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.
The EV charging stations of the future are about the experience, not the wait
Thankfully it looks like the era of the electric vehicle is on the rise, which means that gas stations as we know them will hopefully go extinct (along with the harmful CO2 emissions that go hand in hand with them). Instead, new kinds of service stations will take their place, but what will they Read More...
Here’s how we can make buildings that capture and store CO2
If we are to successfully reverse the effects of climate change, then we must thoughtfully construct buildings that soak up carbon dioxide rather than produce it. But in order for that to happen, the building trade needs to redirect its focus. So much of the focus of "green buildings" is on Read More...
Industry is finally taking PFAS destruction technologies seriously
What are PFAS? Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used chemicals that break down very slowly over time thanks to the extreme strength of the carbon-fluoride bond. Due to their long lasting nature, they are used in clothing, furniture, heat-resistant non-stick cooking surfaces, Read More...
Cargo e-bikes are here to make parcel delivery more efficient
The final step in parcel delivery is called the “last mile”. It is essentially the stage of a product’s journey from a warehouse, into a truck, and finally to the buyer’s doorstep. While key to customer satisfaction, this final step is also overwhelmingly inefficient. This is because Read More...
3D graphene hugely increases hydrogen storage capabilities
Graphene is a material that many of us come across in our day to day lives. From water filtration systems to mobile touch screens, clever material has revolutionized many aspects of the modern world. It is made up of a single layer of carbon atoms, therefore it is referred to it as a Read More...
Small brick hospital in Bangladesh wins world's best building
This year, the recipient of the renowned Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) international prize for the world’s best building is a small brick hospital situated in rural Bangladesh. The architect, director of Urbana Kashef Chowdhury, managed to create a functional yet elegant Read More...
High-schooler presents first student-written bill for UK climate education
Youth climate activist Scarlett Westbrook decided that she was fed up with the lack of formal education UK students receive on the devastating climate crisis. At one point during a geography exam, she was even asked to list the benefits of climate change — and while this was disappointing, she Read More...
Make your green thumb even greener by cultivating a zero-waste garden
If the thought that’s keeping you warm through these winter months is looking forward to getting back into your garden, you're surely not alone. We’ve shared many stories that tout the benefits of gardening, not only for the gardeners’ overall health but for the health of our natural Read More...
Better air quality during initial lockdowns saved hundreds of lives
New research suggests that more than 800 lives may have been saved across Europe due to improved air quality during the initial Covid lockdowns. Transportation restrictions meant that there were far fewer cars and transport trucks on the roads, which made the most impact on air quality according Read More...
Fake poop helps tiny endangered owls find new homes
Following decades of human encroachment into California’s grasslands, the once common Western Burrowing Owl is now considered endangered. In an effort to protect the tiny birds from new building developments in US regions like Silicon Valley, local conservationists have been trying for years to Read More...