177 WAYS THE WORLD GOT BETTER
Former Talking Head turned American Optimist, David Byrne and his “Reasons to Be Cheerful” website call our attention to a “kinder, cooler” world. And each January, recapping the site’s major stories, Reason to be Cheerful offers “ways the world got better.”
In 2022 there were 192 ways, in 2023 “just” 177. From a Civilian Climate Corps in New York to a tree planting campaigns in major cities, from the “cool pavement” that is cooling L.A. to an Indian village planting 111 trees for every newborn girl, the list is both hopeful and factual. For example:
Did you know that:
— Cancer deaths in the US are down 33 percent since 1991?
— Washington and 11 other states are making “climate change action” a regular part of school curriculum?
— The biggest dam removal project in US history — currently underway on the Klamath River — will open up 400 miles of fish habitat.
This small sample leaves only 174 other ways “the world got better in 2023.” Check ‘em out.