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.
Dive into underwater exploration with NOAA’s virtual diving experience
If you’ve always dreamed of diving in the oceans’ most beautiful habitats, you may have to wait a while to do so in person. Fortunately, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) is making it easier than ever to see some beautiful underwater sights from the comfort of your Read More...
With tourists away, flamingos are flourishing in Albania
Be it turtles hatching undisturbed on people-free beaches or whales singing without being interrupted by shipping vessels, decreased human activity has largely benefited wildlife during the coronavirus lockdown. Albania’s gracious flamingos are no exception. With tourists home, boats docked and Read More...
How COVID-19 is reshaping our cities
COVID-19 is changing the shape of our cities. We have talked about cities like Oakland which are closing streets for pedestrians and the expansion of bike lanes in New York and Bogotá. The pandemic is continuing to revolutionize how people get around. Here are some ways our metropolitan areas are Read More...
Pakistan’s Billion Tree project is bringing the bees and honey back
In 2018, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the Billion Tree project, a lofty country-wide effort to plant 10 billion trees over a 5-year span. The project has already led to the planting of hundreds of thousands of trees, resulting in a huge boost in bee populations. Apparently, Read More...
Rare breeding event offers hope for ridged cactus coral populations
The Florida Aquarium's Center for Conservation hopes to save wild coral populations by introducing lab-bred populations back into the ocean. The team had an exciting win this week when a ridged cactus coral experienced a rare larvae birth. Ridged cactus coral suffers from stony coral tissue Read More...
Paris is turning its motorist-friendly streets into post-lockdown cycleways
To minimize social contact and maximize daily physical activity, many cities around the world have been giving over road space to cyclists and pedestrians during the pandemic. While the idea is to give people the sort of generous space generally allotted to motorists, it’s also giving cities a Read More...
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...