This door handle sterilizes itself constantly using UV light
Door handles tend to be home to alarmingly high levels of bacteria. That’s why a team of graduates from the University of Hong Kong have designed a door handle that uses light to constantly sterilize itself. Comprised of a glass tube with aluminum caps at each end, the door handle is covered in Read More...
How to be a conscious consumer, even on a budget
Sociologist Joseph Cohen once said, “America is a place where the luxuries are cheap and the necessities are expensive.” While we might feel like our lives are overrun with cheap goods, it can be difficult to shop more sustainably when it feels like the greener options eat away at your Read More...
Addressing anxiety: how to be a resource for someone who is struggling
Anxiety is the most common mental health problem in the U.S., so we at the Optimist Daily are big on sharing stories on stress reduction, from foods that help to meditation methods. If you have never experienced anxiety yourself, it can be difficult to understand what a friend or family member is Read More...
Next time you need a boost in creativity, try this simple trick
We’ve all been there-you're sitting at your desk, trying to come up with some juicy new idea, only to find your creative pipes clogged. While sometimes we blame it on a lack of caffeine in our bodies, some of the most frustrating roadblocks to creativity can actually stem from being in a static Read More...
30 major cities around the world are seeing their emissions plummet
When the Paris Agreement was signed four years ago, a major focus was on the role that cities would play in cutting emissions. After all, urbanization means more people are living in cities than in rural areas, and that trend will only continue in the coming years. And while progress has been a bit Read More...
Money talks: what's yours saying about the environment?
So you bring your own bag to the grocery store, you carpool to work and are cutting down on your meat consumption. Looking for something more to shrink your personal carbon footprint? Changing the way you manage your money can actually help make your lifestyle more sustainable. Here are eight ways Read More...
FUTURE OF FOOD: The Follies of Food Waste, or How to have your food and eat it too!
Someone may offer you a freshly caught whole large fish, like a salmon or striped bass. Don't panic - take it! - Julia Child BY AMELIA BUCKLEY One evening when I was eight years old, I sat in a small french cafe with my sister and parents when the waiter delivered my father's plate - an Read More...
Do you have any old LEGO bricks? Here’s the best thing you can do with them
Despite being made from plastic, there's something to be said for LEGO bricks. They are exceedingly durable and their historically consistent connecting system makes their design the opposite of planned obsolescence. The Danish company has an impressive record of sustainability – from investments Read More...
Electric buses are driving big changes in the transportation sector
Buses are already a greener way to get around than personal vehicles, but this method of public transportation is preparing for another eco-friendly upgrade in the form of electric power. Growth in the electric bus sector has been huge in China where rates of electric buses increased 78.4 percent Read More...
Shopping less will boost both your wellbeing and that of the planet
Humans’ overconsumption of resources—from the food and clothes we buy to the methods of transportation we choose—is a leading contributor to global climate change. Therefore, it’s increasingly important to understand the choices consumers make and how those decisions affect the health of a Read More...