November 17, 2020
Want to know more about The Optimist Daily and our hosts? You’re in luck. Today is part two of our two-day series diving deeper into the who, what, and why of The Optimist Daily. Today we hear from Kristy Jansen. Listen to The Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the Read More...
The world’s biggest fur auction house is closing its doors
Real animal fur is becoming increasingly out-of-style within the fashion industry. More and more people are straying away from the inhumane trade, and some cities, countries, and companies have placed bans on fur in recent years. In another blow to the fur industry, the world’s largest fur Read More...
Birth of critically endangered black rhino caught on camera at UK zoo
The population of the critically endangered eastern black rhino has just gotten bigger, thanks to the birth of a healthy calf at Chester Zoo in the UK. Following 15 months of pregnancy, the celebratory event was caught on the zoo’s security camera which shows the young calf suckling from her Read More...
This is how facades and pavements can be used to generate clean energy
Most countries in Europe have pledged to make a sustainability goal of an energy-neutral environment by mid-centruy. And while there’s no doubt that solar rooftops will play a key role in achieving that goal, a number of projects in Europe are proving that pavements and building facades too can Read More...
A new tool for bear conservation in Canada: facial recognition
When it comes to conservation, tracking specific animals usually involves collars or tags, but when software developers Ed Miller and Mary Nguyen saw the fast growth of AI for human facial recognition, they thought, “why can’t this be used for conservation efforts too?” This idea, combined Read More...
How to build your professional network without leaving home
Networking is a powerful way to expand your list of professional contacts and bring you closer to new opportunities. But with the coronavirus pandemic canceling all the in-person events that are perfect for socializing professionally, expanding your network these days can seem impossible. Still, Read More...
This recycling breakthrough brings EV batteries closer to circularity
In a recent Optimist View, we discussed how battery recycling must become an integral part of the electric vehicle transition. Most lithium batteries rely on heavy metal extraction which takes its own toll on the environment. Lithium iron phosphate batteries are cheaper to produce and have a longer Read More...
Clean energy revolution: Philippines to stop building new coal power plants
Currently, coal is the dominant source of energy in the Philippines, with more than 41 percent of the country’s economy relying on dirty fossil fuel. That may soon change though, as the Filipino government recently announced that it will no longer accept proposals to build new coal power plants, Read More...
Argentinian patients can now access and grow medical marijuana
In 2017, a law was passed in Argentina that legalized medical marijuana. The law, however, was flawed as many obstacles blocked patients from gaining access to medical marijuana, forcing many to turn to the black market instead. The good news for supporters of medical marijuana is that Read More...
New ‘right to repair’ law makes important car data accessible to drivers
As much as a driver might want to fix a broken part in their car, oftentimes it is not possible because auto manufacturers withhold information about their vehicles. That means the automakers themselves hold a monopoly on repairs and can charge exorbitant prices for them while taking power away Read More...