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Good news from Namibia and around the world

LOCAL

Formula 1 star, Lewis Hamilton stunned by Namibia’s beauty

Seven-time Formula One champion, Lewis Hamilton, recently ventured to Namibia’s south on holiday. The British race car driver posted about his experience on all his social media profiles, including six photos of activities in and around Sossusvlei – like a hot air balloon adventure, quad biking and a visit to Dune 45. Hamilton described the breakaway to Namibia as ”a lifechanging reset” and “one of the most stunning places I’ve ever seen with my own eyes. Words and pictures do not do it justice.” In 2020, Lewis Hamilton was listed in Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.

Source: The Namibian

Walvis bay Child and Family Centre beacon of hope since 1996

The 120 children who are dropped off at the centre every day receive two meals, therapy, education and playtime. For 26 years the centre has been dedicated to serving children and families with disabilities, disorders and disease. The Walvis Bay Child and Family Centre is the only one of its kind in the community. Young adults are also engaged at the centre with needlework, baking, woodwork and gardening, which helps to generate much needed income for the centre and stimulates older dependents. The centre depends on donations.

Source: The Namibian

Tourism industry on upwards trajectory after pandemic

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has published the 2021 tourist arrival statistics. Compared to 2020, when the whole globe came to a standstill, foreign visitor arrivals in Namibia increased by 40%, to a total number of 232 756 tourists last year. The ministry’s report states that there was also an increase in the average length of stay in Namibia from 19 days in 2020 to 24 days in 2021. This is welcome news for the travel, tourism, hospitality and catering sectors, where 4 349 people were recorded losing their jobs over the last two years.

Source: The Namibian

THE GLOBE

Over 101,000 kg of trash has been removed from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organisation based in the Netherlands, has managed to extract 101,353 kg of plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch over the past 12 months. The GPGP is a massive conglomeration of marine debris bounded by the North Pacific Gyre. The patch is estimated to cover 1.6 million square kilometres between North America and East Asia. “Added to the 7,173 kg of plastic captured by our previous prototype systems, The Ocean Cleanup has now collected 108,526 kg of plastic from the GPGP – more than the combined weight of two and a half Boeing 737-800s, or the dry weight of a space shuttle,” founder Boyan Slat writes on his website. The Ocean Cleanup developed its own system for large-scale garbage-gathering in the oceans. Jenny, or System 002, was launched in August last year.

Source: Good News Network

Historic 190% increase of tigers on the brink of extinction in Nepal

Since 2009, wild tiger populations in Nepal have steadily increased to a whopping 355 individuals in 2022. Tigers were on the brink of extinction when in 2010 governments at the St. Petersburg International summit on tiger conservation set out to double tiger populations. The project, dubbed Tx2, meant that stakeholders had to crack down on poaching and the illegal wildlife trade, make large portions of habitat available and partner with local communities to safeguard the wild tiger species. Nepal’s efforts proved so successful that its wild tiger population has nearly tripled – a historic 190% increase since Tx2 was launched.

Source: Good News Network

British village combats speeding by planting thousands of flowers on the roadside

The village of Long Newnton in Gloucestershire in the UK used to have a problem with speeding. Apparently, drivers tend to go faster in areas they are moving through frequently, and neither speed-limits nor warning signs seemed to slow down traffic in Long Newnton. Village officials initially planted flowers on the roadside during the pandemic to improve biodiversity. But when motorists returned to the roads in numbers, the wildflowers along their frequent routes made them slow down. The psychology behind it is unclear, but evidence does show that introducing attractions like wildflowers make people believe they are entering an area that is looked after. And that makes them drive slower.

Source: Good News Network