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.
Ban on straws, stirrers, and cotton buds comes into effect in England
A ban on single-use plastic straws, stirrers, and cotton buds was supposed to come into effect in England this past April, but that ban was put on delay during the coronavirus pandemic. Now, months later, the ban has come into force. Each year, people in England use an estimated 4.7 billion Read More...
London has seen significant drops in air pollution over the past four years
When Sadiq Kahn was elected mayor of London in 2016, more than 2 million people in the capital were living in areas with illegal levels of air pollution. Three years later, that number fell to 119,000, all thanks to a number of ambitious policies enacted by the mayor, aiming to improve air quality Read More...
Mayors from 12 major cities commit to divesting from fossil fuels
Investing in green initiatives could accelerate an economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, but if the federal government isn’t willing to divest from fossil fuels, then it’s up to local governments to do so. Recently, mayors of 12 major cities signed C40’s “Divesting from Fossil Read More...
Critically endangered skate successfully hatches at aquarium in Scotland
A critically endangered flapper skate, also known as the common skate, has been successfully cared for and hatched in an aquarium in Scotland, in what is thought to be a world-first for the species. The skate egg, which has been looked after by researchers at the Scottish Association for Marine Read More...
Humpback whales in Alaska are enjoying the cruise ship-free waters
Alaska is usually overwhelmed with cruise ships and tourists in the summertime, but not this year. Tourism has come to a grinding halt due to the pandemic, and while it has been a disaster for the local economy, the state’s humpback whales seem to be enjoying the calm waters. Dr. Michelle Read More...
Sand coated in soybean oil is a green substitute for plastic mulch
Mulch is used to help the soil retain its moisture. We tend to think of mulch as something organic made from materials such as bark chips or dead leaves, but the reality is mulch can take the form of plastic. In fact, many farmers use a plastic form of mulch to keep the soil moist. This involves Read More...
Tartu transformed its main street into a pedestrian paradise
From Oakland and Seattle to Bogota and York, cities around the world have been showcasing the community-building benefits that come with removing cars from the streets. In another display of car-free living, the Estonian city of Tartu transformed its main street into a pedestrian-friendly paradise Read More...
Yes! Fat Bear Week is back again
2019 marked the first time The Optimist Daily became familiar with the furry phenomenon that is Fat Bear Week. If you aren’t familiar with Fat Bear Week, let us enlighten you: it’s a whole week dedicated to the brown bears of Katmai National Park in Alaska, who have been eating nonstop before Read More...
A step-by-step guide for repotting your houseplants
During the lockdown, you took the opportunity to spruce up your living space with a new houseplant. You tended to it, gave it care, and over time it’s grown quite big. But there comes a point when your plant becomes too big for its own pot, and if you leave it in there too long, it will suffer. Read More...
This project in South Africa is seeing cheetah populations recover
While cheetah populations have been struggling worldwide for decades, there is one country that is seeing significant cheetah population growth: South Africa. The country is home to around 1,300 of the world's roughly 7,100 remaining cheetahs and is witnessing population growth thanks largely to Read More...