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.
Tiny sponge converts dirty cooking oil into biodiesel
Scientists in Australia have developed an incredible sponge-like material that can convert discarded cooking oil and other waste materials into biodiesel. The sponge, which is being described as the first of its kind, is micron-sized and highly porous. When molecules are fed into the sponge, they Read More...
Japan, the world’s third largest economy, vows to go carbon-neutral by 2050
As extreme weather events associated with climate change are becoming more common all over the world, we’ve recently seen an increasing number of economies pledge to do their part in solving this urgent global challenge. The most recent commitment of the like comes from Japan, the world’s Read More...
These sunglasses are made of plastic waste from the Ocean Cleanup project
The promise of the Ocean Cleanup project was that it would not only help clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, but also recycle the plastic so it doesn’t become waste again. Now, one year after collecting its first load of plastic waste, the nonprofit unveiled its first ocean plastic product: Read More...
Conservation win: South Carolina bans commercial trade of native turtles
Following increasing pressure from wildlife conservation groups, the state of South Carolina has finally passed legislation banning the commercial trade of native turtles, along with amphibians and other reptiles. Signed by the state’s governor Henry McMaster, the new bill makes it illegal to Read More...
Electric cars should be as cheap to produce as regular models by 2024
A key factor that is limiting the adoption of electric vehicles is that they are simply more expensive than their gas-powered counterparts. For instance, a new Volkswagen Golf will cost you about $26,000, whereas the automaker’s first mass-market electric car will cost you at least $39,000. The Read More...
A giant wildlife bridge will help LA’s mountain lions cross over the 101
One of the biggest ecological problems with freeway systems is that they dissect through natural lands and cut off animals from their native habitats. Such is the case just north of Los Angeles in Agoura Hills where the US 101 freeway cuts right through the native habitat of mountain lions and Read More...
7 clever ways to give your old egg cartons new life
While it’s possible to recycle old egg cartons, there are many ways you can repurpose cartons in order to give them a second life before being recycled. With that in mind, here are 7 simple ways to reuse egg cartons. Starting seeds Cardboard egg cartons have perfectly sized compartments for Read More...
New map pinpoints where the world’s methane emissions are coming from
We all know that methane emissions are a significant driver of climate change, but pinpointing where exactly these emissions are coming from is a much more complex task. Fortunately, a new resource from GHGSat is putting methane emitters on the map. Quite literally. The organization’s Read More...
Uber set to invest millions in EV charging points in London
Uber wants its drivers to switch to electric cars. To persuade drivers in London, the ride-sharing giant has pledged to invest more than £5 million ($6.5 million) in public electric vehicle charging infrastructure. “Drivers consistently tell us that having reliable, accessible charging near Read More...
The planet's least loved vehicle, The Hummer, is back as an EV
The Hummer was once the poster boy of wasteful, resource-intensive transportation. With its clunky size and low gas mileage, the Hummer had a reputation of being one of the least environmentally-friendly vehicles on the market, which is part of the reason they went out of production a decade Read More...