2021 is coming to a close, and while it was another tough year, there’s still plenty to celebrate. To help ring in the new year, the SFG team has gathered our favourite good news stories of 2021.
Chris: The COVID Vaccines
In December 2020, a 90-year-old woman in the UK received the first non-trial Covid-19 vaccine in the world. A year later, almost 9 billion COVID shots have been administered around the world. While we have a ways to go especially in developing countries, but this is the largest mass vaccination campaign in history!
Haley: Heroic dog saves over 100 koalas from Australian bushfires
Bear, a six year old Australian Koolie, trained at the University of the Sunshine Coast, has rescued over 100 injured koalas from raging wildfires.
Kevin: First wind turbine designed to harness typhoon energy
A Japanese energy start-up is building the first wind turbine that can withstand tropical storms, and capture that tremendous energy in typhoon-plagued countries where normal wind turbines need to shut down.
Logan: Canada bans conversion therapy
Conversion therapy — a harmful pseudoscience that aims to change a person’s sexual orientation — is outlawed across Canada as of this year.
Mahir: British man receives the world’s first 3D-printed eye
The world’s first digital prosthetic eye was fitted at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, England, in November.
Max: 25 years later, humpback whale populations are bouncing back
A record number of humpback calves were born in the Salish Sea, an area that 25 years ago had no humpbacks at all.
Preya: World’s oldest prehistoric art is handprints made by children
The Tibetan limestone that the art was found on dates back to between 169,000 and 226,000 BCE, and shows that children were some of the earliest artists.
Tess: Marine life superhighway established near the Galápagos
WA superhighway refuge for turtles, sharks, rays, and more, will expand the existing wildlife reserve by 45%.
Thomas: Ontario’s most northern First Nation goes green with their first solar project
Nestled on the shores of Hudson Bay, Fort Severn powered up its 300-kilowatt solar system earlier this month, a project that will help the First Nation begin its transition off diesel fuel and generate money for the community.
Thanks for reading! We hope you enjoyed these uplifting stories, and found a little something to celebrate this holiday season. If you’d like to share your own good news story from 2021, let us know on our latest LinkedIn post!
Here’s to 2022!
