Introducing the Earth Action Index

Launching a new project this Spring

Mar 20, 2025

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Today is the first day of Spring. In the spirit of this season of new beginnings, I’m excited to introduce the Earth Action Index.

In one sentence: I’m building a new platform to curate stories, amplify climate solutions, and connect individuals with actions they can take. With this Substack, I’ll keep you updated on how the project evolves and share curated collections of links.

Read on to learn about the project, the purpose of this newsletter, and key influences on the Index.

How did I get here?

I live by a simple mantra: follow your curiosity. In recent years, my life has been animated by awe for the living Earth. Nature is an infinite canvas for curiosity. It energized my photography practice, inspired my writing, and enriched my everyday life.

As this curiosity has grown, so too has my concern about the climate crisis. The problems are palpable. Doom is dominant. And then, at an autumn event at Pioneer Works, I heard a simple statement said with such confidence that it flipped a switch in my mind: “We have all the solutions we need,” says Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. “We need everybody to find their role in implementation.”

I have since been transformed by curiosity about climate solutions. This force has fueled a multi-month curatorial project, amassing an archive of more than 2,000 links—stories, books, artworks, communities, organizations, products, and more that are inspiring or inviting of “earth action.” This month, I joined the Climatebase Fellowship to accelerate my education of the challenges we face and the constellation of solutions. A better future is possible and within our reach.

Now I am committed to expanding that archive and creating a platform to explore its contents: the Earth Action Index. It’s the beginning of a winding journey, and with this newsletter, I’m inviting you along with me.

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What is the Earth Action Index?

The Index will be one resource (among many) to explore the question: What can I do to help with climate solutions? The idea emerged from a few observations:

We have all the solutions we need to address the climate crisis—and millions of people are working to implement, scale, and share them.
Stories of progress and visions of the future are pervasive—but are scattered in siloed sources and drowned out by doom and gloom.
Solutions journalism can be effective at inspiring action—but storytellers rarely suggest what individuals can do to participate.
There is a cultural renaissance to reimagine our relationship with the living Earth—and many people are more motivated than ever to take action. Where can they start?

My goal is to build an editorial platform that connects the dots—curating stories, amplifying solutions, and guiding people toward meaningful action. It will be a digital space to explore interconnected content and discover personalized ways to contribute to climate solutions.

What is this newsletter?

Before we launch the platform, I'll use this newsletter to share project updates, reflect on new learnings, and share curated collections of links—offering a glimpse of the content the Index will eventually host. Your feedback will shape the project as it evolves—thank you to the many friends and mentors who have already advised on the project. Please reach out if you’d like to discuss.

As a writer and photographer, I’ve often hesitated to share unpolished work. With the Index, I’m leaving that behind and building “in public.” You’ll see the content morph, the design evolve, the team grow, and the platform pivot. The name might even change! I’m embracing the journey—and inviting your participation along the way.

Influences & Inspiration

There have been many references that have inspired me—here is a sampling of a few key influences on the project.

During my years in San Francisco, I continuously encountered the legacy of the Whole Earth Catalog. The mythical publication was printed intermittently from 1968 to 2002, and left a wide wake in the worlds of technology, ecology, and culture. The counterculture catalog gave “access to tools and ideas” for self-sufficient living. It was defined by its density and heralded for its holism: that everything is interconnected.

The Whole Earth Catalog ended in 2002, and the online magazine Worldchanging was born in 2003. Carrying the torch of “tools and ideas,” this early internet site practiced solutions journalism for the climate crisis before it was common. It was a curated guide for sustainable living that eventually published a comprehensive print edition—with an introduction by Al Gore—that had multiple reprints.

“Sometimes the bravest thing we can do while facing an existential crisis is imagine life on the other side.” In late 2024, Dr. Johnson launched this extraordinary book of interviews. She gathered the voices of visionaries working to solve the climate crisis from all angles—from “farmers and financiers, activists and architects, producers and policy wonks.” It leaves you with a vivid conviction that there is a role for everyone in this effort.

“It has always been a radical act to share stories during dark times.” Since 2018, Emergence has explored the threads connecting ecology, culture, and spirituality. Their beautiful work is best experienced with slowness, savoring stories that leave you with wonder and awe. Each piece catalyzes us to reimagine our relationship with the wider more-than-human world. Find Emergence in print, digital, podcast, film, and exhibitions too.

How can you support the Index?

If you are excited about this project, please do share the newsletter and the links inside with friends or colleagues.

Katherine Hayhoe, the Chief Scientist at the Nature Conservancy, says the most effective personal action to catalyze change is to: “Start a conversation about why climate change matters and what people can do about it.”

Appreciate you—more soon!

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