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.
Salmon populations are bouncing back in Washington—thanks to beavers
Beavers are known to settle in freshwater lakes and rivers, so a tidally salty wetland might seem like a strange place to search for beavers. But in Washington, beavers have made their home at the salty Elwha delta which was only recently reformed after two dams in the area were removed in the Read More...
UK water utilities to plant 11 million trees to offset their carbon footprint
As the urgency of tackling climate change grows with each passing day, industries across all sectors are looking to implement different approaches to offset their carbon footprint. In a bid to do just that, water companies in England have announced plans to plant 11 million trees - part of a Read More...
This production technique reduces concrete’s carbon emissions by 70 percent
The production of concrete is responsible for as much as eight percent of annual CO2 emissions. Knowing that this is a big problem for future business, manufacturers have been looking for ways to reduce their carbon emissions which come from two sources. Traditionally, about half comes from the Read More...
Pink seaweed could fight climate change by stopping cows from burping methane
While carbon dioxide is typically painted as the bad boy of greenhouse gases, methane is roughly 30 times more potent as a heat-trapping gas. And one of the biggest sources of the gas comes from agriculture or, more specifically, from cow burps. In 2014 Australian scientists discovered that a Read More...
Could the “salmon cannon” really save ecosystems?
Humans everywhere were captivated over the weekend by a viral video of salmon being transported from one estuary to another through a giant overland pneumatic tube — a.k.a. the “fish tube.” The jaunty video, which shows fish shooting through the sky like checks in a bank drive-thru, Read More...
The sad truth about those “eco-friendly” e-scooters you see everywhere
If you live in a big city, chances are you’ve seen scores of electric scooters take over the sidewalks. Rideshare companies promote them as a greener alternative to cars that residents can use to get around—a claim that is rather easy to assume as true. After all, these e-scooters don’t spew Read More...
This abandoned waterpark is now home to a mini circular-economy
How would the circular economy actually work in practice? To find out, all we have to do is look within an abandoned indoor waterpark that sits on the banks of the river Maas in Rotterdam. Yes, a derelict swimming pool may seem like a strange place to see the circular economy in action, but the Read More...
Commuters in Rome can now pay for metro rides with used plastic bottles
You may not be so motivated to pick up littered plastic bottles when you walk around the city, but if those plastic bottles paid for your ride on the metro, you might be more inclined to collect those bottles. That’s the idea behind a new scheme in Rome where residents can deposit plastic bottles Read More...
Selfies are helping conservationists protect the endangered quokka
While the practice of taking selfies is usually nothing more than a way of sharing personal experiences on social media, on Rottnest Island in West Australia, selfies can be a helping hand to wildlife conservationists. Thousands of travelers have been visiting Rottnest Island in order to get a Read More...
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...