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.
Indonesians celebrate new year by clearing 30 tons of plastic off a beach
During the monsoon season each year, large amounts of trash and debris wash up onto Bali’s Kuta Beach. The litter is a serious issue and draws attention to our mounting single-use plastic crisis, but the community’s response to the trash is also inspiring. This year, locals got together for Read More...
Buddhist children’s books are inspiring young environmentalists in Taiwan
Since the 1990s, Taiwan has worked on an ambitious environmental preservation plan, including instituting a highly effective recycling system that repurposes 20 percent more waste than the US. The country has embraced education, especially at the elementary school level, as a key component to Read More...
These giant crabs could help protect coral reefs in the Caribbean
In addition to climate change-induced bleaching, Caribbean coral reefs are also plighted by seaweed overgrowth, which covers up the corals, shading them from light and preventing young corals from growing. As scientists are looking for ways to save these lush ecosystems, a team of researchers from Read More...
Boston to become home to one of the world’s greenest office buildings
As it becomes increasingly crucial to integrate sustainability into our built environment, it’s a pleasure to see a growing number of urban development projects doing exactly that. One of the latest of such projects is set to rise in Boston’s Financial District. Called the Winthrop Center, the Read More...
How to cook using your old Christmas tree
The early days of January are the time of year where we start seeing old Christmas trees lying on the side of the road, but if you have yet to toss out your old tree, Julia Georgallis has a recommendation for you: try eating it! In her new book titled How to Eat Your Christmas Tree, Georgallis Read More...
IKEA’s new tiny home aims to make the housing industry more eco-friendly
In the US, the housing industry is responsible for five percent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, electricity excluded. One way that the sector could reduce its environmental impact is by encouraging people to adopt smaller, more sustainable homes — a movement that has gained Read More...
New technique turns carbon dioxide into jet fuel
As the aviation industry seeks to shrink its environmental footprint, a new development from Oxford University may just help airline companies reach their carbon-reduction goals. The new technology involves an experimental process that can turn carbon dioxide into jet fuel. If successful, it could Read More...
5 New Year’s resolutions for aspiring gardeners
There’s hardly an activity as healthy and rewarding as gardening. Not only does gardening allow you to grow your own food and beautify your yard, it also helps you slow down, live a simpler life, and exercise. If you’re someone who enjoys setting New Year’s resolutions, consider adding Read More...
Wetlands restoration is one of our best tools for reducing water pollution
Wetlands play a vital role in ecosystems, specifically when it comes to water purification. A new study from the University of Waterloo and the University of Illinois took a deeper look at just how influential targeted wetland restoration could be for improving water quality. When analyzing Read More...
Fire and rain leads to rare bloom of Christmas bell flowers in Australia
The Australian bushfires devastated large swaths of nature in Australia, but from those charred lands something beautiful has risen: plains full of bright-colored Christmas bell flowers. These stunning red and yellow flowers used to grow in abundance in the Lake Innes Nature Reserve in northern Read More...