Hawaii implements climate tax for tourism, Trees in cities can save lives, World's largest electric ship launched

May 05, 2025

Hello dear Good News community,

The vacation season is starting again. One persons's joy, another persons's sorrow: many cities, islands and coasts are affected by mass tourism - not good for the local community and the environment. Now Hawaii wants to introduce a levy on overnight hotel stays and cruise ships that will go towards environmental protection on the island. A small reminder that a vacation at home can also be nice.

Enjoy reading, Selina

(Öffnet in neuem Fenster)

Hawaii implements climate tax for tourism

From 2026, Hawaii will apply a “green fee” - in other words, a higher tax on hotel stays and cruises. The income is intended to protect beaches, forests and infrastructure from the consequences of the climate crisis and mass tourism. The island state is hoping to raise up to 100 million dollars a year. Source: THE NEWS

Go to article (Öffnet in neuem Fenster)

Study: Trees in cities can save lives

This is the conclusion of a new study. According to the new analysis, trees in urban areas could have prevented more than a third of all heat-related deaths by 30 percent between 2000 and 2019. In total 1.16 million lives could have been saved by more greenery. Source: EURONEWS

Go to article (Öffnet in neuem Fenster)

World's largest electric ship launched in Tasmania

A 426-foot-long electric ship has been launched in Tasmania. According to the manufacturer, it is the largest ship of its kind. In the near future, the ship will transport up to 2,100 passengers between Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Uruguay. Source: ECOWATCH

Go to article (Öffnet in neuem Fenster)

Indigenous people consult in New York for better protection

Indigenous leaders from around the world have met in New York for the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Together they discussed how states can better protect the rights of indigenous peoples and worked on solutions to address current challenges. Source: MONGABAY

Go to article (Öffnet in neuem Fenster)

AI predicts extreme weather forecasts - with almost no CO2 production

Supercomputers that forecast extreme weather produce tons of carbon emissions every year. Researchers at the University of Cambridge have now developed the AI model Aardvark, which can predict extreme weather - and also emit less CO2. Source: RESET

Go to article (Öffnet in neuem Fenster)

Brazil: Project aims to strengthen coexistence between pumas and the community

With the Suçuaranas Detetives project, scientists in the Brazilian state of Goiás want to monitor the routes of pumas, the suçuaranas. The aim is to strengthen coexistence between the pumas and rural communities and to establish conservation areas. Source: MONGABAY

Go to article (Öffnet in neuem Fenster)

🍀 New month, new luck!

In May, we are once again dependent on your support to cover the majority of our costs. Unfortunately, things have not gone so well in recent months - but we are convinced that we will be able to reach our fundraising target this month. 🙌 If you can, please support us with a voluntary contribution. Thank you very much!

(Öffnet in neuem Fenster)

❣️ Thank you to all 44 supporters in May!
Good News is largely financed by the voluntary contributions of its users. We are a non-profit organisation and all income is reinvested. Thanks to your voluntary contributions, we are able to cover a large part of our staff and production costs.

🩷 We hope that with our hand-picked daily edition, we have been able to motivate you to initiate and promote positive change yourself.

💌 If you know someone who would enjoy receiving this newsletter, please forward this email to them to sign up (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).

📲 Download our Good News app (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) .

Best regards,

Bianca Kriel & Selina Mahoche