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.
Which toilet paper is the most eco-friendly? Bamboo vs. Recycled
Here at The Optimist Daily, we have already discussed the negative environmental impact of destroying forests to produce single-use paper products like toilet paper. For years now, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has been urging consumers to switch to more sustainable alternatives to Read More...
Philadelphia will dim its lights to help save migrating birds
Most migratory birds in North America use the night sky to navigate their way between north and south every year. However, as they pass over big cities, they can get disoriented by bright artificial lights and skyglow, often causing them to collide with buildings or other outdoor structures. This Read More...
Santa Catalina Island is using “underwater Roombas” to clean up toxic waste
Residents and vacationers who frequent Santa Catalina Island were shocked to learn from a recent Los Angeles Times investigation that their shores were contaminated with poison from the nation’s largest DDT manufacturer who had dumped barrels of the chemical along the coast for almost 40 years. Read More...
Indulge guilt-free with these 5 ethical and eco-friendly chocolate brands
We are big fans of chocolate here at The Optimist Daily and have written extensively in the past about its many health benefits, from keeping you mentally sharp to lowering your risk of heart failure. But if we are going to indulge in this delicious treat, it’s important to be aware of how Read More...
This skyscraper in Taipei features a carbon-absorbing vertical forest
According to the World Green Building Council, our built environment is responsible for almost 40 percent of the world’s carbon footprint. Facing a dire need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, architects and urban planners must ensure that our future buildings have the smallest negative Read More...
LEGO is ditching plastic bags to reach its sustainability goals
LEGO has been a building block of many happy childhood memories since the 1930s, but as the world reforms its views on sustainability and works toward a more eco-friendly future, LEGO is shifting its operations to meet new environmental expectations. LEGO’s signature building blocks rely on Read More...
UK joins the EU in passing “right to repair” mandates for appliances
Right to repair has been a hot topic lately as France and the broader EU implement sustainable policies to make fixing old electronics more feasible. Starting this summer, consumers in the UK can feel more confident in their appliance purchases as well as a new law mandates that producers make Read More...
GM’s new Li-metal batteries nearly double the capacity of lithium-ion cells
Back in January 2021, General Motors (GM) announced that it will only produce electric vehicles by 2035. If such an announcement from America’s biggest automaker wasn’t encouraging enough for the transition to electric vehicles in the US, GM has followed it up with another big announcement Read More...
Architects in Scotland plan to transform former coal mine into eco-resort
With the green energy revolution making headway and the end of coal coming into view, it seems that we’ll soon be left with many out-of-use coal mines in need of a new purpose. Providing an idea of what we could do with these barren pits, architecture firm Scott Brownrigg has put forward its Read More...
Green sidewalk barriers could help protect pedestrians from air pollution
Reducing air pollution from vehicle exhaust is key, especially when it comes to pedestrians. A new study suggests that redirecting that exhaust away from pedestrians could be one way to prevent them from being exposed to these noxious types of gases. While air pollution associated with Read More...