Today’s Solutions: May 03, 2024

Climate Action

What is Climate Action? Climate Action is humanity's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance our planet's resilience against climate change. From adaptation to mitigation, at The Optimist Daily you will learn about the most recent positive news stories and solutions targeting climate change and other environmental issues.

Aerial View of the Ohio River between Jeffersonville, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky

600 acres of neglected land to be transformed into climate-adaptive park

600 acres of neglected land in the state of Indiana is finally going to be transformed into Origin Park—a climate-adaptive park that had been in the works for several years and was supposed to be completed in 2021. Of course, due to unavoidable delays, the project didn’t break ground until Read More...

Laptop keyboard with plant growing on it. Green IT computing concept.

What you need to do to make your office more sustainable

Chances are it takes quite a lot of resources to keep your office running. Think about it. The office needs lighting and heat, the printer requires ink and paper, and may use disposable cups and other single-use plastics that can easily be thrown away instead of cleaning. With just a few changes, Read More...

Clone mice

Scientists clone first mice from freeze-dried skin cells

Even before Jurassic Park, many have fantasized about cloning endangered animals. Science fiction made this seem too simple, easily copying a complex creature from recovered DNA. Now, that fantastical process is not so far off.  Researchers have cloned the world’s first mice from freeze-dried Read More...

Plastic waste

New California law greatly curbs plastic waste

We have written a lot about plastic alternatives you can use and consumer-focused options for reducing plastic waste. Indeed, this is often the focus of efforts to reduce plastic waste. Not enough pressure is put on manufacturers to reduce how much plastic they produce.  A new California law, Read More...

Sand piles next to industrial machinery

"Sand batteries" could solve the energy storage challenge

We’ve previously written about how water batteries could help address the energy storage challenge facing the green energy transition. In Finland, however, some scientists are working on a much dryer power storage facility — a ‘sand battery’. Solving the energy storage Read More...

Pufferfish-inspired floating houses for Ganvie village in Benin

Pufferfish-inspired houses help lake village adapt to sea-level rise

We decided to dust off this older article with an incredible solution to sea-level rise.  Situated entirely on water, the lake village of Ganvie in Benin is often dubbed the “Venice of Africa”. And just like the historical Italian city, the village is increasingly threatened by sea-level Read More...

Creeping thyme on lawn

Six eco-friendly, edible ground cover alternatives to the grassy lawn

Given the environmentally intensive practices it takes to maintain, it’s high time the traditional lawn makes way for more sustainable alternatives, demands fewer resources, and can even make a great addition to your culinary ingredients. Replacing only part of your lawn with edible ground Read More...

Gas pump nozzle with gasoline or biofuel drop and growing green sprout symbolizing environmental friendliness, isolated. Ecological biofuel concept. 3D illustration

Bacteria-based biofuel offers higher energy density than jet fuel

At a time when the need to replace fossil fuels is urgent, it is amazing to see the results of human innovation and creativity to meet the challenge. Researchers at Berkeley Lab are working on a new producer of biofuel that produces a material that boasts an energy density far higher than jet Read More...

Side view of young mixed race woman applying sunscreen on shoulders in backyard of home on a sunny day

6 Reef-safe sunscreens to protect you and marine life

This summer’s record-breaking temperatures have us all searching for the best activities to beat the heat. One of our recent articles touts the brain benefits of swimming, which is a great way to keep cool and physically fit. If you do opt to take a dip, it’s important to protect yourself from Read More...

Single-use plastic

India bans single-use plastics

India experiences worse-than-average plastic pollution with single-use plastic water bottles and containers finding their way into streets and important waterways.  To rein in this pollution, the Indian government announced from the capital of New Delhi on Friday that it will be imposing a ban Read More...