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 mayor of Paris wants to create the first post-car megacity
“Unparalleled challenges like air pollution require unprecedented action,” says the mayor of Paris. She wants to clean the city’s air and lower its carbon footprint. The solution: more walking, more bikes, more public transport—and fewer cars. “These policies are based on the urgency of Read More...
Why opting for organic cotton matters
Cotton clothing has a longstanding history of being all-natural and wholesome. Unfortunately, times have changed, and once you delve behind-the-scenes of the cotton industry, its wholesome image quickly frays around the edges. Most people forget that a vast majority — about 90 to 95 percent Read More...
Water is more powerful than fossil fuels in the fight against climate change
The usual global warming story is a single focus narrative that says that the only way to reverse climate change is by replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy. The truth is there are other essential things we can do to stop climate change, like using the world’s most powerful tool: Water. Read More...
Trees are giant air conditioners with no power bills
Anyone who has walked outside on a sunny day knows that forests and trees matter for temperature, humidity and wind speed. Planting trees speaks to concerns about climate change -- but the directly important aspects of the tree-climate relationships have so far been overlooked in climate policy Read More...
This laundry bag prevents microfibers polluting the food chain
Pollution from plastic fibers may be “the biggest environmental problem you’ve never heard of.” The fibers end up in the oceans disrupting marine life. This bag contains synthetic clothing within a mesh bag that lets in soapy water while trapping any plastic fibers that are loosened during Read More...
El Salvador becomes first country to pass total ban on metals mining
After a decades-long fight by environmental activists, El Salvador has become the first nation in the world to completely ban the mining of gold and other metals. Toxic chemicals and heavy metals pollute an estimated 90 percent of surface waters in the country. Several Latin American countries have Read More...
Meet the nine-year-old girl who is suing the Indian Government over climate change
A nine-year-old girl has filed a court case against the Indian Government for failing to take ambitious action to tackle climate change. Ridhima Pandey’s lawyer told The Independent she was a “compassionate child” who wanted her Government to help protect the planet for future Read More...
Meet the woman who's cleaning up the fashion industry
Fashion is the second dirtiest industry in the world, causing widespread pollution and subsequent health problems in Asia, where most clothing production takes place. Innovator Rebecca Burges witnessed the harmful effects of the fashion industry firsthand when she was working in villages in Asia, Read More...
Defying Trump California plans to set stricter emissions standards for cars
When it comes to setting emissions standards California has long led the world. And California's market is too big and too important: No car company can afford to ignore the standards set in the sixth largest economy in the world. Despite a new administration in Washington determined to relax the Read More...
‘Moore’s law’ for carbon would defeat global warming
According to "Moore’s law" innovation doubles the number of transistors on a computer chip about every two years. The law has held true for 50 years. Researchers say a similar "law" of exponential growth can already be seen in clean energy, which is why they are proposing a new “carbon law a la Read More...