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.
Floating cities, no longer science fiction, begin to take shape
Earlier this year, the government of French Polynesia agreed to let the Seasteading Institute begin testing in its waters. Construction could begin soon, and the first floating buildings — the nucleus of a city — might be inhabitable in just a few Read More...
Blue Planet 2 team pick up every piece of litter they come across in the ocean
Blue Planet II has wowed viewers with some of the most beautiful, intriguing, and occasionally terrifying glimpses into the depths of the ocean. There was the vicious Bobbit worm, around a meter-long; a predator who hides beneath the sand, quietly stalking fish until coming close enough to devour Read More...
This “climate beneficial” wool hat comes from carbon-positive sheep
At the southern end of the Surprise Valley on the border of California and Nevada, Bare Ranch looks essentially like it did in the early 1900s: sheep and cattle grazing on broad fields under a backdrop of mountains. But because of some subtle Read More...
Conservationists use decoy eggs to stop poachers of endangered sea turtles
The eggs of the endangered sea turtle are considered a delicacy and an aphrodisiac, making them an expensive commodity on the black market. To catch poachers who steal sea turtle eggs, a conservation nonprofit is planting GPS-implanted eggs along with real eggs. That way, when poachers take eggs Read More...
America’s Pledge: U.S. cities and states fighting global warming despite Trump
Despite being the only country in the world to not be a part of the Paris climate accord, a coalition of more than 20 US states, more than 50 of its largest cities, and 60 businesses have committed to the previous emissions reduction goals of the US. Added together, they have an economic power of Read More...
China is building 30 ‘sponge cities’ to soak up floodwater and prevent disaster
The Chinese government is building water-absorbent projects in 30 cities as part of its "sponge city initiative." To date, the cities have received more than $12 billion for Read More...
Turn your food scraps into clean gas for your stove with this home biodigester
Turning food scraps into compost is a great idea, but what if you could turn them into clean cooking gas that you can use in your kitchen? An Israeli company has come up with a home biodigester system that converts kitchen scraps into fuel and fertilizer. All you have to do is simply throw your Read More...
Europe wants carmakers to cut emissions by nearly a third by 2030
Under a new proposal from the European Commission, emissions from fleets of new passenger cars and new light commercial vehicles will have to be 30 percent lower in 2030 compared to 2021. The proposal may sound good, but it means that European car makers can continue to produce high-end Read More...
Ecological restoration success higher with natural measures than active measures
Ecological restoration success is higher for natural regeneration than for active restoration in tropical forests. Restoration of deforested and degraded forest areas can be accomplished through a wide range of activities. At one end of the Read More...
California wants to store carbon in the soil
To produce a bumper crop of tomatoes, or lettuce, a farmer hopes for enough sunshine and rain. But those are not the only critical Read More...