Sprig 🌱

Dreaming of an optimistic future.
· · ──────·❂·────── · ·
My goal is to share the solutions people are coming up with to create a better future around the world. I will also share some educational content and good news.

Note: I am NOT a bot or AI. If you have something you think I should share, let me know! (◕‿◕)

📰 Blog: https://paper.wf/sprig/
📰 Backup Blog:: https://rant.li/spr1g/

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spr1g_at_mastodon.social@momostr.pink

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Last Notes

2026-08-16 13:26:54 UTC

🛠 Free Little Library From Old Wooden Pallets
https://www.instructables.com/Another-Free-Little-Library
#solarpunk #FreeLittleLibrary #community #diy #woodworking
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2026-06-13 01:42:52 UTC

At "Hope Blooms" in Helifax (NS, Canada), kids are taught how to grow food, and get produce to take home. 🍅🫛
The project also sells salad dressing, and profits go to scholarships for the students going into post-secondary.
🔗 https://hopeblooms.ca/
📺 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYzab47rqd4&t=15
#helifax #Canada #solarpunk #gardening #urbanfarm #novascotia
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2026-05-31 12:42:45 UTC

📰 Batteries That Use Sodium Instead of Lithium Could Be Low-Cost Rival to Tesla’s
🗒 “The combination of good uniformity, high power capability, and strong low‑temperature performance makes these cells attractive for stationary storage, grid services, and shorter‑range or commercial vehicles where potential lower cost and resource availability matter more than maximum driving range,”
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/batteries-that-use-sodium-instead-of-lithium-could-be-low-cost-rival-to-teslas/
#greenenergy #tech #technews #goodnews #solarpunk #saltbatteries #SodiumBatteries
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2026-04-23 22:24:51 UTC

📰 "Seeds Can ‘Hear’ the Rain–And the Sound Waves Make Them Grow Faster Shows MIT Study" 🌱🌧
🗒 "The sound of falling droplets effectively shook the seeds out of a dormant state, stimulating them to germinate at a faster rate compared with seeds that were not exposed to the same sound vibrations."
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/the-sound-of-rain-makes-seeds-grow-faster-mit/
#gardening #farming #science #sciencenews #naturenews #nature #plants
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2026-03-31 19:30:24 UTC

📰 "Village Water Restoration in India Revives 11 Water Bodies and Secures Rural Futures"
🗒"Soon, 11 water bodies across the area were revived in one of the country’s driest places. Dry basins became functioning reservoirs once again.
Groundwater levels began to respond. Wells that once ran dry during peak summer retained water longer."
https://happyeconews.com/village-water-restoration-in-india/
#swales #farming #gardening #community #water #watercatchments #India #Anantapur #AndhraPradesh
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2026-03-31 19:23:46 UTC

📰 "Coral Reef Fisheries Could Feed Millions Through Better Management"
🗒 "New research shows coral reef fisheries worldwide could boost sustainable yields by nearly 50 percent if fish populations recover, potentially providing up to 162 million additional meals annually."
https://happyeconews.com/coral-reef-fisheries-could-feed-millions/
#fish #fishing #marinebiology #food #rewilding #nature #environment
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2026-03-05 15:17:18 UTC

📰 How to recycle batteries the right way (without starting a fire or trashing the planet)
🗒 "Most batteries contain metals such as cobalt, nickel, and manganese that can be harmful if they leak into soil and water. Keeping them out of landfills reduces the risk of contamination. It also keeps valuable materials in circulation, which matters because recycling reduces the need for mining new raw materials."
https://www.optimistdaily.com/2026/03/how-to-recycle-batteries-the-right-way-without-starting-a-fire-or-trashing-the-planet/
#recycle #environment #greenliving #batteries #circulareconomy
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2026-02-27 03:17:18 UTC

📰 Regenerative agriculture sows success in Kenya
🗒 "They’re reporting up to 81% higher yields and 92% improvement in water retention. Meanwhile crop failure, soil erosion and dependence on chemicals have sharply reduced.
Outcomes have been validated by the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry, which analysed samples from 2,000 project sites and reported massive improvements in soil health and microbial diversity."
https://www.positive.news/society/regenerative-agriculture-sows-success-in-kenya/
#gardening #permaculture
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2026-02-14 22:47:15 UTC

📰 "Scientists Find a Global ‘Language’ Hidden in Bird Calls."
🗒 "Bird species that live thousands of miles apart and diverged millions of years ago are using strikingly similar alarm calls to warn of parasitic threats near their nests, according to an international team of scientists."
https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-find-a-global-language-hidden-in-bird-calls/
#birds #birding #nature #science #biology
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2026-02-12 01:53:27 UTC

📰 " Scientists Create Biodegradable Packaging Film That Matches Plastic Performance"
🗒 "Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology developed a thin film using cellulose, chitosan, and citric acid. These natural ingredients come from plants, mushrooms, and food waste. The new material blocks moisture and oxygen as effectively as traditional plastic."
https://happyeconews.com/scientists-create-biodegradable-packaging-film/
#science #sciencenews #econews #solarpunk #greenliving
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2025-12-21 15:01:16 UTC

Happy Solstice! ☀️
This solstice marks the shortest day north of the equator and the longest day in the south.
Northern Hemisphere: Your shadow will be the longest it will be all year at solar noon.
Southern Hemisphere: Your shadow will be the shortest it will be all year at solar noon.
🖼 https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/december-solstice.html
#solstice #solarpunk #goodnews
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2025-12-19 21:48:24 UTC

📺 "EXACTLY How To Make Any Place Beautiful"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uKnbcJosrE&t=679
#cityplanning #cities #solarpunk

2025-12-04 22:27:07 UTC

📰 "How Community-Led Coastal Ecosystem Rehabilitation Transformed Mexico’s Yucatan Coast"
🗒 "Fourteen women in Mexico have spent the last fifteen years leading coastal ecosystem rehabilitation efforts that transformed hundreds of acres of dead wasteland into thriving mangrove forests."
#mexico #Yucatan #solarpunk #environment #Sustainability #rewilding
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2025-11-05 22:08:33 UTC

📰 "Wood-based battery research is unlocking safer, more sustainable energy storage using materials from trees"
🗒 "At Michigan State University (MSU), scientists have shown that a battery separator made from lignin can last 60 percent longer than traditional plastic separators. This battery component also withstands heat up to 300°C, making it safer and more reliable than conventional parts."
https://happyeconews.com/charging-the-future-with-wood-based-battery/
#greenenergy #solarpunk
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2025-07-01 20:43:58 UTC

📰 "Scientists in Germany have discovered fungi that can actually eat plastic.
Researchers from the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin found microfungi capable of breaking down synthetic plastics, potentially giving us a new tool to tackle the massive amounts of waste that end up in oceans and landfills every year."
https://happyeconews.com/scientists-discover-new-plastic-eating-fungi/
#goodnews #fungi #nature #environment #solarpunk

2025-06-22 16:02:28 UTC

📰 "New research shows that shoreline litter has been slashed by almost half since plastic bag bans around the U.S. have gone into effect."
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/banning-plastic-bags-really-works-shoreline-litter-slashed-by-47pt-in-us/
#goodnews #environment #solarpunk #possitivenews

2025-05-12 15:36:59 UTC

📺 How to use your ambition for good
"In this episode, Bregman speaks with guest host Sigal Samuel about how to know if you’re morally ambitious, the value of surrounding yourself with like-minded people, and how to make moral ambition fashionable."
It's a podcast video with some interesting thoughts on morality based actions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thd-o2HvAyU&t=998
#solarpunk #ethics

2025-02-02 14:00:34 UTC

Did you know oysters clean water? 🦪🌊
They also build on each other, creating oysters reefs which creates habitats for other wildlife and can help protect coastlines.
📺 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N39nPt7k3p0&t=2
📺 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcN6RXT7qpw&t=277
📰 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/infographic/infographic-value-oyster-habitat
📰 https://www.coastalwiki.org/wiki/Oyster_reef_shore_protection
#solarpunk #environment #nature
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2025-02-01 15:11:16 UTC

- reply

that's a good point! Here, they are technically illegal (you'd have to get permits) but I'm sure people with creeks on their land are using them anyways without people knowing

2025-02-01 14:00:52 UTC

"OpenSourceSeeds is committed to re-establishing seed as a common good for all.
We do this by providing new varieties with an open-source licence. This is an easy way to legally protect seed from patents and other forms of privatization." 🌱🚜👨‍🌾
💻 https://www.opensourceseeds.org/en/home
📺 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlKQLX_rieg
📺 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBX6CNfEkk4&t=2
#opensource #farming #agriculture #gardening #farmers #FarmersRights

2025-01-31 14:32:22 UTC

- reply

Since waterwheels are relatively easy to build, they are an assessable power source for many places in the world. For example, a waterwheel completely changed the lives of villagers in Kedungsumur Village (Probolinggo, Indonesia), when it provided energy for a water pump.
📰https://earthbuddies.net/water-wheels-changed-whole-villages/
People are also trying different ways of using this old tech. For example:
📺 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kA_zNhyN6Fw
📺 https://youtu.be/XjEgFlngZ04
📺 https://youtu.be/S6oNxckjEiE

2025-01-31 14:17:56 UTC

While no longer common, water wheels have an ancient history for use in blacksmithing, milling flour, and more.
In the late 1800’s, they started to see commercial use for generating electricity.
Though they are not as popular for energy generating today, many people still build them for use in low-flow areas, or as a fish-safe alternative to dams.
📰 https://www.fuergy.com/blog/the-early-history-of-water-power
📰 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346925693_Sustainability_assessment_of_hydropower_water_wheels_with_downstream_migrating_fish_and_blade_strike_modelling
📰 https://www.prescouter.com/2016/10/water-wheels-hydropower/
🧵 1/2
#greenenergy #solarpunk #environment #randomfacts
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2025-01-31 13:58:23 UTC

If you are a fan of solarpunk, I recommend joining the lemmy instance "Slrpnk." It is a great community.
https://slrpnk.net/
#solarpunk

2025-01-22 14:00:24 UTC

Near Philadelphia(USA) is a food forest that was started in the 1920's by John Hershey. Although it was broken up in urban sprawl, many of the trees survive today in empty lots, backyards, and by parking lots.
There are pecans, walnuts, persimmons, apples, and many more, all growing without maintenance. It is thought to be the oldest living food forest in the USA.
📰 https://www.shelterwoodforestfarm.com/blog/2018/10/17/exploring-americas-oldest-food-forest
📺 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qQZTmb_1gk4
#solarpunk #permaculture #foodforest #usa
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2025-01-15 14:00:27 UTC

Affordable Food:
"Our mission is to create a community of neighbors sharing their resources to ensure that everyone has access to the healthiest, freshest food at an affordable price. If we all do our part to take care of the resources that feed us, we all stand to benefit." 🍅🥗
🔗 https://www.goodneighborgardens.com/
#gardening #urbanfarm
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2025-01-10 19:00:10 UTC

While many solar panels can last 25-30y, the quick advances in technology are causing some people to want to replace their panels sooner. That is where We Recycle Solar in Yuma (Arizona, USA) comes in.
Solar panels are assessed to see if they can be repaired. If not, they are stripped for parts. The company makes it a goal to recycle at least 95% of every single panel they receive.
📺 https://youtu.be/_8VqO77Z1p0
📰 https://werecyclesolar.com/we-recycle-solar-scale-launch-of-yuma-facility/
📰 https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/solar/how-long-do-solar-panels-last/
#solarpunk #solarenergy
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2025-01-10 18:15:17 UTC

Resource Share: Seed Savers Exchange 🌱
"Whether you’re new to seed saving or want to brush up on the time-honored practice, these seed-saving basics are a smart place to start."
They also have a section where you can swap seeds with other people.
https://seedsavers.org/learn/seed-saving/
#Solarpunk #gardening #seedsaving
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2025-01-09 22:28:03 UTC

A food forest is a sustainable, low-maintenance garden designed to mimic a natural ecosystem. It layers edible plants—trees, shrubs, vines, and ground covers—to create a self-sufficient system that provides food, improves soil, and supports biodiversity. 🌳🌿🍓
📰 https://projectfoodforest.org/what-is-a-food-forest/
📺 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCJfSYZqZ0Y
📺 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GJFL0MD9fc&t=0s
Image Source: https://www.abc.net.au/gardening/how-to/food-forest-fundamentals/12726464
#gardening #solarpunk #permaculture #FoodForest #Sustainability
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2025-01-03 22:28:02 UTC

Solar panels that look like privacy walls are becoming popular for sunny-facing apartments in Germany. Installation is easy: you strap the panels on your balcony, connect the panels together, then plug them into a regular outdoor wall socket.
“In the best case scenario, a 600 W balcony panel pays for itself after just a few years,” 📰 https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/04/25/tuv-offers-guidance-on-plug-in-balcony-solar-panels/
📺 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn46rqIF1GM&t=33
#solarpunk #solar #greenenergy #environment
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2024-12-29 22:22:02 UTC

In Vicenza, Veneto, a company called "Dyaqua" makes solarpanel roof tiles that look like the terracotta shingles that are common in the area. They are made from non-toxic and recyclable polymeric compounds that allows sunlight to pass through, while appearing like terracotta to the human eye.
(This is not sponsored or anything, I just think they are interesting.)
Website: https://www.invisiblesolar.it/EN/
#solarpunk #environment #solarpower
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2024-12-29 16:30:03 UTC

In Canada, 16-42 million birds are killed by window strikes a year, and in the USA, that number goes up to 365 million-1 billion.
By adding designs that don't have any gaps wider than 2," you can make any window bird-safe. Decals, engravings, and even glass paint, are all options. There are many design options to pick from.
Image Credit:
1️⃣ https://birdsafe.ca/window-options/
2️⃣ https://www.decorativefilm.com/sx-bsft-trellis-bird-safety-film
3️⃣ https://skydesign.com/product/skysafe-bird-friendly-glass/
4️⃣ https://jemlovestodraw.co.uk/2020/05/08/experiments-with-window-displays/
#solarpunk #environment #birds
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2024-12-28 15:07:43 UTC

Parts of Sweden use District Heating (heat for everyone comes from the same source), and one location is filling caves with hot water to create a giant network of thermal batteries.
Unused energy in the summer is used to heat the boilers, which can be used to heat the city in the winter.
📺 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSdKL0Nnk-k
#solarpunk #greenenergy #environment

2024-12-26 16:20:02 UTC

Where I live, any home that is around 100 years old will very likely have two front doors. Putting it simply, you open one door, step into a small space, and there will be another door in front of you. The space goes by many names, but they have a simple use; temperature regulation through draft prevention.
Sadly, they are often the first thing to go in renovations for open-concept designs.
Image Source: https://ca.pinterest.com/pin/457115430937940209/
#solarpunk #energysaving #RandomFacts
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2024-12-24 16:20:02 UTC

The beautiful living root bridges in Meghalaya, India, are a lesson in patience as the roots are gradually encouraged to grow in the supportive shape. They need regular care, but grow stronger with age. Once done, the bridges can have a lifespan of several hundred years; far outliving the original creators of them.
Suggested Video: https://youtu.be/1H0qTm7wNjk
#RandomFacts #culture #solarpunk
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2024-12-22 11:13:00 UTC

Natural gas is mostly just methane; the same gas created from human waste. 💩 The methane is created even if we don't use it, so some say we should use it for power generation, fuel for vehicles, and to create biosolid compost.
These options could also help with providing incentives for all cities to stop dumping raw sewage(yes, many places still do that).
Suggested Videos:
📺 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NZA5aEEIzhQ?feature=share
📺 https://youtu.be/p6CF-umWLZg
#solarpunk #ecofriendly #environment #energy #RandomFacts

2024-12-18 16:28:50 UTC

Digging Away Droughts:
Flattening out the land can increase overland flooding, wash away topsoil, and it gives water no place to sit and absorb into the soil. Without building the underground reservoir, the landscape becomes less drought resistant and more susceptible to wildfires.
The techniques to correct this have many names and methods, but the main goal is to dig something to slow water.
🧵1/2
Image Source: https://livingpermaculturepnw.com/what-is-a-swale-an-introduction-to-permaculture-water-harvesting/
#solarpunk #permaculture #gardening #garden #swale
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