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.
22 reasons for optimism in 2022 (part I)
Here are eleven good things that happened in 2022 that gave us cause to hope and celebrate. Ukraine still stands Russian President Vladimir Putin and most others expected Ukraine to succumb to Russian control within days of his late February invasion. Few foresaw the force of the Ukrainian Read More...
Two new DC public schools model net zero education
It goes without saying that we should be teaching our children about important environmental matters, especially excessive energy consumption and the need for energy efficiency. But what about the energy that a school itself consumes? While it is a rarely-thought-of area for improvement, new Read More...
Welcome to Modhera, India’s first village entirely powered by solar
Modhera in Gujarat became India's first solar-powered village, setting a precedent for what UN Secretary-General António Guterres called a "reconciliation between humanity and the planet," according to Euronews. UN News reports that the solar project provides residents of Modhera with an Read More...
Local community in Gabon succeeds in saving ancestral forest from logging
About a year and a half ago, a community in northeastern Gabon embarked on a first-of-its-kind initiative to request the declassification of a logging concession area. As part of the effort, the villagers sought to instead reclassify it as a protected area to safeguard its ecological and heritage Read More...
Australia adds 127 reptiles to global treaty against wildlife trade
Australia added a total of 127 reptiles to a global treaty put in place to shield animals from the illegal wildlife trade. The inclusion of these 127 animals (one of the biggest listings in the treaty’s history) will grant these scaly creatures, who have long been targeted by bad actors in the Read More...
England is turning 99,000 hectares of land into nature recovery projects
In recent years, an increasing number of influential scientists have suggested that we reserve half of our planet for protecting nature to make Earth more liveable. In England, a huge conservation project aims to contribute to that goal by turning 99,000 hectares of land into nature reserves. The Read More...
Grow these plants around your home as natural mosquitos repellents
While there are countless positives that come with the warmer seasons, there’s one huge downside. Yep, mosquitos! These pesky insects can leave us itching all over with unpleasant swollen and scabbed skin. We try to do everything we can to keep these bugs away, from candles to aerosols and Read More...
Humpback whales may sing their beautiful songs to "see"
Have you ever been so fortunate as to have heard the long and complex song of a humpback whale? Marine biologists have long thought that these hauntingly beautiful songs, which are only sung by male whales, function like mating calls. However, it turns out that the whales may break out into song Read More...
$1 billion to be invested in cleaning up Great Lakes
The US Great Lakes are treasured and iconic wonders of North America's natural splendor. Countless families and individuals flock there for fun and thousands of species of animals, fish, insects, and birds call those waters home. Being important waterways, they also hold major economic importance Read More...
Turkey’s Zero-Waste Project protects environment and boosts economy
Observing the slow pace of environmental action, starting any kind of climate-focused initiative can feel futile. Don't let the cynics win. The fact is, our individual and collective efforts can make a significant difference. A wonderful reminder of this is Turkey’s Zero-Waste Project, which Read More...