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.
Toads on the road: Street closure offers amphibians safe passage in Estonia
A busy road in the Estonian capital of Tallinn will be closed for the month of April not for construction, but for frogs and toads. Each spring, the area around the road becomes a popular breeding ground for toads and frogs, so the city has closed the road to protect these vulnerable species as Read More...
Denver to donate bison to Tribal land as form of reparations
After being slaughtered to near extinction by colonists in the 1800s, American bison are slowly making a comeback thanks to conservation efforts. The latest conservation project comes from Denver Parks and Recreation (DPR) and aims to not only restore bison populations but also offer reparations to Read More...
Want to save the coral reefs? There's an app for that.
Coral reefs are one of nature’s most amazing spectacles. Coral not only brings vibrance to underwater landscapes but also provides a home for more than a quarter of the world’s marine animals. Unfortunately, rising temperatures are putting corals under stress, expelling the algae that lend them Read More...
This superbug has a big appetite...for sewage
Scientists at the Urban Utilities water management plant in Queensland, Australia have grown a superbug from scratch. Its superpower? A remarkably large appetite for sewage. The bacteria, called anammox bugs, were devised as a response to the rapidly growing population. Plant Manager Peter Read More...
This algae-based sequin dress is 100 percent biodegradable
Eco-conscious fashionistas rejoice! Thanks to designers Charlotte McCurdy and Philip Lim, you can rock sequins without worrying about their negative effects on the environment. Sequins are small, flat, light-catching beads that have long been adorned by the glitzy and the glamorous, but always Read More...
Nature takes center stage in this redevelopment project in Tokyo
Adding more greenery to our built environment can go a long way in making our cities more resilient in the face of climate change. That’s why, here at The Optimist Daily, we love seeing urban development projects that seamlessly interweave nature with the built environment. The Toranomon Urban Read More...
4 small ways you can be a more conscious consumer
Climate change lays heavy on our minds, but as we are bombarded with news about the debilitating impact we’ve had on our environment, it can be easy to slip into feeling as though our daily efforts don’t make a real difference. If you’re in an eco-conscious rut, try to remind yourself that Read More...
Central Park and other open spaces are about to get an organic upgrade
Some of the world’s most famous parks, including Central Park in New York City and Grant Park in Chicago are about to get a green upgrade with the announcement that yogurt brand Stonyfield Organic is sponsoring the transition of these parks to pesticide-free areas. As part of the StonyFIELDS Read More...
Kauri trees provide rare glimpse into Earth’s ancient climate
Kauri trees are copper-skinned conifers endemic to New Zealand. They’re held sacred by the indigenous Māori and have been used for carvings and canoes for thousands of years. They also hold invaluable information about the world’s climate history. The trees can live for more than two Read More...
14-year-old makes biodegradable pots to reduce plastic waste
Srija, a 14-year-old girl from Telangana, a city in India’s Gadwal region, is a young environmentalist keen on supporting the natural world in her community. She involved herself in various tree planting efforts taking place in her city and at her school when one day while digging in the dirt to Read More...