You probably know orchids as the big, colorful flowers found in grocery stores and given as housewarming gifts. But those tropical beauties represent only a fraction of the estimated 25,000 orchid species worldwide. While their showy relatives fly off the shelves, North America’s more understated native orchids are disappearing in the wild. Scientists at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center are working to protect these orchids and their habitats, but first they need solve a surprisingly difficult problem: how to grow one.

Jane Fonda has been many things: an actor, fitness guru, and mother, but through it all, her activism has remained her true calling. For decades she’s been a passionate critic of the Vietnam War and supporter of Indigenous, LGBTQ and women’s rights.

Inspired by Naomi Klein and Greta Thunberg, in 2019 she began protesting on the steps of the U.S. capitol in an action she called “Fire Drill Fridays” – to bring awareness to the urgency of the climate crisis.

“A majority of Americans, like 70%, are very concerned about the climate. But they haven't taken action. And they say because they haven't been asked. This is our job now. To reach the great unasked,” she says. 

Fonda has empathy for fossil fuel workers and plenty of rage for fossil fuel executives. 

“They knew 40 years ago that what they were burning was going to destroy the planet. They knew and they didn't stop drilling,” she says. Fonda has also launched a climate PAC with the goal of defeating political allies of the fossil fuel industry.

“That's all we focus on, is getting out the oily electors, especially the Democrats, and we primary them strategically. And we want to get climate champions elected to office, up and down the ballot. Because right now, you can't get much done in Congress right now. But down ballots, state legislatures, city councils, supervisors, controllers, they have such power, you have no idea how much influence they could have over this climate crisis.” 

Over a lifetime of activism, she’s realized the power of taking a stand and speaking out for what she believes in, as well as fighting for those with less privilege.

“I have found that every single time I start to get depressed, if I take action it disappears. Greta Thunberg said, don't go looking for hope, look for action and hope will come. And she's right.”

Related Links:

Fire Drill Fridays

Jane Fonda in Five Acts

Native American students face racism throughout their education, from racist mascots to the historical erasure of the American genocide from textbooks. In this passionate conversation, Indigenous Rights Activists Dahkota Brown, Chiitaanibah Johnson, Jayden Lim, and Naelyn Pike share stories of their own experiences and how they are working to abolish racism in schools.

Drought in the Midwest and South has caused the Mississippi River to be so low that saltwater is flowing up from the Gulf of Mexico.

Is remote work better or worse for the environment? A new study breaks it down.

Biden has launched the “American Climate Corps” to train young people for careers in clean energy, conservation, and climate resiliency.

Niue wants you to sponsor its ocean.