Let’s cut to the chase: 2019 has been kind of a terrible year. Bad news seems to be everywhere these days, so it’s important to get a break from all that noise and focus on some positive events that took place in the last 12 months.

That’s why The Happy Broadcast is such a great Instagram page. The people behind it focus on happy, positive news events to counter all the awful things that bombard us each and every day.

Let’s get happy! Here are some great news stories from the past year that you might’ve missed.

1. Adopt a student.

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Milan is the most expensive city in Italy, and one of the most expensive in Europe. With its seven universities, it has a student population of 180,000, of whom 65,000 come from out of town. In Milan there are 314,000 senior citizens, mostly women, living in homes that have become big for them and also quite expensive to manage while living on a pension. In 15 years of offering Adopt a Student, the MeglioMilano association has arranged around 600 cohabitations. The average age of the host is 79; in 76% of cases, the host is a woman living in an apartment she owns. Project manager Monica Bergamasco says it was born in response to two problems: an ageing population with a growing number of seniors living alone, and rents increasing beyond the reach of students. Source: The Guardian (link in bio) #thehappybroadcast #love #positivity #happiness #happy #motivation #friends #fun #style #illustration #inspiration #goodnews #future #art #artist #goodmorning #positivenews #italy #milan #students #help #elderly #money #university #college

A post shared by The Happy Broadcast (@the_happy_broadcast) on Dec 11, 2019 at 6:30am PST

2. Water issues.

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According to the World Health Organization, 844 million people across the globe lack access to clean drinking water and among them are more than 300,000 children who die every year due to water-born diseases. Non-governmental organization ‘GivePower’ has built its first solar water farm in Kenya, turning the region’s saltwater into clean and sustainable drinking water. the farm uses a filtrating system that desalinates the brackish liquid to produce enough water for 35,000 people every day. The NGO @givepowerfoundation has given more than 2,650 solar-powered energy systems to medical clinics, villages, and schools in 17 countries. They are now focusing on the most important use of sustainable energy, which is clean water. Source: Designboom (link in bio) #thehappybroadcast #love #positivity #happiness #happy #motivation #friends #fun #style #illustration #inspiration #goodnews #future #art #artist #goodmorning #positivenews #kenya #africa #waterfiltration #NGO #children #desalination #cleanwater

A post shared by The Happy Broadcast (@the_happy_broadcast) on Dec 9, 2019 at 7:06am PST

3. Those poor koalas.

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This is the kind of news that warms our heart .⁣ – Drop a ? in the comments to celebrate! – Tag in the comments one of your friends that needs some good news Numerous bushfires have been wreaking havoc in Australia, affecting both residents and wildlife. As a result of the fires, wildlife hospitals have seen a huge influx of animals, and they are struggling to keep up with the demand for supplies. Many of these rescued koalas (over $75,000) are now being treated for burns on their paws. As a means of protecting the critters’ paws from sustaining further injury, Australians have been encouraging crafty activists to send handmade mittens to their animal hospitals. For instance, a group of Dutch knitting enthusiasts from the Quilt Shop 100 in the Netherlands has already crafted more than 400 pairs of mittens for an Australian koala hospital. The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital has also been raising money for their koala treatments, as well as other Australian wildlife organizations. Since launching a GoFundMe campaign last month, they have surged past their original goal and raised almost $2 million for their rescue efforts. Source: GNN (link in bio, find out how to donate too) #thehappybroadcast #love #positivity #happiness #happy #motivation #friends #fun #style #illustration #inspiration #goodnews #future #art #artist #goodmorning #positivenews #australia #koala #donation #charity #help #bushfires #wildlife #danger #mittens

A post shared by The Happy Broadcast (@the_happy_broadcast) on Dec 2, 2019 at 6:15am PST

4. More of this!

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You all know how much I love Africa and it’s strong and fierce people and this is another example of strength and love. Theresa Kachindamoto (so formidable, she has been nicknamed “The Terminator”!) was determined to take a stand against the tradition which took teenage girls and made them wives and mothers long before the age of 18. Kachindamoto used her chief role to nullify more than 1500 child marriages since 2017, sending the girls who were married off before being able to complete their education back to school. She took a bold step towards ending poverty in Malawi, where a 2017 UN statistic suggested that about 45% of young girls are unable to remain in school past eighth grade. Because of bold and brave leadership like this things may start to change. Art by the talented @samanthacurcio . Source: UN Women (link in bio) #thehappybroadcast #love #positivity #happiness #happy #motivation #friends #fun #style #illustration #inspiration #goodnews #future #art #artist #goodmorning #positivenews #africa #malawi #childmarriage #children #rights #education #action #school

A post shared by The Happy Broadcast (@the_happy_broadcast) on Nov 27, 2019 at 7:33am PST

5. Wow! That’s amazing!

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In Japan, one of the most famous national dailies invented a one hundred percent sustainable newspaper. If you plant it, it will bloom! The Japanese newspaper is made of herb seeds, recycled and vegetable paper that you can plant after you’ve read it. It is called “Green Newspaper” and was invented by the publisher of the famous Japanese daily, The Mainichi. Seed paper is made from post-consumer material that is infused with seeds in the pulping process to grow either wildflowers, herbs or vegetables when planted either indoors or outside. The paper is bio-degradable, so it leaves no waste behind, making it an eco-friendly alternative to traditional card stocks. Once you’ve finished with it, don’t throw it, rather tear it into small pieces, plant and water it and within a few weeks you’ll unexpectedly have plants and flowers. Source: Educate Inspire Change (link in bio) #thehappybroadcast #love #positivity #happiness #happy #motivation #friends #fun #style #illustration #inspiration #goodnews #future #art #artist #goodmorning #positivenews #paper #Japan #nowaste #scientist #newspaper #seeds #flower #innovation

A post shared by The Happy Broadcast (@the_happy_broadcast) on Nov 22, 2019 at 6:21am PST

6. A big step.

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About 14 million tons of plastic enter the ocean every year and plastic never fully break down. They fragment into smaller pieces called microplastics. In a new study, scientists describe a new type of nanotechnology that could help: tiny magnetic "nano-coils" that create chemical reactions in order to break down microplastics in the ocean. The process converts the plastic into carbon dioxide and water. Nano-tech refers to anything smaller than one billionth of a meter, or half the width of a human hair, the process converts the plastic pieces into harmless salt compounds, Co2, and water. Art by our talented friend Kyle @kylejones . Source: Business Insider (link in bio) #thehappybroadcast #love #positivity #happiness #happy #motivation #friends #fun #style #illustration #inspiration #goodnews #future #art #artist #goodmorning #positivenews #plastic #science #noplastic #scientist #microplastic #ocean #climatechange #innovation

A post shared by The Happy Broadcast (@the_happy_broadcast) on Nov 20, 2019 at 6:31am PST

7. Under the stars.

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The World’s Big Sleep Out is an event meant to shine a light on homelessness and displaced people. For one night only, on December 7th 2019, Sleep Out under the stars with those close to you to show your empathy for those that are homeless and displaced. Join Will Smith, Dame Helen Mirren, some of the World's biggest musicians and an expected 50,000 people throughout the world by sleeping out under the stars to help those who have no other choice. Thanks to the support of corporate sponsors and supporters covering the event and infrastructure costs – 100%* of the funds raised will be invested in the cause. 50% going to charities helping rough sleepers and people suffering from homelessness and 50% Going to charities helping some of the 70.1 million people displaced globally – who have lost their homes through war, natural disasters, or extreme poverty. Source: The World’s Big Sleep Out (link in bio) Art by the very talented @nateetheis . #thehappybroadcast #love #positivity #happiness #happy #motivation #friends #fun #style #illustration #inspiration #goodnews #future #art #artist #goodmorning #positivenews #charity #endhomelessness #bigsleepout #help #homeless #fundraiser

A post shared by The Happy Broadcast (@the_happy_broadcast) on Dec 4, 2019 at 6:27am PST

8. Culture vitamins.

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Depression affects 300 million people across the globe and is the leading cause of disability worldwide according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It costs the global economy $1 trillion every year but fewer than half of those affected receive any treatment. So Denmark is trying a different approach: People suffering from depression are encouraged to take part in cultural activities. They call it Kulturvitaminer – “culture vitamins”. It involves getting people together in small groups to experience everything from concerts to communal singing. Participants also visit art galleries and museums and take part in creative activities which are proven to develop resilience. The program also includes story reading sessions and walks by the sea. Art by our friend Vica @yayitsvica . Source: World Economic Forum (link in bio) #thehappybroadcast #love #positivity #happiness #happy #motivation #friends #fun #style #illustration #inspiration #goodnews #future #art #artist #goodmorning #positivenews #denmark #depression #vitamins #art #support #disability #museum

A post shared by The Happy Broadcast (@the_happy_broadcast) on Nov 13, 2019 at 6:42am PST

9. Keep planting those trees.

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Every culture has its own traditions surrounding the birth of a child. While we celebrate newborn girls by sending pink dresses and dolls, in the village of Piplantri in Rajasthan, India, they celebrate by planting 111 trees. Since 2006 the Piplantri village has planted more than 350,000 of trees each year in celebration of their girls. However this is very rare, in most Indian villages the birth of a daughter was historically considered a burden for a family often times resulting in violence against them. In juxtaposition, the tradition of planting trees to welcome the birth of female children in Piplantri seems to completely reject these historical constraints, fostering hope that attitudes towards women can change. Source: Great Big Story/One Green Planet (link in bio) #thehappybroadcast #love #positivity #happiness #happy #motivation #friends #fun #style #illustration #inspiration #goodnews #future #art #artist #goodmorning #positivenews #india #women #children #TimesUp #womensrights #equality #climatechange #trees

A post shared by The Happy Broadcast (@the_happy_broadcast) on Nov 11, 2019 at 6:25am PST

10. Fighting disease.

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A new gene editing technique called prime editing, tested in human and mouse cells, rewrites DNA by only cutting a single strand to add, remove, or replace base pairs. The method may allow researchers to edit more types of genetic mutations than existing genome-editing approaches such as CRISPR-Cas9. The technology, called prime editing, has been described as a "genetic word processor" able to accurately re-write the genetic code. It has been used to correct damaging mutations in the lab, including those that cause sickle cell anaemia. The team at the Broad Institute say it is "very versatile and precise", but stress the research is only starting. Source: BBC (link in bio) #thehappybroadcast #love #positivity #happiness #happy #motivation #friends #fun #style #illustration #inspiration #goodnews #future #art #artist #goodmorning #positivenews #dna #science #primeediting #scientist #USA #Broad

A post shared by The Happy Broadcast (@the_happy_broadcast) on Nov 18, 2019 at 6:33am PST

11. Flourishing islands.

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More than 40 years after the authorities in the Netherlands, a country that takes pride in its innovative methods of water management, caused an environmental calamity on what is now a lake known as the Markermeer, an ambitious solution is bringing it back to life. Nine kilometres into the vast expanse of the Markermeer, the 700 sq km lake on Amsterdam’s easterly flank, lies a new Dutch archipelago. Five sprawling artificial islands, constructed from sucked-up and refashioned fine silt, clay and shells, offer a haven for plants, birds and other wildlife .⁣⁣ ⁣ “We have already seen dramatic, spectacular changes: thousands of new birds, clearer water, massive amounts of insects,” said Roel Posthoorn, an initiator of the project for the Dutch Society for Nature Conservation, during a recent tour of the archipelago. Source: The New York Times (link in bio) #thehappybroadcast #love #positivity #happiness #happy #motivation #friends #fun #style #illustration #inspiration #goodnews #future #art #artist #goodmorning #positivenews #Netherlands #holland #birds #plants #ecosystem #climatechange #sustainability

A post shared by The Happy Broadcast (@the_happy_broadcast) on Nov 15, 2019 at 6:33am PST

12. All countries should follow their lead.

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The Government of Costa Rica expects the country will generate more than 99% of its energy from renewable resources in 2019. That means Costa Rica will have run on more than 98% clean energy over five consecutive years, according to data from the National Center for Energy Control (CENCE) .⁣ ⁣ In 2019, Costa Rica has generated 67.5% of its energy from hydropower, 17% from wind, 13.5% from geothermal sources and 0.84% ​​from biomass and solar panels. The Costa Rican government says its clean energy generation — which powers more than 1.5 million homes and 225,000 businesses — has saved the country nearly $500 million over the past 20 years over relying on fossil fuels. Source: The Tico Times (link in bio) #thehappybroadcast #love #positivity #happiness #happy #motivation #friends #fun #style #illustration #inspiration #goodnews #future #art #artist #goodmorning #positivenews #costarica #renewable #energy #progress #ecosystem #globalwarming #climatechange #cleanenergy

A post shared by The Happy Broadcast (@the_happy_broadcast) on Nov 6, 2019 at 6:32am PST

13. Required courses.

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From next year, Italian school students in every grade will be required to study climate change and sustainability, in an attempt to position the country as a world leader in environmental education. All public schools will include about 33 hours a year in their curricula to study issues linked to climate change. Education Minister Lorenzo Fioramonti said "I want to make the Italian education system the first education system that puts the environment and society at the core of everything we learn in school”. Source: CNN (link in bio) #thehappybroadcast #love #positivity #happiness #happy #motivation #friends #fun #style #illustration #inspiration #goodnews #future #art #artist #goodmorning #positivenews #italy #school #education #sustainability #ecosystem #globalwarming #climatechange #cleanenergy

A post shared by The Happy Broadcast (@the_happy_broadcast) on Nov 8, 2019 at 6:30am PST

14. Save our reefs!

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Climate change and disease have devastated the coral reef off the coast of the Florida Keys ⁠— the third largest coral barrier reef in the world, and the only one in the US. Scientists at the Florida Aquarium reproduced coral from the Atlantic Ocean in a lab for the first time. They mimicked the natural conditions that signal corals to reproduce, like sunsets and moon phases. For two days in a row, scientists oversaw the spawning of pillar coral, which is almost extinct after a multi-year disease outbreak that left clusters of male and female coral too far apart to reproduce. The team plans to raise the baby coral to maturity in the lab. Source: Business Insider (link in bio) #thehappybroadcast #love #positivity #happiness #happy #motivation #friends #fun #style #illustration #inspiration #goodnews #future #art #artist #goodmorning #positivenews #trees #science #coral #ocean #florida #coralreef #reef #ecosystem #globalwarming #climatechange

A post shared by The Happy Broadcast (@the_happy_broadcast) on Nov 1, 2019 at 6:33am PDT

15. Cut down on the plastic.

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England's largest retailers are now selling 90% fewer plastic bags than they did before a 5-pence plastic bag fee began in late 2015, the U.K. government says. In the past year alone, the retailers' sales fell by nearly half, from more than 1 billion bags to fewer than 550 million. The statistics come from reports by the seven biggest retailers in England: Asda, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, The Co-operative Group, Tesco and Waitrose. Whether it's grocery bags or drinking straws, single-use plastics have become a frequent target for governments that want to reduce ocean waste and cut down plastic's presence in our food supply and drinking water. Art by our friend @john.larigakis . Source: NPR (link in bio) #thehappybroadcast #love #positivity #happiness #happy #motivation #friends #fun #style #illustration #inspiration #goodnews #future #art #artist #goodmorning #positivenews #life #plastic #noplastic #england #uk #recycle #grocery

A post shared by The Happy Broadcast (@the_happy_broadcast) on Oct 23, 2019 at 6:59am PDT

That’s more like it, right?

Have a safe and happy New Year and let’s all make 2020 as great as possible!

Onward and upward!