From Earth to Action: EarthX at the Nexus of Civic and Climate Renewal
Connected Convenings Update | Thriving Together US Nexus Forum — May 6, 2025
The May 6 Thriving Together US Nexus Forum featured a round of Connected Convenings, where movement partners surfaced timely events shaping the landscape of civic and environmental renewal. One of the most compelling updates came from the recent EarthX Congress of Conferences, which continues to grow as a national anchor for pro-democracy collaboration, sustainability innovation, and cross-partisan bridge-building.
Bill Shireman, co-author of In This Together: How Republicans, Democrats, Capitalists, and Activists Are Uniting to Tackle Climate Change and More, rejoined the Nexus space to reflect on this year’s EarthX. It was his first appearance in some time — and a welcome one.
Bill is the founder of Future 500, a long-standing organization committed to aligning business and social change through stakeholder engagement. He’s also a co-founder of In This Together America, a network working to defuse polarization and uplift practical civic solutions across the political spectrum.
“The quality of the event, the quality of the discussions was really high this year. I think the best ever,” Bill shared, noting the range of participants and depth of conversations.
This year’s EarthX brought together more than 65 speakers, including intergenerational leaders, energy entrepreneurs, and bridge-builders from across sectors. The gathering highlighted a philosophy Bill has increasingly championed: pro-activism — the idea that we can meet entrenched problems not by fighting harder, but by building forward together
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🌍 EarthX: Convening Across Difference
EarthX has long been one of the largest environmental gatherings in the world, but what stood out this year was its emphasis on cross-partisan collaboration and civic engagement.
The conference hosted:
Deep-dive sessions on energy, climate policy, and circular economy
Youth-led programming through Rotaract and Sea to Sky Solutions
Conversations on ecological sustainability and democratic resilience
An emerging focus on “pro-activism” — a term Bill used to describe constructive, cross-ideological collaboration toward shared goals
“Pro-activism isn’t about fighting the other side,” Bill explained. “It’s about finding shared problems and building practical solutions across difference.”
This approach echoes the Thriving Together US framework of Bridging + Blocking + Building + Belonging — recognizing that thriving communities emerge when we link arms, not just raise fists.
🔍 Deeper Context: “Healing the Divide” and Solving Problems Together
To explore Bill's work more deeply, check out two rich podcast conversations hosted by Duncan Autrey, founder of the Omni-Win Project and host of the Fractal Friends podcast:
🎧 “Overcoming Political and Media Manipulation” – Omni-Win Project
🎧 “Healing the Political Divide” – Fractal Friends
In these conversations, Bill lays out a systems-based critique of political division and media incentives — and offers a hopeful vision for citizen-led solutions.
“70% of Americans are ready to work across differences to solve problems,” he notes. “But we’re trapped in a system that gives more voice to the 30% who want to fight.”
He calls this 70% the “problem solvers.” EarthX creates a stage for these people — from across sectors and ideologies — to get to work.
💡 Explore and Get Involved
🌐 EarthX – Annual convening and year-round platform
🧭 Future 500 – Building alliances between corporations and activists
✍️ In This Together America – A declaration of interdependence
📖 In This Together – Book by Bill Shireman & Trammell Crow
“From many, we are one — not in a melting pot, but a complex social fabric.”
— In This Together Declaration