Politics
Having a difficult time finding positive news about national and global politics? Search no further! From public policy to positive leadership to democracy efforts, find the latest good news stories in the world of politics at The Optimist Daily.
Setting half the earth aside for nature? More than half say YES!
Protected natural spaces serve as animal sanctuaries, places of research, and great family vacation destinations. These spaces offer the unique experience of viewing nature in its undisturbed state, but how much of our planet should we set aside as protected natural spaces? Biologist E.O. Wilson Read More...
Little Rock, Arkansas is giving its homeless people a chance to earn a buck
In Little Rock, Arkansas vagrants are given the chance to work their way out of poverty through an initiative that pays them to pick up litter. Dubbed Bridge to Work, the program has been paying vagrants $9.25 an hour – two bucks more than the federal minimum wage – for keeping the city’s Read More...
Landmark CA bill drives home more benefits for Uber and other gig workers
Uber and Lyft employees used to have to work 50 hour work weeks to make a livable wage as independent contractors. This week, with the passing of senate bill AB 5, these workers will get fairer labor conditions and even healthcare coverage. The bill requires companies to hire these workers as Read More...
Ireland will ditch single-use plastics to tackle its heavy pollution problem
Plastic plates and food containers could become a thing of the past for Irish people, as the country’s government announced recently that it plans to ban single-use plastics in an effort to reduce the amount of waste in its landfills. The nation’s Minister for Communications, Climate Read More...
25k Protestors Demand Change from Automakers in Frankfurt
Protests alone don't create solutions. Protests with highly organized, coordinated efforts, with effective demands and a message clearly delivered can be the start of something good. That's exactly what happened at Frankfurt's International Motor Show (IAA). In a coordinated effort to demand an Read More...
Americans waking up to the seriousness of climate crisis, a new poll shows
In a new poll conducted by CBS News, two-thirds of Americans agree that climate change is either a crisis or a serious problem. More than half of those surveyed also said they wanted immediate action to deal with the effects of this climate change. This is big news, because although the rest Read More...
Corporate America takes a stand against gun violence
“Gun violence in America is not inevitable; it’s preventable. There are steps Congress can, and must, take to prevent and reduce gun violence.” This quote comes from a letter written and signed by 145 CEOs of U.S. companies this week, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Levi Strauss, Reddit, Read More...
From desert to oasis: how community-driven grocery stores can reduce food insecurity
Low incomes can make accessing healthy food a challenge. But what if the closest grocery store with nutritious options is more than a mile from your home? This is the daily reality for the 6.2% of Americans who live in food deserts: areas where residents do not have the purchasing power to support Read More...
House approves bill to permanently ban new offshore drilling
Offshore gas and oil drilling create various forms of pollution that have considerable negative effects on marine life and on coastal communities whose economies rely on tourism and fishing. When oil spills occur, for instance, they can cause irreversible damage to marine habitats and devastating Read More...
More legal rights could mean less deadly algae for Lake Erie
Laws focused on natural spaces often hone in on protecting what humans can gain from the natural resource, rather than protecting the space itself. However, “Rights of Nature” laws, which give natural spaces protection as legal entities, are beginning to crop up in an effort to change the Read More...