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.
Hungary becomes the latest country to ban mink and fox fur farming
In November, we published a story about the permanent closing of the world’s biggest auction house for real animal fur. Today, we have more bad news for the fur trading industry (and good news for animals) after the country of Hungary placed a new ban on fur farming. Under the ban, the farming Read More...
Patagonia is now selling used clothing right beside the new stuff
Outdoor clothing brand Patagonia has long promoted the idea of purchasing secondhand clothing whenever you can. Through the company’s Worn Wear program, customers have been able to shop for used items or sell their old goods for cash on a separate website from patagonia.com. This past Black Read More...
English moorland sees first beaver dam after more than 400 years
A beaver reintroduction project in Exmoor, West England, has recently bore its first fruits: a group of beavers that were introduced not long ago have built the first dam in the area in more than 400 years. The semi-aquatic rodents were released into the wild in Somerset earlier this year as part Read More...
AI is helping beachgoers and sharks live in harmony on the CA coast
Warmer waters off the California coast are encouraging more great white sharks to visit the shores, leaving marine biologists scrambling to understand the shifting behavior and protect both sharks and beachgoers. To help solve the dilemma, Douglas J. McCauley, marine biology professor and Read More...
AI mapping tool shows cities exactly where they need to plant more trees
From boosting air quality to providing shade, there are many benefits that come with planting trees in urban neighborhoods. The only problem is that in many cities, trees are not equitably distributed amongst neighborhoods. To help ensure a more equal spread of the greens in cities, Google has Read More...
Novel pesticide-detecting technique can help save bee colonies
Pesticides known as pyrethroids are among the main culprits behind colony collapse disorder — a phenomenon that occurs when most worker bees in a colony disappear, leaving behind just the queen and a few other bees. Detecting whether honeybees have been exposed to such types of pesticides is key Read More...
NASA: Nitrogen dioxide levels dropped 20% since the pandemic began
Human activity strayed far from the norm this year as the coronavirus pandemic forced many countries to effectively shut down. Now, many months after the first countries went into lockdown, scientists from NASA have gaged just how much pollution levels have dropped due to Covid-related declines in Read More...
Why community gardens are perfect for cultivating health in your neighborhood
A community garden does much more than just grow local fruits and vegetables. It also activates a public space where members of the community can gather and form meaningful relationships that contribute to a better life. Whether you want to create a community garden or join, here are a few benefits Read More...
Students vote to ban lamb and beef from Oxford dining halls
Oxford University has always prided itself on being an educational leader in the UK, but its students have felt that the school “has shown a lack of leadership” when it comes to “addressing climate change.” Taking matters into their own hands, Oxford’s student union just passed a motion Read More...
Animals in Utah find safe passage on wildlife overpass
Last month, we wrote about an animal crossing bridge in Los Angeles that will soon be built to help wildlife such as mountain lions safely cross over the US 101 freeway, which cuts through their habitat. Although we won't get to see the finished product until 2021, we can get a sense of how it will Read More...