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.
Why climate change lawsuits could benefit from COVID-19 court battles
Courts have on occasion enabled massive changes in the societal structure before politicians were ready to, including school desegregation in Brown v. Board of Education and the more recent ruling on marriage equality. Moreover, judicial decisions have strength: Once the legal precedent is Read More...
Scientists create tiny camera backpack to show how beetles see the world
Have you ever wondered how bugs view the world? Well, now that’s possible after researchers from the University of Washington created the “GoPro for beetles,” a robotic backpack equipped with a tiny camera that can be put onto beetles to capture their bug’s-eye view. On top of the Read More...
Burger King will feed its cows a new diet to cut methane emissions
Fast food chains may have embraced plant-based meat patties, but that doesn’t mean they’ve stopped serving up beef patties. The good news (relatively so) is that Burger King will soon start feeding its cows a new diet that can reportedly cut methane emissions by as much as a third. If it proves Read More...
Why the removal of this dam is a big win for local tribes and wildlife
For decades, Native American tribes as well as environmentalists have pushed to remove a dam in Washington that sits on the Middle Fork Nooksack River. This week, construction crews finally descended upon the dam to carefully detonate explosives that will break open the dam. The animals nearby may Read More...
Japan’s new bullet train will keep running even during a natural disaster
Japan has long been ahead of the game when it comes to trains. The country’s bullet trains not only hit speeds of over 200MPH with ease, but they’re also notoriously punctual. Its latest train model, however, is taking Japanese transportation to new heights. The new train is called the N700S, Read More...
These 15 states will join California in electrifying all buses and trucks
Fifteen states and Washington, DC have announced that they will follow California’s lead in switching all heavy-duty trucks, vans, and buses over to running on electricity, in what could be one of the most significant efforts to reduce harmful diesel engine pollution in the United States. It Read More...
Tapir dung is the Amazon’s natural reforestation tool
Reforestation in the Brazilian Amazon is no easy task. Logging, slash and burn agriculture, and wildfires have left areas decimated, but lowland tapirs, a trunk-nosed piglike native species, could hold the key to bringing these areas back to life in their excrement. Tapirs eat more than 300 Read More...
Every $1 invested in the ocean generates $5 of benefits for the planet
Investing money towards protecting our oceans isn’t just about saving this precious source of biodiversity. According to a new report, every $1 invested in key ocean actions can generate $5 in economic, health, and environmental benefits. The report comes from the World Resources Institute, Read More...
This instant ramen packaging dissolves into spices and sauces
If you’ve ever made yourself instant ramen, you’ll know the process involves putting dry noodles in a bowl, dispersing the flavored contents of a plastic sachet into the bowl, and adding hot water. It’s simple, but the problem is the sachets aren’t recyclable and are one of the biggest Read More...
Indians recently planted 250 million trees—while socially distancing
India is committed to keeping a third of its total land area under forest and tree cover. In recent years the country has mobilized millions of people to plant tree saplings across the country, and plans were in place to do the same in the state of Uttar Pradesh on July 5th. The mass-planting Read More...