Design
This brand is turning old cashmere jumpers into new ones
Cashmere is a luxury good, one people will notice when you wear it. It also has a much larger environmental impact than other fabrics. Whereas it takes the hairs of four goats to make enough wool for one sweater, the wool of one sheep can be enough for five garments. With the demand for cashmere Read More...
Can iceberg-producing submarines change how we think about climate solutions?
In the mission against climate change, innovative futuristic designs are surfacing from some of the world’s brightest minds. One of these ideas was shared with us this week by an Optimist reader and appeared at an international design competition: iceberg producing submarines. The project, Read More...
Why you should consider getting a bidet installed in your bathroom
The bidet: in much of the world it’s the normal, hygienic way to clean your bum after using the toilet. In America, it’s virtually unknown. And that’s a crying shame, both for public health as well for the environment. If you don’t know what a bidet is, allow us to fill you in. It’s Read More...
This door handle sterilizes itself constantly using UV light
Door handles tend to be home to alarmingly high levels of bacteria. That’s why a team of graduates from the University of Hong Kong have designed a door handle that uses light to constantly sterilize itself. Comprised of a glass tube with aluminum caps at each end, the door handle is covered in Read More...
Turns out painting the streets white doesn’t make cities cooler
At The Optimist Daily, we’re here to bring you solutions. It’s what we do. But when we offer solutions and they don’t pan out like expected, we recognize the importance of relaying that information. The following is one of those cases. Many cities in warmer climates have been painting Read More...
MIT scientists have figured out how to make cement without emissions
The production of cement currently accounts for about 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, leading to calls for architects to stop using it. That’s a hard sell, considering cement is such useful material. Fortunately, researchers at MIT have demonstrated an experimental way of Read More...
How scientists, a dream, and a dome helped pioneer the sustainable living movement
In 1969, a group of scientists led by Nancy Jack Todd and her husband John set out to combine ecology, architecture, agriculture, and renewable energy into a harmonious system of sustainable farming. Housed under a futuristic dome on a plot of land in Cape Cod, they created their “living Read More...
This brilliant clock rakes sand to illustrate the ripples of time
A design studio in London has completely redesigned the clock, but in a way that makes it feel oh-so ancient (and relaxing). The Sand project, as it’s called, is a nod to Japanese rock gardens, called Karesansui Gardens, in which sand is shaped into patterns to mimic the appearance of water Read More...
This washing machine cleans your clothes AND filters micro-plastic from the water
In the age of synthetic fabrics, 60% of our garments are made of oil-based fabrics which release microfibers when they’re washed. These microfibers make their way into our water systems, fish populations, and even our own bodies. Rethinking our shopping habits is one way to cut down on these Read More...
This bike path allows its cyclists to become one with nature
How do you get people to cycle more? Well, you could offer them the opportunity to do it in harmony with the natural environment. At least, that’s what the Belgian government had in mind when building a bike path through the trees of one of the country’s rural woods. The path, which has been Read More...