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.
Britain just committed to net zero emissions by 2050
The United Kingdom has just become the first major economy in the world to commit to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Although the UK already had a 2050 target to reduce emissions by 80%, which was agreed upon by MPs under the Climate Change Act in 2008, that target is now amended to the Read More...
You can toss these shoes into the compost once they’re worn out
Look down at your feet. Your shoes might seem innocuous, but they contain lots of forms of plastic, and often leather, giving them their own sizeable carbon footprint. As all companies try to limit their plastic use, shoe manufacturers are trying to design new shoes with lower embedded Read More...
New report predicts most ‘meat’ won’t come from dead animals in 2040
While the conventional meat industry is a giant economic force today, a new report from the global consultancy AT Kearney doesn’t paint a bright future for meat producers—although Mother Nature will surely be smiling at the predictions featured in this report. At the moment, the conventional Read More...
Why we should start building skyscrapers using wood
There’s almost no source of carbon emissions that is more overlooked than buildings. Beyond the monstrous amount of energy and resources that go into building skyscrapers out of concrete and steel, it also requires a ton of energy to cool and heat those same buildings. Part of the problem with Read More...
Radiohead gave money to Extinction Rebellion instead of paying ransom to hacker
The indie-band Radiohead got an unexpected message recently from a hacker who claimed he had stolen 18 hours' worth of unreleased music that the band recorded during the late ‘90s. The hacker demanded the band fork over $150,000, or he would release the music. Instead of bowing to the hacker's Read More...
This store provides embarrassing bags to stop shoppers from using plastic
Grocery store owner David Lee Kwan initially hoped that a fee on single-use bags would discourage his customers from using them. But when the five-cent a bag charge failed to stop people from using plastic, he tried a different approach. So now when customers don’t bring their own bags to the Read More...
Concrete could be made cheaper, stronger, and greener using old glass
Although glass is thought of as being relatively eco-friendly because it's recyclable, the fact is that a lot of it doesn't get recycled – this is particularly true of small fragments, that are too fiddly to sort. Now, however, scientists are suggesting that glass waste could be used to make Read More...
You have to see these portraits of farm animals that were allowed to grow old
When you see a really old dog, it can make you feel all fuzzy inside. But have you ever seen an elderly farm animal? Chances are you haven’t, which makes sense considering many farm animals don’t get the chance to live for more than a year. Their "purpose" – in the dystopian thing that is Read More...
Renewology could hold the key to solving the plastic crisis
While plastic water bottles are rather simple to recycle, other low-grade plastics such as plastic bags usually wind up in the landfill. That’s because it’s hard to turn low-grade plastics into anything of value. Plus, they often get tangled in the sorting equipment of recycling centers, Read More...
Canada just banned the captivity and breeding of dolphins and whales
When you see whales or dolphins swimming through the vast ocean, you come to realize that these magnificent creatures should never be held in captivity. It’s flat out inhumane to keep them cramped in small pools, and the government of Canada seems to agree. On Monday, Canadian lawmakers passed Read More...