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.
Colorado becomes second state to legalize human composting
Last year, we shared how Washington state became the first in the country to legalize human composting. Now, Colorado is adopting similar legislation that will allow residents to become one with the earth at the end of their lives. The bill passed the Colorado House by a margin of 45 to 18. Read More...
This campaign encourages dog owners to collect litter while they walk
There are plenty of benefits to being a dog owner, one of which is that having a dog encourages you to be more active, which is great for your health. According to a 2019 study published in Scientific Reports, dog owners spend almost 300 minutes per week walking their dogs, which is a whopping 200 Read More...
SUGi's "healing forest" project helps inmates reconnect with the land
Ethan Bryson is a ‘forest maker’ for SUGi, a US conservation organization and app specializing in community forestation. Recently, he was struck with an idea that would change the landscape of the Yakama Nation Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility, as well as the lives of the inmates who Read More...
Epicurious moves away from beef recipes in favor of plant-based options
Last week, prominent food and recipe website Epicurious.com announced in an article that they have decided to stop promoting or posting recipes that feature beef. They reveal in the article that their choice to distance themselves from beef-focused recipes is based on a 2013 United Nations Read More...
Troubleshooting 7 common composting mistakes
So you’ve purchased a composting bucket and instituted sustainable food scrap disposal in your home. Great! Now, let’s make sure you’re compositing properly to generate the most benefits for you and the planet. Today we share some of the most common composting mistakes and how you can avoid Read More...
Mangrove restoration expands carbon credit benefits to coastal Kenya
Eight years ago, mangrove forests in the Kenyan village of Gazi were greatly depleted for use as firewood and construction poles while poaching ran rampant nearby. Today, the village has turned over a new leaf. The mangrove forests are thriving once again and poaching has fallen 90 percent over the Read More...
This Dutch pollinator strategy protects bees across the country
Last week, the Netherlands held a bee-counting event in which more than 11,000 volunteers from across the country participated. The volunteers spent 30 minutes recording the various types of bees visiting their gardens with the help of a list of the most common bees present in the country during Read More...
The rewilding movement is gaining momentum in Scotland
The natural world thrives when allowed to maintain the delicate balance of its ecosystems, but human activity has thrown nature off balance and we are now facing the consequences. In the past 50 years, approximately two-thirds of the world’s wildlife has been lost, and around 40 percent of plant Read More...
This recognition program encourages cities to plant more trees
Planting more trees in urban areas is one of the best ways for cities to improve the wellbeing of their residents while also helping them tackle a growing number of challenges resulting from climate change. In an effort to encourage cities worldwide to green up their concrete-laden cityscapes, an Read More...
Why you should invest in all-electric gardening equipment
Personal vehicles and public buses get a lot of attention when we talk about moving away from fossil fuels, but electric technology has valuable applications outside of the realm of transportation as well. Did you know that using a gas-powered leaf blower for 30 minutes creates the same hydrocarbon Read More...