Lately, anytime you open up a news source to read about what's going on in the world, it's a major bummer. Everyday, it seems like there's more violence, human rights violations and tragedy than ever. In light of all of this sadness, here are 10 positive things that are happening in the world right now.
1. Philadelphia became the first major city to pass a tax on sugary drinks.
This tax means great things for Philadelphia's economy, and won't break the bank for soda-buyers. And oh, not to mention, it will do tremendous things for obesity in the US if other cities follow Philadelphia's move.
2. Chipotle just donated $100K to Refugee in Need.
Fue Xiong wrote an amazing essay about his experience with hunger as a Hmong refugee in Thailand. Chipotle gave him a $20,000 scholarship for this. When they found out he was delaying college to take care of his mother who had recently been diagnosed with stage 3 cancer, they gave the family $100,000 to cover his mother's medical expenses. Amazing.
3. Janana hospital in Ajmer, India lets girls purchase sanitary pads without shame.
In many parts of India, menstruation is considered extremely taboo and can be a humiliating experience for many young girls. Many do not have the resources to purchase sanitary pads, which can lead to health problems and also contributes to a high drop out rate of many pubescent school aged girls. Luckily, this vending machine eliminates the reluctance many woman have about purchasing sanitary napkins in a public place, and will make managing a period easier for school-aged girl.
4. Portugal ran on renewable energy for four days straight.
Portugal has the potential to become the first European country to achieve net-zero emissions. This renewable energy trend can be seen across Europe, and this is a great sign for global climate change.
5. Rebekah Marine, the 'Bionic Model,' is fighting for fashion diversity.
Marine models to educate the public about disabilities and encourage diversity in the fashion industry.
6. UPitt Medical Center has a cuddling program that brings comfort to babies withdrawing from opioids.
The program helps families who cannot be at the hospital all day long, and has shown the effectiveness of human touch on struggling babies.
7. Lin-Manuel Miranda showed that love conquers all.
Watch his speech here.
8. Student invents prosthesis made for playing instruments using a 3D printer.
Nicholas Brown, a 15-year-old student at Pine Grove Area high school, spent a great deal of his freshman year working to create a 3-D prosthesis for two students in his school who had disabilities. These prostheses were used in music class, so the students could finally participate in the activities their classmates had been doing.
9. Bangladeshi inventors are creating eco-friendly air conditioning units from plastic bottles.
These units, which don't require electricity, have been used to cool down over 25,000 homes in different areas of Bangladesh. Many of these homes are tin huts, which can become extremely hot during the summer.
10. The Soup Shop allows customers to pay a little extra to help a person in need.
People pay $7.50 for a bowl of soup and can pay an additional $3.50 to buy a meal for a homeless person in need. The soups also come with an encouraging message.
