Sunrise over snowy range of Southern Wyoming

Photo: Alex Burke

Reading the news has become something I dread and seems impossible to do without doom-scrolling. Everyone knows that many negative things are happening in our world, especially with climate news, but this is not the only news out there. It is important to be informed about current events, but for our mental health, this should also include some positive news. I have compiled just three positive news stories from the last two weeks, but truly, there are a lot more. Whenever everything you are reading is negative, sometimes a simple Google search for positive news from this week will make a major impact. 

In the UK, they have just passed a law that will transform their energy sector for the better. About 3.6 million people in the UK spend their income on energy bills, and solar panels have the potential to be a solution, with the ability to cut bills by 24%. As of May 2025, all houses in the UK will be legally required to install solar panels by 2027. The goal is to decarbonize the electricity grid by 2030 and cut household energy consumption by £300 annually. Mandating solar panels on new homes has caused a stir in the government, but ultimately has been supported by many citizens. Renewable energy has the opportunity for great benefit to homeowners in the UK and the country’s climate goals as a whole. 

A new report shows that Paris has cut their emissions in half with simple changes to the city. Over the past few years, Paris has been reconstructing their infrastructure to move towards sustainable transportation. This includes adding green spaces, removing car parking spots, and adding bike lanes across the city. A company in France that tracks the regional air quality stated that fine particulate matter has decreased 55% since 2005, and nitrogen dioxide has decreased 50%. The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has gotten major pushback for her various climate policies since 2014, which include an increase in parking fees for large cars, turning the Seine into a pedestrian zone, and banning car traffic from certain areas. Parisian citizens themselves have shown support through a referendum vote to transform 500 streets into pedestrian streets. Cleaner air in a major urban area is a promising illustration of the power of climate policy. These extreme cuts in air pollution are mostly from something as simple as decreasing cars and increasing bikes. This is convincing people to drive less overall and turn to walking, public transit, and biking instead, based on the new infrastructure of the city.

Universities across the US are taking a stand against the current administration to uphold their values. University of Massachusetts President Marty Meechan recently gave a speech to address the university’s firm stance on climate tech, sustainability, clean energy, and climate justice. Massachusetts has some of the strongest climate and energy laws in the country. The state has recently signed an act providing $1.4 billion in state funding for climate technology development. UMass is a research institute, and as the president of the university, Meechan wants to ensure this is not at risk. State-level change is necessary as the federal level is not providing support but actually doing the opposite through funding cuts. The state has already passed many climate laws, including cutting state emissions in half by the end of the decade, net zero by 2050, improved solar and wind farm infrastructure, and more. The UMass system spans five campuses with about 73,000 students, so the commitment to climate action and research has a great impact. President Trump has already cut $4 million in climate research from Princeton, so this strong call to action is very reassuring. 

It is easy to fall down a rabbit hole of bad news when it is constantly at the forefront. It can become all-encompassing and lead you to avoid it altogether. There is great value in being informed about current events, but it is also important to have an awareness of all kinds of news. It is shocking how impactful it can be to read a few positive news stories. It has the ability to remind you that not everything is doom and gloom. Take time during your week to read the news, but maybe also take a few more minutes to read about some positive news. 

 

Sources

Ahmed , Naema, and Chico Harlan. After Paris Curbed Cars, Air Pollution Maps Reveal a Dramatic Change – The Washington Post, www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2025/04/12/air-pollution-paris-health-cars/. Accessed 8 May 2025. 

Burke, Alex. “Connecting with Nature through Landscape Photography.” Alex Burke Photography, Alex Burke Photography, 25 Feb. 2016, www.alexburkephoto.com/blog/2015/11/02/connecting-with-nature-through-landscape-photography. 

Courea, Eleni. “Solar Panels to Be Fitted on All New-Build Homes in England by 2027.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 1 May 2025, www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/01/solar-panels-fitted-all-new-build-homes-england-by-2027#:~:text=net%20zero%20policies.-,Housebuilders%20will%20be%20legally%20required%20to%20install%20solar%20panels%20on,bills%2C%20according%20to%20the%20Times. 

Donadel, Alcino. “How UMass Is Becoming an Unparalleled Climate Hub.” University Business, 28 Apr. 2025, universitybusiness.com/how-umass-is-becoming-an-unparalleled-climate-hub/. 

Horton, Helena. “Solar Panels Could Cut Fuel-Poor UK Families’ Energy Bills by 24%, Says Study.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 13 Feb. 2025, www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/13/solar-panels-could-cut-energy-bills-by-quarter-fuel-poor-uk-families-study. 

Peters, Adele. Paris Air Pollution Is down 50% after Its Radical Bike-Friendly …, 16 Apr. 2025, www.fastcompany.com/91317234/paris-air-pollution-is-down-50-after-its-radical-bike-friendly-transformation. 

Pillion, Dennis. “Universities, States Have ‘responsibility’ to Act on Climate in Trump Era, UMass President Says.” Inside Climate News, 25 Apr. 2025, insideclimatenews.org/news/25042025/university-of-massachusetts-climate-action/