Circularity
Understanding the value of a circular economy and identifying circular solutions are essential to changing our world for good. Circularity, or the zero-waste principle of keeping materials in a closed loop and away from landfills and incinerators, is the future. Find out about the latest innovations and solutions accelerating the transition towards a circular economy in the articles here from The Optimist Daily.
VR study shows bright colors and green spaces bring joy to cities
We at The Optimist Daily have written a great deal about the positive effects of greenery in cities. They sequester carbon, boost climate resiliency, and they cheer people up. Now, there is research to support greenery, along with bright colors, making cities more enjoyable. A study from the Read More...
The shape of flowers reduces parasites transmitted to bumblebees
Bumblebees are furry and critical pollinators that are sadly vulnerable to many things such as heat and predators. Another thing that affects their populations that we can keep an eye out for in our gardens is parasites. Recent research from North Carolina State University showed that the Read More...
6 LGBTQ+ climate activist organizations to check out and support
Bringing together diverse voices and perspectives helps tackle problems more effectively. One of the greatest problems we face today is the issue of climate change and climate justice. The chances we have to overcome these threats become stronger when we rally together, despite (or because of) our Read More...
Boston e-scooter company soon to unveil safer model
While shared electric scooters have boomed over the last few years, there remain many concerns about their safety. Scooter-related injuries have become so common that some law firms offer legal action against scooter manufacturers on their websites. Some cities like Miami and New York have kicked Read More...
How to make your home a low-waste place
The average American consumer produces just under five pounds of trash each day, adding up to around 1,642 pounds per person annually. That’s a whole lot of rubbish! So what can we do about it? You may have heard of the phrase “zero-waste,” where the idea is to let nothing you use go to a Read More...
The environmentally friendly, flying ships of the future
These days, electric cars, bikes, scooters, trams, and trains are common modes of transport. However, one mode of transport which hasn’t got the electric memo is ferries, which are still almost exclusively powered by fossil fuels. The problematic factor here is battery capacity, which cannot last Read More...
“Digital twin” of Ithaca, NY helps to plot climate ambitions
In 2019, Ithaca, New York was the first US city to resolve to eliminate or offset all carbon emissions by 2030. The college town allocated $100 million to fund the effort, but they still needed a plan of how to decarbonize all its buildings. Two architectural professors from Cornell University Read More...
This doggy-bag law in Spain intends to curb food waste
Did you know that in Spain, it’s not a common practice to take home uneaten food from a restaurant? According to news site The Local, “Spain isn’t a country with a longstanding tradition of leftover restaurant food going in doggy bags, perhaps as a combination of it not being part of the Read More...
This “superworm” eats and degrades plastics
Researchers from the University of Queensland have discovered that thanks to a bacterial enzyme in their gut the Zophobas morio “superworm” can eat through polystyrene plastic. This is the main compound of Styrofoam. Over a three-week period, the research team fed these “superworms” Read More...
The future of wind turbine towers may be made of wood
While wind turbines only cost 11 grams of carbon per kilowatt-hour (compared to the combustion of natural gas at 450 grams), there is always room for improvement. Opponents of wind energy have criticized the carbon footprint of the steel required to build wind towers and turbines. Unknowingly, they Read More...