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.
Aerial firefighting at night is now possible with new high-altitude drop system
Since 1953, firefighters have been battling flames by flying planes low to the ground and dropping liquids or foams that can suppress fires. When we say low, we mean at between 100 and 120 ft (30 and 36 m). Such basement floor flying is extremely dangerous, but it's necessary because if the liquid Read More...
Bank of America has achieved carbon neutrality a year ahead of schedule
In an effort to become more sustainable, Bank of America has achieved its goal of carbon neutrality. Even better: it did so a year ahead of schedule. The carbon-neutral status is still pending third party approval, but the company achieved its carbon footprint reduction by reducing Scope 1 and 2 Read More...
Scientists have discovered 4 new species of walking shark
Scientists have identified four new species of walking shark in the waters off Australia and New Guinea. While that might sound like the stuff of horror films, researchers say that the foot-long fish, which have evolved to use their fins to walk on land or in shallow water, are actually adorable. Read More...
Pushing for ambitious sustainability has become the standard in Paris
Whatever you think of them, you can’t say the new promises from Paris’s Mayor Anne Hidalgo lack ambition. Seeking re-election at the municipal polls in March, Hidalgo unveiled proposals this week that include a referendum on the role of Airbnb, a plan to make the city center “100 percent Read More...
Scientists have developed a way to give old EV batteries a ‘second life’
Typically when an EV battery reaches the end of its life-span, the manufacturer takes it back and recycles them. But according to researchers at the University of Warwick, many automotive Lithium-ion batteries have enough life left in them after a car is scrapped for “second-life” uses. To do Read More...
Amsterdam has a clever solution for reducing plastic in its canals: air bubbles
The canals which intersect Amsterdam are a famous addition to the city, but they also collect a lot of trash. When it comes to keeping these waterways clean, one solution is incredibly simple: air bubbles. Westerdok canal in Amsterdam is piloting new technology dubbed the Great Bubble Barrier. Read More...
How rain gardens can help reduce polluted water runoff
If you live in a coastal city, you know not to swim in the ocean for several days after heavy rain. This is because water runoff can carry dirty and even harmful pollutants such as bacteria, chemicals, and sewage. Beautiful, planted rain gardens are a natural and effective way to clean water moving Read More...
This solar farm is providing a habitat for desert tortoises to thrive in
Solar farms aren’t only good for generating clean energy. In the desert in Nevada, a solar farm is providing tortoises a habitat they can thrive in. Juvenile tortoises depend on plant cover to hide from predators, and fortunately for them, the shade below the solar panels allows many plants that Read More...
Starbucks rolls out new ambitious sustainability goals for 2030
Consumer pressure on the food industry is pushing restaurants to adopt greener practices including embracing alternative meats, ditching plastic straws, and encouraging customers to use reusable containers. This week, Starbucks has taken its sustainability pledge to cut emissions, reduce waste, and Read More...
This Canadian didn’t want to fly from Germany to Canada—so he took a cargo ship
When Will Vibert’s European work visa was closing in on its expiration date, the Canadian was reluctant to travel back to Vancouver via plane. Vibert had been confronted by the flight shaming campaigns that had shone a harsh light on the climate impact of air travel, and like so many of his Read More...