How to Find Climate Change Collaborators

If you’re a developer and wondering how your work can help tackle climate change, here’s something that should be on your radar: GitHub’s Climate Action Plan for Developers (https://lnkd.in/df2wKqau / Paull Young). It’s not just another open source initiative—it’s a call to action, a structured launchpad designed to help developers like us take tangible steps toward a greener, more sustainable future. The plan brings together over 60,000 climate-focused and green software repositories, connecting us to real tools and real projects that matter in the race to net-zero emissions. The idea is simple: as developers, our code consumes energy. From cloud functions to machine learning training pipelines, our digital footprint has a real-world carbon cost. And that means we’re in a unique position—not only to reduce the impact of our own work, but to contribute meaningfully to tools and platforms that help the world decarbonize. GitHub has curated an entire ecosystem of open-source climate solutions so we don’t have to start from scratch. It includes everything from emissions trackers and energy-efficient algorithms to real-time grid monitoring tools and climate data visualizers. One standout tool is CodeCarbon (Dr. Sasha Luccioni), an open-source Python package that integrates directly into your code and tracks its carbon emissions based on real-time electricity grid data. It considers your hardware usage, estimates energy consumption, and converts that into CO2 equivalents. Combine that with the API from Electricity Maps, and you can actually align your compute tasks with cleaner energy on the grid, thanks to its flow-tracing technology and ML-based forecasting. Together, they make emissions visibility a default feature of your development workflow. If you’re looking to contribute to climate tech projects but aren’t sure where to begin, ClimateTriage (https://climatetriage.com/ / Richard Littauer) is another brilliant resource. It lists active open source climate projects from OpenSustain.tech that are looking for contributors, especially those labeled with help wanted and good first issue. It’s perfect for getting involved, whether you’re a beginner, a scientist, or just someone who wants to apply their skills to the climate crisis. This is about more than making your code efficient. It’s about joining a growing movement of people who are using tech to solve the planet’s biggest problems. It’s time we start treating green software not as an afterthought, but as the new standard. Explore the plan, pick a project, and measure your impact. This is where real change starts.

You’re just a service provider - you’re not making meaningful changes on the ground. This inner voice is NOT true. I’m constantly thinking about how to step up as a strategic partner for climate action, not just as a vendor. 🤝 I know that storytelling and design play a crucial role to amplify these efforts and attract multi-disciplinary partnerships. But, how can we play a bigger role in this transition? Here are 3 organizations that have combined a core service + capital + other resources to step up their role and impact: 🌿 Sustainable Ventures ↳ Work solely with the climate community  ↳ Offer: Advice, co-working spaces, networking events, capital, and connections so founders can focus on their core technology and growth. ↳ They go beyond investment and play a role in strategy, branding, and all facets of design as well. Portfolio: ✦ Lowr- sustainability platform for organizations to log and lower their users’ emissions ✦ Sunswap - solar-powered thermal refrigeration unit for lower carbon transport 🌿 Designer Fund ↳ Offers $500K and comprehensive design support to early-stage companies, initially focussing on health, prosperity, and sustainability-related ventures. ↳ Provide design advice, build design teams, and connect founders to experts and potential angel investors. This enables climate startups to get the branding, UX, and fundraising support they desperately need. ↳ Goal: Transfer the best of traditional tech SaaS and apply those lessons to our climate challenges, build new alternatives for products rooted in unsustainable supply chains, and work toward a circular economy. Portfolio: ✦  Zero Acre Farms - sustainable urban farming technology ✦  Lumen Energy - helping buildings transition to clean energy 🌿 VSC Ventures ↳ Using media strategy and storytelling as their superpower, VSC helps climate solutions resonate with the mainstream. ↳ Their Climb communications program helps climate tech startups access the best capital, the smartest talent, and the most strategic partners. ↳ At a time when there are more climate tech companies than ever before, robust storytelling is what truly helps founders stand out and influence policymakers, investors, and partners. Portfolio: ✦ Glacier - an AI-based recycling robotics startup that is significantly less expensive than the competition ✦ concrete.ai - an AI platform that prevents unnecessary waste and effort during concrete mixing and production 💚 Climate enablers are more important than ever and there are so many ways to accelerate the transition. Firms that can play a strategic role will provide the foundation for the interventions that mitigate climate change. Who are other service providers are you seeing move beyond their core service for larger impact? Tag other climate-enablers+ service partners doing amazing climate work in the comments! ⬇️

I've heard from thousands of green jobseekers that feel “stuck” in their journey to work on climate, with the four most common barriers being:  🤝 Lack of personal connections in the industry 🛠 Uncertainty on transferring skills 👷♀️ Lacking direct experience in the field 🔍 Challenges finding organizations or roles that align with interests   Last year, I hosted a mini-series of the Degrees Podcast called ‘The Year of the Climate Job.’ Each episode dissects these barriers and shares ways to overcome them. Here is the full series, along with key takeaways: 🤝 Lack of personal connections in the industry Episode: How to network for a green job with purpose-driven LinkedIn expert Nick Martin - https://lnkd.in/eNP6FJ9e Takeaways: - Browse the #OpenDoorClimate Directory to find climate professionals willing to connect and chat https://lnkd.in/gSf727gi - Use LinkedIn to build relationships with people you admire and contribute content yourself 🛠 Uncertainty on transferring skills Episode: Transfer your skills to a green job with Work on Climate’s Eugene Kirpichov - https://lnkd.in/ecjggq_V Takeaways: - Try to connect with people in jobs that you want to understand what skills they use day-to-day - Take stock of your own skills and remember that climate-focused companies need traditional skills 👷♀️ Lacking direct experience in the field Episode: Learn how to build your climate experience with Terra.do founder Anshuman Bapna - https://lnkd.in/e2tKYnTQ Takeaways: - Consider courses or certification programs that incorporate case studies or capstone projects - Try pitching yourself for freelance or project-based work or volunteerism 🔍 Challenges finding organizations or roles that align with interests Episode: Taking the mystery out of finding a green job with Green Jobs Board’s Kristy Drutman - https://lnkd.in/eZbJVPwJ Takeaways: - Pair skills with what you’re passionate about when searching general or climate job boards - Follow industry news and analysis hubs to learn about companies and potential roles 🤷♂️ Unsure how to use current job for climate action Episode: How to green any job with Project Drawdown’s Jamie Beck Alexander - https://lnkd.in/eMKVEFPN Takeaways: - Understand the leverage points of existing job functions have to take climate action - Organize with other interested coworkers to brainstorm and come together on issues and action I also recommend checking out the latest season of Degrees from Yesh Pavlik Slenk featuring some incredible guests, including Katharine Hayhoe, Solitaire Townsend, Drew Wilkinson and Shannon Houde,. https://lnkd.in/eba8GBdF

4 things I'd do if I were looking for a job in climate: 1) Research climate solutions. There are so many that it can seem overwhelming, but looking at Project Drawdown's list of climate solutions can open your eyes to what is being done. https://lnkd.in/gtAEyHbE Refrigerants? Food waste? Telecommunications? What sparks your fancy? 2) Understand what I do well and like doing. You're still going to have to work, and it's going to be imperative that you do it well. Two resources I like for this are: Wait But Why's article on "How to Pick a Career that Actually Fits You": https://lnkd.in/g4QdaRWD The book Designing Your Life: https://lnkd.in/gW7qkgZV 3) Meet people in the industry. This one seems most daunting, but it's never been easier. For example, check out Daniel Hill / Steven Zhang's opendoorclimate.com You can find so many people there! Interested in climate storytelling / filmmaking, talk to Kip Pastor! Wanna talk climate investing, you can talk to me or Melanie Fornes! Long duration energy storage, talk to Russell Heller! Care about HR, talk to Annabelle Lee Sullivan! And don't just ask them questions. Get to know them. What are they struggling with? Because every one of us is struggling as we're not on track to solve climate change in time, we all need help accelerating. What are their days like? What do they care about outside work? And there are communities that will host people, too, like MCJ Collective! 4) Find jobs (that align with your general interest, your skillset and you like the people). There are great job boards out there, like Green Jobs Board and Climatebase and ClimateTechList. Check them out. See what is available. But if you've come this far, and are really committed to your community of people, there may be jobs that you learn about that wouldn't have otherwise hit your radar. There's so much out there, and yes, job searching sucks, but even with this approach you'd learn about yourself, meet amazing people, and get inspired before you even land a job. The journey would be worth it!

If you are exploring jobs or wanting to volunteer in the sustainable development, climate and social impact space, then this post is relevant for you. Over the past few months, I have dedicated significant time looking for opportunities in these sectors. Through extensive research and networking, I have compiled a list of 80+ organizations, including corporates, startups, multilateral organizations, and NGOs, that operate in and around these fields. One of the key takeaways from this process has been that, despite the increasing importance and relevance of these spaces, it remains difficult to secure opportunities without a highly specific educational or professional background. However, an effective way to overcome this challenge is by connecting with the right individuals within organizations of interest. Often, just one conversation can give a newcomer great insights, demonstrate one's intent, and scout opportunities that would otherwise be inaccessible. If you are seeking opportunities in these sectors and could do with some external support, I would be happy to share my compiled list of organizations and relevant people working in them. Please share your email in the comments, if interested, and I will send it across. 🙂

On #EarthDay2024 , are you considering changing careers or continuing with a career change into #climateaction? It’s more doable than you may realize. Here are some great resources and people to follow to help you on your journey: 🌎 There are more than 1,700 professionals willing to talk with you, no strings attached, on #opendoorclimate. Daniel Hill founded this movement when he could no longer keep up with the flood of demand generated by his own open door policy (he directs innovation at Environmental Defense Fund). So he began recruiting others happy to offer informational interviews to jobseekers. To say this network has grown quickly is to say the space shuttle takes a leisurely ride into the atmosphere. Search the hashtag or visit the directory 👉 opendoorclimate.com. (Professionals, add your name!) 🌍 Follow Daniel Hill. Helping more people find or create climate-saving jobs is his passion. 🌏 Follow Yesh Pavlik Slenk, director of EDF’s Climate Corps fellowship and host of Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers. A font of wisdom on climate careers. 🌍 Follow Amy Morse, also at EDF. She’s a role model for anyone interested in saving the planet and in activism for causes she believes in. 🌎 Follow Mike Hower, a top expert in sustainability communication and one of the most generous people I know. Listen to his podcast, The Sustainability Communicator, and read his newsletter by the same name 👉https://bit.ly/3w47sDm 🌏 Follow Andrea Learned 🚲 Ⓥ 🎙️ She’s a climate influencer working with local and national leaders to help them communicate more effectively about on-the-ground climate change efforts. Listen to: 🌎 Degrees, Real talk about planet-saving careers. This green careers podcast highlights people working in climate careers or who have greened their “regular” job. Hosted by Yesh Pavlik Slenk. Season 5 offers practical steps toward getting a climate job, hosted by Daniel Hill. (Full disclosure: Podcast Allies has produced this show for six seasons, with gratitude to a phenomenal team including Tina Bassir, Mia Lobel, Stephanie Wolf, Tressa Versteeg, Andrew Parrella and many more.) 👉 https://lnkd.in/gFiGT2xz 🌍 Mountain & Prairie, a delightful and informative indie podcast produced by Ed Roberson. It’s eight years old and not to be missed. 👉https://lnkd.in/gw-KmER9 Good luck on your job hunt or on greening your career! P.S. I feel about Earth Day the same way I do about Black History Month and Women’s History Month — that we shouldn’t need them, because we should be giving the same “air time” to the planet, Black history, and women’s history all year as we do for so-called “mainstream” topics. But in the meantime, here we are. (Photo taken at sunrise from a houseboat in Kerala, India, January 2024.)