Environment
Need some good news about the environment? The Optimist Daily is your go-to herald of positive environmental news, highlighting eco-friendly solutions and scientific progress around climate action, circularity, conservation, and more. Learn about everything eco in our Environment section.
These recycled plastic blocks offer a constructive solution for plastic pollution
At The Optimist Daily, we never tire of sharing solutions that tackle the gargantuan problem of plastic pollution. Single-use non-recyclable plastic products are prolific in this day and age, and present an undeniably challenging problem for us, for the world’s ecosystems, and for all the Read More...
Designers turn unrecyclable clothes into high-quality textiles
One of the biggest environmental concerns regarding textiles is that most of them are difficult to recycle once they reach the end of their use. This is because these materials typically contain a variety of types of fibers, quality levels, and colors, which makes sorting difficult on an industrial Read More...
This discarded 1990s window design could help fight climate change
According to the United States Department of Energy, buildings use about 76 percent of electricity in the US and are responsible for about 40 percent of all direct and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the country. This means that reducing energy consumption from buildings is an Read More...
What cities around the world can learn from Europe’s greenest capital
While an increasing number of major cities are striving to become more climate-friendly, one particular European capital stands out with its sustainability efforts so far. It’s no other than Estonia’s capital, Tallinn, whose notable climate measures have won it the title of the European Green Read More...
Elephant in Kenya gives birth to rare twin calves
In a celebratory moment for conservation, an elephant has given birth last week to twin calves at a national reserve in northern Kenya. The rare phenomenon came as a pleasant surprise for the tour guides who spotted the twins while out on safari at the Samburu reserve. The pair are only the second Read More...
Using berries and pears to create the world’s first ‘vegan violin’
An Irish master violin luthier has unveiled a set of violins that are made from 100 percent plant-based products. The animal-free violins are the first in the world to be registered with The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark. What makes traditional violins non-vegan? Currently, most violins Read More...
A four day workweek? 10 reasons it’s a great idea
While enduring the global pandemic, many of us have had the chance to reassess our values and goals for our lives. This has set the scene for many companies, workplaces, and even entire countries to toy with the possibility of implementing a four-day workweek. We’ve shared several stories Read More...
Documenting glossy black cockatoos return after bushfires
After enduring a few years of summer bushfires, particularly between 2019 and 2020, the glossy black cockatoo (or “glossies”) population in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales is struggling. To help bolster the threatened bird species’ chances of survival, the state government launched Read More...
Coral reef untouched by climate change discovered off Tahiti’s coast
There’s been a miraculous discovery made in the depths of the South Pacific Ocean—a rare stretch of pristine corals off the coast of Tahiti that appears to be unscathed by climate change or human activities. The coral reef was first discovered by Laetitia Hédouin from France’s National Read More...
Endangered salmon returns to California streams after abundant rains
After one of the driest years in recent memory, the heavy rains that flooded California in late 2021 were welcomed by farmers, urban planners, and a much-awaited guest — the endangered coho salmon. “We’ve seen fish in places that they haven’t been for almost 25 years,” said Preston Read More...