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Companies do good because “it’s the right thing to do”, study says
Why do companies launch social-responsibility programs (CSR)? Is it a genuine effort? Or is it merely window dressing? A study of 4,500 American firms, executed over a 19-year span, aims to explain the rise of CSR. The outcome generates a sense of hope and optimism. The researchers found that many Read More...
United Airlines begins flying powered by garbage
With pressure mounting on the airline industry to reduce their carbon emissions, commercial airlines like United are turning to more environmentally-friendly alternatives to fuel their planes. This past Friday, United became the first airline in the U.S to begin full commercial deployment of Read More...
Breast cancer treatment trial delivers incredible results
Breast cancer research just had a major breakthrough, and it was completely unexpected. Doctors at the Institute of Cancer Research in London tested a pair of drugs targeting a specific weakness found in one-in-ten breast cancers on 257 women, and were stunned when they found that the cancer had Read More...
How tech is forcing firms to be better global citizens
There’s fewer places for corporations to hide their misdeeds in the internet age. Corporations like BP, Enron, and Volkswagen have all been placed under intense scrutiny and financial strain following their respective scandals that spread like wild-fire across the internet. It’s causing Read More...
Study: Dancing is better than exercising for your health
People who took a dance class improved their fitness three times more than non-dancers. Even if you’re up in years and out of shape, you should be dancing, according to a new study. A group of 57 people, all sedentary, Spanish-speaking Latinos around age 65, were assigned a program for four Read More...
A cheap soap to help poor Africans prevent catching malaria
Malaria is still the greatest killer in the world. According to a 2014 report by the World Health Organization, 90 percent of the almost 600,000 people who died from malaria in 2013 lived in Africa. Most were children. Many of their families cannot afford conventional mosquito repellants and Read More...
Start your own company when you can’t find fair trade, organic coconut oil
Business can be a force for good. When Dr. Bronner’s soap company wanted a more ethical source for coconut oil and there were no options available, it decided to create its own. A sister company called Serendipol in Sri Lanka was born. The company supports Sri Lankan farm workers, oil Read More...
Biosensor warns patients of impending heart attacks
Phillips has created a little patch that can warn of an impending heart attack hours before it even happens, virtually allowing you to check into a hospital and be taken care of before anything occurs. The 4.6 by 1.6 inch patch named The Wearable Bionsensor is a light, portable version of the Read More...
British survey: Older people are happier even with a chronic disease
Older people are happier people. The wellbeing of people in their 60s increases as they reach the age of 70, according to a British national survey. That is despite many people in the age group having at least one chronic disease. Participants were asked to rate how confident, cheerful, relaxed and Read More...
Doctors implant 3D-printed vertebrae in 'world's first' surgery
The Optimist is an advocate of natural solutions to health issues, but when new technology is able to save someone’s life with success, then it is definitely a valid reason to give that technology some attention. A neurosurgeon at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney successfully replaced two Read More...