This week Awesome Stories brings you agents of joy, empathy, creative solutions, solar wonders, kindness and treasures from trash.
Agents of Joy
I love this project. 70 different organizations from around the world have teamed up to help spread joy and laughter. Many of us have experienced the wonderful shift in attitude from a good laugh or the cheer of a friend. These organizations use clowns and laughter to help boost the spirits and immune systems of children and patients around the world. Are you ready to become an Agent of Joy? Put on your happy face and join the troop! Here is info on joining the Rednose Alliance, and a cute video to bring a little joy to your day.
The Power of Empathy
Jane Goodall offers a life of wisdom in this short video. Watch her views on the role of empathy to join hearts, mind, humans and animals.
The Creative Solutions Economy
More integrated and creative approaches to solving the world’s problems are emerging that go beyond typical companies and hierarchies. These solutions focus on the problems and changes directly, rather than getting bogged down in fixed ideas and ways of organizing. Creative solutions emerge from a shared interest in certain topics or challenges. Ideas are shared around the globe as enterprising people come together to solve those issues. Sometimes the new partners with the old for specific projects or solutions. For example, Segway founder, Dean Kamen, decided to tackle the challenge of clean water in developing countries and partnered with Coca-Cola to distribute the products.
Solar Wonders
Here are 7 wonderful solar projects from around the world. These are some of the leading edge technologies and ideas in the solar industry. My favorite is the project in India that conserves precious water while producing electricity from panels over water canals. Keep on shining!
IBM research photo from flickr/ CC BY-ND 2.0
Powerful Kindness
This story grabbed my attention and stole my heart. It made we want to track down the girl and offer her a big hug. Read this touching story of a man and 8 year old neighbor bonding over a car. I bet his kindness and the story will tug at your heart too. I won’t spoil the ending for you, though you might want to have tissues.
Hand Sewn Beauty
This artwork by Jim Hodges touched my heart. There is something majestic and alive in these beautiful pieces. Do they move you too?
Treasures From Trash
These 6 projects have found creative ways to make treasures from plastic trash. This is particularly important in the ocean where an estimated 80% of the trash is plastic and estimated to cost $13 BILLION dollars a year to clean up! The projects are designed to both highlight the problem and create sustainable solutions. My favorite project is called Ocean Sole. They make creative toys from recycled flip flops. These are good transition steps, but we really need to tackle the use of plastics head on. I’d like to see plastics required to be reused, or eliminated completely. What do you think about plastics?
What creative treasures might be found or made in your life? Please share your ideas.
writing to freedom 
Wonderful videos.
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Thanks Lee!
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Wonderful stories Brad! I loved the clip on the healing power of joy, I’m a big believer in laughter being a powerful medicine! What a wonderful movement the Red Nose Alliance has going there! 😀 I also enjoyed the Jane Goodall clip about empathy, and the denim art… WOW!
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Big surprise that you liked the joy post Julie! XD Clowning looks like fun, maybe something to put on the to-do list. 🙂 The denim art definitely wowed me. Thanks for diving into the stories. 🙂
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I’m amazed with all the stories. You’ve done good work and thank you. Shared on my FB page https://www.facebook.com/divinenotebook for others to see this post.
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Thanks very much for reading, reflecting and sharing. Have an awesome weekend, Brad. 🙂
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You’re welcome! Stories about innovation to help Mother Earth is worth sharing. Have a fabulous weekend! Diane
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Thanks! 🙂
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Yep you were right.. I needed a Tissue.. on that story of the 8 yr old neighbour.. sniff.. and Jane Goodall Amazing woman.. and Life… 🙂
Enjoy your weekend Brad.. And thank you for sharing so many great finds today 🙂
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I hope the tears were cleansing. 🙂 Thanks for being such a dedicated friend and fan Sue.
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So cool, what a series of stories. Jane Goodall is just one of my favorites, so it is so good hearing this video ~ what a great thing it is to be able to understand the great humanistic traits is everything. Wish you a great coming week!
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Hi Randall, it’s nice to “see” you again. A agree that Jane has a wisdom of the ages, mined from her work with animals and empathy. Thanks for your reflection and good wishes. I hope life is well and look forward to seeing another of your beautiful photo journeys! 🙂 Have a great week!
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Enjoyed the Jane Goodall clip. She didn’t mention it here, but she is face-blind, which may have been another reason why names for the chimpanzees were so helpful. I agree that you just need to know an animal well to realize they have the same range of emotions we do!
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Interesting Heather, I didn’t know Jane was face-blind. It might have helped develop her empathy too. Interspecies communication and connections are beautiful. Have a great week!
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Happy Thanksgiving Week, Brad! Loved all of this…Jane’s comment about the clever brain & human heart having to work together to reach our full potential was as perfect and as it was profound. But it was little Rachel and the gracious young classic car restorer who stole my heart — and yes — waterworks prevailed! 😉
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Happy Thanksgiving to you too Shauna. Jane is a wise and empathetic woman. I’m with you about Rachel and her car restoring friend. That was the bell ringing, tear jerking story of the week. Maybe I’ll have to supply tissues with future posts. XD
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Oh gosh, I just loved the Jane Goodall clip. And Aaron’s story was precious. Heartrending. But precious.
Blessings, Brad,
Dani
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Nice to see your smiling icon again Dani! XD Aaron’s story certainly pulled at many of our heartstrings. Thanks for adding your joy and compassion here. blessings, Brad
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