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.
How green facades can help cities mitigate the effects of climate change
According to C40 Cities, more than 970 cities worldwide are expected to experience average summertime temperature highs of 35˚C (95°F) this year. This trend, exacerbated by climate change, will negatively affect all aspects of day-to-day life including working, socializing, and traveling. Well Read More...
Fiber optics enable scientists to accurately track changes in ice sheets
Monitoring temperatures of huge masses of ice is key to understanding how climate change affects our planet. So far, scientists have been performing such monitoring by fitting sensors to cables that are fed down a hole, but such devices can only offer readings of the environment at certain Read More...
Art installation displays the consequences of climate change in NYC
American artist and activist Maya Lin’s newest work, erected in New York City’s Madison Square Park, is a compelling and provocative piece called Ghost Forest. The public installation, comprised of 49 Atlantic cedar trees that have perished due to rising sea levels and saltwater inundation, was Read More...
This dairy farm turns its manure into biodegradable pots and packaging
There’s a lot circulating in the news about how maintaining livestock for meat production and other byproducts are not sustainable. In fact, the amount of land, water, and resources it takes, not to mention carbon emissions it releases into the atmosphere, make this industry one of the major Read More...
Opera houses lead by example in sustainability movement
Houses of art and culture are essential to forming our identities and showcasing our cultural values as human beings. So, it’s not surprising that over the course of these past few years and especially during the pandemic, art is intertwining itself with political and environmental Read More...
North Sailing offers Iceland's first carbon-neutral silent whale-watching tours
Much of the ocean remains a vast mystery to us land-dwellers, however, advancements in research and aquatic observation are pushing us towards a greater understanding of marine creatures and their environments. One of these budding areas of study is the way in which noise pollution impacts life Read More...
Community coral planting restores Belize’s expansive reefs
Hurricane Iris swept across Belize in 2001, destroying large amounts of the vital coral reef ecosystems that lay off the coast. Marine biologist Lisa Carne had witnessed these corals in their pre-storm splendor and was devastated at their destruction. With the ambitious goal of bringing the reef Read More...
Have a green thumb but no garden? AllotMe can help.
Gardening is a pastime with a multitude of benefits for the environment and general health. The lockdown has seen a surge in people investing in their gardens—that is, of course, if they are fortunate enough to have space for them. The National Allotment Society reports that in the UK alone, Read More...
Rekstur's innovative home design can adapt to rising and falling sea levels
Rising sea levels are another symptom of human-induced climate change that we must contend with. New York City-based architecture firm Rekstur, recognizing that rising sea levels put homes on the coast at risk, has designed a floating container home that can adapt to the rising and falling of the Read More...
This electric motorbike could help protect endangered wildlife in Africa
Rangers working to prevent poaching in Africa often use motorbikes to patrol protected areas. The vehicles, however, run on gas-guzzling engines that require expensive and inaccessible gasoline. On top of that, the loud motors make it virtually impossible to sneak up on poachers. A new partnership Read More...