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.
Environmentalists pulled 40 tons of abandoned fishing nets out of the Pacific
When it comes to ocean pollution, fishing nets are especially dangerous to marine life as they drift through the ocean, entangling whales, seals, and turtles. In an effort to rid the ocean of this harmful marine debris, nonprofit Ocean Voyages Institute managed to pull 40 tons of abandoned Read More...
Why public banks hold the key to a successful Green New Deal
Let’s be honest: If we want the Green New Deal to succeed, then America’s banking system is going to make some major changes. The current banking system in the US doesn’t meet the equity or environmental aims of the Green New Deal, and many of the banks we put our money into actually support Read More...
Love bacon? Then you should try these mushroom-based bacon bits
While plant-based beef burgers may fool the taste buds of meat eaters, there’s no way anyone could mimic the taste of bacon without meat, right? Wrong. A food brand by the name of Hanley’s Foods has created a sustainable stand-in replacement for bacon using crispy mushrooms that taste Read More...
Over 600 local governments have now declared a climate emergency
The municipal government of Sydney recently voted unanimously to enter a state of emergency over the looming threat posed by the climate crisis. The decision sees Sydney join a variety of local and national governments around the world in a movement that is increasingly gaining momentum. In total, Read More...
Del Taco has sold two million meatless meat tacos since launching 2 months ago
OK. In the past couple of months, we’ve talked a lot about the rise of plant-based meat alternatives and how fast-food chains have quickly incorporated them into their menus. But how are those vegetarian options actually competing against meat-based options? For an answer to this question, Read More...
Scientists have discovered a way to harness the heat from subway tunnels
If you’ve ever walked over a grating in the city that sits above a metro line, you’ve probably felt a warm gust of air. That’s because subway tunnels are full of trains, electronics and people packed in like sardines, which turns them into pretty hot places. In theory, all that heat could Read More...
In Minnesota, solar farms are commonly surrounded by bee-friendly flowers
Solar farms? Good. Solar farms surrounded by prairie grasses and budding flowers? Excellent. In Minnesota, it’s becoming common for large solar energy sites to have pollinator-friendly plantings around them. Not only do they provide habitat for the bee and butterfly populations people have been Read More...
A cleaner future for aviation was on display at the Paris Air Show
By now we’re all aware that the aviation industry is responsible for a hefty contribution to global carbon emissions. That’s why the need for more efficient flying technology is more important than ever. At the Paris Air Show, an exhibition dedicated to the future of air travel, major Read More...
Fashion capital Milan is on a quest to plant 3 million trees by 2030
There will soon be more trees than people in the city of Milan. Mayor Giuseppe “Beppe” Sala has embarked on an ambitious plan to plant 3 million trees in the Italian city—population 1.3 million—better known for industry than natural wonders. For the last year and a half, the city of Read More...
Game designers have created a simulator that let’s you live the life of a bee
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a bee? Well if you are curious, there’s a new simulation game that gives you an inside look at the real lives and struggles of the American wild bee. Both educational and entertaining, Bee Simulator allows you to fly around our colorful world Read More...