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.
‘Million-mile’ EV batteries are near. The impact could be massive.
Electric vehicles (EVs) have a clear environmental advantage over their gas-guzzling counterparts, but when it comes to longevity, the two are in dead heat. Two hundred thousand miles is considered a good, long run for a car built today, regardless of whether it’s powered by a lithium battery Read More...
"Anthropause": 2020 has been a great year for conservation on our roadways
Among its disastrous effects on human populations, the pandemic has offered some reprieve for the environment. We discussed how quieter cities contributed to thriving bear populations in Yosemite and blue whale gatherings off the coast of San Francisco. Although not as glamorous as other areas of Read More...
Throwing food waste in the trash is now illegal in Vermont
Vermont has long been praised as one of the greenest states in the US, and rightfully so. In 2019, the Green Mountain State passed into law the most comprehensive ban on single-use plastics in the US, setting a commendable standard for other states to follow. In 2020 a bid to further their Read More...
Scientists team up with trained dolphins to create data-collecting drone
Over the last decades, whale and dolphin populations around the world have dwindled significantly as a result of human activities. And while conservationists are working hard to help these animals recover, collecting data about their health in a non-invasive way can be extremely difficult. To Read More...
Why this startup is giving renters a financial stake in their apartments
When someone rents an apartment in a new complex in Columbus, Ohio, they can now also get a financial stake in the building. The property is the first to partner with Rhove, a startup that wants to help shrink the wealth gap between renters and homeowners by offering “rentership,” an asset Read More...
Pandora aims to reach 100% recycled silver and gold by 2025
Jewelry giant Pandora has big ambitions: by 2025, the world’s largest jewelry brand by volume, will use 100 percent recycled silver and gold in its products. As it stands, 71 percent of the silver and gold in Pandora jewelry comes from recycled sources. And the company sells a lot of Read More...
Kelp forests are the silent coastal community protectors we need
Coral reef degradation has been a central topic in discussions about the immediate effects of a warming climate, but another coastal ecosystem is also feeling the pressures of warming waters. Kelp forests are integral to coastal health but have been declining dramatically in recent years. In areas Read More...
How Guinness is repurposing their beer into fertilizer and biogas
When bars and restaurants across Ireland closed to stop the spread of the pandemic, thousands of kegs of Guinness beer went unconsumed. Fortunately, the company began a reclamation initiative to put the beer to a helpful and unusual use: tree fertilizer. Guinness is apparently great for Read More...
The Optimist View: How consumers, companies, and our furry companions scored a win
"Cruelty-free is becoming the standard. Not just in California, in general." - Katie Mukai BY LAUREN GOODMAN A couple of weeks ago, you may have seen an Optimist Daily story in your inbox about a proposed California bill that would ban the use of twelve ingredients in cosmetics. This Toxic-Free Read More...
Join millions of others in going single-use plastic-free this July
Up for a challenge that does the world some good? Please welcome Plastic Free July! A global movement where millions around the world say no to single-use plastic for an entire month. Looking to contribute to a cleaner and healthier planet, millions of people across 177 countries have kicked Read More...