Today’s Solutions: October 31, 2024

Good Governance

What does good governance look like? In this good news section, we share international examples of good governance, from efforts directed at the protection of civil rights to initiatives aimed at the sustainable use of natural resources and the protection of the environment.

Happy Earth Day

Love and Action: Happy Earth Day!

“There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew.” — Marshall McLuhan, philosopher   As far as we know, Earth is the best place in the Universe.  The search for life beyond our planet and even our solar system is ongoing, and one day we could very well make the Read More...

Scottish Forests

Scottish forests are the biggest they’ve been in 900 years

Scotland is a proud and iconic country, with a unique culture and landscape. Travelers from all over the world come to visit Scotland’s highlands, lowlands, and lochs. Another invaluable part of the Scottish wilderness, largely and unfortunately overlooked by visitors, is its Read More...

Elders Climate Action

Elders Climate Action: climate activism for seniors

This last week’s Optimist’s View on aging got us thinking about our seniors and how lucky we are to have a substantial older population. Longer life expectancies and a growing senior population mean holding onto our loved ones and benefiting from their perspective and experience. With an active Read More...

New York new mom

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...

German Energy Indpendence

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...

Woolly monkey walking up on a tree branch

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...

Security check in sign.

US airport security to become more inclusive of non-binary and trans travelers

In the United States, a 2021 study estimated around 1.2 million adults identified as non-binary or gender X, meaning they do not identify as male or female. Such a large percentage of the population falls into this category but is not recognized in many parts of US legislation. Thankfully, Read More...

Mountain Biking

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...

Chile nature

Chile joins the legislation green wave

A beautiful thing about democracy is that it is inherently self-correcting. Democratic constitutions survive because they change with the times. They adapt to new environments. That’s why they’re called “amendments” to the constitution. Chile is joining a wave of constitutional change in Read More...

Brazilian native people

Study finds forests on indigenous lands sequester twice the carbon

We have written at length, in great volume, and with great enthusiasm about the importance of green spaces in cities, carbon sinks, and environmentally helpful trees in general. Forests are absolutely essential to sequestering carbon and our continued adaptation to a changing climate, but some Read More...