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Total number of posts: 23750
January 15, 2021
On this TGIF episode of the Update we're sharing a newly-discovered cave painting that is the oldest known to depict animals and how recycled wind turbines can be used to build public infrastructure. Listen to The Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the Read More...
The European bison is no longer classified as “vulnerable”
In 2003, the population of the European bison stood at just 1,800 individuals, leading scientists at the International Union for Conservation and Nature to classify the animal as “vulnerable.” This led to a number of conservation initiatives, including the 5-year LIFE Bison project, which Read More...
Ivory Coast designates first-ever marine sanctuary
Grand-Bereby is a tiny western town on the Ivory Coast home to mangroves, reefs, and important nesting grounds for sea turtles. It is also home to the Ivory Coast’s first-ever marine protected area. The 1,000 square mile area is the first of five that the Ivory Coast government has Read More...
5 Reasons you should add cassava to your grocery list
Cassava is an edible, starchy root and a staple in West African, Latin American, and Caribbean cuisines. You may have also heard it by its other names: yuca, tapioca, or manioc. Cassava is nutrient-packed and energy-dense, making it a great source of carbohydrates. If you haven’t already tried Read More...
Children's hospital integrates nature within its design to improve wellbeing
The health benefits of integrating nature within our built environment have long been made clear by research, so it makes perfect sense that design studio Perkins and Will has decided to do just that when it was commissioned to design a healthcare facility that caters to children with autism. The Read More...
How to manage anxiety during uncertain times
At a time when it feels like there is no end to the potential sources of daily anxiety, finding strategies to mitigate anxiety becomes all the more important and your personal mindset is one of the strongest tools you have at your disposal. Today we share four tips on managing anxiety during Read More...
Science Moms: This group is rallying mothers to become climate activists
As a climate scientist and a mother, Emily Fischer says it can be hard to study climate change because the data feels “very real” to her. She thinks about our climate timeline in terms of her own kids, knowing that the estimated 10 years or less that we have to perform a massive shift in the Read More...
Re-Wind wants to build things using old wind turbine blades
While a rapidly growing wind energy industry is a positive sign for our transition toward carbon-free energy sources, there is a disadvantage to all this growth: more waste. The blades on wind turbines only have a lifespan of about 20 years, so older decommissioned wind turbine blades from early Read More...
Retired mathematician repairs over 650 bikes in his town for free
Back in September, we wrote a story detailing how the pandemic led to a bike boom in cities all across America as people looked for safer ways to get around. Such was the case in Potomac, Maryland, home to avid cyclist and retired mathematician Ric Jackson. When Jackson’s neighbor was looking Read More...
Food and beverage giant PepsiCo pledges to achieve zero-emissions by 2040
Being one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world, it comes as no surprise that PepsiCo also has a ginormous carbon footprint. In 2019 alone, the company was responsible for putting 57 million metric tons into the atmosphere. Aware of the key role it plays as an industry leader to Read More...