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.
Alphabet makes its low-cost water harvester open-source
According to WHO/UNICEF, about a third of the global population doesn’t have access to safe drinking water. More than half of these people, however, live in areas with just the right climate conditions to enable special water harvesting technologies to provide clean drinking water. This is Read More...
Cape Verde's sea turtle conservation efforts prove to be a resounding success
The West African island nation of Cape Verde is experiencing first-hand the rewards of years of conservation effort. In the past five years, Cape Verde has seen a surge in sea turtle populations across all 10 of its islands. According to the country’s environment ministry, last year’s nest Read More...
Sustainable renovation tips from an interior designer
If you’re thinking of giving your interior space a facelift before heading into the winter season but want to go about it in the most eco-friendly way possible, Toronto-based interior designer Rebecca Hay has some inspirational home design ideas that prioritize style and sustainability. Reduce, Read More...
Newly discovered spooky parasite eats and replaces fish tongues
If creepy crawlies and frightening monsters are your thing, then we’ve got a story for you. Officials at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department have discovered a peculiar parasite just in time for Halloween. The parasite doesn’t just feast on fish’s tongues—it replaces it and continues Read More...
Drivers in Barcelona can exchange their old car for a free transit pass
With governments racing to meet their climate targets, many of them have been particularly attentive to the transportation sector, where reducing emissions can have a huge impact. In that vein, there is an increasing number of initiatives looking to move people away from cars and towards cleaner Read More...
Dutch pension giant ABP to divest from fossil fuel producers
Motivated by recent climate reports by the United Nations and International Energy Agency, the Netherlands’ biggest pension fund, the ABP fund, has announced that it will divest from companies that produce fossil fuels. The change, which many of the members of the fund were demanding, was Read More...
Kernza could be the agricultural grain of the future
Have you ever heard of Kernza? If not, you’re not alone. This underappreciated grain was developed by The Land Institute in 2008, and its many nutritional and environmental benefits mean you will probably be hearing more about it in the near future. What is Kernza? Kernza is a form of Read More...
Paris to become a 100% bicycle-friendly city by 2026
As cities are around the world increasingly step away from car-centric urban planning, it’s safe to say that cycling will soon become a primary mode of transportation for a growing number of people. In Paris, at least, that will definitely be the case. Starting this year, Parisians are expected Read More...
Yet another study confirms cognitive benefits of green space
If you’re a regular Optimist Daily reader, you know about the tremendous cognitive and mental health benefits of green space. Now, yet another study has confirmed the link between nature and brain development and finds that access to green space helps children meet critical development Read More...
Unusual fruit byproduct makes tilapia fish healthier and stronger
Tilapia is a popular fish around the world, and now, researchers from Russia's RUDN University have discovered a way to make the fish more resilient─using a feed ingredient that would otherwise end up in landfills. The researchers spent eight weeks raising five groups of 60 Nile tilapia fry, Read More...