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.
Baltimore aims to expand public internet access with city-owned network
State and local governments are coming to appreciate the internet for what it is: an essential utility. With much of the workforce working from home and children going to school online, reliable internet is vital for workers in all sectors of the economy. In the wake of successful programs Read More...
The Ivory Coast is building a wall to protect nature reserve from pollution
The world’s second-biggest urban park is located in the city of Abidjan on the Ivory Coast. Though the Banco National Park provides valuable ecosystem services to the city, the park has been suffering from pollution and illegal tree felling in recent years. In a bid to help protect the natural Read More...
US pushes through solar panel imports while helping boost production
A tariff investigation by the Commerce Department has stalled the expansion of the United States solar industry. This was a look into whether or not Chinese solar manufacturers were improperly funneling parts through other Asian countries. Determined to meet its clean energy and climate goals, Read More...
University of Illinois students build solar charging station for food truck and other EVs
Students at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) have demonstrated once again the ingenuity and motivation of today’s youth to meet the challenges of climate change. The team built a solar-powered charging station so that an on-campus food truck can make emission-free deliveries. The Read More...
This device helps farmers raise happier, healthier cows
Dairy farmers have a regular problem when it comes to testing their cows’ health and the quality of their milk. They have to ship milk samples to labs for each cow and wait on the results. Two MIT alumni aim to help with their new device which gives the same results in 10 minutes. Testing Read More...
Introducing the world’s first ammonia-fueled tractor
Alternative fuel sources are a hot topic these days, with the widespread boycott of Russian oil and gas combined with the dire state of the environment. In terms of reducing the negative impact conventionally powered vehicles have on the planet, there’s been a lot of investment in electric Read More...
Finland is the first country to pass a legally binding carbon negativity act
Many countries are putting forth considerable efforts to fight climate change and reach ambitious targets of net-zero emissions. However, Finland has decided to take it up a notch. Finland’s parliament recently passed a new Climate Change Act which legally binds it to its commitment to Read More...
Stressing out crops could be a good thing
Plants have feelings too. Although they are not conscious, plants release hormones in response to stimuli such as mechanical stimuli - like touch, wind, or rain - light, water, gravity, and nutrients. For example, when you run a knife down a rhubarb stalk, thousands of genes are activated, and a Read More...
California is making composting a statewide practice
Composting is an easy and fun way to cut down on our carbon emissions while making our own fertilizer. Despite this, a lot of green waste like vegetable scraps and lawn trimmings wind up in landfills. Here they rot and release methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. Read More...
5 essential questions for the eco-friendly fashionista
We've all heard by now that fast fashion hurts the Earth, but the question remains: how can we buy clothes that meet our needs and support the needs of the planet? Over the past 20 years in the U.S., the average number of garments purchased per year has more than doubled, with Pandemic boredom Read More...