Sustainable Urban Development
With cities expected to host about 70 percent of the world's population, sustainable urban development is key to making communities worldwide more resilient against the growing threat of climate change. Find out about the latest urban practices from across the world aiming to make our cities more sustainable and inclusive in these good-news stories from The Optimist Daily.
Bacteria-based biofuel offers higher energy density than jet fuel
At a time when the need to replace fossil fuels is urgent, it is amazing to see the results of human innovation and creativity to meet the challenge. Researchers at Berkeley Lab are working on a new producer of biofuel that produces a material that boasts an energy density far higher than jet Read More...
India bans single-use plastics
India experiences worse-than-average plastic pollution with single-use plastic water bottles and containers finding their way into streets and important waterways. To rein in this pollution, the Indian government announced from the capital of New Delhi on Friday that it will be imposing a ban Read More...
4 things that keep Canadian traffic fatalities lower than the US
While traffic-related fatalities increased in the United States by 19 percent between 2010 and 2020, Canadian rates declined by about the same amount in that time. Many consider Canada culturally very similar to the US, but when it comes to traffic safety, they have more European attitudes. Here Read More...
Germany gets ahead of winter with its huge heating tower
Germany has set to work on an enormous thermos to help heat its citizen’s homes this winter while stepping away from its reliance on Russia’s fossil fuel industry. Germany’s huge heat tower The thermos tower, which stands at almost 150 feet and can store an astounding 15 million gallons Read More...
Seville becomes first city to name and classify heatwaves
When a tropical storm or hurricane gets bestowed a name, people know to take weather warnings seriously and to prepare their households accordingly. Now, the southern Spanish city of Seville is taking the same approach to heatwaves, becoming the first in the world to name and classify these Read More...
Artificial photosynthesis helps plants grow with no sunlight required
Plants use a special natural process called photosynthesis to grow, mature, flower, and produce fruit. Photosynthesis is the way in which plants absorb energy from sunlight and use it to make their own food out of carbon dioxide and water. For years, scientists have been investigating this Read More...
Lego to set up a factory in Virginia... and it comes with its own solar park
Danish company the Lego Group has established itself as one of The Optimist Daily’s favorite toymakers for its many efforts and initiatives that make this world a more inclusive, accessible, greener, and all-around better place. Now, we’re happy to report that Lego is up to more Read More...
LA may ban the construction of new gas stations
In the face of the climate emergency, officials in Los Angeles are working on policies to stop the construction of new gas stations. Being the second-largest city in America, LA could become the largest city in the world to prohibit new fossil fuel infrastructure. “We are ending oil drilling Read More...
Fog nets from Chile to Morocco. And soon California?
Fog nets are screens of overlapping horizontal and vertical mesh that catch moisture from fog and collect it once gravity brings the droplets down. In remote villages in drought-stricken Morocco, these devices not only bring drinking water to hundreds of thousands of people but also let them Read More...
Get healthy, go to a green space
We decided to revamp a couple of stories on the benefits of green spaces, for which there is an ever-growing body of evidence. NPR’s Aaron Scott recently spoke with environmental psychologist Ming Kuo on green spaces and why we all seem to feel better walking down a city street lined with Read More...