Traveling with children is hard, particularly when they are babies. No matter how long the trip, it inevitably wreaks havoc on their routine, and babies often get crabby. A sweet mom knew that taking an international flight with her 4-month-old might not be embraced by the other passengers, so she got crafty. The mom put together 200 goodie bags for her baby to hand out along with a precious note. “Today, I am going to the U.S. with my mom and grandmom to see my aunt. I’m a little bit nervous and scary because it’s my first flight in my life, which means that I may cry or make too much noise. I will try to go quietly, though I can’t make any promises. Please excuse me. So my mom prepared little goodie bag for you! It has some candies and earplugs. Please use it when it’s too noisy because of me. Enjoy your trip. Thank you,” the note reads. Mother handed out 200 goodie bags on a 10 hour flight in case her 4 month old baby cried [ht: Reddit/ Admirable_Flight_257] pic.twitter.com/oclUxJBBpw— Complex (@Complex) July 26, 2026 The Goodie Bags Were a Hit The mom’s note went viral, and people loved seeing her goodie bags. Knowing that she thought enough of her fellow passengers made many people smile. “This is very cool and extremely thoughtful, great mother and human,” someone shared on X. Others felt like adults shouldn’t get worked up about babies and allow them to cry. “Babies are babies there’s no need for an explanation babies travel get over it if they cry. There are worse things in the world going on like terrorism to complain about something so natural,” a comment reads. This person loved it so much, they asked for tips. “I’d love to do this in the future (in case I fly for the first time with my baby). What would everyone recommend to put in these ‘goodie bags’ ? What would be nice to have ?” They wrote. This story’s featured image can be found here

Mail carriers are among the most respected United States government employees, but given the challenges of the job, they’re bound to deliver a letter or package to the wrong address on occasion. Plus, some USPS customers can make the job even more difficult. Some folks have illegible handwriting, making addresses hard to read, and not every house is clearly numbered. So, we all receive someone else’s mail from time to time. The question is: What do we do with it? We all want to be good citizens and members of our communities, so it’s important to know what to do with an errant piece of mail. Otherwise, it could sit on the kitchen table for weeks before someone accidentally throws it away. It seems like knowing what to do with an errant letter or package was something every grandparent or parent knew back in the day, but you’d be surprised how many people have no idea what to do when a letter meant for someone five blocks away ends up in their mailbox. A postal worker delivering the mail. Photo credit: Paul De Los Reyes/Flickr What to do if you receive someone else’s mail Why not deliver it yourself? There’s nothing illegal about opening someone else’s mailbox to drop a letter inside. It’s perfectly legal to leave a package at someone’s door, too. So if the person lives nearby, enjoy taking a walk and dropping off the misplaced item yourself. A woman putting a letter in the mailbox. Photo credit: Canva Leave it for the postal worker to handle If you have a mailbox with a flag that lets the mail carrier know there’s something to be picked up, you can leave the letter in your mailbox with the flag raised. Be sure to write “Return to Sender” or “Delivered to Wrong Address” across the envelope in black ink so the carrier doesn’t miss the message. Try to avoid writing “Not at This Address,” because that could indicate the person used to live there but has since moved, which requires a different USPS procedure. You can also drop the letter in a USPS collection box or, if it’s a package, leave it at your local post office. USPS vehicles. Photo credit: Ron Doke/Flickr What not to do if you receive someone else’s mail The most important thing is not to open the letter or package because doing so is against federal law. While it’s rare for anyone to be prosecuted for opening someone else’s mail, it’s always best to be on the safe side. Plus, the correspondence could contain private or sensitive information. What if it isn’t USPS mail? If you receive a package from a delivery service other than USPS, such as Amazon, FedEx, or UPS, it’s best to contact the company to see what they’d like you to do with it. In some cases, Amazon may tell you to keep the package because it’s more trouble to retrieve and redeliver it than to send a new package to the correct address. A big part of being a good citizen is going out of your way for people you don’t know, like when you accidentally receive their mail and take the time to make sure the letter or package gets where it needs to go. By returning it, you not only ensure the rightful owner receives their property, but also send the message that there are still plenty of good people willing to help a stranger. The post Good citizen 101: What do you do when you receive someone else’s mail? appeared first on Upworthy.

The ancient and beautiful Klamath River runs along the border of southern Oregon and Northern California. For millions of years, it was a fertile breeding ground for fish—one of the largest salmon runs in the country, in fact—a lifeline for wildlife and vegetation in the area, and more modernly, a source of food for local tribes. But in the early 1900s, what was then known as the California Oregon Power Company (COPCO) built a series of hydroelectric dams that would harness the river’s power and turn it into electricity that could be sold. It decimated the area. The dams cut the salmon off completely from more than 400 miles of open river. They also degraded water quality and supported the growth of toxic algae. On top of that, the hydropower dams were underperforming and causing more problems than they were worth. COPCO, now PacifiCorp, got only about 2% of its energy from the dams, and it simply wasn’t worth the investment to upgrade them to meet current standards. Something had to be done. The beautiful Klamath River. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons Four dams were finally destroyed in 2024 Indigenous tribes in the area lobbied for years to have the dams removed. They’d used the river for food, trade, and everyday life for centuries, and they saw up close as the salmon population suffered and dwindled further each year. Local Yurok tribal member Ashley Bowers told Earthjustice, “[When I was a child] it was normal to catch upwards of 300 fish in one day. The salmon were plentiful, and the river was teeming with life.” Even in Bowers’ own lifetime, the number of salmon in the river plummeted to unthinkable levels. At one point, Klamath River salmon were considered endangered and became a protected species. It took years of protests and litigation before the federal government approved a plan to have the dams removed. The project began in 2023 and was one of the largest dam removal and river restoration projects in history. Its total cost was more than $450 million. Within about 10 months, engineers with the Klamath River Renewal Corporation removed four key hydroelectric dams along the river in California and Oregon. The dams were detonated using explosive charges, and large chunks of debris were removed by heavy machinery. Here’s the moment one of the dams underwent a controlled demolition, allowing water to flow through almost immediately: Two years later, scientists are stunned by the results Scientists predicted that removing the dams would have amazing benefits for the region, especially for the salmon. But even they underestimated how quickly and powerfully the river would recover. “The speed and scale of the river’s recovery has exceeded our expectations and even the most optimistic scientific modeling, proving that when the barriers fall, nature has an incredible power to heal itself,” Barry McCovey Jr., director of the Yurok Tribal Fisheries Department, told the San Francisco Chronicle. The salmon revival started almost immediately. Within days, thousands of salmon began migrating upstream. By the 2025 season, nearly 70,000 salmon had returned to the river and its tributaries. That’s 180% of what scientists had originally projected. Not only did the salmon come back, but they also had far more room to swim and lay their eggs. They returned to parts of the river they hadn’t seen in 100 years. The water quality in the Klamath River also improved dramatically. With the dams in place, a stunning 58% of water samples failed to meet public safety standards. By 2026, after two years without the dams, 100% of samples passed the test. The area is still prone to toxic algae blooms, however. River health affects the land, too With the water flowing again, life on land benefits as well. Some 1,300 acres of land formerly covered by reservoirs are being replanted with native vegetation—19 billion seeds’ worth. There’s also more room for birds to return and build nests. Perhaps most beautifully, the river found its old path once again—the one that had been buried beneath a century of sediment. It’s as if the water had a memory, and the century it spent held back by dams will ultimately be just a brief blip in its ancient lifespan. More and more old, unsafe, and obsolete dams are being removed across the United States and around the world. It’s important for rivers to remain connected. Flowing rivers stay cooler as temperatures rise, and their ecosystems are better able to withstand floods, droughts, and extreme weather. And the fish appreciate it, too. “Building river barriers brings a long list of safety and environmental problems,” Fernández-Garrido, a senior grants manager for the European Open Rivers Programme, told CNN. “It is always safer and more cost-effective to work with nature rather than against it.” The post Engineers blew up 4 dams on a dying river. Now the salmon population is exploding. appeared first on Upworthy.

The Princess Diaries is celebrating a major milestone. The Millennial Disney classic turns 25 on July 29. It was released in 2001. Fans of the movie may be surprised to learn that the late Whitney Houston was an executive producer of the iconic film. Without Houston, it might not exist. Houston co-produced the original movie and its sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, through her production company, Brownhouse Productions. According to Variety, Disney “paid mid- to low-six figures to option novelist Meg Cabot’s book ‘The Princess Diaries'” for Houston and her fellow producers, who helped turn it into a hit. Anne Hathaway meets Houston In a clip shared by Entertainment Tonight, Hathaway and Houston chatted on set during the filming of the movie’s hit song, “Supergirl!” by Krystal Harris. “It was so much fun making it. It was incredible,” Hathaway told Houston, who responded, “You know what? Every little girl is going to love trying to be a princess. It’s like Cinderella. When I did Cinderella, all the little girls wanted to be Cinderella. A lot of them wanted to be Fairy Godmother. And now they want to be you!” Hathaway added that she saw Houston in Cinderella (which starred Brandy in the title role and Houston as her Fairy Godmother), and Houston replied that she “had a lot of fun doing it.” During a 2022 interview with Interview magazine, Hathaway reflected on Houston and what she meant to her: “I have to say on a technical level, the musical artist who has changed my life the most would be Whitney Houston because she produced The Princess Diaries, the film that we were in together. And if there ever has been a voice in modern history that was probably touched by god, it’s hers.” Houston speaks about The Princess Diaries According to The Princess Diaries star Julie Andrews, Houston visited the set a few times to say hello, and she “kept her eyes on things,” adding, “She’s a lovely lady,” per ET. Houston was also interviewed by ET, where she shared more about her vision for the film. View this post on Instagram “I want to make good films, quality films, for young people,” she said, emphasizing that she wanted to keep things appropriate. “I want to make films you can watch in its entirety. That’s the kind of movies I grew up with. I could watch the whole film, and be inspired by it.” Houston described the first time she saw actress Stephanie Mills in The Wiz, explaining, “That was like, ‘Oh my God! I can do this!’ Things that inspire us to be great people for ourselves. Not famous, just greatness inside. So your parents can say, ‘I’m proud of you. You planted that tree and it grew. I’m proud of you. It’s a damn good tree. It’s going to stand forever.’ That’s the kind of stuff I like to make.” She also spoke highly of Andrews, saying her voice “is like heaven. Never mind her singing voice. Her speaking voice is like heaven. There’s a quality to it that is very soothing.” The post ‘The Princess Diaries’ turns 25. It wouldn’t exist without Whitney Houston. appeared first on Upworthy.

The silica gel packets you find in the pockets of your clothes after a shopping day or within the bag of your beef jerky snack come with a stern, scary warning: “Throw away. Do not eat.” But as long as you don’t eat them, you actually don’t need to throw them away. Instead, you can reuse the silica packets. They contain desiccant, a drying agent, used by manufacturers to help keep moisture from damaging clothing or electronics during shipping. They’re also found in packaged foods since they help keep your favorite snack fresh. It turns out these little packets aren’t just for one-time use, either. They actually can be used indefinitely with a few simple steps. If you think indefinite uses sounds like a stretch, think again. These packets can be used a number of ways right inside your own home. A lesson in sustainability TikTok creator @trash.dates recently posted a series of videos explaining why you shouldn’t throw out those silica packets. They also showed off their impressive stash. In the video, they shared that the packets absorb moisture in the air and described how to make them reusable. By putting the packets in the sun to dry out, you can endlessly reuse them. Some are even color-coded to let you know when the packets are full of moisture and need to be dried out, and when they’re ready for use again. In this video, orange beads signify the packet is dry. When they’re blue, they’re full of moisture. @trash.dates Hating our wasteful nature #fyp #savetheplanet #reuse #silicagel #reducewaste ♬ a punk – 3 minute audios There is one caveat the creator points out: the powerful drying agent in the packet can irritate your eyes, nose, throat, or skin. So, you’ll want to be careful not to handle a broken packet, or, as the warning says, eat them. The internet had hacks, too While some TikTok users had more questions than answers about how to use these silica packets (more on that below), others weighed in with their own hacks for reusing the product. “I put them in my car to prevent mold and prevent the fog condensation in the morning,” one user wrote.  “A tip from a silversmith: these can also be put in your jewelry box to reduce moisture & keep your pieces from tarnishing!!! Especially sterling silver,” another added. “I use them for everything … if you live in a humid environment don’t forget to put them near your makeup powders,” said another user.  “I toss these behind the books on my bookshelf to keep the pages from getting moldy,” one another added. More uses than you think The popularity of the first video and a comment section filled with people learning about this hack for the first time prompted trash.dates to make a follow-up. This one features a handful of ways to use these “forbidden packets.” Unfortunately, using rice to dry out your moisture-logged phone may be a myth. But, the drying agent in these silica packets can actually help. Simply place a few of them in a bag with your phone or your laptop after you spill your morning coffee on it. The video also suggests using them to help seeds, spices, and food stay fresh longer.  Storing foods with silica gel packets can help preserve freshness. Photo credit: Flickr. Practical practices Drying flowers using the packets also has a different result than hanging them to dry. According to the video, the silica packets help preserve the color of the flowers and prevent them from looking crunchy. Like some users mentioned on the previous video, the silica packets can also help keep your jewelry from oxidizing. They’re also great for keeping metal, like silverware or tools, from rusting. Have some funky-smelling sneakers, a gym bag, or sports equipment? Stick these babies in there. Camping gear in your garage? You guessed it—these will help keep your sleeping bag and tent dry and mold-free when you aren’t using them. Good for prevention For people who live in cold climates, silica packets can help reduce condensation and freezing on the inside of your windshield. Those annoying winter drives just got a lot easier to navigate. They’re also great for preventing mold and mildew in household places like under sinks, in storage tote bins, and in the laundry room, according to the creator. You may also keep them with important documents to reduce the risk of water damage. @trash.dates I truly didn’t expect so many of you to have already saved and found incredible use for silica gel! list compiled below! -saving wet electronics -storing seeds -keeping the inside of your car from fogging/FREEZING -drying flowers (beads only) -keeps jewelry from oxidizing -keeps food fresh longer -keeps books from molding -keeps silverware & other metal from RUSTING -fights funky bacteria in gym/sports bags -prevents mold in camping gear -keeping laundry rooms & under sinks dryer -keeping storage items from bad moisture buildup -fights moisture in any humid environment -keeps inside of shoes/skates/blades/boots fresher -keeps important documents safer -all around great to fight/prevent water damage -keeping products from clumping Did we forget anything?? Drop a comment below! PS: DO NOT ASK CHAT. Chat knows NOTHING of the human experience. #reduce #reuse #recycle #fyp #silicagel ♬ Reduce Reuse Recycle – Blake Rules & Netherfriends Don’t forget to recharge While using the silica packets to keep your prized possessions dry and tarnish-free is relatively simple, there’s one step you might not realize you need to do. Every so often, you’ll need to dry them out so they can absorb more moisture, a process trash.dates calls “recharging.” Even those who already save and reuse the packets didn’t know this. “I’ve been using them in my linen closet, but didn’t realize I needed to ‘recharge’ them in the sunlight, thank you!” said one user. One final video in this mini-series shows the two best ways to “recharge” a packet. First, you can let them dry in the sun as mentioned. Second, you can spread them out on a paper towel, add another paper towel on top of them, and place a regular plate on top of that to hold them in place. Then, pop them in the microwave for two-minute intervals until they are dry and ready to store. @trash.dates Just a girl and her microwave #reuse #silicagel #sustainability #fyp ♬ Fresh Affiliate – DJ BAI “This is information I’m going to share with everyone at work tomorrow. thanks for using your brain and other people’s help to put this list together,” one user said. So, the next time you’re about to head to the garbage can with these silica packets in tow, don’t. Instead, save them up and use—and reuse—them to help cut down on moisture and its pesky effects around your home. The post Those silica gel packets are actually endlessly reusable, and so useful appeared first on Upworthy.