The third weekly Top 10 good news list was delayed because of link-problems we were having on our site. . . Here it is a few days late, produced especially for my political activist-friends.
Top Ten Good News Stories of the Week
1) Mexican Artisans Turn Trash Into Fashion Handbags
A nonprofit group near Mexico City develops initiatives to help lift residents in poor communities out of poverty and into better living standards. What started as a way to recycle litter -- candy wrappers and potato chip bags -- into something that could be sold at the local market -- coin purses and belts -- ended up as the beginning of a fashion craze in America, and Mexican women are the designers.
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Read #2-#9 top good news stories below....
2) A Hero to Iraqi Kids, American Soldier Inspired to Give Gifts
From the Oregonian comes this Memorial Day tribute to an American soldier who gets a kick out of bringing gifts to the kids in Iraq. Sgt. Joe Coon's grandmother writes to the Oregonian: "Joe was so moved by the bare feet he saw in Iraq, he urged his friends to send shoes for the children. The result was 1,200 pairs of shoes and 300 pounds of clothing sent to Iraq in 54 large boxes, inundating the post office."
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3) Enron Prosecutors Hail Verdicts Against Lay and Skilling
The verdicts, while not reimbursing Enron empoyees the hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost pension plans, will renew their faith in the sense of fairness in our justice system. Business leaders should bear not only the privilege of office but also the responsibility.
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4) Boy, 6, Saves Kid Brother from Cougar
The Canadian Press reports on a 6 year-old boy from British Columbia whose instincts for both bravery and responsibility for a younger brother overcame his fear as he faced a crouching cougar in his back yard. His father tells the story and shares a photo...
5) Ex-Lumber Lobbyist Evangelizes Recycled Pulp and Paper
Sustainability for the Fortune 500 corporation is not just about environmental and social responsibility. Companies who once fought in court against environmental activists are finding today that sustainability saves the corporation money.
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6) Ride your Bike to Work Week: More People Peddling to Jobs
2005 was one of the top years for bike sales in the U.S. with 20 million bikes sold. 2006 promises to be a record year as people tire of high gas prices. Wisconsin's Department of Transportation reported that the state's motorists actually drove fewer miles in 2005 as compared to 2004, by 300-400 million vehicle-miles and public transit ridership is up.
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7) Corporate Board Rooms Open the Doors to Green Advisors
There is daily cooperation these days between environmentalists and the corporations they used to attack with lawsuits, protests and boycotts. . . While there is still a place for such activities in the eco-playbook, "there's a whole lot more to be gained by working together.
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8) Underwater Windmills Supply Environmentally-Friendly Power to NYC
Experimental underwater windmills will be installed in New York City's East River during the next weeks to begin generating power utilizing the non-stop action of the tides. Enthusiasts of the new environmentally friendly hydropower say the machines generate electricity without the problems associated with wind power.
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9) Preakness Barbaro Showing Encouraging Signs
The unbeaten horse that won the Kentucky Derby then shocked the crowd at Pimlico last weekend by fractured its leg in three places is gaining in the race that counts the most now. The chief surgeon reports that Barbaro is a good patient and showing consistent progress. Most horses with such severe injuries are euthanized, but the owners are betting he will win again, in the race to heal his fracture. Hundreds have sent in cards, flowers and carrots...
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10) Parking Meters Provide Area for Mini-Parks
Some folks in San Francisco decided there was not enough green space downtown so they "leased" the area provided by a parking meter, usually reserved for cars, to created a mini-park for a day. Pedestrians lounged on the park bench under a temporary tree. The grass invited shoes to come off. No authority interfered at all.
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For more good news and inspiring stories -- going back to 1997 -- Check out the Good News Network, Geri Weis-Corbley, Editor/Publisher (c)2006