Today’s Solutions: March 29, 2024
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The Optimist Daily Weekly Roundup

With Arielle Tiangco and Karissa Garcia

Do you like the stories from around the world that recognize and celebrate the people and events making a positive change? Tune in to The Optimist Daily Weekly Roundup, where our solutions-focused stories continue, and hear behind-the-scenes discussions from the people bringing you the news.

Episodes

Insect Informants and How To Reduce the Environmental Cost of Meat

June 09, 2022

Insect Informants and How To Reduce the Environmental Cost of Meat

Today's solutions news: Italy's special police force, the Carabinieri, teams up with bees to fight climate change, and here are four policy changes we can make to reduce the environmental cost of the meat industry. If you'd like to nominate someone you know who's doing good in this world, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com.

Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the News!

 PLAY   15:21 min

Electric Food Trucks and Scaling Up Solar Production

June 08, 2022

Electric Food Trucks and Scaling Up Solar Production

Today's good news: Summers talks about how students at the University of Illinois, Chicago have built a fully functional solar charging station for an on-campus food truck and other EVs. Then, Kristy discusses how the Biden administration is trying to drastically scale up solar production.

If you'd like to nominate someone you know who's doing good in this world, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com.

Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the News!

 PLAY   14:24 min

Composting in California and The Attentional Failure during Driving Questionnaire (AFDQ)

June 07, 2022

Composting in California and The Attentional Failure during Driving Questionnaire (AFDQ)

Today's good news: California levels up its composting game by making composting a statewide practice. Plus, North Carolina State University has developed an Attentional Failure during Driving Questionnaire (AFDQ) to help determine which drivers are most at risk of having an accident. 

If you'd like to nominate someone you know who's doing good in this world, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com.

Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the News!

 PLAY   15:23 min

Mental Health Benefits of Youth Team Sports and the VEST Hackathon

June 06, 2022

Mental Health Benefits of Youth Team Sports and the VEST Hackathon

Today's good news: Summers and Kristy start the week by talking about how new research from the University of California, Fullerton reveals a correlation between youth who participate in team sports and better mental health. Then, they discuss the VEST hackathon is helping make the professional field of construction more equitable for all.

If you'd like to nominate someone you know who's doing good in this world, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com.

Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the News!

 PLAY   15:38 min

Firefighting Goats and World's Largest Plant

June 03, 2022

Firefighting Goats and World's Largest Plant

Today's positive news: Firefighting goats are helping prevent wildfires in California's Ojai Valley (shout out to Emissary Warren Petersen for submitting this story for our Optimist Change-Makers nominations!)! Plus, the world's largest plant (think 20,000 football fields big) has just been discovered off the coast of Australia. All that and more on The Optimist Daily today! 

Listen to The Optimist Daily Update with Summers and Kristy - Making Solutions the News!

 PLAY   14:30 min

Barbie's First Trans Doll and Germany Returns Namibian Artifacts

June 02, 2022

Barbie's First Trans Doll and Germany Returns Namibian Artifacts

Today's good news: Kristy shares exciting news about Barbie's first trans doll, modeled after amazing actress and trans woman Laverne Cox. Then, Summers discusses how Germany is coming to terms with its colonial history and, as a part of that journey, has decided to return ancient stolen artifacts to Namibia.

If you'd like to nominate someone you know who's doing good in this world, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com.

Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the News!

 PLAY   11:53 min

The Biggest Photo Database of Amazonian Wildlife and The Fight Against Greenwashing

June 01, 2022

The Biggest Photo Database of Amazonian Wildlife and The Fight Against Greenwashing

Today's good news: Summers talks about how the Wildlife Conservation Society is building an enormous photo database of Amazonian wildlife with the help of an international team of scientists. Then, Kristy discusses how authorities around the world are working to regulate greenwashing.

If you'd like to nominate someone you know who's doing good in this world, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com.

Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the News!

 PLAY   12:30 min

Colorado Law Defends LGBTQ+ Parents' Rights and Talking with Kids Afraid of Going Back To School

May 30, 2022

Colorado Law Defends LGBTQ+ Parents' Rights and Talking with Kids Afraid of Going Back To School

Today's positive parenting news: Arielle talks about a Colorado law that gives LGBTQ+ parents rightful custody over their own children and Kristy shares advice on how to talk to students who are afraid or anxious about going back to school in the wake of the tragic Uvalde shooting.

If you'd like to nominate someone you know who's doing good in this world, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com.

Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the News!

 PLAY   14:20 min

Public Transportation in Germany and Secret Ingredient to Longer Lasting Roads

May 27, 2022

Public Transportation in Germany and Secret Ingredient to Longer Lasting Roads

Happy Friday! We have some wheel-y good solutions on The Optimist Daily Update today. Summers and Kristy are chatting about good transportation news ahead of a big travel weekend for Memorial Day in the United States. Germany just reduced public transportation fees to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and old recycled rubber tires are improving the lifespan of our roads. 

Listen to The Optimist Daily Update with Summers and Kristy -- Making Solutions the News!

 PLAY   15:48 min

Summer Youth Employment Programs and Bid Binge Watching Goodbye

May 26, 2022

Summer Youth Employment Programs and Bid Binge Watching Goodbye

Summers and Kristy begin today's episode by sharing their shock and sadness about yet another mass shooting at yet another school. 

Then, they turn their discussion to the uplifting news that we all need, especially when the world feels like a dark place. Summers speaks about the benefits of summer employment for young people and Kristy gets into why we should try to limit our daily TV time to an hour or less.

If you'd like to nominate someone you know who's doing good in this world, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com.

Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the News!

 PLAY   17:27 min