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 hyperlocal zoning reform could create more affordable housing
Housing costs in many US cities have risen beyond reach for millions of Americans, and evidence suggests that zoning restrictions on how much housing you can build on a plot of land are largely to blame. That’s why urbanists were thrilled when California’s capital of Sacramento voted to change Read More...
Meet the Native American tribes working to restore beaver populations
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Known as “nature’s engineers,” beavers are a critical component of many aquatic ecosystems, but unfortunately, they are often seen as a nuisance and their numbers have been declining due to habitat destruction. One group working to save these creatures Read More...
The path to making zero-carbon travel is accessible to all
The increasing acceptance of electric vehicles is motivating office garages, retail outlet parking lots, highway corridors, and residential complexes across the US to install more EV charging stations. That said, the installation of EV charging infrastructure is happening more prominently in Read More...
This adorable ferret is the first endangered species ever cloned in the US
In an amazing feat for conservation efforts, researchers have successfully cloned a highly endangered ferret species using the cells of an animal that died more than three decades ago. Meet Elizabeth Ann, the black-footed ferret clone that marks the first time any native endangered species has Read More...
Zero Grocery lets you shop waste-free without leaving your home
Zero waste stores make it easier to green up your grocery routine, but if you don’t live near one, it can be difficult to navigate packaging-free shopping. This is why Zuleyka Strasner created Zero Grocery, the US’s first plastic-free online grocery. Founded in 2018, the store aims to make Read More...
Volunteers in New Zealand rescue stranded pilot whales in two-day effort
A pod of 49 long-finned pilot whales was found stranded on a remote beach on the South Island of New Zealand on Monday, prompting wildlife rangers to initiate a mission to keep the whales alive and in deep waters. With the rangers joined by local residents and a whale rescue group, a total of 150 Read More...
Green routine: Try these 5 sustainable toilet paper brands
Did you know it takes 37 gallons of water to make a single roll of toilet paper? There’s a reason why many other countries rely on bidets for bathroom hygiene. While Americans may scoff at the idea, we must admit our bathroom routines could use a sustainable upgrade. If you’re not ready to Read More...
Triumph the koala can now run freely after dentist designs prosthetic foot
When a veterinarian nurse in New South Wales found a baby koala in 2017, the animal only had three feet, hampering it from walking and climbing freely. But recently, the male koala, named Triumph, has been climbing and running happily thanks to a prosthetic made by a neighborhood dentist. Marley Read More...
Facebook to add new labels to posts about climate change
Facebook has come under a firestorm of criticism in recent years for its failure to clamp down on misleading information, especially when it comes to the subject of climate change. In response, Facebook has announced that it will start labeling posts about climate change with a banner that will Read More...
Indonesia provides a roadmap for halting deforestation
Deforestation continues to be one of the biggest environmental crises facing our world but looking at countries with effective deforestation mitigation policies can help us map out what saving the earth’s forests looks like on a global scale. One country that serves as a case study for turning Read More...