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.
Scientists use a 3D printer to create a living material made from algae
Being some of the most productive organisms on Earth, it’s no wonder that algae are the subject of intense study in the scientific community. We have previously written many stories about these miracle organisms and their incredible qualities, such as sequestering greenhouse gases and Read More...
Bee-friendly wildflower meadows are blooming across Germany’s biggest cities
Germany is home to about 580 wild bee species, most of which have their habitat in urban areas. More than half of these species are endangered or on the brink of extinction. The increased use of insecticides, exposure to noxious exhaust fumes, and above all a loss of diverse habitats, are the main Read More...
Mangroves roots inspire scientists to develop efficient water purifier
While solar stills have been around for some time already, there’s plenty of room for efficiency improvements. In a bid to do exactly that, scientists from Virginia Tech have developed a mangrove-inspired “synthetic tree” that mimics the natural process of transporting water from the roots to Read More...
Beyond seawalls: How oysters can more sustainably protect our coastlines
We’ve written at length about using natural materials to restore degraded coastlines. The strong natural composition of oysters makes them a popular choice for these projects and in Southern California, one scientist is combining native oysters with the power of seagrass to promote coastline Read More...
Drones help protect biodiversity on Galápagos Islands by ridding them of rats
The biodiversity of Seymour Norte and Mosquera, two Galápagos Islands, has been threatened for generations by a commonly abhorred pest: rats. Two rat species (the black rat and the Norweigan rat) have disrupted the ecosystems on the islands of Seymour Norte and Mosquera since they arrived on Read More...
Ghana takes on ambitious reforestation effort to plant at least 5 million trees
Just over a week ago, people in Ghana decided to take on the impressive initiative of planting at least five million trees under the “Green Ghana” program. The launch of the project follows the expansion of mining and agriculture that, according to environmentalists, has led to an Read More...
Oregon is the third state in the US to legalize human composting
Life and death are part of the circle of life, but in modern times we have taken on environmentally unfriendly burial practices that interfere with nature’s cycle. For instance, embalming a body before it gets buried takes about three gallons of embalming chemicals such as formaldehyde, Read More...
This video game enables players to tackle real-world environmental problems
From companies using more recycled materials in their products to corporations increasing their focus on sustainability, and people learning about ways to green up their lifestyle, climate change concerns have become ubiquitous. Now, even video games are joining the climate movement. One of these Read More...
Climate campaigners claim victory over Belgium's inadequate climate policy
Climate campaigners in Brussels came out on top last Thursday in court against the Belgian government in another victory that demonstrates how, when it comes to climate policies, the people can overturn the presiding authority of their countries. The campaigners claimed that Belgium’s climate Read More...
Retired wind turbine blades get reincarnated into bridges and railway links
Even renewable energy has waste byproducts that become a major recycling problem for the industry. Many wind turbine blades are reaching the end of their lifespan, and plenty more are taken out of service early to be replaced by blades that can produce more energy. This means that by 2023, Read More...