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.
This bicycle library boosts inexperienced cyclers' confidence in London
As the gravity of the climate crisis becomes more apparent, governments are setting goals to reduce the carbon emissions of their countries and states through a variety of means. The UK, for instance, aims to have at least half of all journeys in towns and cities be cycled or walked by the year Read More...
Paris lowers the speed limit on most city streets
Pedestrians and cyclists in Paris are welcoming a new policy that will restrict the speed limit on nearly all streets in the French capital to just 30 kph, down from 50 kph. The law is the latest move by the municipality to advance the city closer to its climate targets and transform people’s Read More...
Potato milk is the newest (and perhaps greenest) plant-based option
Potatoes are highly versatile root vegetables. You can have them as hashbrowns and home fries for breakfast, French fries at lunch, chips and dip for a snack, and roasted, mashed, or baked for dinner—but now potatoes are truly proving their range and versatility by pushing their way into the Read More...
Community-level big data offers a clearer picture of disaster resiliency
Hurricane Ida has demonstrated once again how chaotic the days after a natural disaster can be. Relief organizations are often on the ground right away, but determining the extent of damage and displacement can take time, delaying the delivery of essential supplies. In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Read More...
This startup helps build solar panels where they’re most needed
Most of the new solar panels that are being built in the US are located in states where the process is easiest or policies are most favorable, instead of where solar could have the biggest impact on reducing CO2 emissions. A Nashville-based startup, called Clearloop, wants to change that by Read More...
Leaded gasoline has officially been globally discontinued
The health effects of leaded fuel were first questioned in 1924 when five workers died at a Standard Oil refinery, but despite concerns, the lead continued to be added to gasoline everywhere until the 1970s. Today, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has officially announced that leaded fuel has Read More...
A group of students is using bubbles and robots to clear the world's rivers
Ocean plastic is a persistent problem that endangers wildlife and humans. Around eight to 12 million tons of plastic end up in the sea each year, inspiring projects like The Ocean Cleanup’s trash collecting system and this floating plastic island. However, removing plastic from the ocean is Read More...
BNLP connects animal agriculture workers with more sustainable jobs
Plant-based diets are becoming more popular for a number of factors—there are plenty of health benefits to going veggie or vegan, plus the planet would benefit from less demand for meat and animal byproducts as this industry is one of the biggest contributors to CO2 emissions. However, the Read More...
5 Free climate change exhibits to visit virtually
Climate change—it’s a problem that is so weaved into all the facets of our lives that it can be overwhelming to try to understand it on our own. Luckily, more museums are making their climate exhibitions available for free online so that we can learn more about it from the comfort of our own Read More...
The National Trust to adopt "siestas" due to rising temperatures
As the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report indicates, there is a lot that we have to do to reduce our impact on the planet if we want it to continue to be a suitable place for humans to live, however, even if we do enough to prevent the worst from happening, we will still have Read More...