April 23, 2020
The Optimist Daily Update with Summers McKay & Kristy Jansen - Your weekday commute update from The Optimist Daily featuring our top 5 positive news solutions from independent, reader-funded, journalists. Listen in to start your day with a positive solutions mindset and share with someone else who Read More...
Thailand is counting record numbers of rare sea turtle nests
If there’s one winner from the whole coronavirus pandemic, it might have to be the turtles. Earlier this month, we published a story where endangered hawksbill sea turtles hatched undisturbed on empty Brazilian beaches. Then, just days ago, we reported on leatherback turtles in Florida, which Read More...
Senate approves additional Paycheck Protection Program funding
The initial $349 billion fund allocated for economic relief for small businesses facing COVID-19 challenges ran out in just two weeks, but an additional $320 billion in funding was approved by the Senate Tuesday afternoon and is set to pass through the House. The money will go towards the Read More...
These solar windows rival rooftop panels in terms of efficiency
Windows capable of harvesting energy from the sun have been on the horizon for a number of years, but they've yet to help cut down a building's energy costs. A new development from Australian researchers may change that. What the researchers have created are semi-transparent solar cells made of Read More...
How you can plan to reopen your business as safely as possible
As attention turns to gradually resuming the economy, many business owners are looking for ways to reopen that are safe for both their employees and customers. When it comes to customers, there are a few strategies that brick-and-mortar shops can take to ensure their safety. These include Read More...
New York State says “I do” to online marriages
Virtual meetings, brunches, dates, and baby showers have become part of the new normal in the face of COVID-19. If you live in New York State, you can celebrate another age-old tradition online: marriage. This weekend, New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced that couples in the state who Read More...
How reforestation could help prevent another pandemic
The big question right now is “how do we prevent another pandemic from occurring?” As governments and medical professionals grapple with how to keep future generations healthy, the answer could be found among environmentalists. Infectious diseases are on the rise and the Center for Disease Read More...
Drones are accelerating the speed of coronavirus testing in Ghana
Testing for coronavirus has been a struggle in Ghana. Apparently, health officials in the cities of Accra and Kumasi would wait for hours or even days for delivery trucks to visit rural medical facilities, collect batches of test samples, and then deliver them for analysis. The delivery time is now Read More...
Releasing grazing herbivores into the Arctic could help protect permafrost
Along with polar ice and glaciers, warming temperatures have also been having a melting effect on permafrost — the frozen layer of soil in the Arctic. In an attempt to protect this frozen ground, a team of scientists has come up with a rather unorthodox plan. The idea is to fill the Arctic Read More...
How to reduce your energy consumption while sheltering at home
COVID-19 shutdowns have reduced overall energy consumption greatly in the US. Without businesses, factories, and offices running, it is estimated that the country’s overall energy use will drop by 3 percent in 2020. However, energy use in many homes is on the rise. Isolating at home has people Read More...