The #2016 trend that is invading social media is not just a trend made of grainy photos, vintage filters and light memories, it is above all the sign of a widespread tiredness towards a present that seems increasingly burdensome. Going back ten years means looking for a time when everything seemed simpler, less threatening, less full of collective anxiety. But if 2016 is idealized today, then it’s worth remembering that it wasn’t just selfies and pop songs, it was also a year in which, while the world seemed to be collapsing, something good still managed to make room.
2016 was not a bad year
It is often described as a cursed year, marked by terrorism, wars, environmental disasters and violence, and it is an understandable but incomplete read. Reducing everything to this means forgetting that it is precisely in the most difficult moments that the most courageous decisions are often born. 2016 was also the year in which we began to talk seriously about the protection of the oceans, the rights of indigenous peoples, the reduction of waste, and renewable energy as a real alternative and not as a utopia.
We have collected some of the best news of 2016
The largest marine reserve in the world
The expansion of the Papahānaumokuākea marine reserve in Hawaii has transformed that area into the largest marine protected area on the planet. It was not a symbolic gesture but a clear stance against the idea that the sea is a space without rules where everything is allowed. Defending millions of square kilometers of ocean meant saying that the environment comes before immediate economic interests, something that today seems almost revolutionary.
Companies say goodbye to palm oil
In 2016 many companies begin to reduce or eliminate the use of palm oil because public pressure becomes unsustainable. No magic, no sudden ethical enlightenment, just a simple power dynamic. When people stop buying, companies change their strategy. It is one of the most concrete demonstrations of how individual choices can become a true political instrument.
South Korea’s dog meat market closes
The closure of the largest dog meat market in South Korea marks a deep break with a practice that for years was considered untouchable. It doesn’t mean that the problem has disappeared but it means that something has cracked. When a tradition goes into crisis, it never goes back to the way it was before.
The Sioux against the Dakota Pipeline demonstrate that resistance is useful
The blocking of the passage of the Dakota Access Pipeline on the sacred lands of the Sioux was one of the most powerful moments of that year. A temporary, fragile, but enormous victory from a symbolic point of view. It showed that indigenous peoples are not remnants of the past but political subjects capable of putting governments and multinationals in difficulty.
The law against food waste arrives in Italy
In Italy a rule comes into force that simplifies the donation of unsold food. It is a concrete law that acts on an evident paradox. Throwing away tons of food while part of the population struggles to eat is not only a moral problem but a political and cultural failure.
New life for abandoned roadside houses
The recovery project of the abandoned roadman’s houses opens up a different path compared to the usual logic of concrete. You take what exists, enhance it, bring it back to life. It is a form of respect for the territory that is often forgotten in Italy.
No more child brides
The withdrawal of the proposed law on shotgun marriages in Türkiye is a strong response to a law that would have legitimized violence against girls. It does not solve the problem of child brides but it demonstrates that an active civil society can stop even the most violent and backward decisions.
Stop the dam that threatened indigenous peoples in Brazil
The cancellation of the São Luiz do Tapajós dam is one of the rare complete victories. This is not a compromise but a clear stop to a project that would have devastated territories and communities. It’s proof that development doesn’t have to pass over people.
The revenge of renewables
For over 150 days the country runs only on renewable energy. No theory, no electoral promises, just reality. From that moment on, those who claim that the energy transition is impossible are lying, knowing they are lying.
Therapeutic cannabis in Italy
Lombardy says yes to cannabis for therapeutic use. It is made available in hospitals and will be free for patients who are allowed to use it upon doctor’s prescription and based on the pathologies to be treated.
Rio Olympics
At the Rio Olympics, Italy earned an honorable place in the top ten of the medal table thanks to the victory of athletes of the caliber of Alex Zanardi and Bebe Vio.
The #2016 trend can become something more
Today the return to 2016 on social media risks remaining an aesthetic trend made of nostalgia and artificial lightness. However, it can also become an exercise in collective memory. Remembering not only how we were, but what we managed to do when everything seemed to be going wrong.
Good news is not meant to reassure. They serve as a reminder that giving up fighting has always been the worst choice.
