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.
New Zealand will ban most single-use plastic items by 2025
While New Zealand is considered to be one of the greenest countries in the world, it is currently one of the top ten per-capita producers of landfill waste worldwide. That may soon change, however, thanks to new legislation that will ban most single-use plastics by 2025. Among the main items Read More...
Dissolving ‘skyscraper’ intends to recover ecosystems destroyed by wildfire
As climate change makes wildfires a more common and severe threat to ecosystems, Italian architect Alberto Roncelli has come up with a design for a dissolving ‘skyscraper’ that would naturally spread nutrients and seeds to ravaged forests — all in a bid to regenerate ecosystems destroyed by Read More...
Solar-powered umbrella aims to make your beach holiday more sustainable
Given how much time parasols on coastal beaches sit under the sun, wouldn’t it make sense to replace the thick fabric they’re made of with solar panels — and maybe even use some of the energy generated to power, let’s say, beachfront ice-cream freezers? Italy’s leading gelato and frozen Read More...
BIOMILQ is the first to replicate healthy and sustainable human milk
Breastfeeding is a beautiful and miraculous event for new mothers to share with their infants—but it isn’t always easy. In fact, many women experience complications when breastfeeding including latching issues, an inadequate supply of milk, pain, and more. It is also an often inaccessible Read More...
Researchers turn biodegradable cutlery into recycled insulation
Picking up a biodegradable fork may seem like an environmentally friendly choice, but these utensils still require new materials for their production and oftentimes won’t actually degrade naturally. Fortunately, researchers at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand have come up with a way to Read More...
7 Foods that are good for you and the planet
From beef to almonds, we hear a lot of discussion about the least sustainable foods, but what about the most sustainable foods? If you’re looking to adjust your diet to be more healthy for you and the planet, here are some options to green up your plate. Oats. This popular breakfast choice Read More...
Another luxury brand pledges to stop using fur in its products
High-end coat company Canada Goose has pledged to phase out the use of fur in its products. Mainly known for its luxury-priced fur-lined winter jackets, the North American brand has now vowed to stop buying fur by the end of this year and cease manufacturing it by 2022. Animal rights group Human Read More...
Tree Equity Score tool maps out critical areas for urban forestry
Trees and urban green spaces are essential for city dwellers. Vegetation improves air quality, and tree cover provides shade from the heat of the sun—something that is increasingly sought after as human-induced climate change takes temperatures to extremes. Unfortunately, low-income Read More...
Giant panda gives birth to tiny twin cubs at Tokyo zoo
Good news for the conservation of one of the most beloved creatures on earth! A giant panda has given birth to two cubs at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo in Japan. Last Wednesday, 15-year-old Shin Shin gave birth to tiny twin cubs. The event marks the first time that twins have been born at the zoo. "Baby Read More...
Years of exclusive rainforest recordings are now available worldwide
The recordings of Cornell University’s Elephant Listening Project, which was established in 1999, are finally going public—and here’s why that matters. The gigantic acoustic monitoring effort covers about 480 square miles in the Republic of Congo’s Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, an area Read More...