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.
New Zealand will ban most single-use plastic items by 2025
While New Zealand is considered to be one of the greenest countries in the world, it is currently one of the top ten per-capita producers of landfill waste worldwide. That may soon change, however, thanks to new legislation that will ban most single-use plastics by 2025. Among the main items Read More...
Researchers identify surprising way to boost female education
Educating women and girls is one of the most powerful tools we have for improving economic prosperity and sustainability, especially in middle- and low-income countries, but theories vary on how to best implement universal education. A new study from The World Bank Economic Review offers some Read More...
Years of exclusive rainforest recordings are now available worldwide
The recordings of Cornell University’s Elephant Listening Project, which was established in 1999, are finally going public—and here’s why that matters. The gigantic acoustic monitoring effort covers about 480 square miles in the Republic of Congo’s Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, an area Read More...
UK Bill strengthens protections for animals
The UK is gearing up to pass major animal rights legislation, called the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, which addresses a wide range of animal welfare issues. According to UK environment minister Zac Goldsmith, who sponsored the bill, it is scheduled for passage into law later this Read More...
Climate justice: Legal experts draft historic definition of “ecocide”
In a historic moment for climate justice, a panel of 12 lawyers from different countries has unveiled a new legal definition of “ecocide,” intended to be adopted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to prosecute world leaders and corporate chiefs for the worst acts of environmental Read More...
All pension funds in Maine must now divest from fossil fuels
We recently wrote about New York state’s move to divest from fossil fuels in their pension fund. Now, the state of Maine is adopting legislation to match that commitment and take it one step further. Signed into law by Governor Janet Mills, the state’s new legislation bans any state Read More...
Amidst pandemic, America’s small businesses are doing better than expected
You’ve probably heard how many small businesses struggled due to Covid-19. Maybe you even saw your favorite local retailer close down. Now, thanks to the introduction of vaccines, and government aid in the form of stimulus checks, we might be seeing some of those familiar faces again. One Read More...
Connecticut passes law to make all prison phone calls free
We’ve written before about the importance of restorative justice in a truly effective criminal system, and a big part of that is ensuring that incarcerated individuals have access to resources to reduce recidivism rates and reintegrate as participating members of society. In an effort to bolster Read More...
Ghana takes on ambitious reforestation effort to plant at least 5 million trees
Just over a week ago, people in Ghana decided to take on the impressive initiative of planting at least five million trees under the “Green Ghana” program. The launch of the project follows the expansion of mining and agriculture that, according to environmentalists, has led to an Read More...
World Unity Week: 'Yo Tambien'
Welcome to World Unity Week! We’re collaborating with other change-making organizations around the world to promote healing, community, and discussion. Each day, we will be featuring one of the many great events happening this week, and we encourage you to head over to the World Unity Week Read More...