We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kimberly White. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kimberly below.

Kimberly, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?

The Planetary Press combines two things I am passionate about- the environment and journalism. It was an idea I had for a while that evolved through my experiences working with nature organizations and with regional, national, and international business on sustainability initiatives. The idea progressed into something more tangible in 2017. When it came to the topic of climate change, I would turn on the news, and it was a constant barrage of negativity. As I looked around, the news cycle always seemed to focus on doom and gloom. It would leave people walking away feeling hopeless or saying, “What’s the point in me taking action if it’s already so bad?” The people and organizations working to make a positive impact were not receiving the attention they deserved or needed. Through my work in sustainability, I knew that there were many outstanding innovators and organizations making great strides for our planet and that if their stories could get out to a broader audience, they could provide hope in a time we so desperately needed it. While people must learn the complex, harsh truths associated with the climate crisis, there also needs to be a hope budget. A realistic sense of hope can help guide people through the challenges of the climate crisis and motivate them to take action. I saw a need for solutions-focused journalism, so I set out with the goal of The Planetary Press contributing to people’s hope budgets. I wanted to create a digital platform that is free and available to everyone around the globe that features sustainable solutions that inspire others to make a measurable difference.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Sure, I would be happy to. Growing up, I was fortunate to live in two beautifully biodiverse places, Alaska and Florida, which gave me a deep appreciation for nature and its diverse ecosystems. This appreciation became a driving force in my work. While working towards my Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management at the University of Florida, I had a wonderful opportunity to join the U.S. Green Chamber of Commerce as their Global Program Director. There I led global program development and outreach and spearheaded a global summit featuring sustainability experts from around the world. In 2017, I participated in Climate Reality Leadership training led by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and later Co-Chaired the Climate Reality Project: Central Florida Chapter. I graduated with my Master of Science in Sustainable Development from SOAS University of London, which allowed me to learn more about sustainability, climate change adaptation and mitigation, food and water scarcity and security.

In 2019, I founded The Planetary Press, an independent online news source focused on reporting in sustainability, environmental advocacy, CSR, climate change, and the nexus of human rights and the environment. We provide written news stories and podcasts centered around reporting on the solutions to our planet’s greatest challenges. Throughout the years, I have written hundreds of articles and conducted numerous interviews on sustainability, climate change, global affairs, wildlife, and alternative energy. Since launching in 2019, we have branched out and are providing solutions-focused environmental journalism to our readership of more than 200 countries each year. Our content is and will always be free and available to the public. We also work with brand-aligned organizations to create and produce environmentally-centered podcasts featuring top voices in climate and sustainability.

Additionally, I am currently working toward my Ph.D. in Human Rights at the University of London. My research aims to explore how consumerism in the Global North is driving ecocide in the Global South in an effort to assess the environmental and social impacts of the Global North’s consumerism and trade in agricultural commodities on nations in the Global South and identify potential legal strategies to address the environmental harms and resulting human rights abuses caused by these commodities.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

It is going to take a multitude of solutions, big and small, to solve the challenges facing our planet. My mission is to foster change and innovation by sharing solutions and highlighting the people around the world who are fervently working to stabilize our climate, safeguard our natural resources, and ensure a healthy environment for future generations. A core focus of our work at The Planetary Press is to feature changemakers and sustainable solutions from around the globe that inspire others to make a measurable difference. Additionally, I hope to contribute to a greater understanding of the complex relationship between agribusiness, ecocide, and human rights, as well as the social inequities linked to the environmental harms of the global agricultural sector.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

This is a tough one. I would say the most rewarding aspect of being a solutions-centered writer is being able to add to people’s hope budgets. It has been an incredible opportunity to speak with and interview the individuals at the heart of these efforts about their work, struggles, successes, and ultimately the impacts they are having on both a local and a global scale. I cannot stress enough that civil society has the power to drive change. In fact, I would argue that throughout the years, with advances in technology and access to information, people have never been more empowered to drive change than they are now. I believe we are seeing that. We are seeing it through the youth climate movement, for sure. We have also begun to see that shift highlighted in mainstream media lately, where solutions are becoming a larger part of the conversation. I feel like we have had a part in that, which has been incredibly rewarding.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theplanetarypress.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planetarypressofficial/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlanetaryPressOfficial/
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/kimberly-white
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/planetarypress
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGTpmhwua0cjwfDNXfZ4MqA
• Other: Connect with us on the We Don’t Have Time app: https://app.wedonthavetime.org/profile/the_planetary_press