Local Climate Action Planning & Initiatives

Welcome to 2021!

Check out our State Legislature 2021 page to take action, as well as our Advocacy page to learn more about how to lend you voice, letters-to-the editor, and so much more. Let's ramp up our voices for climate solutions in 2021!

We've launched the Footprint Fund! Learn more at missoulafootprintfund.org.

Visit our new art display & "Visualizing Climate" project. Stop by our office - 103 Hickory St - to view these art pieces, listen to the audio guide featuring the voices of each artist, and reflections of project developer Wren.

February 24 - event with Rob Davies

Last February, we hosted 700+ people at the Wilma to listen to (and get inspired by) Dr. Rob Davies at the "Big Climate Change Event." One year later, we brought Dr. Davies back - via Zoom - to discuss where we are today, where we're headed, and what we can each do.

You can hear this conversation linked HERE. Do re-watch Rob's 2020 presentation - below - and read our recap.

Recent Happenings

Building(s) for the Future Jan. 15 Summit

Our virtual summit, presented with support from the National League of Cities, brought over 130 Missoulians together on January 15, 2021 to hear from panelists across the country and discuss what comes next in Missoula. Go to our buildings page for more.

Watch the video, a 2 minute summary of Building(s) for the Future!

Footprint Fund Launched!

Learn more at missoulafootprintfund.org.

Thank you for your year-end support.
Together, we did it! We met both our year-end matches

29 new donors donated over $2021 to give us a jump start to 2021 - this was matched thanks to Clearwater Credit Union. We raised over $5000 in December, and Smarty Pants award winner Tom Javins matched this!

Thank you. You can still support us anytime!

Thanks all. Amy, Abby, Caroline & Mason

Congratulations to our Smarty Pants award winners!

(L - R): Tom Javins, Ethel MacDonald, Andrew Valainis, and Laurie Yung

You can read about each via this Sustainable Missoula column:
Finding the Silver Lining in a difficult year.

From Summer Smart to Winter Wise

Thanks to all involved with our Summer Smart initiative, helping our community address increasing wildfire smoke and hotter temperatures. When the smoke rolled in, we were better prepared. And, our clean air efforts reached other communities across the west. We had over 60,000(!) visitors to our companion site MontanaWildfireSmoke.org where we share critical information about how to stay healthy and help those most at risk.

These efforts and more are aligned with key strategies in Climate Ready Missoula: building resiliency in Missoula County.

I want to know more about...

the people and history of climate smart

Our Story will give you the history of Climate Smart and our mission and goals.
People and Partners features our staff, board, and multitude of organizations we collaborate with to drive climate action in Missoula and across the state of Montana.
Peruse In the News to read past news coverage and Sustainable Missoula columns to better understand what we've been thinking and working on over the years.

what to do during hot and smoky summers

Summer Smart was our first major project and continues to be a flagship effort. It's full of amazing resources.
Improving indoor air will tell you what you can do to make the air safer inside, including details and guidance for purchasing a HEPA Air Filtration unit.
Hotter days and nights will make our higher summer temperatures more bearable.

reducing the carbon footprint of my home or business

Reduce Our Use has tips for reducing energy consumption.
Learn how easy it can be to go solar on our Solar Ease page.
Transportation + Smart Growth is the place to go if you want to commute or run errands sustainably.

major efforts at the city and county government level

Climate Smart Missoula works closely with the City of Missoula and Missoula County. For more on the primary initiatives, we've partnered on, visit:

100% Clean Electricity Resolution, which resolved to have 100% renewable electricity by 2030.
Resiliency Planning provides more information on Climate Ready Missoula: Building Resiliency in Missoula County.
2017 Community Carbon Emissions Inventory details our community's carbon footprint.

what climate change looks like in missoula and the science that is driving the change

Local Climate: Signs of Change for what climate change looks like in Missoula.
Climate Science Basics will provide you with important foundational knowledge.
If you have 90 minutes, watch Rob Davies' presentation to understand the science and why we need to resolve to act now.

getting involved

Act, Advocate, Assist includes ways to go beyond reducing your personal energy consumption to help others and advocate for systemic change.
We need more people talking about climate change with loved ones - our Dear Tomorrow Project is a great place to start.
Come to an event that you find on our calendar or volunteer with us!
Donate page is also an important one. We are a small organization that depends on donors like you!

THE BIG CLIMATE CHANGE EVENT
It was incredible and inspiring. THANKS to the 700+ people who joined us for this powerful community conversation. Check out our blog with our big takeaways! Want to watch Dr. Rob Davies' presentation or share it with others? Wondering what your next step might be? Head HERE!

Time lapse of Missoula PACKING the Wilma (above) and photos of the event (below). Thanks to Phoebe Bean for both!

Dear Tomorrow: Missoula

We're partnering with Families for a Livable Climate to bring the Dear Tomorrow project to Missoula!

Learn more about this creative, ongoing project all about sharing personal messages to inspire climate action - then submit your letter online.

A snippet from our very own Abby's letter is below.