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.
THE OPTIMIST VIEW: Invoking the Pause 一 Funding environmental changemakers
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead We’re all familiar with major names in philanthropic giving like MacArthur, Rockefeller or Ford, but there are hundreds of lesser known Read More...
Meet BB: The beach cleaning robot
Cigarettes aren’t just bad for the smoker’s health. They also lower the air quality for everyone around them and they are the world’s most littered item, with a grand total of 4.5 trillion cigarette butts making their way into our environment every year. While the number is jarring Read More...
Protect our planet by becoming a guerrilla gardener
Climate activism and public protests are a great way to garner attention from governments and citizens about the threat of climate change, but you don’t need to attend an organized event to advocate for the planet. Meet Jenny van Gestel, the coordinator of Guerrilla Gardeners NL, whose work Read More...
This app recognizes bird songs in the name of conservation
Our world has lost a third of bird populations since 1970, but unlike elephants and pandas which are constantly referenced in discussions surrounding species loss, many people don’t even realize how quickly avian species are disappearing. Fortunately, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is working to Read More...
Scientists aim to turn our built environment into rechargeable batteries
According to the World Green Building Council, about 11 percent of the environmental footprint of buildings and construction comes from embodied carbon emissions. This includes all the CO2 emitted in producing the materials needed for creating our built environment. Seeking more sustainable and Read More...
The Olympic Games showcase Japan’s ‘hydrogen economy’
When Naomi Osaka lit the Olympic flame in Japan last week, it not only marked the start of the Olympic Games, but also showcased the increasingly important role that hydrogen plays in the country’s drive towards a greener future. For the first time ever, hydrogen is powering both the Olympic Read More...
Basel knows how to increase urban green space: make it mandatory
Research shows that urban greenspace not only enhances air quality but also supports biodiversity and the mental health of residents. The city of Basel, Switzerland has successfully interjected greenery into its concrete jungle by making urban greenery (and all of its benefits) a legal requirement Read More...
These solar-powered meeting pods take remote work to a whole new level
As the pandemic has normalized remote work, designers are coming up with innovative solutions that could change the future of work for the better. In a bid to achieve exactly that, furniture studio Duffy London has designed the Minka Solar Pod. The project is essentially an outdoor office pod that Read More...
The “Frozen Zoo” could be endangered species' last hope
The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is home to the world’s last two remaining northern white rhinos. The future is bleak for this species, but the alliance’s special Frozen Zoo is hard at work to ensure that the legacy of these species is not lost forever. First and foremost, what is a Read More...
California’s Bay Area is cracking down on refinery pollution
San Francisco is known as the city by the bay, but just across that bay sit two petrochemical refineries that spew harmful particulate matter and contribute to severe lung and heart disease in nearby communities. Fortunately, after years of advocacy by environmental justice groups, the Bay Area Air Read More...