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.
This is Bear, the Australian Koolie dog who saves koalas after bushfires
It wasn’t long ago that bushfires overwhelmed Australia, leaving an estimated 18.6 million hectares (46 million acres) of land charred. But from the ashes, we have since seen stories of hope emerge from Australia, which we have shared to remind us of nature’s resilience. For instance, Read More...
Scientists use new technique to produce more heat-resistant coral
Rising sea temperatures have created a crisis for coral populations that are experiencing widespread bleaching events. Researchers are being forced to get creative with solutions to save reefs. A team in Australia may have an answer to the crisis with a technique they call “directed Read More...
How Lush Cosmetics embodies the spirit of the circular economy
When Lush Cosmetics began in Poole, England in 1995, they didn’t have the resources for fancy wrappings, so they would hand-pour soap into upcycled drain pipes or lunch pails and then cut slices for customers to order. Now, almost 30 years later, the brand is highly successful, but they have Read More...
Brazil is now taking swift action to protect Amazon rainforest from loggers
Brazil is home to the largest swath of the mesmerizing Amazon rainforest, but unfortunately, its government has allowed mass deforestation to occur under its watch. The good news—we say with an air of caution—is that the Brazilian government seems to be finally taking the issue seriously after Read More...
World’s largest wealth fund drops fossil fuel investments
The world’s biggest wealth fund was built on Norway’s oil and gas production revenue. Now, the fund is shifting course and taking a stand against global warming by excluding some of the world’s largest fossil fuel companies from its portfolio. The fund, which owns about 1.5 percent of Read More...
Scientists invent process to turn waste seaweed into biofuel
When we allow substances such as agricultural fertilizer runoff to enter the seas, there are very real consequences. One of those consequences is that Sargassum seaweed is growing out of control in many areas, washing up on beaches in huge amounts. Utilizing a new technique, that rotting organic Read More...
India witnesses drop in carbon emissions for the first time in four decades
India’s rapid growth as a global economic power over the past decades came in tandem with a sharp, consistent rise in the country’s carbon emissions. Now, for the first time in nearly 40 years, CO2 emissions are falling in India. While the coronavirus lockdown plays a role in the decline of Read More...
A supplement for cows that curbs climate change-causing burps is catching on
There’s a farm in England that now markets its milk as “climate-smart”, but what does that really mean? Apparently, Brades Farm, is one the first to begin feeding its cattle a new supplement that shrinks the amount of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, that cows emit when they belch, thus Read More...
Honey bees may soon add algae to their diets
The growing habitat loss of honey bees in recent years has led to a decrease in the variety of flowering plants, which provide bees with essential nutrients in their diets. As a result, beekeepers are increasingly starting to augment their insects' diets with artificial feeds made of ingredients Read More...
Pakistan is hiring the unemployed to plant trees across the country
COVID-19 has created mass unemployment in countries around the world. As governments scramble to fund relief programs, Pakistan is taking advantage of the opportunity to support citizens who are suddenly without income and heal environmentally devastated regions of the country Read More...