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 Optimist View: Renting is rewarding with Rhove
“There’s no problem that I think is worth solving more than this one at this moment in our country and the concept is really that every renter should be an owner and it should be as easy as the click of a button.” - Calvin Cooper 20 years ago, buying a first home was a benchmark moment for Read More...
Back from near extinction: California Condors spotted in Sequoia National Park
California condors are some of the world's most critically endangered species, but in good news for conservation efforts, rangers have spotted the birds in Sequoia National Park for the first time in 50 years. Condors used to live across all of North America, but hunting and pesticide use Read More...
Federal court decision protects grizzly bears in Yellowstone
In good news for grizzly bears and conservationists, a federal court has upheld a reversal of a policy that would eliminate protections for grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National Park. The reversed policy would have removed grizzly bears from the list of threatened species and opened Read More...
How spreading rock dust on farmland could remove massive amounts of CO2
Researchers are clear that cutting the fossil fuel burning that releases carbon dioxide is the most important action needed to tackle the climate emergency. But climate scientists also agree that, in addition, massive amounts of CO2 need to be removed from the air to meet the Paris Agreement goals Read More...
E-waste: The ultimate guide to buying tech that actually lasts
Isn’t it strange that when we buy highly advanced gadgets like a smartphone, we only expect them to last a couple of years? At some point, we feel that we must upgrade. We must have the latest and greatest camera. We must-have apps that run faster. But here’s the thing: This is all the doing Read More...
New photos of world’s rarest great apes with babies raises hopes
The Cross River gorilla is the most endangered subspecies of gorilla, with only 300 of them known to live in the wild. But the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has raised hopes that these animals at risk of extinction are actually reproducing after many photos of the rare gorillas were captured Read More...
Birdseed is expensive. Grow it yourself with these beautiful flowers
There is a certain joy to seeing birds grace your garden and eat from the bird feeder. With that said, have you seen the price of birdseed lately? It’s expensive. In one city in the Southeast, a 50-pound bag of black oil sunflower seed costs $64.99. Fortunately, there’s a much more Read More...
Germany passes bill to phase out coal energy
Germany remains one of the most coal-reliant countries in Western Europe, but that’s all set to change after a new bill was passed in the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament. The bill sets the conditions under which Germany will abandon coal as a power source in order to meet climate Read More...
Victory! Activist groups succeed in shutting 3 major oil pipelines
The cancellation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, Dakota Access Pipeline, and Keystone XL Pipeline not only represents a major victory for the environment, but also for grassroots groups which spearheaded the opposition movement. Shutting down these pipelines demonstrates the effectiveness of Read More...
12 steps for cultivating backyard permaculture
Have you always wanted to have your own garden but thought you didn’t have enough room? Think again. With permaculture, you can have sustainability and self-reliance by creating managed ecosystems in your yard, no matter how small. In this story shared with us by an Optimist Daily Emissary, Read More...