The EV utopia
Norway launched a battle against global warming in the early 1990s, and the results have been extraordinary.
According to the Norwegian Road Federation, Norway is now the first country in the world with more electric vehicles (EVs) on the road than gas-powered cars. Of the 2.8 million private cars registered there, 754,303 are all-electric.
To reach this milestone, the government offered a wide variety of incentives that were funded by oil and gas sales, including:
* exempting EVs from sales taxes
* exempting EVs from emissions taxes
* lower tolls for EVs
* lower parking fees for EVs
* allowing EV drivers to use the bus lanes
Norway's tax incentives for lower-emission vehicles also sparked an increase in the sale of diesel vehicles, which have lower carbon dioxide emissions than gas-powered cars. While there are still 1 million diesel cars on the road in Norway, sales of those vehicles have already peaked since 2017.
Today, EVs make up more than 90 percent of new vehicle sales. And next year, Norway plans to end the sale of all new gas and diesel vehicles.
Norway also prepared for a greener future by building more than 3,400 public charging stations and nearly 7,800 fast chargers. There are 2,000 free chargers in Oslo alone.
“Even in the northernmost parts of Northern Norway — an area with huge distances, more reindeer than people, and really low temperatures in the winter — you can get around easily in an EV,” Christina Bu, secretary general of the Norwegian Electric car association, stated.
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The cat came back
Benny and Susanne Anguiano, of Salinas, Calif., and their beloved cats took a vacation to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming last June. The trip was going well until one of their cats, Rayne Beau, slipped his collar, jumped out of the trailer and disappeared into the dense lodgepole pine tree forest.
The Anguianos spent five days searching for their 2-year-old seal point Siamese. They looked through the woods where Rayne Beau was last seen, and they laid out cat food, tuna and toys in hopes of luring him back to their campsite. Nothing worked and eventually, the couple had to depart without him. Their other cat, Starr, a Flame Point Siamese and Rayne Beau’s sister, meowed for him all the way home.
"That was the hardest day because I felt like I was abandoning him," Susanne told KSBW Action News 8.
As they entered the Nevada desert, Susanne spotted double rainbows in the sky. She took them as a sign that someday Rayne Beau would be found, safe and sound.
Two months later, the cat came back.
The Anguianos received messages from a pet microchip registry service and an animal shelter in Roseville, Calif. -- over 800 miles away from Yellowstone. Rayne Beau had apparently attempted to make the journey home on his own.
Alexandra Betts was on her way to work in Roseville, three hours north of where the Anguianos live, when she heard yowling coming from the bushes. It was very hot that summer day, over 100ºF, and she knew something was wrong when she spotted the exhausted cat, panting, near a storm drain.
Betts brought the cat home and uploaded photos of him to a local lost and found page on Facebook. No one claimed him. The next weekend, she took him to the Placer Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and updated her online post. The shelter’s staff scanned the feline and discovered the microchip that connected him to the Anguianos.
During his two months in the wild, Rayne Beau lost 40% of his weight. His protein levels dropped from inadequate nutrition and his paws became cracked and calloused. By the time the resilient cat was discovered in Roseville, he barely had any energy left. But thanks to a stranger's compassion and the Anguianos' decision to microchip him, Rayne Beau is home and recuperating.
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How a mysterious sculpture created a community
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THIS WEEK’S POLL
LAST WEEK’S POLL
READ BOOKS. DON’T BAN THEM.
THIS WEEK IN (POSITIVE) HISTORY
On September 25, 1890, Congress established Sequoia National Park in California.
On September 26, 1580, Francis Drake completed his 3-year circumnavigation of the world.
On September 27, 1962, "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson was published; it became one of the most influential books of the modern environmental movement.
On September 28, 2021, the U.S. National Inventors Hall of Fame announced that it would induct two Black women for the first time: engineer Marian Croak and ophthalmologist Dr. Patricia Bath.
On September 29, 1885, the first practical public electric tramway in the world opened in Blackpool, England.
On September 30, 2020, California became the first state to pass a law allowing for reparations for Black residents and the descendants of slaves.
On October 1, 1890, Yosemite National Park was established.
On October 2, 1959, the science fiction anthology TV series, "The Twilight Zone," debuted.
THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS
On September 25, director/writer Pedro Almodóvar, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones and basketball player Chauncey Billups
On September 26, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anthony Shadid, tennis player Serena Williams and Canadian vlogger Lilly Singh
On September 27, singer Meat Loaf, rapper Lil Wayne and actress Jenna Ortega
On September 28, German boxer Max Schmeling, soul singer Ben E. King and actress Brigitte Bardot
On September 29, Italian painter Caravaggio, Italian-American physicist Enrico Fermi and basketball player Kevin Durant
On September 30, German physicist Hans Geiger, actor James Dean and novelist/playwright Truman Capote
On October 1, President Jimmy Carter, Chief Justice of the United States William Rehnquist and actress Julie Andrews
On October 2, comedian/actor Groucho Marx, photographer Annie Leibovitz and singer/songwriter/musician/actor Sting
And a special birthday: I also wanted to take a moment to wish my husband, Marcus Weir, a very happy birthday. He turns 50 years old tomorrow and I wanted all Good Newsers to know how lucky I am to have him in my life. Here's to 50 more, my heart!
THIS WEEK’S FUN HOLIDAYS
On September 25, World Dream Day, World Pharmacist Day, National Comic Book Day, National Cooking Day, National Daughters Day, National Food Service Workers Day, National Lobster Day, National One-Hit Wonder Day and National Quesadilla Day
On September 26, World Maritime Day, National Chimichanga Day, National Dumpling Day, National Johnny Appleseed Day, National Key Lime Pie Day, National Pancake Day, National Shamu the Whale Day, Alpaca Day, European Languages Day, HR Professionals Day, Love Note Day and Lumberjack Day
On September 27, World Tourism Day, National Chocolate Milk Day, National Corned Beef Hash Day, National Day of Forgiveness, National Scarf Day, Ancestor Appreciation Day, German Butterbrot Day, Hug a Vegetarian Day, Morning Show Hosts Day, Native American Day and Save the Koala Day
On September 28, International Day for Universal Access to Information, International Lace Day, International Poke Day, International Rabbit Day, National Ghost Hunting Day, National Good Neighbor Day, National Public Lands Day, National Self-Awareness Day, National Strawberry Cream Pie Day, Fish Amnesty Day and Save Your Photos Day
On September 29, World Deaf Day, World Heart Day, National Biscotti Day, National Coffee Day, National Goose Day, National Silent Movie Day and Urban National Wildlife Refuge Day
On September 30, International Podcast Day, International Translation Day, National Chewing Gum Day, National Hot Mulled Cider Day, National Love People Day, National Mud Pack Day, Extra Virgin Olive Oil Day and Pet Tricks Day
On October 1, International Coffee Day, International Day of Older Persons, International Music Day, World Sake Day, World Vegetarian Day, National Black Dog Day, National Fire Pup Day, National Green City Day, National Hair Day, National Homemade Cookie Day, National Lace Day, National Poetry Day, National Pumpkin Spice Day, National Raccoon Day, Balloons Around the World Day, CD Player Day and Model T Day
On October 2, International Walk to School Day, World Farm Animals Day, National Coffee With a Cop Day, National Custodian Day, National Fried Scallops Day, National Kale Day, National Name Your Car Day, National Pumpkin Seed Day, National Smarties Day and Guardian Angel Day
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
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SIMPLE PLEASURES
* Roasting marshmallows over a fire
* Jumping into a pile of fallen leaves
* Picking apples at an orchard
HOW TO SPREAD JOY/KINDNESS
* Compliment the food and/or service you receive at a restaurant
* Give a standing ovation for a great performance
* Organize a car wash and donate the profits to charity
RECOMMENDED SUBSTACK
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." --Eleanor Roosevelt
MOMENT OF GRATITUDE
Thanks to Kotangens, the Norwegian Road Federation, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Norsk elbilforening, CNBC, YouTube, Car and Driver magazine, BBC News, Visit Norway, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Susanne and Benny Anguiano, Facebook, KSBW Action News 8, The New York Times, the Placer Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, USA Today, NBC News, Great Big Story, The Moonlight Reader Society, Thomas Barnes, the Perpetual Motion BBC Documentary Series, Mental Floss, History.com, This Day in History, Britannica, Time and Date, On This Day, the Library of Congress, IMDb, Famous Birthdays, This Day in Music, National Today, National Day Calendar, Holidays Calendar, Investable Oceans, The Leatherback Project, The End Files, Feel Good Newsletter, Emily Charlotte Powell, While I Was Drawing, Counting Beans, Canva and Deposit Photos for art and story suggestions.
KEEP IN TOUCH
Read a positive/uplifting news story lately? Have an inspiring quote you want to share? Or do you just want to let me know about some of your favorite simple pleasures?
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You missed out apple crumble!
I loved that story about the cat, so glad it got home safely.