Today’s Solutions: May 18, 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.

Traffic

New computing method faster predicts traffic

Besides its adding to our road rage and shouting at our steering wheels, sitting in traffic can negatively affect one’s health. Studies have found that unpredictable traffic compromises psychological wellbeing as well as respiratory problems from being exposed to car exhaust. Not only that, but Read More...

Aerial view of wind turbines in Denmark

Denmark to build the world’s first wind energy island

Back in 1991, Denmark cut the ribbon to the world’s first offshore wind farm — marking a new milestone in the transition towards cleaner energy sources. Now, the country plans to further expand its green energy potential by building the world’s first energy island in the North Read More...

Manneken Pis (Little man Pee) is a landmark in Brussels, Belgium. It is a small bronze sculpture of boy-fountain

Pee could help feed the world

Humans create a lot of waste. Whether that’s electronic, agricultural, medical, or fuel waste, we have a lot to dispose of. Coming up with creative ideas to use this waste to our advantage could be what saves the Earth and everything that lives on it from the climate crisis. An idea catching Read More...

Farmland

Ole-Kristian Sivertsen: revitalizing deserts with nano clay

Climate change is drastically changing global weather patterns. Wet places are getting wetter, and dry places are getting drier. The human-caused degradation of dry land known as desertification is growing across farmlands, such as in California. The state is one of the country's largest producers Read More...

Young child with green apples between his biceps.

Children's growth and nutrition aren't compromised by a veggie diet

It has long been thought that vegetarianism in children can hurt their growth and nutrition as they are missing out on key nutrients that only meat can offer, such as protein and iron. A new St. Michael's Hospital of Unity Health Toronto and TARGet Kids! study has disproven this assumption, Read More...

Great Green Wall

UN experts and analysts plan to reinvigorate the “Great Green Wall”

The African Great Green Wall is a titanic ambition to restore an 8,000 square kilometer expanse across the continent, from Djibouti in the East to Senegal in the West. In the face of increasing desertification from climate change, the initiative aims to restore 100 million hectares (386,000 square Read More...

Indian Wilderness

Indian court rules in favor of “mother nature’s” rights

It’s hard to describe the growth of an environmental movement without an inappropriate natural disaster metaphor: a wave of legislation, laws spreading like wildfire, or a mighty wind of change. None of those feel quite right, but the wave — darn it — for nature’s rights is moving fast and Read More...

Healthy coral reef surrounded by colorful fish

How beneficial bacteria could help protect corals from bleaching

With water temperatures rising as a result of climate change, corals are finding it increasingly difficult to survive. Probiotics could help provide a potential solution to help these crucial marine ecosystems become more resilient against stresses related to climate change. A team of researchers Read More...

Glass into sand

This Louisiana startup turns glass into sand and increases climate resiliency

There is seemingly no end to the variety and ingenuity scientists and researchers have when it comes to recycling. They have taken plastic waste and treated it to absorb CO2. They have taken human waste and turned it into viable renewable energy.  Louisiana startup Glass Half Full is turning Read More...

Electric Vehicle Battery

US announces $3 billion electric vehicle battery production

We at The Optimist Daily are enormous electric vehicle fans, and we’re not the only ones. Demand for electric vehicles has risen so sharply around the world that manufacturers and supply chains are struggling to keep up.  To help things along, state and federal governments are stepping up to Read More...