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.
The grieving orca Tahlequah has given birth to a healthy calf!
At the end of July, we shared the news that Tahlequah, the grieving orca, was pregnant once more. Now, thanks to satellite images, we know she has successfully given birth to a health calf. The southern resident killer whale first came into the news back in 2018 when she carried her dead calf for Read More...
Conservationists bring turtle species back from the brink of extinction
Though naturally endowed with a heartwarming smile on their faces, the fate of the Burmese roofed turtles has been far from uplifting. Only 20 years ago, the giant Asian river turtle, characterized by its bug-eyed, smiling face, was thought to be extinct by conservationists, following decades of Read More...
California bill allows formerly incarcerated people to become firefighters
As wildfires continue to burn across the western United States, many have raised concerns about the exploitation of incarcerated individuals used to combat the blazes. Now, California has passed a bill that will allow formerly incarcerated individuals to pursue a career in firefighting after Read More...
‘World’s loneliest elephant’ set to leave zoo for a better home
In 2012, an elephant by the name of Kaavan lost his partner at the Marghazar zoo in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad. Ever since then, Kaavan has been without any elephant friends, languishing within a zoo that has been ordered to be closed because of abysmal conditions. Kaavan’s sad story Read More...
Futuristic city is designed with an eye for sustainability and resilience
If you’re curious about what green urban planning may look like in the future, Barcelona-based architecture firm Guallart Architects has recently unveiled a neighborhood design for a new city in China, called Xiong’an New Area, that’s expected to serve as a model of sustainability - powered Read More...
This eucalyptus-based hoodie can be composted in your garden
Just over a year ago, we wrote about Vollebak, a Dutch clothing startup making T-shirts that you can bury in your backyard once you’re through with them. That’s because the shirts are made entirely out of wood pulp and algae, which breaks down in soil and becomes “worm food” within months. Read More...
SeaClear project takes ocean clean-ups to the underwater level
While ocean clean-ups by themselves are not a solution to the pressing environmental crisis of plastic pollution, they are still essential if we are to reduce the problem’s already overwhelming impact on ocean health. But to do that effectively we need to collect not only the garbage that’s Read More...
Critically endangered wildcat kittens born at wildlife park in Scotland
A wildlife park in Scotland has recently welcomed four critically endangered wildcat kittens into the world, giving new hope to the species, which is one of Europe's most elusive and endangered mammals. Visitors at the Highland Wildlife Park can now have the opportunity to see the four playful Read More...
African elephant trails can help shape better conservation plans
When African elephants travel from one destination to another, they typically create highly complex routes on their way, shaping the landscape and thus the fabric and way of life of many local communities. Understanding how these massive creatures affect the dynamics of local life may lead the way Read More...
Architecture student creates sustainable alternative greenhouse
Traditional greenhouses use plastic polythene sheeting to create a nurturing environment for plants, but this may soon change. An innovative architecture student has found a greener alternative. Eliza Hague, a University of Westminster Master of Architecture student, has designed an Read More...