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A Message of Hope

While it is easy to leave an exhibit like this with an abundance of information on environmental problems, it is just as important to know what people are doing and can do to solve them.

It is important to ensure that we all have a hopeful vision of the future; this gives us something tangible to work towards!

Rising From the Ashes

We can see communities emerging from disasters better and stronger than ever.

  • In late 2018, the Camp Fire destroyed about 11,000 homes in Paradise, Calif. and killed 85 people. In 2022, the town won the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence in the Planning and Environmental Quality category for their Long Term Recovery Plan, developed to build a town that is safer, more welcoming, more prosperous that it was before the fire. You can learn more about the Long Term Recovery Plan from Make it Paradise.
  • After an F-5 tornado destroyed the town of Greensburg, KS in 2007, the town decided use the tragedy as an opportunity for reinvention. The city built one of the greenest cities in the US, becoming a pioneer in the clean energy revolution. You can learn more about Greensburg's rebuilding from Yale Climate Connections.
  • In 2012, Hoboken, saw catastrophic flooding as a result of Hurricane Sandy. In response, the city developed ResilienCity Park, a five-acre recreational space that doubles as a massive stormwater retention system. You can learn more about the Hoboken project, and it's effectiveness from Local Infrastructure Hub's ResilienCity Park Case Story (Hoboken, NJ).

Envision a More Equitable and Sustainable World

To work towards a hopeful vision, we need access to climate solutions stories! Here are two resources to help you connect with hopeful climate news.

  • Climate on the Air - Solutions Journalism Network reported and recorded 100 Climate Solutions Stories in 2024. You can access all 100 stories, and the impact of that work in this Climate Hope is on the Air Story Map.

  • The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) launched the podcast Resilience in 2021 to be an antidote to the doom and gloom that surrounds the discussion on climate change. Explore 13 episodes of inspiring stories from people all over the world who are adapting to climate change in practical, creative and innovative ways.

Cultivating Hope In Washington

Our community and neighbors are taking action to make positive change! Below are a few project having impact in our region.

  • King County has committed to planting, preparing for, and protecting 3 million trees by the end of 2025. Trees mitigate heat stress, support healthy air, and play an important role in healthy salmon populations. Visit King County's website to learn more about the 3 Million Trees project.
  • In 2015, excavators breached a levee along Ebey Slough near Marysville, and tidal waters surged into the Qwuloolt Estuary for the first time in more than a century. The project has returned natural hydrologic processes to the ecosystem and resulted in a re-inhabitation of the site by native salmon, wildlife, and plant communities. You can learn more about the Qwuloolt Estuary Project, led by the Tulalip Tribes.
  • The Duwamish Community Coalition and University of Washington Researchers are partnering to assess and design conceptual solutions to sea-level rise induced flooding in Seattle’s Duwamish Valley. Learn more about the Flooding Resilience work of the Duwamish Community Coalition.
  • The Edmonds Marsh supports salmon, birds, and other wildlife. The City is developing a long-term restoration and recovery project for the Marsh and Willow Creek in partnership with Edmonds Marsh Estuary Advocates which will reduce flooding, in addition to supporting a healthy estuary ecosystem. Learn more about the Edmonds Marsh and restoration project.

What Can You Do?

Make Positive Change In Your Community

There are so many ways that you can contribute to hope and solutions in your community! One of the best ways to contribute to a hopeful, more resilient community is to get involved. Remember, community resilience depends on a supportive and connected community. Some ways you can get involved:
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