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.
Britain’s CO2 emissions have fallen once again
According to the latest statistics, the mass closure of coal-fired power stations in the UK has helped reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. Britain’s emissions were 2.7 percent lower than in 2016, and 42.1 percent lower than in 1990. On top of that, coal use for electricity 27 percent Read More...
Elephant seals reclaimed this California beach during government shutdown
When the recent federal government shutdown caused national parks to close, something unexpected happened on one California beach: a herd of sea elephants took over. With no humans occupying the beach, as many as 100 elephant seals decided to take refuge on the beach and call it home just in time Read More...
Samsung will start using eco-friendly materials in its packaging
As a consumer, it can be frustrating that the everyday products you need are packaged in materials that wind up in the trash. We can avoid creating waste from packaging by being selective with our purchases, but it's not always possible. What we really need are alternative ways to package goods Read More...
The efficiency of carbon capture technology set to improve thanks to new substance
Carbon capture technology will be a central piece of any realistic plan for addressing the growing dangers of climate change. That's why it's great news that researchers have invented a novel carbon-capturing substance that is 24 percent more energy efficient than existing methods. The technology Read More...
Life is flourishing on the substructures of offshore oil rigs
A growing number of retired oil rigs have found a new purpose as human-made reefs. These hulking structures, which rise hundreds of feet from the ocean floor, provide a unique habitat for subaquatic life. The complex shape of the rig's support creates a three-dimensional reef for sea creatures to Read More...
Chemistry is helping raise the standard of recycling
Recycling is mistakenly thought of as a solution for plastic waste, but the truth is there are many types of plastics that cannot properly be recycled. That goes for many other materials such as textiles. Fortunately, chemistry is pointing the way towards cleaner, better means of recycling waste. Read More...
Unconventional rice growing technique significantly increases crop yield
Rice farmers are boosting their crop yields by using a revolutionary agronomical system which requires half as much water as conventional farming techniques. The owner of the idea observed that by planting fewer seeds than usual, and using organic matter as fertilizer while keeping rice plants Read More...
More farmers are turning vegan and sending their livestock to sanctuaries
There is an increasing trend on the horizon of farmers sparing their livestock from slaughter and sending them to animal sanctuaries instead. Free from Harm, an Illinois-based charity, has been gathering tales of many such farmers who have had epiphanies and switched to veganism. These trends of Read More...
How a group of sixth-graders inspired a crucial study on starfish decline
When a sixth grade class in land-locked Arkansas saw footage of beaches littered with dead starfish, they decided to start a little fundraiser. They cut out paper starfish and put them up for “adoption” for a $1 donation, eventually pooling together $400 which they sent to a marine ecology Read More...
The EU seeks to ban microplastics in most products by 2020
The EU has proposed a plan to ban a range of microplastics in products by 2020. Cosmetics, detergents, paints, polish and coatings would all require design overhauls, as would products in the construction, agriculture and fossil fuels. If the law is adopted, it could prevent an estimated 400,000 Read More...