In the midst of government shutdowns, injustice at the border, and continuing environmental problems, quite a few victories for goodness and progress have occurred in the last year. For example, the country of Niger has reportedly seen the growth of 200 million trees in the past three decades, seething the record for the largest positive impact on the environment in African history. Take a look here to see the other 16 “impossible” success stories that prove we’re making progress.