Life on a Sustainable Planet

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A woman holds up a plastic container in front of her face. The container holds a juvenile salmon.

Life on a Sustainable Planet is the Smithsonian's initiative to advance sustainability and discovery to help people and nature thrive together. The planet is facing an existential challenge: the climate crisis is intensifying, biodiversity is receding, and whole ecosystems are changing at a rapid pace. The quest for scientific knowledge and new technology has never been more urgent. Yet, scientists and educators at the Smithsonian cannot help but feel optimistic that together we can affect positive change by building and sharing knowledge and fostering community engagement.

Discover public programs and resources to inform and inspire your part in creating a sustainable future for us all.

Events

 

Researchers at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and other centers are dedicated to finding new ways to adapt to and reduce the impacts of climate change. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute leads global efforts to save species, better understand ecosystems, and train future conservationists. At the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, scientists conduct research worldwide to address pressing issues of our time, including conservation, public health, climate change, and food security. The Smithsonian’s Center for Environmental Justice at the Anacostia Community Museum organizes programming to help create a future in which environmentalism is a cornerstone of civic engagement. The Smithsonian Science for Global Goals Project provides youth around the world with the knowledge and skills to understand the world’s most pressing issues and to become agents for change in their own communities.

Resources

Within the Smithsonian's museums, research centers, and educational initiatives, you will find an array of valuable resources. These resources not only shed light on the challenges we face but also highlight the innovative solutions being developed to address them.

Students learn about sustainability at a Smithsonian booth.
Office of Facilities Management & Reliability

Sustainability Initiatives at the Smithsonian

We work on sustainability practices as a daily part of our work at the Smithsonian. 
Screenshot of a cover of Tropicos magazine that highlights resilience.
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

TRóPICOS

Read the latest issue of TRóPICOS, the magazine of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. 
A white crane stands in water in a marsh.
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Shorelines Blog

Located in Edgewater, Maryland, SERC researchers focus on understanding ecosystems for a sustainable future.
An illustration of a flat globe with small human figures taking conservation actions.
Smithsonian Science Education Center

Smithsonian Science for Global Goals

Provides youth with the knowledge and skills to understand the world’s most pressing issues and to become agents for change in their own communities.
A word cloud that shows what topics youth are interested in working on. The top terms are "environmental racism."
Smithsonian Affiliates

Earth Optimism Youth Action

Young people lend a critical voice in confronting climate change, and the Smithsonian seeks to empower and support them as changemakers.
A graphic overview of the TEMPO mission.
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

TEMPO Blog

The TEMPO (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring Pollution) mission is a collaboration between the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and NASA.