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.
From wind farm to front door: architects turn turbines into tiny homes
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Step inside Nestle, and you might think you’re in a sleek, minimalist cabin. The sunlight filters through glass doors, white walls glow under a skylight, and four solar panels gleam overhead. Step outside, though, and the secret is revealed: this cozy Read More...
Australia says goodbye to plastic soy sauce fish in world-first ban
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For decades, they’ve bobbed alongside sushi rolls across the globe: those tiny fish-shaped soy sauce bottles that squeeze out just enough seasoning for a mouthful of maki. But their days are numbered. As of September 1st, South Australia is the first place Read More...
Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize unite to protect Great Mayan Jungle
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM On August 15, Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize announced a bold regional pact: the creation of the Great Mayan Jungle Biocultural Corridor, a sprawling reserve that will cross national borders to protect one of the world’s most vital tropical forests. Covering Read More...
Japan’s first osmotic power plant shows how salt and fresh water can fuel renewable energy
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Fukuoka, Japan, has quietly switched on a facility that could point to the future of renewable energy. The country’s first osmotic power plant (and only the second in the world) will generate roughly 880,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. That Read More...
How a beneficial bacteria could help save Florida’s coral from devastating disease
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Marine biologists are celebrating a potential breakthrough in the fight against one of the deadliest coral diseases in the Caribbean: stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD). A naturally occurring probiotic, discovered on a coral colony that survived an SCTLD Read More...
Could space-based solar panels power Europe’s clean energy future?
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A new study suggests that solar panels in space could meet up to 80 percent of Europe’s renewable energy needs by 2050. The research, conducted by engineers at King’s College London (KCL), uses detailed computer modeling to assess the potential of Read More...
How pollinator pathways are turning city alleys into thriving insect havens
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM On a warm afternoon in Bristol, an alleyway once known for litter and neglect is now humming with life. Catmint, yarrow, geraniums, and anemones fill the air with color and scent, attracting bumblebees, hoverflies, and ladybirds. “It’s buzzing with Read More...
The slow demise of fur: how fashion, policy, and activism helped millions of animals
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In 2014, over 140 million animals like minks, foxes, and raccoon dogs were farmed and killed for their fur. By 2023, that number dropped to around 20 million, according to a Humane World for Animals analysis using global and industry data. Though it excludes Read More...
How to cut grocery bills and waste less: 9 clever, planet-friendly hacks
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM We all know that grocery prices are currently astronomical. Now pair that with another stat: the U.S. Department of Agriculture says 30 to 40 percent of food ends up in landfills, producing methane, a greenhouse gas even more potent than carbon dioxide. Read More...
7 creative ways to repurpose your old sleeping bag before tossing it
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Camping season is wrapping up, and as you unpack from one last weekend in the woods, you might find yourself eyeing a well-loved, slightly tattered sleeping bag. Maybe it’s ripped, faded, or just not as cozy as it used to be. But before you throw it away, Read More...