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Revealing News For a Better World

Inspirational News Stories
Excerpts of Key Inspirational News Stories in Major Media


Below are highly engaging excerpts of key inspirational stories reported in the mainstream media. Links are provided to the original stories on their major media websites. If any link fails to function, read this webpage. These inspirational stories are ordered by date posted to this list. You can explore the same stories listed by order of importance or by article date. Enjoy your inspirational reading!

Note: This comprehensive list of news stories is usually updated once a week. Explore our full index to revealing excerpts of key major media news stories on several dozen engaging topics. And don't miss amazing excerpts from 20 of the most revealing news articles ever published.


‘You have to find your own recipe': Dutch suburb where residents must grow food on at least half of their property
2024-11-28, The Guardian (One of the UK's Leading Newspapers)
Posted: 2024-12-16 20:34:52
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/nov/28/oosterwold-dutch-suburb-w...

When Marco de Kat starts planning his meals, he doesn't need to travel far for fresh food. Right outside his house is an 800 square metre plot with all sorts of produce – apples, pears, peppers, basil, beets and cauliflower, to name a few. Oosterwold, where de Kat has lived since 2017, is a 4,300 hectare (10,625 acre) urban experiment located east of Amsterdam, in a suburb of the city of Almere, where de Kat works as a municipal councillor. The area, which has about 5,000 residents and a growing waiting list, is completely self-sufficient. Residents can build houses however they like, and must collaborate with others to figure out things such as street names, waste management, roads, and even schools. But the local government has included one extremely unusual requirement: about half of each plot must be devoted to urban agriculture. Some, like de Kat, have turned their gardens into an Eden of sorts to provide for their own household unit. Other residents just plant a few apple trees or outsource by owning plots of land on site that are tended to by professional farmers. Others, such as Jalil Bekkour, have been able to capitalise on it. "I never had experience gardening my own food or anything like that," he said. But he taught himself how to garden, and three years ago he opened his own restaurant, Atelier Feddan, where 80% of the food is directly from Oosterwold. His newfound excitement for gardening and agriculture is palpable.

Note: Learn about the community-powered movement that's transforming yards into microfarms in Los Angeles. Explore more positive stories like this on healing social division and healing the Earth.


Spending less, living longer: What the U.S. can learn from Portugal's innovative health system
2024-12-10, Stat News
Posted: 2024-12-16 20:32:13
https://www.statnews.com/2024/12/10/us-health-care-system-reform-how-portugal...

Portugal has a life expectancy nearly four years longer than the U.S. despite spending 20% of what the U.S. does on health care per person. According to the 2021 Global Security Index, which measures the ability to respond to pandemics, Portugal ranked third out of 195 countries in providing access to affordable health care. The United States ranked 183rd. Portugal has a national health care system, entitling every resident to free or very low-cost health care. It embraces innovative programs such as "social prescribing" that expand the boundaries of what is considered health care, while progressive laws on drug use and treatment have been credited with driving down overdose deaths, even as they rose in the U.S. In the 1990s, Portugal had one of the highest rates of heroin use and fatal overdoses anywhere. In 2001, the country not only decriminalized the use and possession of drugs, but also, in partnership with several non-governmental organizations such as Crescer, created a network of mostly free inpatient and outpatient treatment centers and mobile street teams that seek out drug users to provide medical care, clean needles, and support to enter addiction programs. Two decades later, drug overdose deaths have fallen sharply, from one per day to about 70 to 80 per year. New Jersey, with a smaller population than Portugal, sees 3,000 a year. HIV infection rates have dropped dramatically, too.

Note: Read our Substack to learn about social prescribing and other inspiring remedies to the chronic illness crisis ravaging the world. Explore more positive stories like this on healing social division and healing our bodies.


From eyesore to asset: How a smelly seaweed could fuel cars
2024-11-24, BBC News
Posted: 2024-12-16 20:30:03
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czr71vpz4ypo

When large swathes of invasive seaweed started washing up on Caribbean beaches in 2011, local residents were perplexed. Soon, mounds of unsightly sargassum – carried by currents from the Sargasso Sea and linked to climate change – were carpeting the region's prized coastlines, repelling holidaymakers with the pungent stench emitted as it rots. Now, a pioneering group of Caribbean scientists and environmentalists hope to turn the tide on the problem by transforming the troublesome algae into a lucrative biofuel. They recently launched one of the world's first vehicles powered by bio-compressed natural gas. The innovative fuel source created at the University of the West Indies (UWI) in Barbados also uses wastewater from local rum distilleries, and dung from the island's indigenous blackbelly sheep which provides the vital anaerobic bacteria. The team says any car can be converted to run on the gas via a simple and affordable four-hour installation process, using an easily available kit, at a total cost of around $2,500 (Ł1,940). "Tourism has suffered a lot from the seaweed; hotels have been spending millions on tackling it. It's caused a crisis," Dr Henry, a renewable energy expert and UWI lecturer, [said]. The idea that it could have a valuable purpose was suggested by one of her students, Brittney McKenzie, who had observed the volume of trucks being deployed to transport sargassum from Barbados' beaches.

Note: Explore more positive stories like this on technology for good.


The radical power of gratitude to rewire your life
2024-11-29, MSN News
Posted: 2024-12-12 12:33:43
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/wellness/the-radical-power-of-gratitude-to-r...

Science is revealing that ... giving thanks might be more powerful than we ever imagined. Research shows that expressing gratitude doesn't just make us feel good momentarily – it actually reshapes our brains in ways that enhance our well-being. When you take a moment to count your blessings, your brain releases dopamine and serotonin, chemicals that create feelings of pleasure and contentment. But what's really fascinating is that this isn't just a temporary boost – these moments of thankfulness create a positive feedback loop, training your brain to look for more reasons to be grateful. Brain imaging studies have captured this process in action. When people express gratitude, they activate the prefrontal cortex, the brain's command center for decision-making and emotional regulation. This triggers a cascade of beneficial effects, including sharper attention and increased motivation. Think of it like building a muscle – the more you exercise gratitude, the stronger these neural pathways become, making it progressively easier to access positive emotions. Perhaps even more remarkable is gratitude's effect on stress. When you focus on appreciation, your brain actually dials down the production of cortisol, your body's primary stress hormone. Research conducted at Indiana University found that practicing gratitude can actually change the structure of your brain, particularly in areas linked to empathy and emotional processing. Even simply pausing throughout the day – my favorite practice – to notice and appreciate positive moments can help reshape your neural circuitry.

Note: Explore more positive stories like this about healing social division and healing our bodies.


Can We Ease Loneliness With a Little Gratitude?
2024-11-19, Greater Good Magazine
Posted: 2024-12-12 12:32:07
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/can_we_ease_loneliness_with_a_l...

In a recent Gallup poll, 20% of U.S. adults said they felt lonely "a lot of the day yesterday." While there might be many steps we can take to encourage connection, on both individual andĂź societal levels, a big new study suggests there is one step anyone can take right now to blunt the pain of isolation: giving thanks. College of Charleston researchers James B. Hittner and Calvin D. Widholm collected 26 studies of gratitude and loneliness involving nearly 10,000 people around the world. Then [they] conducted a "meta-analysis" of all the studies together, which can provide stronger evidence for a finding than one study alone. Their results suggest that grateful people tend to be less lonely–no matter their age, their gender, or whether they live in the U.S. or elsewhere. If someone was above average in gratitude, they had a 62% chance of being below average in loneliness. Loneliness, research suggests, is ultimately about how we perceive our relationships and whether they measure up to what we want. And "if one is grateful, then what that should be facilitating are richer, stronger social relationships," says Hittner. One study found that grateful people were more "psychologically flexible," able to nimbly cope with adversity and act in service of their values and sense of meaning in life. Hittner believes that this openness to taking in new ideas, meeting new people, and having new experiences is one good antidote to loneliness.

Note: Explore more positive stories like this about healing social division and healing our bodies.


‘I'm motivated by the puzzle': how Courtney Dauwalter became ultrarunning's GOAT
2024-09-25, The Guardian (One of the UK's Leading Newspapers)
Posted: 2024-12-12 12:26:02
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/sep/25/courtney-dauwalter-ultrarunner-...

In 2023, Courtney Dauwalter became the first person, male or female, to win the Triple Crown, the three most iconic 100-mile races in the world, in a single season. Dauwalter does not have a coach or a strict training plan. She's never been on Strava and doesn't plan races far ahead of time. She runs in long shorts and baggy clothes because, she says, they are more comfortable. She eats candy while training and drinks beer afterwards, because that's what makes her the most happy. "If I'm happy, the engine works way better." While her philosophy may sound casual, the results say otherwise. In the last decade, Dauwalter has won more than 50 ultras, often in dominant fashion, and is widely considered the greatest of all time. Without a coach or set training plan, Dauwalter trains entirely on feel. Her days are structured loosely, which allows for adaptability. She makes decisions intuitively, like how many hill repeats to run or how big her loop should be that day. Curiosity led her to ultrarunning, but success didn't come immediately. In 2012, Dauwalter dropped out of her first 100-mile race, which initially made her doubt herself. "I remember thinking I was a joke for trying it, but that moment was a key part of my path. It taught me about the mental side of ultrarunning and how important the things you tell yourself are, especially in the hardest moments." Years later, Dauwalter's mental fortitude is what truly sets her apart.

Note: Explore more positive human interest stories and stories about healing our bodies.


Can a 'prescription' for free fruits and vegetables improve health? Study after study say yes.
2024-03-21, NBC News
Posted: 2024-12-02 17:42:17
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-care/prescriptions-free-produce-improve...

If doctors prescribed fruits and vegetables like medicine, could people improve their health through diet alone? That's the theory behind a growing number of programs in the U.S. that deliver free produce. These produce prescription programs aim to combat heart problems and obesity-related diseases by either preparing free bundles of fruits and veggies for participants to pick up on a regular schedule, delivering fresh batches of produce to people's homes or giving them money to buy produce. Carol Grand ... joined one such program in late 2022 after she was diagnosed with diabetes. Grand signed up for FreshRx Oklahoma, a nonprofit food prescription service for people with diabetes. The yearlong program distributes bags of locally grown fruits and vegetables, along with recipes, every two weeks. Participants also receive free health screenings. Grand said her blood sugar dropped to nondiabetic levels and she lost 50 pounds. Before the program, she said, she regularly ate junk food because it was more affordable: "My diet was horrible: anything quick, anything loaded with sugar." Now, Grand said, she cooks recipes like sauteed tofu and sweet peppers. Recent studies support the benefits of these programs. "The prescription, instead of going to the pharmacy, goes to the farm," said Lisa Goldman Rosas ... at Stanford School of Medicine. "It's sending the message that food is part of your health because your provider cares about it."

Note: What if the negative news overload on America's chronic illness crisis isn't the full story? Check out our Substack to learn more about the inspiring remedies to the chronic illness crisis! Explore more positive stories like this about healing our bodies.


The Hospitals That Send Patients Home With Nutritious Food
2024-09-20, Reasons to be Cheerful
Posted: 2024-12-02 17:40:10
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/food-pantries-in-hospitals-nutrition/

The waiting room in the basement of Boston Medical Center looks like any other. But when patients here are called in ... they're welcomed into the Preventive Food Pantry. Over the next few minutes, staff members tailor a grocery cart to each patient's needs. Someone with a renal condition won't get foods high in potassium, like oranges or potatoes. If they're diabetic, they'll get whole-grain pasta and brown rice. And everyone leaves with vegetables, fruit and other fresh ingredients. The pantry opened in 2001 after doctors raised the alarm that many of their patients reported not having enough food for their families. Setting up on hospital premises, the pantry was an early pioneer in incorporating access to nutritious food directly into the medical system. The pantry was initially expected to serve 500 people a month. Today, it serves more than 6,200. Addressing hunger isn't just a question of quantity of food, but also quality. Healthy produce, fresh meat and dairy products tend to be more expensive, so for families trying to stretch their dollar, those foods are harder to afford. Faced with high costs of treating conditions linked to food insecurity, medical systems, health insurers and government programs have become more interested in ways to support nutrition access. A [Greater Boston Food Bank] survey found that among people who were screened for food insecurity in a medical setting, 87 percent followed up on recommended resources.

Note: Read about how German hospitals are offering patients the "planetary health diet," a plant-based, whole food approach that's also in service to the Earth. Explore more positive stories like this about healing our bodies.


Combating Parkinson's with rock climbing
2024-11-17, CBS News
Posted: 2024-12-02 17:38:23
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/combating-parkinsons-disease-with-rock-climbing/

On a sweltering summer's day ... a group of people with Parkinson's Disease began rock-climbing on the Carderock Cliffs of Maryland. It's all part of their therapy, says Molly Cupka, the no-nonsense instructor and cheerleader for this community. She started this program, called UpENDing Parkinsons, as a non-profit twelve years ago. "There's a lot of balance involved, mobility involved, strength, cardio, and then there's the cognitive part, where you have to look at the hold, and figure out how to get your body to move to get to that hold," she said. There's no cure for Parkinson's, which usually affects mobility, coordination, balance, and even speech. Some people with Parkinson's, like Vivek Puri, get dyskinesia (involuntary jerking motions). Puri ... was only 38 when he found out he had Parkinson's. "Fine motor skills have kind of really suffered dramatically," he said. "When I don't climb for some periods of time, I get worse." But once he gets on the wall, he calls himself Spider-Man. "Honestly, I climb like a monkey," he said. "I get my finger strength moving, which gets my fine motor skills – maybe not back, but kind of keeps that in motion." Cupka joined forces with Marymount University last year to study patients climbing for the first time. "We have people literally walking and carrying weights, you know, walking and looking, multitasking," she said. The study found that, in so many words, if you climb, you may walk better.

Note: What if the negative news overload on America's chronic illness crisis isn't the full story? Check out our Substack to learn more about the inspiring remedies to the chronic illness crisis! Explore more positive stories like this about healing our bodies.


Chinese Couple Created ‘Cancer Kitchen' in Their Alley to Let Family Members Cook for Loved Ones in Nearby Hospital
2024-10-14, Good News Network
Posted: 2024-11-27 12:48:25
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/chinese-couple-honored-for-their-cancer-kitch...

In the city of Nanchang, in an alleyway near a cancer hospital, two senior citizens run a "community cancer kitchen" to support those caring for their loved ones. Wan Zuocheng and Hong Gengxiang have been doing this charity work for two decades. "No matter what life throws at you, you must eat good food," Mr. Wan told South China Morning Post. For just 3 RMB, the equivalent of around $0.32, anyone can use the kitchen spaces they've set up in the alleyway to cook meals. Sometimes it's for the patients so they can eat something familiar rather than hospital food, while sometimes it's for the people who care for the patients. "There was a couple who came to us with their child," Wan said, talking about the day in 2003 they decided to start their charity kitchen. "They said he didn't want treatment, he just wanted a meal cooked by his mom. So we let them use our kitchen." As time passed they added more utensils, appliances, stoves, and ovens to their stall. This came with gradually increasing use of water, electricity, and coal, but as the costs rose, so too did the community, supporting the couple and their efforts to provide the invaluable service they relied on. Donations began to outpace expenditures, and now nearly 10,000 people come to cook in the cancer kitchen. It's been thoroughly observed in medicine that the odds of beating cancer can be improved with positivity, and what could be more positive than a loved one bringing you a home-cooked meal?

Note: Explore more positive stories like this on healing our bodies and healing social division.


A joyful rise in ‘giving circles'
2024-06-26, Christian Science Monitor
Posted: 2024-11-27 12:46:12
https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2024/0626/A-joyful-ris...

Giving for basic needs such as food or housing has risen for four years despite economic changes. Such giving for "human services" now ranks second to donations for religious institutions. Americans are trying different ways to be generous without relying on established charities. One popular avenue in recent years has been "giving circles." These are small groups of individuals who gather to seek out local needs and then pool money to meet those needs. The growth of giving circles has been explosive. Their numbers have risen from roughly 1,600 seven years ago to nearly 4,000 last year. Their total giving has jumped from $1.29 billion to more than $3.1 billion, according to a report ... by Philanthropy Together. The report found that 77% of people in a collective giving group say their participation gave them a "feeling that their voices mattered on social issues." The report attributes such results to five "T's": time, treasure, talent, ties, and testimony. This sort of bottom-up philanthropy relies heavily on trust, equality, and selflessness; a virtuous circle that draws in more individuals who see the inherent worth of those in need in a community. Giving circles are also "schools of democracy." Participants must often listen to and learn from those who hold opposite views on social problems. The report predicts that the number of giving circles will double in the next five years. New ways of giving are not only creating new ways of gathering. They are also pointing to higher concepts of joy.

Note: Explore more positive stories like this on healing social division and reimagining the economy.


How Virtual Power Plants are empowering communities through clean energy
2024-10-22, Shareable
Posted: 2024-11-27 12:43:27
https://www.shareable.net/how-virtual-power-plants-are-empowering-rural-commu...

A Virtual Power Plant (VPP) is a network that connects homes, farms, and businesses using renewable energy sources like rooftop solar, batteries, heat pumps, and smart appliances. Unlike traditional power plants, a VPP doesn't rely on one central facility. Instead, it creates a coordinated system where each participant contributes power and flexibility. For rural communities, VPPs offer a powerful solution to increasing energy demand and the challenges posed by severe weather. These systems allow smarter energy management, helping communities stabilize their energy use and reduce their reliance on costly fossil fuels like coal and gas. A standout example comes from Colorado's Holy Cross Energy. Their Power+ Program offers members affordable, lease-to-own home battery storage systems. These batteries store energy during off-peak hours and release it when demand is high or during outages. This not only saves money but also improves energy security and resilience. Similar success stories are unfolding in Vermont, where Green Mountain Power operates a VPP using Tesla Powerwalls. The program saved millions by strategically using stored energy to offset peak demand. These savings are shared with customers through bill credits, creating a win-win model for utilities and participants. Virtual Power Plants show how local, cooperative solutions can drive a national energy transformation.

Note: Explore more positive stories like this about technology for good.


Growing Food Instead of Lawns in California Front Yards
2024-11-05, New York Times
Posted: 2024-11-22 12:55:07
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/05/climate/microfarms-cropswapla-food-deserts...

Tangles of grapes and blackberries grow in clusters along a trellis. Leafy rows of basil, sweet potatoes and mesclun spring from raised garden troughs. Most striking are corridors of elevated planters stacked four high, like multilevel bunk beds, filled with kale, cabbage, arugula, various lettuces, eggplants, tatsoi and collard greens. Run by a gardening wizard named Jamiah Hargins, this wee farm in the front yard of his bungalow provides fresh produce for 45 nearby families, all while using a tiny fraction of the water required by a lawn. At just 2,500 square feet, this farm forms the heart of Mr. Hargins's nonprofit, Crop Swap LA, which transforms yards and unused spaces into microfarms. It runs three front yard farms that provide organic fruits and vegetables each week to 80 families, all living in a one-mile radius, and often with food insecurity. Rooted in the empowering idea that people can grow their own food, Crop Swap LA has caught on, with a wait list of 300 residents wanting to convert their yards into microfarms. The mini farms bring environmental benefits, thanks to irrigation and containment systems that capture and recycle rain. That allows the farms to produce thousands of pounds of food without using much water. "Some people pay $100 a month on their water because they're watering grass, but they don't get to eat anything, no one gets any benefit from it," Mr. Hargins said. "I can't think of a more generous gift to give to the community than to grow delicious, naturally organic food for the direct community," [says Crop Swap LA subscriber] Katherine Wong. "This is one of the noblest things anyone is doing today."

Note: Explore more positive stories like this about healing our bodies and healing the Earth.


What Art Does for Your Brain
2023-04-25, Greater Good
Posted: 2024-11-22 12:52:39
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_art_does_for_your_brain

A new book, Your Brain on Art, by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross, helps explain ... the science of "neuroaesthetics"–how our brains respond to aesthetic and artistic experiences. The authors make the case that art is good for our physical and mental health. Appreciating or making art involves using many parts of our brain–from those that process our senses to those involved in emotion, memory, and cognition. "When you experience virtual reality, read poetry or fiction, see a film or listen to a piece of music, or move your body to dance, to name a few of the many arts, you are biologically changed," write Magsamen and Ross. "There is a neurochemical exchange that can lead to what Aristotle called catharsis, or a release of emotion that leaves you feeling more connected." One study involving more than 23,000 ... participants found that those who either made art at least once a week or attended cultural events at least once or twice a year were happier and had better mental health than those who didn't. This was independent of their age, marital status, income, health behaviors, social support, and more. "The arts are being used in at least six distinct ways to heal the body: as preventative medicine; as symptom relief for everyday health issues; as treatment or intervention for illness, developmental issues, and accidents; as psychological support; as a tool for successfully living with chronic issues; and at the end of life to provide solace and meaning," the authors write.

Note: Explore more positive stories like this about the incredible power of art.


The Best Way to Restore a Rainforest Is Simply to Leave It Be
2024-11-09, Mother Jones
Posted: 2024-11-22 12:50:44
https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2024/11/tropical-rainforest-restorati...

Left on their own, some deforested areas can rebound surprisingly fast with minimal help from humans, sequestering loads of atmospheric carbon as they grow. New research from an international team of scientists, recently published in the journal Nature, finds that 830,000 square miles of deforested land in humid tropical regions–an area larger than Mexico–could regrow naturally if left on its own. Five countries–Brazil, China, Colombia, Indonesia, and Mexico–account for 52 percent of the estimated potential regrowth. That would boost biodiversity, improve water quality and availability, and suck up 23.4 gigatons of carbon over the next three decades. "A rainforest can spring up in one to three years," said Matthew Fagan, a conservation scientist and ... coauthor of the paper. "In five years, you can have a completely closed canopy that's 20 feet high. I have walked in rainforests 80 feet high that are 10 to 15 years old. It just blows your mind." That sort of regrowth isn't a given, though. First of all, humans would have to stop using the land for intensive agriculture–think big yields thanks to fertilizers and other chemicals–or raising hoards of cattle, the sheer weight of which compacts the soil and makes it hard for new plants to take root. A global goal known as the Bonn Challenge aims to restore 1.3 million square miles of degraded and deforested land by 2030. More than 70 governments and organizations from 60 countries ... have signed on.

Note: Explore more positive stories like this about healing the Earth.


Healing the political divide
2021-01-01, American Psychological Association
Posted: 2024-11-12 13:35:34
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2021/01/healing-political-divide

Psychological science suggests that it is both possible and imperative for members of our society to find common ground. "Some of this divide is a matter of perception," says Tania Israel, PhD, professor of counseling psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. "Most people are not on the extremes of any of these issues, but most of what we hear is from people who are more on the extremes." (More in Common, 2018; More in Common, 2019) People have a natural tendency to conceptualize everyone on the other side of the political spectrum as if they were the same as the leaders and spokespeople of that side. "[Leaders] can be very effective at creating and strengthening ‘mutual radicalization,'" says Fathali Moghaddam, PhD, using a term he coined to describe the growth of two opposing sides toward more and more extreme stances. One way to mitigate the divisiveness is to physically bring people together in safe, highly structured dialogue groups. We must also let go of our tendencies to want to bring someone to our own side of the political divide. "People are married to the notion that they can change minds–this almost always isn't true," says [psychotherapist Jeanne] Safer. In our personal relationships, Tania Israel [at the University of California, Santa Barbara] stresses to keep in mind our own sometimes-faulty perceptions of the other side. "Don't make assumptions about someone based on their vote. Instead, I encourage people to be curious about what their vote meant to them. That's an opportunity to open up a conversation to learn more about people that are important to us."

Note: Our latest 7-min video explores the importance of healing the polarization that's poisoning our conversations and sabotaging democracy. For more, read our recent article on healing the culture wars and explore more positive stories like this on healing social division.


Democrats and Republicans Are More Similar Than You Might Think, and That Matters!
2023-11-29, The Society for Personality and Social Psychology
Posted: 2024-11-12 13:33:18
https://spsp.org/news/character-and-context-blog/syropoulos-leidner-republica...

Whether revealed in a post on social media, a short video on TikTok, or the latest piece of news on Fox or NBC, it is hard to ignore political divisions in the U.S. We ... conducted a survey of over 2,400 Republicans and Democrats in the lead-up to the 2020 presidential elections. We included questions about each person's moral and sociopolitical attitudes and beliefs. We found considerable similarity in their moral and political attitudes. At least 75% of responses overlapped. Both groups endorsed the importance of considering how fair or harmful their actions are for others, and they both believed that upholding democracy and finding bipartisan solutions is important for the U.S. In a series of subsequent experiments involving more than 4,400 participants, we presented our findings to people who had not participated in the survey. Participants all saw the same findings, but they were randomly assigned to see the information described in different ways. For some participants, our results were described as showing small differences between Democrats and Republicans, whereas for others they were described as showing a high degree of similarity between the two groups. When findings were described as showing similarities, participants thought that their political opponents had attitudes and beliefs that were more similar to their own group. They were more willing to find common ground with their political opponents on major social issues like gun control and abortion. Focusing on group differences might inadvertently contribute to political tension.

Note: Our latest 7-min video explores the importance of healing the polarization that's poisoning our conversations and sabotaging democracy. For more, read our recent article on healing the culture wars and explore more positive stories like this on healing social division.


Politeness or civility? Alexandra Hudson untangles the difference.
2023-10-17, Christian Science Monitor
Posted: 2024-11-12 13:31:44
https://www.csmonitor.com/Books/2023/1017/Politeness-or-civility-Alexandra-Hu...

For Alexandra Hudson, working in Washington, D.C., was a culture shock. Ms. Hudson hails from Canada, land of the nice. "I realized that these people would smile at you, flatter you, and stab you in the back the moment that you no longer served their purposes," [said Ms. Hudson]. Her first book, "The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles To Heal Society and Ourselves," looks at how to bridge gaps and find commonalities. "Clarity came when I understood there was a difference between civility and politeness," [said Ms. Hudson]. "That politeness, I argue in my book, is a technique. Civility, by contrast, is a disposition of the heart, a way of seeing others as our moral equals and worthy of respect because of our shared dignity as human beings. When we are cruel and malicious to others, it doesn't happen in a vacuum. It's not just us hurting someone else. We are hurt as well. It deforms us, our souls, as well. The soul of civility [is] acting in ways that cultivate our soul. We further appreciate the humanity and dignity and personhood of those around us. The differences that may exist between us are far outweighed by the commonalities we have as members of the human community. If we go through life without a care in the world for how our actions affect others, that has a negative, vicious ripple effect. If enough of us choose to reclaim the soul of civility, I think we might be able to change the world."

Note: Our latest 7-min video explores the importance of healing the polarization that's poisoning our conversations and sabotaging democracy. For more, read our recent article on healing the culture wars and explore more positive stories like this on healing social division.


How this hospital is treating food as medicine
2024-10-29, Washington Post
Posted: 2024-11-06 17:19:39
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/10/29/boston-medical-center-food...

Clinicians know that their patients' health is determined not just by the care they receive but also factors outside the confines of medicine – employment, financial stability, safe housing and access to nutritious food, to name a few. Boston Medical Center ... is well ahead of the curve; 23 years ago, it began its first "food as medicine" program. Patients identified as having food insecurity receive a food "prescription," meaning they could visit a food pantry run by the hospital once every two weeks and receive boxes customized for their medical conditions. Latchman Hiralall, manager of BMC's Preventive Food Pantry, explained that clinicians give a referral to the program, so workers know whether the patient requires a diet for diabetes, kidney disease, autoimmune conditions and so forth. Eligible patients can walk in right away, chat with pantry staff and leave with a wide array of food. Crucially, it's patients who decide what food they take. Eligibility is simply a matter of answering yes to two questions about whether they are worried about getting enough food. They don't need to show proof of financial stress. The program serves about 6,800 patients, distributing 50,000 pounds of food a month. The source of much of the fresh produce: The hospital itself. That's right – BMC operates its own rooftop farm. Seventy percent of the vegetables grown there go to Preventive Food Pantry participants. A portion of the rest is served in the hospital cafeteria.

Note: Read about how German hospitals are offering patients the "planetary health diet," a plant-based, whole food approach that's also in service to the Earth. Explore more positive stories like this about healing our bodies.


Georgia 9th grader invents AI tool to detect pesticides on food
2024-10-26, News Nation
Posted: 2024-11-06 17:17:24
https://www.newsnationnow.com/science/9th-grader-invents-tool-pesticides-food/

Sirish Subash is no ordinary ninth-grade student. The 14-year-old from Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology in Snellville, Georgia, was named America's top young scientist after winning the 2024 3M Young Scientist Challenge. The reason? Subash's creation of an AI handheld pesticide detector named "Pestiscand." "It works on a method called spectrophotometry. Now what this means is that it uses different ways that light interacts with different chemicals to look for different chemicals on the produce," Subash [said]. "Each chemical reflects different parts or wavelengths of light, and that creates a spectral signature, which is basically a catalog of what wavelengths are reflected back. So, "Pestiscand" can look for those wavelengths that are reflected by side residues on the produce." While the product is not on the market for the broader public at this time, Subash aims to dedicate his time to ensuring it has mass availability in the near future. "I want to continue developing projects like "Pestiscand" and eventually get them out to the world, to the market. That's one of my goals for "Pestiscand", to get it out to everyone," Subash added. In his downtime, Subash enjoys reading both fiction and non-fiction and making origami. His $25,000 prizefund will go toward his college education

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