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.
China's forests are growing as world forest cover shrinks
The news about China is dominated by pollution and environmental degradation. But there’s more: 18 years ago China began the largest reforestation effort in the world. The Chinese have spent more than $100 billion on planting trees in the last decade alone. Nearly 22 percent of the country is now Read More...
Artificial algae could help save our oceans
Artificial algae reefs made of highly elastic rubber material can strengthen corals’ foundation by growing over and between gaps in coral reefs, essentially gluing sections of coral together. They also provide a surface for baby corals to settle, and serve as food for marine life. Artificial Read More...
More than 250 US mayors commit to 100 percent renewable energy
More than 250 United States mayors have adopted a new bipartisan climate change resolution that includes a push for US cities to commit to 100% renewable energy by 2035, further widening the divide between US cities and their new Commander in Chief. The resolution was adopted at the 85th Annual Read More...
The art of carefully transplanting an 800,000 pound sequoia
In Idaho, an 800,000-pound giant sequoia was moved two blocks to allow for the expansion of a hospital. Moving such a landmark of a tree, which was ten stories, was by no means an easy task. See here the long and careful process that comes with transplanting a giant Read More...
China builds new city with a million plants to fight air pollution
China is building a forest city using the ideas of Italian architect Stefano Boeri. Boeri is known for his “vertical forest towers” that are being built in Switzerland and Italy. The new Chinese city will host 30,000 people and will be clad in trees and plants—not just in the parks, gardens Read More...
Reforestation with drones: Planting 100,000 trees a day
Each citizen of the world needs to plant 240 trees. That would be the best way to heal the planet as we recently proposed. Quite a challenge. But technology can help. These pioneers have developed a drone that can identify the best places to plant trees. And the drone can plant up to 100,000 trees Read More...
Supply chain transparency: The consumer connection for forest responsibility
Humans have always had an intimate, complicated relationship with forests. We clear away trees to make room for development and agriculture, harvest them for paper, pulp, and palm oil and seek refuge in their remaining intact solitude. Human wellbeing depends on trees. Forests suffer when opaque Read More...
Most Australians want renewables to be primary energy source, survey finds
The vast majority of Australians want to see the country dramatically increase the use of renewable energy, a new survey has found, despite attempts by the federal government to characterise renewables as unreliable and expensive. The Climate Institute’s national Climate of the Nation survey, Read More...
Anti-poaching drive brings Siberia’s tigers back from brink of extinction
With only 20 to 30 Amur tigers remaining in the 1930s, the graceful Siberian animal was on the brink of extinction. Today, thanks to the work of conservationists, there may be more than 500 Amurs living in the wild Siberian terrain. The reversal is encouraging, but the World Wildlife Fund is not Read More...
France new government to ban all new oil and gas exploration
France is to stop granting licences for oil and gas exploration as part of a transition towards environmentally-friendly energy being driven by Emmanuel Macron’s government. Nicolas Hulot, the “ecological transition” minister said a law would be passed in the autumn. “There Read More...