Goodnewspaper (look for the helpers!)
Goodnewspaper is a lovely monthly newspaper from the USA, that focuses on sharing the good in the world, and leaving you feeling more hopeful and informed, after reading it.
It has a super post on how to help Ukraine (including organisations that help animals in war zones)).
You can also subscribe to the goodnewsletter and the Sounds Good podcast that hosts interviews with those who are helping to make the world a better place.
Swiss thinker Rolf Dobelli gave up reading the news years ago, and has never looked back. He asks you – out of all the thousands of news items you have read in the last year – which have done you any good – or helped others? Likely none of them.
Far better instead to educate yourself by reading good books, then donating to small charities that help, of your own choosing.
News stories are overwhelmingly about things you cannot influence. It grinds us down and I would not be surprised if news consumption at least partially, contributes to the widespread cause of depression.
I know a bunch of viciously uncreative minds who consume news like drugs. If you want to come up with old solutions, read news. If you are looking for new solutions, don’t. Rolf Dobelli
We all know what it’s like to wake up to the sound of a news alert, only to be greeted by stories that can dampen our spirits. Starting your day with a dose of negativity can set a gloomy tone for the hours ahead. Instead, consider the power of positive news!
The founder Branden Harvey was inspired to create a community of 500,000 world-changers, from a quote by Fred Rogers:
When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
Each edition follows a theme. For example:
The Helpers
- Providing life-saving aid in Gaza
- Protecting immigrant neighbours in communities
The Fashion Edition
- Making clothing disability-inclusive
- How textile recycling is slowing fast fashion
- A lesson in upcycling clothes
The Dogs Edition
- How volunteer vets help homeless dogs
- Heart-warming science on dog companionship
The Education Edition
- How ‘free-range kids’ are understanding nature
- Dolly Parton’s legacy on children’s literacy
