8th August is ‘Happiness Happens Day’. Founded in 1999 by the Secret Society of Happy People, this year marks the twentieth year of the celebration! It’s a day for celebrating joy and smiling about the good things in life in spite of all the bad. We’ve pulled together our favourite stories that made us smile from a range of news sites, including the Good News Network and Positive.News: two of our favourite good-news-only news sites that work towards finding positive solutions to our world’s problems.
Cheesy smiles for hot homes
We love anything that works towards sustainability, and so we were so excited to read that a cheese company in Wensleydale are going to use the waste products from their cheese manufacturing process to create a source of renewable energy. Whey, which is a leftover waste product from making cheese, is going to be used by the Wensleydale Creamery to produce biogas which is expected to heat around 800 English homes a year. We love seeing green energy sources being used, especially when they solve food waste problems, too – it’s a double win!
A greener, cheaper way to kayak
We love summer sporting activities, but we’re not so fussed on forking out for them. We were so intrigued when we heard about a way to kayak in European cities without having to pay a thing, and when we discovered how, we got excited. Greenkayak provide you with a kayak and life vest and allow you to kayak for free – on the condition that you collect litter in the waterways as you do. It’s a sweet deal that lets you enjoy the fun of kayaking, and others enjoy a clean waterway. Plus, it draws attention to just how much litter finds its way into our water and how very important it is to make sure it’s as clean as it should be.
Young people lead the way
This was one of our favourite stories because it’s so close to Brushbox’s home in Cardiff – it’s the news that the largest youth-led nature restoration scheme of its kind in the world will be taking place in the Brecon Beacons over summer, with the next phase of work beginning in September. The Penpont project aims to enhance habitats and protect local flora and fauna in the Brecon Beacons, and is led by twenty young people from diverse backgrounds. We can’t wait to see what they achieve!
The house that helps tomorrow, today
Our jaws dropped when we saw the house that everyone’s been talking about, and we only continued to be more and more impressed and amazed as we looked at the pictures showcasing the home’s features. It’s not just a beautiful house (but it really, really is) – it’s been specially designed to be as eco-friendly as possible: it’s self-sufficient and was designed with the aim of creating a home that requires no energy bills. Estate agents say that after living at the property for a decade, an owner can expect to have saved £50,000 in bills. If this is what the future looks like, we want in.
9-year-old’s invention gives blind people independence
We love innovations that make a real difference to others’ lives, so hearing about Mahika Sharna’s ‘Smart Stick’, an invention that helps blind people cross the road really made us smile. Mahika, nine, says she decided to make her Smart Stick after watching her mum help a blind person cross the road and seeing that the blind person almost fell. She wanted to invent something that would help blind people if there was no one around to see for them. The Smart Stick has in-built sensors which send a vibration to the handle of the stick if they detect an obstacle, so a blind person can be made aware of it. Mahika won the BT Young Pioneer award for her invention – we think it’s well-deserved!
Good news, for a change
Even when the world seems bleak, it’s great to know that there’s good everywhere in the world, and that there are so many people that genuinely care about our future. Let us know of any good news you’ve heard in your community and beyond!