Good morning!

From scientific discoveries to activist wins, here are the latest news stories that showcase the people who are taking on climate change and nature loss, and winning.

🗳️ The climate leaders entering Congress

Last week, climate-minded politicians across the US were elected to Congress. With long histories of fighting the climate crisis in their communities, they’ll spend their terms working to defend the Inflation Reduction Act and pushing for further public awareness around climate change.

‘It’s just a matter of how you talk about the issue, and recognizing that climate is a go-to economy issue, it’s a national security issue, it’s a public health issue, and really talking about it that way.’

🪵 Capturing waste heat with wood

From vehicle engines to manufacturing equipment, machines generate a huge amount of heat that typically goes to waste. While it’s possible to transform this waste heat into electricity, the process typically requires toxic metals like mercury and lead.

However, researchers have now discovered a safe and sustainable way of harnessing this waste heat with wood, an innovation that could provide power in remote areas or act as a source of green energy in buildings. It could even be used to capture the waste heat exuded by our bodies, and use it to run our smart watches or fitness trackers.

👩🏽‍🌾 Bringing nature to underserved communities

A £5m program by the UK’s Wildlife Trusts has reached 1,600 communities, with a focus on groups who’ve been historically deprived of access to nature. The program worked in collaboration with communities in order to create grassroots projects that met their interests, allowing people to connect with nature and play a role in stopping its decline. Projects included providing equipment to allotments run by refugees, linking schools with rare bird reintroduction schemes, and rewilding town centres.