Thanks to decades of work by scientists, climate advocates, and community organizers, more people than ever recognize the climate crisis as a clear and present threat to communities and ecosystems worldwide.
However, we still need to build critical mass. We need more people to embrace the clean energy transition as urgent, achievable, and even desirable. We need communities, organizations, and businesses to rapidly reduce fossil fuel use and adopt clean energy solutions. We need climate and clean energy advocates to share more relatable stories prioritizing human connection and excitement over technical details and jargon. We need a vocal and influential bloc of well-informed elected officials and policymakers to prioritize climate action.
To meet this moment, we're harnessing the power of narrative and storytelling to personalize and transform public perception about the climate crisis and its clean energy solutions.
Story content published between 2012 and 2018 was developed as part of our initial Solutions Stories project. It sought to capture and communicate the success stories on the ground about building a clean energy economy in the Pacific Northwest. The project showcased stories aimed at reaching policymakers and other key audiences that influence those drivers and decision-makers on climate and clean energy policy.
This project was placed on hiatus in 2018, but helped inspire Climate Solutions' present-day storytelling and narrative efforts.
Sometimes good things lurk in the FOG. In this case, FOG is a waste product—fats, oils, and grease—and it’s a major reason why the City of Gresham was able to turn its wastewater treatment plant from an energy hog into the first net zero energy plant in the Pacific Northwest.
Oregon's transit justice movement is critical to the success of our climate movement.
An Oregon community college is fueling the future, fostering a new generation of mechanics in cleaner alternatives.
Working together, local groups in Portland's Cully neighborhood are redefining sustainability and development as an anti-poverty strategy.
From the farm to the foam in your glass, Oregon businesses are building a sustainable life-cycle for beer through clean energy and energy efficiency.
In a community at the crossroads of our energy future, a growing solar company is making the clean economy real.
A former Texas oilman and a public health advocate stand up to Big Oil, and fight for clean air and homegrown jobs in the Northwest.
One woman shares the story of her rise and fall – and rise again! – as a climate activist: What do an executive, a student, a tribal leader, an activist and a veteran have in common? They were all talking climate action back in February at Fortified! – a climate change storytelling event hosted by the Portland State University's Institute for Sustainable Solutions and in partnership with the City of Portland, Climate Solutions, Ecotrust, Oregon Environmental Council, Renewable Northwest, and the VOIS Alliance.
A quiet milestone has been reached in the evolution of solar and other clean energy solutions brewing along Oregon's South Coast, one built on concerted community effort in hand with public, private and nonprofit collaboration.
Over several weeks this past fall we received a flurry of very encouraging notes in the mail directed at our Solutions Stories.
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Sometimes good things lurk in the FOG. In this case, FOG is a waste product—fats, oils, and grease—and it’s a major reason why the City of Gresham was able to turn its wastewater treatment plant from an energy hog into the first net zero energy plant in the Pacific Northwest.
Oregon's transit justice movement is critical to the success of our climate movement.
An Oregon community college is fueling the future, fostering a new generation of mechanics in cleaner alternatives.
From the farm to the foam in your glass, Oregon businesses are building a sustainable life-cycle for beer through clean energy and energy efficiency.
In a community at the crossroads of our energy future, a growing solar company is making the clean economy real.
A former Texas oilman and a public health advocate stand up to Big Oil, and fight for clean air and homegrown jobs in the Northwest.
One woman shares the story of her rise and fall – and rise again! – as a climate activist: What do an executive, a student, a tribal leader, an activist and a veteran have in common? They were all talking climate action back in February at Fortified! – a climate change storytelling event hosted by the Portland State University's Institute for Sustainable Solutions and in partnership with the City of Portland, Climate Solutions, Ecotrust, Oregon Environmental Council, Renewable Northwest, and the VOIS Alliance.
A quiet milestone has been reached in the evolution of solar and other clean energy solutions brewing along Oregon's South Coast, one built on concerted community effort in hand with public, private and nonprofit collaboration.
Over several weeks this past fall we received a flurry of very encouraging notes in the mail directed at our Solutions Stories.