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.
Soap is a big water polluter. This probiotic version does the opposite
We use soap to clean our dishes, clothing, and even ourselves, but this same soap that we use to clean isn’t so great for rivers and oceans. Especially in countries where many people still use rivers for washing purposes, soap can directly contaminate ecosystems and pollute water that communities Read More...
Toads on the road: Street closure offers amphibians safe passage in Estonia
A busy road in the Estonian capital of Tallinn will be closed for the month of April not for construction, but for frogs and toads. Each spring, the area around the road becomes a popular breeding ground for toads and frogs, so the city has closed the road to protect these vulnerable species as Read More...
How will farmers face rising sea levels? Floating gardens may be the answer.
Farmers in Bangladesh are ahead of the game in developing creative solutions for planting in places with more water than land because Bangladesh’s wild monsoon season gives farmers no choice but to adapt to excess rains. According to experts, 20 percent of the available land in Bangladesh will Read More...
St. Louis elects Tishaura Jones as first Black female mayor
The site of brutal “race riots” in 1917, St. Louis, Missouri is all too familiar with confronting the violence of racism in its communities and institutions. Turning over a new leaf in its fight against systemic racism, police brutality, and inequality, the city has elected its first Black Read More...
New French policy mandates more sustainable travel
French travel is about to get a green upgrade as the country’s parliament has voted to ban any domestic flights in which the same destination can be reached by train in less than two and a half hours. After a heated debate in the Assemblée Nationale, the new policy means that greener train Read More...
Does Mario Kart hold the key to reducing poverty and boosting sustainability?
Andrew Bell, a Boston University College of Arts & Sciences assistant recently published a paper that suggests we adopt the principles of the popular racing game Mario Kart to reduce world poverty and improve sustainability. This classic Nintendo racing game has stirred up competition Read More...
Spain set to pilot four-day work week program
Back in December, we shared how Spain was considering a plan for a nationwide four-day workweek. Now, led by the country’s Más País party, officials have laid out a plan for a pilot program in which companies can partake in a four-day workweek with minimal risk. The €50m project provides Read More...
Philadelphia is using a mediation program to prevent evictions
Back in August, with Covid-19 cases on the rise and tenants across the city struggling financially, the city of Philadelphia decided to take an unconventional approach to solve a housing crisis with their Eviction Diversion Program. With the new program, landlords are required to attend a Read More...
New York’s cannabis legalization puts social justice front and center
The latest state to join the growing list of states that have legalized recreational cannabis use is New York. Signed into law this week, the bill makes recreational cannabis available for purchase and legal possession in 18 months when the state draws up regulations surrounding its Read More...
Massachusetts passes sweeping climate legislation to reduce emissions
We recently shared how Massachusetts is on the verge of constructing the nation's first utility scale offshore wind farm. Now, it's continuing to expand its commitments to a post-carbon future with the passage of a sweeping climate law that will guide the Bay State towards its target of net-zero Read More...