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.
House passes coronavirus aid package, including free tests and paid sick leave
As efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus in the US are getting more extreme with each passing day, many companies have banned non-essential travel, told the symptomatic to isolate themselves, and encouraged workers to work from home. The problem, however, is that there is a great Read More...
Cities to ban evictions for workers affected by coronavirus response
The coronavirus is certainly a worrying development—and while it doesn’t necessarily feel that the federal government is acting swiftly enough to protect people, cities such as San Jose, California, are taking steps to help those who need it most. As you might know, someone trying to survive Read More...
After a 29 percent drop, UK carbon emissions are now back at 1988 levels
A carbon brief has revealed that the United Kingdom’s carbon dioxide emissions have dropped 29 percent since 2010. The analysis found that carbon emissions dropped 2.9 percent last year alone, bringing 2019 emissions down to 1988 levels. The drop in emissions is largely attributed to coal Read More...
The Netherlands is doubling its 2020 green subsidies to meet climate goals
Let’s start with the bad news: The Netherlands is struggling to meet its obligations under the Kyoto Protocol to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 25% below 1990 levels by the end of this year. The good news: the Dutch government is actually taking this seriously. This week, the government Read More...
California designates 300 state buildings to house homeless
California Governor Gavin Newsom made addressing homelessness a key issue of his campaign. Last month, he dedicated his State of the State address to the issue with a plan to allocate 286 state properties for use as homeless shelters. This plan builds on his previously proposed plan of Read More...
Vancouver moves to make all birth control free
In a move to make contraceptive options free for men and women across Vancouver, City Council Member Christine Boyle has proposed a budget amendment that would provide no-cost prescription birth control for women in the city under Canada’s universal healthcare plan. Health centers across Read More...
A new online tool is helping cities and businesses find the EVs they need
The technology driving clean transportation is rapidly evolving, so much so that it’s hard to keep track. That’s why a transportation nonprofit focused on cleantech has launched a new online tool called The Zero-Emission Technology Inventory to help cities and businesses know exactly what’s Read More...
Judge tosses oil and gas leases on almost 1 million acres of public land
For everyone who cares about our public lands, we have good news: A federal judge banned oil and gas leases on nearly one million acres of public lands that are important habitat for the greater sage grouse, the largest type of grouse (type of bird) in the US. The ruling goes against a White Read More...
An old coal plant and a new deal would benefit LA and the Navajo Nation
If you live in Los Angeles, you probably didn’t know that until last year the Navajo Nation had helped power the city with energy from a reservation coal plant. The plant was shut down, but this partnership will live to see another, greener, day. The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to Read More...
This Santa Cruz farm is helping the homeless gain stable employment
After spending a night in Santa Cruz’s first homeless shelter, local philanthropist Paul Lee realized residents were deprived of an environment that allowed them to dream of a better future. That’s why he founded the Homeless Garden Project in 1990, a project that gives homeless people the Read More...