Policy Making
Strong public policy leads to more cohesive, resilient, and sustainable societies. In this section, find out about the latest legislations from around the world aimed at making our world a better place.
Words matter: US finally drops racist slur from the names of federal sites
A racist and misogynist slur used to refer to Native American women will be removed from the names of hundreds of islands, lakes, rivers, mountains, and other geographic features throughout the United States. Words matter After a ten-month-long process, the United States Department of Interior Read More...
Slovenia legalizes same-sex marriage and adoption, a first in Eastern Europe
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Slovenia made history on Tuesday, Oct 4, by becoming the first country in Eastern Europe to equalize its marriage and adoption rules for same-sex couples after the modification was approved by the country's parliament. The ruling is made as Slovenia's Read More...
In India, all women have the right to safe and legal abortions
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Women's rights advocates applauded the Supreme Court of India's judgment, which stated that a woman's lack of marital status could not restrict her ability to choose to terminate a pregnancy at any time up to 24 weeks. The historic Roe v. Wade ruling, Read More...
Parking reform: a win for housing and climate in California
Assembly Bill 2097, signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday, eliminates parking mandates for residential and commercial developments located within half a mile of major transit stops. Minimum parking requirements raise housing costs, use up valuable land, and make Read More...
Dutch city is the first in the world to ban meat ads in public spaces
The undeniable environmental cost of keeping livestock and producing meat (along with the many health benefits of a plant-based diet) are compelling reasons for many to cut out or at least reduce their meat consumption. However, the average meat-lover's resolve to go veggie is probably Read More...
What is degrowth and how can it help tackle climate change in an inclusive way?
We are indeed finding ourselves in a geological epoch – aka the Anthropocene – when human activity has become so earth-shaking it is throwing entire ecosystems and the planet’s climate out of balance. As the science behind global warming is becoming ever harder to dismiss, humanity is facing Read More...
Queens is soon to rule in the world of composting!
Starting in early October of this year, Queens, New York will proudly be running the nation’s grandest composting program. The 2.2 million New Yorkers living in Queens will have a weekly pickup service for organic waste. This means that yard debris and food scraps, and food-soiled paper Read More...
Biden administration launches heat.gov to help us deal with extreme heat
It’s no secret that this summer season has been a scorcher, what with the increasing heatwaves in the US and raging wildfires across Europe. The rising temperatures have been and will continue to cause thousands of deaths from hyperthermia, drought, and crop failures. Extreme heat is an Read More...
Panama enacts landmark legislation giving Nature rights
Panama is among the 25 most megadiverse countries in the world. It is home to big cats like jaguars and ocelots, 6 distinct monkey species like capuchins, myriad marine and bird life, and many kinds of sloth like the pygmy sloth, who is endangered. Its mystifying array of creatures shoulders Panama Read More...
5 ways to save rainforests and the world every day
“At first, I thought I was fighting to save rubber trees, then I thought I was fighting to save the Amazon rainforest. Now I realize I am fighting for humanity.” - Chico Mendes, Brazilian environmentalist July 28 is World Nature Conservation Day. In honor of this, we're happy to offer Read More...