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.
World’s largest banker of fossil fuels to no longer fund arctic drilling
If we are to truly put an end to oil and gas drilling in the Arctic, then the world’s financial institutions must stop providing the funds that support drilling operations. The good news is that America’s biggest bank is walking away from funding Arctic drilling, along with the world’s Read More...
This Bill Gates-backed startup is growing palm oil in a lab
On a typical trip to the grocery store, you probably buy at least one product made with palm oil, which is found in everything from shampoo and detergent to pizza dough, ice cream, and instant ramen. It’s the most widely used vegetable oil in the world, with 75.7 million metric tons of production Read More...
50 ways to be kinder to the planet
At the Optimist Daily, we’re always looking for ways to be kinder to the planet—whether it’s through the food we buy or the clothes we wear. Recently, The Guardian published a list of 50 simple ways to make your life a bit greener. We’re not going to post all 50 right here, but we’ve Read More...
Judge tosses oil and gas leases on almost 1 million acres of public land
For everyone who cares about our public lands, we have good news: A federal judge banned oil and gas leases on nearly one million acres of public lands that are important habitat for the greater sage grouse, the largest type of grouse (type of bird) in the US. The ruling goes against a White Read More...
An old coal plant and a new deal would benefit LA and the Navajo Nation
If you live in Los Angeles, you probably didn’t know that until last year the Navajo Nation had helped power the city with energy from a reservation coal plant. The plant was shut down, but this partnership will live to see another, greener, day. The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to Read More...
Why we need to skip the jargon when discussing climate change
When it comes to climate change, there’s a plethora of interchangeable jargon such as “net-zero” and “circular” being used to describe and explain what’s going on. And according to a new study out of Ohio State University, all this jargon could be a stumbling block for fostering Read More...
Fayetteville is proving climate resilience is for all towns big and small
CDP, an international nonprofit that examines climate risk for hundreds of local governments and corporations across the globe, released their latest A list earlier this month. One of the top 34 cities praised for their climate preparedness and commitment to climate action was Fayetteville. You Read More...
These bricks are made almost entirely from construction waste
Producing the materials that construction companies typically use is often energy-intensive and generates lots of emissions. That’s why there’s a whole slew of companies looking to create a sustainable version of standard building materials. In Scotland, a new startup has launched called Read More...
New York is enlisting Billy Idol to stop drivers from idling
Cars, trucks, and other motor vehicles are the source of 11 percent of fine particulate air pollution and 28 percent of nitrogen oxide pollution in New York City. On Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio introduced a new initiative to try to make a dent in that pollution by harnessing the star power of, Read More...
Alphabet launches new project to protect our oceans
Alphabet (Google’s parent company) is famous for its ambitious projects, but its latest mission might be the biggest of all: protecting the sea and its aquatic inhabitants. The new project, which is called Tidal, is starting with a camera system that can help fish farmers monitor and, Read More...