FAST COMPANY 07/22/24 By Michael Shank and Elizabeth Babcock Extreme heat is going to be a new normal for much of America. Just look at the data: June was the hottest June on record; May was the hottest May on record. Last year was the hottest year on record, and […]
FAST COMPANY 06/19/24 BY MICHAEL SHANK The Oregon city imposed a 1% tax on its biggest businesses, with the money going to communities most impacted by climate change. But there’s controversy about what that means. Cities all across the U.S. are struggling with a range of concerns, from an unhoused […]
FAST COMPANY 05/30/24 By Michael Shank There’s fear in the climate community that November’s presidential elections could upend all the work that President Joe Biden’s administration has done on clean energy and environmental justice. As a result, there’s a mad dash to get climate funding out the door in case […]
FAST COMPANY 02/29/24 By Michael Shank Michael Shank argues that the clear ties between inequality and crime should push D.C. to invest in housing and socioeconomic programs—not double down on policing. Studies have long shown that the more inequality that exists in a society, the more violence there is. The […]
FAST COMPANY 01/16/24 By Michael Shank Mayor Eric Adams has been a huge proponent of plant-based diets as a way to both boost health and reduce the city’s carbon emissions. Food is finally front and center when it comes to climate action and policy. Or at least it’s on the […]
FAST COMPANY 07/14/23 By Michael Shank and Kate Lee There’s a new movement cropping up in city governments across America. It’s apolitical enough that it can avoid the polarization that comes with other climate initiatives. And it’s easy to incorporate because it spans many aspects of city governance and life, […]
FAST COMPANY 06/12/23 By Michael Shank Most climate action plans are long, dry documents that few people understand. San Francisco decided to change that. Most cities that consider themselves environmental leaders have developed climate action plans that articulate how they’re reducing emissions, adapting to climate impacts, and promoting circularity and […]
FAST COMPANY 12/20/22 By Michael Shank From Amsterdam to Cleveland, cities are experimenting with tactics that bring community members into the conversation and empower them to make positive change. As more people migrate to urban areas at risk of climate disaster, cities are increasingly thinking and working outside the traditional […]
FAST COMPANY 08/24/22 BY Michael Shank Now that Congress has passed generous tax rebates for decarbonizing and buying EVs, the next step is getting people to decide to make the switch and take advantage of the money. The environmental community scored a much-needed win recently in the Inflation Reduction Act, […]
FAST COMPANY 03/09/21 By Michael Shank Now that Tom Vilsack is back at the helm at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for his second stint as secretary, receiving Senate confirmation last month, he’s been promoting conservation and a new bank to convince farmers to support climate action by paying […]