celebrating an icon...

• ​Today is John Lewis’ birthday! An iconic figure in the civil rights movement, Lewis passed away in 2020 after dedicating his life to fighting injustice and advocating for equal rights for all.
• Prior to serving in Congress, Lewis participated as a Freedom Rider, marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr., gave his own iconic “March on Washington” speech, and led the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.

environment

Environmental groups in the U.S. just filed the first lawsuit to stop new offshore oil and gas drilling

The nonprofit law firm Earthjustice, on behalf of several environmental groups, just filed the first of what’s expected to be many lawsuits challenging the Trump-Vance administration’s efforts to expand fossil fuel production.

After taking office, President Trump issued an executive order revoking protections made under the Biden-Harris administration to protect areas along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts from drilling.

The lawsuit argues that Congress does not grant the executive branch the authority to undo protections placed on those areas. A similar effort was stopped by a judge in Alaska in 2019.

Why is this good news? Burning fossil fuels is the main driver of global warming and we need to stop producing more of them as soon as possible to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

Plus, offshore drilling is especially risky because oil spills can travel far, quickly and damage marine ecosystems and wildlife. And even actions that come before actual drilling can damage these ecosystems.

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​The governor of Illinois just signed “Karina’s Law” to confiscate guns from domestic abusers. Named after a woman who was killed by her husband, who also killed their 15-year-old daughter, the new law clarifies the process for confiscating a person’s gun when they are served an order of protection during instances of domestic violence.

​Thanks to conservation efforts, the American Oystercatcher population has rebounded 45% since 2008. Playing a vital role in coastal ecosystems, shorebird populations across the Americas have declined by nearly 50% over the past four decades, facing increasing threats from habitat loss, climate change, and human disturbances.

​Architects turned an “oddly-shaped” parking lot into colorful tiny home village for LA’s homeless. While modest, the homes are painted in bright, welcoming colors, and residents have access to onsite meals, WiFi, showers, mental health support, job training, case management, and a small dog park.

​A U.S. airport just installed the world’s first pods that convert jet blast into power. The technology is intended to relieve some of the pressure on Texas’s energy grid while enhancing resilience against shortages and complementing the state’s push for renewable energy sources.

environment

A new study found that tiny homes are more effective than group shelters at helping unhoused people get off the streets — for good

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animals

The number of unprovoked shark bites dropped dramatically in 2024 worldwide

Worldwide, there were only 47 unprovoked shark bites in 2024 — down from 69 in 2023 and significantly below the 10-year average of 70. Four of those attacks resulted in death, which is also a significant decline.

The U.S. consistently sees the highest number of unprovoked bites and saw 29 total reported incidents in 2024, one of which was fatal. Florida saw more than any other state with 14 bites, eight of them in a single county.

“Unprovoked” bites occur when a person does not initiate contact with a shark. Surfers accounted for 33% of all the unprovoked attacks globally, since turbulent waters attract fish and their predators: sharks.

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