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.
7 Valuable lessons to learn from Indigenous wisdom keepers
Natasha Deganello Giraudie, a filmmaker from Venezuela, first encountered Indigenous wisdom keepers as a child on a road trip through her home country. She noticed, even at her young age, how the Pemón people had an emotional and spiritual connection to their ancestral lands, and treated rivers, Read More...
This Chicago project raises the bar for sustainable urban development
With city populations expected to increase dramatically in the coming decades, it is essential that we take up a model for low-carbon development that promotes a thriving and sustainable future for urban communities. A recent development proposal in downtown Chicago is the embodiment of such a Read More...
Placing turbines behind hills may help improve wind power efficiency
Finding ways to increase the efficiency of windmills has been on scientists’ innovation agenda for some time. While some innovators are working on radically different designs to achieve that goal, a recent study yields a rather unexpected finding — placing wind turbines behind hills could Read More...
AI system is spotting California wildfires as soon as they start
With a historic drought deepening across the Western United States, many residents, officials, and first responders are nervously awaiting an inevitable severe wildfire season. When it comes to wildfire, quick detection is key and even a few minutes can make the difference between homes saved and Read More...
Somerset House welcomes trees into its courtyard for the first time
London’s acclaimed Somerset House was designed based on the principles of the Enlightenment and has maintained that aesthetic ever since — until now. Traditionally, trees and anything with leaves was forbidden in the Somerset House courtyard based on the building’s founding principles. Read More...
Rewilding: A Key Solution for Biodiversity
Wild wolves used to roam freely across most of the United States, but when these wolves were hunted to extinction in areas like Montana and Wyoming, ecosystems quickly fell out of balance. Without natural predators, elk populations soared, eating away at trees and grasses, eliminating building Read More...
Lab-grown meat to become cheaper than conventional beef by 2030
From steak cuts to chicken burgers, lab-grown meat is showing promising potential to transform the meat industry and shift it towards a more ethical and sustainable future. A report indicates that this transition may actually happen sooner than previously thought. The report, conducted by Dutch Read More...
Construction project completes the world’s first 3D printed two-story home
Considered one of the largest sources of environmental pollution in the world, it’s no secret that the construction industry is in need of a green revamp. One way the sector could shift towards more sustainable practices is by integrating 3D printing technology within its modus operandi. A recent Read More...
Indians recently planted 250 million trees—while socially distancing
India is committed to keeping a third of its total land area under forest and tree cover. In recent years the country has mobilized millions of people to plant tree saplings across the country, and plans were in place to do the same in the state of Uttar Pradesh on July 5th. The mass-planting Read More...
Throwing food waste in the trash is now illegal in Vermont
Vermont has long been praised as one of the greenest states in the US, and rightfully so. In 2019, the Green Mountain State passed into law the most comprehensive ban on single-use plastics in the US, setting a commendable standard for other states to follow. In 2020 a bid to further their Read More...