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.
Japanese scientists produce lab-grown Wagyu beef for the first time
Most of us now know that switching to a plant-based diet is one of the ways that we can help fight climate change and practice impactful sustainability in our own lives. However, for those of us whose favorite meals include dishes like a juicy beef burger, or tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs, Read More...
The "Butterfly Effect" is designed to help insects cross roads safely
Most drivers have had the unpleasant experience of witnessing an insect or two splat against your windshield while you’re driving down the highway. Well, as unpleasant as it may be for those of us behind the wheel, it is undoubtedly more unpleasant for the bug. Dutch design studio VenhoevenCS, Read More...
Thought Leader Series: Julian Spector on Hawaii's renewable future
This Thought Leader Series piece was originally published in Canary Media's August 19, 2021 Newsletter. BY Julian Spector Last week I visited Oahu, Hawaii's most populous island, which is currently girding itself for the closure of the state's last coal plant. My mission: to figure out how Read More...
Solar power in Australia overtakes coal for the first time
Coal plants are some of the largest contributors to the energy sector’s hefty environmental footprint. Transitioning the sector away from these dirty fossil fuels can go a long way in helping us become a carbon-neutral world. While Australia still has a considerable number of coal plants, Read More...
Good news: Climate reporting accuracy improving in news media
With floods, fires, droughts, and storms flashing across the headlines every week, the realities of human-driven climate change have become impossible to ignore. Fortunately, it seems like the mainstream media is catching up to this realization as well with a recent report detailing that 90 percent Read More...
The Optimist View: Fighting Fire with FireーRethinking wildfires with Indigenous wisdom
“Everything on the earth has a purpose, every disease an herb to cure it, and every person a mission. This is the Indian theory of existence.” - Mourning Dove BY Amelia Buckley As wildfires continue to rage around the Western United States, Greece, Turkey, and more, I reached out to my Read More...
Texas A&M launches center for insect farming research
Eating crickets for breakfast may sound unconventional, but this unlikely ingredient could potentially provide protein-rich food to the millions currently lacking it. We’ve written before about the environmental and dietary benefits of insect protein. Now, Texas A&M AgriLife Research has Read More...
Automated aircraft towing tech aims to save fuel and cut emissions
Airlines consume billions of gallons of jet fuel every year to transport passengers around the world. About five percent of that fuel is used on the ground, as airliners have to run their jet engines to taxi along the runway, generating a lot of carbon emissions in the process. A novel in-ground Read More...
Scotland to provide free bikes to kids in need
We at The Optimist Daily are big fans of cycling—it’s good for your mental and physical health, and it’s a better mode of transportation for our planet. So, it’s no surprise that we are happy to report that the Scottish government is planning on releasing six pilot schemes that will Read More...
This device combines solar and human energy to generate electricity
An average person creates 100 to 150 watts of power while riding a stationary bike. That energy, however, usually remains untapped, causing users to miss out on a great opportunity to generate their own green electricity. In fact, by harnessing the biomechanical power generated by a stationary Read More...