Sustainable Urban Development
With cities expected to host about 70 percent of the world's population, sustainable urban development is key to making communities worldwide more resilient against the growing threat of climate change. Find out about the latest urban practices from across the world aiming to make our cities more sustainable and inclusive in these good-news stories from The Optimist Daily.
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...
UK surgeons perform first carbon-neutral operation
Healthcare and sustainability have been at the forefront of global discussion lately. Doctors at the UK’s Solihull Hospital in the West Midlands have accomplished something that prioritizes both of these major issues: the world’s first “net-zero” surgery. To take care of patients Read More...
Ikea US will soon be offering consumers solar panels
Soon, shoppers in the US at Ikea will be able to buy more than just cute household furniture and accessories. Ikea announced an exciting new product in a press statement: solar panels. The Swedish home and living giant partnered with SunPower, a California-based company that sells and installs Read More...
Chicago Connected gave internet to 64,000 children in need
When the Pandemic hit and students went home for school, many lower-income families were disadvantaged due to a lack of reliable internet. In Chicago, many students in lower-income neighborhoods couldn’t get their work done, so the city decided to take action. In March 2020, the city started Read More...
This recycling program in Catalonia aims to rid streets and beaches of cigarette butts
The Catalan government has launched a clever plan to rid their streets and beaches of cigarette butts. As an added plus, the plan has provided a small source of income for the homeless. According to the environmental organization Ocean Conservancy, cigarette butts are the most plentiful type of Read More...
Massachusetts sues 15 companies for contaminating drinking water with PFAs
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become a widespread health concern. These forever chemicals have been linked to thyroid disease, kidney damage, and certain cancers. They take a very long time to break down in the environment, and many manufacturers knew about the risks but still Read More...
New Zealand announces plan to help families buy greener cars
While most of us know the long-term environmental and economic benefits of switching from a gasoline-powered car to a cleaner hybrid or electric vehicle, the upfront costs of making such a change can make it difficult for many to actually make the swap. That’s why New Zealand’s Prime Read More...
UK bill could fast-track gene-editing and improve food security
As we deduce more about the future with the changing climate, it becomes clear that secure and reliable food production will be a challenge. Gene-edited products could be a big help in making climate-resilient crops and securing our food supply. A bill on genetic technologies before the UK Read More...
Washington DC proposes charging higher fees for bigger trucks
Large pickup trucks’ popularity keeps growing in the United States and not just for hauling. Bigger and bulkier trucks are often used as normal cars, even new heavy-duty models like the Ford F-250 which gets 15 miles per gallon and is almost two feet taller than an average sedan. Not only do Read More...
San Francisco BART wants to get riders back with short stories
Many of us have whiled away the minutes on a bus or a train with a book. Now the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, the public transportation authority of San Francisco, is looking to attract riders back to public transportation by distributing short stories at select stations. The BART will Read More...