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Ruth Anna Stolk

Ruth Anna Stolk

Ruth Anna Stolk is a Smithsonian research associate, who directed the Smithsonian’s Earth Optimism Summits and related initiatives until 2022. 

Stories from this author

Since 2017 when the Smithsonian Institution launched its first Earth Optimism Summit, marine biologist Nancy Knowlton notes that positive change is happening. “The price of renewable energy is cheaper than ever, electric vehicles are finally on the verge of taking off, and the world seems ready to protect 30 percent of its lands and water,” she says.

A New Surge of Earth Optimism Takes Center Stage at This Year’s Folklife Festival

The challenges are many, but evidence shows that positivity emboldens global conservation efforts