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.
Origami-style water bottle can fold to fit in your pocket
If you push down on certain points on the new reusable water bottle called the Origami Bottle, the container collapses, folding up so it can easily fit in your bag or even squeeze inside your pocket. The design makes use of a unique geometrical structure that’s sturdy when unfolded—and holds Read More...
Blue whales gather in record numbers off San Francisco coast
Blue whales, the largest animals on Earth, like to gather off the coast of San Francisco to feed on krill in the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Right now, they are showing up in potentially record-breaking numbers. Just 30 miles offshore from San Francisco, 47 endangered blue Read More...
Ford commits to carbon neutrality by 2050
Ford is the latest company to announce a plan for achieving carbon neutrality. The car manufacturer will strive to become carbon neutral by 2050 by focusing on three main areas: vehicle use, supply base, and company facilities. These three critical areas account for 95 percent of the Read More...
Rotterdam to build another sustainable floating farm for chickens
Last year, Rotterdam became home to the world’s first floating dairy farm, showing a radical new way of bringing farming back into the city, with minimal impact on resources and the environment. Now, a similarly eye-catching agricultural project is ready to take off in the city’s harbor. The Read More...
Facebook boycott shows us outdoor companies know corporate responsibility
Last Friday, The North Face became the first major brand to join an advertising boycott of Facebook. The move was in solidarity with civil rights organizations like the NAACP and Anti-Defamation League, as well as Color of Change, Free Press, Common Sense, and Sleeping Giants, which launched the Read More...
Impact-driven entrepreneurship is slashing plastic pollution in Indonesia
You may have heard that Indonesia has some of the world’s most beautiful and pristine beaches adorning its lush archipelago of islands. And while it’s true that there are few other places that can compete with these spectacular landscapes, over the recent years, an increasing number of Read More...
Into the mainstream: Plant-based meat now on the menu at Starbucks
It took Impossible Foods hardly a year it seems to go from niche food product to mainstream menu item. This week, Impossible Foods has announced it will sell its plant-based breakfast sandwiches at most Starbucks locations in the US. Given that Starbucks has more than 15,000 US location and that Read More...
Endangered smoky mouse, feared wiped out during bushfires, found alive
Following Australia’s devastating bushfires six months ago, the critically-endangered smoky mouse has been feared extinct by conservationists as more than 90 percent of the rodent’s habitat had been scorched. To their relief though, recent images from motion-sensor cameras prove Read More...
Rain storms bring life back to New South Wales after years of drought
Many regions of New South Wales have recorded more than 300mm of rain so far this year, surpassing rainfall totals of 2018 and 2019. After a year of devastating wildfires across Australia, the rain is bringing beautiful blooms and hopeful new growth to the area. Farmers in the region are Read More...
These animals socially distance themselves too during times of illness
While it may feel unnatural for us to engage in social distancing, the sacrifices we've made have deep roots in the animal kingdom. From ants and bees to mice, monkeys, and apes, an array of social animals change their behavior to reduce the risk of spreading infections when one member of the Read More...