Today’s Solutions: December 25, 2024

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.

Mass timber structure against blue sky in the background

Amsterdam plans to build its first wooden neighborhood in centuries

When it comes to sustainable urban development, Amsterdam stands out as a metropolis ready to integrate a variety of strategies to make the city more livable and eco-friendly: from underwater bike garages to energy-sharing, floating villages. Now, the city is planning to build an entire Read More...

Canals of Amsterdam

Automated and eco-friendly! “Green” water taxi launches in Amsterdam

In 2020, The Optimist Daily wrote about a fully automated water cab in development by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions. In October 2021, prototype models of the Roboat were launched and are now navigating Amsterdam’s Read More...

Fresh Food In Garbage Can To Illustrate Waste.

How to cut down on your food waste

Cutting down on food waste helps the environment in a number of important ways. Most obviously, it saves the resources and energy that go into producing unneeded food at every step of the supply chain, from farming to packaging and shipping. Food that winds up rotting in landfills also produces Read More...

Mirema community members replant tree

This Kenyan community regrew its forest

At The Optimist Daily, we love stories fighting deforestation or spurring reforestation. Forests are our friends. They host myriad wildlife, foster ecological diversity, consume carbon dioxide, and breathe out oxygen. They also do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to reducing floods.  In Read More...

Germany solar energy

Germany plans to be 100 percent renewable by 2035

Sustainable energy sources such as wind and solar are important for countries as well as the planet. They improve efficiency, can reduce weather-related blackouts, and they also help a country’s independence by allowing it to rely on itself for energy.  Germany announced Monday that its goal Read More...

Offshore wind farm electric boat

These wind-powered offshore chargers could change shipping

Wind energy is a major part of our energy future. As the technology develops it opens up new possibilities in different areas of our economies.  The biggest CO2 emitter for offshore wind farms is the diesel boats that drive out for maintenance on the turbines. Scottish firm Oasis Marine Power Read More...

Carbon Dioxide Molecule

This startup uses electrochemistry to capture carbon

A tricky part of carbon capture technology is the energy required to pull it off. Many critics, while agreeing on the need to pull carbon dioxide out of the air, say that existing technologies might produce more emissions than they remove. Now, startups are getting creative to optimize carbon Read More...

New recycled plastics can upgrade roads and held curb plastic waste

This highway was made from recycled diapers

Recycling plastic to create a new purpose for it is nothing new. Here at The Optimist Daily, we’ve previously shared how innovators have reused this material to create blocks for building, a sleek chair, and LEGO bricks. A diaper highway For the first time, the plastic in diapers is being Read More...

Second hand wardrobe idea. Circular fashion, eco friendly sustainable shopping, thrifting shop concept. Woman outfit.

3 easy ways to shop for clothes more sustainably

As prices rise and we all feel that pinch in our pocketbooks, consumers are seeking ways to shop for the things they need and want without breaking the bank.  On the other hand, we are constantly being shown ads that encourage us to shop always for the latest trends, so it’s no wonder fast Read More...

Lightning over sea, city

This non-profit aims to harness the power of weather events on land and sea

When it comes to hurricanes, wildfires, and other environmental hazards, early alerts are key to minimizing risk to people from these high-powered natural phenomena.  What if there were a system that both warned individuals of weather events like these and then converted their power into usable Read More...