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.
How to make flood risk research more equitable
Climate change is exacerbating flood risks in many parts of the world, but unfortunately, research about the impacts of this climate-related flooding is not evenly conducted around the world. Research on flood-vulnerable communities, and subsequent mitigation funding, tends to center on more Read More...
Kazakhstan will become home to the world’s largest green hydrogen plant
Kazakhstan is the ninth biggest — and 18th least densely populated — country on the planet, with just seven people per sq mile. Plus, about a third of the country consists of endless plains of the steppe. All of this means that there’s plenty of land to install renewable energy infrastructure Read More...
These little piggies are going all the way home… to the wild
Twelve pygmy hogs (Porcu salvania), the smallest species of pig, were released into the wild in northeast India last week as a part of the Pygmy Hog Conservation Program that aims to save these rare pigs from near extinction. When they reach adulthood, these tiny pigs stand at ten inches tall Read More...
Yorkshire Dales rewilding initiative lets nature reclaim the land
Another expansive rewilding initiative was launched last week in England. The restoration process is focused on the gorgeous but barren landscape of the Yorkshire Dales. While the Yorkshire Dales is celebrated for its bleak beauty, the fact of the matter is that the land’s striking appearance is Read More...
Rosario, Argentina: A case study in the benefits of urban farming
In an effort to address the financial collapse of 2001, the municipal government of Rosario, Argentina came up with an ingenious plan to get the city’s residents back to work. Officials partnered with 700 farming families to dedicate unused land in the city for farming. This not only created Read More...
This free tool estimates a small company’s carbon footprint in 60 seconds
For a small business that lacks a sustainability department, calculating the company’s environmental footprint can be a daunting process. In a bid to offer a solution, a new website aims to help small office-based businesses and retail stores calculate their carbon footprint quickly and Read More...
New Zealand will ban most single-use plastic items by 2025
While New Zealand is considered to be one of the greenest countries in the world, it is currently one of the top ten per-capita producers of landfill waste worldwide. That may soon change, however, thanks to new legislation that will ban most single-use plastics by 2025. Among the main items Read More...
Dissolving ‘skyscraper’ intends to recover ecosystems destroyed by wildfire
As climate change makes wildfires a more common and severe threat to ecosystems, Italian architect Alberto Roncelli has come up with a design for a dissolving ‘skyscraper’ that would naturally spread nutrients and seeds to ravaged forests — all in a bid to regenerate ecosystems destroyed by Read More...
Solar-powered umbrella aims to make your beach holiday more sustainable
Given how much time parasols on coastal beaches sit under the sun, wouldn’t it make sense to replace the thick fabric they’re made of with solar panels — and maybe even use some of the energy generated to power, let’s say, beachfront ice-cream freezers? Italy’s leading gelato and frozen Read More...
BIOMILQ is the first to replicate healthy and sustainable human milk
Breastfeeding is a beautiful and miraculous event for new mothers to share with their infants—but it isn’t always easy. In fact, many women experience complications when breastfeeding including latching issues, an inadequate supply of milk, pain, and more. It is also an often inaccessible Read More...