Environment
Need some good news about the environment? The Optimist Daily is your go-to herald of positive environmental news, highlighting eco-friendly solutions and scientific progress around climate action, circularity, conservation, and more. Learn about everything eco in our Environment section.
Jelly ice cubes are a zero waste solution for cold storage
What if we could ship refrigerated goods without the use of ice or traditional ice packs? This is the vision of UC Davis researchers who recently developed a new type of ice cube which does not melt and is compostable and anti-microbial. The new cubes, called “jelly ice cubes” contain mostly Read More...
US establishes protected zone for endangered North Atlantic right whales
The North Atlantic right whale is a species of whale that is currently considered critically endangered. Despite having been included in the Endangered Species Act since 1973, experts estimate that the North Atlantic right whale population has dwindled to fewer than 350. To help protect these Read More...
Community and the environment get a boost with NY freeway transformation
Many urban highways from the 1950s and 1960s were deliberately built through neighborhoods primarily occupied by people of color, effectively walling these families off from economic opportunity and disrupting their sense of community. These same roads also increase the risks of air pollution for Read More...
How to develop a green thumb in no time
When someone brings up the term “green thumb,” chances are certain people we know come to mind, but do we actually know what the term means? Here’s what plant experts want you to understand about what it means to have a green thumb. What it means to have a green thumb According to Read More...
30 White rhinos make record journey to Akagera national park
White rhinos are classified as near threatened, with numbers dropping due to poaching. In a bid to improve the outlook for the species, 30 of these giant animals recently made the journey from South Africa to Rwanda in the largest single rhino translocation in history. Weighing 1.5 tons each, Read More...
Ikea plans to stop using plastic packaging by 2028
As the environmental burden of our excessive use of plastic packaging is regularly making headlines these days, some companies are looking to set an example by transitioning towards more sustainable packaging materials. One of the frontrunners leading this shift away from plastic is Ikea, which Read More...
Amur tiger pawprints spotted in Russia for the first time in half a century
As reported by the state-run Russian News Agency TASS, an exciting discovery was made last week: the first sighting of Amur tiger pawprints in the northeast Siberian republic of Sakha for the first time in half a century. Russia’s forest protection service spotted the pawprints along the right Read More...
Bristol's Electric Avenue pop-up shop tackles e-waste and consumerism
A new shop in Bristol called Electric Avenue pop-up is restoring unwanted electronics before giving them away this holiday season. Bristol’s residents can bring all types of items such as lamps, keyboards, and kitchen appliances to be cleaned, repaired, safety checked, and most importantly, Read More...
Portugal becomes fourth EU country to shut down all coal power plants
Back in 2016, Belgium made history by becoming the first EU country to break ties with coal. Last year, Austria and Sweden followed suit, as the world is increasingly pushing for the wide adoption of more sustainable energy sources such as wind and solar. Now, we’re happy to announce the good Read More...
Department of the Interior moves to change derogatory US land names
We recently wrote about a California ski resort’s choice to change its derogatory name. Now, more sites around the US, specifically federal lands, will also get name changes as Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has ordered the department’s Board on Geographic Names to remove derogatory and racist Read More...