, bird collisions with the McCormick Place building are down 95% — and could provide a model for other buildings to follow suit.
