Children Lead Water Conservation Efforts in India

Daily Upsider on April 17, 2024

Bengaluru, a bustling Indian megacity, experiences scorching summers where water conservation is crucial. However, one individual’s initiative within the school system has had a significant impact, conserving millions of gallons of water this year alone.

Dr. Hariharan Chandrashekhar, an environmentalist, initiated the Rain Reach program in Bengaluru schools in response to a crisis triggered by extensive well digging, which rapidly depleted water supplies for 8.5 million residents and approximately 40 schools in the city.

Targeting students aged 9 to 15, the program aims to instill early awareness about water conservation, fostering lifelong habits. Through practical measures such as rainwater collection and storage, monitoring rainfall with rain gauges, and treating wastewater for non-potable uses like irrigation and toilet flushing, the program has saved over 9 million gallons (34 million liters) of water.

Water conservation has emerged as a focal point in both private and public sectors in India. Initiatives like Jal Jeevan, launched nationwide in August 2019, have provided tap water connections to nearly 79 million households, extending access to 56% of rural households across the nation.

Bank Prevents Woman from Making Catastrophic Decision

Daily Upsider on April 9, 2024

A Westpac Bank employee recently intervened to prevent a woman from making a financially catastrophic decision due to an online scam.

Mariana Karbowski, a teller at Westpac’s Liverpool Branch, grew suspicious when a senior citizen appeared anxious about selling her home and canceling her insurance with the bank.

Upon inquiry, the woman mentioned she needed the money to “help her son,” but further questioning revealed she intended to use the funds to bail out an online boyfriend from a foreign prison. Karbowski, whose own father was a victim of a scam, conducted a reverse image search of the purported boyfriend and found that the numerous photos sent to the client were posted online under various names.

After showing the woman the images, Karbowski helped comfort her. She then walked the woman to the police station to report the scam.

Westpac aims to replicate this level of vigilance in its online banking services with an AI feature designed to ask probing questions similar to those a concerned relative might pose, thereby preventing potentially fraudulent transactions.

This initiative reflects a broader industry concern over scams targeting vulnerable individuals, including those with dementia or who are less internet-savvy. Another bank, ANZ Bank, recently reimbursed an elderly client with early-stage dementia after scammers drained AUD$500,000 from his account. The fraud department concluded that the bank should have had more protective measures for customers’ account because of his condition.

Great to see proactive employees that are looking out for people!

A New Type of Food Bank

Daily Upsider on April 5, 2024

“The Bread and Butter Thing” is a network of food banks across the UK, but with an interesting twist. These centers not only distribute food but also serve as community connectors, offering a potential blueprint for similar initiatives.

Visiting any of the 90 hubs managed by The Bread and Butter Thing offers a surprise regarding the food you’ll take home. What’s certain, though, is the warm welcome you’ll receive, complete with engaging conversations and plenty of tea. Additionally, professionals are often available to provide guidance on employment opportunities, social housing, parenting, and mental health.

The food, ranging from salmon and celeriac to strawberries, is surplus from farms, factories, and supermarkets, all diverted from potential waste. This approach distinguishes it from traditional food banks.

With the efforts of The Bread and Butter Thing, over 100 tonnes of food are rescued from waste each week, translating to around one million meals a month. This initiative not only prevents waste but also helps its 45,000 members save more than £4.8 million annually.

The organization’s success is measured not just in significant figures but in its qualitative impact as well. It brings affordable, nutritious food to areas lacking fresh produce and fosters a sense of community through the sharing of healthy recipes. The goal is to effect enduring positive change in communities facing challenges.

Volunteers deliver the food using refrigerated vans. The food bank volunteers then unload everything and pack the food into bags. Each customer receives three bags for a total of £8.50. The actual value of the three bags is usually well over £35.

After receiving their bags, customers can sit, drink tea or coffee, and eat biscuits or cake provided. People are encouraged to stay and socialize. The Bread and Butter Thing frequently arranges for specialists to engage with the community on important topics such as mental health and social housing. Last year, the organization distributed complimentary tablets, enabling individuals to access the internet for job applications and to seek information on benefits.

This unique model has garnered recognition, earning The Bread and Butter Thing the Community Partnership of the Year award at the latest Global Good Awards. Launched in 2015, these awards celebrate entities worldwide that lead in sustainable, ethical, and purpose-driven initiatives.

Largest Gold Nugget Ever Found in England

Daily Upsider on March 31, 2024

Despite encountering technical difficulties with his metal detector, Richard Brock, a seasoned treasure hunter with over three decades of experience, made a remarkable discovery in the Shropshire Hills of England. Arriving late to the organized expedition, Brock’s persistence paid off when he unearthed a 64.8-gram gold nugget, the largest ever found in England.

“After only 20 minutes of scanning the ground with this back-up detector that had a fading screen display, I found this nugget buried about five or six inches down in the ground” said Brock.

The discovery, named ‘Hiro’s Nugget,’ holds a bit of mystery because the area is not known for large deposits of gold. The area where it was found, near Much Wenlock, is believed to have served as a track or road with railway lines, possibly containing stone from Wales—a region renowned for its gold deposits. This could explain the strange appearance of the gold nugget.

The discovery is now being auctioned online by Mullock Jones Auctioneers, with expectations of fetching tens of thousands of dollars.

In a gesture of generosity, Brock intends to share the proceeds with the landowner.

Hunt for Most Valuable British Shipwreck

Daily Upsider on March 28, 2024

A team of marine experts aims to locate a historically significant shipwreck that sank 400 years ago, carrying an estimated $4.3 billion worth of gold.

The Royal Merchant, a 17th-century English treasure ship, sank in 1641 off Lands End, eastern England, during bad weather. Laden with riches from Mexico, including approximately 100,000 pounds of gold, 400 bars of Mexican silver, and 500,000 silver Pesos, the vessel carried a crew of 80 under the command of Captain John Limbrey. Its hold was reported to contain a substantial fortune in silver, gold, and jewels.

In recent times, speculation arose when a substantial anchor, potentially belonging to the Royal Merchant, was retrieved off the coast of Cornwall by The Spirited Lady in 2019. Now, a team of marine cargo recovery experts from Cornish-based company Multibeam Services, aided by former local fishermen, is gearing up to search for the wreck and its treasure.

Multibeam Services, equipped with advanced technology, plans an extensive search throughout 2024, covering a 200-square-mile area of the English Channel. Utilizing remote-controlled unmanned submersibles fitted with sonar and cameras, each valued at approximately $3.8 million, the team is confident in their ability to locate the wreckage.

Previous reports suggested the wrecks discovery by Odyssey Marine Exploration, legal disputes ensued, with the wreck purportedly being identified as a Spanish frigate, according to State Department Cables from Wikileaks.

It will be fascinating to see if they can find it and even more, who the treasure will belong to, once it is found.