iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

The UNEP estimates 300 million tons of plastic waste is generated annually, with only 9 percent ever recycled. The long-term success of initiatives like Akshar Forum hinges on how efficiently they can process the plastic brought in.

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

Globally, projects assign value to plastic to create financial incentives for communities to collect it. Social enterprise Plastic Bank and Morit International School in Lagos accept plastic as tuition. But sustainability depends on effective recycling and reuse.

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

To tackle the plastic crisis, Parmita Sarma co-founded Akshar Forum in 2016 with Mazin Mukhtar. Instead of waiving tuition fees, they decided to accept plastic waste as payment. It’s a unique twist on education and environmental responsibility.

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

life would be very different.” Assam faces a significant plastic waste disposal problem. Guwahati produces 500 metric tons of waste every day, with less than a third processed. The rest leaches toxins into the environment, or is burned by those with few options for warmth during harsh winters.

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

When they arrive at school, the kids queue patiently, chatting as they wait to deposit their weekly “fees.” “I wonder why, across Pamohi, people still don’t segregate their waste,” muses 15-year-old Piyush Kalita. “If only we figured out how to dispose of plastic properly,

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

On a misty Thursday morning in the village of Pamohi, Assam, children walk to school with two bags. One holds their books; the other, 25 cleaned and sorted plastic bags and bottles. For these students, the latter is currency — their school, the Akshar Forum, accepts plastic as tuition fees.

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

AstraZeneca is already exploring U.S. partnerships, as seen with its pilot program at Montgomery College in Maryland. The next generation is eager to innovate, just like Malachi Reid, whose determination fuels the aspiration of advancing medicine. #FutureLeaders

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

Unlike the U.S., where apprenticeship is less structured and suffers from unreliable funding, England’s centralized approach offers a cohesive strategy for workforce education, creating a roadmap for American initiatives. #HigherEducation

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

Yet, challenges remain. Nearly a third of degree apprentices don’t complete their programs, often due to mismatched expectations with employers. The U.K. model is under scrutiny to ensure it maintains social mobility amidst rising competition. #WorkforceDevelopment

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

Degree apprenticeships are booming across England, with over 60,000 apprentices starting programs in various fields. Major companies like JP Morgan and Microsoft back these apprenticeships, making them as competitive as entry to top universities. #CareerPaths

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

While Goshawk studies at Manchester Metropolitan University, AstraZeneca funds his chemical science degree, allowing him to earn nearly £100,000 ($130,000) before graduation next spring. It’s a foothold into the workforce without the burdens of student debt. #EducationReform

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

In Macclesfield, England, 21-year-old Ishan Goshawk, an apprentice at AstraZeneca, steps into a lab full of robots, ready to fill vials for experiments. Unlike most students, he’s using high-end equipment from his second week on the job. #Apprenticeship

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

Parts of Manhattan report drops in pollution and traffic due to congestion pricing. Check the full content here: theprogressnetwork.org/good-news-pi….

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

Quick Hits: 3D mapping of Mexico’s Popocatépetl volcano has been completed. A study indicates dementia cases will rise less than expected. Brazil has achieved the elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission. A Nipah virus vaccine has entered Phase 2 trials.

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

manufacturers are set to produce cheaper generics as global patents expire. By the Numbers: >97% of Norway's new vehicle sales are electric. 43 countries have decoupled economic growth from emissions. $2.2T is the expected clean energy investment, a record, by 2025.

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

potentially making LSD a viable alternative anxiety treatment by 2027. Ozempic vs. Obesity: The obesity rate fell in the U.S. in 2025, with drugs like Ozempic leading the charge. As more affordable and potent options emerge, including the first GLP-1 pill now in the U.S.,

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

NASA now faces only a 1% cut in their 2026 fiscal budget! Acid for Anxiety: A groundbreaking trial last year showed that a high dose of LSD could provide relief from moderate to severe anxiety for up to three months. This year, two major follow-up trials are concluding,

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

We Are Going Back to the Moon! NASA's Artemis 2 mission will launch in early 2026, sending four astronauts around the moon for the first time since 1972. Future plans are to establish a permanent outpost on the moon’s southern polar region. After years of budget struggles,

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

2026 is off to a deeply unnerving start. Yet some things can be anticipated with excitement rather than trepidation. Without further ado…

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

This is the latest weekly newsletter, What Could Go Right? Sign up here to receive it in your inbox every Thursday at 5am ET. Catch up on past issues here.

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

the Reasons to be Cheerful team is eager to hear about your inspiring resolutions. Send them to info@reasonstobecheerful.world and we’ll feature some next week! Check the full content here: reasonstobecheerful.world/what-were….

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

the New year brings new resolutions! From exploring cuisines with friends to carving out more downtime,

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

and community organizers to heal fire-impacted landscapes in Southern California. “I’ve seen amazing reductions in contaminants in relatively short times with very few inputs,” says Stevenson. “I really believe in this stuff.” In other news,

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

details the work of Dr. Danielle Stevenson in removing toxins from contaminated soils using mushrooms and native plants. Dr. Stevenson is part of the SoCal Post-Fire Bioremediation Coalition, collaborating with scientists, mycologists,

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

shows promise in addressing issues caused by wildfires. This Atmos feature, shared by Interim Editorial Director Tess Riley,

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

the clearer it becomes that these re-entry programs provide a meaningful, skills-based pursuit while incarcerated, offering a pathway to employment after release. In another noteworthy area, mycoremediation, which utilizes mushrooms to rehabilitate nature,

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

people saw us as heroes, recognizing the good we could achieve when given a second chance.” The idea of training incarcerated people to fight wildfires raises questions about fairness — is it right to ask someone with no leverage to pursue such a dangerous job? However, the more one learns,

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

Amezcua reflects on the weeks spent battling the fires as one of hundreds of incarcerated firefighters. “When people think of incarcerated people, they often see us as a danger, with our past mistakes magnified,” he writes. “Amid the smoke, ash, and destruction of the L.A. fires,

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

For Jose Angel Amezcua, a formerly-incarcerated firefighter from Salinas, the fires marked a different but equally fundamental moment in his life. In a CalMatters piece shared by Executive Editor Will Doig,

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

A year on from the devastating Los Angeles fires that burned for weeks and killed 31 people, the smell of smoke still lingers in L.A. County as residents — many of whom remain displaced — continue rebuilding their lives.

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

Welcome back to our weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at what’s getting the team talking. Let us know what you’ve been reading at info@reasonstobecheerful.world!

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

As the Maldives sets a precedent, it will serve as a valuable test case for the future of tobacco regulation. Opinions are welcome as this conversation will shape the tobacco endgame. #FutureOfTobacco

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

Countries like Greece have raised valid points about potential tourism impacts when considering smoking bans. The question remains: can effective alternatives be implemented without risking social freedoms? #Tourism

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

While advocates applaud this progress, concerns arise. Some fear that such bans may shift smoking to an underground, unregulated market and raise civil liberties issues. Is it worth the potential trade-offs? #CivLiberties

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

The World Health Organization reports a decrease of 120 million smokers since 2010, and by 2030, it anticipates that fewer than one in five adults in Southeast Asia will be smokers. #WHO

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

The generational ban is part of a two-decade global push to eliminate tobacco use entirely. A smoke-free world could drastically improve public health, especially since tobacco remains a leading cause of death worldwide alongside air pollution and high blood pressure. #PublicHealth

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

This week's newsletter dives into the significant strides toward a tobacco-free future. New Zealand considered a generational tobacco ban, but the Maldives has taken the lead, being the first to prohibit anyone born after January 1, 2007, from smoking or selling tobacco. #TobaccoEndgame

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Plus, Spain added six new marine reserves, deforestation is declining in the Brazilian Amazon, and there are exciting breakthroughs in treatments for diseases like AMD. #news #goodnews #positive

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

For more Fantastic News, make sure to subscribe to Good News! Highlights this month include: 300,000 landmines removed in Sri Lanka, new laws in Mexico to protect sharks, and a rebound in the North Atlantic Right Whale population.

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Check out their project protecting the Amazon and its flying rivers to get to know them better: planetwild.com/r/goodnews/m29/12

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Want to restore the planet’s ecosystems while witnessing your impact in monthly videos? The first 100 people to join Planet Wild with the code GOOD12 will get the first month for free: planetwild.com/r/goodnews/join/12

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Thanks for a fantastic year, everyone! Here's to seeing each other in 2026! #Gratitude

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Reasons to be Cheerful’s 2025 Annual Report shares our story and reflects the commitment to community that goes beyond mere publication. #AnnualReport

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

For the second consecutive year, a report designed for the readers has been crafted, detailing exactly what this support fosters. #Transparency

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The Bright Side @the-bright-side.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Readers! It’s winter membership drive time, and the goal is to raise $75,000 before year-end. Will support help reach this target? #MembershipDrive

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