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.
Architects have created a replicable self-sustaining surgical center in Uganda
Roughly 5 billion people lack any form of safe or affordable surgery, leading to millions of deaths annually worldwide. In response, architects have created a modular, easily replicable surgical facility to provide ambulatory surgical procedures for underserved populations in resource-poor Read More...
This is how Harvard students confronted Exxon’s law firm
With this weekend's Optimist View in mind, we bring you another fantastic case of civil disobedience. Last week, more than 100 first-year Harvard law students gathered at a restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for a reception hosted by the corporate law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Read More...
Buy carbon offsets and help indigenous communities with this offset program
Sometimes it feels like there’s only so much we can do in our efforts to be environmentally friendly. We can invest in reusables, but maybe we still need to drive to work if we don’t have reliable public transit. We can eat less meat, but maybe we don’t want to miss out on a trip that Read More...
Eco-friendly living concrete is made from a mix of bacteria and sand
Despite its remarkable properties as a building material, concrete has a dangerous environmental footprint. Cement - the main ingredient for making concrete - is solely responsible for 6 percent of the world’s human-made carbon emissions. And while researchers have sought alternative means of Read More...
Fish populations are rebounding thanks to stricter fisheries management
Nearly half of the fish caught worldwide are from stocks that are monitored and, on average, are increasing in abundance. Scientists believe this increase is due to better, regulated fishing practices that are allowing overfished populations to rebuild successfully. “There is a narrative Read More...
How wood became the hottest, most sustainable building material
Architects, builders, and sustainability advocates are all abuzz over a new building material they say could substantially reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the building sector, slash the waste, pollution, and costs associated with construction, and create a more physically, psychologically, Read More...
It’s now prohibited to sell cosmetics tested on animals in California
With the turn of the decade, an old senate bill passed in 2018 will finally come into effect in California to regulate the current cosmetics market. The bill, known as the California Cruelty-free Cosmetics Act, is designed to protect the wellbeing of animals used for testing cosmetic Read More...
Ikea’s new Vienna location features vertical forests and public transportation access
Last week we shared a story about how Ikea is moving towards becoming climate positive by 2030. This week we feature the plans for their new Vienna store, which will look a lot different than any Ikea before. In fact, the new urban shopping destination will feature vertical forests and no parking Read More...
Firefighters saved an ancient grove of pine trees from Australian bushfires
Amidst the heart-rending wildfires blazing through Australia's vast lands, there is good news coming from the only forest in the world that is home to the Wollemi pine tree--one of the oldest trees in the world. In a covert firefighting mission, this ancient grove of pine trees whose ancestors are Read More...
Colgate releases vegan-certified toothpaste line in recyclable packaging
Good news for your teeth and the planet! Colgate has released its new “Smile for Good” toothpaste line which features a certified vegan recipe packaged in a fully recyclable tube. Traditional toothpaste contains glycerin, a byproduct of animal fat, and is packaged in plastic which can take Read More...