In the world of climate and clean-energy work, we often carry our passion like a torch: bright, hopeful, expansive. But sometimes that torch meets wind. The policy environment turns barren. Messaging becomes muddled. Budgets shrink. And the headlines? Well, they tell a dire story.

Right now, as advocates, engineers, organizers, everyday citizens working toward low-carbon lives and systems, many of us are staring at what feels like an administration actively shredding the very work we believe in. It’s discouraging. It’s exhausting. But the good news is: we don’t have to succumb to despair. In fact, we have every reason to stay positive, purposeful, and even a little playful. Here’s how.

1. Don’t bury your head in the sand — but don’t over-watch the news either

There’s a tempting strategy in moments like these: tune out completely. But that’s not quite right. We do need to stay informed — because policy decisions, funding shifts, regulation changes affect our work and our world. But we also need to protect our minds and our morale.
So: know enough to stay aware of what’s happening, but not so much that every news headline becomes a fresh anxiety loop. Pop in. Check the big developments. Then step away. Don’t let your brain settle into the endless “what next?” loop. Set boundaries.
Because every minute you spend in constant news-doom mode is a minute you’re not bringing your best, brightest self to the climate challenge.

2. Do your part — because it matters

Maybe you’re volunteering at a climate-justice group. Maybe it’s your full-time job. Maybe it’s a side hustle, consulting gig, or simply trying to live a lower-waste, lower-emissions lifestyle. Every version counts.
Even if the administration seems to be systematically undermining your sector: fear not. The fact that they can roll back a regulation or defund a program only underscores how essential you are. Because nobody and no country is immune to climate change, and nobody gets to opt-out of adaptation or mitigation indefinitely.
So show up. Push forward. Your work is not less important just because the headlines suggest it is. This moment demands more of us — not less.

3. Remember: this is temporary

Yes, “temporary” is relative (policy cycles, regulatory regimes, political tides can feel endless). But still: this administration will not last forever. The clock is ticking.
Just like the sleepless nights you had with a newborn, the headache that wouldn’t stop, the moment when everything felt in flux — you came out the other side. You will again. This pause, this slump, this setback — it’s a chapter, not the whole story.
Climate action will come back in force, because the need is real and unavoidable. Keep your place in the ecosystem of action, so when the tide turns, you’re ready.

4. Find a reason to laugh

Yes, you read that right. In the middle of policy chaos, we need levity.
Watch news (or commentary) through a lens of humor: maybe tune into The Daily Show, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, or other shows with a softer comedic delivery of otherwise heavy news.
Go out with friends. Do something silly. Book a comedy show. Get outside your own brain for a while. Because laughter doesn’t diminish your seriousness—it recharges your seriousness. It reminds you you’re alive, you’re human, and the world is still full of beauty even when it’s rough.

5. Do something totally new

Stagnation is a despair amplifier. If you keep circling the same worries, the same fears, the same bad headlines, your brain will settle into defeat mode.
So shake things up: join a sports team, read a fantasy novel, learn a musical instrument, try cooking a cuisine you’ve never touched. Novelty changes your perspective. It interrupts the loop. It reminds you there’s more to life than policy fights (though who knows—maybe that new hobby even fuels a new climate insight!).
Keep your brain fresh. Let your mind taste surprise again.

6. Until then: we need you more than ever

From now until the end of this administration, the climate-professional community, the activists, the everyday citizens living lower-impact lives: you matter now more than ever.
Yes, things look messy. Yes, the system may feel stacked. But the window of opportunity hasn’t closed—it’s just become harder to see. And that makes your visible presence, your consistent work, your refusal to surrender all the more vital.
And while you do that, remember: self-care isn’t optional. Preventing burnout isn’t indulgent—it’s strategic. Because you need to be in this for the long haul.

Final word

Keep calm. Keep your torch lit. Don’t let this administration—and all the noise it brings—ruin your passion for climate solutions. You are part of something bigger. Your “small” act is never truly small. You still believe in a world where clean energy, resilient communities, and deep sustainability matter. We still believe. And we’ll keep showing up.

The wind will blow. The tide will shift. And when it does, we’ll be standing, ready.