Report: Renewable energy transition would save 317,500 US lives
The US has a new set goal of boosting renewable energy production to reach 80 percent of energy needs by the end of the decade. While this is great news for the planet, it turns out it's also great news for human health. A new study conducted by researchers from Harvard University, Georgia Read More...
How to share an appreciation of hiking with your kids
Hiking in nature is good for the mind, body, and soul. Most of the time it’s free, plus it encourages conversation, builds memories, strengthens your connection with nature, and during this pandemic era, is one of the safer activities you can do with other people. All of these factors make Read More...
The Center for Women helps incarcerated women transition to life after release
The transition period after being released from prison, especially after a long sentence, can be a shock to the system. So much so that many previously incarcerated individuals backslide into offending again, either because they lack the support system that can help them regain a normal life, or Read More...
Playtime & puppets help refugee children and families through the pandemic
Before the pandemic hit in early March of 2020, you would have found refugee children living in Rohingya, the largest refugee camp in recorded history, laughing, jumping, and playing in a BRAC Humanitarian Play Lab (HPL), a colorful and welcoming structure, its floors padded with embroidered mats Read More...
How to be a better ally to people with disabilities
July is Disability Pride Month, a month to celebrate disabled people and remind everyone that being disabled isn’t a bad thing. Too often disability is met with pity, but this response is often triggered by the assumption that disability is synonymous with something negative. “This annual Read More...
True green fashion means just using less
Clothing rental and exchange companies certainly have their time and place; for example, if you need a dress for a special occasion or if your kids are growing out of their clothes faster than you can buy new ones. However, a new study published in Environmental Research Letters reminds us that Read More...
This clever lamp indicates outdoor air pollution levels
When a body of water is too dirty to get into, the evidence is generally right before your eyes. You can see the swirls of oil on the surface of the water, as well as plastic waste or other rubbish floating along, so you know to search for another place to go in for a dip. This is not Read More...
Montreal’s eco-grazing program raises the “baa” in urban agriculture
We at The Optimist Daily have written quite a lot about the importance of green space and urban farming… so why not add urban livestock for eco-grazing, too? Inspired by a similar project in France, professional sheepherders in the French-Canadian city of Montreal made a deal with officials Read More...
The best foods for fantastic skin, according to an expert
You can buy all the fancy moisturizers in the world, but it turns out, an ever-expanding body of research on skincare suggests that what you put in your face can be just as important as what you put on it. If you want to brighten up dull skin and achieve that dewy glow, David Wolfe, Read More...
Tattooed mummies allow Indigenous peoples to reclaim lost traditions
Thanks to advances in infrared photography, scientists are just beginning to learn about the significance and history of the age-old human practice of ornamenting ourselves with ink. These discoveries are allowing modern-day communities to recover aspects of their Indigenous cultures that have been Read More...