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.
From fairways to green sanctuaries: the effort to rewild abandoned golf courses
Golf courses, previously expansive leisure and precision settings, are undergoing a stunning metamorphosis. The once-dominant verdant fairways and manicured greens are now giving way to vibrant ecosystems. Abandoned golf courses are being reclaimed by nature, breathing new life into spaces that Read More...
Pope Francis calls on international community to speed up renewable energy transition
Pope Francis, in a 7,000-word "Apostolic Exhortation," called on climate change deniers and hesitant politicians to expedite the world's transition to renewable energy. His speech, "Laudate Deum" (Praise God), emphasizes the importance of combating climate change before it's too late. Recognizing Read More...
California joins the right-to-repair revolution
On September 12th, the California state Assembly passed Senate Bill 244 with a unanimous 50-0 vote, marking a historic milestone for the right-to-repair movement. This historic measure, which was also approved with an amazing 38-0 vote in the California Senate in May, now needs a final concurrence Read More...
A bold step towards climate action and job creation: The American Climate Corps
The White House announced the creation of the American Climate Corps, a breakthrough program that will transform the climate action landscape. This ambitious project seeks to employ 20,000 people in its first year, paving the way for environmental sustainability, resilience, and economic Read More...
A massive solar farm rises from a former landfill in the United Kingdom
The Ockendon solar farm, the third largest of its kind in the UK, is harnessing the power of the sun on what was once a bleak trash site in Essex in a revolutionary feat of eco-reinvention. The waste management company Veolia infused new life into this unexpected environment, where more than Read More...
A baby beaver sighting heralds the reemergence of California's beaver population
Bill Leikam, the president of the Urban Wildlife Research Project and fondly known as The Fox Guy, recently had a revelation while analyzing film from a wildlife camera along a Palo Alto creekbed. Amid the familiar wildlife, an unfamiliar creature darted across the screen. Leikam, a seasoned Read More...
Flora, fauna, and funga! UN advocates for new turn of phrase in conservation discourse
The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) argued for the inclusion of fungi in conservation debates alongside flora and fauna so that fungi are “recognized and protected on an equal footing with animals and plants in legal conservation frameworks”. This shift in perspective Read More...
Representatives from 185 countries establish the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund
Amid mounting worries about the health of our planet's ecosystems, delegates from 185 countries gathered on Thursday, August 24th in Vancouver, Canada, for the Global Environment Facility's (GEF) Seventh Assembly to declare a critical step forward. They presented the Global Biodiversity Framework Read More...
Ecuadorians take a stand and vote to save the heart of the Amazon from oil drilling
Ecuadorians made history by voting to prohibit the development of new oil wells in the Yasuní national park, in a resounding display of environmental consciousness and civic engagement. This amazing verdict not only protects one of the world's most biodiverse places but also establishes a global Read More...
From plastic waste to sustainable soap! An up-cycling innovation for a cleaner planet
Plastics and soaps may appear to be worlds apart, yet they share a molecular resemblance that could revolutionize the future of recycling. Virginia Tech researchers are at the vanguard of this creative discovery, having pioneered a method to upcycle plastics into valuable surfactants—key Read More...