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.
Banana paper saves potatoes by blocking worm communication
The potato cyst nematode is a pathogenic worm and something of a global menace. When these little critters come across potato farms they infest the crops, drastically reducing yield and size. Some areas of Africa see a 60 percent decline in potato yield after infestation, negatively affecting Read More...
Refueling on Mars: making biofuel from astronaut wastewater
As space exploration develops further, scientists and engineers are innovating more outlandish ways for humans to survive beyond our planet. What was once magic becomes science as experts think outside the box and brilliantly repurpose resources in closed environments, such as growing lettuce in Read More...
Quantum charging could cut EV charging from hours to minutes
Current owners of electric vehicles can cruise along knowing that they’re not adding any CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. While they can ride guilt-free, these joy rides can still be inconvenienced by the headache of having to wait around half an hour at a high-powered public charger, or even Read More...
3 eco-friendly swaps to “green up” this year’s spring cleaning
A common response to the increase in sunshine and fresh spring air is an undeniable desire to purge the heaviness of winter from our homes and make everything feel as clean and new as the budding light-green baby leaves on the trees outside. Even though spring cleaning can be hard work, Read More...
Seasam drone improves underwater research and documentation
Humans have invented various autonomous underwater drones for scientific purposes and more. Some examples include the AutonomousRiver Cleaner (ARC) that uses bubbles and AI to clear plastic from rivers, or MERMAIDs which deep-sea dive to explore the ocean floor. There’s now a new drone in town Read More...
Oregon wastewater facility makes its own power with human waste
Two weeks ago, we wrote a piece on upcycling your “business,” going into the green uses some companies found for human waste. Innovation and recycling mean looking everywhere possible for solutions, and The Optimist Daily loves writing about the ones that are found… even if they come out of Read More...
Golden eagle population soars from Scottish conservation efforts
The Optimist Daily loves reporting about the successful global efforts to restore biodiversity and protect endangered species. Whether that be the creation of a Nepalese bird sanctuary or how the Australian humpback whale has come back from endangered status, every comeback is a reason to Read More...
Always growing: a dive back into the marvelous world of mushrooms
“Nature alone is antique, and the oldest art a mushroom.” - Thomas Carlyle, Scottish philosopher, and essayist Science is ever-changing. Scientists and physicians used to be sure that contagions and diseases were spread from person to person by smell. This was called the Miasma Theory, and Read More...
More trees may save gray foxes from coyotes
The Optimist Daily has recently written a great deal on the need to coexist with animals, respecting animal agency and the potential to reach a new symbiosis with our furry neighbors on the planet. This brings into our consideration how to adapt our own human environments to better suit the habits Read More...
Nature’s shopping list: a beginner’s guide to foraging
Two years ago, The Optimist Daily published a small piece on the advantages of foraging. This means walking past the grocery store to the park or a riparian area to search for, identify, and collect your own food resources. The practice has become more popular in recent years, especially during the Read More...