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.
The world witnessed a 2% drop in overall carbon emissions last year
Good news from the green energy transition front: Carbon emissions generated by the electricity sector fell at the fastest rate in at least 30 years as countries turned their backs on coal, analysis suggests. Overall, coal-fueled electricity declined 3 percent in 2019, leading to a 2 percent fall Read More...
How conservationists brought this tiny bird back from extinction
The Guam rail is a tiny, virtually flightless bird that once thrived on the Micronesian island of Guam. But that all changed sometime in the mid-1900s when brown tree snakes made their way onto the island, likely stowed away in cargo delivered by a U.S. Navy supply ship. And once these lithe, Read More...
Starbucks is piloting compostable cups in five major cities
If you live in New York, San Francisco, Seattle, London or Vancouver, your next Starbucks cup may be completely compostable. The coffee giant, which pledged to increase their sustainability efforts earlier this year, has replaced the plastic lining in their cups to create an entirely compostable Read More...
This dietary supplement cuts methane emission from cows by 26%
At the Optimist Daily, we are strong advocates of a meat-free diet, especially since the production of livestock is the greatest contributor of greenhouse gasses in America. With that said, beef production is showing no signs of stopping any time soon, so we’re open to solutions that minimize the Read More...
Naga villagers in India are giving up their guns to save their wildlife
India’s tribal north-east, Nagaland, was once a “biodiversity hotspot”, one of 36 such regions identified globally. Ninety-two species of mammal have been documented here, as well as 490 species of butterfly, 500 species of bird and 360 species of orchid. But the Nagaland hit a turning point Read More...
After a 29 percent drop, UK carbon emissions are now back at 1988 levels
A carbon brief has revealed that the United Kingdom’s carbon dioxide emissions have dropped 29 percent since 2010. The analysis found that carbon emissions dropped 2.9 percent last year alone, bringing 2019 emissions down to 1988 levels. The drop in emissions is largely attributed to coal Read More...
The Netherlands is doubling its 2020 green subsidies to meet climate goals
Let’s start with the bad news: The Netherlands is struggling to meet its obligations under the Kyoto Protocol to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 25% below 1990 levels by the end of this year. The good news: the Dutch government is actually taking this seriously. This week, the government Read More...
Amsterdam’s classy canal boats are going electric ahead of diesel ban
Transitioning from vehicles powered by fossil fuels to electric vehicles doesn’t mean we have to lose the classic aesthetic of old cars and boats. To see what we mean, just look to Amsterdam where the famous canal boats have been getting a clean makeover. Building an entirely new electric canal Read More...
California designates 300 state buildings to house homeless
California Governor Gavin Newsom made addressing homelessness a key issue of his campaign. Last month, he dedicated his State of the State address to the issue with a plan to allocate 286 state properties for use as homeless shelters. This plan builds on his previously proposed plan of Read More...
A new online tool is helping cities and businesses find the EVs they need
The technology driving clean transportation is rapidly evolving, so much so that it’s hard to keep track. That’s why a transportation nonprofit focused on cleantech has launched a new online tool called The Zero-Emission Technology Inventory to help cities and businesses know exactly what’s Read More...