The World Is What We Choose It to Be.

We humans come factory-set to pay extra attention to bad news — psychology has a term for it: "negativity bias." Over the long course of evolution, the humans more sensitive to risk were the ones more likely to survive. That's also why we're surrounded by anxious news every day, constantly feeling as if the world is falling apart.

So a guy abroad did something really meaningful: he set up "The Happy Broadcast," dedicated to collecting good news from around the world. I recommend checking it out: www.thehappybroadcast.com

Here are 40 good things that happened in 2021 — enjoy:

1. Mexico has banned animal testing for cosmetics! It's the first country in North America to do so. Mexico just banned animal testing for cosmetics! It's the first country in North America to outlaw the practice.

2. How do you stop illegal fishing? With sculptures! An Italian activist dropped 39 giant marble sculptures into the sea. They not only form a huge physical barrier against illegal fishing nets but have also become a haven for underwater life. How to stop illegal net fishing? With sculptures! An Italian activist dropped 39 huge marble sculptures in the sea. The sculptures created both a physical barrier for nets and a heaven for underwater life.

3. Portugal's working people have won a major victory for work-related mental health. A new law makes it illegal for bosses to call, text or email employees outside working hours. Portugal have been given a massive win in work-related mental health as a new law says it's illegal for your boss to phone, email or text you after work hours.

4. An HIV vaccine passed phase 1 of human trials, with a 97% success rate among participants! A landmark breakthrough! This is huge! Landmark HIV vaccine passes phase 1 of human trial and proves successful in 97% of the participants.

5. The Great Barrier Reef is bursting with new life as millions of baby corals are born — uplifting news after three mass bleaching events on the reef in recent years. The Great Barrier Reef bursts with new life as millions of "coral babies" are born! A very happy coral reef news after three bleaching events in past years.

6. There are already 10 countries in the world getting 97–100% of their electricity from renewable energy. Today's small victory is that there are already 10 countries in the world whose electricity comes from 97-100% renewable energy sources. Progress!

7. Basel, Switzerland, has become the first city in the world to require green roofs on all new buildings, and more than 1 million square metres of green space have been created! Basel, Switzerland has become the first city in the work to make green roofs mandatory on new buildings. More than 1 million square meters of green spaces have been constructed.

8. Good news from Kenya! Not a single rhino was killed by poachers in 2020. Rhino numbers rose 11%, from 1,441 in 2019 to 1,605. Amazing news from Kenya! No rhinos were lost to poaching in 2020 and there was also an 11% increase in rhino numbers from 1,441 in 2019 to 1,605.

9. Hawaii has become the first US state to ban the sale of sunscreen containing coral-harming chemicals, ushering in the era of reef-friendly sunscreen. Hawaii is the first state in the US to ban the sale of sunscreen containing coral-harming chemicals, ushering in a new era of reef safe sunscreen.

10. To foster mutual understanding between people of different faiths, Berlin is building a combined house of worship called the "House of One," containing a synagogue, a church and a mosque, all three connected by a meeting area. Berlin will soon be home to something unique. The "House of One", a place of worship and cooperation that brings a synagogue, a church, and a mosque under one roof, all linked by a meeting space.

11. Giant pandas are no longer endangered! Thanks to conservation work, their numbers are finally rebounding after years of decline! Great news!Giant pandas are no longer an endangered species. Thanks to conservation efforts, their numbers are finally rebounding after years of decline.

12. Chile is drafting a new constitution with equal numbers of male and female representatives — a world first. Making history: Chile is creating the world's first constitution to be drafted by an equal number of women and men. A new global standard for gender equality.

13. A startup is using AI to adjust prices dynamically in supermarkets: the closer a product is to its expiry date, the cheaper it gets. This approach could cut food waste by 40%! A startup is using AI in the supermarkets to dinamically change prices. The closer a product is to its best before date, the cheaper it will be to buy. This could reduce food waste by 40%.

14. A German animal shelter is using the dating app Tinder to find homes for its animals. They create "dating" profiles for cats and dogs so the right pet parents can match with them more easily. A German animal shelter is using dating app Tinder for a good cause. It created "dating" profiles of cats and dogs to match them with their forever human.

15. Big progress: South Africa is finally going to ban breeding lions in captivity for trophy hunting and for tourists to pet! In a major move, South Africa will finally ban the breeding of lions in captivity for trophy hunting or for tourists to pet.

16. The non-profit The Ocean Cleanup used a giant half-mile-long device to pull 20,000 pounds of plastic waste out of the Pacific, proving ocean garbage can be cleaned up! A half-mile installation by nonprofit The Ocean Cleanup just took 20,000 pounds of plastic out of the Pacific, proof that ocean garbage can be cleaned.

17. In 1979, 16-year-old Jadav Payeng began planting one sapling a day in his part of India. He kept it up for 40 years and has now created a forest bigger than Central Park. In 1979 at 16 years of age, Jadav Payeng started planting a tree sapling a day in his region in India. He did that for 40 years, creating a forest larger than Central Park.

18. In sub-Saharan Africa, malaria is the biggest cause of illness and death in children — but this year, the world's first malaria vaccine was approved! Billions of people could be vaccinated. Groundbreaking vaccine for malaria, the biggest cause of childhood illness and death in sub-Saharan Africa, is approved and could be rolled out to billions.

19. Lab-grown diamonds are forever too. The world's largest jewellery maker will stop using mined diamonds and focus on more sustainable lab-grown ones. Lab-grown diamonds are forever. The world's largest jewelry maker will no longer use mined diamonds and focus on more sustainable, lab-grown gems.

20. Every time a baby is born in Wales, two trees are planted — one at home and one in Uganda. So far 15 million trees have been planted! In an unlikely partnership, every time a new child arrives in Wales, two trees are planted, one at home and one in Uganda. So for 15 millions trees have been planted.

21. In response to a petition signed by 1.4 million EU citizens, the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to phase out caged animal farming. (Something about this picture is a bit off 🤨) European Parliament overwhelmingly voted in favor of phasing out caged animal farming in response to a petition signed by 1.4 million EU citizens.

22. A major study finds that Earth's ozone layer is healing and should be fully repaired by around 2050! Major study finds that the Ozone layer is healing and it's on pace for a full recovery by 2050.

23. Europe's first retirement home for elephants has opened in France, taking in elephants retired from zoos and circuses. Gandhi, a 52-year-old elephant, is its first resident. The first "retirement home" in Europe for elephants from zoos or circuses has opened its doors in France. 52 year old elephant Gandhi is their first resident.

24. Despite historic challenges, the book industry is enjoying a sales boom thanks to readers' thirst for knowledge and longing for escape. Go support your local bookshop! In spite of historic challenges, the book industry is seeing a boom in sales as readers seek escapsion and education. Support your local bookstore!

25. To reduce plastic pollution, Spain plans to ban single-use plastic packaging on fruit and vegetables by 2023. Spain has announced plans to ban single-use plastic wrap for fruit and vegetables as of 2023 in an effort to reduce waste and plastic pollution.

26. The English city of Leicester is installing a new batch of "bee bus stops": 30 bus shelter roofs covered with wildflowers to encourage bees to pollinate. The UK city of Leicester is installing a new network of "bee bus stops", 30 bus stops that have been topped with a mix of wildflowers to encourage pollination.

27. Serbia's football team earned a €1 million bonus for qualifying for the World Cup. The players decided to donate all of it to charities that help treat sick children. Serbia's Football team earned one million euros for qualifying for the World Cup. The players decided to donate it all to charities that help treat sick children's in their country.

28. A Canadian company plans to plant 1 billion trees with drones, which will fly to remote deforested areas and shoot seeds into the ground. A Canadian company aims to plant 1 billion trees using drones that can shoot seed pods into the ground in remote areas that have suffered from deforestation.

29. To fight appearance pressure, a new Norwegian law requires influencers' and celebrities' retouched photos to carry a special logo watermark — any editing or filters must be labelled. In an efforts to combat beauty and appearance pressures, Norway's new law mandates that social media influencers disclose when they've retouched or added a filter to a photo

30. There are only 73 southern resident orcas left in the wild, but scientists have just discovered that 3 of them are pregnant! And one is about to give birth! Only 73 southern resident orcas exist in the wild. Scientists just discovered that 3 of them are pregnant, and one is close to giving birth.

31. Cameroon's Gorilla Guardian Club turns poachers into protectors. Instead of making a living through illegal hunting, villagers now earn money by protecting gorillas. The Gorilla Guardian Club in Cameroon converts poachers into protectors. Instead of earning a living through poaching, the villagers get paid to monitor primates.

32. During the football season, the Romanian football federation teamed up with dog shelters: before every match, players carried rescue dogs to promote adoption. The Romanian football federation teamed up the dog shelters for the soccer season. Before each match, players hold rescue dogs in their arms to promote adoptions.

33. In a major breakthrough, a blood test was found to effectively detect depression and bipolar disorder and match patients with the right medication. In a major breakthrough, a blood test proved to be effective in detecting depression and bipolar disorder and match people to the right medications.

34. The UK is about to become the first country to completely ban the import and export of shark fins and any products containing them! The UK will soon be the first country to comprehensively ban the import and export of shark fins and any products containing them.

35. 80% of California wineries that used to rely on toxic pesticides are now using barn owls instead to protect their vines and get rid of pests. 80% of Californian Winemakers who used to rely on toxic pesticides are using barn owls as a pesticide-free alternative to protect vines and eliminate pests.

36. In Finland, a group of formidable grandmothers has formed a team called "Activist Grannies," dedicated to curbing climate change so their grandchildren can have a more sustainable future. In Finland there's a community of badass grandmothers helping to curb climate change called Aktivistimummot (Activist Grannies). Their goal: to ensure their grandchildren have a sustainable future.

37. In a history-making ruling, a Dutch court ordered Shell to cut its CO2 emissions by 45% — setting a precedent for reining in multinationals! In a historic ruling, a Dutch court has ordered oil company Shell to cut its CO2 emission by 45%. A precedent for cases against polluting multinationals.

38. A fabric maker in London is turning tonnes of pineapple waste from the Philippines into artificial leather — zero-pollution, cruelty-free fashion is possible! A textile maker in London is turning tons of pineapple waste from the Philippines into sustainable vegan leather. Zero waste & cruelty free fashion is possible!

39. A Glasgow club is trialling an innovative way of generating power — turning the body heat of people dancing into electricity for the club. It could cut CO2 emissions by 70 tonnes a year. A Glasgow club is trialing an innovative method that uses the dancers' body heat to generate energy to power the venue. This will save 70 tonnes of CO2 per year!

40. Big progress! Portugal has shut down its last coal plant, becoming coal-free nine years ahead of schedule. Huge climate victory: after closing its last coal plant, Portugal is now coal gree. They have achieved the target 9 years ahead of schedule!