Welcome back to our weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at what’s getting our team talking. Tell us what you’ve been reading at info@reasonstobecheerful.world and we just might feature it here. Branching out On average, cacao trees live around 25 years. But at a regenerative farm in India, a 65-year-old tree is still thriving. According to a story from UpBeat shared by Contributing Editor Geetanjali Krishna, that tree is a testament to the power of successful agroforestry and what’s known as “bio-control” to maintain soil health. Geetanjali says: I enjoyed this story from the Indian SoJo platform UpBeat as it is about my favorite food — chocolate! The cacao tree is grown in India’s Western Ghats and thanks to increasing heat and rainfall, is under threat from fungal and bacterial infestations. The solution here is “bio-control” (akin to getting a cat instead of rat poison to address a rat infestation). Developed by a microbiologist couple who have used beneficial microbes to strengthen soil and prevent the growth of pathogens, this technique has resulted in a lush, healthy farm and yes, lots of organic cocoa! Facing off Earlier this month, a new law took effect in Washington state that limits the use of facial coverings by federal immigration agents and other law enforcement officers. As the Associated Press reports in a story shared by Executive Editor Will Doig, this could be the beginning of a trend: Following a court ruling that blocked the first such law in California, anti-masking bills have been approved or are now making their way through Democratic-led legislatures in several other states, including Oregon, Virginia, Hawaii, Maryland and Vermont.  Will says: Hard to believe that making law enforcement identify themselves would be controversial, but Washington state’s new law is an encouraging step in that direction. It’s sure to face a legal challenge — we’ll keep an eye on it. What else we’re reading California pledges to open 7% of its land and waters to Indigenous tribes — a step toward healing a 175-year-old broken promise — shared by Contributing Editor Michaela Haas from the Los Angeles Times A New Wine Label Promotes Workers’ Rights — shared by Editorial Director Rebecca Worby from Inside Climate News The Plastic Detox review – a film so terrifying you will want to change your life immediately — shared by Michaela Haas from the Guardian In other news… Last week, we published the final installment in our series about the confluence of capitalism, conservation and cultural identity in the Mississippi River Basin — a special subset of our Waterline series. The last story goes deep on how bald cypress trees are keeping vulnerable Louisiana lands from slipping away. Catch up on the whole series here. The post What We’re Reading: Lessons From the ‘Grandmother Cacao’ appeared first on Reasons to be Cheerful.