Welcome to Alles Gute, the SPIEGEL newsletter with only good news.
Nice to have you here!
How do you remember your most beautiful trips?
What are your favorite souvenirs?
I have a particular fondness for bags and bags with exotic prints.
I collect them in a chest in the hallway.
They are usually made of thick paper, sometimes jute, often plastic.
Packaging material that I believe I will be able to put to good use again in the future.
I wouldn't attract negative attention in Thailand, maybe I could even become a role model, as I learned thanks to my colleague Maria Stöhr.
The country is fighting against plastic waste, an immense problem in the Southeast Asian country.
Thailand has sometimes even been called the “garbage dump of the world” because it imports plastic waste from the West, even though it produces more than enough of it itself: each Thai is estimated to use up to 3,000 plastic bags per year, writes Maria.
She has met young people who are fighting against it.
»We Thais love plastic things, we are crazy about them.
I think for us it is a sign of civilization, progress and hygiene," says activist Chompupischaya Saiboonyadis.
She not only calls for stricter laws, but also more education for school children.
“Above all, we need to make people aware that plastic is a problem,” she says.
Read here what has happened recently, what role international pressure plays and how waste separation can save the lives of baby dugongs and other animals.
What else was good this week – for the world:
Inflation rate falls to its lowest level in almost three years
The increase in consumer prices in Germany slowed significantly in February and is now at its lowest level since summer 2021. Inflation was still at 2.5 percent.
Inflation was slowed primarily by falling energy prices.
One in three wants to pay significantly more for animal welfare.
The vast majority of Europeans eat meat regularly.
According to a survey in eight countries, many people would pay more if the animals were better off.
Experts warn against overinterpretation - but still see reasons to take the survey seriously.
Dairy boss only hires employees over 60.
The population in Italy is getting older and older, families are getting smaller - this is a big problem for the economy.
The boss of one of the country's oldest dairies is now relying on a very specific group of employees: people with a lot of life experience, all older than 60. Read here how well the model works and why it should be much more than an emergency solution.
First lesbian wedding in Nepal
Dipti Shrestha and Suprita Gurung have been in a relationship for five years and have also been married for a few days.
They were the first lesbian couple to get married in Nepal.
According to the Spanish agency Efe, Nepal is the second Asian country to make this move possible.
France is testing free school clothing.
It is intended to make social differences less noticeable and relieve parents' stress - but the clothing that is currently being tried out in France should not be called school uniform.
Almost 100 schools are taking part, parents don't have to pay anything, scientists are supposed to evaluate everything.
There are already plans for afterwards.
Teachers and caretakers are honored for courageous efforts.
One knocked the knife out of the attacker's hand, the other overpowered him: In Saxony, a sports teacher and a caretaker worked together to prevent a school shooting.
Now they have been honored with a special badge.
What’s good – for you:
What helps against world pain?
Wars, climate catastrophe, inflation: there are many reasons to be sad at the moment.
We live in times that are not easy.
The neuroscientist Tobias Esch gives tips on how we can deal with this better and explains how we can become stronger in small and large crises.
How you can defend yourself against rising electricity prices
Many electricity providers are currently increasing prices - especially for basic services.
They often rely on the convenience or uncertainty of their customers.
You shouldn't put up with that, because there are plenty of tariffs that are significantly cheaper.
Here you can find out how you can easily save 500 euros.
How to sell an inherited property
An inherited house is a treasure, but it also means a lot of work.
Professionals will therefore give you tips for selling, explain how you can save taxes and get the best price in the current situation.
You can find all the recommendations here.
How we can become funnier
Being funny at the right moment isn't easy for many people - for Peter Wittkamp it's work.
He lives from it.
His humor suddenly made the Berlin public transport company likeable and subsequently caused laughter on the Today Show and Jan Böhmermann.
In my colleague Lenne Kaffka's "Live Smarter" podcast, he reveals how we can all be funnier.
The special conversation
My colleagues Maik Großekathöfer and Claus Hecking spoke with memory researcher Hannah Monyer about how smartphones and the Internet are changing our ability to remember.
Some of their findings made me think a lot.
Her urgent warning about small children using cell phones even made it into the headline.
But Monyer said many other things that I found surprising.
The researcher talked about how she deals with difficult memories in life and why, after the death of her father, who suffered from dementia, she decided that it could also be a good thing to simply forget certain things.
Read here how this can be achieved and which memories can change and strengthen our memory throughout our lives.
And otherwise?
Victoria Rose Richards' work has fascinated me for years.
The British artist patiently embroiders new circular motifs that are reminiscent of aerial photographs or drone videos.
She stretches yellow threads endlessly over a frame until the whole thing suddenly reminds of rapeseed fields.
Colorful, rectangular spots suddenly make me think of tulip fields.
What would be dreary monocultures in real life becomes art with Richards.
The 25-year-old says she is autistic, so maybe that helps with such a tedious job.
Is there an artist you find particularly fascinating?
Or would you like to share an encouraging story with us?
Feel free to write to us by email at GuteNachrichten.Newsletter@spiegel.de what your good news of the week was, how you grew through certain challenges or what you would simply like to say thank you to others (even anonymously).
As in the past, we would like to present your submissions here again in the near future*.
Have a nice first weekend in March!
And if you haven't signed up for this new weekly newsletter yet, you can order it for free here.
Yours, Jan Petter, SPIEGEL Europe reporter in the “Global Society” project
(*By submitting a submission, you agree to – if desired – anonymous publication on SPIEGEL.de and all other SPIEGEL Group media.)
This article is part of the Global Society project
AreaWhat is the Global Society project?open
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