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.
Mountain gorilla numbers are on the rise in East Africa
Good news from the WWF! A new survey that took place in the Virunga mountains of East Africa found that mountain gorilla numbers are growing. The critically endangered animals were once expected to be extinct by the end of the twentieth century, but there is hope the population will continue to Read More...
COVID-19 might just be a blessing in disguise for the pangolin
The pangolin is one of the most fascinating creatures in the world, being the only mammal to also be covered in hard protective scales. Unfortunately, it is these scales that make them a target for poachers, who sell them to be used in Chinese traditional medicine. Their meat is also considered a Read More...
Los Angeles hotels open their doors to the homeless during COVID-19
Communities around the world are under shelter in place orders, but staying home is not an option for homeless populations. A Los Angeles hotel is hoping to protect the health of its community’s most vulnerable residents by opening their doors to those living on the streets. The hotel, which Read More...
Retreating ice in Norway has revealed treasure troves of Viking artifacts
At the Optimist Daily, we’re deeply concerned with global heating and its melting effect on Arctic glaciers. But as a publication that is always willing to see the silver lining in any situation, it’s been fascinating to see what archaeologists discover as the ice retreats. Recently in Read More...
Asthma rates plummet in Kentucky as coal plants shut down
Air pollution has long been linked to health issues, especially asthma. Coal-fired power plants are a definitive source of air pollution. But it’s been difficult for scientists to attribute respiratory problems of people living near coal specifically to those coal plants because a host of other Read More...
Amsterdam is ditching our broken economic system for the doughnut model
This is one of those stories that you might look back to in a few years and remember as the starting point of a huge change in our world’s history. When we first covered this story years ago, it was already showing tons of promise. So, what are we talking about here? In 2018, we shared a story Read More...
This 1,000 year old cherry tree is a testament to nature’s resilience
Each spring, hundreds of thousands of tourists flock to the town of Miharu, Japan to see a cherry tree known as the Takizakura. Although COVID-19 means that few visitors will lay eyes on it this year, the 1,000 year old cherry tree continues to bloom as a testament to the power and resilience of Read More...
Oakland Slow Streets project makes social distancing easier
If you live in a heavily populated area, maintaining social distancing practices while taking walks around the neighborhood can be a challenge and require weaving around people and across streets. Oakland, California is helping residents get outside by closing 74 miles of streets in the city for Read More...
White-tailed eagles return to southern England after 240-year hiatus
For centuries, there's been an eagle-shaped hole in the skies over England where the majestic white-tailed eagle once soared. The enormous raptor — its wingspan stretches nearly eight feet — was hunted to extinction in the region and near extinction in surrounding areas some 240 years ago. But Read More...
The dramatic drop in carbon emissions due to coronavirus, quantified
We’ve written quite a bit about the pollution-free skies being seen all around the world, but we have yet to quantify what that means for the environmental record over the course of the year—until now. According to data commissioned by the Guardian, global carbon emissions from the fossil Read More...