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.
How birdwatchers are incentivizing habitat conservation in Alaska
Alaska is world-renowned in specific tourism sectors—namely those related to rail, ship, and cruise lines. However, there is a thrumming ecotourism industry that has been overlooked: birdwatching. Back in 2019, the US was home to 12.82 million birdwatchers. In 2020 this number jumped to Read More...
Oregon project lets farmers test drive electric tractors
American drivers have plenty of options when it comes to electric cars, but what about farmers? The electrification of the agricultural industry is a lucrative and relatively untapped market. However, first, the technology needs to be sold to farmers, many of whom are hesitant about the Read More...
10 eco-friendly kitchen appliances to make your home greener
A healthy kitchen goes beyond just eating green. On top of an eco-friendly diet, having planet-friendly appliances in the heart of your home can go a long way in making your household more sustainable. Although repairing existing items is a great first choice, if you do have an appliance in need of Read More...
In a world-first Brazil rules that Paris Agreement is a Human Rights treaty
The Paris Agreement is an international treaty on climate change adopted by 196 Parties at COP21. The overarching goal is to limit global warming to below two degrees Celsius, and ideally keep it only to 1.5 degrees Celsius. In a world-first, the supreme court of Brazil has declared that the Read More...
Pocket gophers: the only other mammal that farms
Farming has been an integral part of the long story of the development of human society. Some mark the beginning of agriculture in the Fertile Crescent in 8500 BC as the start of human civilization. It’s with this in mind that we think of farming as an entirely human job, but that’s not true. Read More...
Eating less meat could help oceans and waterways by reducing nitrogen
It’s difficult for us to consider the long-term, downriver consequences of the simplest of our actions. It isn’t because we’re indifferent; it’s because there are several complicated results to everything we do. Take eating too much meat. When our bodies have more protein than they need, Read More...
How aspirin and crop resilience go hand in hand
Did you know that plants have been making aspirin for millions of years? And humans have been using it as far back as Neanderthal times for self-medication? The pain medication can be found in trees and sunflowers alike in an unprocessed form called salicylic acid, created in response to when a Read More...
Researchers identify three factors to help prevent mosquito-spread disease
With the variabled future of weather in an ever-changing climate, the prevalence of mosquitoes is expected to increase or at least become more unpredictable. This is expected to exacerbate the spread of certain diseases, like malaria and dengue fever. In places like Sri Lanka, this represents a top Read More...
7 money-saving tips for new gardeners
It’s finally happened—after reading countless articles about the benefits (for both yourself and the planet) of growing your own food and spending time in nature, you’ve decided to give gardening a go. But you’ve heard from others that creating a new garden can be quite costly, and you’d Read More...
UK scientists plan to use contraceptives to curb invasive gray squirrels
In the late 19th century, gray squirrels were introduced to the United Kingdom from the United States. Since then, the gray squirrel population has exploded in the UK to the detriment of the county’s woodlands. These squirrels strip the bark of trees to get at the sap beneath, and British forests Read More...