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.
Coca-Cola to start producing bottles made of 50 percent recycled plastic
Coca-Cola, the world’s biggest drinks brand, has announced it will increase the amount of recycled plastic in its bottles to 50 percent, up 10 percent from its previous goal. The company described the proposal as ambitious, but environmentalists said they did not go far enough, pointing towards Read More...
These ancient societies know the secrets of infinite growth on our finite planet
Once upon a time, there were three scientists––a biologist, an engineer, and a chemist. Each of them loved the ocean and liked nothing better than to walk its shores and study its inhabitants. They were curious and observant, and by watching how nature really works, with an open-mind, Read More...
Can the monarch highway help save a butterfly under siege?
Interstate 35 lies at the heart of a vast circulatory system, one of the massive transportation arteries that enable Americans to move long distances quickly. The highway also cuts through the heart of the eastern monarch’s central flyway, which produces the vast majority of brilliant orange Read More...
19 US aquariums join forces to fight plastic water pollution
According to a fall 2016 study led by the World Economic Forum, 32 percent of the 78 million tons of plastic packaging generated annually across the globe ends up in waterways and storm drains where it eventually flows into oceans. That rate is the equivalent of a dump truck pouring a load of Read More...
The 15 cities with the most trees around the world
There's a global movement encouraging cities to grow more trees and plan more parks. But which ones have the most green space today? To find out, MIT's Senseable Lab partnered with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to create Treepedia, a site with interactive maps that show the density of greenery in Read More...
1.5 million volunteers in India planted 66 million trees in just 12 hours
When humans work collectively, they can do some pretty incredible things. In India, 1.5 million volunteers came together on Sunday to plant a record-breaking 66 million trees in just 12 hours along the Narmada river in the state of Madhya Pradesh. India committed under the Paris Agreement to Read More...
Body Shop announces £2m 'biobridges' scheme to save rainforest wildlife
A £2m scheme to create 10 new 'bio-bridges' which link up areas of rainforest to help wildlife has been launched by the Body Shop. The global scheme aims to protect and regenerate 10 corridors between wildlife hotspots by 2020 to connect isolated and endangered animals and plant species and Read More...
Making money and saving the environment in the repair economy
The next time you break your bike or you rip your jeans, don’t get a replacement. Instead, you should get it repaired. Producing anything new requires raw materials and energy, which places added strain on the environment. By extending the lifespan of your possessions by getting them fixed, you Read More...
International cleanup of decades-old nuclear waste begins in Russian Arctic
When the Soviet Union collapsed a vast store of spent nuclear fuel was abandoned in the Russian Arctic—an environmental disaster waiting to happen. Now, decades later, an international clean-up has finally begun. Nuclear specialists will begin removing nuclear fuel from the site soon and new Read More...
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...