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.
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...
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...
Tax strategies to support pandemic recovery
Let’s be honest—most of us hate paying taxes, even if we understand less why we pay them and support the projects that tax money funds, if we’re speaking plainly, most of us will agree that shelling out the cash for our taxes is kind of painful. However, this week more than 100 members of Read More...
World Meteorological Organization welcomes new leader
Amanda Lynch has been appointed to chair the board of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). This United Nations agency has four main focuses: weather, climate, water, and environment. They research many aspects of the Earth’s behavior to provide vital information to the organization's 193 Read More...
This ingenious solution tackles food waste and insecurity at once
Food waste is a particularly infuriating problem because so much is wasted. According to nonprofit FoodPrint, almost 40 percent of all food in America, much of it still edible, is chucked out. All while at least a tenth of the world’s population (around 800 million people) are struggling with Read More...
Berlin plans to have the world’s largest car-free urban area
In recent years, many cities around the world have become much more aware of the plight of designing our urban spaces with a car-centric mentality. In Europe in particular, cities like Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona, and Stockholm are well ahead when it comes to reclaiming urban space from cars in Read More...
The Philippines bans child marriage to help stop child abuse
According to a report issued last year by the United Nations Children’s Fund, more than half a billion girls and women across the globe were married as children, meaning under the age of majority (18). The areas with the highest rates of child marriage are found in sub-Saharan Africa and South Read More...
Everything you need to know about California’s new composting law
Food waste is a huge problem to tackle, which is why we’ve shared numerous stories with tips on how you can help reduce your own personal food waste. To that end, we’ve suggested that people re-organize their pantry and refrigerator, download apps that connect consumers with grocery items that Read More...
Empowered activism is cultivating a marketable skill - A dispatch from Colombia
“Part of doing something is listening. We are listening. To the sun. To the stars. To the wind.” – Madeleine L’Engle By Jackie Gilbert We all catch ourselves making remarks like “I’m starving” or “we’re dying of hunger”, but fortunately for most of us in my middle-class Read More...
Belgium's "right to disconnect" protects workers from burnout
In November of last year, we shared a story about how Portugal has made it illegal for employers to contact workers outside of working hours in an effort to encourage a healthier work-life balance. Now, Belgium’s Minister of Civil Service Petra De Sutter has introduced a similar law for the Read More...