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Life on a Sustainable Planet

Smithsonian Voices

CWNYC24

The Climate Crunch - Why Every Fall Feels Like a Race to Save the Planet

Every autumn, climate conferences ignite efforts in the fight against climate change. How do these gatherings inspire reflection and drive action?

Ellen Stofan | October 10, 2024

A pair of silhouetted people stargaze

Stars, Seas and Other Scientific Successes

We recap five of our favorite optimistic stories from March, featuring everything from a historic agreement to protect our oceans to a small island working together to save confused puffins

Sarah Grace Wheedleton | March 31, 2023

A view of an island with a wave revealing a coral reef underwater. Photo courtesy of Ishan on Unsplash.

Science from Sea to Sky

February was full of stories exploring Smithsonian research from the deepest to highest points on our planet.

Sarah Grace Wheedleton | February 28, 2023

Illustrator Max Jake Palomino imagines a

Exploring the Social Side of Conservation

A case study demonstrates how incorporating social science into conservation actions can produce more effective, equitable, and lasting change.

Sarah Grace Wheedleton | August 30, 2022
LosCayitos-153-2.jpg

How Conservation Promotes the Synergies of Sustainability

Smithsonian Working Land and Seascapes’ new study unveils conservation’s ability to advance progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals

Caitlyn Dittmeier | July 21, 2022
Pollard swimming near the Placencia Producers Cooperative farm where she sources her seaweed. Photo by Nick Perry, Coastline Studios

Sustaining a Green Business

Belizean eco-entrepreneur Jolie Pollard shares insights into breaking into the green beauty business in this second story of a two-part series.

Jolie Pollard & Sarah Grace Wheedleton | June 29, 2022
Belize seaweed farming pioneer Lowell

Seaweed Offers Solutions for Humans, Habitats, and Hair in Belize

In this first part of a two-part series, discover how seaweed is bringing a Belizean community together to explore its potential, from sustaining their local environment and economy to helping them take care of their hair!

Sarah Grace Wheedleton | June 28, 2022
Rachael Brenneman (left), Julia Smith (center), and Skye Austin (right) pose with supplies for their remote research projects. Photo: Amy Hruska

Three Undergraduate Students Share Their Remote Research Experience

This summer, a trio of students participating in the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program took the classic backyard science experiment to a new level.

Sarah Grace Wheedleton | December 2, 2020
Landscape ecologist Iara Lacher created a model to understand how land use decisions may influence nature’s ability to provide crucial services in the future. Photo credit: Ian McGregor

Using Science and Local Knowledge to Guide the Future of Virginia’s Landscapes

To understand the impact of changes in land use in Northern Virginia, the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute developed the Changing Landscapes Initiative, a project that uses a scientifically rigorous yet human-centered approach to address concerns about the future of the region.

Leila Nilipour | March 22, 2019
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