Alex Steffen
@alexsteffen.bsky.social
I write, speak & teach about the planetary crisis, personal climate strategies & the future.
Courses: https://alexsteffen.thinkific.com/
Podcast/newsletter: https://alexsteffen.substack.com/
Consultation: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/21f79c52
Courses: https://alexsteffen.thinkific.com/
Podcast/newsletter: https://alexsteffen.substack.com/
Consultation: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/21f79c52
If you were born after 1976 — which is two thirds of humanity — you've never experienced a colder-than-average year.
That is, a year when the global mean surface temperature was below the 20th-century average (1901-2000 baseline).
That is, a year when the global mean surface temperature was below the 20th-century average (1901-2000 baseline).
November 11, 2025 at 12:33 AM
If you were born after 1976 — which is two thirds of humanity — you've never experienced a colder-than-average year.
That is, a year when the global mean surface temperature was below the 20th-century average (1901-2000 baseline).
That is, a year when the global mean surface temperature was below the 20th-century average (1901-2000 baseline).
If this election proved nothing else, it proved once again that OPTIMISM IS A POLITICAL ACT.
Believing we *can* make things better — that we, together, have the power to create change — is always the first step towards actually making them better.
Believing we *can* make things better — that we, together, have the power to create change — is always the first step towards actually making them better.
November 5, 2025 at 3:35 AM
If this election proved nothing else, it proved once again that OPTIMISM IS A POLITICAL ACT.
Believing we *can* make things better — that we, together, have the power to create change — is always the first step towards actually making them better.
Believing we *can* make things better — that we, together, have the power to create change — is always the first step towards actually making them better.
A practice I began keeping about 20 years ago has been a font of evergreen learning, and it's simple:
Every time I hear a person I respect use a term or technical phrase whose full meaning escapes me, I note it.
Every few months, I go thru that list, and track down straight-forward explanations.
Every time I hear a person I respect use a term or technical phrase whose full meaning escapes me, I note it.
Every few months, I go thru that list, and track down straight-forward explanations.
November 3, 2025 at 10:13 PM
A practice I began keeping about 20 years ago has been a font of evergreen learning, and it's simple:
Every time I hear a person I respect use a term or technical phrase whose full meaning escapes me, I note it.
Every few months, I go thru that list, and track down straight-forward explanations.
Every time I hear a person I respect use a term or technical phrase whose full meaning escapes me, I note it.
Every few months, I go thru that list, and track down straight-forward explanations.
"Run from the water, hide from the wind."
It's hard to grasp what 175 m.p.h. sustained winds can do — even before you add in a deluge of 30-40+ inches of rain and a punishing storm surge.
#melissa
It's hard to grasp what 175 m.p.h. sustained winds can do — even before you add in a deluge of 30-40+ inches of rain and a punishing storm surge.
#melissa
October 27, 2025 at 11:06 PM
"Run from the water, hide from the wind."
It's hard to grasp what 175 m.p.h. sustained winds can do — even before you add in a deluge of 30-40+ inches of rain and a punishing storm surge.
#melissa
It's hard to grasp what 175 m.p.h. sustained winds can do — even before you add in a deluge of 30-40+ inches of rain and a punishing storm surge.
#melissa
Unprecedented events are discontinuity made manifest.
Discontinuity is now the context for every decision we make, whether we can admit it to ourselves or not.
Discontinuity is now the context for every decision we make, whether we can admit it to ourselves or not.
October 27, 2025 at 4:49 AM
Unprecedented events are discontinuity made manifest.
Discontinuity is now the context for every decision we make, whether we can admit it to ourselves or not.
Discontinuity is now the context for every decision we make, whether we can admit it to ourselves or not.
Last day to register!
October 5, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Last day to register!
Registration for this Workshop ends tomorrow at midnight Pacific!
October 4, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Registration for this Workshop ends tomorrow at midnight Pacific!
Review of my personal climate strategy work from Liz Gladin.
You don't have to be a climate professional to benefit form the workshop, tho many participants do work in climate, sustainability or resilience and want to act in their own lives.
Begins 10/7!
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/pers...
You don't have to be a climate professional to benefit form the workshop, tho many participants do work in climate, sustainability or resilience and want to act in their own lives.
Begins 10/7!
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/pers...
October 1, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Review of my personal climate strategy work from Liz Gladin.
You don't have to be a climate professional to benefit form the workshop, tho many participants do work in climate, sustainability or resilience and want to act in their own lives.
Begins 10/7!
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/pers...
You don't have to be a climate professional to benefit form the workshop, tho many participants do work in climate, sustainability or resilience and want to act in their own lives.
Begins 10/7!
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/pers...
Rest easy, Jane.
You did amazing work, and inspired so many of us.
You did amazing work, and inspired so many of us.
October 1, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Rest easy, Jane.
You did amazing work, and inspired so many of us.
You did amazing work, and inspired so many of us.
Alum Pip Wheaton on the value of my personal climate strategy work.
The new Workshop begins October 7th. If you're ready to make better decisions in a highly uncertain future, check it out:
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/Pers...
The new Workshop begins October 7th. If you're ready to make better decisions in a highly uncertain future, check it out:
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/Pers...
September 30, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Alum Pip Wheaton on the value of my personal climate strategy work.
The new Workshop begins October 7th. If you're ready to make better decisions in a highly uncertain future, check it out:
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/Pers...
The new Workshop begins October 7th. If you're ready to make better decisions in a highly uncertain future, check it out:
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/Pers...
Thanks to course alum @brittwray.bsky.social for this ringing endorsement!
There's still time to sign up for October's Personal Climate Strategy Workshop... and save 20% on the tuition.
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/pers...
There's still time to sign up for October's Personal Climate Strategy Workshop... and save 20% on the tuition.
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/pers...
September 30, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Thanks to course alum @brittwray.bsky.social for this ringing endorsement!
There's still time to sign up for October's Personal Climate Strategy Workshop... and save 20% on the tuition.
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/pers...
There's still time to sign up for October's Personal Climate Strategy Workshop... and save 20% on the tuition.
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/pers...
September 26, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Also, if you sign up for the Personal Climate Strategy Workshop today or tomorrow, you can save 30% off tuition in our flash sale!
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/Pers...
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30%!
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alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/Pers...
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30%!
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September 26, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Also, if you sign up for the Personal Climate Strategy Workshop today or tomorrow, you can save 30% off tuition in our flash sale!
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/Pers...
⚡
30%!
⚡
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/Pers...
⚡
30%!
⚡
Most of the systems that make our lives work were built to work in the past, when conditions were different.
The fundamental fact of this crisis is discontinuity with that past; conditions changing with unprecedented speed.
We can no longer fully depend on these systems.
The fundamental fact of this crisis is discontinuity with that past; conditions changing with unprecedented speed.
We can no longer fully depend on these systems.
September 25, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Most of the systems that make our lives work were built to work in the past, when conditions were different.
The fundamental fact of this crisis is discontinuity with that past; conditions changing with unprecedented speed.
We can no longer fully depend on these systems.
The fundamental fact of this crisis is discontinuity with that past; conditions changing with unprecedented speed.
We can no longer fully depend on these systems.
Also, if you sign up now, you can save 30% off the tuition!
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/Pers...
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/Pers...
September 25, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Also, if you sign up now, you can save 30% off the tuition!
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/Pers...
alexsteffen.thinkific.com/courses/Pers...
In which Malm and Carton rediscover the Carbon Bubble and predatory delay...
lareviewofbooks.org/article/the-...
lareviewofbooks.org/article/the-...
September 15, 2025 at 5:08 PM
In which Malm and Carton rediscover the Carbon Bubble and predatory delay...
lareviewofbooks.org/article/the-...
lareviewofbooks.org/article/the-...
As climate risks accelerate, people underestimate how much can be done to further ruggedize lower-risk, wealthier communities
...and don't see how much less can be done (and how much less than that is *likely* to be done) to help higher-risk, economically struggling communities hang on.
...and don't see how much less can be done (and how much less than that is *likely* to be done) to help higher-risk, economically struggling communities hang on.
September 10, 2025 at 8:39 PM
As climate risks accelerate, people underestimate how much can be done to further ruggedize lower-risk, wealthier communities
...and don't see how much less can be done (and how much less than that is *likely* to be done) to help higher-risk, economically struggling communities hang on.
...and don't see how much less can be done (and how much less than that is *likely* to be done) to help higher-risk, economically struggling communities hang on.
“Massive nonlinear events in the global environment give rise to massive nonlinear societal events.”
We still fail to incorporate this reality in our thinking.
The climate crisis is the context in which everything else is happening.
We still fail to incorporate this reality in our thinking.
The climate crisis is the context in which everything else is happening.
September 2, 2025 at 11:25 PM
“Massive nonlinear events in the global environment give rise to massive nonlinear societal events.”
We still fail to incorporate this reality in our thinking.
The climate crisis is the context in which everything else is happening.
We still fail to incorporate this reality in our thinking.
The climate crisis is the context in which everything else is happening.
This is actually a reasonably good AI summary of the major themes of my work.
(Edited to remove a bit of gobbledygook.)
(Edited to remove a bit of gobbledygook.)
August 11, 2025 at 8:11 PM
This is actually a reasonably good AI summary of the major themes of my work.
(Edited to remove a bit of gobbledygook.)
(Edited to remove a bit of gobbledygook.)
I'm slowly moving all my classes and personal consultations — including my personal climate strategy basics class, my crash course in personal ruggedization and my new advanced climate foresight course — over to Thinkific.
So far, it's a huge improvement.
alexsteffen.thinkific.com
So far, it's a huge improvement.
alexsteffen.thinkific.com
July 17, 2025 at 6:45 PM
I'm slowly moving all my classes and personal consultations — including my personal climate strategy basics class, my crash course in personal ruggedization and my new advanced climate foresight course — over to Thinkific.
So far, it's a huge improvement.
alexsteffen.thinkific.com
So far, it's a huge improvement.
alexsteffen.thinkific.com
The original context...
June 30, 2025 at 6:01 PM
The original context...
Fantastic to see this at Glastonbury!
(Of course, it would be nice to have my writing properly attributed to me, but it's great to see the sentiment embraced.)
We desperately need the politics of optimism these days.
(Of course, it would be nice to have my writing properly attributed to me, but it's great to see the sentiment embraced.)
We desperately need the politics of optimism these days.
June 30, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Fantastic to see this at Glastonbury!
(Of course, it would be nice to have my writing properly attributed to me, but it's great to see the sentiment embraced.)
We desperately need the politics of optimism these days.
(Of course, it would be nice to have my writing properly attributed to me, but it's great to see the sentiment embraced.)
We desperately need the politics of optimism these days.
This is what we today call an extremely dangerous heatwave.
This is also what people in fifty years will just call summer.
This is also what people in fifty years will just call summer.
June 22, 2025 at 6:20 PM
This is what we today call an extremely dangerous heatwave.
This is also what people in fifty years will just call summer.
This is also what people in fifty years will just call summer.
Hey folks, a question:
If you were going to recommend just one recent book on water and climate change, what book would it be? Why?
Thanks!
If you were going to recommend just one recent book on water and climate change, what book would it be? Why?
Thanks!
June 18, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Hey folks, a question:
If you were going to recommend just one recent book on water and climate change, what book would it be? Why?
Thanks!
If you were going to recommend just one recent book on water and climate change, what book would it be? Why?
Thanks!
Of course, just normal caloric erosion — being able to grow less and less food — is itself pretty terrifying.
www.cnn.com/2025/06/18/c...
www.cnn.com/2025/06/18/c...
June 18, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Of course, just normal caloric erosion — being able to grow less and less food — is itself pretty terrifying.
www.cnn.com/2025/06/18/c...
www.cnn.com/2025/06/18/c...