Looking back on 2017, this year was marked by violent, heartbreaking and disastrous events all over the world.
Unprecedented wildfires that raged through millions of acres of forest, a record-setting hurricane season, the growing humanitarian crises of conflict zones, Hollywood’s rampant sexual misconduct problem, terrorism, and public health emergencies, like the U.S. drug overdose epidemic were just a few of the year’s dominating headlines, painting a bleak picture of the present.
Among those exhausted by the onslaught of negative news coverage was Jacob Atkins, a 20-year student at the University of Iowa.
But while most of us stopped at just complaining about all the negativity out there, the biology major took to Twitter a few days ago to share some of his favorite uplifting news stories from 2017, in an effort to refocus attention on the often-neglected positive happenings of the world.
Jacob’s highlights included corporate charity and community involvement…
Improving endangered wildlife populations…
Ethical businesses…
Decreasing crimes rates…
And reforestation efforts among many more...
Jacob’s initiative soon caught the attention of the Twitterverse, as thousands over thousands connected with his story and perspective.
The intrepid student’s story has since gone viral, with most of the public reaction one of support. As a result, Jacob has already shared his intention to revisit this new tradition next year, taking the opportunity to clap back at critics at the same time.
What are your favorite positive news from 2017? Share in the comments below.
Woman holding her child's clothing.Marla Branyan / @marla_branyan
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