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 climate-friendly cooling unit cuts the CO2 footprint of HVAC by 75%
As the world keeps getting warmer, air conditioners are likely to become an increasingly common element of home design. With that said, these appliances are themselves a burden on the environment because they’re so energy-hungry. The same goes for heaters that are intended to keep us warm during Read More...
US and Canada establish first international transboundary Dark Sky Park
If you enjoyed last week’s Perseid Meteor Shower and want to see more night sky action, we’ve got good news. The US and Canada have established the world’s newest International Dark Sky Park for star-lovers to enjoy. The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is a collaborative National Read More...
This nonprofit helps nature reclaim coal mines in the Appalachians
The world is shifting toward renewable sources of energy, which means there are plenty of coal mines left unused. However, Green Forests Work, a nonprofit based in Kentucky is working on a solution to restore the once-surface-mined land to its natural glory while generating jobs for local tree Read More...
Clean Ocean Sailing strives to collect hard-to-reach plastic
Steve Green and his partner Monika Hertlová have started an ocean cleaning movement from their unique home base on the Helford River in Cornwall. The base is a 113-year-old, 55-ton former icebreaker; a boat specially designed to move and navigate through ice-covered waters. The pair launched Read More...
Life-sized elephant sculptures inspire us to live in harmony with nature
As human populations have grown around the world, so have their territories, leaving wild animals with less land and resources to survive. This especially affects Earth's largest land mammals: elephants. Elephant populations have declined considerably as a consequence of rapid habitat loss and Read More...
Manatees are struggling this year! Here's how we can help.
The life of a manatee is not an easy one, especially over the past couple of years. Luckily, you can help ensure that these aquatic creatures get more protection, but first, we should discuss their plight. During the first half of this year up until early July, at least 841 West Indian manatees Read More...
Humpback whales in Alaska still flourishing in the absence of cruise ships
The Covid-19 pandemic has forced the world to slow down and stay put, which has certainly added stress to our lives, but for the natural world, has offered some respite from human activity. This is the case for humpback whales in Alaska, which, as we wrote about before, have been enjoying the Read More...
This plastic sculpture puts the environmental impact of plastic waste into perspective
Since the early 1950s, the world has produced about 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic. About 60 percent of that plastic has ended up in either a landfill or the natural environment. Seeking to put that mind-boggling about of plastic waste into perspective, artist Iiina Klaus has teamed up with Read More...
This platform provides a safe space to share climate emotions
The climate crisis can bring up a lot of emotions. Fear. Panic. Anger. Sadness. Grief. But managing these emotions can be difficult when we feel like our individual actions are just a drop in the bucket. Personal eco-friendly habits are a great way to take autonomy over your climate emotions, but Read More...
Check out this rare video of the elusive snow leopard
Snow leopards are notoriously elusive species and with only 4,000 left in the wild, researchers sometimes go years without documenting a sighting. Fortunately, a wildlife camera in East Kazakhstan has managed to capture a family of snow leopards on camera, for the first time since 2017. The Read More...