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.
Could sound-based filtration be the answer to the microplastic problem?
There is no doubt that microplastics pose a rising ecological and health risk, but this wasn’t always the case. It’s only recently that scientists began to appreciate the scope of these microscopic particles and their influence on animals ranging from marine life to humans. A 2019 study found Read More...
A clean and green Ramadan
This Ramadan, plastics will be absent from the meals of many Muslims breaking their fast in mosques across the globe. Iftars—the after-sunset meal that unites Muslims together during the holy month that began on March 22, 2023—often involve the use of plastic knives, forks, and bottles of Read More...
Amsterdam airport bans private jets to reduce noise and climate pollution
On November 5, 2022, scores of climate activists gathered in front of luxury planes and private jets at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, preventing them from taking off for several hours. Now, nearly five months later, the airport has declared that private jets would be prohibited, as well as Read More...
April is Earth Month! 5 effective Earth Day campaigns and the holiday's history
April is Earth Month, a time to celebrate and protect our world. The annual Earth Day celebration on April 22 draws more than a billion people, making it the greatest civic event in the world. Earth Month is an expansion of the Earth Day movement, which originated in the early 1970s in the Read More...
Cheetah cubs born in India for the first time in over 70 years
Four cheetah cubs have been born in India, more than 70 years after the creatures were declared legally extinct in the country. The announcement was made by India's environment minister, who described it as a "momentous event." For decades, the nation has attempted to reintroduce big cats, Read More...
Youth activists in Vanuatu score a major climate win
BY SIRI CHILUKURI, Grist This story was originally published by Grist. Subscribe to its weekly newsletter here. Young environmental activists from a small South Pacific island earned a climate win that could cause major problems for the world's largest polluters. The nation of Vanuatu Read More...
Leading lawyers sign declaration to not prosecute peaceful climate protestors
Prominent barristers disregarded bar regulations by signing a document last month vowing not to prosecute nonviolent climate demonstrators or represent firms pursuing fossil fuel projects. More than 120 attorneys, primarily from England, have signed a declaration promising to "withhold [their] Read More...
Inventive solution saves swimming pools and data centers
Public swimming pools in the UK that were about to close due to rising energy costs have been given a second chance thanks to new water heating technology. New tech startup Deep Green's chief executive, Mark Bjornsgaard, has tested an innovative concept at Exmouth, Devon. He has installed a Read More...
Removable solar panels might soon be rolled out on railway tracks
Solar panels are being laid out "like carpet" across Swiss train rails as part of the country's renewable energy initiative. Swiss startup company Sun-Ways will begin installing solar panels in the western part of the country this spring, next to the Buttes train station, pending approval from Read More...
How to create low-waste habits that work for you
We're all works-in-progress when it comes to developing and maintaining low-waste behaviors. And being able to reevaluate your choices on a regular basis is one of the most crucial elements in living more sustainably. Every decision has an impact, from the minor (such as avoiding single-use Read More...