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.
Your next pair of sneakers may be made of foam from algae blooms
Last week we wrote about a new pair of sneakers from the brand Cariuma made from bamboo, sugarcane, and natural cork. This time around, we present another new sustainable option from the brand Native Shoes that makes use of algae foam from the algae blooms that have been occurring across the Read More...
The Ocean Cleanup is now cleaning plastic debris out of polluted rivers
After successfully capturing and collecting its first debris from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch a couple of weeks ago, the Ocean Cleanup just announced a new device to catch plastic before it flows into the ocean. Called The Interceptor, the device is a solar-powered barge that’ll be Read More...
A team of grandmas have uncovered a population of rare venomous sea snakes
What do you do with your time when you’re old and retired? For a group of French grandmothers, the answer is to swim and snorkel 3 kilometers five days a week off the coast of New Caledonia. It sounds like quite the leisurely lifestyle, but all the while their snorkel excursions are leading to Read More...
This seaweed-fiber Sumo diaper is the alternative the world needs
In the European Union alone, 17 million dirty diapers are disposed of every day. This is problematic for the environment, especially because the chemicals and plastics needed to make diapers comfortable and anti-bacterial also make the diaper neither non-recyclable nor compostable. In response to Read More...
Pizza Hut is reshaping packaging with its round, compostable pizza box
Not only will the food we eat be different in the future, but also the packaging. Today’s glimpse into the world of alternative food packaging comes from a surprising suspect: Pizza Hut. The pizza chain is trying to reshape (literally) everything we know about how to transport a pizza, through Read More...
London’s air pollution fell by roughly a third after new emissions rules
In 2017, the city of London announced a “toxicity charge” on older vehicles that spewed emissions. Two years later, the city launched the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), which requires drivers to meet specific emission standards or pay a daily fine. The rules are rather strict on Read More...
Why scientists and the Forest Service are setting a huge wildfire in Utah
A few weeks ago we published an article about how we can learn from natural wildfire cycles. Now, the U.S. Forest Service in Utah is attempting to do just that with an enormous prescribed burn on a mountain in Fishlake National Forest’s Monroe Mountain. As firefighters and manned helicopters Read More...
The Flair: this redesigned fan uses up to 85% less energy than conventional fans
AC systems and fans use up to 22 percent of the world’s electricity. This generates as many CO2 emissions as all the world’s cars. Strangely enough, however, the design of the fan hasn’t changed in 100 years. That’s why Jay Harman’s design firm, PAX Scientific, has designed a new, Read More...
Girl Scouts are building ‘hotels’ for the wild bees in their communities
The future of food may involve state-of-the-art technologies and innovative farming practices but, essentially, the health and security of our food system still rely heavily on nature’s beloved wild pollinators. That’s why ensuring that these tiny insects stay hidden from the wrath of the Read More...
How to go plastic-free this Halloween
The festive Halloween season is upon us, but there is nothing spookier than the masses of plastic thrown away during the holiday from costumes, candy, and decorations. So how can you celebrate plastic-free? This week we have tips and tricks to make your Halloween more eco-friendly, but just as Read More...