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.
New laws will see Germany dim lights at night to save insects
For years, the population of insects in Germany and their diversity has declined greatly. Recognizing the vital importance of insects to the country’s ecosystem, Germany’s environment ministry has drawn up a number of new measures to protect insects, ranging from partially outlawing spotlights Read More...
It’s official: New Guinea has the highest plant diversity of any island
Scientists have explored and studied much of our terrestrial world, but there is one place that remains quite the hidden gem: New Guinea. The “paradise island” has some of the best-preserved ecosystems on the planet, including coastal mangroves, huge expanses of untouched tropical rainforest Read More...
England's first wild beavers for 400 years to keep living on River Otter
Back in February, we wrote about a group of beavers that escaped captivity back in 2013 and were found years later living along a river in Devon, England. Those beavers were originally set to be exterminated, but thanks to the popular outcry, the government agreed to a scientific trial to measure Read More...
The Optimist View: Climate Anxiety Webinar, background and resources
“You can’t really get to the solution, the focus, until you acknowledge people’s anxieties and their ambivalence.” -Dr. Renée Lertzman In January of this year, The Optimist Daily, along with our publishing partner The World Business Academy, got the chance to apply for a grant from Read More...
Vertical farms can grow fresh veggies using 90% less water
Out of the fraction of habitable land that exists in our world about 50 percent of it is used for farming. Not only is this stretch of land massive, but agriculture also uses 70 percent of our freshwater supply. Considering how resource intensive classic agriculture is to our society, one might ask Read More...
Oakland-based startup is 3D-printing homes in 24 hours
We have previously written about a nonprofit called New Story that was building the world’s first 3D-printed neighborhood for impoverished people in Mexico. Now, we present to you a startup that is taking 3D-printing to another level when it comes to homebuilding. The startup, Mighty Buildings, Read More...
Recycled cotton-based clothing is very tricky, but that’s about to change
The waste generated by the fashion and clothing industry is massive, and not just because of the items that are worn a few times before being discarded in favor of the latest trends. Recycling clothing made from cotton is tricky business, meaning pieces like jeans and shirts often become rags Read More...
Indigenous people play a key role in preserving vulnerable ecosystems
Environmentalists typically turn to rigorous scientific research to preserve ecosystems, but a recent study shows that grassroots knowledge from Indigenous people can play an equally important role in conservation efforts. The new study from Rutgers University collected more than 300 indicators Read More...
Why Apple’s low-carbon aluminum is a climate game changer
In July, Apple made a pledge to be carbon-neutral by 2030. Its a lofty target for the tech giant, but it has a novel material that it believes will help the company accomplish its goal. The new material is a “low-carbon” aluminum that it can use to make its sleek laptops. The lightweight Read More...
Each track on this album was inspired by songs of endangered birds
Back in 2015, a music album inspired by the sounds of endangered birds in South America raised more than $15,000 for two bird conservation charities in the region. Fast forward to today, and we’re once again seeing (or rather, hearing) the beautiful collaboration of music and conservation. A Read More...