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.
Scientists create first-ever map of every coral reef in the Caribbean
If we want to protect our precious coral reefs from the effects of the climate crisis, then we need to know the exact locations where protective regulations and restoration efforts should be aimed. That’s why scientists have developed the first-ever map that visualizes every single coral reef in Read More...
Jack Dorsey donates $15 million to fund more guaranteed income pilots
Back in July, we wrote about the founding of a coalition called Mayors for Guaranteed Income, which was started by Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs. The group’s purpose is to start piloting guaranteed income programs in cities as a way to support people who are struggling during the economic crisis Read More...
Animal park welcomes birth of critically endangered Sumatran orangutan
To maximize the odds of survival for the critically endangered Sumatran orangutan species, a special program was set up at the Pairi Daiza animal park in Belgium to help stimulate the birth of new Sumatran orangutans. The program works by studying the DNA of orangutans that already live in the park Read More...
This app helps people keep their communities free of litter
Clean-ups might make public spaces a little bit neater but they’re far from actually solving the problem of litter in the long-run. The Litterati app wants to change that by giving people a platform to upload information about the litter they collect outside and share it online. Now, you might Read More...
World’s first ‘reef credit’ system lets companies help save coral reefs
When companies aren’t able to slash the emissions they produce, oftentimes they’ll purchase carbon offsets to fund programs that are directly removing carbon emissions, such as reforestation projects. Funding such programs help tackle the problem of atmosphere-heating emissions, but it Read More...
New York to divest massive pension fund from fossil fuels
Environmental activists won an incredible victory this week after the state of New York announced it will divest its $226 billion pension fund from fossil fuels. New York state has the third-largest pension fund in the US, with more than $12 billion having been invested in fossil fuels. In fact, Read More...
Tweet tweet! Study finds birds are linked to happiness levels
If you find yourself happier around singing birds, you’re not alone. A new study from the German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research indicates being around greater bird biodiversity is actually linked to greater happiness levels amongst people. To come to this conclusion, the Read More...
Two new critically endangered right whale calves spotted off US coast
The North Atlantic right whale is one of the planet’s most endangered species, with only about 360 of them left in the world. That’s why the recent sightings of two calves of this elusive whale species are such good news. The first of the two calves spotted over the past week was seen swimming Read More...
This company lets you rent an eco-friendly living Christmas tree
Love the smell of fresh pine tree, but feel guilty about cutting down a Christmas tree? We have good news! If you live in California, an innovative company, The Living Christmas Co., offers customers the best of both worlds with a potted, live Christmas tree you can rent and return after the Read More...
This Buddhist temple in Myanmar offers refuge to threatened snakes
Pythons, vipers, and cobras — these are some of the main occupants being offered a safe haven at a temple sanctuary in Myanmar’s city of Yangon. The host and caretaker is Buddhist monk Wilatha, who’s trying to play a part in saving scores of snakes that might otherwise be killed or sold on Read More...