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.
Volunteers in India plant 66 million trees in 12 hours to break world record
When people come together and focus their energy on one thing, amazing things can happen. Just look at the state of Madhya Pradesh in India where an estimated 1.5 million people gathered together to plant more than 66 million tree saplings in just 12 hours along one of the major rivers in the Read More...
90 percent of bottles collected by Oregon’s bottle deposit system get recycled
If we want to make recycling an effective way of dealing with used beverage containers, then we must look to Oregon for inspiration. Currently, the state recycles 90 percent of the beverage containers covered by its bottle deposit system, despite major disruptions in the global recycling markets. Read More...
How a robot could save Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef used to be a symbol of the pristine beauty that the ocean offers, but now it represents the terrible mark that human-induced climate change is having on the world as half of the coral that made up the reef has died in the past couple years. Is there still hope? The Read More...
Britain’s CO2 emissions have fallen once again
According to the latest statistics, the mass closure of coal-fired power stations in the UK has helped reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. Britain’s emissions were 2.7 percent lower than in 2016, and 42.1 percent lower than in 1990. On top of that, coal use for electricity 27 percent Read More...
Elephant seals reclaimed this California beach during government shutdown
When the recent federal government shutdown caused national parks to close, something unexpected happened on one California beach: a herd of sea elephants took over. With no humans occupying the beach, as many as 100 elephant seals decided to take refuge on the beach and call it home just in time Read More...
Samsung will start using eco-friendly materials in its packaging
As a consumer, it can be frustrating that the everyday products you need are packaged in materials that wind up in the trash. We can avoid creating waste from packaging by being selective with our purchases, but it's not always possible. What we really need are alternative ways to package goods Read More...
The efficiency of carbon capture technology set to improve thanks to new substance
Carbon capture technology will be a central piece of any realistic plan for addressing the growing dangers of climate change. That's why it's great news that researchers have invented a novel carbon-capturing substance that is 24 percent more energy efficient than existing methods. The technology Read More...
Life is flourishing on the substructures of offshore oil rigs
A growing number of retired oil rigs have found a new purpose as human-made reefs. These hulking structures, which rise hundreds of feet from the ocean floor, provide a unique habitat for subaquatic life. The complex shape of the rig's support creates a three-dimensional reef for sea creatures to Read More...
Chemistry is helping raise the standard of recycling
Recycling is mistakenly thought of as a solution for plastic waste, but the truth is there are many types of plastics that cannot properly be recycled. That goes for many other materials such as textiles. Fortunately, chemistry is pointing the way towards cleaner, better means of recycling waste. Read More...
Unconventional rice growing technique significantly increases crop yield
Rice farmers are boosting their crop yields by using a revolutionary agronomical system which requires half as much water as conventional farming techniques. The owner of the idea observed that by planting fewer seeds than usual, and using organic matter as fertilizer while keeping rice plants Read More...