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.
How rebel botanists are using graffiti to name forgotten flora
The words “rebel” and “botanist” aren’t typically found in the same sentence, but recently these words have joined together to describe a new wave of people who are using street graffiti to highlight the names and importance of the diverse but downtrodden flora growing in the cracks of Read More...
Aquarium in Japan urges people to keep eels company via FaceTime
Social distancing has been tough for everyone, including a group of spotted garden eels at an aquarium in Japan. These cute aquatic creatures are naturally shy and mostly hide in the sand, but over the years, the 300 spotted garden eels at Tokyo's Sumida Aquarium have gotten used to humans Read More...
Endangered monkey population to recover thanks to a forest bridge
Endemic to the Brazilian forest, the golden lion tamarin is one of the world’s most charismatic primates. Unfortunately, the spectacular monkey is also one of the most endangered mammals on the planet. Thanks to years of persevering conservation efforts, however, the species may get back on their Read More...
How microgrids play a role in the future of food
In our Optimist View a couple of weeks ago, we discussed the critical changes that have come from previous pandemics. Food system security is an issue that demanded attention before the outbreak of COVID-19 and the virus has only exacerbated the need for real changes in our food Read More...
A major whaling company in Iceland is hanging up its harpoons for good
For decades the whale populations have been in decline, but this past year has seen a number of key developments that suggest whale populations are rebounding. In October, we published a story about southwest Atlantic humpback whales, which have returned from the brink of extinction after excessive Read More...
New excavations show that the Romans were avid recyclers
The ancient Romans are credited with many of our modern-day amenities including indoor heating, sewer systems, urban planning, and concrete. New evidence shows that they were even pioneers of recycling. A team of researchers at Pompeii discovered piles of trash outside the city walls. What Read More...
Deaths from air pollution are plummeting as coronavirus lockdowns clean air
Although coronavirus has taken thousands of lives, the improved air quality that has come as a result of the lockdowns has led to 11,000 fewer deaths from pollution in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, a new study has revealed. Sharp falls in road traffic and industrial emissions have also Read More...
The number of critically endangered orange-bellied parrots has soared
There has been little good to say about the recent history of the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot. Numbers of the small migratory bird, which makes a return trip from Tasmania’s south-west wilderness to the mainland’s coastal scrubland each year, have fallen so sharply scientists Read More...
Urban farming has been flourishing during COVID-19 lockdowns
According to the United Nations, two-thirds of the world’s population will be living in cities by 2050. Feeding that many urban dwellers are no easy task and it can also put a lot of pressure on the environment. This is where urban farming can help. The practice can be crucial to feeding a Read More...
How the capital of Lithuania is turning itself into a vast open-air cafe
For many cities around the world, the need for social distancing has motivated cities to experiment with different urban planning schemes. Recently, we published a story about how Paris is creating 650 kilometers of pop-up “corona cycleways” to be ready for May 11 when the lockdown is eased in Read More...