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.
Dr. Jane Goodall on Hopes For The Future Of The Planet
2020 has been in some ways a grand study on humankind's impact on the natural world. As countries, business, and transportation networks were forced to come to a halt, we saw species rebound, air get cleaner, and people reconnect with the value of the natural world. Looking forward, we can take Read More...
Motion sensor uses AI to recognize when wildlife is running from poachers
Scientists at the University of Twente in the Netherlands are mixing motion sensors with machine learning to create a powerful tool that could help combat wildlife poaching. Motion sensors have already given conservationists the ability to track the whereabouts of endangered animals, but this new Read More...
Only in Japan: These transparent public toilets turn opaque when in use
Japan is quite famous for its elaborate toilets, which can exhibit features such as bidet washing, drying, seat warming, and even deodorization. Now Japan is adding to its reputation for unique toilets after installing public toilet cubicles around Tokyo that are transparent. What? Transparent Read More...
Smart urban design is the best defense we have against future pandemics
Throughout history, disease outbreaks have forced new innovations in urban design: Fighting cholera epidemics in the 1800s, for example, necessitated the building of new plumbing and sewer systems and the devising of new zoning laws to prevent overcrowding. As the new coronavirus lays bare the need Read More...
20 years on, the world’s biggest trash dump is now a green oasis
In its heyday, the Fresh Kills trash dump on Staten Island was one of the world’s great eyesores. Imagine New York’s Central Park with trash mounds 20 stories high. Now imagine that times three. That’s how bad it was. By the late 1970s, an estimated 28,000 tons of trash arrived at Fresh Read More...
This is how Oslo cut pedestrian and cyclist deaths to zero
In an effort to make the city center free of cars, over the last few years, Norway’s capital of Oslo has been busy replacing nearly all street-side parking spots with bike lanes and sidewalks. The result? Last year, the city recorded zero pedestrian or cyclist deaths, bringing the capital in line Read More...
How car-free streets unite communities: A firsthand account from Oakland
The Optimist Daily has never been shy to support urban planning that favors pedestrians over motorists. Not only does it make the streets safer, but it can also clean up the air in a city dramatically. But beyond all this, perhaps the biggest benefit of clearing the streets of cars is that it turns Read More...
Nivea is testing a refill station in Germany that aims to reduce plastic waste
One of the most effective ways to close the tap on plastic pollution is to reduce the material’s production in the first place. Reusable packaging plays a key role here since it allows for a product to be consumed over and over again without the need for unnecessary single-use plastic. To Read More...
These colorful dome houses were built to help empower the local community
Reimagining the way we give rise to our built environment is key to reducing its heavy environmental footprint. A compelling architectural project in Iran shines light on how this can be achieved by engaging local communities as well as using simple materials that have been around for Read More...
Princeton study shows how the US can achieve carbon neutrality by 2050
If you’re feeling hopeless about whether the US will manage to reverse its environmental footprint in time to prevent catastrophic climate change, a new optimistic report from Princeton University is here to reassure you. Coming from researchers at Princeton University, the recently published Read More...