Nov 30, 2023

Forest “friendly bacteria” schools boost children’s immune systems

First developed in Denmark in the early 1950s, forest schools have been steadily gaining momentum across the globe over the past two decades. The practice, which sees children spending their days learning outdoors among the trees, offers young ones a host of physical and emotional benefits.  Kids who are educated outside come in contact with a variety of "friendly bacteria," which can boost their immune systems by increasing the microbial diversity on their skin and in their guts. And forest schools, which can now be found on at least four continents, have also been shown to improve mental health and instill a sense of responsibility for the natural world.

Forest boost children's immune systems
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aba2578

Denmark forest schools:
https://www.theforestschoolfoundation.org/background-information-history

Nov 27, 2023

​Finland will be self-sufficient in electricity within a year or two, says minister

In Eurajoki, Finland a new facility has come online that can produce clean energy 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Expected to meet 14% of Finland's electricity demand (which is around 756,000 people ), this facility has made electricity prices in Finland drop below zero. And believe it or not, America has 93 of these same facilities hidden throughout the country.

It will help Finland to achieve its carbon neutrality targets and increase energy security at a time when European countries have cut oil, gas and other power supplies from Russia, Finland's neighbor.

The Olkiluoto 3 reactor, which has 1,600-megawatt capacity, was connected into the Finnish national power grid in March 2022 and kicked off regular production on Sunday. Operator Teollisuuden Voima, or TVO, tweeted that "Olkiluoto 3 is now ready" after a delay of 14 years from the original plan.


Read full at:
https://yle.fi/a/3-12618297