Today’s Solutions: January 12, 2025

Climate Action

What is Climate Action? Climate Action is humanity's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance our planet's resilience against climate change. From adaptation to mitigation, at The Optimist Daily you will learn about the most recent positive news stories and solutions targeting climate change and other environmental issues.

Abstract Battery Charging Icon form lines and triangles, point connecting network on blue background.

MIT researchers develop cost-effective battery made of common materials

The environmental benefits of using electricity rather than fossil fuels to power our world goes without saying— however, the process of electrifying everything has its obstacles. One of the greatest obstacles is the limited resources of lithium, nickel, and cobalt which are all used to create Read More...

Woman holding wicker basket with natural eco-friendly zero waste plastic free cleaning items: brushes, rugs, soap, essential oils, spray and sponges at the kitchen. Plastic free home.

8 clever cleaning hacks that are zero waste and toxin-free

When the average person reaches for their cleaning supplies, they are likely opening a cabinet full of plastic spray bottles, solutions, and solvents that employ harsh chemicals to make everything sparkle and shine. However, there are many alternative ways to clean the house without chemicals and Read More...

11 May 2019: Girls from Chad pour clean drinking water into a water bottle.

Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim confronts climate crisis with Indigenous wisdom

According to Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, “if you’re born as an Indigenous person, you’re born an activist, because you’re born with the problems surrounding your community.” Ibrahim is a native Mbororo woman from Chad, a country that the UN describes as “one of the world’s most Read More...

Young woman in yellow raincoat having fun riding a bicycle in Amsterdam city

Study shows: if we biked like the Dutch, global emissions would drop dramatically

A new study from researchers at the University of Southern Denmark has determined what we already knew— cycling is much better for the environment than driving conventional internal combustion vehicles. The study took a look at the bike-loving Dutch, and quantified just how much global carbon Read More...

What is degrowth and how can i

What is degrowth and how can it help tackle climate change in an inclusive way?

We are indeed finding ourselves in a geological epoch – aka the Anthropocene – when human activity has become so earth-shaking it is throwing entire ecosystems and the planet’s climate out of balance. As the science behind global warming is becoming ever harder to dismiss, humanity is facing Read More...

 The man throws leftover vegetables from the bowl into backyard compost bin.

Queens is soon to rule in the world of composting!

Starting in early October of this year, Queens, New York will proudly be running the nation’s grandest composting program.  The 2.2 million New Yorkers living in Queens will have a weekly pickup service for organic waste. This means that yard debris and food scraps, and food-soiled paper Read More...

Man holds a fuel dispenser with hydrogen logo on gas station. h2 combustion engine for emission free eco friendly transport.

Are hydrogen fuel cell cars a better choice than plug-in EVs?

There is no doubt that The Optimist Daily is excited about the increasing number of electric vehicles on the roads. In the US, infrastructure for plug-in EVs has been fleshed out in many regions, easing drivers’ range anxiety.  With new tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act, we can expect Read More...

Chicago Skyscrapers Skyline View from Lincoln Park with Sunlight

Chicago pledges to run all city operations with clean energy

As countries large and small struggle with the undeniable impacts of climate change, more and more cities are taking a lead in mapping out strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. One particularly fruitful avenue to follow involves stamping out the excessive burning of fossil fuels. Well, the Read More...

VIENNA, AUSTRIA - AUGUST 15, 2015: Founded in 1953 Burger King is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants

Burger King Austria makes plant-based their "new normal"

Burger King Austria’s new campaign is boldly challenging the public’s expectation of what “normal” ought to be. In a climate-conscious world, making plant-based the default standard for burgers is quite a statement. The brand's experiment is simple and straightforward. When customers order Read More...

Man trimming trees in the woods

These are just some of the new job opportunities in a zero-emissions world

There is tremendous economic potential in the transition to a renewable energy future, but detailed descriptions of what these green jobs will look like aren’t always available. We’ve talked about the job potential for renovating old oil and gas fields, but today we share a guide from Grist on Read More...