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.
Last month, the UK saw more EV sales than ever before
It’s no secret that if we are to prevent the most devastating effects of climate change, we have to make big changes to our consumption-driven lives. One change that will help drive down CO2 emissions is the large-scale abandonment of conventionally fueled vehicles in favor of electric Read More...
Rare Sumatran rhino birth brings new hope for the endangered species
Currently, there are only about 80 Sumatran rhinos left in the wild. That population, however, has just gotten a little bit larger thanks to the birth of a Sumatran rhino calf at a sanctuary in Indonesia. The mother rhino, named Rosa, gave birth to the female calf at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary Read More...
A treasure trove of dinosaur fossils discovered in Chile
Dinosaurs pervade the human imagination. More than that, their fossils give us an understanding of our planet and life’s early history. A recently discovered fossil of thescelosaurus neglectus gave paleontologists a look into dinosaurs’ last moments before the asteroid struck, the fossil having Read More...
Nocturnal solar panels: not an oxymoron
While trying to do the impossible might seem like magical thinking, in many cases, it is simply science that hasn’t broken through yet. In the case of solar panels, it might seem counterintuitive to try to use them at night. This too, though, has been proven possible. An engineering team Read More...
In New York, 500 new moms will soon get monthly stipends
Everyone needs a helping hand every now and then. We’ve all been able to live and prosper because we live and cooperate as a community, and this means giving and getting help when necessary. We go farther together. In New York City, where the cost of living is expensive, new and expecting Read More...
Germany accelerates schedule to become carbon neutral
People are more animated than ever before for green energy and calling on their governments to aim bigger. And it seems like they're listening. With increasing gas prices from the war in Ukraine and scientists' warnings about climate change, governments realize the need for a speedier change to Read More...
Ecuador grants wild animals legal rights in a world first
In a landmark ruling, Ecuador has become the first country in the world to grant legal rights to individual wild animals. Back in 2008, the country became the first in the world to recognize nature, or Pachamama, as a deserving right-bearing entity. However, while that law was enshrined in the Read More...
This chemical treatment makes plastic waste absorb CO2
A huge focus of research in scientific fields is to make things more efficient. This can mean simplifying designs, and reducing energy consumption, or it can mean doing two things at once. In the case of researchers from Rice University, they are doing two things at once in what they’re calling a Read More...
Coping with climate anxiety: 9 tips for personal resilience
Reading the news and keeping up to date about the changing climate can make it difficult to maintain a positive attitude. Climate anxiety has become a very real thing, particularly among young people who will have to one day carry the torch of environmental stewardship. The American Psychological Read More...
This former coalmining town is revitalizing itself with eco-tourism
While coal is very harmful to the environment, phasing it out of use has left an economic hole in many communities. People used to rely on coal as a means of living. Now, communities are going green, energy sources are going renewable, and these formerly coal-powered communities are Read More...