Dandelion News - June 8-14
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1. This LGBTQ+ nonprofit just raised $285M to challenge legislative attacks on queer lives
“Launched three years ago in anticipation of escalating federal attacks, the campaign surpassed its goal by more than $100 million. […] Lambda is using the funds to expand its legal team by 42 percent [… and] support a significant scale-up of its public education programs and its LGBTQ+ legal help desk — the only one in the country staffed by attorneys.”
2. When a fox says ‘help’ in London, there’s often an ambulance on its way
“[The Fox Project has] grown from providing information on deterring foxes to rescuing 1,400 a year, including 400 cubs[…. They respond] to calls about injured or ill foxes or cubs that have lost their mothers. […] Cubs that recover are socialized in packs of five until they mature and are then released in a rural location while the adults are freed in the neighborhoods where they were found.”
3. Bills That Could Have Hurt Renewable Energy Die in Texas Legislature
“Renewables diversify the state’s grid and add capacity, renewable advocates said, making the grid more reliable. […] The answer was not to force fossil fuel purchases or connections [as these bills would have done], they said, but to look for more ways to bolster battery storage efforts. […] The Advanced Power Alliance, an advocacy group for clean energy, argued [another] bill would hurt development and competition, which conservative lawmakers should support.”
4. 'New pathway' to cure for HIV discovered using tech from COVID-19 vaccine
“Researchers have taken a giant leap in the search for an HIV cure by discovering a way to identify the virus even as it is camouflaged among other cells. […] By introducing mRNA to white blood cells, [this technology] can force the cells to reveal the virus[…], isolating the virus for potential treatment. [… I]n terms of specifically the field of HIV cure, we have never seen anything close to as good as what we are seeing [with this technology….]”
5. A Historic Milestone in Conservation: The Forêt Brière Is Now Protected
“Thanks to a tremendous collective effort and the generosity of our donors, the goal of raising over $1,000,000 in private funds has been reached, meaning this exceptional 540-hectare property in the heart of the Northern Green Mountains will be protected in perpetuity. […] The area is home to remarkable biodiversity, with over 250 species of flora and numerous at-risk species of fauna[, … and t]he area's habitats are extremely diverse.”
June 1-7 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)
