Today marks the start of Black History Month, a time for reflection on the difficult history of racism in the United States and celebration of Black Americans' contributions to our world. Every day in February, Nice News' "quote of the day" section will feature an inspiring message from a different Black American — we encourage you to share these nuggets of wisdom with your family and friends! For more ideas on how to observe Black History Month, click here.
Screen fatigue is associated with fuzzy vision and even vertigo, but these tips can offer relief
Humanity
With Thousands of Coat Drives Per Year, This Organization Is Keeping America Warm
One Warm Coat
You might see coat drives popping up in your community as soon as the first autumn chill rolls around, and rightly so, as around 37 million Americans are living below the poverty line and struggle to afford necessities like coats. But even though winter has fully set in by January and February, coat drives remain essential for many people this time of year, particularly homeless populations. Warm coats are a resource that needs to be "continually renewed" for those who are wearing their outer layers nearly constantly, explains One Warm Coat President & CEO Beth Amodio. "Their coat is really their home, and it can get torn, dirty, wet. If there's a warm day and they have all of their belongings with them, things can get left behind, stolen, lost," she tells Nice News, adding, "They're going to need two to three coats during the season to carry them through. And this time of year is crucial, because so many of the drives happen in October, November, December, but we still really need coats." Each year, One Warm Coat facilitates between 4,000 and 5,000 coat drives across all 50 states and some parts of Canada. Nice Newshas partnered with the organization for our Cause of the Season — a new, quarterly fundraising initiative spotlighting nonprofits doing essential work to make the world a better place. Click here to donate to One Warm Coat, and here to read the rest of our interview with Amodio.
Together With Pacaso
The Innovators Flipping a $1.3 Trillion Market
It didn't take long for Spencer Rascoff and Austin Allison to see that the $1.3 trillion vacation home market was full of untapped potential. So after growing Zillow to a $16 billion valuation, these real estate disruptors created Pacaso to introduce co-ownership. And by handing keys to more than 1,500 happy homeowners, Pacaso's earned over $100 million in gross profits. No wonder top firms like SoftBank and Maveron invested. Now, Pacaso is focused on international expansion, boasting record-breaking sales in Paris and new properties in Cabo and London. The company's new U.K. lending partnership proves they're preparing to open new doors in additional markets. You can join them as an investor — but with this expansion underway, the current share price won't last long. Invest at $2.70/share by Feb. 27.
This is a paid advertisement for Pacaso's Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Under Regulation A+, a company has the ability to change its share price by up to 20%, without requalifying the offering with the SEC.
Environment
World's Largest Intact Tropical Forest to Receive New Protections
DeAgostini/Getty Images
The Congo Basin currently contains the largest and healthiest intact tropical forest on Earth — and thanks to dialogues from the World Economic Forum and legislation passed by the Democratic Republic of Congo, it's set to receive new protections that will keep it that way. The area is what's known as a carbon sink, which means it absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it lets go, making it a "crucial planetary buffer limiting greenhouse gases in the atmosphere," per the WEF. Unlike the Amazon, which is now a net emitter due to deforestation and climate change, the Congo Basin's 3.7 million square kilometers have largely resisted threats caused by human intervention. Passed this January, the new legislation will help protect a forested area the size of France by creating partnerships with local communities to increase conservation efforts and foster green economic development. "The World Economic Forum is delighted to support this bold and ambitious endeavor to protect and restore one of the Earth's last lungs," Managing Director Gim Huay Neo said in a statement.
Culture
High School Student's Movement Led to 9 New Hawaii State Animals
Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources
Hawaii has a horde of new official state animals, and it's all thanks to one high school student. Last April, Gov. Josh Green signed a bill into law that bestowed the honor on nine species of endangered Hawaiian land snails, or kāhuli, also marking the first instance of U.S. state gastropods. Eight of the species are symbolic of the flora and fauna on the eight main islands, and the ninth represents the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The bill's roots can be traced back to Hawaii native Kalikoonāmaukūpuna Kalāhiki, now 24, who helped digitize 248,000 mollusks while volunteering at the Bishop Museum after ninth grade. In the process, Kalāhiki, who uses they/them pronouns, learned about the snails' significance to their ancestors — including a tradition involving making lei by stringing together thousands of kāhuli shells, a "phenomenon that my ancestors were able to experience and I'm not able to experience," they told Smithsonian Magazine. Newly motivated to protect Hawaii's diminishing snail populations, Kalāhiki worked with a lobbyist to draft a bill recognizing one state snail. When that bill didn't make it past the floor, they took a different approach, launching a voting platform for residents to nominate their favorite kāhuli. The campaign took off, leading Green to declare 2023 the Year of the Kāhuli. "They are symbols of romance and omens," he said in a release announcing the law. "That we have so many youth who fought hard for this legislation gives me great hope for Hawaii's future."
In Other News
The building blocks of life on Earth are likely "extraterrestrial in origin," per a historic asteroid sample (read more)
A "critical" oceancurrent hasn't declined over the last 60 years, providing hope amid the climate crisis (read more)
This 1955 Mercedes, "the most beautiful race car in the world," is up for auction today(read more)
New evidence supports the theory that a megaflood 5.33 million years ago refilled the Mediterranean Sea (read more)
Calling Little House on the Prairie fans: A new adaptation is in the works at Netflix (read more)
Something We Love
A Whiff of Waffle Cone Scented Candle by Salt & Straw Today is Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, so this one is for the ice cream lovers. The product description — "evoke the sweet joy of crunching into a freshly baked waffle cone" — sold me on this Salt & Straw candle, and it really does smell so good. I'm sure some people wouldn't want their home to smell like an ice cream shop, but I am not one of those people! – Marika Spitulski, Writer
Cheryl Gaw has rescued over 2,500 pugs since 2008, after making it her mission to help as many of the adorable canines as she can. The venture, which began out of her and her husband's trailer home, expanded into Pug Rescue South Africa, a center that currently houses almost 200 of the breed, including many sick, abandoned, or surrendered dogs. "They are known as the clowns of the dog world, and they can make you laugh," Gaw said, adding: "They're just an amazing, lovable breed." Meet some of the pups.
Photo of the Day
Brill/ullstein bild via Getty Images
On Wednesday, three weeks before he turned 86, Marek Janowski became one of the oldest artists to debut with the New York Philharmonic orchestra. He's conducted many of the world's top orchestras over his decades-long career, but scheduling issues often got between him and the Philharmonic — until now. "Finally, I have the chance to meet you and to work with you," Janowski said as he addressed the group in a rehearsal. "I've waited more than 85 years for this moment."
Customize Your Drive With Ford Accessories
Ford has built a legacy on crafting reliable vehicles for over a century. Now, the auto brand is upgrading the driving experience with a range of accessories designed for you. From exterior enhancements and interior comfort to technology and connectivity, Ford Accessories perfectly combines functionality and style to suit your unique preferences.
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