http://www.thingsaregood.com Inspirational and good news. Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:26:59 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Large solar power installations require a lot of space and a lot of approvals. As a reaction to this, smaller solar power installations have been approved and placed close to transmission centres. This is a more reliable and sustainable energy network than what existed before. Over the past few weeks, some ... http://www.thingsaregood.com/2010/02/09/distributed-solar-power-lights-the-future/ Some beers might help with bone density due to the inclusion of silicon within the brew. Of course, the study points out the benefits of beer drinking but that the drinking needs to happen in moderation. Getting drunk from beer doesn't make you stronger, it just makes you feel stronger. Beer ... http://www.thingsaregood.com/2010/02/08/beer-can-make-you-stronger/ Here's a chance for some people to help rebuild Haiti from afar. Good Magazine has launched a competition for idea on how to sustainably rebuild Haiti. In the wake of the Port-au-Prince earthquake, Haitians have sustained an immense loss of life, with numbers still climbing, and the collapse of physical structures ... http://www.thingsaregood.com/2010/02/05/good-magazine-launches-contest-to-help-rebuild-haiti/ A computer simulation of the urban environment has proven that in theory white paint on rooftops can significantly cool cities - thus saving energy in the summer that would be used for air conditioning. Cities are particularly vulnerable to climate change because they are warmer than outlying rural areas. Asphalt ... http://www.thingsaregood.com/2010/02/03/white-paint-can-cool-cities/ When most people think of China and energy coal generally comes to mind, indeed China is the world's biggest user of coal for energy. That may not change anytime soon but what the Chinese government is doing now is expanding their renewable power and becoming the world's largest exporter of ... http://www.thingsaregood.com/2010/02/02/renewable-energy-in-china-is-booming/ When it comes to running it's not the shoes that count, it's the muscles. Some researchers have examined barefoot runners compared to shoe runners and found out that barefoot runners don't strike their heels like those who shoes. Running barefoot is fun and healthy! "People who don't wear shoes when they ... http://www.thingsaregood.com/2010/02/01/run-barefoot-for-better-legs/ Living and not producing any waste is pretty impressive. A family in the UK set out to demonstrate that they can easily live life and only make a trashcan's worth of rubbish in a year. Guess what? They did it. “Our vision is for a zero waste UK; a country where ... http://www.thingsaregood.com/2010/01/28/one-trashcan-per-year-you-can-too/ Repairs and rebuilding has been going on in Haiti after the powerful earthquake hit the country about two weeks ago. They aid teams have run into a problem around energy - there's not enough diesel. Things that rely on solar power are still working - bizarrely the traffic lights ... http://www.thingsaregood.com/2010/01/27/rebuilding-haiti-solar-power-essential/