Reasons to be Cheerful

Reasons to Be Cheerful is an online magazine founded by musician and activist David Byrne. It shares inspiring, solutions-oriented stories highlighting positive developments and innovative approaches to global challenges. The platform covers a wide range of topics, including environmental sustainability, social justice, urban design, health, and culture, emphasizing practical, replicable solutions that are making a difference. Reasons to Be Cheerful aims to counterbalance the often negative news cycle by showcasing stories of progress, resilience, and creativity. The website encourages readers to engage with and support these initiatives, fostering a sense of hope and empowerment. It also offers a newsletter to deliver uplifting content directly to its audience.

1. Meet the ‘Bicycle Mayors’ Making Cities Around the World More Bike-Friendly

   When Maren Ahlers started cycling around the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on her housemate’s yellow bicycle during the pandemic, she was just trying to avoid the cramped public transportation. But once she started inviting the handful of other cyclists she saw around for Sunday group rides, the idea quickly...

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2. How Norway Is Proving That Homelessness Is a Solvable Problem

   Strolling around the major sites in Oslo, from the strikingly modernist opera house along the harbor to the 17th century Domkirke cathedral, there’s something notably absent from the streets of the Norwegian capital. Compared to major hubs like Paris, London and New York — and indeed almost every other city...

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3. How Zohran Mamdani’s Big Goals Could Transform Life in New York City

   Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old assemblyman representing a district in Queens, just won the Democratic primary for New York City mayor.  He has vowed to implement groundbreaking measures that could transform urban life — many of which Reasons to be Cheerful has reported on. Fare-Free Buses As mayor, Mamdani has said...

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4. What We’re Reading: Paint That ‘Sweats’ to Cool Homes

   Welcome back to our weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at what’s getting our team talking. Let us know what you think at info@reasonstobecheerful.world. Sweat it out As temperatures soar in New York, where Reasons to be Cheerful is headquartered, creative cooling solutions are top of mind. We’ve covered many, including cool pavement...

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5. Client Advocates Are Quietly Reshaping Criminal Defense

   This article was originally published by Stateline. In September 2023, Ashley, a 29-year-old mother of two who grew up in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, was facing child abuse and neglect charges in a criminal case related to substance use. Her arrest led to her being separated from her youngest...

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6. How Kids Are Learning Empathy at School

   How do you put a stop to bullying? For a primary school in Cambridge, England, the answer lay in a work of fiction. For years, one class had had “real problems with bullying and damaging relationships,” says teacher Helen Mulligan. Malorie Blackman’s book Cloudbusting, the story of an unlikely friendship...

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7. Hive Mind: The Surprising Mental Health Benefits of Beekeeping

   This story was produced in collaboration with MindSite News, a nonprofit news outlet reporting on mental health. Sign up for the MindSite News Daily newsletter here. Tucked away in the shaded corner of a community garden in New Haven, Connecticut, a beehive awaits.  Seven teenagers are here to check on their...

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8. What We’re Reading: Could Deep-Sea Robots Alleviate Water Scarcity?

   Welcome back to our weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at what’s getting our team talking. Let us know what you think at info@reasonstobecheerful.world. Deep thoughts Water scarcity is among the most pressing problems facing humanity, and extreme weather and growing urban populations will only make it more pressing in the decades ahead....

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9. Why Veterans With PTSD Are Turning to Psychedelics

   When Marcus Capone retired from active duty in 2013 after 13 years as a Navy SEAL and explosives breacher, he had a hard time reintegrating into family life. “I was struggling to find solace, purpose or peace,” he recalls. “I wasn’t getting along with my wife and kids, nothing was...

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10. The Whimsy and Practicality of ‘SuperAdobe’

    Behind rows of cookie-cutter tract homes in Hesperia, California, at the southern edge of the Mojave Desert, hides what looks like a playground for grown-up hobbits. Arches, perfectly round dome-shaped structures and emergency shelters sprout from the sand.  Among these fanciful-looking constructions is a fully permitted 2,300-square-foot three-bedroom house, with...

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