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 a pop-up apple orchard is turning surplus into joy and helping New Yorkers in need
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM As Thanksgiving approaches, Manhattan is getting an unexpected gift: a pop-up apple orchard right in the heart of the city. And behind this sweet surprise is The Farmlink Project, a college-student-founded nonprofit that has become one of the most inspiring Read More...
How a small idea on two wheels grew into a community kids can’t wait to join
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM By the time the first bell rings on Fridays in Montclair, New Jersey, something remarkable has already unfolded across town. Children burst out of their houses balancing backpacks and helmets, neighbors wave from porches, and parents gather on sidewalks as Read More...
Ways to make your Thanksgiving celebration more eco-friendly this year
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Thanksgiving, a time of thanks and feasting, often comes with an unanticipated environmental cost. From extra food waste to increased carbon emissions, the holiday season may have a significant impact on our planet. However, choosing eco-friendly options does Read More...
Scotland lays out new road map to reach net zero by 2045
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Scotland took its next step toward reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, releasing a sweeping draft climate action plan that outlines how the country intends to reduce emissions across transportation, energy, agriculture, and land use over the Read More...
New uses for everyday spaces: South Korea turns parking lots into solar power hubs
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Parking lots might not seem like climate solutions, but South Korea is proving they can be. Starting this month, any parking lot in the country with more than 80 spaces will be required to install solar canopies or carports. The new requirement applies not Read More...
Want to declutter your holidays? Here's how to ask for no gifts this year
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The saying “less is more” has never rung truer than during these unpredictable and tumultuous times. If our collective concern for the environment isn’t enough to encourage us to minimize our carbon footprints by rejecting consumerism, then the Read More...
Extinction rates are slowing—and conservation efforts may be paying off
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For years, headlines have warned that Earth is entering a sixth mass extinction. But new research suggests that this dire picture may be more nuanced, and even somewhat hopeful. A study by Kristen Saban and John Wiens of the University of Arizona's Read More...
Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon drops to 11-year low ahead of COP30
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest has fallen to its lowest level in more than a decade, according to new government data. This encouraging milestone appears just days before the country hosts the upcoming United Nations climate summit, Read More...
French court holds TotalEnergies accountable for greenwashing in landmark ruling
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a groundbreaking decision, a French civil court ruled that oil giant TotalEnergies misled consumers in a 2021 advertising campaign that promised it could reach carbon neutrality by 2050. The judgment marks the first time France’s greenwashing law has Read More...
How PeaceCYCLE transforms Haiti’s water sachets into sustainable jobs
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM 2025 Local Changemakers Series: Compassion-driven sustainability & care for the overlooked Welcome to the first installment of The Optimist Daily's Annual Local Changemakers series. Over the next five weeks, we are highlighting ten extraordinary Read More...