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.
This sloth orphanage nurses sloth babies back into the wild
As a result of decades of deforestation and other human activities, sloths are among the most endangered mammals in the world, with only about 1,500 remaining in the wild according to the WWF. In Costa Rica, sloths are often under threat from an early age. Many orphaned cubs are a common occurrence Read More...
This app could put a stop to the illegal hawksbill sea turtle trade
“Beauty comes with a price”—a saying that rings painfully true for the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle. Among the other numerous problems sea turtles have to worry about (ocean plastic, a warming planet, and habitat encroachment to name a few), humanity’s attraction to the Read More...
Three things to keep in mind when voting on climate issues this fall
Like anything else in a democratic country, making decisions on climate change doesn’t depend just on the sitting president. There needs to be a majority of elected representatives acting concertedly in the interest of the people and the planet. The November elections are as important as the Read More...
New Zealand’s new machine revolutionizes its e-waste recycling
Many of us might not consider what effect our computers and other devices have on the world once we’re done with them. There are a lot of consumers demanding the right to repair, and rightly so. Our smart devices have hazardous materials which can be very harmful to the environment and people if Read More...
New Zealand system helps to predict volcanic eruptions
When it comes to science and dealing with disasters, sometimes it’s not about preventing the disaster but making sure that everyone is safe after. We don’t even need to make predictions about natural disasters with 100 percent certainty. Sometimes all you need is a little warning that something Read More...
Seaweed could supplement our protein and future biofuel
Sometimes, the answers to important questions were right under our noses the whole time… or, in this case, underwater. A Swedish sea farm is growing seaweed in abundance to show how it can become a major food staple and a potential resource for biofuel and plastics. Sea agriculture At Read More...
New species of millipede named after singer Taylor Swift
There have been several newly discovered animals in the past year named after famous individuals. This includes Opaluma rupaul, a species of a fly named after the drag queen Ru Paul and the rain frog Pristimantis gretathunbergae, named after climate activist Greta Thunberg. Recently, 16 new Read More...
How to catch the Lyrid meteor shower this Earth Day
Earth Day is an international celebration of our beautiful planet and a reminder of what steps we need to take to save it. The date marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement which started in 1970. This Earth Day, the stars have aligned (so to speak) to bring us the Read More...
4 eco-conscious ways to dispose of old clothing
Once you’ve exhausted a garment to the point that it can no longer be mended, it can be tempting to simply throw it into the regular trash. However, doing so will only send them to the landfill where they will generate greenhouse gases and leach harmful dyes and chemicals into the soil as they Read More...
6 ways to support solar energy without buying panels
Renewable resources are essential to achieve our goal of energy independence and resilience in the face of a changing climate. While many of us support the move toward energy sources such as wind and solar, we might not own our homes or be in a position to put up some solar panels ourselves. The Read More...