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.
Study suggests plant-based diets could be a healthy option for dogs
In the quest to lower carbon emissions, people’s interest in plant-based diets is growing, due to the fairly common knowledge that eating meat and animal byproducts, especially beef and dairy, is very resource-intensive. The conversation around feeding our beloved pets plant-based chow is Read More...
How slum residents in India are redesigning their future homes
How do you successfully help residents of a slum move into housing that improves their quality of life while maintaining a strong sense of community? You let them in on the design process and hear them out. At least that is what is happening in an informal settlement in the Indian city of Read More...
Celebrate Earth Day by planting native plants… and then neglecting them
A lot of the time, human intervention is less effective than letting nature take its own course. So, this year, why not honor Mother Nature by giving her free rein over your garden. Instead of wishing for perfectly manicured lawns and pristine landscaping, imagine instead a fairytale-like oasis Read More...
Why birds migrate so far and how you can help them
Spring is in the air. This exquisite time of year signals the birth of new life, warmer weather, greener trees, and the return of migrating birds. In North America, most birds migrate to some extent, with more than 30 species traveling between climates in the U.S. and tropics each year. A bird Read More...
Five steps for making your clothes last as long as possible
The clothes we wear can make us feel confident and help us express our inner selves. Unfortunately, our culture of fast fashion produces these garments cheap and fast, adding to the ongoing climate crisis. To lead a more sustainable life regarding clothes, it's important to consider several things Read More...
80 endangered spotted tree frogs return to the Australian wild
While it might not seem like much because of its size, the spotted tree frog is a critical species for the biodiversity of its Australian habitats. Of the almost 300 of these endangered frogs released into the wild, only about 10 survived the wildfires of 2019 and 2020. This was disheartening, to Read More...
Neon-orange wildflower rediscovered in Ecuador after presumed extinct
Over 97 percent of forests in the western half of Ecuador have been turned into farmland over the last decades. This extensive deforestation led to the extinction of multiple species of flora, leading conservationists to think that those plants are gone for good. A recent expedition, however, has Read More...
Welcome spring with a stroll through these public gardens
Shake off the winter blues by visiting these gorgeous gardens. Just remember to check the garden for updates on new protocols such as schedules, open areas, mask requirements, and reservations. New York Botanical Garden Check out this garden for an impressive display of snowdrops, and early Read More...
Want to slow climate change? Consider making your home all electric
Despite the alarming reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, experts still think that if we pull together and act quickly to use energy more efficiently, slow deforestation, and make a rapid shift to renewables, we can still cut global greenhouse gas emissions in half by Read More...
Carbon-cutting, high-speed train could run from So-Cal to Vegas
Understandably, there’s a particularly high commuter rate going from Southern California to Las Vegas. While people come from all over the world to party in Las Vegas, those coming from So-Cal have regular flights and even create notable traffic jams on their way, creating an unnecessary amount Read More...