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.
3 amazing environmentally friendly leather alternatives
The global demand for leather takes a lot of cattle which are cruelly treated and contribute a great deal of greenhouse gasses. Not only that but the processes of tanning and crusting leather actually produce carcinogenic chemical runoff of dangerous heavy metals like chromium. These get into the Read More...
4 things that keep Canadian traffic fatalities lower than the US
While traffic-related fatalities increased in the United States by 19 percent between 2010 and 2020, Canadian rates declined by about the same amount in that time. Many consider Canada culturally very similar to the US, but when it comes to traffic safety, they have more European attitudes. Here Read More...
Lake Tahoe town opts for environmentally friendly drone show this 4th
While it is a stunning tradition to launch fireworks every 4th of July for America’s Independence Day, we can’t deny it’s a bit of a risk these days. Climate-change-fueled drought in regions like the American west incurs the risk of wildfires with this tradition. One town in the Read More...
Germany gets ahead of winter with its huge heating tower
Germany has set to work on an enormous thermos to help heat its citizen’s homes this winter while stepping away from its reliance on Russia’s fossil fuel industry. Germany’s huge heat tower The thermos tower, which stands at almost 150 feet and can store an astounding 15 million gallons Read More...
7 tips to kickstart your Plastic Free July
The Plastic Free July initiative first began in 2011, and since then the campaign has grown so much that in 2017, the founder of the movement, Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, set up the Plastic Free Foundation Ltd. This foundation is an independent non-profit charity striving for a future that is free of Read More...
How to give your reusable straws a proper clean
Buying a set of reusable straws feels good. You bought this shiny set of reusable straws because you care about the environment and it's Plastic Free July. You’re on your way to reducing your contribution to landfill trash and saving the turtles. However, what they don’t tell you is that Read More...
Here’s why you should wash your clothes with cold water
Washing your clothes with hot water may be an effective way to remove stains, but doing so with every laundry batch takes its toll on the environment. About 90 percent of a laundry machine's energy use goes towards heating up the water. As a result, home laundries in the US are responsible for Read More...
Seville becomes first city to name and classify heatwaves
When a tropical storm or hurricane gets bestowed a name, people know to take weather warnings seriously and to prepare their households accordingly. Now, the southern Spanish city of Seville is taking the same approach to heatwaves, becoming the first in the world to name and classify these Read More...
Artificial photosynthesis helps plants grow with no sunlight required
Plants use a special natural process called photosynthesis to grow, mature, flower, and produce fruit. Photosynthesis is the way in which plants absorb energy from sunlight and use it to make their own food out of carbon dioxide and water. For years, scientists have been investigating this Read More...
How to throw an eco-friendly wedding
Many couples who had planned their weddings for 2020 and 2021 were forced by Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions to postpone their celebrations til this year. Now, it’s wedding season again and love is in the air. But you know what else is in the air? Planet-warming co2 emissions, smog, and Read More...