“I started screaming with everything I had, because I couldn’t even breathe,” 10th grader Arnoldo Bazan told ProPublica, showing where the agent’s hands had closed around his throat. “I felt like I was going to pass out and die.” By @nicolefoy.bsky.social and @mckenziefunk.com

Ride into the new year with me and the pilots from Cycling Without Age!

[5/5] An idea to allow wild horses to graze on the grass and brush that fuels blazes in fire-prone areas: reasonstobecheerful.world/could-wild-h...

[4/5] The fires brought renewed attention to a simple, disaster-resilient construction method that combines old and new called SuperAdobe: reasonstobecheerful.world/the-whimsy-a...

When Christine Worch started her initiative to pair teenagers with seniors for cultural outings, she was told she wouldn't find young people who wanted to take older folks to the theater or concerts. Six years and thousands of outings later, she has proven the critics wrong.

The satellite is up!

I wrote about shit2power, which is the actual name of a German company and does exactly what the name says.

I wrote about a fantastic initiative that converts guns into garden tools - but the physical act of transformation is only the beginning of a deeper conversation.

Did you know you could save the Vietnamese Newt in your living room?

I wrote about the Internet of Animals, new tracking that has the potential to revolutionize tracking and protection of animals worldwide.

Next week, a satellite will launch that has the potential to revolutionize animal protection: ICARUS 2.0 I spoke with the man behind the innovation. If you follow me on Substack, you get the news first. michaela.substack.com/p/in-goats-w...

What are animals doing when nobody is watching? A new satellite-based system is enabling researchers to monitor animal migration, species endangerment and biodiversity across the globe. It could change animal research and conservation forever. reasonstobecheerful.world/internet-of-...

What? You're not getting my monthly newsletter yet? Check it out here: michaela.substack.com/p/for-fans-o...

Did you know boats and bags are being made from fungi?

I wrote about the godfather of fungi!

Imagine back-to-school season… with no “teachers,” no curriculum, no rows of desks, no hallway passes and no bells. A San Francisco school is letting students shape their own education, guided by “collaborators” and an ethos of trust: reasonstobecheerful.world/brightworks-...

No, damnit, #BrokenTimes, this is not "reality TV." It is our democracy. You trivialize and normalize fascism. "Mr. Trump, a pop culture maven, had relatively little to say about what was arguably the biggest news of the day: the engagement of Taylor Swift." Fuck off, Times.

From the edge of rural Germany, the village of Etteln is offering the world a new matrix for what a smart city can be — one rooted in connection, not just connectivity. reasonstobecheerful.world/etteln-smart...

Using the DNA of the world’s mightiest trees, a tree grower in Michigan aims to replenish old-growth forests, one sapling at a time. reasonstobecheerful.world/detroit-sequ...

Giant sequoias in Detroit? You read that right. I reported on David Milarch's initiative to reforest the world with champion trees.

Small-group storytelling circles are helping older adults share their lives and build lasting bonds through weekly themed conversations. reasonstobecheerful.world/older-adults...

Devastating California wildfires have brought renewed attention to a simple, disaster-resilient construction method that combines old and new. It’s called “SuperAdobe.” reasonstobecheerful.world/the-whimsy-a...

The story explores how traditional methods, used for thousands of years, can offer real solutions to modern problems like drought: reasonstobecheerful.world/growing-corn...

As California communities rebuild from wildfire, some residents are looking to SuperAdobe, which shows that the future of fire-proofing can be beautiful. reasonstobecheerful.world/the-whimsy-a...

Welcome back to #StatsSunday — your statistical fix, pulled from this week’s stories. Read this stat’s story here: reasonstobecheerful.world/the-whimsy-a...

I wrote about people bicycling out of homelessness to independence.

Welcome back to #StatsSunday — your statistical fix, pulled from this week’s stories. Read this stat’s story here: reasonstobecheerful.world/homeless-san...

Congratulations to RTBC Contributing Editor @michaelahaas.bsky.social! Her story about how the Hopi grow crops without irrigation has won the solutions journalism category in the Los Angeles Press Club’s 67th Southern California Journalism Awards.

Don't these look fabulous? I took a trip to Hesperia to check out the climate-resilient SuperAdobe at CalEarth.

Why are hundreds of veterans traveling to Mexico and other countries to seek treatment with psychedelics? Because they've tried everything else to cope with their posttraumatic stress.

I wrote about storytelling as a way to combat loneliness.

Welcome back to #StatsSunday — your statistical fix, pulled from this week’s stories.⁠ Read this stat’s story here: reasonstobecheerful.world/how-music-ea...

Welcome back to #StatsSunday — your statistical fix, pulled from this week’s stories.⁠ Read this stat’s story here: reasonstobecheerful.world/force-blue-v...

I wrote about the latest science showing that listening to our favorite jam actually has medical benefits, including reducing pain and anxiety.

🤷🏼‍♂️

For my latest story, I interviewed former marines and SEALs who are making ocean conservation their new mission.

College students have great ideas! I wrote about a nonprofit that gives them the money and tools to actually implement them.

I wrote about the revival of Indigenous cultural burns and how they benefit Indigenous culture, the environment, and everybody else.

My research about rewilding death was surprisingly cheerful!

Each year, countless birds die after colliding with buildings. But simple solutions exist, from tiny dots on glass to turning out the lights. ow.ly/SSuU50VlKIf @michaelahaas.bsky.social

As communities recover from the devastation of wildfires, rebuilding offers an opportunity to prioritize resilience to future disasters. ow.ly/uOc250VbT0a

The richest man in the world kills the world's poorest children.

"Are you okay?" How to help the fire survivors of L.A. michaela.substack.com

I loved interviewing Melanie Winter, an intrepid activist who has changed the face of the LA River:

Absolutely amazing! Loved researching this story!

Beyond disturbing and frustrating

If you love your morning coffee, this news should jolt you wide awake: Your coffee is threatened by climate change. I reported on solutions for your morning cup of joe. reasonstobecheerful.world/climate-resi...

I was surprised about the impact these plays have on absenteeism and focus. Check out my latest story for @rtbcheerful.bsky.social

From improved teamwork to a drop in absenteeism, theatrical immersion in the stories of historic heroes yields dramatic results. ow.ly/mE9P50UcbEb