Lifestyle
Alongside taking care of other people and the planet, make sure you take good care of yourself. The Lifestyle section at the Optimist Daily has solutions for everyday wellbeing on topics like food, beauty, fashion, and the latest trends. Curious about caring for houseplants, eating plant-based, or parenting tips? It’s all in there.
Enjoy the outdoors with these earth-friendly spring activities
Flowers are blossoming, trees are growing greener by the day, and people are slowly transitioning from winter coats to shorts and flip-flops. Yes, it must be spring—the perfect time to head outdoors and feel renewed. It’s also the perfect time to contribute to a healthier planet with some Read More...
Active Hope in the Face of Despair
Heartsongs of Courage from an “Environmental Elder” By Marc McGinnes For the past 15 years or so, I’ve found myself teetering on the edge of despair. In the midst of the environmental movement, we’ve won important victories and suffered agonizing defeats. Our hearts have been buffeted Read More...
Turn your leftover eggshells into an all-natural fertilizer for your plants
You may not realize it, but the leftover eggshells from your sunny side up can help your garden grow greener and stronger. You see, eggshells are full of calcium, which is an essential plant nutrient, as well as other minerals. By fusing hot water and eggshells, you can make an eggshell tea (yum!) Read More...
Every city and town should have a tool library
The tool library: it’s a brilliant concept that embodies the true meaning of the shared economy. At its core, a tool library is a place where civilians can rent or borrow community-owned tools such as hammers and drills instead of having to buy separate tools themselves. Having a tool library in Read More...
How to be happy, even when life changes suddenly
When a professional athlete reaches the age where they no longer can compete at the highest level, retirement is inevitable. Sure, retiring will suddenly shake up their life a bit, but at least they can accept the change that will come with retiring because they have been able to compete for as Read More...
These calculators help you estimate how much plastic you’re using every year
It’s getting easier to avoid plastic. Zero-waste grocery stores, from Brooklyn to Hong Kong to Berlin, sell food without plastic packaging. It’s possible to buy plastic-free toothbrushes, cardboard poop scoopers for your dog, and biodegradable vibrators (made from plastic, but Read More...
How do we help people avoid homelessness? This experiment may hold the key
Without a stable place to call home, addressing the problems that homeless people often face such as mental illness or drug addiction becomes incredibly challenging. That’s why a nonprofit in Detroit has created a radical experiment that gives the most disadvantaged populations an opportunity to Read More...
These off-the-grid “Earthships” are the most eco-friendly rentals on Airbnb
Sustainability is a hip buzzword in travel these days, which means, of course, that the term is overused and nobody knows what it really means anymore. Reusing hotel towels and ditching plastic straws are small steps in the right direction, but there’s strong evidence that travelers are eager to Read More...
This Saturday, all of America’s national parks will be free to visit
If you are looking for something to do this Easter weekend, why not visit your nearest national park? As a part of this year’s National Park Week, all sites run by the National Park Service will be free Saturday, April 20. National Park Week is a presidentially-mandated celebration of the Read More...
This California city is hosting America’s first universal basic income trial
While we have seen trials of universal basic income take place in various places around the world such as Finland and Canada, we have yet to see anything of the sort in the US—until now. In the city of Stockton, California, an experimental basic income program is underway in which 130 residents Read More...