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.
BNLP connects animal agriculture workers with more sustainable jobs
Plant-based diets are becoming more popular for a number of factors—there are plenty of health benefits to going veggie or vegan, plus the planet would benefit from less demand for meat and animal byproducts as this industry is one of the biggest contributors to CO2 emissions. However, the Read More...
5 Free climate change exhibits to visit virtually
Climate change—it’s a problem that is so weaved into all the facets of our lives that it can be overwhelming to try to understand it on our own. Luckily, more museums are making their climate exhibitions available for free online so that we can learn more about it from the comfort of our own Read More...
Versatility of elephant trunks is inspiring the next generation of robotics
Elephant trunks are truly remarkable. They can grasp a single blade of grass and also carry nearly 600 pounds. This versatility is what prompted robotics researchers to take a deeper look at how elephant trunks work and how their natural design could be mimicked to create the next generation of Read More...
This online game places the world's future in your hands
The continued presence of human beings on this planet is uncertain thanks to generations of unsustainable and exploitative use of natural resources. We can read about what the future may hold for us if we fail to mitigate our impact on our environment, but it may be difficult to understand the Read More...
The National Trust to adopt "siestas" due to rising temperatures
As the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report indicates, there is a lot that we have to do to reduce our impact on the planet if we want it to continue to be a suitable place for humans to live, however, even if we do enough to prevent the worst from happening, we will still have Read More...
Nightclub in Glasgow will harness energy from dancers
The annual COP26 climate conference took place in Glasgow in 2021 from October 31st, where a number of creative environmental initiatives are discussed as the spotlight shines on the city. One of the initiatives unveiled involved the legendary Glasgow club SWG3, which trialled an innovative scheme Read More...
How tiny wasps could solve the US’ invasive beetle problem
You may have never heard of the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), but this little green beetle is the most invasive wood-boring insect in US history. The insects are native to Russia and Asia and were first discovered in Michigan in 2002. Today, they are wreaking havoc on ash trees across Read More...
Czech school will be home to first 3D-printed parkour playground
Last year, we wrote about Protozoon, the world’s first-ever 3D-printed floating house. Now, Buřinka, the same Czech group that built the 3D-printed floating structure, has 3D-printed the world’s first parkour playground. The result of a partnership between the private sector, the public Read More...
This sustainable wood alternative is made from kombucha waste
As demand for wood keeps growing, scientists are scrambling to find alternative sources for the material to cut the industry’s environmental footprint. From lab-grown wood to wood 3D-printed with the help of logging waste, innovators are hard at work to find viable solutions. Design student Gabe Read More...
The Gorilla Guardian Club converts poachers into protectors
Eight years ago, the Ebo Forest Research Project was launched by scientists from Cameroon and the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Its overarching goal is to protect the Ebo forest, a 1,500 square kilometer (580 square miles) area in the Congo Basin, and its inhabitants, which include rare primates Read More...