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.
Could cell-based seafood help clean up the fishing industry?
Scientists are leaning into the idea of lab-grown food as a solution for food shortages around the globe, and while the idea may not sound appetizing, advancements in cell technology have moved towards more palatable, and even enjoyable, food options. While 3D printed steak and lab-produced Read More...
Ethiopia sets out to plant 5 billion trees in 2020
Ethiopia has set out to plant 5 billion trees this year as part of its ambitious plan to plant 20 billion seedlings by 2025 in order to help combat environmental degradation, build resilience, and transition into a green society. Called the Green Legacy, the broader reforestation plan made Read More...
One of the oldest grizzlies outside a zoo emerges from yet another winter
Nothing warms the heart like a conservation story about bears—and today we have a really good one for you. A few weeks ago, a nature photographer who lives near Yellowstone national park sent a four-word text message to Dr. Jane Goodall, the British primatologist. “Miraculously, she still Read More...
This deep sea dweller has natural water filtering abilities
If you haven’t heard of larvaceans, you’re not alone. These relatively unknown sea creatures are surrounded by a three-foot balloon of mucus. As gross as that sounds, researchers recently learned that these animals play a critical role in climate change mitigation and the preservation of ocean Read More...
This artist sculpted a “Coral Greenhouse” and sunk it to the seabed
A British artist by the name of Jason deCaires Taylor is using his love for sculpting to support the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. What the artist has done is create what he calls a "Coral Greenhouse", which has been sunken to the seabed so its cement and steel frame can be a habitat for marine Read More...
Britain’s coal-free streak is still going as renewables beat fossil fuels
Back in April, we published a story detailing how the UK had gone 18 days without using coal energy. Now we’re in June—and guess what? That coal-free streak is still going. Midnight on Wednesday marked two full months without burning coal to generate power, an incredible streak for a country Read More...
Video: Oatmeal, the sloth, is a little reminder to never lose hope
Meet Oatmeal, the sloth. She was first discovered in critical condition after she and her mother were severely shocked by an overhanging electric wire in Sarapiquí, Costa Rica. She is not the first orphaned sloth to call the Toucan Rescue Ranch (TRR) in Costa Rica her home. She is also not the Read More...
Scientists find gut bacteria in superworms that breaks down plastic
Polystyrene is a type of plastic that’s used to make a variety of ubiquitous products like packaging containers, disposable cups, and insulating materials. The problem, of course, lies in the fact that when thrown in landfills or littered in the environment, the plastic takes several hundred Read More...
Public parks are showing their worth amid protests and the pandemic
During this extraordinary time in America’s cities — weeks of coronavirus lockdowns followed by mass protests against police violence and racial inequality — one theme runs through the twinned crises: the power and value of public spaces. The nation’s parks experienced a surge of use during Read More...
New Jersey now mandates climate change education in schools
With powerful storms impacting its coastline and algal blooms affecting its lakes, New Jersey is already quite familiar with the damaging effects of climate change. Now, K-12 students will familiarize themselves further with the urgent need to curb climate change as the state becomes the first in Read More...