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.
Caltech scientists speed up carbon sequestration process by 500 times
Carbon sequestration, or removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it long-term, could help us fight climate change. It’s a complex chemical reaction, but a team of six scientists led by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) just made a breakthrough in speeding up a slow Read More...
Key to speeding up carbon sequestration discovered
Scientists at Caltech and USC have discovered a way to speed up the slow part of the chemical reaction that ultimately helps the earth to safely lock away, or sequester, carbon dioxide into the ocean. Simply adding a common enzyme to the mix, the researchers have found, can make that rate-limiting Read More...
New Zealand: fight for 'sacred mountain' after discovery of significant gold seam
A bitter stand-off between a local community and miners has emerged after a significant seam of gold was found on protected conservation land in New Zealand’s North Island. Last week New Talisman Gold Mines reported they had found a large vein of gold in the Karangahake Gorge in the North Read More...
Indian Railways fights air pollution with first train with solar-powered coaches
To reduce the air pollution that has become a plague in many cities in India, the Indian Railways has introduced their first train outfitted with rooftop solar panels. The solar panels will completely power fans, lighting, and display systems in the coaches. In the past, a diesel-fueled generator Read More...
This self-fuelling boat just set off on an epic 6-year global voyage
A hi-tech French vessel is undertaking a 6-year journey across the globe without emitting a single molecule of carbon. Named the Energy Observer, this catamaran runs on solar power harnessed from extensive paneling on top of the vessel, in addition to two large wind turbines at the rear of the Read More...
Fish processors can make a buck and save the environment by using of fish waste
A team of researchers at the Ocean Frontier Institute are finding ways to turn waste from all kinds of fish into valuable products such as fuel, road salts and even nail polish. The researchers say they have found a way to extract high-quality oil from finfish guts and used the waste from that Read More...
This is the best thing you can do with your old Amazon shipping boxes
If you took part in Amazon’s Prime Day, here’s what you should do with all those shipping boxes you have lying around. Fill them up with unwanted clothes, household items, and other goods you no longer need. Then, log onto GiveBackBox.com, enter your zip code and email address to generate a Read More...
The eco guide to animal welfare
Animal welfare is one of the UK’s most successful exports. When the late Peter Roberts, a Hampshire dairy farmer, founded the charity Compassion in World Farming (ciwf.org.uk) 50 years ago, he rightly feared that industrialised farming would wreak havoc on animals and the planet. Even he Read More...
Microsoft is granting access to its AI systems to environmentally-focused projects
Microsoft is lending its artificial intelligence systems to researchers and organizations in order to help them solve the major environmental issues we face today. Leaders of the projects focusing on water, agriculture, biodiversity and climate change can apply for access to Microsoft’s cloud and Read More...
Coca-Cola to start producing bottles made of 50 percent recycled plastic
Coca-Cola, the world’s biggest drinks brand, has announced it will increase the amount of recycled plastic in its bottles to 50 percent, up 10 percent from its previous goal. The company described the proposal as ambitious, but environmentalists said they did not go far enough, pointing towards Read More...