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.
Population of endangered leopard species rebounds in China
As a result of poaching and increasing loss of habitat, leopard populations have experienced a global decline in recent years. But that’s not the case for the big cats in the Loess Plateau, northern China, where numbers of the North Chinese leopard subspecies have increased, according to recent Read More...
10 tasty alternatives to deli meats for your sandwiches
When you need to whip up a last-minute lunch for your kids, deli meats can seem like a savior. Just slap a slice of ham on bread, add some cheese, mustard, and lettuce, and you’re good to go. But for all the convenience that comes with deli meats, there are downsides for the health of your child Read More...
Marine scientists discover coral reef taller than the Empire State Building
The charted world of the undersea has just gotten a bit richer in color, thanks to marine scientists in Australia who have recently discovered a detached coral reef more than 500 meters high at the Great Barrier Reef. The “blade-like” vertical reef, which is taller than the Empire State Read More...
In pandemic silence, scientists can finally hear endangered dolphins
Previous recordings of Burrunan dolphin communication were broken up with the noise of passing boats traveling across the dolphins’ Gippsland Lakes habitat. During pandemic lockdowns, however, scientists were able to record the uninterrupted sounds of the endangered dolphins for the very first Read More...
Why developers should ditch gas and build all-electric homes
The residential construction sector is booming during the coronavirus pandemic as more Americans dream of having a bit more space. As developers build new homes, a recent report from a clean energy think tank illustrates how developers can keep energy costs and climate impacts down in these new Read More...
6 tips to keep your houseplants thriving during the colder months
The summer has passed and you’ve kept your houseplants alive during the hottest months of the year. Bravo! Now we’re entering the darker, colder half of the year, which means you need a new strategy for keeping your lovely houseplants in tip-top shape. With that in mind, here are six tips Read More...
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...