The high school student whose filter uses magnetic oil to trap microplastics
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The story starts with a newspaper article and a neighborhood that wasn't getting help. A few years ago, Mia Heller came across a report about water quality in her community in Warrington, Virginia. Tests had found the local water was heavily contaminated Read More...
How robots and drones are cleaning the ocean floor across Europe
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Most ocean cleanup efforts work on the same assumption: the problem floats. Skim the surface, collect the plastic, done. The trouble is that most marine litter doesn't float. It sinks to the seabed, where it sits undisturbed and largely out of reach of the Read More...
Shield your drinking water from microplastics via boiling
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM On February 28, scientists released a revolutionary study in Environmental Science and Technology Letters that investigated the effectiveness of boiling tap water in eliminating microplastics. What about the discovery? Boiling water for five minutes could Read More...
The EU makes historic decision to stop plastic waste exports to poor countries
The European Union took an important step toward reducing plastic pollution by agreeing to stop exporting waste plastic to non-OECD countries. This landmark decision, which is still awaiting formal approval, demonstrates a commitment to responsible trash management and environmental Read More...
Paving the path towards a global plastics treaty
Nation-state delegates took a historic step toward a new global plastics pact in an inspirational display of determination. This undertaking, described as the most significant green deal since the 2015 worldwide climate agreement, signals a turning point in our joint efforts to address the critical Read More...
Could sound-based filtration be the answer to the microplastic problem?
There is no doubt that microplastics pose a rising ecological and health risk, but this wasn’t always the case. It’s only recently that scientists began to appreciate the scope of these microscopic particles and their influence on animals ranging from marine life to humans. A 2019 study found Read More...
Okra: the surprising hero in the fight against microplastics
According to new research from scientists at Tarleton State University in Texas, okra — you know, the green, finger-shaped pod that is often added to delicious dishes like gumbo and soup — is a valuable weapon in the fight to get microplastics out of our drinking water. What are Read More...
Robot fish repairs itself with microplastics it collects
Microplastics are one of the most pervasive environmental and health issues of our time. And environmental engineers and researchers are working nonstop to address this, with enzymes, superworms, okra, and more. Now, scientists from Sichuan University have developed and programmed a tiny robot Read More...
5 simple ways you can do less laundry
Apart from being an extremely mundane task, doing your laundry is also rather far from being an eco-friendly chore. It involves an energy-intensive process that uses a lot of water and, in the case of synthetic fabrics, releases countless microplastics into the environment, threatening public Read More...
California’s plan to tackle the problem of microplastics
It’s time to face the facts: teeny tiny microplastics are everywhere and despite their size, they’ve become a prodigious problem. Not only are they in our bodies, they plague the ocean and its biodiversity and are even floating through the air. Checking microplastics The state of California Read More...