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.
This Kenyan community regrew its forest
At The Optimist Daily, we love stories fighting deforestation or spurring reforestation. Forests are our friends. They host myriad wildlife, foster ecological diversity, consume carbon dioxide, and breathe out oxygen. They also do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to reducing floods. In Read More...
Germany plans to be 100 percent renewable by 2035
Sustainable energy sources such as wind and solar are important for countries as well as the planet. They improve efficiency, can reduce weather-related blackouts, and they also help a country’s independence by allowing it to rely on itself for energy. Germany announced Monday that its goal Read More...
Congress approves $350 million for wildlife crossings
Funding was finally secured in January for the construction of a wildlife crossing over the 101-freeway in Southern California, which cuts through the Santa Monica Mountains and the habitats of many native animals. The Optimist Daily has been closely following stories of wildlife crossings like Read More...
To make citizens safer, France extended its abortion limit
In a win for the reproductive rights of French people, the deadline for having an abortion has been extended from 12 to 14 weeks. This limit now aligns with those of Spain and Austria, and its purpose is to increase safety and freedom for the country's citizens. France has seen a nationwide Read More...
History provides context: A modern timeline of Ukraine-Russia relations
Part of what happens when a dramatic event shocks the world is that the headline news cycle moves fast in one direction, and we can lose sight of the context within which these events are occurring. The answer to that cycle is to seek out historical context. An excellent overview of the key events Read More...
Reproductive justice: Colombia decriminalizes abortion
Following in the footsteps of Latin American countries such as Mexico and Argentina, Colombia’s constitutional court ruled five against four to decriminalize abortion during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, as reported by The Guardian. Prior to this motion, abortion in Colombia was only Read More...
Here's how we can help Ukraine right now
On early Thursday morning, Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It is hard to say exactly how this historical event will play out, however, right now, Ukrainian soldiers and civilians are suffering. Many of us probably feel like we are already maxed out on historical trauma, what with Read More...
Avoid sharing misinformation about Russia's invasion to support Ukraine
The Optimist Daily is committed to supporting truth in news and solutions-focused journalism for a better world. As we have witnessed for more than a month now, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia comes in the form of not only physical violence but also belligerent media manipulation and Read More...
3 inspiring Black LBGTQ+ pioneers
Part of the cultural reassessment that's been occurring over these last few years has been the recognition that many contributions of both the Black and LBGTQ+ communities have been pushed under the rug for too long. In honor of Black History month, we wanted to shed light on three incredible Read More...
This solar-powered desalination system is a gamechanger
Desalination offers a lot of promise to communities that may face water scarcity in the future. For some, the problem is compounded by the potential scarcity of reliable electricity. As such, it has been the aim of many researchers to develop solar-powered desalination devices, which is a difficult Read More...