Just two-thirds of Americans are comfortable talking about climate change, even with their friends and family. Americans feel more comfortable talking to family or friends than to other people in their life. 67% of Americans feel comfortable talking to their family about climate change. Most Americans feel comfortable talking to their friends, too (64%), but far fewer are comfortable talking with co-workers, neighbors, and elected officials. Just under 3 in 10 Americans report feeling comfortable talking about the issue with co-workers (29%) and neighbors (27%). Less than 1 in 4 Americans feel comfortable talking to their elected officials (23%).

Stories like Wakanda Forever demonstrate the level of violence that colonization, conquest, and genocide have caused throughout generations—and how we can overcome them. When we think about the future of technology and social innovation, we need to do so through an alternative lens, just like in Wakanda Forever, and believe in a future where everyone has the talent, vision, and access to build projects that are sustainable and beneficial to all. We need to visualize a world rooted in abundance that rejects the idea that Blackness and Indigeneity must continue to be considered nonexistent in the Americas. Creating a new vision is just the start. We also must ask ourselves what this fictional speculation about our futures means for us today, especially those of us in positions to influence philanthropic resources for communities of color. It is our responsibility to be proactive about centering those intersecting narratives and debunk the myth that innovation and creativity come only from those who can access or understand the latest technology or benefit from proximity to centers of innovation and power.

The successful Irish anti-fracking struggle offers key insights on community power building for anti-extraction movements all over the world. In 2017, community activists in Ireland mobilized a grassroots movement that forced the state to revoke fracking company Tamboran’s license and ban fracking. The first step towards defeating Tamboran in Ireland was building a movement rooted in the local community. Out of this experience, five key “rooting strategies” for local organizing emerged — showing how the resistance developed a strong social license and built community power. First, build from and on relationships. Second, foster ‘two-way’ community engagement. Third, celebrate community. Fourth, connect to culture. Fifth, build networks of solidarity. Four key political strategies include: find strategic framings; demonstrate resistance; engage politicians before regulators; focus on the parliament.

After the East Palestine train derailment, voters support several measures to improve railroad safety - including stronger safeguards for the transportation of liquefied natural gas. 89% of voters support strengthening regulations on railroad cars carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other dangerous substances. 81% of voters support updating trains to electronic braking systems. 58% of voters, including majorities from both parties, say there are too few safety precautions for railroad companies that transport hazardous materials.

This post includes climate and environment headlines, data points, and key takeaways from recent public polls - including new polling on conservation, climate, and energy issues in Western states + new national polling on the Inflation Reduction Act  + state-level polling in Minnesota about the state’s new clean energy bill and other environmental priorities.

Across TikTok, from newcomers to seasoned professionals, virtually no progressive groups feel they have a grip on what effective political content looks like, how to generate it, or how to have it support organizing strategy consistently. This report studies how to fill that gap. First, narrative content blows strictly informational content out of the water. Second, connect a message to identity — or not at all. Third, in-house content can work, but only if you break from the meta playbook. Fourth, TikTok is still a black box—there’s much more to learn.

Majorities of Minnesota voters want the state to transition to 100% carbon-free energy and to require zero emissions in new buildings. 57% of Minnesota voters support Minnesota moving to generate 100 percent of its energy from carbon-free energy sources by 2040, including 90% of Democrats but just 24% of Republicans.

Black authors have told stories of the origins and consequences of environmental injustices, given us the richest and most comprehensive collection of poems about nature, and reimagined the future. The Solutions Project is excited to share recommendations to add to your reading list in February and all of the other months of the year. Readings include “The Intersectional Environmentalist” by Leah Thomas, “Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration” by Tracey Micha’el Lewis-Giggetts, “Becoming Abolitionists” by Derecka Purnell, “An Abolitionist’s Handbook” by Patrisse Cullors, and “Madam C.J. Walker’s Gospel of Giving” by Tyrone McKinley Freeman.

Support for the Inflation Reduction Act remains high, with Republican voters no longer opposing it. Voters support the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) by a greater than three-to-one margin (66%-21%, including 42-41% among Republicans) after reading a brief, one-sentence description of it. However, just 50% of Americans have heard “a lot” or “some” about the IRA.

Successfully meeting with policymakers requires a few key steps. The group trying to meet with their representative must select a priority issue (or issues), recruit the correct people (and a lot of them) to attend the meeting, properly schedule the meeting ahead of time, prepare the advocates in the room, and follow up with the representative’s office after the meeting. This webinar details all of these ingredients.