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.
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...
Fayetteville is proving climate resilience is for all towns big and small
CDP, an international nonprofit that examines climate risk for hundreds of local governments and corporations across the globe, released their latest A list earlier this month. One of the top 34 cities praised for their climate preparedness and commitment to climate action was Fayetteville. You Read More...
EU to force makers of smartphones to install easily replaceable batteries
Back in the age of flip phones, replacing cellphone batteries used to be quite easy. Now, however, smartphones keep their battery compartments sealed off, meaning that users often have to replace the entire device or navigate a complicated repair process when they can no longer hold a charge. This Read More...
New York is enlisting Billy Idol to stop drivers from idling
Cars, trucks, and other motor vehicles are the source of 11 percent of fine particulate air pollution and 28 percent of nitrogen oxide pollution in New York City. On Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio introduced a new initiative to try to make a dent in that pollution by harnessing the star power of, Read More...
Lithuania recycles 92% of its beverage containers thanks to deposit scheme
There are billions of drinks containers produced every year, but only a small fraction of that amount is recycled, while the rest ends up in landfills and the environment. In Lithuania, things are a little bit different. Thanks to a progressive plastic deposit scheme implemented in 2016, the Read More...
Luxembourg introduces free public transportation nation-wide
Luxembourg achieved a major global milestone this week as it became the first country on Earth to make public transportation free nation-wide. The initiative is an effort to encourage citizens, and the country’s 214,000 daily foreign commuters, to use more environmentally friendly methods of Read More...
Huge win for climate activists as Heathrow airport expansion ruled illegal
Heathrow airport outside of London is one of the busiest airports in the world, with 80 million passengers going through it each year. So when plans were announced to construct a third runway that would bring in 700 more planes per day, it was no surprise that environmentalists were outraged (and Read More...
Scotland passes bill to make menstrual products free to anyone in need
In 2018, Scotland became the first country in the world to make menstrual products free to all students in schools, colleges, and universities in the country. This week, Scotland took this idea a giant step further after passing a bill to provide free menstrual products to everyone who needs Read More...