An Optimist's Guide to Sustainability

New study finds we already have the tools we need to fight climate change. Here's how to use them
It may feel like at times we're playing a waiting game in regards to climate change, simply waiting for some new technological advancement to save us at the last minute. There is no time to wait for far-off future solutions to come to fruition — and…
By AJ Dellinger

Eco-friendly products to invest in

Hacks for a sustainable lifestyle

How companies are going green

Eating for the environment

More green news 🌎↓

Not all sustainable straws suck. Here are the 5 best
By Sarah Bricker Hunt
It’s hard to believe the humble drinking straw has become Public Enemy No. 1, but here we are. As it turns out, the permanent existence of billions of disposable-yet-indelible straws is a growing environmental concern. Single-use plastic drinking…
Scientists may have discovered a new way to turn rain into electricity
By Vanessa Taylor
Flooding, droughts, destructive wildfires, and more natural disasters are taking place across the globe, growing more common and extreme with climate change. The climate emergency has heightened the need to change how humans interact with the world,…
7 realistic changes you can make to fight global warming
By Abid Mehmood
If global temperatures are allowed to rise by 2℃, we face creating a “Hothouse Earth” that would shift the planet to an irreversible state, a recent research paper warns. This has provoked a global frenzy in social, news, and print media reminiscent…
Don't even think about throwing apple cores out of your car window
By Tebany Yune
Apple cores tossed out of car windows are ruining native apple trees in Scotland, according to a study by researchers at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh. In an article reported by The Telegraph, a team of scientists found that more than half…
The easiest way to trick yourself into conserving water in the shower
By Tebany Yune
There's a very simple way to reduce the amount of time you spend in the shower: Get a clock. The results from a preliminary study — a small study that tests whether a larger study would be practical and affordable — has suggested that being visibly…
Arcadia Earth proves sustainability can be beautiful
By Brittany Vincent
It's tempting to take on a defeatist attitude when it comes to adopting more sustainable habits. The problems facing our planet are so massive that figuring out how to start taking actions toward saving the environment can be difficult. Luckily,…
Does banning plastic bags actually accomplish anything?
By Tebany Yune
Over 23 billion plastic bags are used each year in the state of New York, and officials with the NY Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) are trying to change that. Starting March 1, the Bag Waste Reduction Law will take effect to reduce…
How to get high the sustainable way
By Melissa Pandika
This article is part of 'An Optimist's Guide to the End of the World,' a collection of stories aimed at disproving the idea that humanity is doomed. While we're all currently and rightfully embroiled in coronavirus fear, climate change continues to…
This new "self-cleaning" underwear can be worn for weeks, if you're interested in that
By AJ Dellinger
The dirty secret about most of your clothes is that they are far dirtier than they need to be. Over the course of wearing any article of clothing, bacteria begins to build up, and sweat and body oils are trapped by the fabric. This is what results…
The environmental toll of Juuling
By Mike Sheffield
This article is part of 'An Optimist's Guide to the End of the World,' a collection of stories aimed at disproving the idea that humanity is doomed. As a long-term smoker who has tried unsuccessfully to quit cold turkey, one of my biggest victories…
Living a zero waste lifestyle isn't as unattainable as it seems
By AJ Dellinger
This article is part of 'An Optimist's Guide to the End of the World,' a collection of stories aimed at disproving the idea that humanity is doomed. The idea of a "zero waste" lifestyle is a growing trend, particularly online, where YouTubers,…
How Burning Man taught me to party sustainably
By Rula Al-Nasrawi
This article is part of 'An Optimist's Guide to the End of the World,' a collection of stories aimed at disproving the idea that humanity is doomed. When most people think of Burning Man, they picture tornados of dust flying into every orifice, wild…
Meet the bots documenting our existential dread, one tweet at a time
By Jay Castello
This article is part of 'An Optimist's Guide to the End of the World,' a collection of stories aimed at disproving the idea that humanity is doomed. It will be at least 3000 years until radiation returns to safe levels around Chernobyl. In the…
Now is the time to make more sustainable choices at home. Here's how.
By Tebany Yune
The environment is in a weird place due to the pandemic. On one hand, the lack of bustling human activity has cleared the air of vehicle pollution and brought curious animals wandering into towns. On the other hand, single-use plastics are making a…
2019 was the worst year for Australia's environment "in a century or more"
By Vanessa Taylor
Australia’s Environment report is an annual scorecard of the country’s environmental standing. Now in its fifth year, the most recent edition was released on Sunday and paints a bleak picture. After examining a number of environmental conditions,…
New study finds we already have the tools we need to fight climate change. Here's how to use them
By AJ Dellinger
It may feel like at times we're playing a waiting game in regards to climate change, simply waiting for some new technological advancement to save us at the last minute. There is no time to wait for far-off future solutions to come to fruition — and…
Surprise: Rich people waste more food than everyone else
By Tebany Yune
We might be going too easy on ourselves when it comes to the food waste we generate, and a team of Dutch scientists are calling us out. Researchers from Wageningen University & Research have published a study that suggests consumers are wasting…
BP plans to go carbon neutral by 2050. Is that even doable?
By Vanessa Taylor
Ongoing protests from climate activists around the globe have put increased pressure on politicians and businesses to change their practices. Is changing for the better possible when you're a big oil company, though? Recently, BP announced it will…
Trump is withholding $1 billion in funding for clean energy projects
By AJ Dellinger
It's no secret that the Trump administration has been doing everything it can to prop up fossil fuel, keeping the dying coal industry alive while playing favorites with natural gas companies. When it comes to renewable energy alternatives, Trump and…
The U.K. is banning all non-electric cars, proving the U.S. is once again falling behind
By AJ Dellinger
Transportation, from commuter cars to big freight trucks, remains one of the biggest contributors of greenhouse gases around the world — accounting for 15 percent of all carbon emissions globally, according to the Center for Climate and Energy…