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China pledges to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060
The UN climate summit, Cop26, has been delayed until November 2021 due to the pandemic, but many participating countries aren’t waiting until next year to quantify their emissions reductions commitments. After the EU pledged to cut emissions by 55 percent by 2030, China made an unexpected Read More...
Silver linings: The pandemic has led to a bike boom in American cities
Part of being an Optimist is finding the silver lining in any situation, no matter how dire it may be. In the case of Covid-19, one of the positive trends to emerge from the pandemic is a surge of cycling within American cities. According to new data from Strava, the fitness tracking app used by Read More...
These biodegradable straws are made out of methane by bacteria
Greenhouse gas emissions and marine plastic pollution are two of the most pressing environmental challenges the world faces at the moment. A California-based startup aims to tackle both issues simultaneously. Biotech company Newlight, has figured out a way to use a certain strain of microbes to Read More...
Online tool helps mobilize Native American communities to go out and vote
Despite having been enfranchised in 1924, due to numerous legislative obstacles, many Native Americans living on reservations still can’t participate in the democratic process and elect candidates of their choice. With less than two months left until the election, two nonprofits have developed a Read More...
Why morning is the best time to water your plants
When should you replenish your plants with water? Does it even matter what time? According to gardening experts, there is an ideal time to water your beloved plants: in the morning. Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about the watering schedules for both indoor and outdoor plants. Read More...
Fabscrap is repurposing New York's textile waste into usable materials
New York City is one of the fashion capitals of the world, but what does the industry do with all its waste at the end of each season? After seeing the true magnitude of fabric scraps and swatches going to waste in the city, Bureau of Recycling and Sustainability employee Jessica Schreiber decided Read More...
Data centers drain water supplies. Microsoft is investing big to fix this
Data centers are infamously energy-intensive, but what people aren’t always aware of is that they also require huge amounts of water to keep servers cool. And to make matters worse, data centers are often situated in desert-like places where water is already scarce. Part of the reason companies Read More...
NASA’s 2024 mission will see first woman astronaut on the Moon
NASA is going back to the Moon, but this time around, there will be a woman stepping foot on the lunar surface. Recently, the American space agency formally outlined its $28 billion plan to return to the Moon in 2024, with the mission being called Artemis. The plan involves sending both a man and Read More...
“Hello Landlord” is a pro-bono legal resource for all renters
A variety of federal, state, and even local eviction bans have been implemented during the pandemic to protect workers from the economic toll of shutdowns, but for low-income families without access to legal resources, exercising their rights as tenants can be difficult. Fortunately, Hello Landlord Read More...
Study finds older people today are smarter and stronger than 30 years ago
With the great advancements, humanity has made in terms of our understanding of the human body and in terms of new medical technology, you might be safe to assume that older people today are healthier than those just a few decades ago. But now we have proof thanks to a compelling new study out of Read More...