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This coffee shop chain plans to become zero waste by the end of 2020
People’s strong love for coffee, combined with our western society’s throwaway culture, sends an overwhelming amount of waste to landfills, putting a serious strain on the environment. And while finding a sustainable alternative to the disposable coffee cup has proved difficult, the ultimate Read More...
After years of steady decline, monarch butterfly populations are rising once more
The number of monarch butterflies doing their annual migration through California reached record lows last year, but according to several volunteer counts, there are significantly more butterflies this year. The Xerces Society’s Western Monarch Count Resource Center, which provides daily Read More...
Los Angeles joins movement to eliminate late fees for overdue library books
When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot decided to eliminate library late fees from Chicago Public Libraries back in October, the impact was immediate. Within three weeks, the number of overdue books returned increased by 240 percent. People who couldn’t afford to pay late fees were encouraged to Read More...
NASA has created a map that shows where ‘water ice’ is located on Mars
When there are so many problems that need to be taken care of on planet Earth, it can seem like a waste of resources to be searching for life beyond our planet. Regardless, the search continues, and we at the Optimist Daily feel a bit obliged to give the positive updates that come from this Read More...
This rare Brazilian bird has returned to the Amazon after 3 decade absence
For an environmentalist, few things are as satisfying as when carefully planned conservation works out as intended. In Brazil, a special bird called the Alagoas curassow is now back in the jungle after three decades of being preserved in a scientific-breeding facility in the state of Rio de Read More...
The Ocean Cleanup device has returned with its first load of plastic
After months of research, failures, and reconfigurations, and weeks spent at sea traveling to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and back, The Ocean Cleanup’s device—a 2,000 foot-long floating tube that skims the surface of the water to catch plastic trash—has returned to shore. And with it, Read More...
What Finland’s new parliament can teach America about gender equality
Finland’s new parliament looks radically different from most governments: it’s dominated by women under 35. The parliament is led by newly elected prime minister Sanna Marin, who, at 34 years old, is the youngest in the world. This may sound radical to Americans, but Finland elected its Read More...
These sharable scooters now come with a helmet to improve their riders’ safety
As the micromobility revolution is in full swing, with electric scooters being hailed as efficient alternatives in urban transportation, the concept isn’t without its downsides, one of the major ones being injuries. Luckily, there are now services out there that are putting safety first. Enter Read More...
Researchers discover 40 new species of fish in a single lake
The animal diversity on planet Earth is truly spectacular. A testament to that comes in the form of a recent discovery by researchers in Africa, who found over 40 previously unknown species of fish--all from one lake. Lake Mweru, located between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, is Read More...
4 magnificent mushrooms to boost your immune system
We at the Optimist Daily have long shared our love of mushrooms. They have been used for health purposes for thousands of years, both mentally and physically. Today, we take a look at four varieties of mushrooms which can boost your immune system to keep you healthy this cold and flu Read More...