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 solar-coated high-rise is self-sustaining
A high-rise office building in Melbourne, Australia, boasts a solar facade made up of 1,182 solar panels which, together with additional rooftop solar, sustain the building with renewable power. Helping others by helping itself “The building is designed to be self-sustainable,” says Pete Read More...
4 policy strategies to reduce the environmental cost of meat
Many food systems have a detrimental effect on the environment, especially when it comes to the cattle industry. Cheap meat does not reflect its true price when it comes to its negative cost to our planet. So how can we bring meat products up to their true cost without hurting the pockets of the Read More...
Insect informants—Bees help Italy’s Carabinieri police force fight pollution
Italy’s special police force, the Carabinieri, is known for handling high-profile criminals such as the mafia. However, they also are charged with the important responsibility of protecting local forests and the surrounding environment. To do so, the Carabinieri has worked closely with an Read More...
US pushes through solar panel imports while helping boost production
A tariff investigation by the Commerce Department has stalled the expansion of the United States solar industry. This was a look into whether or not Chinese solar manufacturers were improperly funneling parts through other Asian countries. Determined to meet its clean energy and climate goals, Read More...
University of Illinois students build solar charging station for food truck and other EVs
Students at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) have demonstrated once again the ingenuity and motivation of today’s youth to meet the challenges of climate change. The team built a solar-powered charging station so that an on-campus food truck can make emission-free deliveries. The Read More...
Introducing the world’s first ammonia-fueled tractor
Alternative fuel sources are a hot topic these days, with the widespread boycott of Russian oil and gas combined with the dire state of the environment. In terms of reducing the negative impact conventionally powered vehicles have on the planet, there’s been a lot of investment in electric Read More...
Finland is the first country to pass a legally binding carbon negativity act
Many countries are putting forth considerable efforts to fight climate change and reach ambitious targets of net-zero emissions. However, Finland has decided to take it up a notch. Finland’s parliament recently passed a new Climate Change Act which legally binds it to its commitment to Read More...
Stressing out crops could be a good thing
Plants have feelings too. Although they are not conscious, plants release hormones in response to stimuli such as mechanical stimuli - like touch, wind, or rain - light, water, gravity, and nutrients. For example, when you run a knife down a rhubarb stalk, thousands of genes are activated, and a Read More...
California is making composting a statewide practice
Composting is an easy and fun way to cut down on our carbon emissions while making our own fertilizer. Despite this, a lot of green waste like vegetable scraps and lawn trimmings wind up in landfills. Here they rot and release methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. Read More...
What you need to know about NASA’s new mineral dust detector
Did you know that a billion metric tons of mineral dust - equivalent to 10,000 aircraft carriers - from deserts and dry regions on Earth get carried by strong winds into the atmosphere? Scientists are sure that this dust impacts the environment and climate, but there isn't enough data to determine Read More...