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.
This solar-coated high-rise is self-sustaining
A high-rise office building in Melbourne, Australia, boasts a solar facade made up of 1,182 solar panels which, together with additional rooftop solar, sustain the building with renewable power. Helping others by helping itself “The building is designed to be self-sustainable,” says Pete Read More...
Insect informants—Bees help Italy’s Carabinieri police force fight pollution
Italy’s special police force, the Carabinieri, is known for handling high-profile criminals such as the mafia. However, they also are charged with the important responsibility of protecting local forests and the surrounding environment. To do so, the Carabinieri has worked closely with an Read More...
Baltimore aims to expand public internet access with city-owned network
State and local governments are coming to appreciate the internet for what it is: an essential utility. With much of the workforce working from home and children going to school online, reliable internet is vital for workers in all sectors of the economy. In the wake of successful programs Read More...
US pushes through solar panel imports while helping boost production
A tariff investigation by the Commerce Department has stalled the expansion of the United States solar industry. This was a look into whether or not Chinese solar manufacturers were improperly funneling parts through other Asian countries. Determined to meet its clean energy and climate goals, Read More...
University of Illinois students build solar charging station for food truck and other EVs
Students at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) have demonstrated once again the ingenuity and motivation of today’s youth to meet the challenges of climate change. The team built a solar-powered charging station so that an on-campus food truck can make emission-free deliveries. The Read More...
Finland is the first country to pass a legally binding carbon negativity act
Many countries are putting forth considerable efforts to fight climate change and reach ambitious targets of net-zero emissions. However, Finland has decided to take it up a notch. Finland’s parliament recently passed a new Climate Change Act which legally binds it to its commitment to Read More...
California is making composting a statewide practice
Composting is an easy and fun way to cut down on our carbon emissions while making our own fertilizer. Despite this, a lot of green waste like vegetable scraps and lawn trimmings wind up in landfills. Here they rot and release methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. Read More...
UK surgeons perform first carbon-neutral operation
Healthcare and sustainability have been at the forefront of global discussion lately. Doctors at the UK’s Solihull Hospital in the West Midlands have accomplished something that prioritizes both of these major issues: the world’s first “net-zero” surgery. To take care of patients Read More...
Ikea US will soon be offering consumers solar panels
Soon, shoppers in the US at Ikea will be able to buy more than just cute household furniture and accessories. Ikea announced an exciting new product in a press statement: solar panels. The Swedish home and living giant partnered with SunPower, a California-based company that sells and installs Read More...
Chicago Connected gave internet to 64,000 children in need
When the Pandemic hit and students went home for school, many lower-income families were disadvantaged due to a lack of reliable internet. In Chicago, many students in lower-income neighborhoods couldn’t get their work done, so the city decided to take action. In March 2020, the city started Read More...