Finding Our Place in Climate Solutions

Sustainable Stillwater MN
5 minutes ago
2 min read

Reflections from The Great Northern Festival

On Saturday, January 31, 2026, Sustainable Stillwater MN Executive Director Andi Arnold and Board Vice Chair Sirid Kellerman had the opportunity to connect with Ayana Elizabeth Johnson who was in MN as a keynote for The Great Northern Festival.

Three smiling people stand against a brick wall. They wear glasses and casual attire, with scarves and diverse hairstyles, exuding a cheerful mood. — Andi, Ayana, and Sirid

Dr. Johnson is the author of the New York Times bestselling book What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures, a powerful collection of interviews, essays, poetry, and art that dares us to imagine a future where we succeed in building a just and sustainable world. At a time when it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the climate crisis, her work offers both urgency and optimism—grounded in science, policy, culture, and justice.

Two speakers discuss on stage at "The Great Northern Climate Solutions Series." Audience seated in foreground, large screen with event text.

One of the most resonant ideas Dr. Johnson shared is her Climate Action Venn Diagram, a simple but transformative tool for finding your own meaningful way into climate action:

What are you good at? Your skills, expertise, resources, and networks matter more than you might think.
What work needs doing? From systemic change to community-based solutions, there are countless ways to contribute.
What brings you joy (or deep satisfaction)?
The work that energizes you is the work you’re most likely to sustain.

“If you’re familiar with the Japanese concept of ikigai,” Dr. Johnson shared, “this is a simplified, climate-focused version of that.”

Her message was clear: The goal is to spend as many minutes of your life as possible in the center of that Venn diagram. That’s where real progress happens, not by obsessing over individual carbon footprints alone, but by aligning our talents, values, and joy with collective climate solutions.

Venn diagram for climate action, featuring "What Brings Me Joy?," "What Am I Good At?," and "What Needs Doing?" with an arrow to "My Climate Action."

Download Climate Worksheet

Watch Dr. Johnson’s TED Talk:

Looking for more ways to learn and engage? Check out Minneapolis Climate Week, February 3–6, 2026: https://luma.com/mpls-cw

At Sustainable Stillwater MN, we’re inspired to keep helping our community find climate actions that work for them.

It Starts Right Here!