Happy Monday 👋

Did you know that just 6% of all pilots are female?

What’s more, female pilots often find themselves the targets of discrimination, harassment, and workplace bias.

So, today I would like to share an event with you that raises the profiles of female aviators and addresses the gender imbalance in the industry. 

Here are the impactful insights that I have for you today:

• Celebrating female aviators ✈️
• The $200 billion commitment to protect nature 🌎
• Green grout to create a more sustainable construction industry 🧱
• Discussion of the week: reducing your plastic footprint 💬
• And more… 💚

✈️ Event of the Week: Women of Aviation Week

👉 Did you know that this week (March 3-9) is Women of Aviation Week? This event was founded to address gender imbalance in the aviation and space industries. 

1️⃣ The big picture: Women of Aviation Week was founded in 2010 after airline-rated pilot and aviation educator Mireille Goyer tried unsuccessfully to find planned events to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the world’s first female pilot license issued to Raymonde de Laroche on March 8, 1910. Determined not to let this important milestone for female pioneers go unnoticed, she launched a worldwide campaign which became known as Women of Aviation Week. She encouraged pilots from around the world to Fly it Forward (introduce a woman or girl to flying in an aircraft). Today, the event is used to raise awareness of gender bias through educational workshops and campaigns, with activities being organized in 52 countries on 5 continents and 69,768 females taking their first flight. 

2️⃣ Why is this important: Women have been involved in the aviation industry from the very beginning. For example, E. Lillian Todd designed and built aircraft in 1906, and Helen Richey became the first female pilot for a US commercial airline in 1934. Yet, women are still underrepresented with female pilots representing just 6% of the total pilot population. This underrepresentation is due to a myriad of factors including discrimination, workplace bias, harassment, and a lack of female role models in the industry. 

3️⃣ How can you get involved: You can get involved in Women of Aviation Week by raising awareness of female aviators on social media by using the hashtag #WomenOf AviationWorldwideWeek. You can also organize a WOAW event in your own community or take the time to learn more about pioneering female aviators throughout history.  

If you are looking for additional inspiration, you can find a wide range of charitable causes to support in our charity support blog.

📢 Three Good News

🌎 Countries agree on a $200 billion deal to protect nature:

• A second meeting of COP16 delegates has ended with a landmark agreement to raise $20 billion in annual conservation financing for developing nations, rising to $30 billion a year by 2030.
• Biodiversity loss is rising, with wildlife populations falling by a staggering 73% from 1970 to 2020.
• At the COP16 talks, participants also established a Cali Fund to collect contributions from industries that benefit from genetic resources. At least 50% of these funds will be directed to indigenous peoples and local communities, acknowledging their role as custodians of biodiversity. 

🧱 Scientists create revolutionary green grout to improve sustainability in the construction industry:

• Scientists at the Shibaura Institute of Technology have developed a carbon-neutral grout from waste fluids of geothermal energy harvesting systems.
• Traditional grouting methods have long posed significant environmental threats, with the construction industries’ heavy reliance on silica-based chemical grouts produced through energy-intensive processes.
• The new material shows a 50% increase in liquefaction resistance compared to conventional grouts, while also addressing environmental concerns.  

🌳 Ecuadorian hotspot is showing how rainforests can heal themselves after destruction:

• A joint German-Ecuadorian team is studying how the Ecuadorian Chocó Forest ecosystems have rebounded, with findings indicating that forests have a remarkable ability to heal under the right circumstances.
• The 15,000-hectare (37,000-acre) Ecuadorian Chocó Forest has come under intense pressure from deforestation in recent years, despite it being home to over a quarter of species seen nowhere else in the world. Today, less than 60% of the forest remains.
• This research shows the benefits of allowing forests to regenerate naturally in our fight against climate change. In fact, 215 million hectares (531 million acres), about the size of Greenland, of deforested land could regenerate naturally with minimal intervention.

💬 Discussion of the Week: Challenges and Triumphs Going Plastic-Free

Welcome to our new section, where we spark meaningful discussions about everyday topics that can create a real positive impact in our lives!

This week’s discussion topic: What are some quick wins to reduce your plastic footprint in your daily life?

• What are your most effective strategies and alternatives to plastic that you’ve discovered or adopted?
• What obstacles have you encountered on your plastic-free journey, and how have you managed to overcome them?
• What resources, such as local shops, brands, or DIY tips, have helped you reduce your plastic footprint?

Share your tips and insights so that we can learn from each other on reducing our plastic footprint!

For our founding community members, keep the conversation going in our forum here.

Want to join our community when we reopen? Just reply to this email—I’d love to personally add you to our waitlist so you’ll be the first to know all about it 💚

🤝 Three More Important Awareness Events

🦁 March 3, World Wildlife Day:

• Established by the United Nations in 2013, World Wildlife Day celebrates wild animals and plants.
• The purpose is to bring attention to the unique roles of wildlife to people and the planet and to encourage supporting conservation efforts.

👂 March 3, World Hearing Day:

• An initiative of the World Health Organization, World Hearing Day brings attention to the importance of ear care.
• Preventing hearing loss and maintaining ear health are the primary educational focuses.

🥞 March 3-7, National School Breakfast Week:

• The school breakfast program is one of the US Government’s largest welfare programs.
• This week celebrates the creation of the program in 1966 and the billions of free and nutritious meals provided to students of all backgrounds.

Related: You can discover all the 126 most important awareness events (for the month, days, weeks) in our awareness calendar for March 2025!

📜 These Days in History

🛩️ March 3, 2005: American adventurer Steve Fossett became the first person to complete a solo nonstop circumnavigation of the globe without refueling when he landed in Kansas after 67 hours of flight. 

🏀 March 3, 2024: Caitlin Clark became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA basketball. She later joined the Indiana Fever team of the WNBA, where she has played a dominating role in helping women’s basketball surge in popularity. 

🇺🇲 March 3, 1931: The Star-Spangled Banner, written by Francis Scott Key in 1812, was officially adopted as the national anthem of the US by an act of Congress. 

💭 Quote of the Day

“I thrive under pressure because diamonds are made under pressure.”

Caitlin Clark, American basketball player

Share the news with your friends to make a bigger positive impact on the world and society together!

Stay impactful 💚