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.
Indian court rules in favor of “mother nature’s” rights
It’s hard to describe the growth of an environmental movement without an inappropriate natural disaster metaphor: a wave of legislation, laws spreading like wildfire, or a mighty wind of change. None of those feel quite right, but the wave — darn it — for nature’s rights is moving fast and Read More...
US announces $3 billion electric vehicle battery production
We at The Optimist Daily are enormous electric vehicle fans, and we’re not the only ones. Demand for electric vehicles has risen so sharply around the world that manufacturers and supply chains are struggling to keep up. To help things along, state and federal governments are stepping up to Read More...
New Northern Irish law will protect victims of domestic violence
Trigger warning: this piece discusses domestic abuse that some readers may find distressing. New legislation has been put in place in Northern Ireland that will recognize coercive control as a criminal offense. The law came into power in February 2022 under Section 28 of the Domestic Abuse and Read More...
Connecticut expands abortion rights to balance new wave of restrictions
In response to the surge of new measures to restrict abortion access and in some cases imposing criminal penalties on those who perform them, lawmakers in Connecticut approved a bill that would expand the kinds of medical practitioners who can offer abortion services within the state and protect Read More...
Last month, wind and solar made up 18 percent of US energy
With the War in Ukraine and unfair demands from Russia for its gas, many western nations are feeling the need to switch to renewable energy now more so than ever. The good news is that nations are getting closer to 100 percent renewables and energy independence every day. Wind and solar have Read More...
Actor LeVar Burton will receive lifetime achievement award at new Children’s Emmys
It isn’t often enough that we publicly appreciate our teachers and educators. While he is mainly an actor, having performed in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Roots, LeVar Burton played the role of a reader and an educator for many years on Reading Rainbow. Now, he will receive a Lifetime Read More...
Washington State passes all-electric heating mandate for new buildings
Washington passed a mandate requiring all newly constructed buildings to have all-electric heating, making it the first state in the US to do so. The mandate restricting the use of natural gas in multifamily housing complexes and commercial buildings by requiring the installation of electric Read More...
Coping with climate anxiety through connection
“It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one destiny, affects all indirectly.” — Martin Luther King Jr. Constant news updates are inescapable. Wildfires Read More...
Be bored, then get going
“Boredom is just the reverse side of fascination.” — Arthur Schopenhauer Congratulations, graduating classes of 2022! Being young, with a freshly minted degree, you probably feel invincible, like you can do anything. There’s a lightness and exuberance in your step, and you are full Read More...
Tel Aviv is becoming an e-scooter city
No two cities are the same, and each one has its own particular changes to make to achieve its climate goals. New York is making plans to become “spongier” to handle excess water. Panama City, Florida is transforming into a tree city, planting over 100,000 new trees, and Tel Aviv, Israel aims Read More...