Weekly Uplifting Stories - February 27th, 2023

Hello everyone! Welcome to this week's edition of Weekly Uplifting Stories. 

This week we found a clever dog named Millie, who picks up litter and throws it away.

There's a Dublin-based illustrator who draws faces on pictures of clouds and a determined group of Grade 5 kids who raised $300,000 to make their playground accessible to all the students who attend their school.

And finally, we find an inspiring Indian company intent on reducing plastic and styrofoam packaging waste and a group of dedicated Vietnamese seniors who meet each week to learn a new language. 

We hope you enjoy!

Clever Dog Picks Up Trash 

If you are walking around the streets of Hereford, England, you might run into 5-year-old Millie, a local Spanish Podenco dog who regularly picks up litter and pops it in the trash. 

"Obviously, environmental concerns are a hot topic at the moment, so if we can help clear up rubbish and plastic off the street, then we're doing our bit to help. We rescued her because our house felt empty without an animal. Dogs and cats are a big part of anyone's life that loves animals." - Owner Alfie Kitson

Millie's owner, 80-year-old Alfie Kitson, taught her the trick when they lived in Spain, after seeing a soldier do the same with his pup. All he has to say is, "Put that litter in the bin," and she takes care of business. Thanks Alfie and Millie, for making the world a cleaner place!

Dublin Illustrator Draws Faces on Clouds to Delight Us All

Illustrator Chris Judge creates cute doodles on images of clouds and posts them on his Instagram page, A Daily Cloud.

From clouds playing basketball to cloud dogs flying around, to a sky full of cloud-cats, this Dublin-based creator started taking pictures of clouds during the pandemic, when he was spending a lot of time outside with his daughters. 

"I am astonished by how many people have followed and engaged with the project," says Judge. "I am constantly trying new projects to keep my creative juices flowing but A Daily Cloud just seemed to really resonate with people from all over the world. I think it's the mix of humor, nature and the universality of clouds that appeals to people." - Chris Judge (from People magazine)

You can also find Chris' book, "Cloud Babies," which helped him through the tough time of his daughter' struggles through leukemia. (She has since finished her treatment and 'is doing brilliantly.')

Grade 5 Students Raise $300,000 to Make Their Playground Accessible for Everyone

A Grade 5 class at Glen Lake Elementary School in Hopkins, Minnesota worked together for months to raise $300,000. Their plan was to buy adaptive playground equipment for students with physical disabilities.

The kids in Betsy Julien's class thought it was unfair that their playground wasn't accessible to everyone in the school. Glen Lake has many students with physical disabilities, and there wasn't anything for them to play on themselves. 

"They didn't look happy, and recess is about having fun." - Rhys Riley, Grade 5 Student

After asking their teacher why they couldn't just buy the necessary equipment, the kids spent months collecting spare change, organizing bake sales, going door to door and even calling local businesses to get them involved. They finally hit their goal, to the delight of everyone. 

The kids now have their sights set on raising more money to help other schools in their area. The future looks bright with kids like this in the world!

Indian Company Using Sugarcane Waste to Make Biodegradable Tableware

Yash Pakka's brand 'Chuk' is creating Biodegradable tableware made from sugarcane waste, known as bagasse. The Indian company, who's slogan is, "packaging with a soul," aims to replace single-use plastic food containers and make a difference in plastic pollution.

India is the second largest producer of sugar in the world. Bagasse is a bi-product of the process, and massive amounts of it abound. (It's also used as a low-pollution alternative to fossil fuels to create electricity.)

The plastic equivalent of the weight of the Taj Mahal ends up in the waterways and streets of India every two weeks. The products made from bagasse in Yash Pakka's factory are meant to break down in compost after use, instead of being thrown in landfills. They are meant to be a replacement for styrofoam. 

The company produces up to a million individual products a day and is proud to pay their staff a living wage. 

I highly recommend you watch the video on this - it's fascinating and creates a lot of hope for our ecological future. 

You're Never Too Old to Learn

Every Tuesday in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi, a group of seniors attends English classes. Run by volunteers, they help with socializing and enhancing the student's cognitive abilities. 

"Even though we are old, we should still try to study because studying helps the brain and when we work our brains, we won't become as forgetful or lose our way." - Nguyen Thi Loc, learning English

English became a mandatory school subject in Vietnam in the 1990s, but these ladies were past their school days at that point. These wonderful women prove that you are never too old to learn something new!

Watch the entire video here. (I promise, it will definitely brighten your day!)

Have a Great Week Everyone! 

Are you inspired? I certainly am. In my search for these motivational stories each week, and I learn more about the world. I end up being so inspired myself by these incredible people. Sometimes we get so caught up in our own heads. We forget how small things add up when it comes to showing others we care. 

Have you been inspired by any of our stories to go out and contribute yourself? Tell us in the comments below, or on our Instagram page. Have a great week everyone, and take care. 

Photo by Diva Plavalaguna