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.
Airbnb users can now get a $1,000 discount on solar panels
Have you used Airbnb before? Then you can get a discount on solar panels. The short-term home rental company is partnering with SolarCity to give Airbnb users a $1,000 rebate on any purchase of solar panels. The rebate is available to any Airbnb user — guest or host — with a home in one of Read More...
Technology can help make agriculture cleaner and pesticide free
On the long run pesticides create more problems than they solve. They destroy the soil and ultimately that leads to lower yields. They are not good for our bodies either. That’s why organic agriculture is best. But technology can help. Scientists are investigating the plant microbiome: the Read More...
Whales’ dung is the real reason we need to stop hunting them
Sometimes it’s pink, sometimes greeny-brown. But whatever the colour, whale dung could be the unlikely catalyst for ending whaling. The role of whale faeces in regenerating fish stocks will occupy centre-stage this week and next at the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission Read More...
Indigenous land rights bring economic, not just environmental benefits
Secure indigenous land rights not only bring environmental benefits, they can also foster economic development, according to a new report released by the World Resources Institute. The report, Climate Benefits, Tenure Costs: The Economic Case for Securing Indigenous Land Rights, describes how Read More...
The world’s largest McDonald’s franchisee is going totally cage-free
Arcos Dorados, the world’s largest McDonald’s franchisee and the largest operator of fast-food restaurants in Latin America, said in a statement that it will serve exclusively cage-free eggs by 2025, a shift that will impact the welfare of millions of animals. The new policy, developed Read More...
It's not all bad: Here are some of the many 'bright spots' that offer climate hope
Amongst all the doom and gloom that surrounds news about climate change, an international group of scientists are providing the world with real examples of initiatives that enhance people’s health and well-being while protecting the environment at the same time. One example of this is happening Read More...
More than 190 countries agree on deal to limit global warming from air conditioners
This past Saturday morning in Rwanda, a landmark deal was agreed upon that will limit emissions of key climate change-causing pollutants found in air conditions. The deal will phase down the use and production of hydrofluorocarbons, known as HFCs, for use in air conditioners. HFCs are thousands of Read More...
What to look for when you're buying land for permaculture
Some of the most popular posts I write feature people who have purchased land and transformed it into small-scale farms and permaculture small holdings. From chicken tractors to food forests, these stories tend to focus on what people have done once they have purchased the land. But what about Read More...
This solar-powered bike path lights up at night
Biking has found a resurgence across the world, leading countries to better the infrastructure that surrounds bikes. Having lanes designated solely for bikes in one way of encouraging bike use, but another much more spectacular way is to roll out a solar-powered bike path that glows bright blue at Read More...
First U.S state to vote on implementing carbon tax
Voters in Washington state will decide on implementing the first direct carbon tax in the U.S. on the burning of fossil fuels. The bill would make polluters pay for their carbon emissions, encouraging business to conserve or switch to clean energy while raising money for green initiatives. The Read More...