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.
EPA proposes first carbon dioxide standards for airline industry
Despite being in low demand, the airline industry could be getting some greener regulations in the near future. For the first time in the history of aviation, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed carbon dioxide standards for the airline industry last week. Although the EPA has Read More...
A look inside the quest for endlessly circular plastics
The Eastman chemical plant in Kingsport, Tennessee, appears to be just another chemical manufacturing facility. Sprawling over 900 acres are hundreds of buildings and countless miles of pipes, conveyors, distillers, cooling towers, valves, pumps, compressors, and controls. It doesn’t exactly look Read More...
This coffee company protects the rainforest and promotes education
When Gorongosa Coffee launched in 2015, its goal was to restore the rainforest of Mozambique’s Mount Gorongosa region that had been ravaged by a 17-year civil war and institute sustainable farming methods for locals to support their families and their communities. Now, the company is turning its Read More...
New building code paves the way for more sustainable cities
Residential and commercial buildings are responsible for about 40 percent of U.S. energy consumption and GHG emissions. States and cities which approve the new 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) will require new buildings to reduce their overall energy usage by 10 percent compared Read More...
Poll shows Americans want change in their their reopened communities
As communities begin to reopen their offices, restaurants, parks, and stores, some aspects of daily life are returning to normal, but some are looking radically different. Even in areas where restaurants are reopening, customers are still cautious about exposing themselves to normal life again. Read More...
Bioluminescent algae produce glowing blue waves across southern California
Beach closures vary from county to county in California right now, but ocean visitors in the southern region of the state are experiencing mesmerizing bioluminescent waves along their shores. The phenomenon occurs every couple years along the California coast and is caused by an algal bloom of Read More...
Renewable energy outpaces coal with record breaking streak
When renewable energy began to gain popularity, critics doubted whether solar, wind, and hydropower could even begin to cover the world’s energy needs. Now, we are seeing renewables hit their stride as they beat coal as the United States’ leading source of power for a record-breaking 40 days in Read More...
The pandemic has only boosted demand for plant-based meat
The market for plant-based meat was thriving before the coronavirus pandemic hit, but now its sales are reaching unprecedented levels. The reason behind the surging sales of meatless meat is twofold. On the one hand, there are spot shortages of animal products in stores, pushing customers to Read More...
This teenager made a biodegradable “plastic” out of wasted prawn shells
What were you doing as a teenager? In Australia, a teen by the name of Angelina Arora has created a bioplastic out of discarded prawn shells, a waste product of the fishing industry. Angelina, 17, first came up with the idea to create a plastic alternative a few years ago, when she was just 13. Read More...
Forested hills may soon replace seawalls in coastal communities
Seawalls have become a popular man-made defense against high tides and tsunamis, but a new study shows that carefully designed forested hills could provide similar protection while also protecting environmental health and beautifying our coastal cities. The design involves a hill covered in Read More...