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.
Why a climate deal is the best hope for peace
Soon after the horrific terror attacks in Paris, last Friday, our phones filled with messages from friends and colleagues: “So are they going to cancel the Paris climate summit?” “The drums of war are beating. Count on climate change being drowned out.” The assumption is reasonable enough. Read More...
UK's coal plants 'to be phased out within 10 years'
The UK's remaining coal-fired power stations will be shut by 2025 at the latest, Energy Secretary Amber Rudd is expected to say later. Unveiling the government's new energy strategy, Ms Rudd will say that relying on "polluting" coal is "perverse". Instead, gas will become "central" to the UK's Read More...
Portland bans new oil, coal, and gas projects
Clean energy advocates in the United States have added another win to their recent string of victories on Thursday, as Portland, Oregon became the first city in the U.S. to ban all new oil, coal, or natural gas export infrastructure. “We need to take more action to address climate disruption,” Read More...
How community rights can prevent deforestation
This article is published in collaboration with Trust.org (Thomson Reuters Foundation). Ensuring rainforest communities have secure land rights can reduce deforestation and land-use conflicts and prevent tens of millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year, new research shows. The World Read More...
Regenerative grazing may improve soil health
Targeted or regenerated grazing techniques achieve healthier pastures. This pasture management methodology basically consists of managing grazing on the plots of land according to a predetermined calendar adapted to variable annual conditions and receiving the animals in a staggered way. It Read More...
Meanwhile, the shift to clean energy is creating lots of jobs
The go-to argument for opponents against climate action is that it’s bad for the economy and kills jobs. Not true! A new report from climate advocacy organization NextGen Climate America shows that investments into clean energy, such as efficiency improvements, renewable energies and electric Read More...
World’s first industrial-scale carbon capture
We recently wrote about a Belgian company converting climate change related byproducts into ethanol that is sold on as fuel. Switzerland-based Climeworks is going a step further by capturing CO2 from the air for commercial uses. Climeworks have developed a filter that binds CO2 by direct air Read More...
Shell launches carbon capture project to take massive amounts of CO2 out of the air
Wind, sun, biomass, geothermal, there are so many exciting and promising alternative energy sources that represent our future—hopefully cleaner—planet. Many people don't associate fossil fuel giant Shell with this future. However, while Shell will continue doing its part and contribute to Read More...
Chinese scientists have decoded 'panda language'
Scientists in China say they have deciphered the meaning of 13 different giant panda vocalisations. During a five-year study of panda "language" at a conservation centre in the southwestern Sichuan province scientists found giant pandas communicate using specific sounds to indicate when they are Read More...
How cockroaches could save lives
Cockroaches are often associated with dirty kitchens and grimy bathrooms - scuttling away as soon as you enter the room and turn on the light. But pest controllers aren't the only people interested in them - these insects are inspiring research into antibiotics, robots and mechanical limbs, writes Read More...