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.
New River Gorge, West Virginia becomes America’s newest national park
As a part of the Covid-19 relief bill that was passed on Dec. 27, lawmakers have created the first national park in the state of West Virginia. New River Gorge, which is located in Fayetteville, has officially changed from a national river to a national park, becoming the nation’s 63rd national Read More...
Raphael Warnock wins election to become Georgia’s first Black senator
At The Optimist Daily, our focus is on solutions. We are not interested in following mainstream news outlets in their pursuit of the latest political news. With that said, there are times when events occur in the political arena that are very much worth writing about. The recent Georgia Senate Read More...
Do you have unused frequent flier miles? Here's where to donate them
If you’re looking for more ways to give back this year, your frequent flier miles could be a surprisingly good place to start. If your miles are piling up without this year’s usual travel, you can donate them to someone in need with just the click of a button. Here are some of the ways to put Read More...
Court grants ‘priority status’ to historic youth-driven climate case
Back in September, we wrote about a groundbreaking court case filed by young activists from Portugal that demanded 33 countries to make more ambitious emissions cuts to protect their future physical and mental wellbeing. Those countries include all the EU states, as well as the UK, Norway, Russia, Read More...
New fathers to get as much paid leave as mothers in Finland
In Finland, a coalition of five political parties began their terms in office this past December. All five parties are led by women of whom four are under 35 years old, and one of their main priorities is gender equality. In a testament to this goal, Finland’s government has announced plans to Read More...
Jacinda Ardern is showing politicians how to lead during a crisis
As a citizen of any country, the dream is to have a leader who does everything in their power to make sure their country’s people feel heard, informed, and safe. And if they can avoid all the typical political buzzwords and jargon, then that’s an added bonus. During the coronavirus, political Read More...
The value of female leadership during a pandemic
Different approaches to managing the pandemic lead to vastly different outcomes across countries. Some, like New Zealand, have effectively eradicated the virus, while others wait anxiously for vaccine relief among rising infection rates. Looking at what went right in countries like Norway, Iceland, Read More...
How car-free streets unite communities: A firsthand account from Oakland
The Optimist Daily has never been shy to support urban planning that favors pedestrians over motorists. Not only does it make the streets safer, but it can also clean up the air in a city dramatically. But beyond all this, perhaps the biggest benefit of clearing the streets of cars is that it turns Read More...
How Phoenix is feeding the hungry and saving local businesses
Like most cities around the world, Phoenix, Arizona had its restaurant and hospitality industries ravaged by the pandemic. When the city received its federal CARES Act relief, it decided to allocate $951,000 towards an ambitious goal: saving the city’s farms and restaurants and providing food to Read More...
Deb Haaland slated to be first Native American Interior Secretary
In 2018, Deb Haaland, alongside Sharice Davids, became the first Native American woman to serve in Congress. A longtime advocate for the environment in her home state of New Mexico, Haaland is now slated to become the first Native American Interior Secretary. If confirmed, Haaland, a member of Read More...