“leading the charge,” the theme of an april 10 kellogg climate conference at northwestern university, brought together an all-stars cast including leaders from coca-cola, gm energy, start-ups, academics and conservation groups to redefine business strategy in a changing climate.

the mission? counter climate change and find new profit pipelines there as well.

a standing-room-only crowd of business executives, experts, and students explored company examples of innovative and cost-effective climate change mitigation at the all-day conference sponsored by the kellogg school of management’s energy and sustainability club and the trienens institute for sustainability and energy at northwestern.  

meghan busse, associate professor of strategy at the kellogg school of management kicked off the conference with what she called, “a greenhouse emissions breakdown,” in other words, a lively lowdown on the challenges ahead.

according to busse, in the u.s, one-fourth of gas emissions come from electricity generation, one-fourth from transportation, one-fourth from industrial processes, and one-fourth covering both agriculture and buildings. the conference program covered all these sectors and how each one is providing new solutions and innovative technology to decrease emissions.

“our goal of the day is to leave you all feeling armed to become climate capable leaders where you are willing to ask questions and start thinking about no matter what your job is, how does climate plan into my strategy?” said busse.

the incentive to act for companies is linked to the impact on their pockets. climate change is expected to cost u.s. businesses over $1.3 trillion in the next three years. such high stakes have pushed industries around the world to seek massive technological and business transformations. but experts say that refusing to invest is climate solutions will cost even more in losses due to rising costs, resource uncertainties, extreme weather damage, and other factors.

speakers at kellogg conference emphasize solutions

keynote speakers included business leaders across the board to share the specifics their companies have implemented to prioritize sustainability as a core component of strategic decision-making. coca-cola is the number one plastic polluter in the world, according to coke’s executive vp bea perez who took center stage her talk on “navigating sustainability and profitability.” she focused on the importance of accountability, transparency and support from top corporate leaders for a company to move toward sustainability. she asked the audience to envision the size of 120,000 olympic size swimming pools, the pyramid of giza and every single volcano in the world to show the massive amounts of waste that the coca-cola company generates. she emphasized solutions.

businesses and consumers should examine a company’s business and sustainability reports to see if sustainability strategy is embedded into the finances of the company, she said. without that commitment, the measures are irrelevant, said perez, global chief communication, sustainability and strategic partnerships officer at coca-cola.

according to the coca-cola company’s 2022 business & sustainability report, the company aims to “make 100% of our packaging recyclable globally by 2025— and use at least 50% recycled material in our packaging by 2030.” perez explained how water, packaging, and climate goals are interconnected and that by creating a circular economy for packaging, they can lower their carbon footprint.

in their 2022 business & sustainability report, coke claimed that 90% of its packaging is recyclable, 15% of plastic bottles made with polyethylene terephthalate (pet) are recycled, and that 61% of packaging (is) collected for recycling. coke’s innovation of a 100% plant-based bottle prototype is a key component to helping them achieve their sustainability goals. “if you don’t have strong communities, you can’t have strong businesses,” said perez.

infrastructure challenges

at the scaling the energy transition panel, key challenges focused on infrastructure development. shashank sane, a kellogg alum, and evp at transmission invenergy, said that supply chain delays are making it challenging for businesses to amplify the grid system. projects may take up to a decade from supply chain to completion and a major challenge that business owners face is the lack of policy and government support for funding.

at a global scale this sets the u.s behind. for comparison, germany which backed up by government policy, is capable of placing massive national orders for supplies, while business owners in the u.s are limited by their procurement resources. consequently, the lack of infrastructure affects other sectors like the transportation sector.

companies such as nexteramobility which focuses on developing, constructing, and operating power projects to produce electricity are restricted in mass capacity by the infrastructure of grid placements. however, even with the use of a massive electric plant to compensate for fuel, yann kulp, director business development, fleet electrification advisory, argued that having one major source of emissions is better than having millions of sources of emissions, making the carbon capture in one place more manageable.

insight into regenerative farming

the panel seeds of change: cultivating a sustainable future in food and agriculture introduced ancient processes and cutting-edge initiatives as change-makers. sonali lamba, co-founder and executive director of the soil inventory project, brought to light how regenerative farming practices could be a greater part of the solution for fighting climate change and restoring our soils through farming.

regenerative farming, as lamba explained, roots back to indigenous practices. this kind of farming focuses on supporting local farmers and even funding their businesses to incentivize healthier farming practices that avoid pesticides, other chemical and erosion-causing practices that harm both earth and our health.

“why not pay people to do things the right way,” said meera bhat, global director of equitable conservation for the nature conservancy.

this year’s kellogg climate conference brought together an audience of about 300 business leaders and mba students, each with different perspectives on how to decrease their carbon footprint in their business sector. regardless of their business strategy, attendees shared kellogg’s mission that day to educate, strategize and mobilize, for the sake of change.

doris alvarez is a graduate student at northwestern university’s medill school of journalism. 

atop the ford motor company’s rouge factory in dearborn, michigan, a vibrant 10.4-acre “living roof” stretches across an otherwise cloudy horizon, made up of thousands of tiny succulents. birds, insects, and pollinators flock to the rooftop, while hundreds of factory workers assemble trucks in the building below. 

the size of eight football fields, ford’s green roof is one of the largest in the world. every year, it collects and filters rainfall and, according to the henry ford museum, improves air quality in the building’s vicinity by up to 40%. notably, the museum reports the rooftop also reduces the building’s energy footprint by 7%, inching the company closer to its carbon neutrality goal.

installed more than 20 years ago now, company leaders at the time were quoted in press releases as saying the project was “not environmental philanthropy” but “sound business,” and, in the press & guide, “living proof of ford’s ongoing commitment to being an environmentally conscious corporate citizen.” the major project has since been acknowledged for helping kick off the green roof industry in north america.their living roof is just one project in ford’s efforts to decarbonize, which are part of a larger national movement toward carbon responsibility and environmental and social governance, or “esg,” in corporate spheres. ford is currently pursuing a goal of sourcing 100% carbon-free electricity for their global manufacturing operations by 2035.

a large rooftop with a small footprint?

ford employs over 177,000 workers globally and operates facilities in more than a dozen countries around the world. according to a ford 2024 integrated sustainability and financial report, about 1% of ford’s total co2 emissions come from operations whereas the vast majority of them result from tailpipe emissions as well as “energy production and consumption during vehicle use.”

tailpipe and energy production during use fall under the definition of scope 3 emissions, which are the kind that are indirectly linked to a company’s activities, such as those that result from a company’s product after it is purchased.

according to the 2024 ford report, in 2023 ford’s scope 3 emissions totaled 384,119,775 metric tons. given that total, a green roof would redress a fraction of a percent of ford’s total emissions.

the living rooftop’s meadow was installed at a cost of $15 million. “it was a risk. and it paid off,” added douglas plond, senior manager of the ford rouge factory tour. in his view, the rooftop’s value comes from its ample community benefits. 

“i think we see over 100,000 people come through this facility per year. so, we’ve sparked the interest of someone — at least one person — to see all the green initiatives that have gone on here at ford motor company. […] somebody may have gone home and said ‘well, i’m gonna try doing this at home,” plond said.

looking at the whole picture

ford, in addition to its emissions goals, aims to use only locally sourced clean energy in its manufacturing plants by 2035. other automakers like bmw and general motors have also announced sustainability ambitions, including carbon neutrality goals. automakers like subaru have focused on greening their plants, such as indiana’s subaru sia factory which produces zero landfill waste and is the only u.s. auto factory to be declared a natural habitat. 

still, back in dearborn, critics remain skeptical toward greening a plant that produces f-150s. among them is daniel becker, director of the sierra club’s climate change program. “whatever they did to the plant is marvelous, but if they’re producing pickup trucks that pollute too much, what are they accomplishing?” becker asked, as quoted in index project.

while the emissions of ford vehicles per kilometer driven have decreased 6% since 2019, according to ford’s 2024 integrated sustainability and financial report, “slower than expected demand,” in ev’s will require flexibility on ford’s part as they reach for carbon neutrality. recent market setbacks have curbed ev demand and prompted ford to shut down an f-150 lightning production shift at the dearborn factory. 

slowing growth of ev sales across ca, weakened carbon reporting rules from the sec, and difficulties decarbonizing ev supply chains raise ongoing questions about the future picture of sustainability. 

on the other hand, there are other initiatives at ford worthy of public attention: 

in 2022, for example, ford made the largest clean power purchase agreement in history, right in michigan. the contract with dte energy exceeds any other renewable energy purchase from a utility in the united states— including those by large tech companies. a press release by the energy company details that by 2025, all of ford’s purchased electricity for vehicle manufacturing in michigan will be carbon-free, and ford will avoid close to 600,000 metric tons of carbon emissions annually.  

“i think one of the things that we’ve focused on in the last few years, in particular, is the sourcing of the energy to run the plant. that’s been the biggest thing — trying to make contracts with [electricity suppliers] where our clients are located. […] and i think that that’s probably moving the needle the most,” said alyssa werthman, ford’s environmental sustainability manager.

essentially, whenever a company like ford buys more renewable power than they need, they can supply not only their factories but several of their major suppliers, and millions of homes. artealia gilliard, environmental leadership & sustainability at ford, notes that these agreements both strengthen the grid and “create that push and pull in the market.”

as a symbol of sustainable commitments, ford’s living rooftop is in many ways intended to compliment the company’s even more concrete strategies to leverage its corporate power for good: buying into power purchase agreements, persistently improving the accessibility and recyclability of electric vehicles, and directing all suppliers towards sustainability. 

“we also write the requirement for our suppliers to establish science-based greenhouse gas reduction targets and action plans to support carbon neutrality no later than 2050 globally into our supplier code of conduct,” werthman said.

according to gilliard, it is these initiatives that “[drive] the suppliers to do exactly as we’re doing, which is purchase carbon-free electricity. it drives them to invest in the grid where they’re pulling from — or create their own.”

the bottom line

the living rooftop could have valuable signaling power as a “living pledge” toward more robust scope 3 decarbonization at ford.

even amid ev sales challenges, recent progress is promising. ford motor company received an “a” rating in a 2023 carbon disclosure project report and is reportedly on track to meet its 2050 carbon neutrality goal.

though the direct impact of the roof may be small, the greenery above the production lines may continue to be a useful living reminder of this commitment.

this story was originally published on the gw alliance for a sustainable future spotlight page.

but people passing by would likely be unaware. shepherd parkway lacks any signage indicating its identity or rich history. the neglected park faces serious issues like trash dumping, invasive species and few amenities.

in 2018, environmental activist nathan harrington began to fight the park’s neglect through the creation of ward 8 woods conservancy. ward 8 is the southern-most neighborhood in washington, d.c.

while working as a public school teacher, harrington began to volunteer on the weekends at shepherd parkway. he saw community members like him take an interest in caring for the park. after searching for a career change, he founded the non-profit through a grant from the dc department of the environment in 2018.

“there’s so much work to do out here that weekend volunteer events are not going to cut it,” harrington said. “and there’s a lot of people living around here who need work.”

shepherd parkway faces many challenges including illegal trash dumping and invasive species like the park’s honeysuckle vine that stifles plant life. on the second saturday of each month, harrington hosts volunteers for a few hours to clean up trash and remove invasive plants.

harrington said that since his team’s establishment, they have removed 1.3 million pounds of trash and cut invasive vines from more than 7,000 trees. 

beginning in 2012, harrington started envisioning a natural, winding hiking trail going through shepherd parkway which would extend 3.6 miles through the wooded area. the proposed trail would serve to replace those carved out by the civilian conservation corps in the 1930s. due to a lack of upkeep, those are now non-existent.

the entirety of ward 8 offers only 1.5 miles of natural hiking trails. in comparison, north d.c.’s rock creek park is home to 35 miles of trails. harrington believes the reason why the trail has taken so long to construct is connected to environmental racism and stereotyping. 

“some think people in a black neighborhood are not interested in hiking or there are only certain types of people who enjoy that,” harrington explained. 

harrington added that access to park amenities is an issue of environmental justice.

“if the government agencies that maintain parks do so to different standards — doing a good job in a wealthy area and not the working class area — then that’s not equitable,” he said.

“i think it’s connected with environmental racism and stereotyping,” he explained. “where some think people in a black neighborhood are not interested in hiking or there are only certain types of people who enjoy that.”

harrington added access to park amenities is an issue of environmental justice.

“if the government agencies that maintain parks do so to different standards — doing a good job in a wealthy area and not the working class area — then that’s not equitable,” he said. “it’s not even seen as a park because it doesn’t have amenities or even signage to tell people what it is.”

despite the park not being readily accessible to residents, it holds a deep value for history and the environment. 

two historic civil war forts are concealed in the wooded area. fort carrol and greble were hurriedly built by the union army to prepare for a possible confederate invasion of the capitol. according to the national park service, many african americans escaping slavery would come to the forts in search of protection and work. 

the area is also ecologically significant as biologists recently identified two never-before-seen aquatic microorganisms in the park’s seeping groundwater. in an article published in february 2024, the biologists state that it is likely that these amphipods independently evolved within these small, continuous puddles of groundwater. 

these important sites are extremely difficult to access. to harrington, these tidbits should give the national park service all the more reason to construct a natural trail in the park. 

in d.c., nps maintains more than 30 parks including shepherd parkway and works closely with the dc department of recreation. 

nps released a concept plan for shepherd parkway in 2020 that detailed the need for new amenities. the plan suggests a paved sidewalk around the perimeter of the woods rather than a natural hiking trail. however, harrington disagrees with this plan. 

“i would rather have a trail where one can have an immersive experience going through the woods,” harrington said. “it’s a lot cheaper to build and has a lot less environmental impact.”

nps declined to comment about the issue of a trail or general upkeep in shepherd parkway.

some residents disagree with the push for a wooded trail because of concerns over crime. in 2017, congress heights resident nikki peele released an online petition to close shepherd parkway because of neglect, “loitering,” and “vandalism.”

“shepherd park is not a community park — at least not for the children, teens, adults, seniors and families that live in congress heights,” peele wrote in the petition. 

the online petition did not reach its goal, but its sentiment remained. 

mustafa wright and smur dagambino are brothers who often bring their children to visit greble point park located along shepherd parkway.

“it’s dangerous to live in this,” dagambino said, adding the area around the park is “not funny.”

despite frequently visiting the park, they had not heard about any plans for a trail. wright said he is “not totally opposed” to the trail. he often walks around anacostia park using its designated pathways. 

dagambino added he felt positive about the trail because it could provide a shortcut to the metro or a space for kids to play.  

harrington, like other residents of ward 8, acknowledges fears about safety. he said it is “not crazy” to think crime or violence could come into a park but offers a different solution to those who are worried.

“instead of complaining about the people who are in the park and the things that they’re doing — if you want to use the park for something else, go do it,” he said.

currently, the next steps for the shepherd parkway hiking trail remain stagnant, but harrington plans on continuing ward 8 woods conservancy’s push to make shepherd parkway more cherished and accessible.

“it can feel — literally and figuratively — like a voice in the wilderness saying, ‘hey! what about that?’” he said. “but these are special places. we need to preserve them so that future generations can enjoy them.”

these huge projects are thanks to the catholic climate covenant, an organization headquartered in washington, d.c., which helps the catholic community understand and act on the issue of climate change.

executive director dan misleh founded the covenant in 2006 after he worked on environmental policy for the u.s. conference of catholic bishops. one of the ways the organization has helped catholic communities act on the issue of climate change is by encouraging community members to install solar panels on their properties to help them save money and lower their reliance on fossil fuels.

for misleh, climate change education is an essential part of the process. he said that when he discusses environmental issues with catholic organizations, he always tries to bring it back to his faith.

“if god has given us a gift, and if we just take that gift and throw it in the trash, that’s not being very respectful to the gift giver,” misleh said.

in recent years, many catholics felt motivated by pope francis’s encyclical letter laudato si’ published in 2015 which established climate change as a moral issue catholics should address. in 2021, pope francis put his plans from the letter into action by telling catholic organizations to launch a seven year plan to create environmentally sustainable efforts within their communities.

but misleh said that when he had the idea to install solar panels on catholic properties, he needed more help. through the covenant, misleh created catholic energies which focuses on the installation of these solar panels with the help of mission energy — a company that works to reduce energy costs through solar panels. misleh said mission energy provides the “expertise” the covenant needs to install solar panels.

dan last, who is the co-chief executive officer of mission energy, said misleh approached him eight years ago with the idea to form a group within their company. he said mission energy was interested in creating catholic energies because they help catholic organizations reduce the amount of carbon dioxide they release and save money.

“there was a lot of excitement and enthusiasm around doing work like this,” last said.

laura clark, who is the vice president of operations for mission energy, also said solar panels help the environment because they reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.

according to misleh, installing solar panels on catholic buildings has helped them save between a few thousand to over a hundred thousand dollars in their electrical bill since they were installed.

paying for power

these catholic organizations pay to install their solar panels through the help of a power purchase agreement. last said that with this agreement, a third party is responsible for paying for the installation of these solar panels, with the catholic organizations later paying back the third party over a set amount of years.

“[third party developers] like working with our groups because churches, catholic healthcare systems, religious communities are not going anywhere and in some cases have been around for hundreds of years,” last said.

but since the passage of president biden’s inflation reduction act in 2022, last said the amount of money catholic organizations have to pay back to third parties under the power purchase agreement is lower since the federal government is now subsidizing up to 50% of the cost for sustainable projects.

through the work of catholic energies, catholic organizations are finding it easier and cheaper to carry out sustainable practices. since the establishment of catholic energies within mission energy, last said the group has completed over three dozen projects across the united states. 

solar at scale in d.c.’s backyard

one of the biggest solar projects energies undertook was installing solar panels for the catholic charities of the archdiocese of washington.

catholic charities focuses on social ministry, guided by the message of jesus christ. they specifically help the poor, immigrants and people with mental and developmental disabilities through various support programs like food distribution.

last said catholic charities approached them when they were switching to led-powered lights within their facilities. he said catholic charities was interested in installing solar panels on a 14 acre property they owned on the far northeast side of washington, d.c., behind the gift of peace house and convent. last said they wanted the solar panels to be built on this space because it was mostly clear and flat.

“long story short, that turned into the solar project,” last said.

the project was completed in the fall of 2019 and includes a large solar panel farm of 5,000 panels. according to the catholic energies website, the project offsets nearly 3,400 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually which is the equivalent of getting rid of 735 car emissions in one year.

since the solar panels are located in a field, they also created a pollinator garden using the space between the panels. according to the dc department of energy & environment, pollinator gardens improve habitats for wildlife and require little attention as they thrive without fertilizer, pesticides or extra water.

“it’s got lots of great, positive impacts for the catholic charities and the community,” misleh said.

even though the solar panels are concentrated in one area, they help subsidize the cost of catholic charities’ 12 buildings located all across washington, d.c. misleh said the solar panel farm gives energy to pepco, lowering the utility company’s reliance on fossil fuels.

in total, misleh said catholic energies has helped catholic charities cut their electric bill by $250,000. even though a third party is in charge of operating the solar panels which misleh said costs $185,000 per year, a total of $65,000 in savings is going towards other projects run by catholic charities.

“we were very, very proud of that project,” misleh said.

creative solutions to make a difference

catholic energies also works with local communities such as nativity catholic church and nativity catholic school in burke, va. husband and wife, george and kim young, who are parishioners at nativity, volunteer their time within the creation care ministry. unlike catholic charities which installed their solar panels in a field, theirs are installed on a roof.

in their full time jobs, george young is a licensed clinical social worker and master addiction counselor with a private practice, while kim young is a naturalist at hidden oaks nature center. after pope francis’s encyclical letter laudato si’ came out, they wanted to create an organization within their parish to address environmental issues.

“that really provided more inspiration and more support for this idea,” kim young said.

when george and kim young discovered nativity needed a new roof, they thought the parish could also install solar panels. according to kim young, they were inspired by the success of installing solar panels on their own home years earlier. they were not in charge of the final decision making process but instead.

“constantly when we would see the pastor in the hall, we would mention it when the opportunities presented itself,” kim young said.

their advocacy paid off in july 2020 when nativity completed the installation of the solar panels on its new roof. the project is expected to decrease nativity’s carbon footprint by 7,700 tons along with estimated savings of $200,000 over the next 25 years after paying off the power purchase agreement.

due to nativity’s efforts towards environmental issues, george and kim young helped the church win an interfaith power & light award in 2022 for outstanding energy stewardship in response to climate change.”

although kim young said she feels parishioners do not commonly think about the solar panels on the roof anymore, she said parishioners were excited when the pastor made a “big deal” in his sermon about the solar panels and when they won the interfaith power & light awards.

kim young said she wants to push for parishioners to reconnect with the environmental difference nativity is making and caring for the environment is not something “extra.”

“we see it as integral to our faith,” kim young said. “and to the point really, that it’s an obligation of our faith.”

if you’ve been to washington, d.c., the capital of the united states, chances are you’ve explored prominent landmarks like the national mall, the library of congress, and various others. but have you ever ventured to anacostia park?

enriched with a complex and nuanced history, the contemporary anacostia river exhibits significant transformations from its earlier existence as a nacotchtank settlement between the 1000s and 1600s. enduring a series of ecological and social transformations over the years, including significant events like european settlement in the 1600s, the establishment of the district’s capital in 1790, the civil war from 1861-1865, and the civil rights movement from 1954-1968, anacostia serves as a compelling illustration of how historical events and exclusionary practices can shape a city.

the community endured several years of being used as both a human and industrial waste dump as discussed in madeleine dwyer’s “forgotten by the clean water act.” then, it faced significant changes with the desegregation of local schools and the construction of the anacostia freeway in 1957. these events have deeply influenced the community leaving a lasting impact that continues to affect future generations. bruce holmes, a lifelong resident of anacostia and community liaison at friends of anacostia park, is among those whose lives have been shaped by these events.  

despite the passage of the clean water act in 1972, the anacostia river, having endured years of neglect, continues to rank among the 10 most polluted rivers in the country. this stands in stark contrast to the potomac river, situated in affluent neighborhoods like georgetown, which is often regarded as a success story for the clean water act. the disparities between these neighboring water bodies underscore the ongoing challenges faced by anacostia and highlight the persistent environmental issues that demand attention and concerted efforts for remediation. 

in recent years, numerous organizations, including friends of anacostia park – a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the lives of dc residents by helping them build a stronger connection to the park and feel more empowered to use it – have played a crucial role in bringing attention to the anacostia river. by providing a range of recreational activities such as skating and fishing, they have contributed to the steady improvement in the river’s water quality, marked by its first passing grade in 2018, discussed in potomac conservancy report. 

while exploring the historical events that have shaped environments like anacostia, where residents have faced significant environmental injustices, maintaining a positive outlook is often difficult. this challenge is amplified by many developers seeking to profit from the river’s recent improvements. nevertheless, interviews with sophie liebel, americorps vista member at friends of anacostia park, and holmes challenge the notion that such historical events inevitably evoke only eco-anxiety.

liebel and holmes both said they are worried about the future of the park, but are also exemplifying eco-gratitude. signifying an individual’s appreciation and thankfulness towards their environment, kim-pong tam in his article on “gratitude to nature” explained how eco-gratitude involves recognizing the natural world’s inherent value by acknowledging the myriad benefits it bestows upon us and expressing gratitude for the ecosystems, resources, and biodiversity that contribute to a thriving planet.

practicing eco-gratitude can be difficult, however, holmes explained to me how showing our love and appreciation for nature can be as simple as knowing the name of a tree or the history of the land you are on. 

in weekly fishing lessons, holmes teaches fellow community members how to fish, his biggest joy in the park. during his lessons, he emphasizes the importance of knowing what kind of fish you are catching and teaching the history of the land to fellow community members. holmes “wants you to get to your recreational activities through information,” he said. when he isn’t teaching others how to fish, he said his second favorite activity is educating the public about the history of anacostia. 

in the future, holmes said would like to see the park focus more on the education of the land’s history and the public to see nature as “beautiful, powerful, and something that belongs to all.” he said doesn’t want anything decided for the park by just one person, rather the collective public needs to come together and decide what they all want as well. 

contemplating anacostia’s future restoration, including the opinions of residents like holmes, can indeed be daunting. liebel described this as she explained the hardest thing for improving anacostia will be incorporating all the good ideas.

“people don’t really realize how much knowledge there is within the community,” liebel said. however, eco-gratitude compels us to adopt a positive and appreciative perspective concerning the efforts and initiatives dedicated to enhancing the river’s condition and sustainability. this, in turn, fosters a sense of thankfulness for positive environmental actions and advances, even in the face of persistent challenges.

in 2021, the national parks service started to develop preliminary management plans for anacostia park. although the developed plans have yet to be released to the public, they rely on public input with public comments recently ending in december. these plans will offer a range of actions to improve access to trails in the park, support recreational and community use, and many other important aspects. additionally, external companies and organizations, such as rei, are working alongside friends of anacostia park on environmental restoration programs and helping to fund events such as late-night roller skating events.

moving forward, it’s crucial to acknowledge that not every environmental challenge should deter us. instead, we should embrace a perspective that combines gratitude with eco-anxiety, understanding that balance is key in all aspects of life. despite the overwhelming environmental issues and negative news, recognizing the positive steps taken and expressing gratitude for nature’s beauty is essential. holmes’ optimism and eco-gratitude toward his home provide valuable inspiration for future environmentalists confronting various injustices worldwide.

anacostia park has the potential to establish a precedent for addressing environmental injustices as community engagement continues into the future. it’s crucial to recognize, as exemplified by holmes’ inspirational story, that seemingly simple activities like fishing and appreciating the land’s history can serve as very powerful tools for practicing eco-gratitude. as efforts continue in anacostia park, holmes said he eagerly anticipates the day when the river will become both swimmable and fishable – optimistically aiming for this transformation within the next two years.

washington – when dr. lisa patel was working on a project for the environmental protection agency in 2005, she visited a children’s hospital for asthma in mumbai, india. after seeing the main parts of the center, she was surprised when the coordinators took her to a nearby gymnasium that had been converted to a children’s asthma ward. it was filled with even more children who were receiving care.

seeing an entire gymnasium full of child asthmatics struggling to breathe was moving for dr. patel, the executive director of the medical society 2022年世界杯亚洲预选赛结果 on climate and health. but the global climate crisis became much more personal when the california wildfires reached her own children almost a decade later.

“that’s when it became very concrete to me that no child should be breathing in this absolutely foul pollution that’s ruining their health,” she said.

according to a report by the harvard t.h. chan school of public health, children face disproportionate ill effects as a result of climate change, largely because they are actively developing both mentally and physically.

children are affected by both “indoor air” and their surrounding climate, executive director of the children’s environmental health network nsedu obot witherspoon said at a moms clean air force (mcaf) event about children’s health in the face of the climate crisis on feb. 8.

according to witherspoon, “indoor air” is impacted by a number of products including cleaners, toys, pesticides and other human-made items children encounter. “climate” encompasses air quality, water quality, pollution, natural disasters and any additional environmental factors. 

while everyone is impacted by these types of exposure, children are more likely to be negatively impacted.

“their airways are smaller. they have developing immune systems,” dr. patel said. “so things like nox or pm2.5 irritate the lung lining and put children at higher risk for respiratory illnesses.”

nox, also known as nitrogen oxides, are “a group of highly reactive gasses, including nitrogen dioxide, nitrous acid, and nitric acid,” according to the arizona department of environmental quality (adeq). similarly, the adeq classifies pm2.5 as “the smallest, most harmful particulate pollution.” pm2.5 is a combination of nitrogen oxides and other harmful substances.

in the u.s., 49% of parents say climate change has affected their decision about having more children, according to a recent study conducted by morning consult on behalf of the technology company, hp. 

moreover, the study concluded that 91% of parents globally are worried about the climate crisis and have changed their purchasing habits as a result.

“i studied climate change in college and at the time, it felt like a calling, and it felt like something that i wanted to do,” dr. patel said. “but i think when i had my kids, it no longer felt like a choice. it felt like something that i had to do.”

even so, parents have little control over what substances their children come into contact with. with more than 12 million children under the age of five in the united states in some form of nonparental care, witherspoon said the industry lacks sufficient regulations, focusing on these “critical windows of exposure.”

prevention through policy

existing health and safety policy surrounding child care is largely centered around the prevention of the spread of infectious diseases and violence, though there are also climate-related regulations to highlight.

the national resource center for health and safety in child care and early education is the most prevalent organization setting health and safety standards for child care facilities. their resources give providers national and state standards to follow.

one national standard largely influenced by the clean air act stated that providers must check the air quality index before determining if it is safe for children to play outside. there are also established protocols surrounding natural disasters to keep facilities prepared to protect children in the event of an emergency.  

states can establish their own rules for child care providers too. for example, a 2018 california law required licensed child care centers to test their water for lead by 2023. 

after results found shocking levels of the poisonous substance in the water supplies, rep. katie porter (d-calif.) said california children’s lead exposure was alarming.

“one in four california child care centers has dangerously high levels of lead in their drinking water,” porter said. “children are our future, and we owe it to every american to protect all kids’ safety and well-being.”

in remarks made in pittsburgh on feb. 20, vice president kamala harris promised to eliminate all lead pipes in the united states, recognizing the impact that lead has on children’s health.

the biden-harris lead pipe and paint action plan “includes over 15 new actions from more than 10 federal agencies that ensure the federal government is marshalling every resource to make rapid progress towards replacing all lead pipes in the next decade.”

“when children drink toxic water through lead pipes, it has an impact on their learning ability, on their health,” harris said. “and for too long, this has been the case, that communities have been crying out for support to get rid of these lead pipes.”

there are also environmental justice concerns around the quality of drinking water, which porter alluded to in her remarks.

“many of the worst facilities for lead levels are in low-income areas or communities of color,” she said.

according to witherspoon, the child care industry is a space where environmental injustice is heightened because the profession is largely dominated by women, including women of color and women of childbearing age. she said there is a dual benefit of reducing the environmental hazards and limiting the negative health effects for both children and their care providers. 

exposure to plastic

another concern for children’s environmental health is exposure to plastics. judith enck is the founder and president of beyond plastics and a former epa regional administrator. her work focuses on the dangers of plastic pollution. at the mcaf event in early february, she cited how plastic emissions are replacing those originally produced by the coal industry.

“plastics is plan b for the fossil fuels industry,” she said. “all of us have microplastics in our bodies.”

microplastics are a particular danger because they are being found in a variety of organs, from livers to placentas. according to a study by a peer reviewed journal titled birth defects research, exposure to microplastics as a newborn “is linked to the development of multiple illnesses in adulthood.”

yet exposure can also occur before a child is born, “which may have the potential to cause harmful effects later in life,” according to a recent study by environment international.

while action has been taken against the rise of plastics, enck said she is still working toward more change.

in december, the epa decided that vinyl chloride, which has been a known carcinogen for about 50 years, will be among five chemicals that will begin the risk evaluation prioritization process under the toxic substances control act, enck said. “but that’s the beginning of a ten-year journey to ban vinyl chloride,” she added.

the mental health toll of the climate crisis

research shows that children’s mental wellness is also affected by the climate crisis.

“there’s actually some emerging data that early exposure to air pollution places children at higher risk for anxiety and depression,” dr. patel said.

dr. lise van susteren, a medical doctor and general and forensic psychiatrist, indicated the youth population is paying a mental toll for the climate crisis.

“the extreme weather events they face not only bring – acutely – fear, anger, sorrow, etc. but over time, what happens is they become dispirited, even demoralized and feel potentially a feeling of abandonment and betrayal by their government,” dr. van susteren said.

while the public might differ over which initiatives to support, two-thirds of americans agree that the government should be doing more to solve the climate crisis, according to a 2020 study conducted by the pew research center. this support extends across partisan lines.

dr. van susteren said there should be more psychiatrists who specialize in climate mental health. this support could help improve the morale of a younger generation that feels a widening gap between themselves and their government.

at the mcaf event, she said it is important to consider a child’s particular age, behavior and the context in which they live before talking to them about climate change. supporting a child’s mental well-being is not a “one size fits all approach.” 

while some kids need more transparency, others need protection, dr. van susteren said. it is up to those supporting the children to assess what they need based on existing factors.

dr. van susteren said adults should also be aware of their own mental well-being. she wants people who are struggling mentally with the climate crisis to “recognize that it’s really our collective effort – individually counted, it’s just like votes on election day – but this is what ends up changing the course of our history.”

dr. patel said she feels a particular responsibility to protect her own children.

“i brought them into this world. and so it’s incumbent on me to make sure that this is a world worthy of them,” she said.

d.c. is known for its hustle and bustle, but amidst the concrete and pavement, there is a massive home to nature. sprawled throughout the nation’s capital in between all of the concrete and humidity, sits rock creek park, a 1,754 acre park. 

a majority of this oasis sits in the city’s northernmost area, ward 4. “we are blessed with plentiful green space and parks, including more of rock creek park than any other ward,” said councilwoman janeese lewis george on her website. 

but hidden amongst the green foliage of rock creek park, a threat to the park’s biodiversity is hiding in plain sight. 

invasive species like golden rods, japanese stiltgrass, and the porcelainberry are a constant concern to park officials and members of the rock creek conservancy, an organization whose mission is to steward and restore the area’s natural landscape.  

on oct. 28, 2023, the rock creek conservancy partnered with the national park service to hold a native species planting event in order to engage the local community in planting native species across park lands.

with 12 volunteers on hand to start planting, the event began with an informational session. volunteers learned about the proper ways to dig the hole where the plant would live for the remainder of its life and to cover it with the right amount of dirt. throughout the autumn day, the sun beamed down on the volunteers while they were on their knees in the dirt planting native species. over 50 plants were distributed to the volunteers during the three hour event. the rock creek conservancy offers events like this every week. 

with our climate seeing drastic changes, there have been major challenges that the conservancy has faced, specifically regarding invasive species. drought and sporadic rainfall have played a major role in the increase in invasive species in the park, said katie swiere, community engagement coordinator and one of the resiliency directors.

combating the spread of invasive species is one of the main priorities for the conservancy. invasives are able to take over, as many of the species are able to thrive despite much rainfall. as the native species require more rain, they are often unable to survive in times of drought. to tackle this massive operation, the organization has taken many different steps, some of which could be seen as unconventional. 

this includes the training of “weed warriors,” who are a group of volunteers who scour the park in search of invasive plant species and remove them. the park will then replant using native species either through volunteer work, or through their staff. 

rock creek conservancy website says that the warrior program is “a volunteer program that assists the park with efforts to control and contain the spread of invasive, non-native plant species. in doing so, the native flora of the park can be preserved for the enjoyment of this and future generations.”

programs like weed warriors allow volunteers to help out park staff according to their own schedules. 

“the weed warrior program has special volunteers with exempted permits to work in the park, and come in on their own times,” swiere said. “we make sure they have tools, know the plants that they are removing, and how to do what they are going to do.”

certain invasive species are threatening native species in the park by outcompeting them for sunlight and key nutrients found within the soil. bidens alba, known to many as “spanish needles,” may be annoying if stuck in your clothes, but are a native species to rock creek park that are at risk of being outcompeted against. spanish needles are one of the most rapidly spreading invasive species in the united states, as the weeds are able to spread quickly, and grow from one to two feet. the species is resistant to change in weather in addition to not needing too much water to survive, only making it easier to thrive in conditions like rock creek park.  

goldenrods are one of the most common invasive species that have wreaked havoc among the native species. this species is a common garden plant that has spread through birds. typically, birds eat the seeds of goldenrods and eventually defecate the seeds. as the park maintains a large population of birds, the seeds are planted indirectly through their waste, and have caused damage to the park.

swiere describes the chain reactions that can be caused by invasive species, specifically goldenrods. 

as goldenrods spread, they are known to attract pollinators such as caterpillars. while caterpillars bring forth beautiful butterflies down the line in their development, they require a heavy diet of leaves and greenery. this leaves the native plants of rock creek park at risk of being overly consumed by the crawling creatures.

to assist, we joined a native species planting event, in which we learned about the toll that invasive species are having on the biodiversity of the park, and the push for “people-powered restoration,” said ashley triplett-peltzman, program director and one of the resiliency heads at the organization.

“being able to have the community to support this beautiful park is necessary in the face of climate change,” swiere said. “we are so lucky to have so many members of the community wanting to protect this park.”

invasive plant species have already laid their claim in rock creek park, but there is still time to protect the parklands. whether through volunteer programs or by the employees of the conservancy itself, the fight for conservation and restoration persists. community volunteer work and engagement events with rock creek conservancy take place every week and can be found on the rock creek conservancy website.

my name is caitlin evans and i’m a graduate student at george washington university in washington, d.c. but today i’m taking on the role of your “anti-agony aunt” (or “anti-eco-agony aunt”?) to give you my best suggestions for dealing with eco-anxiety. 

there is no single answer to solving eco-anxiety, but here are some actions you can take to manage these feelings and ease the burden on your mind:

1. take a break from the news. we all know that climate news can be overwhelming, often negative, and can very easily throw you into a whirlwind of despair. if you’ve ever spiraled into a rabbit hole watching instagram reels, you may know that reading the news can be the same. as important as it may feel to be informed, it is just as (if not more) important to give yourself and your mind a rest. an alternative is to read some good news about the planet – stories that will give you hope and make you feel inspired. beyond planet forward, here are a few other sources to find positive environmental news:

• good good good – climate change good news
• happy eco news
• the daily climate – good news
• reasons to be cheerful

2. focus on what you can do. eco-anxiety has often been linked to feelings of guilt and responsibility. climate change can’t be solved by one single person, but there are actions we can all take to help. focus on what you can do, rather than what you can’t. you could try:

• building sustainable habits around consumption, such as buying second-hand, selecting food options with less environmental impact, and recycling.
• changing your commute by taking public transport, walking, or cycling.
• talking to your family and friends about climate change and encouraging them to make sustainable choices.

3. remember you’re not alone in this. sharing how you feel about the environment is not only beneficial to your mental wellbeing, but it can also help you find a community of like-minded people. talk to your friends, your family, anyone with whom you feel comfortable sharing your feelings. besides helping you connect, having these conversations could provide you with a different perspective. even if it doesn’t solve all of your worries, it’s better to go through it with someone by your side.

— caitlin

interested in contributing your advice on an environmental topic, or do you have a question for us to answer? email the team at pitch@planetforward.org!