Circularity
Understanding the value of a circular economy and identifying circular solutions are essential to changing our world for good. Circularity, or the zero-waste principle of keeping materials in a closed loop and away from landfills and incinerators, is the future. Find out about the latest innovations and solutions accelerating the transition towards a circular economy in the articles here from The Optimist Daily.
Crab Trapper Whiskey: capturing invasive species and putting them in whiskey
An occasionally neglected fact of conservation is the encroachment of invasive species. Some non-native animals can wind up consuming all available resources for endangered species, and sometimes the endangered species themselves. This was the case with the lionfish, which Florida fishers addressed Read More...
White House and 11 East Coast states partner to bolster offshore wind power
On Thursday, the White House announced that it will partner with 11 East Coast states to bolster offshore wind energy. This arrangement, called the Federal-State Offshore Wind Implementation Partnership, will help to reach national climate goals of 30 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030. Read More...
Vegetable oil byproduct can filter heavy metals from water
It’s unfortunate, but creating many of our products these days can also create harmful waste. We love finding stories about businesses and scientists repurposing waste to improve life. Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and ETH Zurich, Switzerland have discovered a Read More...
Lego to set up a factory in Virginia... and it comes with its own solar park
Danish company the Lego Group has established itself as one of The Optimist Daily’s favorite toymakers for its many efforts and initiatives that make this world a more inclusive, accessible, greener, and all-around better place. Now, we’re happy to report that Lego is up to more Read More...
Fog nets from Chile to Morocco. And soon California?
Fog nets are screens of overlapping horizontal and vertical mesh that catch moisture from fog and collect it once gravity brings the droplets down. In remote villages in drought-stricken Morocco, these devices not only bring drinking water to hundreds of thousands of people but also let them Read More...
Robot fish repairs itself with microplastics it collects
Microplastics are one of the most pervasive environmental and health issues of our time. And environmental engineers and researchers are working nonstop to address this, with enzymes, superworms, okra, and more. Now, scientists from Sichuan University have developed and programmed a tiny robot Read More...
More on beavers and rewilding
We decided to dust off and update this innovative solution to restoring habitats with the most industrious aquatic mammal: beavers. At The Optimist Daily, we’ve written a great deal about the benefits beavers bring to their environment and the importance of restoring their populations in Read More...
Spider-like film doubles avocado shelf life
Concerned about the problem of plastic pollution, a scientist has developed a plant-based coating that could make food plastic wrappers obsolete. The biodegradable coating has antimicrobial properties and can easily be sprayed onto produce, such as avocados and citruses, slowing Read More...
Seattle installs EV chargers on utility poles for residents
Electric vehicles are the transportation of the future. In the meantime, cities are struggling to install the infrastructure that we will all need to charge our cars. This is an important issue for EV owners away from a home or office charging port, or if they live in an apartment complex. If Read More...
New steelmaking method could cut industry's gigantic CO2 footprint
The steel industry emits 3 billion tons of CO2 every year. That’s about three times the carbon footprint of the airline industry. A startup called Helios wants to cut this industrial behemoth’s impact on the environment. A cheaper steelmaking process When it comes to steel, its large carbon Read More...