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.
Could universal environmental education spur a green revolution?
We know that the only way to save the planet is to restructure the way the world operates. This includes building the necessary infrastructure for producing clean energy, reshaping the economy into a circular one, and maintaining ecosystems that absorb carbon. So how do we ensure that all of these Read More...
How companies can lead on anti-deforestation efforts
Pressure, both from environmental groups and local communities, has been instrumental in nudging multinational companies to become more environmentally responsible. Consumer preferences are shifting as well, though most have made it clear that they only want environmentally responsible products as Read More...
Can we fight climate change with trees and grass?
Can we use trees and other plants as a weapon in the fight against climate change? Earth's greenery comes with natural carbon-capturing abilities, but now several studies are investigating how to tweak those tendencies to have a maximum impact on carbon dioxide levels in the Read More...
You can eat this algae-based water bottle when you’re done with your drink
A plastic water bottle may take hundreds–or even thousands–of years to degrade in a landfill. A new conceptual design for a water bottle is at the opposite extreme: Immediately after you drink it, it starts to fall apart. And if you don’t want to throw the bottle away, you can eat it. The Read More...
The Reducetarian Solution could be the best way to health for people and planet
Eating less meat will curb climate change and will make us all healthier. But getting everyone to become a vegetarian is not realistic. That's why Brian Kateman, in a new book, proposes The Reducetarian Solution: It is possible to get people to reduce the amount of meat in their diet. Kateman Read More...
Coffee chains trial fully compostable cup
The company behind the cup, which uses a revolutionary type of 'bioplastic', describes it as a "world first". It says the plastic, which uses eucalyptus, means the cup can withstand heat better than other types of bioplastic. Yet within three months on a compost heap, both the cup and the lid break Read More...
Save money: Beat the summer heat by painting your roof white
The difference between a house that is unbearably hot and one that is substantially cool lies in the color of the roof. A flat roof in the midday sun receives about 1,000 watts of sunlight per square meter. A dark will absorb most of this energy, heating up the underlying building as well as the Read More...
Living in a holistic universe: Plants "hear" water, move roots toward the source
This story shows that we live in a more complex and connected world than most of us think and experience: Plants can "hear" water. According to researchers at The University of Western Australia, plants have the ability to sense sound vibrations from running water moving through pipes or in soil. Read More...
Whales keep carbon out of the atmosphere
Unlikely heroes could play a starring role in helping the Pacific islands meet their climate commitments: whales. Residents of the Pacific islands are keeping an anxious eye on the whales that populate their steadily warming waters. Many are concerned that climate change will take a toll on the Read More...
Microbes, new weapon against agricultural pests in Africa
Microscopic soil organisms could be an environmentally friendly way to control crop pests and diseases and even protect agriculture against the impacts of climate change, a leading researcher says. Africa is battling an outbreak of trans-boundary pests and diseases like the invasive South America Read More...