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.
Sustainability leader wants to change the way, we talk about carbon
Carbon is not the enemy, says architect and sustainability leader William McDonough, the author and inventor of the concept of "cradle-to-cradle". In the climate conversation, almost all references to carbon are negative. We talk about needing to aim for "low carbon," and "zero carbon". But Read More...
How the vegan movement is making changes in Washington D.C
The American vegan movement was always its own worst enemy. But gradually it has become one of the largest disruptors of the American food system, successfully changing public and corporate policies across all levels of government in the U.S. They have driven the push for meat-alternative Read More...
7 international permaculture retreats for relaxing and learning
Perhaps a tropical breeze through a morning yoga session is more your speed. Located in the western highlands of Guatemala, the Yoga Forest in San Marcos la Laguna boasts beautiful views of Lake Atitlán and three surrounding volcanoes. Vegetarian meals sourced from the site’s Read More...
Take a peek into one French woman's zero-waste, minimalist home
The average American family of four sends upward of 4,000 pounds of trash to landfill each year. Bea Johnson sends a Mason jar's worth. Since coining the term "zero-waste home" nearly a decade ago, Bea has become an easy-breezy face of sustainable living. Safe to say, she'll leave you green with Read More...
Regenerative Agriculture Will Feed the World and Cool the Planet
"World governments spend $486 billion a year to subsidize an industrial food and farming model that the United Nations estimates, contributes 43-57 percent of total man-made greenhouse gas emissions," said Ronnie Cummins, international director of the Organic Consumers Association. "It's time to Read More...
Urban trees can save lives by reducing air pollution and temperature
A new study from The Nature Conservancy finds that an investment in tree planting of just US $4 per resident in some of the world’s largest cities could improve the health of tens of millions of people by reducing air pollution and cooling city streets. Released at the American Public Health Read More...
The amazing benefits of grass-fed beef
I have been fascinated by the permanence and healing power of grassland for 15 years now. If we respect the great original wisdom of the prairies, I’m convinced we can heal the wounds inflicted on the American landscape by industrial agriculture. But in America, the question is always does it Read More...
Look to California to meet Paris climate goals
California’s bipartisan leadership on the environment stretches from the towering influence of John Muir, to tailpipe standards that provided a model for the federal Clean Air Act, to today’s efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions and expand renewable energy. That leadership is especially Read More...
China to cap coal at 55 percent of total power output by 2020
China has begun moving away from coal. The country is leading worldwide renewable energy investments. Now it has announced in its new five-year plan for the power industry that coal-fired power will be capped at 55% of total power output by Read More...
COP22 host Morocco launches action plan to fight devastating climate change
“Last December we had temperatures of 25C. Normally it is 1 or 2C at that time of year,” says Mohammed Ibrahimi, a farmer with one hectare of apple trees in Boumia, a village near Midelt in Morocco. “These trees need at least 1,200 hours of near-freezing temperatures in the winter to help Read More...