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 clever lamp indicates outdoor air pollution levels
When a body of water is too dirty to get into, the evidence is generally right before your eyes. You can see the swirls of oil on the surface of the water, as well as plastic waste or other rubbish floating along, so you know to search for another place to go in for a dip. This is not Read More...
Montreal’s eco-grazing program raises the “baa” in urban agriculture
We at The Optimist Daily have written quite a lot about the importance of green space and urban farming… so why not add urban livestock for eco-grazing, too? Inspired by a similar project in France, professional sheepherders in the French-Canadian city of Montreal made a deal with officials Read More...
Two conservationists create a “Google Translate” for endangered elephants
It’s known that elephants are highly intelligent and social creatures, and scientists have spent years trying to understand how these magnificent beings communicate. However, scientific publications have proven insufficient in cataloging the constant stream of new discoveries being made about Read More...
Sustainable Building in a Changing Climate
“Our house is still on fire. Your inaction is fueling the flames by the hour.” – Greta Thunberg Our house is on fire, so how do we build in the face of disaster? Climate change is both an immediate and impending crisis: Under current conditions, we’re bound for 1000-year floods and Read More...
What this small Dutch city can teach us about smart urban mobility
Urbanists across the world often look to the Netherlands for teachings on how to do urban planning the right way, especially when it comes to mobility. So, it’s no surprise that the authors of a new book called Curbing Traffic: The Human Case for Fewer Cars in Our Lives turn to Dutch cities to Read More...
Skip the waste: 6 kitchen essentials that are easy to make from scratch
We all want to use less plastic in our lives, but visit any grocery store and you will quickly realize that even the simple act of feeding our families is difficult to do without plastic. To help you in your sustainability endeavors, we’ve got a guide to making kitchen staples at home and avoid Read More...
Diary of a Young Naturalist: The joy and self-reflection in observations of nature
Dara McAnulty has been fascinated with the natural world since he was a young child. From exploring the rugged coastlines of Northern Ireland to observing moths in his own backyard, there is nothing in nature that doesn’t intrigue him. In a New York Times profile, McAnulty explains that he Read More...
Apple co-founder advocates for right to repair policies
In Europe, right to repair laws are ensuring that customers don’t have to buy new goods when something breaks 一 saving them money and reducing waste. Many environmentalists and consumer advocates are urging the US and other countries to adopt similar measures, and want companies to step up to Read More...
This startup makes petrochemicals from captured CO2
Petrochemicals, chemicals made from fossil fuels, are present in an estimated 6,000 products (and probably more), but Bay Area startup Twelve thinks there is a better way to produce these chemicals. And maybe even help the planet while they’re at it. Rather than sourcing petrochemicals from Read More...
China announces that the giant panda is no longer classified as “endangered”
Great news for giant pandas! Chinese wildlife officials have moved the iconic bears from the “endangered” classification to “vulnerable.” Although the bears are not out of the woods yet, the wild population has reached 1,800, making a significant milestone in conservation efforts. The Read More...