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.
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...
Is there hope? The case for “conditional optimism” on climate change
What’s the difference between blind optimism and conditional optimism? Blind optimism is a child expecting his parents to build him a treehouse; conditional optimism is a child confident he can build a treehouse if given the tools. This can be applied to the topic of climate change: we can Read More...
Finally, a sustainable alternative to polluting microfibers
Your fleece jacket is made up of thousands of synthetic microfibers. When you wash it, those fibers often make their way through drains and wastewater plants into waterways, where fish can eat them. That’s why a company known for making microfiber insulation that fills jackets make by brands like Read More...
Satellites orbiting the Earth are helping scientists predict times of drought
Researchers are using satellites to measure Earth’s underground stocks of water in order to predict the state of vegetation and risk of drought in the surveyed areas. Combined with computer modeling, these advanced scientific instruments orbiting our planet can stimulate the cycles of plant Read More...
Researchers are increasingly using nature to turn the tide on plastic
In an effort to decrease the environmental cost of single-use plastics, scientists, engineers, and designers are increasingly turning to nature to look for sustainable alternatives. Such ecologically friendly alternatives include liquid wood, algae insulation, and polymer substitutes made from Read More...