Sources for Hope
Collaborating With Academic Colleagues On Hopeful, Solutions-Focused Teaching, Research And Engagement
Project Drawdown
Project Drawdown is the world’s leading resource for climate solutions, dedicated to stopping climate change quickly, safely, and equitably. It advances effective, science-based strategies, empowers bold new climate leadership among businesses, investors, and philanthropists, and promotes positive narratives and diverse voices in climate conversations. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Project Drawdown accelerates climate solution adoption globally, supported by individual and institutional donations. For more information on their impact, see the Annual Outcomes and Outlook Report.
Gapminder
Gapminder, founded in Stockholm in 2005 by Ola Rosling, Anna Rosling Rönnlund, and Hans Rosling, works to correct outdated global views with a fact-based perspective. By providing free tools and educational materials, Gapminder aims to shift misconceptions about global trends and promote informed decisions for sustainable development. Their innovations, including the bubble chart software Trendalyzer and the Dollar Street project, and the bestselling book Factfulness, support this mission. Funded through targeted grants, donations, and commercial activities, Gapminder collaborates with various organizations to enhance its impact.
Meet elin kelsey
Can Write: Meeting Canadian Writers and Illustrators of Children’s Books. Feature profile in Canada's National magazine for educators.
What inspires the writers of the books your students read? How does an illustrator decide what to draw? Is it true that most authors and illustrators don’t know each other? This column features a different Canadian children’s book creator in each issue and shows you the story beyond the covers.
Anthropocene Magazine
Anthropocene is transforming environmental journalism by focusing on solutions rather than crisis and alarm. Unlike traditional media, Anthropocene highlights actionable, evidence-based approaches to sustainability, partnering with top writers, scientists, and innovators. Through diverse formats—daily updates, interactive features, and live events—the publication aims to balance urgency with effectiveness.
Committed to editorial independence, Anthropocene ensures unbiased reporting funded by reader support and strategic sponsorships. Targeting influencers in academia, business, and government, the organization strives to make impactful ideas accessible for creating a more sustainable future.
Atmos
Atmos is a nonprofit biannual magazine and digital platform focused on climate and culture. Curated by a global network of artists, activists, and writers, it aims to inspire ecological and social justice through creative storytelling. The mission of Atmos is to reconnect people with nature and humanity, fostering cultural transformation and promoting solutions for planetary healing and protection.
Key team members include Editor-in-Chief Willow Defebaugh, Creative Officer Jake Sargent, and Climate Editor Jason P. Dinh. Atmos is available through various stockists worldwide and emphasizes ecological and social issues through its content and community.
The Road to Sustainable Happiness
Sustainable Happiness by elin kelsey and Catherine O’Brien
An article demonstrating that “sustainable” happiness comes from not from material goods, but from positive social relationships, good health and other positive life qualities. Three accompanying activities allow young people to explore what makes people happy, and how this might contribute to environmental sustainability and social justice.
To help young people explore what makes people happy and how it might contribute to environmental sustainability and social justice, three accompanying activities are included. This approach helps educators create more hopeful and engaging experiences for students, combating the negative emotional impacts of traditional environmental education.
Propagating Collective Hope In The Midst Of Environmental Doom And Gloom
Environmental educators recognize the importance of empowering children and adults, yet environmental education operates within a grand narrative of environmental gloom and doom. Growing evidence exists that children feel hopeless about the future of the planet. Given relationships between hope and agency, the question arises of how to propagate hope when environmental educators themselves are inundated by doom and gloom. In this paper, elin draws insights from the research literature on palliative care, where questions of hope and hopelessness are more openly debated. It recognizes the value of alternative conceptions of hope and the capacity for emotions to be shared via hopeful social media campaigns, such as #OceanOptimism.
Collaborative Indigenous Research
The Collaborative Indigenous Research Digital Garden is an initiative that co-creates and shares knowledge between Indigenous communities and researchers. It offers a digital platform that centers Indigenous voices, perspectives, and methodologies in collaborative projects. The Digital Garden supports the preservation of traditional knowledge, promotes ethical relationships between Indigenous peoples and academic institutions, and integrates digital tools with Indigenous ways of knowing to foster sustainable knowledge exchange and cultural preservation.
Why Evidence-Based Hope is Crucial to Salish Sea Recovery and Beyond
This report highlights the importance of evidence-based hope in combating climate pessimism and fostering effective environmental leadership. It draws on events led by Elin Kelsey, including workshops and speaking engagements organized by the Salish Sea Institute. The paper examines how hope can counteract doomism, impacting environmental action and mental health. For more details, see the full report in the Emerging Issues in the Salish Sea series, Issue 5.
The Narwhal
The Narwhal is a non-profit online magazine focused on investigative journalism about Canada's environment and social issues. Founded in 2018, it emphasizes editorial independence and is supported by over 6,400 members. Known for its in-depth reporting on topics like climate change and Indigenous rights, The Narwhal has won numerous awards, including the 2024 Michener Award.
It is a member of the Institute for Nonprofit News and Press Forward. For inquiries or membership updates, contact The Narwhal via email or at their Victoria, BC office.
Reasons to be Cheerful
Reasons to be Cheerful is a nonprofit online magazine offering a refreshing perspective on global challenges. Founded by David Byrne under the Arbutus Foundation, the magazine highlights hopeful, evidence-based solutions to the world's pressing problems, blending optimism with rigorous journalism. It aims to inspire curiosity and positive change through well-researched stories. Editorially independent, Reasons to be Cheerful is funded by donations and grants, maintaining transparency and a commitment to diversity. For more on their work and how to contribute, visit their website.
The Beacon, by Grist
Grist's The Beacon is a weekly newsletter that provides a roundup of stories focused on climate progress, solutions, and actions. Delivered every Friday, it aims to highlight positive developments in the fight against climate change and share actionable insights for readers interested in environmental issues.
You can subscribe to The Beacon through Grist's website to receive these updates directly in your inbox.
MOTH
The More Than Human Life (MOTH) Project, part of NYU School of Law's TERRA Program, addresses climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. It aims to develop and promote paradigms and strategies that reintegrate humanity within the broader ecosystem. The project fosters innovative partnerships and practices through a collaborative, "mycelial" approach, enhancing the work of various environmental and rights-based actors.
Key figures include César Rodríguez-Garavito, Carlos Andrés Baquero-Díaz, and others, who contribute expertise in human rights, environmental justice, and interdisciplinary research to advance the project’s transformative potential.
Solutions Journalism Network
Environmental educators recognize the importance of empowering children and adults, yet environmental education operates within a grand narrative of environmental gloom and doom. Growing evidence exists that children feel hopeless about the future of the planet. Given relationships between hope and agency, the question arises of how to propagate hope when environmental educators themselves are inundated by doom and gloom. In this paper, elin draws insights from the research literature on palliative care, where questions of hope and hopelessness are more openly debated. It recognizes the value of alternative conceptions of hope and the capacity for emotions to be shared via hopeful social media campaigns, such as #OceanOptimism.
54 News Outlets with Dedicated Solutions Journalism Sections
Since the launch of the New York Times “Fixes” series in 2010, solutions journalism has expanded significantly, with 54 news outlets globally now dedicating sections to this type of reporting. These outlets focus on stories that explore solutions to real-world problems, with some dedicating entire verticals to this approach.
