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.
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...
Scientists may use bacteria to clean up microplastics floating in water
Although microplastics are incredibly tiny in size (smaller than 5mm), they pose a huge threat to marine environments, and because of their minuscule size, they are also incredibly difficult to remove from water. Fortunately, a team of microbiologists has developed a sustainable solution that could Read More...
Support pollinators this spring with flower 'billboards'
We at The Optimist Daily are always looking for ways to help our pollinator friends. If you are looking to plant a pollinator-friendly garden this spring, then a new study led by Jaret Daniels and Elizabeth Braatz can help! Their research indicates that insects are attracted to landscapes where Read More...
Save the earth and your wallet by renting your kid's clothes online
Parents and guardians everywhere are all too familiar with the struggle of clothing a growing infant. New parents hurry to buy brand new baby clothes for their newborn but are then disappointed to find that once they dress their infants, many of the newborn clothes only fit for a couple of weeks. Read More...
This fashion partnership is making jackets out of old fishing nets
Fishing nets discarded in the sea pose a threat to marine animals and break down into polluting microplastics. Apparel and gear company Bureo prevents these nets from ending up in our oceans and gives them new life as upcycled sunglasses, skateboards, and even Jenga blocks. Now, the company has Read More...
This interactive map allows you to explore conservation land near you
Since its creation in 1964, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has funded hundreds of thousands of conservation projects across the United States, both protecting land and providing iconic outdoor recreational spaces such as the Appalachian Trail and Joshua Tree National Park. Now, a new Read More...
New AI tech is protecting African elephants
African elephants are beautiful and majestic creatures that are unfortunately targeted by poachers because of their ivory tusks. In the last 50 years, the savanna elephant population dropped by 60 percent and the number of forest elephants has fallen by 86 percent in the past three Read More...
Adding enzymes to compostable plastic may help it biodegrade faster
As consumers demand sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics, compostable plastic items have become increasingly popular in recent years. The problem, however, is that many of these 'compostable' items don’t break down in regular composting conditions and tend to contaminate other Read More...
A coalition of conservationists purchase and protect Belize Maya Forest
A large section of the tropical forest that spans Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala was previously owned by the Forestland Group, a US logging company, but now, a coalition of conservation organizations have purchased the 236,000-acre area to save it from deforestation. Organizations backing the Read More...
Groundbreaking treaty protects environmental activists in Latin America
After eight years of planning, a key treaty between Latin American and Caribbean countries finally went into effect last week. Called the Escazú Agreement, the groundbreaking international legislation is the first international treaty in the region and serves to both preserve the environment and Read More...