Creative Climate Engagement at CMSI:
At the Center for Media & Social Impact (CMSI), we believe comedy and creativity are powerful tools for
making sense of complex issues. This year, we produced two climate-focused initiatives that combined laughter, learning, and fresh perspectives to inspire everyone involved.
Climate Comedy Cohort
Last year’s Climate Comedy Cohort, co-produced with Generation180, shared a series of original videos that brought humor and hope to everyday climate conversations. Videos like Dropping Tailpipes, Test Driving EVs, and more, used comedy to spark dialogue and make climate action feel approachable and empowering.
These sketches remind us that understanding climate change doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Humor can help people connect to these issues in ways that feel relatable and energizing. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram (@cmsimpact) to keep up with the fun!
CMSI IMPROV/E Workshop
In September 2025, CMSI partnered with Inside the Greenhouse, based out of the University of Colorado, to put on a CMSI IMPROV/E Workshop. Working with students and the public, attendees were encouraged to learn to engage with climate communication using improv techniques.
Waleed Abdalati discussing his work with glaciers.
Participants collaborated with leading climate experts to explore and understand complex topics in new ways, including:
- The reintroduction of great wolves in Colorado with Joanna E. Lambert
- Melt lakes on Greenland’s ice sheet with Waleed Abdalati
- Heatways and how they can spark everyday conversations with Max Boycoff
Led by CMSI’s Creative Director of Comedy Initiatives, Bethany Hall, and with guidance from Beth Osnes (Professor of Theatre and Environmental Studies) and Max Boycoff (Professor of Environmental Studies) at University of Colorado’s Inside the Greenhouse, students learned how to use improvisation as a tool for public engagement and deeper understanding of the environmental challenges and solutions we face today. The interactive and playful workshop encouraged participants to approach challenging topics from new angles and to imagine fresh ways to connect with their communities. Participants walked away feeling more connected and inspired to think about climate communication in new ways.
Initiatives like these reflect the heart of CMSI’s mission. Through comedy, storytelling, and collaboration, we aim to show people what’s possible when creativity meets pressing social issues. By opening up new ways of thinking and communicating, we can inspire more meaningful conversations and collective action.
A special thanks to our partners at Generation180 and Inside the Greenhouse!
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ABOUT OUR PARTNERS
Generation180 is a national nonprofit working to accelerate the transition to clean energy through storytelling, culture, and community action. From nationwide campaigns and original research to ambassador training and climate comedy, they’re changing the narrative from doom and gloom to “we’ve got this.” By inspiring and equipping individuals, they’re helping build a future powered by wind, water, and sun.
Inside the Greenhouse is a creative climate communication initiative at the University of Colorado Boulder. Led by Max Boykoff, Rebecca Safran, Beth Osnes, and Phaedra Pezzullo, the project uses video, theatre, dance, and writing to make climate change meaningful and accessible to wider audiences. Through events and classes, they engage students, scientists, and the public to explore innovative ways of connecting climate issues to everyday life.
Max Boykoff is a Professor in the Environmental Studies department at the University of Colorado Boulder, and co-director of Inside the Greenhouse. He is also a Fellow in the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences. Max has ongoing research interests in science and environmental communications, science-policy interactions, political economy, business, and the environment. He has experience working in several country contexts, and is a co-author and editor of seven books and edited volumes, along with many articles, reports, and book chapters. Max also leads the Media and Climate Change Observatory (MeCCO.
Beth Osnes is a Professor of Theatre and Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado. She is also a co-director of Inside the Greenhouse. She recently toured an original musical, Shine, to cities in the Rockefeller Foundation 100 Resilient Cities Initiative to facilitate local youth voices in resilience planning. She is currently developing a method towards vocal empowerment for young women that she is researching in Guatemala, Tanzania, and the USA. Her book Theatre for Women’s Participation in Sustainable Development includes her work specific to gender equity in Panama, Guatemala, India, Nicaragua, and the Navajo Nation. She is featured in the award-winning documentary Mother: Caring for 7 Billion.