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upworthy
Heroes

Leonardo DiCaprio shocked the fossil fuel industry with a simple but powerful move.

True
League of Conservation Voters

Leonardo DiCaprio is essentially a dreamy, human version of Captain Planet.

Dude loves the environment, and he does more than just talk.

He joined in on the People's Climate Change March last fall:


Photo by Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images.

And spoke at the U.S. State Department's conference on ocean conservation:

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images.

Not to mention, he's very generous with his money and time.

And he tends to bring other celebs along on his quest to save the earth:

DiCaprio on stage with Bono at the inaugural Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation Gala. Photo by Pierre Suu/Getty Images for the LDF.

It's safe to say DiCaprio definitely has a love for our wild and wonderful planet. And like many wonderful and giving partners, he's not afraid to splurge a little to show the good ol' earth how much he cares.

DiCaprio is one of thousands who has pledged to stop investing in fossil fuel companies.

The movie star is part of the Divest Invest Coalition, an initiative that encourages individual investors, foundations, and institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels and in businesses that contribute to climate change and instead invest in renewable energy and eco-friendly companies.

DiCaprio at the Divest Invest press event. Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.

DiCaprio pledged to divest his personal wealth and charitable funds from fossil fuels. He's joined by 2,000 other individuals (including The Hulk) and more than 400 companies and institutions.

Together, their divestment commitments total close to $2.6 trillion!

"Climate change is severely impacting the health of our planet and all of its inhabitants," DiCaprio said in his announcement to the press, "and we must transition to a clean energy economy that does not rely on fossil fuels, the main driver of this global problem."

So where is DiCaprio investing his money instead?

Well, the short answer is pretty simple: in the trash.

Yes, the trash. That trash.

Trash:

Photo by woodleywonderworks/Flickr.

DiCaprio recently invested an undisclosed amount in a company called Rubicon Global, which uses software to connect businesses to waste management companies to help them find cheaper, closer places to haul trash and recycling (think Uber for garbage).

DiCaprio continues to raise funds and awareness for environmental action through his charitable foundation.

His second annual Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation Gala raised $40 million for the group, which boasts four primary areas of focus: ocean and wild land conservation, climate change, and protecting biodiversity.

We have been able to support organizations that are working to solve some of today's most pressing environmental issues. Throughout today, I'll post about a few of them and share the incredible work they do. Want to put a spotlight on our beautiful planet and the things that you do to make a difference? Use #LDFoundation and I'll share a few of my favorites.
A photo posted by Leonardo DiCaprio (@leonardodicaprio) on

So hat's off to you, Leonardo DiCaprio.

Thanks for using your influence to help save the planet and inspiring celebs and us regular folks to do the same. With our powers combined, anything is possible.*


"The power is yours!" GIF from "Captain Planet."

*Except maybe getting you that Oscar. Sorry.

Pop Culture

Here’s a paycheck for a McDonald’s worker. And here's my jaw dropping to the floor.

So we've all heard the numbers, but what does that mean in reality? Here's one year's wages — yes, *full-time* wages. Woo.

Making a little over 10,000 for a yearly salary.


I've written tons of things about minimum wage, backed up by fact-checkers and economists and scholarly studies. All of them point to raising the minimum wage as a solution to lifting people out of poverty and getting folks off of public assistance. It's slowly happening, and there's much more to be done.

But when it comes right down to it, where the rubber meets the road is what it means for everyday workers who have to live with those wages. I honestly don't know how they do it.

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Joy

5-star Scottish resort offers whimsical afternoon tea experience with 'naughty sheep'

Cameron House's Woolly Wellness retreat includes tea in the garden with adorably rude guests.

Cameron House/Naughty Sheep

Cameron House's Woolly Wellness retreat includes a unique sheep encounter.

Remember when "goat yoga" was all the rage? And then "cow cuddling" and "turkey cuddling" made everyone's bucket lists?

Now we can add "nuzzling with naughty sheep" to the mix, but with a fancy Scottish twist.

Less than an hour from Glasgow, Scotland, the Cameron House resort sits on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, looking as if it were plucked straight out of a fairy tale. Sprawling green grounds, gorgeous lake views and a four-story castled mansion greet guests as their "home away from home" (only better), and a perusal of the reviews show guests raving about the 5-star resort's elegance, beauty and exceptional service.

I mean, just look at this place:

drone view of cameron house grounds and lakeCameron House sit on Lake Lochmond in Scotland.Cameron House


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A pitbull stares at the window, looking for the mailman.


Dogs are naturally driven by a sense of purpose and a need for belonging, which are all part of their instinctual pack behavior. When a dog has a job to do, it taps into its needs for structure, purpose, and the feeling of contributing to its pack, which in a domestic setting translates to its human family.

But let’s be honest: In a traditional domestic setting, dogs have fewer chores they can do as they would on a farm or as part of a rescue unit. A doggy mom in Vancouver Island, Canada had fun with her dog’s purposeful uselessness by sharing the 5 “chores” her pitbull-Lab mix does around the house.

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@caitlin.the.realtor/TikTok, used with permission

Wait, so 90's fashion is in, but 90's hair is out?

Every era has its own version of what’s attractive. And very rarely does that aesthetic hold power with the following generation. In fact, it often becomes the opposite of cool.

Just think of Elvis. He might have been a universal sex symbol for a time, but it also wasn’t long before his pompadour became passé. Same goes for Paul Newman’s rugged manliness, David Cassidy’s babyface, Tom Selleck’s mustache. Indeed, for everything a season.

Which brings us to the 90s. The age of beach blonde surfer boys (real surfing skills not required, but a plus). Of flannel, lots of flannel, and super chiseled bodies. Let’s not forget this was the dawning of the term “metrosexual,” and also the time period that brought us that Calvin Klein ad with Mark Wahlburg.

How exactly would these guys measure up with the Gen Z kids today?

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popular

A wild Eurasian crow befriended a toddler and won't leave his side

Crows are so much smarter than we think.

A Eurasian crow.

A family from Denmark has created a touching video montage documenting their unique friendship with a wild Eurasian crow. This crow, affectionately named Russell, has become an honorary member of their household, forming special bonds with each family member, including the pets.

However, the crow's relationship with their son, 2-year-old Otto, is truly extraordinary. “They could spend hours just playing,” Otto’s mother, Laerke Luna, says in a video shared by The Dodo. "When Otto is outside, he will never leave Otto’s side.”

Russell, the free-spirited crow, ventures away from the family's home from time to time, but never for too long. He always comes back and announces his return by tapping on the door, swooping in to lounge on the sofa, or awaiting Otto's return from school atop their roof.

“When we are inside, he will sit inside the window because he wants Otto to go outside with him,” Laerke said.

The family’s relationship with Russell didn’t come out of nowhere. When Russell was a young bird, he had health problems so the family took him and nursed the bird back to health. Eventually, they witnessed his first attempts to fly.

Recently, Russell became friends with another family member, their second child, Hedwig. Although he does get a little annoyed with the bird’s frequent attempts to nab his pacifier.

Even though it’s rare for humans to strike up such a close bond with a crow, according to research, it’s not that surprising. Audubon says that crows are “some of the smartest animals in the world” with an intelligence “on par with chimpanzees.” They are also very social and family-oriented, so no wonder Russell loves Otto and his family.

Crow Named Russell Waits For His Favorite Kid To Get Home From School | The Dodo


Learning

Why you shouldn't throw your dishwasher pod into the bottom of your dishwasher

Dishwashers actually use the dirty water to know how to wash your dishes.

Photos by cottonbro studio and PhotoMIX Ltd. via Canva

Why your detergent shouldn't go in the bottom of the dishwasher

There always seem to be something going on with the pods and powders you're supposed to use in the dishwasher to clean your dishes. Either the pods don't dissolve completely or the powder gets all goopy and hard, never really fully dispensing into the dishwasher.

The inconsistency in product dispensing can leave you wondering if the dishes are even getting cleaned, causing some to toss the detergent pod into the bottom of the dishwasher. It would seem that placing the detergent at the bottom would allow for it to actually reach your dirty dishes. But Melissa Pateras, a domestic expert, explains that doing it that way isn't doing what you think it's doing.

Pateras actually breaks down exactly how dishwashers work to clean your dishes while explaining why putting the detergent on the bottom is ineffective.

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