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.
The largest fishing companies of the world are teaming up to stop overfishing
Overexploitation of the planet’s fish has more than tripled since the 1970s, with 40 percent of popular species like tuna now being caught unsustainably. That’s why the United Nations is hosting its first ever Ocean Conference this week in New York, which will feature member states discussing Read More...
Scientists have found a way to turn rusty stainless steel into batteries
Metal from the trash heap may one day wind up inside your smartphone instead of the other way around thanks to a group of Chinese scientists. The scientists have figured out a way to turn rusted stainless steel mesh, a material often used for filters and screens in facilities such as wastewater Read More...
This 'tree' fights air pollution like a forest
We need to plant more trees. In fact, as we recently published, each citizen of planet earth would need to plant 240 trees to restore the environment. That’s a challenge and the “City Tree” may help. It is a mobile installation which removes pollutants from the air and it has been popping up Read More...
Greenhouse emissions fall for another year in California
California has continued to chip away at its greenhouse gas emissions even as its economy grows, according to new data released by state regulators on Wednesday. Emissions fell by a third of a percent in 2015, which regulators said was equivalent to removing 300,000 vehicles from state roads for a Read More...
Business is leading the transition to renewables while politicians dither
It is a volatile time for energy politics. Last week the US president, Donald Trump, rocked the world by following through on his pledge to pull the US out of the Paris climate agreement. Considering even North Korea is party to the accord, this leaves the US marooned and alone as a rogue climate Read More...
France is being sued by a Parisian because the air is too polluted
After pollution hit record levels last December, a Parisian woman decided to take the French state to court. She claims the French state is responsible for failing to protect her health from the effects of air pollution, which has caused her a series of respiratory problems over the last few years. Read More...
Hawaii becomes first state to enact law that aligns with Paris agreement
Hawaii has become the first state to enact a law that aligns with the Paris agreement after its governor signed two bills into law Tuesday that "support the commitments and goals" of the accord, Gov. David Ige's office announced Tuesday. The governor, as well as the state's county mayors and state Read More...
Who is wilt-free? Farmers with organic-rich, water-holding soils, that's who
Long-term success for farmers depends on how they treat their soil, especially as climate change is making rainfall patterns more unreliable. The make-up of soils varies enormously, sometimes from one field to another. Clay, which holds four times as much water as coarse light sand, can be a big Read More...
U.S. cities, companies move forward on climate commitments
In case you missed it, the Trump Administration last week announced that the U.S. would leave the Paris Agreement reached during COP21 in late 2015. And if you’ve really been asleep, then you have missed all the outrage expressed by world governments, NGOs and environmental leaders. The reality, Read More...
The conversation between plants and soil
To a child, soil is just dirt – a home for worms. To a gardener, soil is a collection of organic matter and nutrients. But to plants, soil is a hotbed of chemical activity. And plants don't just observe, they actively participate in this activity. Plants release chemicals into the soil, Read More...