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.
Lots to lose: how cities around the world are eliminating car parks
With space for roughly 20,000 cars, the parking lot that surrounds the West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, Canada, is recognised as the largest car park in the world. Spread across vast expanses of asphalt and multi-storey concrete structures, these parking spots take up about half the mall’s 5.2m Read More...
Peaceful warrior: Permaculture visionary Bill Mollison
Australian educator, author and co-inventor of Permaculture, Bruce Charles 'Bill' Mollison, died on the 24 September 2016 in Sisters Creek, Tasmania. He has been praised across the world for his visionary work, and left behind a global network of 'peaceful warriors' in over 100 countries working Read More...
Can vertical farming help save the planet?
The world’s population is set to skyrocket to 9.7 billion by 2015. That’s 2.5 billion more mouths to feed, which will not be possible if we keep growing food the way we do, especially with the threat that climate change poses. That’s why there’s never been a more important time for Read More...
It’s more than twice as long, but this is actually a good wall to build
Building walls is a favorite political topic these days. Here’s a 5,000-mile wall that’s actually worth building. It’s a wall of trees running through eleven countries along the southern frontier of the Sahara Desert providing a barrier against the advancing desert. The Great Green Wall is Read More...
Sweden fights consumerism by offering tax breaks for people repairing used goods
This is a brilliant initiative. Tax is an effective instrument to change behavior. What if it becomes cheaper to repair something than to buy something new? That’s what Sweden plans to achieve with a new law that halves the tax paid on repairs and increases taxes on unrepairable items. The new Read More...
Island nations' leading role in renewable energy
In November, government representatives all across the world meet again to implement the Paris Agreement on climate change. The centre of contention will now shift from political jockeying between nations, to the energy war between renewables and fossil fuel. While last year's COP21 was full of Read More...
Germany presents the world’s first clean, zero-emission hydrogen-powered train
Many countries still operate noisy, dirty, stinky diesel engine trains. However, the renewable energy future for trains is bright as well. This week Germany presented the first CO2-emission-free train powered by hydrogen. The “hydrail” will start operating next year. German states have so far Read More...
To fight methane emissions California law enables authorities to regulate cow farts
California has approved a law to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, especially methane, from dairy farms and landfills. One of the main methane culprits is manure. Per the bill, dairy farmers have to cut methane emissions to 40 percent below 2013 levels by 2030. Under a cap-and-trade plan, farmers Read More...
Canada to set price on carbon to curb climate change
When it comes to climate action, Canada is among the worst rich countries in reducing carbon emissions. That may soon change though thanks to new legislation that will impose a minimum price on carbon emissions. The move will push the nation’s 10 provinces into properly regulating climate Read More...
Judge orders temporary block on Dakota pipeline construction after Native American protests
Last week, news programs were filled with awful images of law enforcement authorities clashing with Native Americans in North Dakota after construction crews destroyed sacred burial and cultural sites on private land in order to complete the construction of a four-state, $3.8 billion oil pipeline. Read More...