COP 19 ends this week and there is at least one clear message coming from the meeting: Canada is risking the wellbeing of future generations. While most countries agree that climate change needs to be dealt with and carbon output needs to be curtailed, Canada is refusing to budge on
Continue readingAuthor: Adam Clare
Things Are Good: Fairphone – A Phone Built With Social Values
Fairphone is a new phone built in an ethical way using (mostly) ethically sound sources. It’s a reaction to the ongoing problems with electronics manufactures who get minerals from conflict regions (think blood diamonds) and places with no labour protection. Until Fairphone, there was no way to get a phone
Continue readingThings Are Good: Stress Shouldn’t Stress You Out
In this TED talk, Kelly McGonigal examines the biology of stress and concludes that we really shouldn’t be all that worried about it. Stress. It makes your heart pound, your breathing quicken and your forehead sweat. But while stress has been made into a public health enemy, new research suggests
Continue readingThings Are Good: Urban Highways Should Be Torn Down; Replaced By Useful Space
Car-dominated infrastructure is clearly bad for local communities, transit, the environment (local and global), and the economy. So why do so many places refuse to tear down crumbling urban highways? The addiction to the car is a powerful one in many parts of the world and we need to curb
Continue readingThings Are Good: A Tricorder To Find Out What’s In Your Food
TellSpec is a new device currently being crowd funded that tells people what’s in their food – just like a Star Trek tricorder. It uses spectrometry to analyze the food it scans to find out if there any unwanted chemicals on food. The device can also scan food to find
Continue readingThings Are Good: Carbon Output Shrinking as Economies Grow
Some odd people think that environmental policies and mandated efficiencies ruin economies, well, now there is another reason why those people are wrong. A report just released will hopefully have an impact on the climate talks in Poland happening this month shows the disconnect between economic growth and destroying the
Continue readingThings Are Good: A Soap Company That Fights For a Better America
Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps are known for their cleaning power, but are increasingly getting known for their political power. The CEO of the company is a good example of a leader that practices what he believes – and leverages the company to ensure his thoughts are shared. In one example,
Continue readingThings Are Good: A Good Message Told Through Comedy
Comedy troupe Uncle Mom want you to cut the plastic that holds six packs. There are many reasons why it’s important to cut six pack rings, but for the real reason watch the video. Thanks to Evan!
Continue readingThings Are Good: Economists: Reduce Time Spent Working
Since roughly the end of the 70s productivity at workplaces has increased yet wages have stagnated (except for the top 1%) meaning that we are relatively worse off than before. All one has to do is look at the graph below to get the basic idea of this global issue.
Continue readingThings Are Good: Solar Glass Can Make Entire Buildings Power Plants
Oxford Photovoltaics is a UK-based company that wants every building to have the potential to generate electricity using the solar power. They have created a solar cell that is transparent enough to function as a window while providing a very small amount of energy. On their own, they don’t generate
Continue readingThings Are Good: Even Moderate Exercise Can Stave Off Depression
There’s a bunch of scientific evidence that already proves the benefits of exercise for one’s mental health, and now we know that even moderate workouts can have a huge impact. Even walking for just 20-30 minutes a day can improve resilience to depression! So if you don’t want to go
Continue readingThings Are Good: The Amazing Drayson Electric Racing Car
The electric car racing league Formula E launches next year, which means that the racers need to build their cars now. The Drayson LMP 1 has 800 bhp and 4000 (!!) lb feet of torque all without a drop of petrol. This is a really impressive car and I can’t
Continue readingThings Are Good: Ethiopia Opens Africa’s Largest Wind Farm
Ethiopia is looking to massively expand their energy infrastructure and renewable sustainable energy is a key part of their strategy. This is great to see new energy installations focus on the long-term effectiveness and viability of projects. “Various studies have proved that there is potential to harness abundant wind energy
Continue readingThings Are Good: Stylish Pocket Art
Canadian artist Gary Taxali has teamed up with fashion retailer Harry Rosen to create pocket squares focused on Canadian. This is good because it seems so rare that Canadians celebrate their own talent in such a way. Celebrating the culturally-rich heritage of Canada and featured cities – Toronto, Montreal, Calgary
Continue readingThings Are Good: Men: Drink With Your Friends to Stay Healthy
Now there’s the perfect excuse to go watch the game with your friends or just chillax in a bar! It turns out that males really benefit when they engage in face to face activities with their friends twice a week regardless of what they actually do. So go out tonight
Continue readingThings Are Good: Carbon-Negative Energy Generation
All Power Labs sells a device that converts biomass into electric energy. Their machine, which is based on technology over 60 years old, can produce insanely cheap energy while making use of plant matter. They have units that produce 10 kW and 20 kW respectively while the wait for approval
Continue readingThings Are Good: Think Dirty on Your Mobile to Shop Clean
Think Dirty is an app for your mobile phone (iOS only) designed to help people understand the ingredients in products. It’s focused on cosmetics products as a starting point for how to avoid cancer causing chemicals. Think Dirty™ app is the easiest way to learn about the potentially toxic ingredients
Continue readingThings Are Good: How Racing Cars Helps Babies
For the most part, Formula 1 is just entertainment, but every now and then something really nifty comes out of it. Using models and algorithms developed to monitor an F1 car’s performance, some engineers figured out how to apply them to hospitals. During a Formula 1 race, a car sends
Continue readingThings Are Good: A Turkish Hotel Wins Hospitality Innovation Award for Accommodating Protestors
During the Taksim Square protests in Turkey earlier this year, Divan Hotels’ flagship property in Istanbul opened their doors to the protestors. Not a bad place to get support after suffering police brutality and tear gassing. The hotel is adjacent to Gezi Park’s Taksim Square, the site of protests last
Continue readingThings Are Good: Literary Fiction Enhances Empathy in Readers
Literary fiction, not popular fiction, can make people better understand one another according to a new study. Because literary fiction (i.e. books not for sale at airports) focuses on the psychology and inner life of the characters it gives people a window into the thoughts of others that aren’t covered
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