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 biodegradable plastic alternative comes from a scaly sustainable source
Last month we shared a story about shellfish being used to manufacture compostable food packaging. This week, fish are swimming back into the packaging spotlight with a biodegradable plastic alternative made out of fish skin. MarinaTex, developed by the University of Sussex graduate student Lucy Read More...
The world’s first hybrid-electric powered cruise ship set sail this year
Cruiseships (sigh). The invention of these massive entertainment ships might have seemed like a nice idea, but they are a disaster of marine ecosystems. Considering, however, that they'll be in use for a long time to go, it's time to start finding ways to electrify them. One company that is Read More...
These algae-based clothes photosynthesize while you wear them
Talk about thinking outside the box, a designer by the name of Roya Aghighi has designed clothes from algae that turn carbon dioxide into oxygen via photosynthesis. Named Biogarmentry, the clothes are the proof of concept for a textile made with living, photosynthetic cells. To make the fabric Read More...
With less noise and emissions, electric boats are the way of the future
The electric vehicle industry is rapidly expanding, and sleek new designs are pushing their way into the boating market. The latest example of which comes from the Templar Marine, which has introduced their Torqeedo day boat. The boat is powered by six batteries, lasts for 7 hours, and has the Read More...
Under a new plan, Germany is enlisting its army to help rescue its forests
According to satellite monitoring from Munich’s Technical University, a third of Germany’s woodlands are now in a very poor state. Hot, dry weather is the chief culprit, as 2018 saw the highest temperatures Germany has ever seen on record. 2019 was scarcely cooler. This has left the trees Read More...
How your morning coffee grounds could become sustainable textile dye
Historically, our clothes were dyed with natural plants and pigments, but, as the textile industry has grown, so has its use of chemicals to achieve vibrant clothing colors. To address chemical pollution from the clothes we wear, a research team from Iowa State University has gone back to basics Read More...
Norway to pay Gabon to protect its tropical rainforests
As part of a 10-year deal announced on Sunday (Sept. 22), Norway will pay $150 million to the African nation of Gabon to battle deforestation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is a huge deal considering Gabon is home to the second-largest tropical rainforest in the world, a thriving home to Read More...
Why the Green New Deal could be the antidote to Detroit’s woes
During the second round of the 2020 presidential debates in Detroit, candidates looked to gain voters by addressing auto workers and speaking—although sparingly—about keeping drinking water safe in the aftermath of the Flint water crisis. However, none of the candidates proposed a specific plan Read More...
How design and disaster can spur climate change resilience
Extreme weather events are forcing cities to re-evaluate their climate preparedness. For densely populated coastal cities, the question has become how, not if, they will prepare for the next disaster. Rebuild by Design, a resiliency initiative that began as a response to Hurricane Sandy, is Read More...
Never produce toothbrush waste again with this subscription service
When it comes to the conversation surrounding waste, there is one common form of waste that seems to fly under the radar: toothbrushes. That, however, doesn’t mean toothbrush waste isn’t a serious issue. It’s estimated that around 1,000,000,000 toothbrushes head to the landfill annually in Read More...