Episode Description

This week’s positive news:

Arielle talks about an innovative program called BirdReturns that pays local rice farmers to flood their fields to offer pop-up wetlands that give migratory birds a safe place to land, rest, and feed. Then, Karissa shares how Goodwill launched its first store inside Milpitas’ Elmwood Correctional Facility, which offers hands-on retail training to incarcerated women, preparing them for future work opportunities upon release.

The Optimist Daily is a project of The World Business Academy.

Donate link: https://www.optimistdaily.com/donate-to-support-the-optimist-daily/?gift=Y%20http://

Transcript 

Theme music 

Arielle 

Hello and welcome to the Optimist Daily’s Weekly Round-Up. I’m Arielle. 

Karissa 

And I’m Karissa, and we’re working hard to put solutions in view and optimism in movement. 

Arielle 

All right, we’re back again with another episode of our podcast to share the solutions from the Optimist Daily this week. It has been quite the eventful week, right, Karissa? 

Karissa 

Oh yeah, it’s definitely been eventful here in the United States with the election happening and such. There’s also a three-day weekend this weekend, which is kind of nice because it’s Veterans Day. 

Arielle 

Oh yes, happy Veterans Day. 

Karissa 

It’ll be a good end to a chaotic week for sure. 

Arielle 

Mm-hmm. And when things are chaotic, it’s always a good reason to get straight to the good stuff—all the good news happening in the world. As usual, we’re going over the changemakers we’re covering in our Changemakers series that we have running until Thanksgiving.  

This week, we are covering the Lowlander Center, which is a Louisiana nonprofit that supports coastal communities facing climate-driven challenges by providing sustainable, community-focused solutions like portable solar power and environmental advocacy.

Their work emphasizes cultural knowledge, traditional ecological practices, and social justice, helping Indigenous and bayou communities achieve resilience. Through projects like their portable solar panel project, the Lowlander Center offers immediate relief and builds long-term sustainability for vulnerable regions, which we love to see here at the Optimist Daily. 

Karissa 

And this week, in the Changemaker series, we’re also covering Ridwell, a subscription service that makes it easy for households to recycle hard-to-dispose-of items like batteries, plastic films, and textiles through convenient doorstep pickups.  

Operating in various U.S. cities, they partner with local organizations to responsibly recycle or upcycle materials that curbside programs often reject. By simplifying recycling, Ridwell helps reduce waste and fosters a greener community, one pickup at a time. 

Arielle 

If you want to learn more, then I suggest you go check out our Local Changemakers series that we publish every Friday. 

Karissa 

Cool solutions in our Changemakers series! I’m really optimistic about these, but we also had some other solutions on the Optimist Daily that I’m excited to get into. So, what caught your eye this week, Arielle? 

Arielle 

Actually, to introduce my solution, I have a little bit of a preamble. Let me tell you something fascinating about migrating birds.

Every year, tens of millions of them travel along the Pacific Flyway, which is a major migration route that runs all the way from the Arctic down to South America. Birds like the western sandpiper, for instance, go from Alaska to as far as Peru, making stops along the way to rest and refuel.  

But with about 95% of the wetlands in California’s Central Valley gone due to farming and construction, it’s getting harder for these birds to find a safe place to land during this epic journey. 

Karissa 

Oh yeah, it’s a pretty tough situation for them. It sounds like they need a creative solution or more rest stops on the Pacific Flyway, which I didn’t know was the name—that’s interesting. 

Arielle 

Yeah, exactly. Luckily, conservationists came up with an innovative program called BirdReturns, and it’s a partnership between groups like The Nature Conservancy and rice farmers in the area.  

The idea is simple but brilliant: BirdReturns pays rice farmers to flood their fields at specific times, creating temporary or “pop-up” wetlands. These flooded fields give migratory birds a safe place to land, rest, and feed. That’s what the article “Migrating Birds Find Refuge in Pop-Up Wetlands Thanks to an Innovative Rice Farming Program” is all about. 

Karissa 

Pop-up wetlands—that’s such a smart way to use farmland. So, it’s kind of like these rice farms are doubling as temporary nature reserves? 

Arielle 

Exactly, and what’s really cool is that these wetlands are tailored to the birds’ migration schedule. So, when the birds need a stopover, the fields are ready for them. Plus, I just really like the name pop up wetlands. It’s like “pop-up restaurant” or like “pop-up shop.” Something kind of trendy to stop by.

Karissa 

Right?! That’s exactly what was in my head too.  

Arielle 

Conservationists even use data from a platform called eBird, where birdwatchers report sightings—we love citizen scientists! This data, combined with satellite images showing where there’s water, helps pinpoint the areas and times when birds are likely to need these habitats the most. So, they’re essentially renting habitat space on demand for these birds. 

Karissa 

That’s so high-tech! But how do they get these farmers on board with the program? 

Arielle 

They actually set up a reverse auction. Farmers bid on contracts to flood their fields, and the lowest bid wins. This makes the program efficient and affordable, plus it gives farmers a nice income boost. And some studies suggest that the birds might even be helping out the farmers by breaking down leftover rice stalks in the fields, which is a bonus benefit for participants. 

Karissa 

Oh yeah, that’s so cool. And I love the idea of birds helping with the cleanup. So how effective has the program been so far? 

Arielle 

Since BirdReturns started, it’s created over 120,000 acres of these temporary wetlands. Of course, that’s still a fraction of the original 4 million acres of natural wetlands that used to be in the Central Valley. But studies show these pop-up wetlands are effective—they attract two to three-and-a-half times more shorebirds than regular rice fields. 

Karissa 

But with droughts getting worse, especially in California, isn’t water availability a big issue? 

Arielle 

Yeah, absolutely. Water is becoming scarcer, especially with climate change making California’s droughts longer and more intense. During dry years, flooding fields is more expensive, and some farmers just don’t have enough water to participate. Timing can also be tricky—sometimes migration doesn’t really line up with the farming calendar. 

Karissa 

That makes sense. So how do they keep the program going with all these challenges? 

Arielle 

It’s kind of an evolving process, so they’re adapting. BirdReturns has started working with tomato farmers, for instance, whose season wraps up earlier in the year. That way, they can set up pop-up wetlands for birds arriving as early as July. And the program itself is constantly developing—they’re always using fresh data and feedback from farmers to improve, making sure they’re meeting both the birds’ needs and the farmers’ constraints. 

Karissa 

Yeah, BirdReturns isn’t just a quick fix; it’s more of an evolving partnership. 

Arielle 

Exactly. It’s a flexible, data-driven model that benefits both birds and farmers. It’s one of those rare conservation programs that shows we don’t have to choose between agriculture and wildlife. As climate change and habitat loss continue to impact migratory bird populations, BirdReturns is setting a hopeful example of how collaboration and adaptation can make a real difference. 

Karissa 

I hope to see it in more places. And I mean, you mentioned, Arielle, that tomato farmers are stepping in too, so there could be crossover between other crops or even helping other animals. 

Arielle 

Yeah, it’ll definitely spark some ideas for others working in this field… no pun intended I guess (laughs). I’m inspired and feeling optimistic about this, but it’s not the only solution coming out of California this week. 

Karissa 

Exactly. I have another story from California, too. Maybe I’m a little biased since I submitted these solutions to the Optimist Daily, but I was feeling inspired by my home state. So, here’s my solution: Goodwill’s new store inside the Silicon Valley jail offers hope and job skills.  

Goodwill of Silicon Valley started an initiative by launching its first store inside Milpitas’ Elmwood Correctional Facility. This innovative program offers hands-on retail training to incarcerated women, preparing them for future work opportunities after their release. Participants receive training in cash handling, inventory management, and customer service twice a week. Myra, a 30-year-old inmate and one of the first trainees, said, “I’ll be released with a lot of work experience,” and this is actually her first job. 

Arielle 

Oh wow, that sounds like such a great initiative. How did this idea come about? 

Karissa 

Goodwill’s collaboration with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office started after discussions on how to better support people returning to society. With experience at the county’s Reentry Resource Center, Goodwill was well-positioned to develop this program. Trish Dorsey, Goodwill’s VP of Mission Services, suggested establishing a store to provide both training and clothing for women leaving incarceration. 

Arielle 

Wow, that sounds like an empowering plan.  

Karissa 

It really is. The store sells essentials ranging from shirts to socks, giving women a fresh start as they prepare to reenter society. For 46-year-old Sinica, one of the participants, the opportunity is unprecedented. She said, “To get that experience while in jail, it’s unheard of.” Plus, those who work in the store can later interview for positions at Goodwill stores after they’re released. 

Arielle 

That’s great—a nice pipeline for them to follow. Not only do they get work experience, but they also have a potential job waiting once they’re out. That’s so important for reducing recidivism. 

Karissa 

Absolutely. It’s all part of a broader vision for rehabilitation and reintegration. But the program’s impact goes beyond job training—it also builds confidence and a sense of purpose. Jessica Costello, Goodwill Silicon Valley’s VP of Retail, said, “Not only are we giving them work skills, but we’re also showing them that they matter.” Costello hopes this program will inspire similar initiatives around the country, describing it as “priceless” for how it teaches dignity and prepares women for life outside. 

So, it’s really just awesome because Goodwill and the Elmwood Correctional Facility have developed a pioneering program that not only meets immediate reintegration needs, but also encourages wider discussions about recovery. 
Arielle 

I can imagine that being incarcerated for so long, it must be intimidating as much as it is liberating to reintegrate into society. And with a criminal record, it’s already difficult to find jobs. This is, as you said, not only good for their training in terms of skills but also giving them that confidence to just start a new chapter of their lives. I guess we should thank you, Karissa, for submitting these stories to the editorial team (laughs). 

Karissa 

Yeah (laughs), it was so fun to share these stories today. But we also had some other great solutions this week that you can find on our website, optimistdaily.com, including… 

Arielle 

Out-of-Body Pop creates safe spaces for neurodivergent music fans, How micro-meditations help reduce stress anytime, anywhere, Brazil fines meat producers $64 million over ties to deforested Amazon land, and How to spot a moon ring—a guide to lunar halos and other moonlight phenomena. What else do we have? 

Karissa 

Melting Antarctic glacier raises alarm, but Arctic sea ice project offers hope, Tips to unlock charisma for every personality, Native American Heritage Month and how to be an ally this Thanksgiving, and of course, the Changemakers of the week—the Lowlander Center and Ridwell. 

Arielle 

If you want to start your day off right, make sure to subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get our solutions straight to your inbox. 

Karissa 

Yeah, and we also have more on our social channels. You can find us @OptimistDaily on all major platforms, including Threads and Pinterest. The only difference is on X, where we are known as @OdeToOptimism. 

Arielle 

We’re a small team of optimists working hard to bring you positive news. If you want to support our mission of putting optimism into the world, click on the link in the show notes to find out how you can do that. 

Karissa 

And support doesn’t always have to be financial. Even just recommending our podcast to a friend, leaving a positive review on Apple or Spotify, forwarding a link, or sharing a solution on your socials—anything helps get optimism out there. 

Arielle 

All right. Well, thank you so much, Karissa, for sharing your time and energy and optimism with me today. It’s always a pleasure to go over the solutions that we have on the Optimist Daily each week. 

Karissa 

Yeah, most definitely. I’m looking forward to being back next week with some more solutions for everybody. Until then, bye!