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.
Colorado votes to reintroduce wolves to the state
While most of America was paying attention to the messy madness surrounding the presidential elections, environmentalists in Colorado were quietly celebrating a little victory: the passing of Proposition 114, which tasks Colorado Parks and Wildlife with crafting a plan to reintroduce wolves to the Read More...
The world’s biggest insect factory farm is under construction in France
In a bid to lower the carbon footprint of the agricultural sector, a French insect farming startup by the name of Ÿnsect is building the world’s largest insect farm in Amiens, a small city north of Paris. As reported by TechCrunch, the facility will focus on raising mealworm beetles — Read More...
Volunteers rescue at least 120 beached whales in Sri Lanka
A disaster was in the making on Monday when at least 120 short-finned pilot whales came ashore in Sri Lanka and wound up being stranded. It was the biggest mass stranding in the country’s history, but fortunately, Sri Lanka’s navy and local volunteers were able to save all but four of the pilot Read More...
This company lets you devote a section of your backyard to honeybees
In 2019, beekeepers in the US have lost 37 percent of their honeybee colonies, a disconcerting phenomenon that’s part of a broader global decline in pollinator populations. One way that people can help restore these populations is by practicing beekeeping. But as enticing as it may sound, Read More...
To stop biodiversity loss, we must return half of the planet to nature
This will be a hard pill for nature lovers to swallow, but a recent report from the United Nations revealed that the Earth has lost 68 percent of species since 1970. This a huge problem for both wildlife and humans. Without a diverse range of animals and the lands they inhabit, humanity is poised Read More...
First herd of bison released in Wolakota Buffalo Range conservation project
South Dakota celebrated a conservation milestone this past weekend as a herd of 100 bison was released onto the land of the Sicangu Oyate, also known as the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. The herd’s release is the beginning of a 5-year initiative to establish North America’s Read More...
Construction project completes the world’s first 3D printed two-story home
Considered one of the largest sources of environmental pollution in the world, it’s no secret that the construction industry is in need of a green revamp. One way the sector could shift towards more sustainable practices is by integrating 3D printing technology within its modus operandi. A recent Read More...
First drone flies over the North Pole in the name of climate science
Drones have been flown into volcanoes, wildfires, and the Amazon in the name of science, but until this year, nobody had successfully flown a drone over the North Pole. That changed this fall when Roberta Pirazzini and Henna-Reetta Hannula piloted a drone over the Arctic’s northernmost region to Read More...
Optimist View: A paw-sitive pastime in the strangest year ever
During the pandemic, some members of our team ambitiously started home gardens and experimented with virtual dance classes. Others fervently baked sourdough bread and some even adopted new furry friends to keep them company. One of our Emissaries also brought some new four-legged friends into Read More...
Small village in Scotland secures massive land buyout to create nature reserve
A small community in the south of Scotland has succeeded in buying a large part of one of Scotland’s most famous grouse moors owned by one of the UK’s most powerful hereditary landowners. The successful initiative will pave the way for the creation of a major new nature reserve aimed at Read More...