How can we ensure that our most precious natural sites such as lakes and mountains are spared from human pollution? One answer is giving lawful rights to them, something that recently happened in Toledo, Ohio where residents passed a bill that grants new rights to Lake Erie. In the last few years, Lake Erie has suffered from overwhelming algae blooms that are caused by nitrogen and phosphorus runoff. Sometimes it’s so bad that Toledo’s residents can’t use their tap water for days at a time. With the passing of a new bill, Lake Erie now has the right “to exist, flourish, and naturally evolve,” which gives environmentalists and stakeholders a legal option to protect a natural body when environmental regulations fail. Although this is a first in the US, similar laws recognizing the intrinsic rights of ecosystems have passed in Colombia, New Zealand, and India.
Lake Erie just became the first ecosystem in America to be granted rights
More of Today's Solutions
What OB-GYNs want every mother to know about how pregnancy changes you
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM With Mother’s Day just behind us, conversations about everything that mothers give are top of mind. However, the ...
Read MoreWhat Hanoi learned by tearing down its park fences and opening up to everyone
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In many cities, entering a park is a deliberate act. You adjust your route, find a gate, and ...
Read MoreWhat cities can learn from Spokane’s approach to homelessness
The common approach cities take to deal with homelessness is tough enforcement: ticketing people for panhandling or sleeping in doorways or busing them to ...
Read MoreNew nasal spray treatment could help prevent Alzheimer’s
According to the World Health Organization, around 55 million people worldwide suffer from dementia. Although there’s currently no cure, researchers are unabatedly looking for ...
Read More
