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 Jersey passes bill to protect poor communities from pollution
In the past months, the state of New Jersey has passed some landmark laws that have been worth sharing. It started in June when the state mandated that climate change education must be a part of the curriculum in schools. Then, just weeks ago, Gov. Phil Murphy signed off on a new law that allows Read More...
Lyft is once again offering free or low-cost rides on Election Day
With the elections coming up, ride-sharing giant Lyft is offering free and discounted rides to help people get to their local polling stations. When election day arrives, riders will be able to get 50 percent off one ride (up to $10) to a dropbox or polling location when you use the code Read More...
After Cop26 delay, youth activists will hold their own climate talks
Vital negotiations to fulfill the Paris climate agreement were supposed to take place at the UN’S Cop26 in November, but the coronavirus has delayed the climate talks. Activists and participants are not impressed by the lack of progress, especially considering the urgent action needed to limit Read More...
South Australia becomes first Aussie state to ban single-use plastics
Although bans on single-use plastics have been enforced in countries all around the world, such policy has yet to be implemented in Australia. But that is about to change after South Australia became the first Australian state to introduce laws banning some single-use plastics including cutlery, Read More...
Thought Leader Series: We need more controlled burns to prevent wildfires
Many residents in California woke up this week to apocalyptic orange skies due to fast-growing wildfires across the state. Today, for our Thought Leader Series, we share a ProPublica article that dives deeper into solutions for reducing the severity of what many are now calling Read More...
New law allows chefs to run little restaurants out of their homes
Wouldn’t it be amazing if people with a knack for cooking could run a small restaurant out of their home? Well, in the city of Riverside, California, that’s now possible. Riverside recently passed law AB-626 that opens unprecedented doors of opportunity by allowing residents to operate small Read More...
Portuguese youth are taking 33 countries to court over climate change
The youth isn’t very happy about climate change. If the Fridays4future climate strikes didn’t make that clear, a new court case filed by young activists from Portugal at the European court of human rights makes it abundantly clear. The case, which was crowdfunded, demands 33 countries make Read More...
New Jersey enacts new law to help undocumented immigrants find jobs
California has long been the only state to have passed a blanket law to aid all undocumented immigrants, but now New Jersey has joined the state after Gov. Phil Murphy repealed key restrictions. The restrictions barred undocumented individuals from obtaining occupational and professional Read More...
Homebase: Stopping homelessness before it happens in New York
Although homelessness across America has been decreasing since 2010, New York City has witnessed an opposite trend. From 2007 to 2018, the state has witnessed a staggering 47% increase in homelessness. That’s where a grassroots program called Homebase steps in. Founded in 2004, Homebase is Read More...
Central Europe to become a frontrunner in reducing plastic waste
The town of Bled in Slovenia is known for its beautiful lake, picturesque scenery, and cream cakes. But more recently it has also become a flag bearer of good recycling practices in Central Europe, with many tourist spots in the resort town prioritizing sustainable packaging. For much of its Read More...