Impactfully No. 86: Climate Cafes

The lead story this week is a fascinating intersection of climate change and the mental health crisis – climate cafes are giving people a space to work through their emotions as they face the specter of climate change. To that end, the government has stepped in with another major investment to reduce emissions, this time in the industrial sector.

If climate change makes you anxious and you want to take action, I have good news: the American Climate Corps job board should go live next month, and you can sign up in advance to be notified of when it launches. They could hire as many as 20,000 roles in the first year, many without prior experience, so your next career could be right around the corner. Let's hop to it!

~ Greg

What we're reading

Climate cafes are growing in popularity to help people process their emotions around climate change. (NYT)

• People gather in small groups to discuss their fears and anxieties, which are led by trained facilitators. It's like group therapy with a focus on climate – though organizers will remind participants that climate cafes are not a replacement for clinical therapy.
• I wouldn't have considered the mental health aspects of climate change before coming across this story. We can overlook the importance of having people around to process the world's challenges, even if we don't feel like we can solve them.
• If this resonates with you, consider checking out the Climate Psychology Alliance website for more info on climate cafes and opportunities to join their online events.

The Department of Energy is granting up to $6 billion to help heavy industrials reduce their carbon output. (Axios)

• The transportation sector continues to be the largest polluter, but industrials are close behind. The intent of these grants is to incentivize them to improve their carbon footprints.
• Implementation will vary by business, but some applications include changing out the fuel source used to power factories, implementing carbon capture (controversial though it may be), and reducing heat emissions.
• It's not a blank check – companies share the cost with the government, and they are audited throughout implementation to ensure that the government is seeing a return on investment.
• I like that there's a pot of money for these efforts, but I wish there was just a touch of "stick" to go with the "carrot." I'm not sure what would incentivize a company to apply for a grant unless they were already eyeing an improvement.

Job of the week

This week's spotlight goes to OLLY, a health and wellness B Corp whose mission focuses on mental health. They have multiple significant marketing positions available at the moment, including one for a Partnership Manager who will work with social impact organizations, nonprofits, and influencers to advance their mission. You can check out their jobs page for a full listing of opportunities.

Community roundup

• The EPA has finalized its rules on tailpipe emissions which are designed to eliminate a year's worth of carbon emissions of the lifetime of the regulations. (Axios)
• Some people are opting for an environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional burial or cremation: human composting. (NPR)
• When you think of plastic recycling, you probably think of bottles and containers left over from groceries and vending machines. What about the larger plastic items that could be reused? In Phoenix, Goodwill is collecting items like booster seats and toys and sending them to a recycling factory where they can be repurposed as plastic pellets for new products. (Fast Company)
• The All of Us program at the National Institutes of Health has released its initial set of findings this month. Most genetic data comes from white volunteers, and the goal of this program is to diversify that data so it can be used to create better health outcomes. (NPR)
• Shell plans to shut down 1,000 gas stations in 2024 and 2025 to make way for EV charging stations. Some of these stations look pretty cool – it's worth checking out this article for a vision of what "gas" stations might look like in the not-too-distant future. (InsideEVs)
• Alabama is following in Florida's footsteps with DEI legislation of its own. The new law goes into effect later this year and prevents teaching of "divisive concepts" related to race and gender. (AP News)

Hot job opportunities

• Senior Software Engineer, Web – Thrive Market – Remote
• Senior Account Executive, Digital – RALLY – Seattle, WA
• Sr Brand Strategist – Zevia – Encino, CA
• Learning Experience Specialist – Peak Design – San Francisco, CA
• Recruiting & Training Coordinator – Bigelow Tea – Fairfield, CT
• U.S. Sales Manager – OluKai – Irvine, CA
• Senior Warehouse Manager – Creature Comforts Brewing Company – Athens, GA
• Senior Account Executive – Posit – Remote
• Director of Product – Help Scout – Remote
• Sr. Account Manager – Kalsec – Remote

Hiring for mission-driven talent? Post a job for free on our job board.

Looking for a job? Submit your resume to our talent pool, and let social impact companies come to you.

Resource of the week

I've been keeping my eye out for any news about the American Climate Corps, a new jobs program focused on – you guessed it – climate jobs. The White House announced the program last year, and many of the jobs will not require prior experience.

According to Grist, the jobs board is supposed to launch in April. You can visit the Climate Corps website today, however, and join an email list to learn more. I signed up for the email list myself and will pass along any key info that heads my way, but if the idea of finding a climate job resonates with you, I'd recommend signing up so you can hear about opportunities firsthand.

Test your knowledge

Two weeks ago, I gave you the tastiest trivia question to date. Although you weren't obligated to taste test every Ben & Jerry's flavor to determine the answer, it may have helped: cookie dough was a Ben & Jerry's original, and now it seems like every self-respecting ice cream maker needs their own version of it.

Dig into one of this week's stories for the answer to your latest brain tickler:

Greenhouse gas emissions by sector have remained largely flat over the past 20 years, but there is one sector where emissions have dropped continuously. Which sector is it?

Email me your guess, and I'll send one lucky winner a couple of One Work stickers!

I am watching 3 Body Problem on Netflix and trying to temper my excitement so I don't watch it all at once. You can find me on LinkedIn and Threads.