Do you feel worried about the future of our environment? If so, you’re not alone. Nearly two-thirds of Americans report feeling at least “somewhat worried” about climate change, according to a 2024 Gallup news poll.
Oakland County is already experiencing extreme weather impacts, such as power outages, flooding and summers filled with unsafe air quality days. Since 1951, average temperatures in our region have already increased by 2.9 degrees and total rainfall has increased by 15%.
This information can feel scary, but there’s hopeful news about the environment too — like U.S. renewable energy outpacing natural gas for the first time. Highlighting positive news is important because psychology shows that hope is a critical motivator. When people believe a problem can be solved, they’re more likely to engage in solutions.
Art and creativity are great ways to explore and express our hopes for the future. Many artists are imagining pathways to a clean, healthy and affordable future in a movement called solarpunk.
Solarpunk is an artistic movement that envisions a sustainable, equitable future when humans and nature are interconnected and healthy.
Here are some examples to get you inspired:
- For your next book club read, choose from novels highlighted by the annual Climate Fiction Prize.
- Explore this collection of solarpunk short stories published by Grist: Imagine 2200 collection
- Use stories to talk about the environment with the kids in your life. Visiting local nature centers and exploring the outdoors is another great way to inspire kids.
- Get inspired by visual art — start by looking through winners of this 2021 Medium solarpunk art contest, including drawings, paintings and animation.
Solarpunk art isn’t just imagination — it’s based on real ideas and technology that we’re using to solve current environmental problems. Many of these solutions are happening right here, in Oakland County.
Making energy use more affordable, efficient and renewable:
- Oakland SAVES — Investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy for Oakland County residents.
- Solarize Oakland County — Connecting residents, businesses, non-profits and places of worship with solar information and discounts.
- Michigan Home Energy Rebates — Offering significant rebates to help residents improve energy efficiency and electrify.
Protecting green spaces and waterways:
- Oakland County Parks is working with Rochester Hills to protect more land as a public park and invest in river restoration.
- The Huron River Watershed Council worked with Wixom and Walled Lake to restore portions of Norton Creek, protect habitat and capture stormwater.
- The local watershed councils throughout Oakland County are all doing amazing work to restore and steward our waters. Find your watershed to learn more about its work and sign up for a volunteer activity!
Supporting a sustainable food system:
- The local nonprofit Make Food Not Waste is working to cut Michigan’s food waste in half by 2030 — including partnerships with Oakland County communities, such as Southfield, Novi, Farmington Hills and Wixom.
- Local farmers markets provide access to fresh, healthy food that supports the local economy.
- Oakland County is updating its materials management plan, focusing on alternatives to landfilling and emphasizing composting, recycling and circularz economies.
Whether you prefer the inspiration of creative art or the reassurance of real-life stories, you can motivate yourself and others to create a healthier, greener future.
Create and share environmental hope through one of these actions:
- Make your own story or art piece imagining your community’s or family’s future in 2050 or 2100:
- Need inspiration? Choose an environmental solution listed above and imagine how the future might look if that solution were used everywhere!
- Kids can submit their art to the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner’s annual calendar competition starting in September.
- Share hope and take action within your community:
- Ask someone to join you in an environmental commitment, like biking to work, school or the store, eating a climate-friendly diet once a week or looking into solar together.
- Talk to your neighbors to identify ways you can share resources, such as lending tools and sharing garden produce or leftovers from meals.
- Use native plants in your yard to promote biodiversity, increase habitat for wildlife and make your yard more resilient.
Our community is working hard to create a better future, in Oakland County and all around the world. Join in the movement and share environmental hope and inspiration with others!
Learn more about Oakland County’s strategic goal for environmental sustainability and the work of the Office of Sustainability at OakGov.com/sustainability.
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