Historical Events 1903 - The Wright brothers attempt to fly the Wright Flyer for the first time at Kitty Hawk‚ North Carolina 1960 - Australia v West Indies 1st Test Cricket at the Gabba ends in a tie 1977 - Test Cricket debut of Pakistan spin bowling great Abdul Qadir v England in 1st Test at Lahore 1978 - China performs nuclear test at Lop Nor‚ PRC 1994 - Construction begins on the Three Gorges Dam‚ China 1998 - 64th Heisman Trophy Award: Ricky Williams‚ Texas (RB) More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1681 - Giuseppe Valentini‚ Italian violinist‚ poet‚ and composer‚ born in Florence‚ Grand Duchy of Tuscany (now Italy) (d. 1753) 1853 - Henry Wood‚ English cricket wicket-keeper (4 Tests‚ 1 x 100‚ HS 134no; Kent CCC‚ Surrey CCC)‚ born in Dartford‚ England (d. 1919) 1870 - Dirk Jan de Geer‚ Prime Minister of the Netherlands (1926-29‚ 39-40)‚ born in Groningen‚ Netherlands (d. 1960) 1915 - Ruth Railton‚ British musical director (National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain‚ 1948-65)‚ born in Kent‚ England (d. 2001) 1952 - Germain Houde‚ French Canadian actor‚ born in Petit-Saguenay‚ Quebec 1966 - Carl Herrera‚ Trinidadian-born Venezuelan NBA forward‚ 1991-99 (San Antonio Spurs‚ and 2 other teams)‚ born in Trinidad and Tobago More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1417 - John Oldcastle‚ English nobleman and pro-protestant Lollard leader‚ whom Shakespeare based his Falstaff character on‚ hanged for heresy at 39 1799 - George Washington‚ American Founding Father‚ Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during War for Independence and 1st President of the United States (1789-97)‚ dies at 67 1806 - John Breckinridge‚ American lawyer (5th United States Attorney General) and politician (U.S. Senator from Kentucky)‚ dies at 46 1860 - George Hamilton-Gordon‚ 4th Earl of Aberdeen‚ Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (Peelite: 1852-55) and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1841-46)‚ dies at 76 1918 - Sidónio Pais‚ Portuguese politician (4th President of Portugal‚ 66th Prime Minister of Portugal)‚ murdered at 46 2000 - George Sholty‚ American harness driver (2‚934 career wins; $20 million+ purse money)‚ dies at 68 More Famous Deaths »

One of the brightest stars at Stax Records‚ Otis Redding’s life was cut tragically short but the work he left behind lives on

Despite the joy of giving gifts over the holidays‚ the excessive amount of packaging trash is a growing problem‚ particularly considering the recycling catastrophe in the United States. Before China banned the import of plastic waste back in 2018‚ it had taken 70 percent of the United States’ plastic waste and two-thirds of the UK’s. Without the option to export‚ the United States has contended with an ever-growing packaging dilemma. The crisis of excess and inadequacy The United States made matters worse by not strengthening its recycling infrastructure or encouraging businesses to reconsider their package designs‚ despite repeated warnings of this change. Municipalities around the country struggle to manage recyclables‚ with some turning to landfills or paying to have recyclable goods disposed of. Shipping behemoths anticipate handling hundreds of millions of shipments amid growing consumerism and online shopping‚ worsening the surge of cardboard‚ plastic‚ and packing materials. Individual impact matters While structural improvements take time‚ individual efforts have enormous potential in reducing packaging waste during holidays. Here is a list of ideas you may consider to reduce your waste this year. Actionable solutions -Make personalized gifts: Use current materials to make one-of-a-kind gifts by investigating DIY gift choices or repurposing products. -Opt for minimal packaging: Choose items without excessive outer packaging or opt for second-hand gifts‚ minimizing additional waste. -Conscious online shopping: Give preference to companies who use plastic-free and recyclable shipping materials‚ thereby supporting sustainable practices. -Think about your wrapping options: For eco-friendly wrapping‚ use reused materials such as fabric‚ newspapers‚ or brown paper. Check out this article for more alternatives to wrapping paper. -Rethink gift giving: Consider giving unwrapped presents or wrapping them selectively to reduce unneeded packaging. -Community engagement: Engage with family and friends‚ advocating for reduced packaging waste in shared holiday traditions. Embracing change for a sustainable tomorrow While quick solutions to the recycling challenge may be elusive‚ changing our buying habits and lowering our reliance on packaging represents a huge step toward a more sustainable future.The post A guide to reducing holiday packaging waste first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

Donovan Jooste‚ a passionate conservationist‚ witnessed a stunning spectacle in the South African grasslands: approximately 2‚000 southern white rhinos congregating on a farm in the North West region. This astonishing gathering represents an astounding 12 to 15 percent of Africa’s remaining rhino population‚ outnumbering any single nature sanctuary on the continent. “It’s an awe-inspiring sight‚” Jooste says‚ as he considers the size of this confined society. “But the true excitement lies in the conservation opportunity. How can we transition these rhinos from their current captive setting to secure‚ open habitats?” From captivity to conservation The acquisition of Platinum Rhino‚ the world’s largest private rhino-breeding facility‚ by African Parks in September represented a watershed event in the care of this captive rhino community. The origins of this farm‚ whether spurred by conservation or economic objectives‚ arose amid ambiguities due to the ongoing worldwide prohibition on rhino horn trade‚ which was founded by John Hume in 1992. “The vulnerability of these rhinos would’ve been magnified‚” Jooste says‚ emphasizing the dire situation. The assistance of African Parks was critical in securing the farm‚ rhinos‚ and a varied diversity of animals. The ambitious plan calls for the abolition of active breeding and the relocation of all 2‚000 rhinos and their progeny to protected African areas over the next decade‚ marking a huge step toward assuring the species’ survival. A species’ rebound and the peril of poaching Mike Knight emphasizes the rhinos’ ecological and economic importance‚ underlining their astonishing recovery. Despite being on the verge of extinction due to colonial hunters‚ southern white rhino numbers have rebounded to 16‚803‚ indicating a promising future. However‚ poaching remains a persistent problem‚ with at least 551 rhinos poached in Africa in 2022‚ providing a continuing threat to their survival. A journey of restoration The farm’s care is expensive‚ with strict security measures in place to prevent poaching. The upcoming translocation‚ which is set to begin next year‚ intends to relocate a considerable number within South Africa while taking precautions to alleviate current poaching concerns. The delicate procedure of transferring these rhinos is fraught with logistical and financial challenges. Climate change and potential disease threats in new areas highlight the complexities of this massive conservation effort. Anticipating positive ecological impact Jooste anticipates rhinos being reintroduced across vast ecosystems‚ stressing their unrivaled ecological contributions. “The ecological value they bring is immeasurable‚” he asserts‚ predicting a positive ripple effect on protected regions. In closing‚ Jooste passionately expresses his aspiration‚ saying‚ “In two decades‚ let’s not discuss 16‚000 rhinos‚ but aim for 25‚000‚ 40‚000‚ 50‚000 rhinos. That’s our ultimate goal: to never witness such dire rhino scarcity again.” This program holds the prospect of not only protecting an important species but also reviving their presence across the African environment‚ demonstrating humanity’s extraordinary dedication to conservation.The post Conservation success: 2‚000 captive Southern White Rhinos to be released across Africa first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

Incorporating these Advent traditions brings deeper‚ added meaning and makes Christmas morning even more joyous. This is because Advent helps us center ourselves on the real message of the season.

We need to always remember this brevity and uncertainty.

Each year as the Christmas season gets closer‚ my heart fills with excitement over celebrating Jesus with family and friends. The decorations‚ the parties‚ the gifts…they all occupy my mind and time. But as Christmas Day approaches‚ my thoughts usually turn to Mary.