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.
Understanding fish fins could yield more efficient airplane wings
Last week we wrote about how studying elephant trunks is helping scientists build more versatile robotics. Now, a group of researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder has cracked the code on fish fins in the hopes that it will inspire similar design innovations. Fin structure Fish fins Read More...
Berlin university canteens expand plant-based options
Adopting a more plant-based diet is one of the ways we help tackle climate change on an individual level. Universities in Berlin are well aware of that, which is why four of the city's biggest institutions have recently decided to transition their canteens’ meals towards more climate-friendly Read More...
How relocating urban highways is an act of racial justice
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. Urban planning and public policy researchers Julian Agyeman and Read More...
Could migratory birds provide early tsunami detection?
If you’ve ever had the unfortunate experience of witnessing a tsunami, tornado, or major tropical storm, you may have noticed a curious trend: the lack of birds. Although not fully backed by scientific evidence yet, researchers are investigating the anecdotal evidence that birds seem to be able Read More...
Greece creates climate crisis ministry in the wake of summer fires
Following a summer of devastating fires and record temperatures, Greece’s government has created a new ministry to address the impact and risks of climate change. Led by former European Union commissioner Christos Stylianides, the ministry will be in charge of firefighting, disaster relief, Read More...
First zero-emission crewless cargo ship to set sail in Norway
Norwegian chemical company Yara International has created the world’s first zero-emission autonomous cargo ship, the Yara Birkeland. The shipping industry accounts for between 2.5 and 3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the International Maritime Organization. The aim of Read More...
Medellín aspires to become Latin America's first "eco-city"
Medellín, Colombia has proven to the world that it is a city capable of transformation. Only three decades ago, it was considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world. However, by investing in their low-income communities, transportation infrastructure, education, technology, tourism, and Read More...
Researchers discover ancient four-legged whale in Egypt
While it’s rather difficult to picture whales outside their vast marine habitats, the early ancestors of these gigantic creatures were actually terrestrial — and a recent discovery of new four-legged whale species brings to light more exciting evidence about the animals’ evolution from land Read More...
Mexico is first country in North America to ban animal cosmetic testing
Mexico becomes the first country in North America and the 41st country in the world to completely ban cosmetics testing on animals after Mexico’s Senate voted unanimously to do so. This change in legislation is believed to have been influenced by the Humane Society’s International Read More...
Why the intimate wedding is here to stay
The Covid-19 crisis has made us adjust and adapt to life in the midst of a pandemic. In the name of health and safety, we’ve lost out on many planned events and have had to cancel, postpone, or reconceptualize how we celebrate life’s milestones. One of the biggest realizations? Sometimes less Read More...