On Monday, New York Magazine published an exceptionally terrifying story about climate change — but chances are, you already knew the bad news: 2016 was the hottest year on record. New Orleans and Miami will be underwater by the next century. Odds are, we’ll see our last wild polar bear by the time we elect our 50th president. No wonder so many of us feel helpless when it comes to the future of our planet — if there’s nothing we can do to address impending disaster, what would we gain from even trying?
Plenty, according to a growing number of organizations and climate scientists who contend that global catastrophe is far from inevitable, especially if we reframe the conversation. “Cognitive science shows that promoting doom and gloom does nothing,” says Sarah Shanley Hope, executive director of The Solutions Project, a nonprofit that essentially functions as a cheerleader for people, organizations, and policymakers who want to stop climate change. That’s because humans are hardwired to avoid failure at all costs, according to research into apathy and inaction from Columbia University’s Center for Research on Environmental Decisions. Although a fear-based appeal might attract your attention, it’s an ineffective tool for motivation, either stopping you in your tracks or actively prompting negative behavior. A dire climate warning has the power to turn a conscientious recycler into someone who no longer sees a reason to avoid Styrofoam cups.
[quote position="full" is_quote="true"]Evidence reveals that when problems are presented as solvable, we’re much more likely to change our habits for the better.[/quote]
Fortunately, the evidence reveals that when problems are presented as solvable, we’re much more likely to change our habits for the better — especially if we’re given some guidance and a set of manageable tasks. “Solutions overwhelmingly move people to action,” says Shanley Hope, who with her team of civil engineers, decided to see if she could find a way to slow down global warming. After years of intensive research into a variety of climate innovations, she realized that the end of climate change was in sight. “The technology is ready. When the political barriers are removed, it’s even affordable,” she says. What the world really needed was a plan.
So in 2014, The Solutions Project released a 50-state roadmap for completely replacing coal, oil, and natural gas with wind, water, and solar energy — and it will be followed up with customized game plans for 138 more countries this fall. So far, New York, California, and Iowa have already partially adopted the group’s recommendations, which pinpoint achievable, cost-effective improvements to local jobs, transportation systems, and infrastructure, along with easy behavioral shifts for individuals, such as minimizing beef and dairy consumption.
Paul Hawken, co-founder of Project Drawdown — a coalition (named after a greenhouse-gas-reducing process called “climate drawdown”) comprising climate scientists, policymakers, and business leaders — agrees that reversing the effects of global warming is within our reach, and it can be done using tools that are already at our disposal.
More of a life coach than a cheerleader, the coalition spent a decade measuring the carbon impact of everything from our lighting systems to the family planning methods traditionally taught in schools. The organization recently released an eponymous book detailing their learnings, along with what Hawken calls 100 “no regrets” tactics that, if deployed at scale, would make the world a more secure, healthier, richer place without discernible downsides. Carbon-negative approaches, which bypass gradual behavior and policy changes by physically removing carbon from the air and turning it into construction materials or fertilizer, will be a key focus.
In the meantime, the more average citizens think about climate change as something to be addressed, rather than as something that will wipe our species off the planet, the more likely it will be for these solutions to be implemented worldwide. Both small-scale behavioral modifications and major political commitments are only possible if we focus on tangible ways to change course. So let’s stop talking about the apocalypse and start discussing our game plan.
Parents of young children get more time with them if they work from home.Photo credit: Canva
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Giphy from The Blacklist.
We could start a rumor.
Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.