Climate denial, conspiracy theories, and other misinformation run rampant across social media can foment opposition to renewable energy development in rural communities, but for Mariah Lynne, in Freeborn County, Minnesota (pop. 30,749), the wind turbines outside her kitchen window bring excitement for their benefits for her rural community. “I always thought it was so interesting,” she told Yale Climate Connections. “It just sparked something in me. I thought, this is really good for us. This is progress on so many different levels.” Lynne, who now owns a company promoting renewable energy projects in other rural communities, said she builds on her and her neighbors’ shared values and priorities to build support for renewable energy projects. “Peer to peer communication, establishing trust, making sure that the information is not only readily available, but that it’s understood,” she said. “That’s how we can drive things forward.” (Yale Climate Connections)
