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.
Pitch is important in the mating songs of male wood frogs
Most species in the world perform some kind of courtship ritual to ensure they are choosing a partner with strong genes of the same species. For many birds that means hopping around and dancing, or for Drosophila flies this equates to intricate scissoring wing patterns. Wood frog courtship Wood Read More...
This “extreme” plant could be the beginning of climate-resistant crops
We tend to think of crops as delicate and temperamental, that they require a lot of care and particular conditions to grow in. While this is certainly true for, say, avocados, which require incredible amounts of water naturally found in tropical rainforests, some crops evolved to live and thrive in Read More...
If we want to save coral reefs, nations must collaborate to protect them
If left unchecked, the effects of climate change and pollution could erode around 70 to 90 percent of coral reef habitats. In response to this alarming news about how vulnerable these crucial marine habitats are, researchers around the world have focused a lot of their energy on coming up with Read More...
This floating neighborhood will protect residents from sea level rise
As urban population density is only expected to increase in the next few decades, coastal cities vulnerable to rising sea levels need to urgently adapt to these changes to safeguard the wellbeing of their residents. That’s exactly what the South Korean city of Busan is planning with the Read More...
Dutch startup purifies air in urban areas by wrapping buildings in moss
Now that we are aware of the great environmental and health benefits of integrating green spaces in our cities, many urban areas are beginning to design new buildings with foliage in mind. What should we do, though, about the concrete buildings that already exist? Dutch startup Respyre has a Read More...
Last month, wind and solar made up 18 percent of US energy
With the War in Ukraine and unfair demands from Russia for its gas, many western nations are feeling the need to switch to renewable energy now more so than ever. The good news is that nations are getting closer to 100 percent renewables and energy independence every day. Wind and solar have Read More...
This ancient enzyme can boost photosynthesis and crop yield
Photosynthesis - turning carbon dioxide, water, and light into oxygen and sugars - is the natural process by which plants sustain themselves. It's what has allowed life to flourish on this earth by transforming the atmosphere into an oxygen-rich environment. Besides pumping out oxygen, these Read More...
Washington State passes all-electric heating mandate for new buildings
Washington passed a mandate requiring all newly constructed buildings to have all-electric heating, making it the first state in the US to do so. The mandate restricting the use of natural gas in multifamily housing complexes and commercial buildings by requiring the installation of electric Read More...
This group helps Indigenous people protect the world's tropical forests
Looking after more than 80 percent of the planet’s biodiversity, Indigenous peoples are the world’s most knowledgeable and effective conservationists. Despite growing scientific evidence that they know better than others how to protect our natural heritage, their land and forest rights are Read More...
Living in green space could greatly help your brain health
Your life is one long equation adding up to different results over your life. The factors in the equation could be your time spent with loved ones over time spent at work used to calculate the result of your overall happiness. Researchers from Boston University’s School of Public Health have Read More...