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.
ReTreePC: Reinvigorating the community and the canopy in Panama City
At The Optimist Daily, as you’ve probably guessed, we love solutions for urban green spaces. We’ve written quite a bit about these, with their ability to offset carbon emissions, help grow food, and help animals and humans cohabitate. We can’t get enough of it! Another aspect of urban green Read More...
Food forests and regenerative agriculture
Feeding an urban population in ever-growing cities around the world is a big challenge. The growth of these concrete jungles can lead to food deserts: areas of urban land that have insufficient access to grocery stores. Supermarkets in some urban areas can’t meet the needs of a growing Read More...
Self-repairing plastic soon to become reality thanks to Japanese scientists
The future of better plastics is here! A team of researchers in Japan has developed a type of plastic that can repair itself. It could be used in smartphones, cars, and many other applications, reducing the amount of plastic that ends up discarded and polluting the environment. Repairing Read More...
Honey: the sweet solution for brain-like computers
It turns out that honey is much more than just a tasty addition to your tea. Engineers from Washington State University have reimagined the use of the sticky substance in brain-like neuromorphic computers. These systems are designed to mimic the human brain, where biological structures are replaced Read More...
Researchers use new AI to advance solar cell manufacturing
Solar energy is becoming more affordable and easier to produce every day. As the market grows, so too is the field of research. Solar scientists have been working with perovskites, a family of mineral and ceramic materials that are a top contender to replace silicon as the next level up in Read More...
This MIT team designed a desert shelter for humans and animals
We have often written about animal agencies at The Optimist Daily and sharing our space on the planet with our furry or winged neighbors. It’s important to recognize the rights of nature and cohabitate with animals as peacefully as possible, but a design team from MIT just took it to the next Read More...
Love and Action: Happy Earth Day!
“There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew.” — Marshall McLuhan, philosopher As far as we know, Earth is the best place in the Universe. The search for life beyond our planet and even our solar system is ongoing, and one day we could very well make the Read More...
Scottish forests are the biggest they’ve been in 900 years
Scotland is a proud and iconic country, with a unique culture and landscape. Travelers from all over the world come to visit Scotland’s highlands, lowlands, and lochs. Another invaluable part of the Scottish wilderness, largely and unfortunately overlooked by visitors, is its Read More...
Elders Climate Action: climate activism for seniors
This last week’s Optimist’s View on aging got us thinking about our seniors and how lucky we are to have a substantial older population. Longer life expectancies and a growing senior population mean holding onto our loved ones and benefiting from their perspective and experience. With an active Read More...
Nocturnal solar panels: not an oxymoron
While trying to do the impossible might seem like magical thinking, in many cases, it is simply science that hasn’t broken through yet. In the case of solar panels, it might seem counterintuitive to try to use them at night. This too, though, has been proven possible. An engineering team Read More...