Our air, our water, our future

Moving From Harmful Economy to One That Helps Everyone

The Center for Story-based Strategy teaches about 'Just Transition' - a way to change our economy from one that hurts people and the planet to one that helps everyone thrive. For hundreds of years, our economy has taken natural resources, used workers unfairly, and damaged communities to make profits. This has hurt our planet's ability to support life. Change is coming whether we like it or not, but we need to make sure it's fair. A Just Transition means moving to a new economy that regenerates and heals instead of taking and destroying. This new economy should let people, communities, and the planet be healthy and balanced. The people most affected by economic decisions should be the ones making those decisions. We need to challenge the harmful ways we've always done things and create new tools, organizations, and relationships that show what a better future looks like. The organization helps movements and communities learn how to create this fairer, more sustainable economy through storytelling and strategy.

MIT Shows How to Fight Climate Change with New Technology

MIT Solve is a program that finds and supports new technologies to fight climate change. They help inventors create solutions that reduce pollution and help communities adapt to a changing world. The goal is to reach net zero emissions by 2050. MIT Solve runs contests where inventors compete to solve climate problems like making buildings use less energy, protecting ecosystems, creating sustainable food systems, and building circular economies where things get reused instead of thrown away. They have supported technologies like better fertilizers for farmers, AI systems that help cool buildings more efficiently, and ways to make food last longer. The program connects inventors with funding and mentors to help scale their solutions. Expert judges from universities, companies, and environmental groups evaluate the innovations. MIT Solve focuses on community-based solutions that directly help the people they serve, especially disadvantaged communities who often face the worst impacts of climate change. The program has multiple challenges each year covering different climate topics.

Kenyan Farmer Teaches Climate-Smart Growing to Help Communities

Phoebe Mwangangi is a farmer in Kenya who learned new ways to grow food when climate change made farming harder. She uses techniques like collecting rainwater, planting special seeds that need less water, and growing crops like millet and sorghum that survive droughts better. After seeing success on her own farm, she started teaching her neighbors. Now she has trained over 500 farmers, mostly women, across her region. She helps women get loans through savings groups and places lead farmers in different areas to spread knowledge. Mwangangi believes women need to be strong like the crops they grow. Her goal is to help farmers become economically independent and build food systems that can handle climate change. This story shows how one person can learn new skills, adapt to challenges, and then teach others to create positive change in their community.

Artist Boat Annual Reports Show Environmental Art Impact

Artist Boat is an environmental organization in Galveston, Texas that has been working since 2003 to protect nature through art and education. They publish annual reports every year that show their progress and accomplishments. These reports are available on their website going back over 20 years, from 2003-2004 to 2023-2024. The reports help people understand how Artist Boat has grown and what they've achieved in combining art with environmental conservation. Artist Boat focuses on protecting coastal areas, wetlands, and wildlife through creative programs that teach people about nature. Their annual reports document their educational programs, conservation projects, and community partnerships. People can read these reports to learn about environmental issues in the Gulf Coast region and see how art can be used to protect the planet. The organization is based in Galveston and works throughout the Texas coast to inspire environmental stewardship through artistic expression.

Houston Air Quality Research Studies

The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) conducts important research studies about air quality in the Houston area. These studies look at how air pollution affects people's health, test computer models that predict air quality, and create tools to measure greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks. The research includes studies on how dirty air might cause premature births, how well air quality computer models work compared to real measurements at busy intersections, and methods for calculating emissions from transportation projects. H-GAC also studied fuel efficiency in Harris County over several years. This research helps local governments make better decisions about transportation and environmental policies to protect public health and improve air quality for Houston residents.