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.
White House announces restoration of protections for three national monuments
The US federal government has announced plans to restore protections for three national monuments: Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts. "Restoring the Monument's boundaries and conditions restores its integrity, upholds efforts to honor the federal trust Read More...
This unique greenhouse is made from over 4,500 recycled jars
[caption id="attachment_1408340" align="alignleft" width="265"] Axton Burton and their greenhouse[/caption] Axton Burton is a tropical plant enthusiast, but in their rainy home state of Washington, keeping warm weather-loving plants alive is no easy feat. Seeking out a greenhouse for their leafy Read More...
This paper is partly made from grass to reduce its environmental footprint
Following an increasing number of people turning away from single-use plastic packaging, the market for paper packaging has seen a boom in recent years. More demand for paper, however, means more logging, some of which still happens in old-growth forests, which are major absorbers of CO2 and Read More...
Mathematical visitation law can predict urban movement anywhere in the world
The hustle and bustle of city streets may seem like a random and chaotic movement of people, but researchers have discovered that this movement can in fact be predicted with a mathematical equation─a discovery that could hold implications for the study of disease and city planning. The model Read More...
Austria announces new carbon tax to curb emissions
In order to curb greenhouse gas emissions, the Austrian government has introduced a new carbon tax that is set to be fully implemented by July next year. This means that Austrians will have 30 euros (around $35 USD) added to their consumer bills per ton of CO2. This cost will rise to 55 euros Read More...
Mysterious plant finally named 50 years after discovery
New plants are given scientific names based on which family they fit into, or which plants they share physical characteristics in. Generally Latin-based, these plant names are used internationally to identify flora, but sometimes this naming process isn’t so simple. A new plant with bright orange Read More...
UN votes to make a clean and healthy environment a human right
The U.N. Human Rights Council has finally recognized access to a clean and healthy environment as a fundamental human right, adding it to others─like food, shelter, and freedom from slavery─laid out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The resolution was first discussed in the Read More...
Arabian leopard cub could help save the species from extinction
The Arabian leopard has roamed the Arabian Peninsula for more than 500,000 years, but due to habitat loss and human conflict, the species’ population has been pushed to the brink of extinction, with only about 200 animals now remaining in the wild. The birth of a recent cub, however, brings new Read More...
This Indonesian museum is made out of plastic pollution
The problem of plastic pollution is largely perpetuated by a lack of education and awareness about what actually contributes to this worldwide issue, and what we, the people, can do to help. To bring plastic pollution to the forefront of the minds of the public, activists in Indonesia have Read More...
What is COP26 and why does it matter?
Leaders from around the world are preparing for COP26, and we at The Optimist Daily are gearing up to report on the latest climate action surrounding the conference, but today we’re here to share some basic details on what COP26 is and what outcomes it hopes to achieve in terms of curbing global Read More...