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.
This AI system is designed to protect roosting bats
The US is home to more than 40 species of bats, but habitat loss, climate change, and disease have taken a toll on populations with many species facing potential extinction. Bats often nest under bridges or overpasses as a way to seek shelter, but lack of awareness about their presence can cause Read More...
Decolonizing Science: Kiwi scientists take a stand on using Maori language
At The Optimist Daily, we have often featured stories about scientific discoveries that help improve our understanding of the biosphere. We are also big fans of inclusivity, particularly when it shows an appreciation of Indigenous wisdom. That’s why we wanted to feature this delightful account of Read More...
This printing method eliminates the need for harmful dyes and pigments
The chemical processes needed to produce the pigments and inks for printers, combined with the issue of wasteful plastic cartridges, make printing a less than sustainable process. To address this issue, a team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Chemistry has come up Read More...
New York aims to ban the sale of all gas-powered vehicles by 2035
We wrote recently about New York City’s plan to create an expansive electrical vehicle (EV) charging network as part of an initiative to slash the city’s carbon emissions. New York is also taking another significant step towards this goal by banning the sale of all gas-powered vehicles in the Read More...
Popular New York clothing store now offers a secondhand shopping area
Shoppers who visit the Madewell store in Brooklyn will find a surprise if they head up to the location’s second floor. Madewell has collaborated with popular online used clothing retailer thredUP to create the “Circular Store”—an assortment of pre-owned Madewell products as well as repaired Read More...
Spain to ban plastic wrapping on fruits and vegetables by 2023
After years of campaigning from green activists to stop grocers and large supermarkets alike from wrapping fresh produce in plastic packaging, the Spanish government is now finally devising legislation that will ban the use of this unnecessary waste by 2023. The move is part of a decree currently Read More...
This sleek pair of sunglasses is made from carbon sucked from the air
In recent years, the fashion industry has welcomed an increasing number of innovative brands whose goal is to weave sustainability into the clothes and accessories we wear. Not long ago, for example, we introduced you to Pangaia, an eco-friendly clothing brand creating fabrics that are responsibly Read More...
OSHA moves to increase extreme heat protection for workers
A recent investigation by NPR and Columbia Journalism Investigations found that climate change is contributing to a dramatic rise in preventable worker deaths from high temperatures, an issue that disproportionately affects workers of color. To address this, the current administration issued a Read More...
Thought Leader Series: Practicing Planetary Health
Want doctors to practice better planetary health? Teach advocacy better. Here's how... BY Dr. Bhargavi Chekuri My journey to climate advocacy started with a three-week plastic-free challenge that happened to coincide with the start of my family medicine residency training in 2018. What began as Read More...
St Andrews University embraces pollinator-friendly rewilding on campus
If you visit St. Andrews University in Scotland, you will probably be impressed by the beautiful campus, but the university is going above and beyond to make its grounds even more impressive by transitioning its lawns into pollinator-friendly meadows. The Urban Meadows for Pollinators Project Read More...