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.
Most Americans think we can save the planet and create jobs at the same time
Our current politics around climate change and the policies to address it are deeply screwed up. At a time when we need more ambition, the intransigent Republican Congress and the galoot in the Oval Office are doing Read More...
Co-op is going to replace all of its single-use plastic bags
Co-op, a popular supermarket chain in the UK, has announced plans to replace old single-use plastic bags with compostable shopping bags. The company estimates the new bags will save around 60 million plastic bags from ending up in landfills. The compostable shopping bags, which also double as Read More...
Oregon breweries have launched America’s first refillable beer bottling system
In Oregon, seven breweries are now offering beer in returnable, refillable bottles. This is terrific news considering America currently ranks last when it comes to percentage of beer sold in refillable bottles. Reusing a bottle requires 93 percent less energy than making a new container, and every Read More...
Why your hate for wasps is uncalled for
If you're like most people, you probably appreciate bees while simultaneously hating wasps. A recent survey of people from all over the world found this to be a common trend, but scientists believe this view is unfair considering wasps are just as ecologically useful as bees. Wasps also pollinate Read More...
Germany has started introducing hydrogen passenger trains to its railways
The world’s first hydrogen train is entering commercial service in Germany. Although hydrogen trains are more costly, these trains have a similar range to diesel trains but at a fraction of the emissions. Not to mention they’re much quieter than diesel trains. With Germany introducing hydrogen Read More...
Have a laugh with this year’s funniest animal photos
Watching animals play around and act silly can make any human being smile. For that reason, a duo of wildlife photographers created The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, which has been delivering hilarious animal photos for four years. From waltzing Komodo dragons to curious polar bears, get Read More...
London’s half-marathon is replacing plastic bottles with edible water pouches
Following a marathon, it is common to see the streets littered with plastic bottles or cups. The London Half Marathon is attempting to make its event more environmentally friendly this year by eliminating plastic bottles and cup distribution to athletes. As a replacement, runners will be handed Read More...
Uber’s main competitor Lyft is going completely carbon neutral
The popular ridesharing company Lyft has pledged it will only use 100 percent renewable energy. Since the company can’t do this directly due to the nature of their business (they can’t force drivers to use electric cars), Lyft is offsetting it’s carbon emissions by buying renewable energy Read More...
This 6-point plan leads the way to a new carbon economy
If we want to maintain average global temperatures at or below 1.5°C preindustrial levels and avoid runaway climate change, we must build a new carbon economy that sequesters more carbon than it emits. So where to begin? According to researchers, these are the six priorities we must give our Read More...
China and California have joined forces in the fight against climate change
By the time the landmark Paris agreement was ratified in 2015, climate change was one of the rare issues on which China and the United States — the world’s No. 1 and No. 2 polluters, respectively — could find common purpose. This shared purpose was dealt a serious setback when the Trump Read More...