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.
Swiss voters approve legalization of same-sex marriage
Switzerland is celebrating the legalization of same-sex marriage this week after a referendum resoundingly approved the measure. In a vote held on Sunday, 64.1 percent of Swiss voters confirmed the right of same-sex couples to marry and adopt children. Swiss lawmakers voted to expand the Read More...
How portable solar-powered batteries can help expand access to clean energy
Reliable access to electricity is a luxury in Lagos, Nigeria, where the power can go out multiple times a day, rendering many inhabitants dependent on expensive, noisy, and polluting diesel generators. A corner shop in the Nigerian city, however, offers a solution to this problem in the form of a Read More...
This technique measures drinking water quality using a smartphone camera
While the provision of safe drinking water in impoverished countries is of vital importance, people often lack the facilities necessary to test the water for pollutants. To help solve that problem, a team of scientists has developed a system that uses a smartphone camera to check up on tiny aquatic Read More...
California law strengthens protections for mega-retailer warehouse workers
Last week, California became the first state to take action on unethical productivity practices in mega-retailer warehouses. The newly-passed law, AB 701, bars large retailers like Amazon from firing warehouse workers for missing quotas. The new law aims to ensure that productivity goals do not Read More...
New York aims to ban the sale of all gas-powered vehicles by 2035
We wrote recently about New York City’s plan to create an expansive electrical vehicle (EV) charging network as part of an initiative to slash the city’s carbon emissions. New York is also taking another significant step towards this goal by banning the sale of all gas-powered vehicles in the Read More...
Richmond, VA unveils Emancipation and Freedom Monument
Last week we shared how a controversial Robert E. Lee statue was finally removed from Virginia’s capital. In an acknowledgment of the history of slavery and the fight for equality in the US, Richmond has unveiled a new monument—a statue of a man and a woman holding an infant after they were Read More...
Spain to ban plastic wrapping on fruits and vegetables by 2023
After years of campaigning from green activists to stop grocers and large supermarkets alike from wrapping fresh produce in plastic packaging, the Spanish government is now finally devising legislation that will ban the use of this unnecessary waste by 2023. The move is part of a decree currently Read More...
OSHA moves to increase extreme heat protection for workers
A recent investigation by NPR and Columbia Journalism Investigations found that climate change is contributing to a dramatic rise in preventable worker deaths from high temperatures, an issue that disproportionately affects workers of color. To address this, the current administration issued a Read More...
UK takes action to ban the shark fin trade
This year, the UK has been making strides in its animal protection policies through a variety of ways, like becoming the first country in the world to recognize animals as sentient beings as well as passing the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill. The British government, determined to keep up the Read More...
4 Key strategies to employ in the upcoming UN climate summits
Two important climate summits are coming up as we near the end of 2021. The first, on September 24, will be the first in 40 years to focus specifically on energy. The second, the COP26, will run the first two weeks of November and aims to mobilize countries to step up their climate commitments as Read More...