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.
European parliament just voted to ban single-use plastics by 2021
While members of the UN Senate voted to reject the first draft of the Green New Deal this week, members of European Parliament did the world a favor by voting to ban an array of single-use plastics as part of a sweeping law against plastic waste that despoils beaches and pollutes oceans. The ban Read More...
The largest seaplane airline is converting all its planes to electric
After all the negative news surrounding the airline industry lately, here’s some positive news: Harbour Airlines, the largest seaplane airline in North America, has announced that it will convert all of its seaplanes into electric aircraft. The airline will start by electrifying six passenger Read More...
Former poachers help scientists restore the snow leopard population in Siberia
In some parts of Siberia, snow leopards have been nearly wiped out due to poachers hunting the animals for their distinctive spotted coats. But in Russia’s Altai Mountains the snow leopard population is on the rise thanks to former poachers who are now helping scientists to preserve them. In Read More...
Instead of plastic, this supermarket is wrapping produce in banana leaves
While most supermarkets are taking their sweet time to find good alternatives to plastic packaging, a supermarket in Thailand has come up with a surprisingly simple way to reduce plastic packaging by wrapping its produce in banana leaves. The use of banana leaves instead of plastic for packaging Read More...
This Polish company uses waste wheat bran to make biodegradable bowls and plates
Isn’t it ridiculous that disposable plastic plates are still being used even though they can take up to 500 years to break down? An innovative Polish company by the name of Biotrem thinks so, which is why they’ve created biodegradable tableware made from compressed wheat bran, a by-product of Read More...
Gibraltar bans release of helium balloons in bid to save marine life
For years, Gibraltar used to release 30,000 balloons each year on the 10th of September to celebrate its National Day. After realizing that most of these balloons ended up polluting the sea and seriously threatening marine life, the government decided to put an end to this tradition two years Read More...
How gender quotas could lead to more land conservation
The key to boosting environmental conservation around the world could be gender quotas. While it seems like an unlikely tool to inspire more conservation, a new study conducted in three developing countries showed that when more women are involved in group decisions about land management, the group Read More...
Green groups expand protection over one of the most biodiverse places on Earth
Magdalena Valley, a low land rainforest in Central Colombia and one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, is home to some of the world’s rarest animal species that are under serious threat because of intense deforestation and illicit farming in the area. Luckily, after years of negotiations, Read More...
Federal judge halts drilling in large swath of Wyoming, citing climate change
The fossil fuel industry took a blow last week when a federal judge ordered a halt to oil and gas exploration on almost 500 square miles in Wyoming, stating that the US government must account for its cumulative effect on global climate change. The order marks the latest in a string of court Read More...
Cement is a huge polluter. Here’s how the industry is tackling the problem
While cement is incredibly versatile, the relatively cheap building material comes with a huge downside: it’s a massive greenhouse gas emitter. In fact, it’s responsible for about 8 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. If the cement industry were a country, it would be the Read More...