Apolitical

Why Clean Energy Will Survive Regardless of Political Shocks

APOLITICAL 04/28/25 By Dr. Michael Shank and Ed Potosnak Americans have been feeling the pinch in recent months. There’s a reason the cost of eggs is a dinner table conversation — and frankly, the cost of everything else, including our power bills. There’s a selfish economic reason motivating many Americans […]

An Apolitical Win: Solar Power on Habitat Houses

APOLITICAL 02/07/25 By Dr. Michael Shank With newly elected President Donald Trump declaring a national energy emergency last month to boost fossil fuels, while planning to gut environmental policies of the previous administration, there is one clean energy that’ll stay in the mix — and that’s solar power. Trump’s recently […]

Why the Built Environment Needs to Decarbonize and Detoxify

APOLITICAL 01/22/25 By Dr. Michael Shank There’s wide consensus that single-use plastics are bad for environmental and human health, which is why eight in 10 Americans support a national policy reducing their use. The fossil fuel industry, in response, is finding new homes for its products—less visible than the more […]

Three Ways to Restore the Public’s Trust in Government

APOLITICAL 01/10/25 LINKEDIN 01/10/25 By Michael Shank New Research Identifies Three Trust-Building Pathways for Political Candidates and Campaigns A new poll published this month shows a surge in Republican trust in the accuracy of the national vote count for the U.S. presidential election. Roughly 6 in 10 Republicans reported “a great deal” […]

How U.S. State AGs Can Hold Polluting Industries Accountable

APOLITICAL 12/03/24 By Michael Shank Americans are being peddled misinformation about what happens to the plastic they buy and use in their daily lives, and taxpayers across the United States have an opportunity to fight back. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has sued ExxonMobil for the fossil fuel company’s pollution […]

Why Governments Should Double Down on the Paris Climate Deal

APOLITICAL 12/02/24 By Dr. Michael Shank and US Congressman Steve Cohen As President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team prepares executive orders to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, scientists confirm that 2024 is not only the hottest year on record but the first year to exceed the Paris agreement threshold, a […]

Why Cities Should Hire an Artist for Their Climate Office

APOLITICAL 09/19/24 By Michael Shank This article is written by Dr. Michael Shank, director of engagement at the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance and adjunct faculty at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs where he teaches sustainable development. There’s a transformation happening across city governments that has the potential to […]

How Governments Can Shift Power to Youth When Leading on Climate Policy

APOLITICAL 08/19/24 By Michael Shank The problem: When governments engage youth in climate and environmental programming, it’s often at the peripheries of key decision-making processes. Youth are not given real power in the process. Why it matters: Youth are not only inheriting this warming world, but they’ve got new and […]

Going Green in Cities: 3 Leadership Lessons From London

APOLITICAL 07/07/24 By Michael Shank This article is written by Dr Michael Shank, Director of Engagement at the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance. The problem: There’s concern that a global backlash against climate policies is in full swing and that running on climate isn’t good for political campaigns. Why it matters: […]

Making Sustainability Stick in Government Regardless of Administrations

APOLITICAL 05/29/24 By Michael Shank This article is written by Dr Michael Shank, director of engagement at the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance. Michael also teaches sustainable development at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs. The following article is written in his personal capacity. The problem: Environmental programming risks getting […]