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.
Once hunted into near extinction, wild donkeys return to the Danube Delta
Hundreds of years ago, the kulan, or more commonly known as the wild donkey, were established inhabitants of the Eurasian Steppe, from the Mediterranean to the east of Mongolia. Sadly for the kulan though, two hundred years of hunting and habitat loss has led to a decline of 95 percent of the Read More...
An extremely rare white grizzly bear has been filmed in the Rocky Mountains
Cara Clarkson and her family were driving down a remote highway in Canada’s Rocky Mountains when a figure glimpsed against the dark evergreen forest left them in disbelief. Nuzzling through the snow for food was a white grizzly bear (no it wasn’t a polar bear), which Clarkson managed to capture Read More...
Global coalition of faith groups commits to divest from fossil fuels
To achieve a meaningful impact in the fight against climate change, groups from all echelons of society must act without delay. Seeking to do their part, faith institutions from around the globe have recently come together to take a stand for the climate. A global coalition of faith groups has Read More...
Some sneaky sea turtles lay decoy nests to trick predators
If there’s one positive to come out of this pandemic, it’s definitely a resurgence of sea turtles thriving on empty beaches. We’ve been covering stories around the world of successful hatchings. Now, it appears these hardworking sea turtles are even smarter than we thought. From observing Read More...
UK wildlife sees wild white stork hatchlings for the first time in centuries
In European folklore, the stork often symbolizes the birth of a new baby, but for centuries the wild white stork in the UK has failed to have babies itself. That is, until now. In what comes as great news for wildlife in the UK, wild white stork chicks have recently hatched in the UK for the Read More...
Could a trash-to-hydrogen plant realize the dream of green hydrogen fuel?
Hydrogen fuel has seemingly fallen off the radar considering all the hype that surrounded this potentially sustainable fuel source in past years. Other than a blatant lack of infrastructure, a big problem with hydrogen fuel is that we haven’t figured out a way to produce hydrogen fuel in a clean, Read More...
The EU is committing big money to boosting biodiversity in Europe
We have fantastic news from the climate front in Europe. This week, the European Commission has committed to protecting 30% of the EU’s land and oceans by 2030 as part of the European Green Deal, in a plan tentatively welcomed by environment groups who warned far-reaching ambitions must not only Read More...
Humpback whales are enjoying a remarkable recovery
Known to be the longest migratory mammals on the planet and some of the ocean’s most remarkable singers, the humpback whale is probably the world’s most recognizable whale. It turns out, however, that the mammal is also one of the best instances of successful conservation efforts. Many humpback Read More...
This pack of dogs has saved 45 rhinos from poachers since 2018
Poachers in Kruger National Park pose a serious threat to rhino populations and even the rangers that protect them. But thanks to a pack of trained dogs introduced to the park in 2018, 45 rhinos have been saved from the prying hands of poachers. The use of dogs to protect rhino populations was Read More...
Pledge completed: UC Berkeley has now fully divested from fossil fuels
The University of California announced Tuesday that it has fully divested from all fossil fuels, making it the nation’s largest educational institution to do so as campaigns to fight climate change through investment strategies proliferate at campuses across the country. The UC milestone capped Read More...