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.
Technology can help shut down illegal logging, protect income of local people
Illegal logging is a widespread problem in places like Indonesia, Brazil, Central America, and Central Africa where it affects the income and livelihood of the local population. New technology can help curb the illegal wood economy, however, by offering new forms of traceability. One solution comes Read More...
Delhi aims to generate 1,000 MW solar power in five years
The Delhi government on Monday approved the Delhi Solar Energy Policy, aimed at generating 1,000 MW solar power in the next five years. “The policy recommends installation of 1GW (1,000 mega watts) solar power capacity in Delhi by the year 2020. It is also proposed to double it to 2GW during the Read More...
US and India set to join UN climate deal and agree on renewables
It would firmly put the Paris deal on the road to becoming a reality. When he meets with US President Barack Obama on Tuesday, India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, is likely to announce that his country will ratify the 2015 Paris agreement to limit global warming. Obama has already said he Read More...
Belgium brewery builds beer pipeline in Bruges
The idea may have seemed mad, but after all, the beer is called the Madman of Bruges — or Brugse Zot in Dutch. And with the help of crowdfunding efforts among some 400 Madman fans, the dream of building a beer pipeline through the Belgian city of Bruges is becoming real. “You have to be Read More...
Why protecting the environment is not a burden but an opportunity
Although the region of Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) has developed steadily over the last twenty-five years, the verdict on the state of the environment is more complex.In many countries, the economy was for years premised on the extraction of non-renewable natural Read More...
Buying bottled water is not a problem; doing something with the bottle is an opportunity
Americans use about 50 billion plastic water bottles each year and 38 of those end up in landfills, where they can take up to 1,000 years to decompose. But in a matter of weeks, a recycled water bottle can be made into a lumber alternative, polyester, stadium seating, car parts—or even a dress Read More...
Get the snails out of your lettuce: How to make natural garden pesticides
Urban farming is rapidly spreading, and many people spend more time growing food in their gardens. And with that good news comes the growing frustration of garden pests spoiling the fun. Snails take over your lettuce or aphids suck on your roses. As a responsible citizen supporting sustainability, Read More...
First commercial carbon-capture plant set to open in Switzerland
What is the best way to get rid of greenhouse gases? The Swiss company Climeworks thinks the answer is to feed them to a greenhouse. The company is now building what is expected to be the world’s first plant to do so commercially. The firm expects to be opening the plant near Zurich in September Read More...
Sharing economy shows U.S. the end of car addiction
American cities are built for cars, not for people. However, technology is beginning to wean the U.S. off its car addiction. The impact of ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft in the past five years is showing substantial changes in society. There’s a steady drop in drivers’ Read More...
New China diet guidelines major contribution to global warming fight
Animal agriculture is a major cause of carbon emissions and is a big contributor to the decline of the rainforests. At the same time, eating too much meat is unhealthy for people. So eating less meat helps planet and people. More and more governments advise their citizens to eat less dairy and Read More...