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.
A high-tech sustainable greenhouse is about to be built in coal country
Kentucky may be coal country, but that’s not stopping entrepreneurs from introducing sustainability to the state. In Morehead, a small town where roughly one in three people live below the poverty line, a company called AppHarvest is constructing a massive new 60-acre high-tech greenhouse will be Read More...
Cacti could help slash the amount of plastic polluting our environment
With so many headlines everywhere about the devastating effect of plastic pollution on our ecosystems, it feels good to see scientists eagerly working on finding sustainable solutions to this urgent environmental crisis. The most recent instance comes from Mexico, where a researcher has been Read More...
Bathing suits shed microplastics. This brand has a better solution
Every time someone washes something made from polyester or another synthetic fabric, tiny fibers flow down the drain and into waterways. In one study, an acrylic sweater shed 700,000 fibers each time it was washed. For swimsuits, the problem can be more direct, and some microfibers might rub off Read More...
Starbucks is testing a reusable cup scheme for airports
Travelers looking to get a quick fix of coffee before a flight use more disposable coffee cups than you can imagine. At Gatwick airport alone, more than 7 million paper cups are used each year, with most ending up in the landfill. Aware of this striking fact, Gatwick airport is testing the UK’s Read More...
The biggest climate villains in Washington are quickly losing power
Business trade groups are known for throwing their weight around — and getting their way — in Washington. The US Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Farm Bureau, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, the American Petroleum Institute — these names Read More...
Meet the unlikely team of US veterans scuba diving to save coral reefs
Coral reefs were once the epitome of the richness of life on Earth, but with water quality dropping and ocean temperatures rising, coral reefs are unfortunately struggling to survive. Enter Force Blue, an unusual green organization with three key goals. Founded by US special forces veterans, it Read More...
Michael Bloomberg to spend $500M to close all coal-fired plants in America
While donations for the restoration of the Notre Dame cathedral approached tens of billions of dollars in just a couple of days, many have condemned the lack of similar major donations from the rich in response to the emergency of climate change. Cue former New York City mayor Michael Read More...
People gathered worldwide to celebrate and honor the ocean on World Oceans Day
10 years ago, the United Nations and the international community began observing June 8 as World Oceans Day to recognize the major role that oceans play in our lives and the challenges faced in preserving this resource. In ten years' time, the annual celebration of the ocean has become quite Read More...
How Olay could lead other beauty companies to start use refillable packaging
While skincare products may be a good way to keep your body beautiful, the way they’re packaged is only making the world a dirtier place. The good news is that the beauty label Olay is becoming the first major global skincare brand to test refillable packaging in an attempt to reduce plastic Read More...
A United flight just used a biofuel blend. That’s a big deal
The aviation industry may be one of the world’s most polluting industries, but at the very least there are a number of developments underway to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint. Yesterday we wrote about one taking place in the Netherlands where aerospace engineers are designing a Read More...