Happy Thursday 👋

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

• The world’s largest tidal energy ‘kite’ can power small towns 🌊
• Amazon deforestation falls more than 20% 📉
• A tree-planting holiday to plant 100 million seedlings 🌱
• And more… 💚

Sometimes it’s the little success stories that make me imagine the potential of what’s to come.

Just like in the case of a relatively small tidal-energy kite.

But did you know that harnessing tidal energy normally requires expensive and oftentimes disruptive installations?

This means that they wouldn’t be feasible in delicate ecosystems or even in smaller places.

But that’s just about to change!

🌊 Harnessing the Ocean’s Power: The World’s Largest Tidal Energy Kite That Can Power Small Towns

1️⃣ The big picture:The Dragon 12, the world’s biggest tidal energy ‘kite’, is set to make waves in renewable energy. Developed by Swedish startup Minesto, this 12-meter wingspan underwater kite is designed to swim against ocean currents, generating electricity through its rotor. Once operational, it’s expected to produce 1.2MW of clean electricity, enough to power around 1,000 homes. This innovative technology, which will be installed off the Faroe Islands, represents a significant leap in harnessing the constant power of tidal streams.

2️⃣ Why is this good news: Tidal energy is a largely untapped renewable resource, and the Dragon 12 offers a promising solution. Unlike traditional tidal stream technologies that require expensive and potentially disruptive installations, Minesto’s kite is small, modular, and scalable. Its unique figure-of-eight motion allows it to generate more electricity than its size would suggest, making it a more efficient and less intrusive option for harnessing tidal energy.

3️⃣ What’s next: The vision doesn’t stop with one kite. Minesto, in collaboration with local energy utility SEV, plans to build an array of these tidal kites in the Faroe Islands, aiming for a capacity of 120MW. This could supply up to 40% of the archipelago’s electricity needs. The success of the Dragon 12 could pave the way for wider adoption of this technology, potentially transforming how we harness the power of our oceans for a sustainable energy future.

Related: Check out The History of Tidal Energy: The Big Picture to learn more about this fascinating technology!

📢 More Good News…

📉 Amazon deforestation falls more than 20% to its lowest levels in 5 years: 

• Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest has dropped by 22.3% in the past 12 months, 
• according to government data.
• This year in the last 12 months through July, only 9,000 square kilometers (3,475 square miles) of the Amazon Jungle was destroyed. This is an improvement compared to last year, when 11,568 square kilometers (4,466 square miles) was lost.

♻️🏆 Prince William celebrates 5 inspiring solutions to environmental perils:

• This year’s Earthshot Prize-winning solutions include solar-powered dryers and equipment for farmers, a soil carbon marketplace to promote sustainable land management practices, cleaner electric car batteries, and more.
• Each of the five eco innovators was awarded £1m ($1.2m) to fully develop their ideas. This should give them a great head-start to scale up and tackle deforestation, crop waste, carbon emissions, overfishing and EV lithium battery recycling!

🌱 Kenyans get tree-planting holiday to plant 100 million seedlings:

• As part of their goal to plant 15 billion trees in 10 years, Kenyans have now been given a special holiday to plant 100 million trees.
• This tree-planting initiative will be monitored using an online app. This app, the Jaza Miti app, helps people track their activities and plant the appropriate seedlings.
• But the planting effort won’t stop after the holiday. Kenya’s goal is to have 500 million trees planted by the end of their rainy season in December.

🤝 Event of the Week: International Day of Tolerance

👉 Did you know that today, on November 16, is International Day of Tolerance? This annual observance highlights the ethical principles of tolerance, respect, inclusivity, diversity, and human rights for all.

1️⃣ The big picture: In 1995, UNESCO established the International Day for Tolerance as a yearly event to raise public awareness of the dangers associated with intolerance. To further honor this event, the UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize is awarded every two years to those who show outstanding efforts to the promotion of tolerance and non-violence in arts, education, culture, science, and communication.

2️⃣ Why is this important: Thanks to the ever-growing power of the internet and social media, we are all more connected than ever. But hatred and intolerance are still some of the greatest threats our world faces. This is especially true with today’s conflicts that have led to hundreds of thousands experiencing xenophobia, human rights violations, and extreme violence. Mutual respect and tolerance is the only way we can reach world peace.

3️⃣ How can you get involved: The most straightforward way to contribute is by sharing this event online with your network and explaining the global impact of tolerance and acceptance. You can also help fight intolerance by asking your community, company, or government to engage in initiatives that promote the respect and appreciation of different cultures and individuals.

Below are some resources for you to contribute to mutual tolerance and respect:

• 9 Best Charities for Diversity and Inclusion
• 9 Best Charities That Fight for Racial Equality
• 9 Best Charities That Promote Global Peace

📜 This Week in History

👩🏻‍💼 November 16, 1988: Benazir Bhutto was elected prime minister of Pakistan on this day in 1988. Because of this, she became the first woman in modern history to lead a Muslim country, serving as prime minister from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 1996.

👳🏻‍♀️ November 18, 1939: Margaret Atwood was born in Ontario, Canada. Later in life, she became a popular Canadian author and is known for her globally insightful works that explore social issues and feminism (The Handmaid’s Tale), environmental concerns, and climate change (Oryx and Crake).

💭 Quote of the Week

“A word after a word after a word is power.”
― Margaret Atwood; Canadian award-winning author, environment activist, and inventor

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

Stay impactful 💚