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.
Renewable hydrogen is getting set to oust natural gas
An economy powered by hydrogen may seem like a distant dream, but the US Department of Energy is pouring millions of dollars into research and development to make it happen soon. The latest developments have all been about leveraging wind and solar energy to bring the cost of renewable hydrogen Read More...
At this internship, students earn scholarships and learn to build homes
The average internship for high school students typically involves unpaid time spent completing mindless tasks such as filing papers, making copies, or taking coffee orders. But unCommon Construction offers a unique alternative that's better preparing young adults for life beyond the classroom. Read More...
Greta Thunberg receives second nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize
Greta Thunberg has become a rallying symbol for climate activists young and old. Her call to action for more rapid climate change intervention and emissions regulations has inspired many and brought climate change to the forefront of political attention. This week, at only 17 years old, Thunberg Read More...
Want to help bees? Don’t mow over those dandelions
Spring is drawing closer, meaning it’s almost time for the great bloom of flowers. Speaking of which, there’s one flower that doesn’t get much love: the dandelion. Being such a common flower that grows on peoples' lawns, people tend to just mow over them. But according to the new president of Read More...
When it comes to wetland restoration, look towards the Dutch capital
Travel beyond Amsterdam’s northern outskirts and you enter a scene that looks like a 17th-century Dutch painting. Cows chew their cud in lush pasture fringed with reed beds, in a region of pretty villages whose houses are often snapped up by wealthy urban commuters. By Dutch standards, this Read More...
How sushi could help stop the sea urchin invasion
If you have to spend the evening alone, eating sushi can be a wonderful remedy to make you feel better. But that’s not the only thing sushi is good for. At a time where sea urchins are rapidly multiplying and destroying vast swaths of kelp forests, sushi could provide the perfect answer to this Read More...
Planning a ski trip? Consider one of these eco-friendly resorts
For those of you who love the thrill of hitting the chilly slopes, skiing is one of winter’s most exciting prospects. Unfortunately, climate change is taking a toll on winter snow levels and, with high energy consumption, transportation emissions, and bulky equipment, the sport itself takes a Read More...
Descendants of an extinct species of Galápagos tortoise have just been found
Conservationists on the Galápagos Islands have discovered 30 giant tortoises partially descended from two extinct species, including that of the Lonesome George. If you can’t recall, Lonesome George was a famous giant tortoise that was over 100 years old and was the last of the Chelonoidis Read More...
Electric vehicles took center stage in Superbowl commercials this year
This weekend’s Superbowl was the biggest event of the year for the NFL, but the big game is also center stage for the advertising world. This year’s Superbowl commercials showed a distinct shift in business consciousness towards a greener future. Football enthusiasts saw prominent figures Read More...
A nonprofit in Boston is turning vacant storefronts into pop-up communal spaces
When businesses stand empty in a neighborhood, the negative effects can be far-reaching. That’s why a nonprofit was created that turns vacant storefronts into pop-up communal spaces where people can come together without having to spend money. The nonprofit is called CultureHouse, and it was Read More...