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 fishing line biodegrades under UV light
The fishing industry is estimated to contribute half of the plastic waste in our oceans. Fishing lines can take up to 600 years to biodegrade, so researchers at Cornell University are investigating a type of plastic that could biodegrade under UV light exposure. The type of plastic is called Read More...
Copenhagen to have a park made out of multiple floating islands
Green spaces are one of the most important indicators of successful urban development. And with fast urbanization and the growing threat of climate change, urban planners are now increasingly preoccupied with finding creative ways to assimilate nature within cities, particularly with limited space Read More...
Can't stop, won't stop: Climate strikers shift their activism online
What images defined 2019? For those of us at The Optimist Daily, it was the sight of people streaming into the streets protesting boldly for climate action. But this year looks very different— especially for climate activists. With shelter-in-place orders in effect, climate strikers have had to Read More...
Thailand is counting record numbers of rare sea turtle nests
If there’s one winner from the whole coronavirus pandemic, it might have to be the turtles. Earlier this month, we published a story where endangered hawksbill sea turtles hatched undisturbed on empty Brazilian beaches. Then, just days ago, we reported on leatherback turtles in Florida, which Read More...
How reforestation could help prevent another pandemic
The big question right now is “how do we prevent another pandemic from occurring?” As governments and medical professionals grapple with how to keep future generations healthy, the answer could be found among environmentalists. Infectious diseases are on the rise and the Center for Disease Read More...
Releasing grazing herbivores into the Arctic could help protect permafrost
Along with polar ice and glaciers, warming temperatures have also been having a melting effect on permafrost — the frozen layer of soil in the Arctic. In an attempt to protect this frozen ground, a team of scientists has come up with a rather unorthodox plan. The idea is to fill the Arctic Read More...
How to reduce your energy consumption while sheltering at home
COVID-19 shutdowns have reduced overall energy consumption greatly in the US. Without businesses, factories, and offices running, it is estimated that the country’s overall energy use will drop by 3 percent in 2020. However, energy use in many homes is on the rise. Isolating at home has people Read More...
Milan plans to have fewer cars on its streets after lockdown
The coronavirus has shaken up many aspects of our lives, but this trying time should also be seen as a window of opportunity to lay the ground for meaningful change within our current structures. Milan, for one, is definitely not missing this chance to redesign the city to the benefit of its Read More...
Marine life rebounded during the world wars. The same is happening now
During both world wars, the global demand for fish and seafood plummeted, forcing fishing fleets to stay at the docks while fish stocks rebounded. Now it seems a similar effect is coming into play as a result of the coronavirus crisis. The closure of restaurants and hotels, the main buyers of Read More...
Happy International Dark Sky Week! Here’s how to celebrate virtually
This week is International Dark Sky Week. Although astronomers and stargazers are not meeting up in-person this year to gaze up at our marvelous night sky, enthusiasts are still celebrating online and from the comfort of their homes. International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) has put together a Read More...