Today’s Solutions: December 20, 2025

Business

Looking for positive and inspiring business stories? From green operations to employee rights, from innovative corporate structures to diversity and inclusion, the Business section at The Optimist Daily has got the latest innovative solutions from the corporate sector.

Pickup truck city

Washington DC proposes charging higher fees for bigger trucks

Large pickup trucks’ popularity keeps growing in the United States and not just for hauling. Bigger and bulkier trucks are often used as normal cars, even new heavy-duty models like the Ford F-250 which gets 15 miles per gallon and is almost two feet taller than an average sedan. Not only do Read More...

Reading on the train

San Francisco BART wants to get riders back with short stories

Many of us have whiled away the minutes on a bus or a train with a book. Now the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, the public transportation authority of San Francisco, is looking to attract riders back to public transportation by distributing short stories at select stations.  The BART will Read More...

Hydrogel

This gel film pulls drinking water from the air in even the driest places

Getting water to drought-stricken areas is an increasing concern for scientists. In the future, desalination systems will become simpler and more accessible to get water to those who need it, but another solution could be to just pull water right out of the air.  Engineers from the University Read More...

Pennsylvania schools doubled t

Pennsylvania schools doubled their solar power in the last two years

Renewable energy production is taking off in the Keystone State. A new report from the nonprofit Generation180 reveals that Pennsylvania schools doubled their solar power capacity over the last two years of the Pandemic. This helped not only the planet but also the schools' bottom line and Read More...

Highway in Chile's Atacama desert with bright blues skies

Recycled old tires could make roads last twice as long

Prolonged sun exposure is one of the main contributors to asphalt cracking. That’s because the heat from the sun dries up the road’s moisture content, making it brittle and prone to wear. A team of scientists has found that adding rubber from old tires to asphalt can help roads last twice as Read More...

Berlin public transportation

Germany slashes public transportation costs to reduce fossil fuel dependence

In the energy standoff between Europe and Russia, Germany has taken many measures to accelerate the phasing out of oil and gas. It has resolved to make energy cheaper for homes and businesses. It has pushed plans to put solar panels on every public building by 2025.  Now, Germany has cut train, Read More...

Summer jobs do way more than j

Summer jobs do way more than just keeping kids busy

Nobody wants to see their kids spending the entire summer in front of a screen. While everyone can benefit from some time off, too much free time can be a detriment to everyone, especially youth and teens. Between ages 14 and 24, youth have formative experiences which affect the rest of their Read More...

Country flags at Davos meeting in Switzerland

Millionaires join activists in Davos to demand higher taxes on the wealthy

Last Sunday, a group of millionaires joined activists in Davos to protest the annual gathering of business and political elites organized by the World Economic Forum. The group demanded that governments start taxing the rich to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and the growing gap between the rich Read More...

Kyiv Opera House

Kyiv opera house holds first performance since start of Russian invasion

In the early hours of February 24, the cultural life of Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities came to halt as the country braced to endure the invasion of Russian forces. After three months, Ukraine is still fighting the invaders, but a brief and melodic respite was enjoyed this Saturday when the Kyiv Read More...

Brazilian Indigenous Peoples

Mining companies decide against mining Brazil’s Indigenous areas

An important part of the growing movement for the rights of nature is empowering indigenous peoples to steward their lands. Indigenous forests sequester twice as much carbon as those on private or public lands, and these often have the highest levels of biodiversity.  The trend now includes 130 Read More...