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.
This Dutchman drove his electric car from Amsterdam to Sydney
In an attempt to prove to the world that electric cars are perfectly feasible transportation, Dutchman Wiebe Wakker set out on a three-year, 59,000-mile journey from Amsterdam to Sydney, Australia back in 2016. This past week, the “world’s largest electric car trip” came to a close after Read More...
These floating wetlands harness nature’s power to clean up pollution
Wetlands are a crucial part of our ecosystems. In addition to providing habitats for aquatic species, wetlands pull greenhouse gasses from the air, protect areas from flooding, and purify water. That’s why it’s an absolute shame that the planet has lost up to 71 percent of its global wetlands Read More...
London just launched an ultra-low emissions zone for its city center
Global cities around the world are starting to take drastic measures to reduce road transport emissions. In New York City, a new law is being put in place that will charge drivers well over $10 to drive n the busiest parts of Manhattan to reduce congestion and lower air pollution. Meanwhile, in Read More...
A Vietnamese man is creating biodegradable straws out of wild grass
As the world becomes increasingly aware of the plastic crisis, more and more people are saying no to plastic straws. After all, you don't really need a straw to enjoy a drink. Still, some people are insistent on drinking out of a straw, so innovators around the world are scrambling to find Read More...
Nature is our most valuable ally in the fight against climate change
There is a wonderful but largely overlooked approach to averting the worst case scenario of climate change while defending the living world: natural climate solutions. By defending, restoring, and re-establishing sea beds and other crucial ecosystems, large amounts of carbon can be removed from the Read More...
A Swiss startup claims to have made a battery with more than 600 miles of range
City dwellers tend to make up the great proportion of electric car buyers, but if the range of EVs were to improve, those of us living in more rural areas would be more tempted to buy one. The good news is a Swiss startup by the name of Innolith says it has developed new high-density lithium-ion Read More...
This aid agency is helping women in refugee camps thrive through permaculture
Although aid agencies have come to Sub-Saharan Africa with good intentions to help refugees, very few have made their desired impact. But one agency by the name of African Women Rising (AWR) is having startling success. The organization educates women and girls in Northern Uganda, schooling them in Read More...
Toyota is offering royalty-free access to 24,000 patents related to EVs
In a move rarely seen by major corporations, Toyota has announced it will allow royalty-free access to its nearly 24,000 patents for hybrid and other vehicles using electrification technology in a bid to expand competition in the market as the industry adopts stricter emissions regulations. Read More...
Volkswagen’s electric self-driving cars are hitting the streets of Hamburg
Anyone who truly cares about the environment probably shudders a little at the mention of Volkswagen. Nonetheless, Volkswagen has a goal of making automated driving a practical reality by 2025, and is hustling to make that happen. The German Automaker is now testing self-driving versions of its Read More...
African nations are building wall of their own, and it’s made out of trees
While the president is busy trying to build a wall at the southern US border, locals, environmentalists, and scientists from more than 20 African nations are building a wall of trees at the southern edge of the Sahara Desert to fight the effects of climate change. The tree-planting project, which Read More...