Today’s Solutions: September 20, 2024

Politics

Having a difficult time finding positive news about national and global politics? Search no further! From public policy to positive leadership to democracy efforts, find the latest good news stories in the world of politics at The Optimist Daily.

EU flags in front of European Commission in Brussels

The EU commits to its own “green deal”

The European Union will invest more than $270 billion in its own "green deal" in order to keep up with the United States and China. The growing green economy Many observers interpreted the move as a direct response to the Biden administration's hefty round of green subsidies, which were included Read More...

Big ashtray with cigarette butts. A smoker shakes off the ash in an ashtray.

Tobacco companies in Spain now fit the bill for cigarette butt clean-up

Tobacco businesses will be obliged to pay for the cleanup of millions of cigarette ends discarded by smokers each year under new environmental legislation in Spain. The decision, which went into effect last week, is part of a package of waste-reduction and recycling efforts. It calls for the Read More...

Happy fingers forming a hand heart on a bright sunny view of the Capitol Building in Washington, DC, USA

22 reasons for optimism in 2022 (part II)

Here are eleven more good things that happened in 2022 that gave us cause to hope and celebrate. If you haven’t read part I yet, click here to check it out. Wordlemania hit hard In 2022, the number everyone was begging to hear was your Wordle score. Though the game where you try to predict a Read More...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is welcomed by European Council President Donald Tusk

22 reasons for optimism in 2022 (part I)

Here are eleven good things that happened in 2022 that gave us cause to hope and celebrate. Ukraine still stands Russian President Vladimir Putin and most others expected Ukraine to succumb to Russian control within days of his late February invasion. Few foresaw the force of the Ukrainian Read More...

Young latin woman pregnant business worker scanning package label at office

The Senate is on the verge of enacting new protections for pregnant workers

After 10 years of effort, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), which would mandate reasonable workplace accommodations to allow pregnant workers to safely work, is likely to pass. The Senate voted 73-24 to add it as an amendment to the must-pass omnibus government spending measure, and the Read More...

Green Education

Two new DC public schools model net zero education

It goes without saying that we should be teaching our children about important environmental matters, especially excessive energy consumption and the need for energy efficiency. But what about the energy that a school itself consumes? While it is a rarely-thought-of area for improvement, new Read More...

two men hold hands

Britain to wipe past conviction of consensual same-sex activity

In a news release published earlier last week, the British Home Office announced that any individual who has been convicted of consensual same-sex sexual activity under abolished laws in England and Wales will soon be able to have those records wiped. “It is only right that where offenses have Read More...

River flowing through forest in Gabon

Local community in Gabon succeeds in saving ancestral forest from logging

About a year and a half ago, a community in northeastern Gabon embarked on a first-of-its-kind initiative to request the declassification of a logging concession area. As part of the effort, the villagers sought to instead reclassify it as a protected area to safeguard its ecological and heritage Read More...

Group of students wearing graduation capes and hats on graduation day

Most New Mexico residents can now benefit from free tuition

Facing exorbitant tuition fees, almost all students and families in the United States have no other choice than to borrow money and take on an increasing amount of debt that they can’t pay back. Finding ways to make tuition fees across the country more affordable is essential for those seeking to Read More...

Great Lakes Cleanup

$1 billion to be invested in cleaning up Great Lakes

The US Great Lakes are treasured and iconic wonders of North America's natural splendor. Countless families and individuals flock there for fun and thousands of species of animals, fish, insects, and birds call those waters home. Being important waterways, they also hold major economic importance Read More...