Welcome back to our weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at what’s getting our team talking. Let us know what you think at info@reasonstobecheerful.world. Deep thoughts Water scarcity is among the most pressing problems facing humanity, and extreme weather and growing urban populations will only make it more pressing in the decades ahead. Desalination has long loomed as a possible solution, but it’s never been considered practical. Now, new technology — deep-sea robots, reverse osmosis filtration — could change that, according to a Wall Street Journal story that caught RTBC Executive Editor Will Doig’s attention this week. Will says:   Creating potable water through desalination is a problematic process. One of the biggest issues is that forcing water molecules through a purifying membrane requires loads of energy. One intriguing new solution is locating desalination plants deep on the ocean floor where the crushing pressure of the water itself makes the process happen, resulting in energy savings of up to 40 percent. Clear focus As the BBC World Service reports in a story shared by Contributing Editor Geetanjali Krishna, coffee pickers in India are upping their income in a surprising way: by getting access to eye glasses. Geetanjali says:   In India, although eye testing is quite easily available to all, somehow, many people do not get their eyes checked regularly. Perhaps such initiatives will help more and more people to focus (forgive the pun) on eye health. What else we’re reading How NYC crushes gnawed apple cores and greasy pizza boxes into ‘black gold’ — shared by RTBC founder David Byrne from the New York Post Native American tribe steps up to protect Florida lands for wildlife — shared by Contributing Editor Michaela Haas from the Guardian One Community Took a Radical Approach to Fighting Addiction. It’s Working. — shared by David Byrne from the Wall Street Journal In other news… Longtime RTBC contributing writer MaryLou Costa wrote to us to share a BBC story about free sewing classes being offered to low-income women in London, many of whom have gone on to start their own businesses as a result. “I love hearing about programs that empower women,” MaryLou says, “and this is a great example of how learning a valuable skill not only gives women confidence but opens up their entrepreneurial sides, too.” The post What We’re Reading: Could Deep-Sea Robots Alleviate Water Scarcity? appeared first on Reasons to be Cheerful.