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.
Frankie the Dinosaur urges humanity not to choose extinction
Right before the commencement of the United Nations climate summit, COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland, the UN Development Program posted a video of a special guest speaker: Frankie the Dinosaur. Frankie’s warning was clear: if we don’t work together to dramatically reduce our use of fossil fuels, Read More...
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport partners with pigs to stop bird strikes
Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, one of Europe’s busiest transportation hubs, has recruited a team of 20 pigs to help prevent geese and planes from colliding into each other, which is often fatal for the birds and hazardous for the planes. The land that the airport is situated on is below sea Read More...
Australian water park halts construction for a pair of nesting birds
A new water park is slated for construction in Bunbury in Western Australia, but local residents will have to wait a little bit longer for their splash park fun as a pair of nesting pied oystercatchers were discovered at the construction site. Pied oystercatchers are small black and white birds Read More...
These 5 new California laws combat plastic waste
The problem of plastic is in many ways a pandemic in and of itself, and the entire world is suffering from it. Most consumers believe that recycling is an effective way to combat the plastic problem, however, in practice the system simply doesn’t work, and in fact, only encourages people to Read More...
How to sustainably dispose of your Halloween pumpkins
Halloween is officially over, but do you know what’s even scarier than ghosts and ghouls? That decomposing jack-o-lantern on your front porch. Rather than throwing your fuzzy gourds into the trash, use one of these more eco-friendly methods to dispose of your spooky decorations. Compost or bury Read More...
The role of whale conservation in tackling climate change
While we tend to think of forests as the world's primary natural carbon sinks, that’s only true on land. When it comes to our oceans, a huge carbon sink comes in an unexpected form: whales. That’s right, these amazing mammals store humongous amounts of carbon dioxide in their bodies as they Read More...
11-Year-old is on a mission to clean the Seine
Many people who visit France are drawn to the romantic banks of the Seine, the river that flows through the northern part of the country, inspiring artists and lovers with its glistening waters. The Seine has retained its beauty through history, however, these days it hides the improperly discarded Read More...
Good news! Climate tech startups have raised more money than ever this year
This year may not have been the easiest year to get through—we find ourselves still reeling from the pandemic and on top of that, we are also dealing with extreme weather and the consequences of climate change. That said, according to a new report from Dealroom and London & Partners, it Read More...
Researchers identify rare parthenogenesis births in California condors
The resurgence of the California condor is an inspiring case study for conservationists. There are now more than 500 condors living in the wild in the state, up from just 22 in 1982. The birds continue to surprise and amaze scientists as geneticists have confirmed that two of the birds reproduced Read More...
Why do leaves change color in the fall?
The vibrant colors of autumn leaves is one of the best parts of the fall season, but why exactly do trees put on this colorful display each year? Today we’re exploring the scientific reasons behind one of nature’s most gorgeous phenomena. Preparing for winter As the weather slowly starts to Read More...