New Ideas for Youth Climate Leadership

Young people are leading the climate movement. They have the most at stake, but also the greatest vision for what is needed to secure their...

Bicycling for Climate Justice in Richmond, VA

Photo credit: McKenna Dunbar Editor’s note: This post was written by P2P Climate Ambassador Richard Sebastian describing a community action he organized to highlight the...

Biking as a Path to Joy, Equity and Climate Solutions

  May is National Bike Month, so dust off your favorite pair of wheels and join in! In this episode of Let’s Talk Climate, we...

Powerful Words to Live and Breathe By

April is known for Earth Day, but it is also National Poetry Month. So, I’d like to take this opportunity to share an environmental poem...

Let’s Talk Climate: Award Winning Community Climate Leaders

Over the next few months, we’ll be featuring the fantastic work of climate leaders who were finalists in this year’s American Climate Leadership Awards (ACLA)....

Women Leading on Climate

My greatest mentors have been women. Teachers, supervisors, academic advisors, and role models. On the recent International Women’s Day, which took place last week, I...

Let’s Talk Climate: Solutions for Your Community

Climate change is daunting. What are the solutions and what can you do about it? Communities around the country are stepping up, taking action, and...

Once Upon a Time

We are storytellers. Humanity has told stories for as long as we’ve been social creatures. It’s how we make sense of the world. It’s how...

My Pink Bike

HELLOOOOOOOOO Path to Positive! I’m joining you as the new Communities Program Director with ecoAmerica. I thought I would use this first blog post to...

Stop the Bite, Start the Fight

At the first sign of mosquito bites, it is common for people to run to Walmart for repellent. A few sprays later and the problem...

New Let’s Talk Climate Episode: “You Can Do This: Replicable Models for Local Climate Action”

ACLA22 Winner, Schools for Climate Action – Spotlights Climate, Youth Activism and the Mental Health Crisis In the latest episode of a three part series,...

New Let’s Talk Climate Episode: You Can Do This: Replicable Models for Local Climate Action with GreenRoots

In the second episode of the three-part series, You Can Do This: Replicable Models for Local Climate Action, ecoAmerica hosts American Climate Leadership Award Finalist...

New Let’s Talk Climate Episode Available: “You Can Do This: Replicable Models for Local Climate Action”

In the first episode of the three-part series, “You Can Do This: Replicable Models for Local Climate Action”, ecoAmerica hosts American Climate Leadership Award Finalist...

American Climate Leadership Summit 2022: Must See General Sessions

2022 marked my first American Climate Leadership Summit—and I joined in online with all the fervor and excitement of a fifth-grader on her way to...

The Relationship Between Climate and Justice

  We are watching the impacts of climate change unfold outside of our very windows. It is undeniable that the climate crisis is a threat...

Climate Legacies and Climate Justice for All – Climate Safe Neighborhoods

In most American cities and towns, there is a history behind a neighborhood’s structure and design and, by extension, residents’ exposure to climate-related heat, flooding,...

I Hate Artificial Grass

Reprinted with permission from Johnathan Parfrey, Climate Resolve. The full article published on February 8th, 2022 can be found here.   I hate artificial grass....

Becoming a Climate Champion: Community Gardens – a very good thing.

It’s winter. And here in south-eastern Wisconsin, my garden sleeps. The season’s hard work is behind us – the planting, watering, and weeding (and I...

How to Tackle Climate With Better Food Systems

Join us for ecoAmerica’s Webcast Series: LET’S TALK CLIMATE Join us for the series, “Let’s Talk Climate.” ecoAmerica is hosting fast-paced discussions with leaders in...

Good Food Cities

Communities are beginning to recognize that supporting our food systems – such as organic farming, food loss reduction, and plant-based diets – can help mitigate...

Yes, We Can!

Yes, We Can! The IPCC’s most recent report on climate change is a call to action that we can’t ignore. The report consists of nearly...

Recording Available: “Replicate This: Build on Other’s Successes to Activate Your Community” 

Our most recent Let’s Talk Climate episode “Replicate This: Build on Other’s Successes to Activate Your Community” featured two finalists from the American Climate Leadership...

Greening Our Faith Communities Summit

Guest blog by NC Climate Ambassador, Rev. Amy Brooks  Rev. Amy Brooks It is amazing that all faith traditions teach some version of this truth:...

Earth Day Wisdom

Happy Earth Day! In honor of the wisdom of all community members, I am sharing some great comments that came through my social media feed...

Utah’s Success Story: the Path to Clean Energy

This week we had a conversation with two leaders from Utah Clean Energy, who have been instrumental in guiding the progress of conservative Utah toward...

A Conservative Approach to Solving Climate Change

The deepening partisan divide in the United States has been harmful in many ways. One of the most glaring issues where it has hurt us...

This or That Challenge – Climate Change Edition

Guest blog by Marissa Spraker,  FGCU student and SWFL Climate Ambassador, originally in Growing Climate Solutions We all know that climate change has become a...

Racial and Climate Justice – Now is The Moment

I remember an interview I had once, when I was Mayor of Charlotte, when a reporter came to question me about the city’s violent crime...

Climate Solutions Benefit Us All

This is a guest blog from Climate Ambassador Ed Maxwell, written in response to an op ed printed in the Port Charlotte Sun entitled “Let’s...

Clean Energy Can Also Power Racial Equity in North Carolina

Guest blog from Ethan Blumenthal and William Barber III: As [North Carolina]’s economy looks to recover from COVID-19, the clean energy industry provides an opportunity...

Power to the People: Climate Ambassadors

In order to move more communities to climate action, citizens have been showing up (virtually at this time) at their city council and state legislature...

Climate Voters: What’s Next

Like many people in America, I woke up today to the reality that we do not have a decisive presidential outcome from yesterday’s election. This...

Utah Signs Climate and Clean Air Compact

Our Path to Positive Partner, Utah Clean Energy, had exciting news this week – the signing of a new Utah Climate and Clean Air Compact....

Environmental Justice is Racial Justice

Guest blog by Climate Ambassador Nakisa Glover, of SolNation: Environmental Justice is Racial Justice and there is an extensive history of environmental racism connecting the...

The Fierce Optimism of Now

The past months of crisis have brought forward many wrenching, heartbreaking stories about the challenges that people of color in the United States face every...

I Can’t Breathe: Racial Justice and Climate

I can’t breathe. These powerful words amplify the pain of the multiple challenges we face in America today. We are witnessing the beginning of a...

Introducing ecoAmerica’s Webcast Series: LET’S TALK CLIMATE

The must-attend, go-to webcast discussion for the most current and best thinking on climate change ecoAmerica is introducing Let’s Talk Climate to provide guidance and support to...

Women Are Leading on Climate Action

Celebrating Mother’s Day this week gave me pause to think about all the women and mothers who have been leading. During this time of COVID-19,...

Comparing Lessons Learned

Happy Earth Day! Yes, we can still talk about caring for our planet in the midst of a pandemic. In fact, there are lessons to...

Celebrating Earth Day in the time of COVID-19

This month marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day - April 22, 2020 -  and many global events to celebrate this milestone have been cancelled. ...

When the Earth Moves, Video Premiere: “Earth Day is Everybody’s Movement”

“We are in a critical moment in history. We have an opportunity to address the greatest challenge of our time. Earth Day is everybody’s movement.”...

Congratulations to the American Climate Leadership Award winners

Thank you to all who joined us at the American Climate Leadership Awards Virtual Ceremony on March 25! We had over 200 viewers join us...

Community Resilience and COVID-19

This week everyone’s attention is focused on COVID-19 and the spread of this particular coronavirus.  Our hearts go out to those who have lost loved...

American Climate Leadership Summit 2020 Rescheduled

In the interest of our individual and collective health and wellbeing, ecoAmerica is rescheduling the American Climate Leadership Summit to August 26-27, 2020. Given current...

Bringing Climate Into Our Conversations

I recently had the opportunity to attend a lecture at Davidson College by renowned climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe.  These days I speak about climate a...

Reflecting and Re-charging for Climate Action in 2020

The beginning of a new year is a time for reflection, re-charging, and goal setting. Reflection leads to some negative realities: the COP 25 meetings...

Join us at the American Climate Leadership Summit 2020

At the American Climate Leadership Summit 2019, you gained insights and inspiration from America’s foremost visionaries and industry experts, and collaborated with your peers on...

Climate Ambition for 2020

The year 2019 is drawing to a close. Delegates from around the world are gathering in Madrid for the COP 25 talks. In his address...

Holiday Travel and Offsets

Guest blog from our Path to Positive partner in L.A., Jonathan Parfrey, with Climate Resolve: In September, Greta Thunberg, the Swedish climate activist, sailed across...

A Time to Give Thanks

It is a month of Thanksgiving. In the realm of climate action, that means we need to acknowledge that a number of America’s cities are...

Surprising Successes in Utah

Last month, youth and community leaders from all over the world met in Salt Lake City to convene on Building Inclusive and Sustainable Cities and...

When Politics, Science, and Faith Come Together

This blog is a collaboration between the National League of Cities and Path to Positive: For many world religions, a respect for nature and a...

Why Some Americans Don’t Worry About Climate Change

National polling data — including ecoAmerica’s — reveals that the vast majority of Americans are concerned about our changing climate. But there remain a staunch...

Lessons from Glacier National Park, Montana

Because of our changing climate, there is now a new form of tourism – climate tourism. When you open up the Condé Nast Traveler article...

Hon. Jennifer Roberts at Virginia Housing’s Rethink the Box: Innovation at Work

I spoke recently at a Virginia Housing conference called Rethink the Box: Innovation at Work.  There were over 400 attendees, focused on the same issue:...

Time for Charlotte Buses to Go Electric: Compressed natural gas is not the answer

It has been 18 months since the Charlotte City Council passed a commitment to transition the city to reach zero carbon emissions by 2030. Meanwhile,...

Youth Engagement with CivicSpark

CivicSpark is a California Governor’s Initiative AmeriCorps program, administered by ecoAmerica partner LGC (Local Government Commission), dedicated to building capacity for local governments to address...

Driving an EV Long Distance is Easy!

Lately, I have been listening to a lot of conversation about the ups and downs of electric vehicles.  I have had a Tesla Model 3...

Growing Climate Solutions – Path to Positive Southwest Florida Partnership Launches

NAPLES, Fla. (April 22, 2019) – The Community Foundation of Collier County, Southwest Florida Community Foundation, Florida Gulf Coast University and Conservancy of Southwest Florida...

International Women’s History Month (a personal perspective)

I participated in the Women’s March in January in Washington, DC, and was pleased to see many signs and placards that supported climate action. Signs...

Survey finds support for climate Solutions in Southwest Florida

A recent survey conducted by ecoAmerica and Lake Research Partner revealed surprising attitudes among resident of Southwest Florida, finding that Hurricane Irma was a wake-up...

Climate Attitudes Differ in Rural, Suburban, and Urban Living

Climate change impacts all Americans, but presents itself differently in every corner of the U.S., ranging from hurricanes to droughts, superstorms and Nor’easters. To inspire...

Turning Climate Panic Into Progress: Your Talking Points

      If Americans are hearing anything about climate change, it is likely the bad news. Our planet and its oceans are warming faster than predicted, causing billion-dollar...

New Hope for Action: Key Republican Climate Attitudes Shift

As we transition into 2019 and welcome a new Congress, there is renewed hope for climate action. While partisan gridlock remains the greatest impediment to...

Climate Priorities for the New U.S. Congress

Last month’s election results sent a clear message: Americans consider climate change a top priority, and they want elected office holders to act. As the...

Climate Change is Making Headlines: How to Talk About it

Starting meaningful conversations about climate change with our friends, neighbors, colleagues, and policymakers has been a challenge in the past. How do you bring up...

After the Fires and Floods

This post originally appeared on November 16, 2018 on The Presidential Climate Action Project. The people of Paradise, California, are going through a phase that...

Serving Up Climate Conversations for Thanksgiving

It’s that time of year again. Pumpkins are being carved, meals are being prepared, and most importantly, families are gathering. Thanksgiving is a time to...

72% of Americans Say Climate Solutions Should be a Higher Priority

Last month, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released their special report outlining the consequence of a changing climate, and the measures...

OUR FUTURE V. THE UNITED STATES

October is traditionally celebrated as children’s health month. This is a time to bring attention to health issues unique to children as they grow, and work...

Voting and Climate Change: Talking Points

The midterm elections are just around the corner, and many Americans are beginning to have political discussions with their friends and families, colleagues, and communities....

Climate as a Voting Issue, Part 2: A Majority of Americans Would Vote for a Climate Candidate

With elections just around the corner, and recent news coverage about politicians talking about climate change, Americans are beginning to think about the candidates and issues they...

Climate as a Voting Issue, Part 1: September American Climate Perspectives Survey

This election season has been filled with reports showing the widening partisan divide in America. Opinion gaps are growing on topics such as poor and...

Are Americans Connecting Severe Weather to Climate Change?

Download report Throughout the country, Americans are noticing something different about the weather. The seasons feel warmer, wildfires seem worse, and floods and hurricanes are...

Extreme Weather and Climate Change: Talking Points

Whether Americans are looking out their windows, or turning on the local news, we are increasingly confronted by severe weather events — unprecedented droughts, storms,...

Climate Change Can Bring Us Together: 5 Simple Rules for Climate Advocacy

Everywhere we turn it seems we bump up against something political. The news we watch, the athletes we support and even the restaurants where we...

Empower Community Leaders with New Climate Communications Training Program

“We need new leaders, more leaders to address climate change. Leaders that can connect and inspire the best in others.” Climate change demands big solutions...

2018 June American Climate Perspectives: Mid-Year Summary

Americans’ attitudes on climate are changing, and the change is in a positive direction. To better understand how these views are evolving, and what that...

Three Takeaways on Nuclear Power Survey

Within the climate community, one of the greatest areas of debate is the role of nuclear energy in the mix of climate solutions. Nuclear power...

Now Available: June Talking Points

Download Talking Points The discourse around a warming world often gets hung up on politics, but what Americans really care about — and want to...

Now Available: April Talking Points

A clean energy future is within our grasp. We can have locally-made energy from the wind and the sun that ensures our air is clean...

Climate Change is a Rising Policy Priority, Particularly for Millennials

Over the past decade, Americans have placed climate change at the bottom of the list of public policy priorities. But, according to Pew’s January 2018...

Now Available: February Talking Points

Our communities are wellsprings of pride, security, and vitality. We’ve built them to be strong, prosperous, and livable so we can live our best lives....

A Path to Positive on Climate in 2018

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it...

In honor of MLK, Jr Day: Climate Justice for All

Let’s Lead on Climate, a new guide from ecoAmerica, features case studies in our sectors – Health, Faith, and Communities. In honor of Martin Luther...

Introducing our Talking Points series!

At ecoAmerica, we work with America’s religious denominations, national health and medical associations, and local communities to support their efforts to understand the implications of...

Cities: Mitigate climate change – or risk financial consequences

  This is huge news.   Moody’s Investor Services, one of three major credit rating agencies, released an important report in November – Evaluating the...

Top Stories in Communities & Climate – Dec 25-29

We hope everyone had a very merry Christmas and a happy holiday season, and we hope you have a fun New Year’s celebration!  First, we...

This Week in Communities & Climate – Dec 18-22

This week, we saw many stories highlighting local climate leadership and a few fun Christmas stories. Our favorites are below.  Don’t forget to check out...

5 ways to garner public support for climate change: Recs from our Report

Our ‘Hot off the press’ Recommendations Report summarizes the results from several working sessions from the American Climate Leadership Summit, which we convened October 25 and 26,...

THIS WEEK IN COMMUNITIES & CLIMATE: DEC 11-15

We’re back to rounding up the most important stories for each week that you might have missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action,...

Utah Business and Community Leaders Declare Support for Exploring Climate Change Risks and Solutions

For Immediate Release  SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 14, 2017 – Prominent Utah leaders from business, government, higher education, faith communities and civic organizations united on...

ACLS Leader Query: Hon. Greg Nickels on Local Climate Leadership

The 2017 America Climate Leadership Summit has brought hundreds of leaders to the “mantle,” to discuss the next steps for addressing our changing climate. Among them...

Seizing the Moment to Lead on Climate

Philosopher George Santayana famously said, “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” When it comes to planning and action around climate...

American Climate Leadership Summit: How Communities Can Engage in Climate Solutions

The American Climate Leadership Summit is an annual event that brings together leaders from multiple sectors including ecoAmerica specialty sectors, health, faith, and communities. Each...

Mental Health in the Community: Disaster Preparedness, Survival and Resilience

Communities can come face to face with mental health issues during and after disasters. This is a reality that was made clear after Hurricane Katrina...

ecoAmerica Launches Local Climate Engagement Programs with National League of Cities & Local Government Commission

This Week in Communities & Climate – July 1-7

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and new climate research are all...

Lessons from Climate Day LA

Last week, leaders from Los Angeles to Washington DC came together to discuss how they are tackling some of the greatest climate challenges in their...

This Week in Communities & Climate – June 24-30

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and new climate research are all...

Climate Leadership in LA: Interview with Araceli Campos

Araceli Campos is Executive Director of the Miguel Contreras Foundation and is a speaker for Climate Day LA. Tell us about your work on climate change. We serve...

Climate Leadership in LA: Interview with Robert Garcia

Robert Garcia is the Mayor of Long Beach and a speaker at Climate Day LA. Tell us about your work on climate change. I’ve made protecting...

Climate Leadership in LA: Interview with Rachelle Reyes Wenger

Rachelle Wenger is the Director of Public Policy & Community Advocacy of Dignity Health and a scheduled speaker for Climate Day LA 2017. Tell us about...

Climate Day LA Is June 27. Join Us and Help Kick Off a New Era of Climate Action!

Much of the recent progress on climate in America has happened at the city and state level – and in the wake of President Trump’s...

This Week in Communities & Climate – June 3-9

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and new climate research are all...

Why Conservative Communities Are Coming Around on Climate Change

For many people, whether they accept the existence or seriousness of climate change is not so much about science as it is about identity. People...

This Week in Communities & Climate

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and new climate research are all...

This Week in Communities & Climate

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and new climate research are all...

How Climate Change Affects Your Community’s Mental Health (and What to Do About It)

Climate change is already affecting us in many ways. Around the country, communities are dealing with and preparing for the physical impacts, including sea level...

This Week in Communities & Climate

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and new climate research are all...

This Week in Communities & Climate

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and new climate research are all...

This Week in Communities & Climate

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and new climate research are all...

This Week in Communities & Climate

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and new climate research are all...

Women and Children Are Being Seen and Heard on Climate Change

Climate change affects all of us – but some more than others.  Women, children, people of color, the poor, and the elderly suffer the impacts...

This Week in Communities & Climate

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and new climate research are all...

Los Angeles Leaders: What Inspires Us to Act on Climate

We asked Path to Positive: Los Angeles members, What inspires you to take action on climate change solutions in Los Angeles? Here are some of...

This Week in Communities & Climate

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and new climate research are all...

How Red-State Mayors Are Addressing Climate Change in Their Communities

For local officials in conservative communities, addressing the ever-more-visible impacts of climate change requires a delicate balance. Ignoring their regions’ vulnerabilities is not an option...

This Week in Communities & Climate

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and new climate research are all...

This Week in Communities & Climate

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and practical climate solutions are all...

Cracking the Code to Stronger Communities and Climate Solutions

Upton Sinclair once wrote, “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.” And for...

This Week in Communities & Climate

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and practical climate solutions are all...

How Climate Leaders in Los Angeles are Making the City Cooler

Climate leaders in Los Angeles just announced what may seem like an impossible task. Rather than pursuing the typical laundry list of climate solutions, Mayor...

This Week in Communities & Climate

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and practical climate solutions are all...

How Energy Efficiency Builds Communities And Benefits Climate

Drive through any city and you’ll inevitably happen upon neighborhoods that have seen better days. Older houses, run-down buildings, and antiquated infrastructure can blight any...

This Week in Communities & Climate

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and practical climate solutions are all...

These Bipartisan Leaders Are Cutting Through Politics to Find Climate Solutions

Home to one of President Trump’s grand estates, perhaps the country’s most competitive electoral swing state, and host to some of the most divisive partisanship...

This Week in Communities & Climate

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and practical climate solutions are all...

Finding Climate Solutions in Unexpected Places

When we think of our nation’s strongest climate leaders, cities like New York and Los Angeles often come to mind. With vast resources, deep pockets,...

This Week in Communities & Climate

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and practical climate solutions are all...

Walking: A Simple “Step” for Human, Community and Climate Health

Sun, rain, or snow, walking is an eco-friendly form of exercise most people can do throughout their lifetime. According to U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy,...

This Week in Communities & Climate

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and practical climate solutions are all...

How Your City Can Implement Effective Transportation Solutions

On the list of areas in need of innovation and investment when it comes to community climate solutions, transportation ranks high. Accounting for roughly a...

This Week in Communities & Climate

Each week we share the stories that shouldn’t be missed. Local climate leaders, the latest in community climate action, and practical climate solutions are all...

My Small City’s Big Commitment to Climate Action

This year has been a tumultuous one for climate change. While progress was made, international agreements were put into place, and cities, states and countries...

Mayors Providing Some Climate Hope for the Holidays!

2016 has been a roller coaster of a year when it comes to climate action. Many of the positive developments now seem under threat, and...

3 Immediate Steps to Transportation Solutions in Your City

Developing new climate solutions isn’t always easy, and often times the clearest paths to making an impact are the ones that are most challenging. This...

American Leaders to Trump: U.S. Must Look Forward, Not Backward on Climate Change

President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to reverse much of the progress our nation has made on climate. His recent appointment of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott...

How COTE’s Mona Telega Helps Advance Climate-Friendly Architecture

Mona Telega is a Principal at the Monmark Agency and Chair of the Committee on the Environment at the American Institute of Architects (COTE AIA...

How to Take Your City to 100% Renewable

Vermont is now home to the nation’s first 100% renewable-energy city. The largest city in the state, with 42,000 residents, Burlington has grabbed the attention...

3 Reasons Why Every Friday Should Be Green Friday

As families are still gathered for this long weekend, many are gearing up to hit the shops to find the best deals that follow Thanksgiving...

3 Reasons to Still Be Hopeful About Community Climate Action

The events that have transpired over the past two weeks have left most in the climate community shocked. ecoAmerica’s President, Bob Perowitz, spoke to these...

Thoughts on the Election – and Where We Go From Here

12 minutes ago, as I started writing this… it was reported that Hillary Clinton conceded the election to Donald Trump.   We should no longer...

How Extreme Weather, Health, and Communities Connect

Richard Jackson, MD, MPH, is a Professor at the Fielding School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles. A pediatrician, he has...

Celebrating the Good News On #P2Psustainability

While more often than not our news feeds are filled with the devastating impacts, seemingly insurmountable challenges, and overwhelming reality of climate change, progress is...

3 Climate Lessons American Mayors Can Learn From International Counterparts

Just this week, a coalition of over 85 mayors met at the United Nation’s Habitat III conference on cities in Ecuador. Their message was simple:...

Climate Victories Require Climate Voters!

Over the past year and a half, there have been bold and inspiring moves in the right direction when it comes to climate. The Obama...

One Way to Encourage Local Climate Action—Make it Free!

Every few weeks I jump on the Metrolink Train in Southern California. From the station a block from my house to Downtown Los Angeles is...

3 Simple Ways to Kick-start Community Climate Solutions

For too many mayors and municipal leaders, climate action remains a task that seems out of reach. Cities often have limited resources to devote towards...

Setting Bold Climate Goals One Community At A Time

This has been a banner week for climate. While community leaders, mayors, and local officials throughout the country work to develop and implement climate action...

Reigning In Urban Sprawl For Communities And Climate

When we think about the range of climate solutions, it isn’t often that we consider systemic choices made by city planners and commercial developers over...

How State And Regional Leaders Are Spearheading Climate Solutions

State and local governments are leading the way when it comes to the development and implementation of climate solutions. While each is pursuing different avenues...

The Bad News, and the Good News — Community conservation efforts saving western water

The bad news is that western states are still hurting for water, drought conditions prevail, and climate-driven weather patterns appear not to promise relief in...

With Climate Action, Shout Success From the (Solar) Rooftop!

Thirty miles east of Downtown Los Angeles is the city where I was raised and currently live, La Verne. A small community hugging the foothills,...

When it Comes to Climate and Cities, Trees Keep Giving

City leaders are constantly on the lookout for programs that can be implemented to improve the lives of residents in their communities. While cost restrictions,...

Maximizing Climate Leadership Through Effective Communication

Over the past twelve months, governments have made enormous progress in working towards climate change solutions. The historic international agreement reached in Paris at COP...

How Cities Can Bring Solar Solutions To Communities

Anyone following climate action over the past decade is well aware that some of the greatest strides in renewables have come from the broad acceptance...

When it Comes to Climate, Car Sharing is Caring

As anyone that lives in or visits Los Angeles knows, if you want to get around, you need a car. While this perception is especially...

How Our Cities Can Restore Our World

In our world of exponential population growth and rapid urbanization, environmental conservancy often takes a backseat to development. We see this happening all around the...

Exporting Climate Solutions from the Port of Los Angeles

California is known for its beautiful beaches, healthy lifestyles, and attention to all things green – so anyone who has visited the Port of Los...

15 Steps To Communicate About Climate in Your City

Developing and implementing an ambitious climate action plan is becoming more and more common for mayors and city leaders throughout the country. As an increasing...

3 Reasons to be Hopeful About Mayoral Climate Supergroups

Confused about all the Mayoral coalitions and partnerships aimed at local climate solutions?  You’re not alone.  Just last week, two powerful new coalitions aimed at...

Networking For Climate Solutions

Developing and implementing a climate action plan is often a big task for mayors and city leaders. With countless demands, all requiring a share of...

Curbing Cars for Stronger Communities and a Better Climate

If you take a good look at any city, large or small, one of the first things you may realize is how much of our...

Trading Petrol Power for Pedal Power in Our Cities

One of the best ways to clear up traffic congestion in our cities is to convert daily drivers into public transportation consumers. However, investing in...

For Mayors, It Is Time To Act Boldly On Climate

Across the country, city and community leaders have been making progress on developing and implementing climate solutions. Facilitating rooftop or community solar programs, incentivizing water-wise...

Making Climate Action Contagious From Neighborhoods to Cities

Early this month, I had the great opportunity to tour several environmentally friendly homes located throughout my community. The outing was part of a city...

San Diego Putting Its Money Where Its Mouth Is – But Will It Walk the Talk?

Mere months after releasing one of the country’s most ambitious climate action plans, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced a “down payment” of $127 million...

How City Composting Benefits Communities And Climate

With a baby on the way, my wife and I last week met with a local, eco friendly cloth and compostable paper diapers company to...

How The City By The Bay Is Going Solar

This Tuesday, climate leaders in San Francisco made a major step towards making the city a model sustainable city. In its quest to become powered...

Two Cities, Two Paths For Climate Action

Philadelphia and New Orleans are two of America’s great cities. While their differences may seem greater than their similarities, both cities are on the frontlines...

Planting Seeds of Community Through Climate Action

Several years ago, as a graduate student, I participated in a school-based community garden serving at-risk students in a working class community. Since then, I...

How Salt Lake City Is Leading On Climate

Salt Lake City is feeling the effects of climate change, and city leaders are taking note. For many cities and states throughout the country, the...

For Mayors, Climate Action Isn’t A Partisan Issue

In San Diego, California’s second largest city, Republican Mayor Kevin Faulconer was thrust into the middle of a decision that could potentially chart the city’s...

These Mayors Are Leading Climate Action

The consequences and opportunities of climate change are local, and it is the imperative of mayors to inspire their communities to act on climate. This...

Why Mayors Are Crucial to Climate Action

This was an important week for mayors and climate. Three seemingly unrelated climate stories reveal a stark picture of the increasingly urgent call to action...

How Communities Can Capitalize on Climate

In Southern Florida, the consequences of climate change are real. They threaten homes, businesses and are visible to residents throughout the region. In Miami, city...

How Mayors Are A Leading Voice For National Climate Solutions

Last year, the Obama Administration announced one of the country’s most ambitious climate action plans, the Clean Power Plan (CPP). The aim of the plan...

Employing Americans With Climate Solutions

One of the great triumphs across the country has been the realization among city and community leaders that climate change is real, it is happening...

How Cities Can Embrace Nature As A Climate Solution

Large climate impacts like sea level rise will, for many cities, require investing in large infrastructure projects. However, some cities in low-lying areas may have...

Leaders Can Bring Big Bucks And Clean Power To Cities And States

The transition to clean energy can be an especially politically contentious issue. That is why focusing on economic impacts of clean power is so attractive....

How Mayors Can Empower Communities With Solar

Solar energy has been growing to new heights over the last decade. Homeowners are enjoying the benefits of capturing their own power, and many who...

Can You Bring Net-Zero to Your City?

Often, in discussions of climate solutions, policymakers target mass transportation, clean energy generation, and changing consumption habits. All important aspects of a robust climate action...

How San Francisco, And Cities Like Yours, Can Achieve Zero Waste

Better known for the Golden Gate Bridge, sourdough bread and Alcatraz, San Francisco is now playing host to mayors and world leaders to show off...

Why Mayors Should Push On-Site Climate Solutions

As many regions throughout the country continue to struggle from a record setting drought, city leaders have begun to search for tools to reduce consumption,...

Maryland’s Concrete Commitment To Climate Solutions

In Maryland, the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act of 2016 just made its way to the governor’s desk. The bold new policy aims to slash the...

5 Reasons Why Mayors Are Pivotal Climate Leaders

It has been 100 days since the COP 21 talks in Paris, and the real work of developing and implementing climate action plans is already...

How Mayors Are Shedding Light On Climate Solutions

Mayors throughout the US are working through their climate tool-kit in search of effective climate solutions that can be quickly and easily implemented. One area...

How to Expand Solar to All Communities

One of the challenges that mayors and city leaders face as they develop climate action plans is insuring that all communities are able to reap...

Embracing Climate Action in The Big Easy

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu spoke before the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority this week in an effort to urge action on climate. Louisiana...

How Massachusetts Mayors Are Working To Save Solar

A new proposal before the state house and senate threaten to derail climate action plans across Massachusetts. The new policy affects the State’s robust net-metering...

How Cities and Colleges Can Collaborate on Climate

A coalition of climate leaders has formed in Mason City Iowa. City officials, along with faculty and students from the University of Iowa’s Iowa Initiative...

Why Clean Energy is an Easy Win for Mayors

With increasing technology, a more supportive public, and a recognition of the growing challenges and opportunities of climate change, mayors throughout the US are on...

How Seattle is Slashing Greenhouse Gasses

Cities are moving quickly to develop and implement bold climate action plans. One of the leaders in this sprint to climate solutions is Seattle Mayor...

How the Tri-Faith Initiative is Leading the Way

In America’s heartland, a church, a synagogue, and a mosque are coming together to build a true interfaith campus – the first of its kind...

Why Mayors Must Put Climate Pressure on Presidential Candidates

Climate change has been conspicuously absent from recent GOP presidential debates. The divide between those accepting and denying the reality of climate change has long...

How Mayors Can Be The Conduit For Climate Concerns

Americans are increasingly becoming concerned with how climate affects the health and well being of their families and communities. They are looking for leadership from...

For Cities, What Does It Mean To Be Green?

One of the most important trends for cities implementing climate solutions is the push to invest in “going green!” But what does this really mean?...

Why Communities Are Cutting Coal

The announcement of the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan prompted immediate action throughout the country. At the state level, policy makers and elected officials varied...

Bringing a Clean Climate and Clean Jobs to Illinois

Often the greatest hurdle to climate action is the misperception that investing in climate solutions will cost jobs. In Illinois, lawmakers are addressing this head-on,...

How to Combat Climate Change One Community at a Time

In California, an experiment is underway which may change how communities act on climate. Three cities are collaborating in an effort to enlist residents to...

How Cities Continue To Lead On Climate

With more than half of the world’s population now living in cities, mayors and community leaders are increasingly on the front lines of the consequences...

Can Rural Renewable Use Be A Model For All Cities?

Rural communities, residents and utilities have traditionally relied on cheap, dirty fossil fuels. Often too remote to be connected directly to the national energy grid,...

How San Diego Is Going 100% Renewable, And How Your City Can Too

San Diego is California’s second largest city, and when officials there take action, others follow. This is why the city’s recently announced climate action plan...

Why Mayors Should Prioritize Pedestrians

Sometimes the greatest hurdles to getting residents to act on climate are the most simple to resolve. This is especially true in large cities and...

Oregon Ramps Up Renewbles

Climate leaders in Oregon are at it again as the State Senate considers a bill that would redefine where residents source their energy. The bill...

How Maryland is Leading the Way on Climate Action

Progress is being made in Maryland. This week, in a bipartisan vote, Democrats and Republicans came together in the state’s Senate, and overwhelmingly supported a...

How Developing Citywide Climate Action Plans Just Got Easier

How much greenhouse gas is your city emitting? Do you know the levels of pollution in your city’s air? These are questions that should be...

What Mayors Should Know About Microgrids

Alaska’s rural communities have long been self sufficient—having to deal with the challenges of extremely remote locations, a lack of roads and transportation options, and...

How Mayors Can Implement Winning Water Solutions

El Nino is anticipated to bring a wet and rainy season to the record droughts that California has faced for over four years. However, one...

How Solar Can Bring Power and Hope to Cities

Solar has quickly become one of the greatest resources in the transition to clean energy. Falling prices, an increased availability of community solar programs, and...

A Coalition of Climate Consensus

An unprecedented coalition of 17 governors from across the country just pledged to take bold new action on climate. Elected leaders from both sides of...

How to Empower Mayors, Communities, and Homes

Not long ago, solar energy was relegated to a small number of homeowners able to shoulder the burden of high cost panels. However, much has...

How Connecticut is Closing the Chapter on Coal

In Connecticut, the last remaining coal-fired power plant just received its death sentence. Five years from now it will be shut down; replaced by a...

The Sun Is Rising Across America

Now employing more workers than the coal industry, solar represents a growing source of both power and jobs in communities throughout the country. The Solar...

How Small Moments Can Add Up to Saving the World

“Dad, what do you do for a job?” As parents, we often get this question from our children. For me, as a long-time professional environmental...

If This World City Can Divest, Why Can’t Yours?

Does your city have an investment fund? Do city workers have a pension? The chances are that you answered yes to both of these questions....

New England’s New Plan for Renewables

Bold action is underway in New England. States throughout the region have begun weighing options for meeting clean energy goals, and everything is on the...

How A Federal Program Can Spark Community Climate Discourse

As the price of oil reaches record lows, President Obama has announced a new plan that would tax oil to pay for the latest in...

How Massachusetts Is Leading The Way To Affordable Renewables For All

In Massachusetts this week, state and local leaders rolled out plans to make renewable technologies available to all residents. Traditionally, renewable and clean energy systems...

Connecting Communities in New England to Act on Climate

Developing and implementing an ambitious climate action plan can be a difficult, and often expensive, endeavor for small cities. Identifying possible solutions and mobilizing resources...

How To Slash Greenhouse Emissions With Existing Technology

Mayors are always seeking the newest solutions to advance climate action in their communities. While attractive, the latest in solar, wind, and increased efficiencies come...

Coming Together in Faith on Climate Videos: Sustenance for Our 2016 Climate Journey

Communities throughout the country and the world are beginning to take bold action on climate. The effort to implement meaningful climate action plans cuts across...

While Politicos Debate, Mayors Act!

As residents on the east coast recover from the record snowfall of winter storm Jonas, the usual suspects are in full force claiming that cold...

Greening The Way To Happy, Healthy Cities

Mayors and community leaders have traditionally focused their efforts at building and maintaining infrastructure, implementing new programs, and working with residents to improve the quality...

Why Mayors Back Bike Lanes

In an effort to address the growing problem of traffic, and the prohibitive costs of expanding roads and infrastructure, mayors are now nudging residents to...

See How Mayors Are Pressing Presidential Candidates on Climate

Mayors have been playing an increasingly important role in the fight against climate change: implementing bold climate action plans that enlarge green spaces, improve access...

These 3 Cities are Leading on Climate: Yours Can Too

On the heels of some of the hottest years on record, political leaders around the world are finally waking up to the necessity of taking...

How NY is Investing in Climate Action

Elected officials and climate leaders in New York just took a major step in committing to climate solutions. Their plan: to invest $5 billion into...

Why Mayors Should Embrace Cycling as a Climate Solution

With constant competition for scarce resources, the development and implementation of bold climate action plans can be a difficult endeavor for city leaders. One solution...

Why Mayors Should Focus on People Before Pandas and Polar Bears

As mayors and community leaders work to implement climate solutions, one of the greatest challenges is communicating with residents about the need to take action....

A Climate Solution for Cities that Doesn’t Stink!

Mayors and city leaders are constantly searching for new and innovative ways to bring climate solutions to their communities. Grand Junction, Colorado is a standout,...

How to Bring Jobs and Climate Solutions to Your City

Mayors across the country are charged with the difficult task of bringing jobs to residents, building up infrastructure, and providing a healthy environment for families....

How Local Governments Can Phase Out Coal

This week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, in his state of the state address, announced an ambitious new plan to slash fossil fuel emissions in...

Trees: The Simple Climate Solution For Any City

What do the rejection of the Keystone XL Pipeline, development and implementation of the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan (CPP), and the Paris Climate Negotiations...

Is Climate Action Finally a Bipartisan Issue?

2015 was a banner year for climate action. The Clean Power Plan, the Paris Agreement, and a number of local and state actions throughout the...

How Oregon Utilities are Leading on Climate

In communities throughout the country, mayors and regional leaders have pushed hard to facilitate a transition to renewable energies—like solar and wind. Some of their...

Why There’s No Better Time Than Now For Climate Action

For decades, climate change and environmental issues have been hijacked by political discourse. One’s political ideology often drove support or opposition to bold climate action....

Why Solar is A Bipartisan Political Winner

Environmental conservation, climate change, and clean energy have traditionally generated deep political divides. As the consequences of climate change have increasingly become visible in cities,...

4 Insights on Climate Action from Sweden

When looking for climate inspiration, mayors and local leaders tend to turn to one another. However, much can be learned by looking internationally, and by...

Is Oregon A Model For Pushing Clean Energy?

In August 2015, President Obama announced a new Clean Power Plan (CPP), which seeks to dramatically reduce the levels of greenhouse gas emissions throughout the...

Why Mayors Matter When it Comes to Solar

Solar power has experienced an explosion of growth over the past few years. New investments have made solar technologies more efficient, affordable, and have helped...

3 Lessons On Climate Leadership

In 2005 an important meeting took place between would-be presidential candidate, John McCain, and then Florida Governor Charlie Crist. After covering campaign strategy and politics,...

ecoAmerica’s 11 Biggest Milestones of 2015

2015 was an incredible year for the climate movement, with leaders in every sector speaking out and demanding climate action. ecoAmerica continued to empower those...

How Cities are Acting on Climate Change

One of the major disputes at the recently held COP 21 climate talks involved the need for an enforcement scheme to ensure that climate pledges...

Climate Lessons from 2015

2015 was an important year for climate action – and one of the most significant climate achievements was the defeat of the Keystone XL pipeline....

Why 2015 Was A Banner Year For Climate

Much has happened this year globally, across the US, and here at Path to Positive Communities. Leaders from all sectors have a lot to be...

How Cities are Coming Together for the Clean Power Plan

Last August, President Obama released the details of a comprehensive plan to implement strict new carbon standards primarily targeting power plants and industry. Dubbed the...

Does the Congressional Budget Deal Really Affect Cities?

Last week the US Congress passed its first budget in six years. Quickly signed into law by President Obama, the deal marks a major development...

What Mayors Need to Know About Carbon Pricing

Following COP 21 in Paris, mayors around the globe have been tasked with implementing ambitious climate action plans that will lead their country towards reaching...

Why Nuclear Power is Not a Healthy Solution to Climate Change

Houston, we've got a problem. And if the former chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is calling the bluff of the nuclear industry, we know...

5 Steps to 100% Renewable in Your City

With the Paris talks now over, many around the country are eagerly waiting to see how the country will fulfill its emission reduction targets. While...

The Race to Peak Emissions and What it Says about Climate Progress

One of the most contentious issues debated at COP21 over the past two weeks was the disparate levels of emissions released by developed and developing...

Your Guide to Paris: What the New Agreement Says, and Why it is Important to Your City

The COP 21 talks in Paris are over. After months of planning, and nervous anticipation by climate leaders, a deal has been reached. While these...

What Can Cities Do Now That A Climate Deal Has Been Reached

Now that the much anticipated talks in Paris have come to a close, and a deal has been reached, the real work on implementing climate...

Paris, Day 6: Why Connecting Businesses and Communities is a Climate Winner for Both

It’s the day after the huge event Aimee Christensen helped organize— “Climate and Capital” on the sidelines of COP21, to inform and encourage investment in...

Paris, Day 5: Connecting the Hip Hop Caucus, Cities, and Climate at COP 21

Outside of the Paris “beltway,” (called the Boulevard Périphérique) far from the climate talks and the palaces and villas where side meetings and donor discussions...

Paris, Day 4: How Communities Can Use Faith and Storytelling to Inspire Climate Action

John Hill is using communication skills honed over 23 years of work in Washington, D.C., every day this week in Paris at COP21. As Assistant...

Paris, Day 3: Connecting Colleges and Communities to Enable Climate Solutions

Noah Kittner, a PhD candidate in energy and resources at U Cal Berkeley, ran cross country as a high school student in Raleigh, North Carolina....

Paris, Day 2: Connecting Latino Communities and Climate in Cities

The grand postmodern hall in the “Order of the Architects of the Isle of France,” a stately building near the gare de l'est train station...

Paris, Day 1: How Mayors Should Think About Health and Climate Change

At the last COP meeting, in Copenhagen in 2009, there was only one side event focused on health and climate—two areas that are particularly important...

Why Politics is the Biggest Hurdle to Climate Action, And How it Can be the Solution

With the COP 21 climate negotiations underway in Paris, countries have begun to outline climate commitments and to push others to increase pledges to cut...

6 Key Lessons on Talking Climate in Your Community

Last week, we released our latest research report, Let’s Talk Climate: Messages to Motivate Americans. Collaborating with Lake Research Partners, ASO Communications, and the Natural Resources...

7 Ways to Talk About COP21 With Your Community

For the next two weeks, local and community leaders from across the country will be in Paris to take part in International Climate Negotiations. In...

How International Climate Talks Now Emphasize Local Solutions

Over the next two weeks, climate leaders from 190 countries will descend upon Paris in hopes of reaching new agreements on climate change. Despite failed...

5 Steps Your City Can Take To Slash Greenhouse Emissions

As the international climate negotiations get underway this week in Paris, leaders across all sectors are beginning to explore the most effective ways in which...

How Megacities Continue to Lead Climate Action

Climate change increasingly poses risks to all nations and can no longer be ignored. While debate and political action often stymie national action, cities are...

Let’s Talk Climate

Local and community leaders are key to advancing climate solutions. Their work has drastically amplified national and international efforts to decrease greenhouse emissions and improve...

Why Local Leadership is Center Stage at International Climate Talks

In the wake of the horrific attacks on Paris, resilient city leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to working together on some of the world’s greatest...

How NY is Leveraging Renewables to Make Energy Clean, Resilient, and Affordable

New York has long been a leader on advancing climate solutions. Echoing earlier efforts, leaders in the state have recently laid out plans that rethink...

Why Cities Must Take The Politics Out Of Climate Change

Cities are the new frontline for climate action. With a majority of the world’s population, and responsible for a majority of the world’s fossil fuel...

How Cities Can Tap Into a Growing Renewable: Pedal Power

Driving to the grocery store, a café, or to work in a dense urban area can turn even a short trip into an unexpectedly long...

How Local Efforts Can Raise Hope in a Sinking City

Miami is sinking. As sea levels rise due to melting glaciers, city officials in Miami Beach are confronted with the real effects of climate change....

How One California Community is Working for Social and Climate Justice

Impoverished and minority communities have long been disproportionately affected by pollution. One city, which embodies this long-standing problem, is the small community of Commerce, not...

Is the Road to Renewables Paved with Solar?

Over a year ago, ambitious city leaders in Amsterdam decided to boldly experiment with a new technology. The plan: to retrofit bike paths with new...

When the Feds Fail, Cities Rise Up

87 Mayors from across the country are stepping up to meet the challenges of climate change. After years of waiting for congressional action, city and...

Washington’s Climate Solution? Tax Pollution And Pay Residents!

Residents throughout Washington will soon be faced with a decision that could reverberate in cities and states throughout the country. That decision? Whether or not...

How Climate Leaders, and Tides, Are Rising Up in Miami

Miami Beach is on the frontlines of climate change. Sitting less than 6-feet above sea level, the city is already prone to flooding at high...

How to Advance Climate Solutions? Make Sustainability the Default

Cities are now the economic powerhouses in America. Most Americans live in urban areas, and the top 20 cities countrywide generate the majority of the...

One Consequence of Renewables: Free Energy

An energy revolution is underway in Texas. While better known for its sprawling oil fields, Texas now has more wind energy capacity than any other...

How California Leaders are Gearing Up for COP-21

With less than a month to go until the meeting of nations in Paris to negotiate new targets for climate change, leaders in California are...

How Portland is Leading the Way on Fossil Fuel Restrictions

This week, city officials in Portland will decide whether they want to put a halt to all new fossil fuel developments and activities in their...

A Local Climate Solution that States, Scientists, and Industry Agree On

States and cities are increasingly on the frontline in the fight against climate change. With leaders from private, public and academic sectors recognizing the need...

Why Mayors Should Embrace Trees

Recently, a number of studies have called into question the assumed benefits of too many trees in densely developed urban areas. The research suggests that...

3 Practical Climate Solutions for City Leaders

Cities have become a hotbed of climate action. Responsible for the majority of the world’s population, economic output, and greenhouse gas emissions—they have become indispensable...

3 Reasons Climate Change is a Political Winner for All

For decades, climate change has been a politically charged issue in American political discourse. Candidates and office holders often had to carefully navigate the science...

How Businesses, Academics, and Government Saved an Industry by Advancing Climate Solutions

For all of the discussion on the consequences of climate change, ocean acidification is one of the greatest challenges that remains absent from political and...

How Local Actions in NYC are Meeting International Climate Goals

The United Nation’s Climate Change Summit this December in Paris, seeks to develop and implement bold new climate change goals that countries will sign onto...

The Good News About Climate Change Comes From Cities

With less than 6 weeks until the long-awaited UN Climate Summit in Paris, leaders are looking for opportunities where the least amount of resources can...

What NYC Can Teach All Cities About Climate Action

In NYC, leaders from all sectors are converging to explore possible avenues for climate action. With a population of over 8 million, and countless miles...

What A Quaint Danish Town Can Teach American Cities

Throughout Denmark, coastal cities, towns, and villages are consistently under threat of rising waters, which is being exacerbated by climate change and rising sea levels....

How New York Continues To Be A Model Of Climate Leadership

A common misconception among those wary of implementing bold climate action plans is that working towards sustainability comes with costs that may simply be too...

3 Cities in the Climate Leader Spotlight

As the countdown to the Paris COP21 Climate talks approaches, leaders are intensifying their search for answers on how to best address climate change. The...

Why LA is Ready for its Close-up

Los Angeles has a well-deserved reputation as a trend setting city, a place that sets the standard on style, fashion, art, and music. At the...

Practical Ways Your City Can Prevent Runaway Climate Change

As the world searches for feasible climate solutions that have the potential to make a significant dent in greenhouse gas emissions, leaders are increasingly turning...

Can Colleges Inform Climate-Wise Community Developments?

City leaders often look to businesses, non-profits, and municipal partners for inspiration in implementing climate action plans. However, one under appreciated source of climate solutions...

Decisions Made in Your City Could Determine Our Carbon Future

C40 Cities and Climate Leadership Group, an organization devoted to empowering cities worldwide, just released a new report examining the role of cities in shaping...

2 Practical Ways to Advance Climate Solutions in Your City

While national governments fumble attempts to make progress on climate targets, a growing number of organizations are calling on cities to pursue bold action. This...

Courting Communities to Combat Climate Change

Top-down leadership has been the prevailing model for advancing climate solutions at the state and federal level. However, Washington voters, through a coalition of community...

What Local Officials Can Learn From International Climate Leaders

Strong leadership on climate change solutions can be found in cities and states throughout the US. However, valuable and innovative lessons regarding how to advance...

Why Secretary Kerry and Mike Bloomberg Agree that Climate Solutions Must Begin With Cities

As the Paris Climate Negotiations approach, it is becoming increasingly clear that mayors are taking the lead on climate change action. The advancement of climate...

How Boston is Building a Coalition of Climate Leaders

Boston has long been strong on climate, and ahead of the upcoming Paris climate talks, the city hopes to cement its place as one of...

Why Communities, States, and Nations are Looking to California for Climate Solutions

California is an anomaly for climate action in the United States. With its unique blend of progressive politics, high tech and environmentally conscious industry, and...

How Local Solutions Can Solve Global Problems

Chronic inaction on climate change by national and international governments has made many refocus efforts at getting local governments to take action. Many have called...

How One City is Responding to the Pope’s Call to Action

Pope Francis has proven to be one of the strongest global voices pressuring action on climate change and environmental stewardship. Earlier this year, the Pope...

Why Your City is Needed to Help Combat Climate Change

For over two decades, international negotiations have failed to make substantial gains in the battle against climate change. While many are focusing on how to...

NYC’s Collaboration For Climate Solutions

New York City has committed to cut greenhouse gas emissions from privately owned buildings by 80% over the next 35 years, and the City’s Mayor,...

How New Technology Can Cut Energy and Boost City Budgets

On average, 35% of municipal energy budgets are reserved for the treatment of fresh and wastewater. This financial burden is also a window for opportunity—whereby...

Why did 14 Mississippi River Mayors Sign a Proclamation Pledging to Reduce Climate Risks

When they signed the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative’s Path to Positive Proclamation in Dubuque, IA, on September 18, 14 U.S. mayors made a...

How California Climate Leaders are Bringing Solar to All

In an effort to bring green energy to all residents, California recently released a multimillion-dollar plan that will bring solar to communities that are often...

40 Cities Pledge to be Climate Leaders

Last week the Pope toured through the US, bringing with him a message of hope and a call to action on climate change. His efforts...

10 Cities Lead the Call for Climate Action

This week saw the Pope speak before Congress expressing the imperative to act on climate. In New York City, the Climate Group hosted its seventh...

How to Translate International Climate Lessons into Local Climate Action

Climate change is a world problem with local solutions. As countries around the globe are gearing up for the UN Climate Change Conference this December...

Why Cities Are Now Laboratories Of Climate Action

CDP, a strategic research group that focuses on finding economically viable business solutions to climate change, recently released a report emphasizing the indispensible role of...

4 Reasons to Celebrate Climate Action this Week

Cities have become a focal point in the fight against climate change—and this is a major week for action. From a meeting at the United...

For Cities and Communities, Pope Francis Brings a Message of Climate Hope

Working towards climate solutions is a struggle that many city and community leaders regularly encounter. Research consistently shows that investments in renewables help to improve...

4 Keys to Make Cities Climate Leaders

As the world becomes more urbanized, and as populations increasingly shift to cities, community leaders will be presented with a host of new challenges and...

3 Clear Signs of Climate Momentum

This December, the Conference on Climate Change will take place in Paris. Already, prime ministers, presidents, religious and even corporate leaders are anticipating the direction...

What Vermont Can Teach Us About Clean Power

Vermont is often associated more with maple syrup and autumn leaves than clean power. However, the state has long been a model of sustainability—illustrating how...

California’s Commitment to Clean Power: A Model for Cities and States

Last Friday, political leaders in California’s State Assembly voted on a piece of legislation that would dramatically shape the sustainability future of the state. In...

Cities Can Lead and Prosper through Climate Action

The choice between prioritizing economics or the environment remains a strong burden for city leaders. However, this week, current and former mayors from New York...

4 Reasons to be Hopeful about Climate Change

For decades now, the difficulties in addressing climate change have been multifaceted—involving economics, national security, and even technological feasibility. Today, much has changed, and all...

How Cities are Saving the World Trillions through Climate Action

Cities across the country are in a constant struggle to provide for their residents, while maintaining financial security. This is made more challenging as municipalities...

Can A Soft Path Towards Conservation Really Work? California Says Yes!

California is in the middle of an historic drought, but what is certainly a dire situation has brought about unprecedented conservation numbers—showing that when called...

How Financial Tools can Boost Municipal Climate Solutions

In Virginia, city and state leaders are seeking new and innovative ways to encourage climate friendly investments. To this end, Governor McAuliffe, created a commission...

How Cities can Transform Water Woes into Resource Solutions

Urban sprawl and climate change create an environmental double-threat for many cities throughout the United States. Increased infrastructure, housing projects and roads prevent the slow,...

Hawaii’s Bold Move To Renewables

In an unprecedented move, at the Asia Pacific Resilience Summit in Honolulu, Hawaii’s Governor David Ige made public his intention to lead his state towards...

What Communities Can Learn from California’s Bold Oil Consumption Cuts

In California, momentum is building to put into place new policies that would cut the state’s oil consumption by up to 50%. The plan already...

Why the Presidential Call to Action is a Call to Cities

President Barack Obama this week trekked to Alaska’s Arctic Circle to address the nation about climate change. The combination of historic wildfires, thawing permafrost, and...

How City Leaders in New Orleans are Planning for Success

Last week marked the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Leaving behind nearly 2,000 casualties, leveling homes, and blazing a trail of destruction throughout the Gulf—the...

No Cap on the Benefits of California’s Carbon-Trading Program

In 2012, California implemented a bold cap-and-trade program aimed at reducing fossil fuel consumption and emissions. The program has been a success, generating nearly $2.2...

How a New Policy will Empower Cities with Solar

This week President Obama addressed the National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event was to promote a new series of loan guarantees...

Everything, Including Solar, is Bigger in Texas

Texas energy production evokes images of sprawling oil fields, but that is about to change. As the Texas economy and population grow, so too does...

Why Cities will be in the Spotlight at the UN Conference in Paris

This December, Paris will host the UN Conference of Parties, bringing together leaders from countries across the globe in the hope establishing far-reaching climate agreements....

How City and State Leaders can Collaborate on Climate Solutions

Increasingly impatient with stalled action by politicians in DC—state, local and regional officials now rely on one another for assistance in implementing climate solutions. This...

Rooftop Solar: A Bipartisan Climate Solution

Energy generation and access has long been controlled by a limited number of monopolies. Consumer choice has mostly been absent, and geography has been the...

How Cities Have Become the Solution to Climate Change

As populations concentrate in major world cities, communities are increasingly becoming political powerhouses. Recognizing this, former New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, is calling for...

Mayors can Use Treeconomics to Improve Cities and Climate

More than just aesthetically appealing, recent research points to numerous benefits associated with increased tree-canopy and city greenery. Urban trees have been linked to greater...

3 Tactics Local Leaders Can Use for Climate Solutions

National political discourse still features intense “debates” over the reality, effects, and potential responses to climate change. However, at the local level, leaders from both...

What Can Mayors Learn from California’s Success?

In the last year, California’s economy grew 27% faster than the country’s as a whole. It has seen greater job creation than any other state,...

Can Infrastructure Renovation also Provide Clean Energy Solutions?

A constant struggle for city leaders is maintaining infrastructure. Across the country roads are crumbling, bridges are in disrepair, and pipes are bursting. In fact,...

Why Municipal Utilities are the Key to Unlocking Clean Energy in Cities

For many small and rural communities, investing in clean energy can often seem like a luxury simply out of reach. With already stretched city coffers,...

How Pope Francis Increased the Spotlight on Local Climate Leadership

A delegation of US mayors and other elected leaders visited the Vatican on July 22 for an audience with Pope Francis.  A part of a...

Connecting Communities for Clean Energy

The recently proposed Clean Energy Plan laid out by the Obama Administration aims to decrease by a third the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that...

Without Federal or State Support, Mayors in Florida Drive Climate Solutions

As sea levels continue to rise around the globe due to climate change, low-lying cities and regions will be particularly affected. In the United States,...

Could your Community Use an Economic and Energy Boom?

Last week the Obama Administration released its Clean Energy Plan, which seeks to reduce by one-third the amount of emissions released from electricity production. Many...

The Innovative Way Communities are Dealing with Extreme Rainfall

One of the primary consequences of climate change is the increased incidence of extreme weather events. One example that has proven particularly damaging in cities...

Communities the Key to the New Clean Power Plan

The new clean power plan set forth by the Obama Administration this week is already being lauded as the biggest climate policy proposal in US...

What President Obama’s Climate Plan Means for Communities

This week, the Obama Administration issued new rules to address climate change. The ambitious federal plan aims to significantly decrease emissions from a previously untouched...

Marching to Paris for Climate Solutions

Last year, in a historic climate march across the nation, nearly 700,000 concerned citizens took to the streets to demand climate action. The marchers, united...

How Developers and Communities are Finding Eco-Solutions

For over four years, California has been in the midst of a historic drought. Wildfires, diminishing water supplies, and punishing setbacks across numerous sectors of...

Climate Change Action: The New, New York State of Mind

This week, federal, state and local officials met in New York to discuss the risks and opportunities posed by climate change. The meeting was prompted...

Mayors Calling for Clean, Green, Climate Solutions in Texas

Everything is bigger in Texas, they say. This sadly applies to the threats the Lone Star State faces from climate change. A recent spate of...

Connecting the 3 C’s: Community, Collaboration and Climate

As city leaders across the country search for ways to implement climate action plans, they are increasingly turning to multi-sector partnerships. Such collaboration efforts bring...

Can Cities use Electric Busses to Cut Emissions and Costs?

The electric car revolution is gaining ground, with manufacturers increasingly developing hybrid and all-electric vehicles. While an improvement on the traditional combustion engine, these cars...

4 Tactics for Creating Greater Community Involvement

As the Pope’s encyclical on climate change wrapped up last week, mayors from across the United States are returning to their cities seeking ways to...

5-Star Rating Goes to Baltimore: How to Lead your City to Economic, Social and Environmental Success

A recent assessment by STAR Communities, which rates cities on their sustainability practices, gave Baltimore a 5 star rating. While perhaps better known for recent...

3 Key Climate Takeaways from the Mayors’ Vatican Visit

Upon meeting with Pope Francis to discuss trafficking and climate change, a coalition of mayors from across the world have pledged to take action on...

4 Steps to Sanitation Solutions: Lessons from New York

NYC has long been a leader when it comes to climate change action. However, like any large city, one of the biggest challenges that NY...

Net-Zero: What Was Thought Impossible is Slowly Gaining Ground

Half of the world’s population resides in cities. With increasing greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel consumption, and a seemingly insatiable appetite for energy, these urban...

How One Community in Iowa is Pushing for Shared-Solar Generation

Communities across the country face major hurdles to constructing solar power infrastructure. Inadequate funds, few options for financing, and a lack of government tax credits...

Businesses are Worried, but Leaders from Path to Positive Communities have Solutions.

Yesterday’s post focused on five key recommendations from community leaders that came out of the MomentUs 2015 Climate Leadership Summit. The summary report outlined what...

5 Recommendations for Community Leaders to Achieve Climate Solutions

This May, MomentUs hosted the 2015 Climate Leadership Summit, bringing together leaders from across multiple sectors of society—health, higher education, business, faith, and local municipalities—to...

In the Northeast, Carbon Caps Facilitate an Economic Boom

Critics have long held that carbon-cap programs negatively affect economic growth, yet a recent piece in the Rutland Herald shows that such worries are unfounded....

4 Tactics to Protect your Community from Dirty Energy: Lessons from New York

Residents of Finger Lakes, NY are organizing in an effort to block construction of what would be a major hub for fracking. The community, which...

How Connecticut’s State and Local Leaders Empower Communities through Bold Climate Leadership

Two weeks ago, Path to Positive Communities launched its Los Angeles initiative, which seeks to empower faith, business, education, health, and civic leaders with the...

The Pope and Community Leaders are Bringing Climate Solutions to Los Angeles

Last week, Path to Positive launched a new, targeted initiative to help empower communities to take action on climate change in Los Angeles. Focusing on...

DTLA Gardens are Serving Up Organic Goods and Climate Solutions

Last week, Path to Positive: Los Angeles launched an ambitious plan to “leverage regional action for global impact on climate solutions.” By focusing resources and efforts...

Why Local Governments are the Key to International Climate Solutions

City officials across the globe have a new coalition of leaders to model on their path to climate solutions. Twenty regional and local governments, representing...

Cities can Reward Residents and Promote Conservation

Homeowners in Los Angeles are now able to transform their thirsty lawns into drought tolerant gardens with the help of a new program. The Metropolitan...

4 Tactics for Mayors to Push International Climate Solutions

Last week, a coalition of 26 mayors from across the nation banded together to pressure national and international leaders to take a more aggressive approach...

How to Meet Your City’s Climate Action Targets? Portland Taps Into University Brainpower for Help

If you're a city leader grappling with urgent and complex questions, say, about how to close the gap between where your city's carbon emissions are now...

Silicon Valley Energy Summit: Spotlight on Community Energy Choice

More than 400 cross-sector leaders from Silicon Valley and beyond gathered at the Precourt Energy Efficiency Center’s (sold-out) annual event at Stanford to talk about...

Path To Positive: Los Angeles Launches At L.A. City Hall

California Leaders Gathered To Discuss Climate Change Solutions LOS ANGELES, June 29, 2015  - A standing-room only crowd assembled in the Tom Bradley Room of Los Angeles City...

How Cities are More Self-Reliant and Proactive than Ever in Energy, Water, Infrastructure Planning

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton is planning for both the long-term growth of his city and for the local impacts of climate change. As James Hohmann...

Big News from New York: Leaders Approve Plan to Achieve Aggressive Energy & Climate Goals

New York State continues to demonstrate climate leadership with last week's annoucement of its new energy plan, which aims to double its use of renewable power...

Local Burnsville Hero Uses His Superpower to Teach Sustainability with a Sense of Humor

Bringing a sense of humor and fun seems to come naturally to Marty Doll, communications coordinator for the City of Burnsville, Minnesota, who doubles as the...

Who Doesn’t Love to Laugh? Let’s Use Humor & Comedy to Break the Ice for Climate Conversations

Tired of feeling bummed out by gloomy news about climate change? Well, you're not alone. That's why the Guardian has partnered with Ben & Jerry's...

New Report on Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health: Action is a Medical Necessity

A new report on health and climate change maps out the profound risks and impacts of climate change on human health, and the policy responses needed...

The Road to Carbon Neutrality in Cities: Policies, Programs, Partnerships

Cities around the world have been taking the lead on driving policies and programs to reduce air pollution and cut carbon emissions by 80% by...

A Tipping Point: People of Faith Connect the Dots and Call for Collective Climate Action

"We are not faced with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather one complex crisis which is both social and environmental. Strategies...

Mayors and Cross-Sector Partners Showcase Solutions, and Brainstorm, at City Innovate Summit

What future do we want? What future do we envision for our cities? For our residents who live, work, and go to school in the...

How to Translate Catholic and Republican Concerns about Climate into Actionable Solutions

According to Pew's latest public opinion poll, centered on Roman Catholics in advance of Pope Francis' encyclical (teaching) about the environment’s effect on the poor, the...

Success Story in Texas: Mayor Dale Ross and City Residents Choose 100% Solar and Wind

The city of Georgetown, situated in a deeply conservative Texas county, has become a role model for smart energy investment. Under Republican Mayor Dale Ross'...

“The C Word” is Off-Limits No Longer: Climate Change Lessons from Montana’s Farmers Union

Discussing climate change can be difficult in Montana nowadays. Moving beyond political ideology means focusing on observable changes upon which farmers can agree. According to...

How to Inspire Others Who Ask “What Can I Do About Climate Change?”

What do optimism, counterarguement, herd instinct, and hopefulness all have in common? Lisa Bennett, a communications strategist who focuses on engaging people to act on climate change,...

Man-made Earthquakes in Oklahoma: A Wake-Up Call for Local Leaders in CA, KS, OH?

A series of new peer-reviewed studies have added to the scientific consenus linking the six-fold increase in earthquakes in Oklahoma to the wastewater injection wells used by...

Solar & Wind Energy is Here to Stay: Popular with Builders, Ranchers, Farmers, and “The Billionaires”

What's not to love about sustainable, renewable energy produced by the sun, the wind, the water? City and community leaders across the nation are finding...

Full Speed Ahead for Electric Vehicles in California, Minnesota, and Nationwide

There's been plenty of good news and forward progress for electric vehicles, clean transportation, and the smart grid over the past week, with announcements of...

How Local Solar Projects Can Meet (All?) Your Community’s Energy Needs

Despite being on track to meet California's state renewable energy goals, it looks like solar energy could be deployed even more efficiently and rapidly. A recent study in...

Do We Have the Power to Affect the Weather? What You Can Do to Stay Cooler and Breathe Easier

The good news first: we have the power to influence the weather of the future! All we need to do is choose to make smart...

What Climate Leadership Looks Like: Seattle Flexes their Local Muscle, Again

While May's "Paddle in Seattle" showdown with Shell's "climate bomb" made headline news, Seattle has not been a stranger to climate leadership over the years....

Beyond the People in the Room: How to Engage a Broader Audience on Climate Issues

One of my favorite parts of my job is traveling to different cities and towns across America and giving workshops about climate communications. Not only...

Putting Down (Oak) Roots in Oakland: How Community-Building & Placemaking Catalyzes Change

The campaign to "re-oak" Oakland -- by planting saplings to reestablish the city's namesake groves of drought-tolerant, fast-growing, California native coast live oaks -- aims to reduce...

A New Ice Cream Flavor as an S.O.S to the World

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many words is a video is worth? Ben & Jerry's metaphor-climate messaging is powerful. While two...

Center Stage in Nashville (and Nationwide): Public Discourse about Climate Preparedness

As communities across our nation continue to experience record rainfall and flooding, high tempatures and drought, and other extreme weather patterns associated with climate change, public debate...

Devastating Impacts of Texas Flooding Underscore the Urgency for Local Climate Leadership

Despite the fact that Texas contributes more to climate change than any other state in our country, legislation calling for climate-change studies, forecasting, or climate-related policies has...

Crop Researchers Help Wheat Farmers to Prepare for Local Climate Impacts in Oklahoma

Climate change is posing a formidable challenge for Oklahoma's wheat industry: how to plan and prepare for hotter temperatures, drier conditions, and greater extremes in...

CA Solar Program Provides Win-Win: Clean Energy plus Cleaner Air for Poorest Citizens

Innovative "win-win" initiatives seem to be surfacing with much greater frequency these days. Hooray!, we love good news like this, and we need more programs...

Good News from Maryland: Legislation Enables Community Shared Solar for 3 Year Pilot

There's good news from Maryland this month, where Republican Governor Larry Hogan signed laws which allow for the implementation of community shared solar projects. Maryland now joins...

The Seattle Times Joins Worldwide Collaboration of 25 Newspapers to Boost Attention to Climate Solutions

In recent years, it hasn't been uncommon to hear complaints that the media is under-reporting the impending consequences and local impacts of climate change. To tackle...

Local Leaders Flex Some (Zoning) Muscle to Keep Tar Sands Oil Out of Wisconsin Pipeline

Call it David versus Goliath. Call it whatever you like. But what's happening in Wisconsin's Dane County, Prince Georges County, and in the small townships...

Omaha’s Trifecta: Better Transit and Less Air Pollution at No Additional Cost

That a car-free lifestyle is about to get easier in Omaha is good news on so many levels. By eliminating route redundancies and prioritizing ridership, the city's public transit...

What Local Leaders Across the Nation Can Learn from NY’s Ban on Fracking

Taking more than six years to produce, New York's long-awaited, "massive" assessment on the local impacts of fracking concludes that uncertainty over its adverse environmental and public health...

The Conservative Case for Solar: Key Talking Points

One of the 10 principles of climate change communication is to connect climate change to issues that matter to your audience. As Tea Partier Debbie...

How to Lead on Climate Solutions: It Just Takes All of Us

Rebecca Solnit makes a simple point, although not a new idea, one that's universally and critically important for all of us regardless of our political...

Richmond, VA is Worst of Worst 50 Cities: Leaders Must Act to Protect Respiratory Health

A new report shows that climate change could mean more ozone smog and increased production of allergenic pollen, amplifying asthma attacks and respiratory allergies for one...

Meet 10 Climate Leaders to Inspire Your Work

We all know the power and benefits of good role models in our lives. Here are ten role models energizing the movement for climate solutions...

‘CleanPowerSF’ Finally Takes Hold, Expediting Transition to Local Clean Energy and Community Choice

CleanPowerSF is a near-perfect example of how a cross-sector coalition of city leaders, policymakers, labor, environmental groups, and concerned citizens ultimately succeeded in launching a program...

How Midwestern Communities are Preparing for Changing Weather and Other Climate Change Impacts

We can see our weather changing before our eyes – we're experiencing increasingly intense storms and droughts – and we know that our communities must respond accordingly...

Giving Thanks for Mothers Like Native American Climate Leader, Karen Diver

After a weekend of celebrating our mothers and feeling thankful for the women mentors in our lives, it seems particularly fitting to pay tribute to...

Friday Refresher: 15 Ways to Communicate about Climate in Your Local Communities

Although this blog typically focuses on how local leaders in the U.S. are leading on climate solutions and engaging their communities around the local impacts of...

Nantucket’s Third Cable is a Rallying Cry for Local Energy Efficiency and Solar Programs

The desire to avoid the costly implementation of a third cable to accommodate the up-trending peak demand for summer electricity has driven a public education and incentive...

Beyond “Iowa Nice”: Local Impacts of Water Pollution Motivate Urgent Tactics

A lawsuit over how three counties in Iowa should deal with water pollution from their farms underscores an underlying tension between rural and urban Iowans, both...

New Survey Shows Even Oil & Gas Insiders Embrace Climate Action

Ready for a suprise? Warren Business Consulting conducted a survey of oil and gas industry insiders who would seem to have reason to argue against...

From Words to Action: Mayors See the Economic and Health Benefits of their Climate Investments

A number of mayors are joining together to learn from each other about what’s working in tackling both the global challenges and local impacts of...

California Gov. Brown Raises the Bar, Sets Ambitious 40% Target to Reduce Climate Change Pollutants

Governor Jerry Brown's new ambitious pollution reduction target sends a clear signal to businesses, entrepreneurs, and the American public that California will continue to lead...

How to Export Electricity: A Crash Course for N.C. Solar Producers

Because North Carolina’s construction costs for solar are below the national median, solar is inexpensive to produce in the state compared to its neighbors. This...

Eastern Sierra Communities Must Prepare for Local Impacts of Drought and Climate Change

The "front side" of the Sierra is a not as well-known as the Sierra of Yosemite and Lake Tahoe. But as the drought in California...

Upcoming Workshop: Using Public Opinion Research to Mainstream Your Climate Message

The National Adapation Forum (NAF) will convene its second national convention in St. Louis, Missouri, from May 11 to 14, 2015.  Every other year, the...

Cities in Midwest Collaborate Fund Energy Efficiency Projects and Send a Signal

Michegan municipalities are working together to find innovative funding mechanisms for local energy efficiency projects, despite the challenge of falling property taxes and shrinking state...

NY Communities to Receive $1.8M from Coal Pollution Settlement to Innovate around Climate Solutions

Talk about a win-win situation. New York State’s leaders have decided to fund locally-tailored initiatives focused on how to respond to the state's changing climate,...

A Moral Imperative To Lead on Climate – 2015 MomentUs Leadership Summit

On Tuesday, Pope Francis sent out a call to care for creation as a matter of caring for all of humanity (via Twitter!). His Papal Encyclical...

Climate Success: After 60 Years, Coal Burning in Burnsville Comes to an End

In most cases, when something endures for 60 years it is cause for celebration. In Burnsville, Minnesota, however, the celebration last week was about something...

Customer Service 101: Why Hawaii’s Public Utility Should Provide Solar Power to its Customers

Rooftop solar is increasingly popular with residents in Hawaii, in part because the rates they pay for electricity rank among the highest in the nation....

Kissing Babies is Not Enough: Our Younger & Wiser Tell Us They Want Climate Action

We know our elected officials (and electeds-to-be) spend a lot of time kissing babies on the campaign trail. But perhaps their time may be better...

Teens in Oregon Court Case Press State Officials, as Public Trustees, to Protect the Air We Breathe

Two teenagers have spearheaded a legal strategy, dating back to ancient Rome, which holds their state officials accountable to protect the atmosphere – the air...

Can You Be a Both Conservative and a Climate Change Activist? Bob Inglis Says Yes

Some might think of Bob Inglis as a reformed man. A six-term Republican congressman from one of South Carolina's most conservative districts, Inglis told the...

Burnsville MN Celebrates the Last Coal Train, and a New Era Ahead

After more than 60 years, the last shipment of coal used to generate electricity for Burnsville, Minnesota arrived by train to its Xcel Energy Black Dog...

17 Global Cities, including 8 from U.S., Join Carbon Neutral Alliance and Inspire the ‘Next Wave’ of Leaders

The Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance launched this week, with 17 of our world’s largest cities committing to hefty goals to reduce air pollution and climate change...

How to Do What Tesla Did for Cars, But for Towns

A group of next-gen entrepreneurs, most of them in their 30s with little experience in development, are breaking ground on a public village in Utah...

2-in-1 Climate Solution: Governor Jay Inslee’s ‘Sin Tax’ Benefits Both Air Quality and Education

Governor Jay Inslee is proposing an innovative, yet practical, two-in-one solution which advances tough new air-quality policies while directing $1.3 billion of new polluter-pay revenues to...

2015 MomentUs Leadership Summit: Creating a Tipping Point for Climate Solutions

Where can you find a bishop, a doctor, and a mayor talking about climate change, and collaborating on ways to inspire Americans on solutions? The Path...

Bright Lights, Big Savings: The Many Benefits of LED Streetlights

It’s been said that there is no such thing as bad press. Local elected leaders and their staff may not completely agree with this, especially...

More Speakers Announced! 2015 MomentUs Leadership Summit

We are pleased to announce several additional speakers who will be joining our 2015 MomentUs Leadership Summit, taking place May 20-21 in Washington, DC. Our...

Why We Feel the Way We Do About Climate Change and the Environment

One of the biggest challenges local leaders and policymakers face is understanding what’s most important to the majority of their diverse constituents and stakeholders. As...

How to Become a World-Class Bicycling City

Mayor Libby Schaaf believes that improving Oakland's transportation system is critical to ensuring that residents are safe, happy, and healthy. She’s been a vocal advocate...

Are Electric Cars Cool for Cities?

Climate change is heating up our planet, due to the rise of greenhouse gas emissions, and it turns out that our nation’s city dwellers are...

Local Impacts of Climate and Drought Spell Change, and Opportunity, for Lake Tahoe

The local effects of climate change are being sorely felt in Northern California’s idyllic Lake Tahoe, with early season closings for several ski resorts, cancellations...

Key Speakers Announced! 2015 MomentUs Leadership Summit

Curious to know who will be sharing their insights at the 2015 MomentUs Leadership Summit?  In addition to the impressive list of attendees, we are...

Double Dilemma: Drought and Climate Impacts Require Strong Leadership and Public Engagement

As California faces its fourth painfully dry year during one of the most severe droughts on record, residents are forced to confront a double whammy of local impacts: steadily...

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Green Beer ‘n’ Cheer for Climate Action

Beer and action may not seem to go together, but they do now – as demonstrated last week when 24 breweries across the nation signed...

Salt Lake City Mayor Becker: Calling for Army of Advocates to Lead by Example toward Climate Action

Threats to Utah’s snowpack levels are the biggest climate change challenge facing Salt Lake City. And “the canary in the coalmine” of  Salt Lake City...

Announcing the 2015 MomentUs Leadership Summit, May 20-21

ecoAmerica is pleased to announce our 5th annual leadership summit. Path to Positive, the 2015 MomentUs Leadership Summit, is being held on May 20th and 21st, 2015 in Washington,...

Florida Case Study Illustrates How to Not Communicate about Climate Change

In this Path to Positive blog, we like to highlight best practices, tips, and success stories about how to most effectively communicate about climate change, often...

A Challenge to Our Civic Leaders: Lift the Hood on Climate Misinformation

A sophisticated campaign to manufacture doubt about climate change and discredit climate scientists has used a similar “how-to handbook for fact fighters” and a familiar...

Wyoming Repeals a Ban on Educating Our Next Generation about Climate Change

It may seem like common sense to repeal a ban on teaching our children what is known to be true. The fact that climate change...

Ann Arbor Community Housing to Deliver Lower Utility Costs and Healthier Living for Residents

Ann Arbor is moving forward to revitalize hundreds of public housing units in a visionary sustainable community project designed to lower utility costs and improve...

How Behavior Modification Can Close the Energy-Reduction Gap

Policies and programs aimed at gaining efficiencies and trimming waste form the backbone of any good action plan. Local leaders have a vast array of...

Port of Seattle Case Study: How Local Climate Action Impacts Global Challenges

This thoughtful opinion piece by KC Golden, a leader widely recognized for his lifetime of work in shaping climate and clean energy policies and communication strategies,...

How to Evolve from a Laggard to a Climate Action Leader

Although we know that political partisanship can pose formidable obstacles to the implementation of climate solutions that benefit the general public, more and more Americans...

Join the Top 10 Cities as a Leader in Local Climate Impact

Would you like to see how your city’s sustainability efforts compare to those of recognized global leaders in measuring and monitoring their local climate actions?...

Inspiring Us to Lead on Climate: Congratulations to Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch

Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch has proven that it is indeed possible to make a positive impact in fighting climate change. As the mayor of Connecticut’s...

Beacons of Change: Our Mayors Demonstrate Global Leadership in Collective Climate Action

Cities have long been recognized as innovation hubs for progressive policies, creative design, and inclusive public planning processes, motivated by the opportunity to raise the...

President’s Keystone Veto Paves the Way for Accelerated Climate Leadership in our Local Communities

President Obama’s veto of the fast-tracking of the Keystone XL pipeline will benefit all Americans by protecting our right to clean air, clean water, and...

Bipartisan Success Story: Solar is Bridging the Political Divide across the Nation

Feeling burned out by bipartisan bickering? Well, there’s good news on the horizon, with “solar solutions” providing a breath of fresh air (pun intended) across...

Too Risky to Wait: Plan Now for Climate Preparedness to Save Lives and Money

Forward-thinking investment in climate preparedness and resilience makes economic sense at both the federal and local levels. By proactively planning to make communities more resilient...

Illinois Moving Forward in the Race for More Jobs and a Clean Energy Economy

Leaders from both sides of the aisle have pledged their support for a Clean Energy Bill in Illinois which will pave the way for 32,000...

Silicon Valley Cities on the Path to Community Choice and More Local Clean Energy

San Mateo County may be the next to join four other California communities – Marin, San Francisco, Sonoma, and Lancaster – in opting out of...

New York City Steps Up With Big Goals for Climate Action

New York City has taken another bold step toward playing a leading role in climate solutions with its announcement of actionable goals to dramatically reduce...

Quick Fix or Risky Business? Local Leaders Must Weigh the Opportunity Costs of Climate Intervention

We often hear that we must do everything we can to combat climate change, there’s no one silver bullet, we must do it all, work...

How Renewable Energy Policies Are Fueling Clean Energy Jobs

There’s been plenty of good news on the jobs front over the past week, with reports of significant increases in clean energy jobs in North...

What We Can Learn from George Washington about Successful Climate Partnerships

"Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company." -- as written...

Divestment from Fossil Fuels: Coming to a City Near You?

The fossil fuel divestment movement is rallying across six continents and 48 countries for Global Divestment Day to demand action on climate solutions. So far, an...

How Sustainability Reporting Leads to Public Engagement for Climate Solutions

Our cities play an important role in shaping strategies for long-term economic (and job) growth while minimizing local climate-based impacts. By reporting on standardized sustainability...

Bold Climate Action Plans Can Create Jobs, Affordable Housing, and Equitable Cities

Affordable housing. Job creation. Equitable support for low income communities. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s affordable housing plan addresses each one of these...

Taking Action to Protect Communities and Reduce the Cost and Impact of Flooding

President Obama’s recent executive order for a Flood Risk Management Standard aims to make communities across the country safer and more resilient to flooding disasters. In...

How Does a Climate Action Champion Handle Fracking?

On Saturday, some 8.000 Californians converged to March for Real Climate Leadership in Oakland, in what some are calling the largest-ever anti-fracking rally. As Mark...

People vs. Cars: How Cities Are Becoming More Livable and Likeable

Forward-thinking city leaders and policymakers are listening to the changing priorities of their constituents and working together to transform their communities to become more sustainable,...

How Minnesota Cities are Preparing for Climate Change Impacts

Duluth Mayor Don Ness thinks about infrastructure a lot these days. Warmer Minnesota winters have brought more freeze and thaw cycles, which means more potholes...

City of Burlington Leads the Path Toward 100% Clean Energy and $20 Million Savings

Burlington, the largest city in Vermont, became the first in the U.S. to use 100% renewable energy – including wind, solar, biomass, and hydro –...

Americans More Likely to Vote for Candidates Who Act on Climate

Here’s a simple quiz to test your knowledge about the opinions of our voting public. Are Americans more likely to vote for candidates who: a) support...

Will Our Greenest-Ever Super Bowl Lead to Lower Carbon (Green) Beer?

This year’s SuperBowl XLIX scored big points for being one of the greenest sporting events ever, using 100% wind power for all of its electricity needs...

How to Make Efficiency Savings and Clean Energy Accessible in Your Community

Just like in the field of energy technology, early adopters of energy efficiency financing have an important role to play in proving - and improving...

A Key to the City: Why City Leaders Hold the Keys to Climate Change

Today, half of our global population resides in cities, and urban dwellers will account for almost 70 percent of our planet by 2050. The U.S. census shows...

Is Climate Change Finally A Public Priority? Survey says Yes.

American citizens view climate change as more important than they did two years ago, according to the annual Pew Research Center policy priorities survey published...

Power to Portland: Water and Energy for the Price of One?

Does paying the same price for both water and energy use sound too good to be true? The city of Portand (Oregon) is testing this...

Find Out How Wind Energy is Creating New Jobs and Increased Revenue in a Local Ohio Town

Residents of Ohio's Van Wert County, a rural farming community of about 29,000 people, never thought they would see the “windfall” of new jobs, better school services,...

Transitioning to Cleaner Energy in Coal Country: Are Voters Tired of the Hardline?

For voters in the mining regions of Kentucky, the culture of coal is a way of life. Yet, John Yarmuth, Louisville’s Congressman (D) since 2006...

How Small Cities are Helping to Solve Problems in Climate Change

Our urban centers have historically acted as barometers of change and innovation in this country, and it’s easy to see why. As Pooja Bhatia explains...

Why Rooftop Solar is a Sure-fire Investment

If you could invest in something that would outperform the stock market while also helping the planet, wouldn’t you? Here’s why rooftop solar can’t miss....

5 Reasons Why Local Governments Deserve a Voice in Climate Solutions

Our local government leaders are closest to the hearts and minds of the Americans who live, learn, work, worship, and vote in our communities. So...

How Communities Can Make Local Sustainability More Inclusive

Communities on the front line of climate impacts are leading the movement to address this challenge and prepare for the future. More than 80% of...

Get Active: Transit Looks Good On You

It is unlikely anyone will look at you and say, “You look great – have you been riding the bus?” But they could because, as a...

What Do Bike Sharing Systems Tell Us About Urban Sustainability?

As American cities reinvent themselves as dense, sustainable centers of commerce, opportunity, and social networks — attracting young, educated residents by the thousands — they...

Hot Town: Summer in the City

Among the many anticipated and increasingly observed adverse impacts of a warning climate is a rise of the urban “heat island” effect. Local leaders have...

How Millennials Are Making U.S. Cities Future Ready

According to a recent article in the Washington Post, things are finally improving for millennials on the employment and economic fronts. What are the potential...

How Do You Green a City?

One could debate the cause and effect relationship between the increasing sustainability of American cities and their recent population growth, but whether people are moving...

U.S. Mayors Act to Support New Carbon Regulations

U.S. mayors have established themselves as national and international leaders in the effort to fight global warming. Since having formed the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement...

5 Tips for Catalyzing Climate Solutions at the Local Level

In the twenty years since the release of Santa Monica’s city-wide sustainability plan, four-term mayor Pam O’Connor has championed climate solutions and community livability to...

Local Impacts, Local Response: How Counties Can Prepare Our Communities for Climate Change

As has become abundantly clear over the past several years, climate change is an undeniable global phenomenon that is manifesting itself on the local level...