To watch out for predators, voles trim the grass around them
Here at The Optimist Daily, we commonly report on new ecological findings from animals all around the world. The more scientists uncover about the behavior and lives of the creatures we share the world with the better able we are to help them. Whether that’s uncovering snow monkeys incredible Read More...
US will stop financing fossil fuel projects abroad
The US government has officially halted federal aid to overseas fossil fuel projects. The new policy comes after the US joined nearly 40 other countries in a COP26 pledge to end foreign fossil fuel financing by the end of 2022. The funding change will mean no more US financing for coal plants, Read More...
US reported record solar power growth in 2020
We’ve previously written about how renewables outpaced fossil fuels in Europe for the first time in 2020. Now, new data demonstrates how US renewables, specifically solar, also thrived despite the challenges of a global pandemic. Last year, the US built more utility-scale solar power plants Read More...
Hispanic Heritage Month: A brief history and why it begins mid-month
National Hispanic Heritage Month started last week and will run through October 15. Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates members of our communities and their ancestors from Mexico, parts of the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Spain, and it begins in the middle of September, rather than the Read More...
Study: Solar could account for 40 percent of US power by 2035
Currently, just three percent of US electricity comes from solar power, but that could soon change as the Energy Department’s Solar Futures Study finds that 40 percent of all electricity could be generated by solar by 2035. In addition to upping solar contributions, the study finds that 95 Read More...
US and Canada establish first international transboundary Dark Sky Park
If you enjoyed last week’s Perseid Meteor Shower and want to see more night sky action, we’ve got good news. The US and Canada have established the world’s newest International Dark Sky Park for star-lovers to enjoy. The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is a collaborative National Read More...
US Commits to cutting emissions by 50% by 2030
Last week’s global summit on climate change yielded some pretty impressive climate commitments from a variety of world leaders. One of the prominent pledges is that from the US which committed to reducing emissions by 50 percent by 2030. This commitment is expected to be made official in a Read More...
US announces measures to expand offshore wind energy production
We recently shared how the US is making progress towards its first utility-scale offshore wind farm in Massachusetts. Now, the country is ramping up wind power even further with the announcement of a New Wind Energy Area between Long Island and the New Jersey coast. The new project is part Read More...
Hemp is the main ingredient in this truly sustainable alternative to wood
We have used wood to house us, furnish our lives, and further develop our civilizations for thousands of years. But now, as deforestation threatens the balance of nature, we are finding more sustainable materials to take the place of wood. The popularization of an alternate material will facilitate Read More...
How well-placed wetlands could dramatically cut nitrogen pollution
Nitrogen runoff from agriculture is a major problem, polluting our waterways and causing algae blooms that damage aquatic ecosystems. Wetlands offer a powerful buffer to nitrogen runoff as they serve as a natural filter to nutrient-polluted water, but we need to restore more wetlands in order to Read More...