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.
This green oasis is actually a hospital that uses nature to promote healing
Communal gardens, landscaped rooftops, and wide-open windows aren't features of your typical hospital—but maybe they should be. Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in Singapore is a case study in what can happen when a nature-inspired design is applied to the medical setting to promote healing. The Read More...
A major university just banned beef products from its campus
Goldsmiths, a major University in London, just made a colossal statement after banning the sale of beef in campus food outlets in order to tackle the climate emergency. Under the new ban, beef products will no longer be available in the institution’s cafes and shops when the academic year begins Read More...
This compostable food packaging was made using wasted shellfish shells
Wrapping food in plastic does serve a purpose. A plastic-wrapped cucumber at a supermarket may seem egregious, but the vegetable lasts longer and is less likely to end up as food waste; throwing out food can have an even bigger impact on the environment than the plastic itself. But the system’s Read More...
Damaged seamounts in Hawaii make incredible comeback after decades of protection
For decades, overfishing and trawling - dragging the ocean bottom with heavy nets - had been devastating parts of an underwater mountain range in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii, wrecking deep-sea corals and destroying much of their ecological community. But now, after years of protection, Read More...
This organic lawn care brand wants to remove pesticides from the American lawn
We’re in an age of plant-based diets, organic grocery stores, and farm-to-table restaurants. But if you observe the average American lawn, and how it’s cared for, it would seem like there’s no alternative to the industrialized, highly chemical-dependent agricultural practices of the ‘50s. Read More...
Coal generation collapsed in Europe over the first six months of 2019
Sometimes when you fall, you fall really hard. That’s how it’s going for coal at the moment, the former king when it came to energy production. According to a new report from climate think-tank Sandbag, coal generation in the European Union collapsed by 19 percent in the first half of 2019, Read More...
What it’s like to ride on NYC’s first self-driving shuttle
We write quite a lot about the development of self-driving vehicles, but it will surely feel a bit strange the first time we actually step foot in one and watch the steering wheel turn itself. In New York City, autonomous car company Optimus Ride just debuted the first public self-driving vehicle Read More...
The case for banning domestic flights altogether in Germany
We all know flights are terrible for the environment, but if you need to travel across the world and you don’t have a couple of months to spare, then a flight seems like the most sensible option to make it to your destination. But if you need to get somewhere within your own country, then Read More...
In the climate change era, these geodesic domes could be the homes of the future
The home of the future needs to be prepared for the harsh weather events that will surely come about as a result of climate change. That’s why a startup by the name of Geoship is designing buildings made from a new material that can withstand disasters: bioceramic. Geoship is using the new Read More...
Google is promising carbon neutral shipping. Can they deliver?
Google is falling behind when it comes to Apple and Samsung when it comes to its sustainability pledges. Apple, for example, has at least 50% recycled plastic in some of their gadgets and at least 11 products with recycled aluminum. Samsung also recently pledged to increase its use of Read More...