The city of Barcelona has given its citizens a unique incentive: ditch your car and get free transport. The legendary Spanish city has taken this step to unclog its roads from vehicles. Citizens who trade in their gasoline-powered vehicles will receive a three-year free pass to the city's public transportation.
The pass will be non-transferable and automatically renewed at no charge for three years. This novel initiative may reduce carbon emissions in Barcelona and help citizens save money by avoiding the costs of car ownership. Moreover, the city will also save on damages from accidents, road repairs, and other costs related to high traffic.
2. A café for dogs to relax
A dog café? Did you read that right? Indeed you did. "StarPups Coffee” is an exclusive eatery just for dogs! The café was set up by a Toronto woman named Kaya Kristina as a relaxing place for all the local dogs in her community to unwind. When Kaya saw how tired and thirsty the poor doggies often looked, she got the idea of forming a fine dining experience for them right on her front lawn.
Every day, Kaya puts out treats, water, and sticks for the local pups in her community to enjoy for free during their walks. Her kind gesture has helped create a community of dogs and their owners.
Kaya plans to continue this for as long as possible, and the community appreciates her immensely. "I started getting little notes in my mailbox saying things like 'Thank you so much, our dog appreciates this so much,” she says.
3. The number of tigers in the wild is higher than previously thought
For a while now, the world has been worried about the fate of wild tigers. Tigers remain endangered and were on the brink of extinction not too long ago. However, a new assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has revealed that there are 40 percent more tigers in the wild than previously thought.
The new data suggests that the global tiger population has risen from 3,200 in 2015 to 4,500 in 2022, despite extreme threats like habitat loss and poaching. It gives new hope that these striped beauties can make a comeback globally.
"When you succeed in saving tigers or conserving tigers, you are conserving very large wilderness landscapes, with a huge host of biodiversity but also a whole bunch of benefits to the human communities that live in and around those landscapes,” says Luke Hunter, executive director of the Wildlife Conservation Society's (WCS) big cat program.
4. North America is about to get an exclusive refuge for captive whales
North America is all set to get its first-ever whale sanctuary in Nova Scotia in 2023. Currently, almost 60 killer whales are kept in captivity at many marine parks and sea aquariums. Whales are social creatures and spend their entire existence swimming around the world’s oceans. They don’t do well in confined spaces or captivity. This wild refuge for captive orcas was planned after Canada passed the Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act, which prevents all whale and dolphin species from being kept in captivity.
The 110-acre (44.5 hectares) sanctuary will have a depth of 16 meters (52.4 feet) and will provide the whales with 150 times more space than they are used to in captivity.
5. Bird-friendly turbines
About 681,000 birds are killed by wind turbines in the U.S. each year. A new study has revealed that there might be a simple way to tackle this problem – by painting one blade of a wind turbine black. The study, conducted at a wind farm on the Norwegian archipelago of Smøla, showed that changing the color of a single blade on a turbine from white to black resulted in a 70-percent reduction in the number of bird deaths.
Previous studies have indicated that birds may not be adept at seeing obstructions while they're flying. Therefore, adding visual cues like different colored blades can help them spot a rapidly rotating fan.
While this is definitely encouraging, further tests at other wind farms are needed to confirm these findings.
6. Custom boots help specially-abled African penguin get around
Lucas, a penguin from the San Diego Zoo in California was diagnosed with bumblefoot, a degenerative foot condition affecting birds' ability to walk. Over the last few years, the poor penguin struggled with the condition, and despite receiving physical therapy, pain medication, and acupuncture treatment, he continued to get sores. Then the zoo consulted Thera-Paw, an organization that produces animal rehabilitative and assistive products for animals with special needs. The company created a pair of padded orthopedic shoes out of neoprene and rubber to help prevent the penguin from developing pressure sores when standing and walking.
The shoes have already made a massive difference in Lucas’ life. He can now walk more comfortably, live with the rest of the colony, and he isn’t limping.
7. Man builds benches for bus stops without seating
During a walk in his neighborhood, Denver citizen James Warren noticed a woman waiting for the bus, sitting in the dirt because there was no bench. That sight upset him so much that Warren decided to take it upon himself to build seats at the bus stop. He dug out some scrap wood from neighborhood construction sites and went about building a bench. He built his first bench in just a few hours and placed it at the bus stop. Since then, Warren has built eight more benches for bus stops in his city, each one displaying the words "Be Kind."
"I have not asked the city yet whether I'm allowed to do this ... Until they stop me, I'll just keep doing it, I guess," he says.
8. An innovative solution to gum litter
Used chewing gum causes a huge litter problem, making towns and cities look filthy. According to statistics, chewing gum is the single largest litter component in the food-related litter category. Most chewing gums are made from synthetic polymers, like plastic, and that’s why so much discarded gum permanently sticks to sidewalks. There’s now a way to combat this issue – a new chewing gum made from plants and gum tree sap. This biodegradable chewing gum has been made by a Copenhagen-based company named True Gum.
Launched in 2017 by entrepreneurs Peter Juul Regnersgaard and Morten Ebdrup, True Gum produces 400,000 pieces of plastic-free chewing gum a day. The base of each gum is made from chicle, a naturally occurring gum that Mayan and Aztec peoples chewed hundreds of years ago. They then mix it with glycerine produced from rapeseed oil and sweeten it with xylitol derived from birch sap and stevia.
If this eco-friendly gum catches on, it can put an end to gum litter for good.
9. Canine lifeguards save 30 lives every year
Now, here’s a story about canine heroes that will make all dog lovers proud! The School of Water Rescue Dogs, an elite squadron of 400 fully trained and certified “life dogs” in Milan, has been patrolling Italian beaches for over three decades and saves almost 30 lives every year. 300 units of the organization, each consisting of one dog and one trainer, have the responsibility of watching over approximately 30 of the country’s busiest beaches.
The School of Water Rescue Dogs is the brainchild of Ferruccio Pilenga, a 61-year-old former photographer. He began this operation with his own Newfoundland dog, Mas. Pilenga. Together with the Coast Guard, military and police, the heroic duo saved many sailors, divers, and swimmers.
The dogs involved in the program must go through 18 months of basic training before moving on to other strenuous lifesaving techniques that involve jumping from helicopters and leaping from speeding boats.
Related: 10 Feel-Good and Funny Animal Stories to Make You Smile
10. Robot companions help seniors fight loneliness
About 1 in 4 adults 65 and older are considered socially isolated, and evidence suggests that loneliness can cause serious health conditions. The New York State Office for the Aging has found an imaginative way to help such seniors. They have partnered with Intuition Robotics to distribute AI robotic care companions to over 800 older adults in the state.
Called ElliQ, the robots are made up of two parts: a “head” that moves and a touchscreen tablet. It can small talk, initiate conversations, remind users to take their medications, help contact friends and family, answer questions, and help with daily activities.
“We want ElliQ to fill in the gaps when human companionship isn’t available as often as we’d like,” says Dor Skuler, CEO and co-founder of Intuition Robotics. The company also insists that the AI and conversational features in ElliQ give it enough character that the elderly are comfortable interacting with it and taking its help when needed.
Share these stories with all your loved ones!
