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 case for putting speed limits on cargo ships
Should cargo ships start going slower on their journeys across the ocean? This is the question being discussed this week at the UN where officials will hear proposals to cut shipping industry emissions by introducing speed limits. Container ships and other ocean liners in the industry deal with a Read More...
The world’s largest electric ferry just made its maiden voyage in Denmark
Although electric ferries have been running in Norway since 2015, none have been as large as the one that just made its maiden voyage between the Danish islands of Aero and Als. The 195-foot long ferry, named Ellen, can carry up to 30 cars and 300 passengers and is powered by a 4.3 megawatt-hour Read More...
Singapore installs creative displays to engage its inhabitants with sustainability
While changing people’s behaviors towards greener living habits is an essential step in the fight against the climate crisis, it is also a difficult one. But one possible way to nudge them towards making more sustainable choices is by simply exposing them to these possibilities. At least Read More...
Boost your local wildlife by rewilding your lawn or just mowing it less
Removing the lawn from your home and allowing it to grow wild with flowers and native hedges can do wonders for local wildlife and pollinators. But if you’re not ready to remove your lawn or your neighborhood doesn’t allow it, consider this: In a new study, researchers found that even a modest Read More...
Major shipping groups to come together to decarbonize the industry
About 90 percent of world trade is transported by sea, with the global shipping fleet accounting for 2.2 percent of CO2 emissions. A coalition of the world’s biggest shipping groups, representing 90 percent of the industry, has submitted a research fund of $5 billion over 10 years to develop Read More...
TED creates collaboration between key stakeholders to spur climate action
According to the IPCC UN report, the coming decade will be critical for climate action if the world is to have a chance of averting a global crisis. But there has yet to be a unified, overwhelming sense of urgency to come up with viable solutions from key influencers. Now, renowned media Read More...
Scientists created a biodegradable adhesive. Here’s why that’s a big deal
While it's good that there are plastics that biodegrade when they're thrown away, the glue used to join pieces of those or other materials together isn't quite so eco-friendly. Scientists have recently set about addressing that problem, however, by developing a biodegradable adhesive. Created by Read More...
Endangered mountain gorilla sees its population grow
For decades, mountain gorillas have been subjected to uncontrolled hunting, disease, habitat loss and the ravages of human conflict. Their numbers plummeted, and they are now considered endangered. But it appears that the great primates are ending the decade on a positive note. A new survey has Read More...
Crowded cities finally have a way to bury their dead sustainably
Despite the expenses and environmental problems that come with burying the dead in urban areas, most people still want their final resting place to be close to where they lived most of their life. But fulfilling that desire in cities is becoming increasingly difficult, if not impossible. Take Hong Read More...
This coffee shop chain plans to become zero waste by the end of 2020
People’s strong love for coffee, combined with our western society’s throwaway culture, sends an overwhelming amount of waste to landfills, putting a serious strain on the environment. And while finding a sustainable alternative to the disposable coffee cup has proved difficult, the ultimate Read More...