The Optimist Daily's Weekly Roundup

Today we're welcoming Jen Knight from the Wands for Wildlife onto the podcast! Jen joins us to chat about the great work over at Wands for Wildlife, which is a non-profit inspiring people to help wildlife and the planet through repurposing used mascara wands for use in wildlife care, art, and education.  Learn more about Wands for Wildlife and how you can support at wandsforwildlife.org.  

Feliz Cinco de Mayo! Today Kristy talks about how the EU is proposing the largest ban on toxic chemicals to date, and Summers discusses why nations should work together to establish ocean reservations to protect our precious coral reefs. If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers &...

May the fourth be with you! Today, Summers and Kristy get personal while talking about reproductive rights and access to women's healthcare. They then commend Connecticut lawmakers, who are reacting to the surge of anti-abortion legislation with a bill that expands the kinds of medical practitioners who can offer abortion services within the state.  They also talk about an ancient enzyme that can...

Today's good news: Washington State becomes the first state to mandate all-electric heating for new buildings and Captain Fanplastic teaches young pirates in South Africa and the Netherlands about plastic pollution and the five "ARRRs": refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle. If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Liste...

It's May! Summers and Kristy talk about two warm-weather activities that will help you step into May in a positive way: cycling and archery! Learn about the physical and mental health benefits of hopping on a bike or picking up a bow and arrow. If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Sum...

Today we're welcoming Nadine Young to the show, who is the communications lead at Elders Climate Action (ECA). ECA is an organization working to unite all generations, especially elders, in the fight against climate change. We're chatting about climate action, climate activism, and more in this wonderful multigenerational discussion.  To learn more about ECA and get involved, visit eldersclimateac...

Today's good news: Five cities around the world celebrated Earth Day by "plogging," the Swedish trend of combining picking up trash and physical exercise. Plus, Kristy explains what adaptogens are and why are they good for us. If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Ma...

Happy Wednesday! Today's good news is all about the birds and the bees as Summers and Kristy explore why understanding how pregnant individuals make decisions around birth settings, and follow this discussion up with some helpful tips on how to encourage pollinators through the spring and summer months. If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@opti...

Today's global solutions news: Fukushima transforms itself from a nuclear disaster site to a renewable energy hub, and a million African children have been inoculated against malaria. If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the News!

Today's solutions news: Make air travel as green as you can with these 7 tips, and LA County trades in disposable dining ware for compostable and recyclable alternatives! If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the News!

Happy Earth Day! Here are four eco-conscious ways you can get rid of your old and worn-out clothing, and there's a slum in India that is improving its conditions while still maintaining community. If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the News!

Today's good news: Find out why birds migrate and how to help them on their journeys. Also, a local community in Gabon successfully saves ancestral lands from logging. If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the News!

Today's good news: Feeling down? Call the PepToc Hotline for messages of encouragement from kids. Plus, how switching over to an all-electric home is an efficient and effective way to reduce carbon emissions. If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the...

Today's med-tech news: Wireless video could improve intubation procedures while also making them more accessible, and space mice help scientists figure out why so many astronauts develop kidney stones in space. If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions t...

Today's sustainable news: Scientists at the University of Tokyo engineer a plastic that can repair itself at room temperature, and the Big Apple to become more resilient against climate change by becoming "spongier." If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solut...

Today on the pod we're chatting about influencing our brain through the practice of news resiliency in the wake of bad news, and psilocybin ("magic mushroom") therapy to treat mental health patients. These stories are a dose of great news!  Listen to The Optimist Daily Update with Summers and Kristy -- Making Solutions the News!

Today's good news: Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico join forces to create a binational ecological river park that celebrates the Sister Cities' friendship, and sniff before you sip! The NOS.E electronic nose will make sure you're drinking the real deal. If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Listen to the Optimist Daily...

Welcome to The Optimist Daily Update's first bonus episode! Today we are highlighting one of our favorite interviews from our podcast archive, with new commentary by content producer, Arielle. Take a walk down memory lane with us as we dive back into a riveting conversation we had with Katie Diasti, CEO of eco-friendly period care brand Viv for your V, and COO Izzy Sarrafzadeh.

Today's good news: Scientists study vampire bats to learn more about the complexities of social bonding, and attention all mascara users! Your old crusty wands can be repurposed as tiny brushes for the smallest of rescue animals. If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy -...

Today's good news: Research supports the drunken monkey hypothesis, which suggests that human fondness for alcohol  may have evolutionary roots, and Kristy dives into medical advancements, specifically miniscule bacteria machines. If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy...

In honor of National Pet's Day, Summers and Kristy discuss animal-focused good news. Ecuador is the first country to grant wild animals legal rights and scientists explore how spiders use their webs to "hear". If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions th...

Happy Friday everyone! Today we're talking about tips to deal with climate anxiety and how to embrace the new movement of body neutrality. Digressions include Kristy going "commando" in Target this week, and how Summers is glowing from her new yoga class.  Listen to The Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy -- Making Solutions the News!

Today's good news: Summers and Kristy discuss why deciding not to have children can be empowering and expansive, and there's an exciting new kind of diagnostic tool that can rapidly predict blood cancer relapses! If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions...

Today's good news: This startup offers an eco-friendly burial option that turns ashes into regenerative oyster reefs. Plus, The Cramm by Olivia Seltzer contextualizes today's news for Gen Z readers. If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the News!

Today's good news: Scientists sequence the entire human genome for the first time ever! Plus, forests on Indigenous lands sequester much more carbon than others. If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com . Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the News!