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.
Explore the great outdoors this summer without leaving a trace
Whether you’re on a day trip to a nearby hiking trail, or in a remote forest with your camping gear and some adventurous buddies, the sunny summer months are perfect for trekking into the wilderness. However, our excursions can take a toll on the natural landscape, leaving it in less than Read More...
6 LGBTQ+ climate activist organizations to check out and support
Bringing together diverse voices and perspectives helps tackle problems more effectively. One of the greatest problems we face today is the issue of climate change and climate justice. The chances we have to overcome these threats become stronger when we rally together, despite (or because of) our Read More...
Boston e-scooter company soon to unveil safer model
While shared electric scooters have boomed over the last few years, there remain many concerns about their safety. Scooter-related injuries have become so common that some law firms offer legal action against scooter manufacturers on their websites. Some cities like Miami and New York have kicked Read More...
Monarch butterflies are bouncing back
The number of monarch butterflies across North America has long been thought to be declining. Previously, scientists have thoroughly researched the winter behavior of these insects which led to this unfortunate conclusion. Therefore, even though no studies have been carried out on monarch Read More...
How to make your home a low-waste place
The average American consumer produces just under five pounds of trash each day, adding up to around 1,642 pounds per person annually. That’s a whole lot of rubbish! So what can we do about it? You may have heard of the phrase “zero-waste,” where the idea is to let nothing you use go to a Read More...
The environmentally friendly, flying ships of the future
These days, electric cars, bikes, scooters, trams, and trains are common modes of transport. However, one mode of transport which hasn’t got the electric memo is ferries, which are still almost exclusively powered by fossil fuels. The problematic factor here is battery capacity, which cannot last Read More...
This beautiful eco-school protects students from harsh desert heat
In the north-western Indian city of Jaisalmer, female literacy ranks below 40 percent. The staff at a new, sustainable school located in the nearby Thar desert, aims to change that. Students in the region often have to brave scorching temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) to Read More...
“Digital twin” of Ithaca, NY helps to plot climate ambitions
In 2019, Ithaca, New York was the first US city to resolve to eliminate or offset all carbon emissions by 2030. The college town allocated $100 million to fund the effort, but they still needed a plan of how to decarbonize all its buildings. Two architectural professors from Cornell University Read More...
This doggy-bag law in Spain intends to curb food waste
Did you know that in Spain, it’s not a common practice to take home uneaten food from a restaurant? According to news site The Local, “Spain isn’t a country with a longstanding tradition of leftover restaurant food going in doggy bags, perhaps as a combination of it not being part of the Read More...
"Ugly" reef fish need our help
Pretty privilege is not just a bias humans hold within our own species. According to a machine-learning study from the University of Montpellier, reef fish that people perceive as more beautiful are a higher priority for conservation support. In the study, 13,000 members of the public were asked Read More...