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.
Meet Luke and Joshua, the teens who saved bees in Virginia
With bee populations threatened by habitat loss, a pair of 14-year-olds in Virginia decided to take matters into their own hand with their own project to save local bumblebees. To kick off the project, the teenagers identified two existing public spaces in the town that could be used as a Read More...
Rare pink dolphin are back in Hong Kong as lockdown halts ferry traffic
From multiple successful turtle hatchings around the world to decreasing rates of rhino poaching in South Africa, coronavirus lockdowns have been a blessing to many species of wildlife. More recently, scientists have discovered that diminished human activity has also benefited the elusive pink Read More...
European investment managers unite in push for net-zero carbon economy
The European Union aims to achieve an economy with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. And as it becomes ever more prominent that reaching this target would require a tremendous collective effort, different layers of society are increasingly stepping forward to do their part. More recently, Read More...
Letters from kids inspires LEGO to phase out plastic packaging
Back in August, we wrote about LEGO’s groundbreaking braille bricks, which were designed to help people who are blind or visually impaired become familiar with the braille alphabet. Today, we have more good news from LEGO. The Danish toymaker announced plans to ditch plastic packaging for its Read More...
This startup wants to stop hurricanes in their tracks. Is it possible?
It seems like an outlandish idea, but a Norwegian startup called OceanTherm believes it can prevent catastrophes by stopping hurricanes as they develop. Hurricanes are more violent than ever, and a big part of that is rising ocean temperatures: just a one-degree rise in surface temperature can Read More...
Scientists discover 30 new species of deep sea marine life in the Galapagos
The charted world of ocean life has gotten slightly bigger as marine scientists have recently discovered 30 new species of invertebrates deep beneath the ocean’s surface surrounding the rocky Galapagos Islands off of the coast of Ecuador. An international team of marine scientists from the Read More...
Scientists say mealworms could serve as alternative source of protein
Population booms in developing countries have led to a shortage of protein sources. For that reason, scientists from Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) have proposed yellow mealworms as an alternative protein source for animals and, possibly, humans. In the new study, Read More...
After Cop26 delay, youth activists will hold their own climate talks
Vital negotiations to fulfill the Paris climate agreement were supposed to take place at the UN’S Cop26 in November, but the coronavirus has delayed the climate talks. Activists and participants are not impressed by the lack of progress, especially considering the urgent action needed to limit Read More...
This startup is planting on the seafloor to offset carbon emissions
We recently wrote a story about how kelp forests can protect our coastlines from the pressures of a changing climate. An aquaculture startup, Running Tide, is using those carbon-sucking seaweed powers to sequester carbon off the coast of Maine while raising sustainable shellfish. Planting on Read More...
The case for converting some farmland to bee habitat
Although farmers know that bees are essential pollinators for many crops, they usually don’t dedicate parts of their valuable planting space to create a habitat just for bees. But according to new research, farmers should really consider sharing their land with these pollinating insects. In Read More...