Positive News

The U.K. government is backing a global moratorium on deep-sea mining, after dozens of scientists warned of the grave consequences of seabed exploitation for our oceans. The welcome policy shift puts the U.K. on a growing list of at least 20 countries calling for a pause on commercial deep-sea mining, joining Brazil, Canada, Germany, and Sweden in advocating to protect our oceans from the risky practice. 🌊 | Source: The Guardian

Research suggests that whales enjoy playing with seaweed in a newly identified behavior known as “kelping.” Whales in Australia have been observed tossing swaths of seaweed in the air and swimming through the algae headfirst for sensory stimulation. Three individuals have even been observed “sharing” their kelp! This development signals that there’s more to discover about the relationship between these vital members of marine ecosystems around the world. 🐋 | Source: BBC News

An innovative robotics company is crafting a manta ray-shaped underwater robot to collect carbon-rich sargassum seaweed and sink it to the dark depths of the ocean floor. Sargassum is growing at an alarming rate — likely due to industrial activity — and piling up along coastlines, but the “AlgaRay” is being developed to reduce these harmful blooms and rapidly sequester carbon. The founder suggests that harnessing the algae could remove billions of tons of carbon every year. 🥽 | Good News Network

Tidal power holds remarkable potential for renewable energy generation, with studies suggesting that tides could provide as much as 11% of the U.K.'s annual electricity needs! While wind and solar remain important sources of renewable energy, they depend on clear skies and strong winds. But the predictable tides provide a reliable ebb and flow that is likely to play a significant role in the promising future of renewable energy in the U.K. and beyond 🌊 | Source: BBC

Environmental activists in Venezuela are putting hair to good use by weaving donations of local locks into nets, or “booms,” that will absorb the extensive oil spill in Lake Maracaibo, one of the world’s largest and oldest lakes. Research suggests that two pounds of hair can soak up to 17 pounds of oil, so in pursuit of this innovative and cost-effective natural solution, salons, environmentalists, and those seeking a trim are working together to collect approximately seven tons of hair every three months! ✂️ | Source: The Washington Post

The Wild Oysters Project released 10,000 native oysters off the northeast coast of England this month as part of an initiative designed to restore an oasis of oyster reefs along the U.K. coastline. In addition to helping restore diminishing populations, the oysters will filter pollutants from the water and act as natural storm barriers, with a single oyster filtering up to 100 liters of water per day — that’s more water than a full bath! 🛁 | Source: Good News Network

A fishing ban on catching the piracatinga catfish has been renewed, shaping a hopeful future for the pink river “boto” dolphin, a captivating mammal native to the Amazon for the past 15 million years! The Brazilian government has extended the moratorium for the third time since 2014, an initiative introduced to protect the boto, which is typically captured and used as bait for catfish 🐬 | Source: Mongabay

Scientists in China have created an innovative and experimental sponge made out of cornstarch and gelatin, designed to absorb microplastic and nanoplastic particles from seawater. These sponges are biodegradable and light as a feather, inspired by the filter-feeding activity of oysters that trap particles in their gills as they pump seawater through them! 🧽 | Source: Good News Network

A conservation and river engagement project on the River Severn in the UK has reconnected the once abundant twaite shad fish with their ancient spawning grounds for the first time in more than 180 years! Improving access to these waterways has restored over 150 miles of river habitat for the small, silvery fish, providing hope for the future of freshwater and migratory fish populations 🐟 | Source: The Guardian

Back in 2018, more than 50,000 metric tons of sewage-smelling sargassum seaweed overran the coast of Mexico, reportedly stemming from high levels of nitrogen in the sea — the result of agricultural runoff and deforestation. Instead of focusing only on a shoreline in crisis, local gardener Omar de Jesús Vazquez Sánchez saw the opportunity for an innovative solution, grinding fine, dried sargassum into resilient construction bricks, or “sargablocks”. Since 2014, over 40 homes have been built with these bricks! 🧱 | Source: Insider Business