2019 Goodness

Happy New Year from Highwave! We hope your holidays were healthy and happy, and that this year will overwhelm you with its goodness. For us, each new year brings a fresh sense of excitement to what we’re working to accomplish here. Over the next few weeks we’ll be sharpening our 2020 vision, but before we move forward, we wanted to share 19 things we’re grateful for from the past year.

1. New Zealand passed a bill to cut carbon emissions to zero, plant a billion trees in the next decade, and run its grid entirely from clean energy.
2. 6 million dogs were adopted this year.
3. A record 7.6 million people took to the streets to strike for climate action.
4. California, our home, is finally out of a drought after 7 years. Read more here.
5. 5 Gyres, our 1% For the Planet partner launched TrashBlitz this year. TrashBlitz engages local communities in evaluating their plastic pollution footprint through data collection. The data collected will be used to develop mitigation strategies to stop the flow of plastic pollution to the sea. Read more here.
6. Our AutoDogMug saved a dog’s life this year. (link)
7. The European Union voted to ban 10 common categories of single-use plastics—plates, cutlery, straws, etc.—from member states by 2021.
8. A third of the electricity used around the world came from renewable sources.
9. More people voted in elections than ever before. 
10. New York and California both banned single use bags.
11. Our 1% Partner, The Los Padres Forest Watch, passed a comprehensive suite of protections for the wildlife corridors that animals use to move between the Los Padres National Forest, the Santa Monica Mountains, and other core habitat areas throughout Ventura County.
12. Another 1% Partner, Heal The Ocean, had 2 people from their Board of Directors rescue over 95 whales from Russia. Read more here.
13. Canada passed a bill that makes it illegal to keep whales, dolphins, and porpoises in captivity for entertainment. 
14. A scientist in Mexico created a fake plastic from cactus juice that biodegrades in a month and is safe to ingest.
15. California banned the sale of dogs from puppy mills.
16. Psychologist Clive Wynne found in his research that dogs are so special to people not because of their intellect, but instead their ability to bond with humans.
17. The Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act, was passed to protect animals from abuse. Now, someone who abuses an animal can spend up to 7 years in jail.
18. In a breakthrough discovery, scientists develop “Artificial Leaf” that sucks CO2 out of  the air and produces sustainable clean energy.
19. We’re grateful for all of you! Whether you’re an old friend who has been with us since 1985, or a new one just joining us on the journey, we appreciate everyone helping us make the world a better place.