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.
Once a French coal-mining zone, now a green tourism hub
Once upon a time, Nord-Pas-de-Calais supplied half of France’s coal. This region in the north of the country is distinguished by the giant pyramid-like black cones of slag which are a result of three centuries of environmental and economic hardship. Now, when you get close to the slag cones, Read More...
Peatlands, a boggy carbon sink absolutely worth saving
For those in the world who have to live with it, you may wonder “what on earth is peat good for?” Peatland is a mossy wet mass that you can’t build on, you can barely walk on, you can’t grow crops on it, and all its stagnant water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes which bring Read More...
What if you could power your home with your car?
One of the things we find reassuring about electric cars — besides the fact that they produce fewer emissions and don’t hurt our planet nearly as much — is the idea that we could charge one from our very own homes instead of having to drive to a gas station. What if it worked the other Read More...
How to make your sneakers last as long as possible
Being a sustainable fashionista doesn’t mean simply buying clothes that will last long. It also means taking caring care of the clothes you have to ensure their longevity. With this in mind, let’s take a look at how to take care of your sneakers so that they last as long as possible. Wipe them Read More...
Upcycling your "business," 5 uses of human waste
At The Optimist Daily, we keep our ears keened for news about upcycling. It’s an impressive hack, making productive use of discarded materials and waste, turning what was trash into something new. It’s a great solution toward making sustainable products, and we’re always looking for creative Read More...
Europe’s first biorefinery uses algae to make jet biofuel
The global aviation industry is responsible for more than 2 percent of human-produced carbon dioxide emissions. To put a dent in that statistic, scientists have been actively searching for cost-effective and eco-friendly aviation fuels derived from natural resources. In recent years, microalgae Read More...
6 impactful changes you can make to help avoid climate crisis
When it comes to climate change, just reading the news can be overwhelming. Hearing about wildfires and droughts, considering greenwashing and corporate carbon emissions, it’s easy to become stressed without even leaving your house, to think that there’s nothing you can do as an individual to Read More...
Healthier soil means healthier food
We’ve written in the past about regenerative agriculture and how it benefits the planet. It’s a simple system of farming that involves plowing less, using cover crops, and diversifying to create healthier soil. The practice has made products that are 100 percent carbon negative, and it has Read More...
This system takes CO2 from the air by taking it from the sea
The world over, researchers and scientists are looking for effective and economical ways to pull CO2 out of the air to mitigate the effects of climate change. There are many promising solutions out there, but the amount of CO2 that needs to be withdrawn is substantial and the process of pulling it Read More...
Animal-free hard cheese that’s tastier than the real thing? Yes, please!
It takes 630 liters of water and about 9 square meters of land to produce one liter of milk. Since milk is the main component of cheese-making, that environmental footprint is automatically transferred to one of humanity’s favorite foods. While some vegan alternatives to softer cheeses, such as Read More...