This week’s good climate news

With so much still to do to slow warming and avoid the worst impacts of climate change, it’s important to fortify ourselves by celebrating wins along the way.

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Colorful fruits and veggies are displayed

Food waste? There's an app for that

Food waste is costly to consumers, businesses and the environment. Apps like Too Good to Go and Flashfood want to reduce the amount of food sent to the dumpster by helping restaurants and grocery stores sell their leftovers at reduced prices to customers. Of all food produced, 35% goes to waste. These apps could greatly reduce that. 

This effort is going global, with similar apps already live in Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan.

An electric car parked at a charging station

GM all-in on all electric

General Motors, the largest U.S. automaker, is supporting a shift to all new zero-emission passenger vehicles by 2035. GM partnered with EDF to develop a set of recommendations for the Environmental Protection Agency as the agency works to develop emissions standards for model year 2027 and beyond. 

“General Motors has the ultimate goal of eliminating tailpipe emissions from new light duty vehicles by 2035,” said GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra.

A solar panel array on top of a school building

The future of education is bright 

Solar power powers 1 in 10 public, independent, and charter K-12 schools in the U.S. — twice as many schools compared with seven years ago. Nearly 6 million students in the country go to “solar schools.”

Some schools have built solar arrays on their rooftops which not only slash their utility bills by thousands of dollars — in some cases, they generated enough electricity to sell back to local communities.

An outdoor water spigot with clear water flowing out of it

Worldwide plan to get 100 million clean water 

Water.org plans to provide 100 million people in Africa, Asia and Latin America with lasting access to clean water. The $1 billion project will deliver water and wastewater treatment systems to villages and communities.

Actor, water activist and Ben Affleck's friend, Matt Damon encouraged people to tackle significant problems and not to let fears of letting people down to slow engagement and progress.

Let’s take action on climate together