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Philadelphia soda sales plunge after tax on sugary drinks
Public health advocates in the US have long advised for a tax on sodas as a means to discourage people from indulging in sugary drinks, possibly helping curb obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related conditions. Philadelphia introduced such a tax – 1.5 cents per ounce – in 2017, and now, Read More...
NASA is helping build the first all-electric airplane fueled by hydrogen
The aviation industry is often heavily criticized, rightfully of course, for not doing enough to help save the environment. Now, in a quest to clean-up the heavily-polluting industry, NASA-funded scientists are working to develop an all-electric aircraft that produces no greenhouse-gas emissions. Read More...
UK’s third most populous city pledges to reach zero emissions by 2045
As you may have heard, the UK became the first country in the world to declare a climate change emergency a couple of weeks ago. Incentivized by this, Glasgow – the third most populous city in Britain – is devising plans to become the first carbon-neutral city in the UK. The city’s council Read More...
Youth Paving the Way
photo credit: Shutterstock By Optimist Daily Editorial Team Youth activism is proving a promising channel for authentic, positive change in our world today. Anthony J. Nocella II, the National Coordinator for the Save the Kids Foundation has worked with young people for years and is an expert Read More...
To save the monarch butterfly, US cities are creating specially-made gardens
With their distinctive black-and-orange wings patterned as precisely as stained glass, the monarch butterfly is a beloved insect in America. The sad thing is nature societies are observing huge drops in the populations of these beautiful butterflies. In 2018, the National Wildlife Federation Read More...
180 countries agree to legally-binding framework to limit trade of plastic waste
If you live in the so-called Western world, chances are some of the plastic waste you have produced has been shipped off to private waste-handling companies in the developing world. That’s a problem, mainly because these companies can’t handle the millions of tons of plastic waste that get sent Read More...
This great-grandmother just earned her college degree at the age of 93
It’s never too late to learn something new! If you don’t believe us, then you have to read this story about Joyce Lowenstein, an unlikely graduate of Georgia State University. Lowenstein's pursuit of a degree began in 1943, but it was interrupted for nearly 70 years after becoming a mother, Read More...
Satellites will soon track the exact air pollution of every power plant on Earth
Tuesday brought a somewhat mind-blowing announcement in the world of power plants and pollution. In a nutshell: A nonprofit artificial intelligence firm called WattTime is going to use satellite imagery to precisely track the air pollution (including carbon emissions) coming out of every single Read More...
Why everyone should do strength training at least once a week
While strength training exercises such as squats, pull-ups, and weight lifting can be absolutely grueling, there are a few amazing benefits that will make them worth your while…other than chiseled muscles. First of all, strength training raises excess post oxygen consumption (EPOC). What this Read More...
Scientists have come up with a plant-based alternative to Styrofoam
Of all the types of waste that pollute our planet, styrofoam is one of the absolute worst. That’s because unlike many types of waste that take decades or even centuries to degrade, styrofoam never degrades. And to make matters worse, it’s made out of petroleum and creates pollution when Read More...