No. 116: Dried Up

I've always been fascinated by infrastructure – crazy, I know – because it's so foundational to the world we've built and most people don't ever think about it. In certain parts of the country, states and communities are reckoning with shortages of perhaps the most fundamental resource of all: water.

You may remember the Chicago water agreement we discussed a while back; this week, a dispute between Texas and New Mexico takes center stage.

The top job this week comes from a nonprofit-owned newspaper, and not the first one you've seen in this newsletter. Plus, I'm offering a friendly reminder that the National Parks – and some state parks – are free to visit on Monday.

~ Greg

What we're reading

A water rights dispute over the Rio Grande is highlighting the conflict between states and the federal government as water resources become more scarce. (Inside Climate News)

• Texas sued New Mexico in 2013 over Rio Grande water rights, and they agreed to a proposed settlement in 2022. The Supreme Court later rejected that agreement, saying that federal consent was required.
  • The introduction of a third party complicates matters, of course. It's not the first time the Supreme Court has gotten involved in a water dispute.
• Water management in the American West is becoming increasingly unsustainable as people move to drier climates like Arizona and New Mexico. Farmers upstream are irrigating more. The United States also has agreements with Mexico to provide water from the Rio Grande.
  • In effect, usage has changed and the existing agreements don't account for current realities. Part of the reason the federal government is involved is because we need a mediator.
• To that end, the judge has ordered all parties to mediation by the end of the year. We should have an answer soon, and I am very interested to see how that shapes future water rights conflicts – this won't be the last time that states fight each other over increasingly scarce resources.

The Department of Energy is trying to clean up solar panel manufacturing by applying strict sustainability standards, but few manufacturers meet the standards today. (Grist)

• The standards are called the EPEAT certification. You can kind of think of it like B Corp or Fair Trade – it's meant to denote products that meet higher sustainability standards.
  • To the government's credit, they now require federal agencies to purchase EPEAT-certified solar panels. The problem is that only six solar panels in the world meet the standards, making it very challenging to acquire them.
  • Consider the market forces as well: if you're the only game in town, you have every incentive to raise prices.
• To that end, the DOE is now dangling a $450,000 carrot to get U.S. manufacturers to meet these standards, which include limits on manufacturing emissions.
  • It's easy to see why more companies haven't gone for certification: it's like doing a full audit of your entire supply chain, right down to where you source your raw materials. There's a reason certification in general – B Corp included – carries weight.
• I won't be surprised if companies take the government up on the offer though. The Inflation Reduction Act has paid out significant incentives, and I expect this to drive the same effect.

Job of the week

The role of journalism can't be understated, and we've seen it evolve a lot over the past few decades. You don't need to be a journalist to contribute either: take this role at The Philadelphia Inquirer for example.

They are looking for a Director of Sales to help them grow their audience across a variety of channels, from traditional print and digital subscriptions to social media and newsletters. The role is hybrid and based in Philadelphia – no surprise there – but you might be surprised to find out that The Philadelphia Inquirer is a public benefit corporation. It's the largest newspaper operated as a PBC in fact, plus they are owned by a nonprofit. That's some serious street cred in my book.

Community roundup

• Ranchers in Brazil are turning to chemical deforestation to clear forests quickly and undetected, and the government is struggling to keep up with offenders. (NYT)
• The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission says that 30% of utility-scale electrical capacity is now powered by renewables. (Electrek)
• Another plastics lawsuit hit the books this week: Los Angeles County has sued Coke and Pepsi for plastic pollution and false advertising. (Grist)
• Apple announced an updated Mac mini this week, and it will become the company's second carbon neutral product. (TechCrunch)
  • Most of the emissions were reduced through changes to the company's supply chain, but they are also relying on carbon credits to offset the remaining emissions.
• The cofounder of B Lab, the nonprofit that confers the B Corp certification, made the case this week that OpenAI should become a B Corp to address its governance concerns. (Fast Company)
  • OpenAI's structure is complicated; they are a commercial entity taking on massive amounts of venture funding, but they are owned by a nonprofit.
  • The expectation is that they will restructure to unshackle themselves, raising concerns about whether they will hew to their original mission of artificial intelligence that benefits humanity.
• A class action lawsuit is alleging that Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of New York has committed fraud by advertising directories of mental health practitioners that either don't exist or aren't taking on new patients. (The Guardian)
• Scientists have launched the first wooden satellite this week and will study its resilience to radiation over the next six months. One reason for testing the material is to reduce the environmental impact when a satellite burns up on reentry. (The Verge)
• People are revoking their organ donor status in the U.S. after reports that a man nearly had his organs removed after he was declared dead prematurely. (CBS News)

Hot job opportunities

• Senior Product Manager, Growth – Possible Finance – Remote
• Brand Manager – Ocean Conservancy – Washington, DC and various states (hybrid)
• Digital Sales Associate – Avocado Green Mattress – Fullerton, CA
  • This is a good entry-level opportunity with a B Corp with very reasonable qualifications
• Account Manager – Via Transportation – New York, NY
• Executive Assistant (Part Time Hybrid) – New England Forestry Foundation – Littleton, MA
• Director of Development – Creative West – Remote
• Various Roles – U.S. Digital Service – Washington, DC and Remote
  • Full disclosure: I think I'd like to do a stint here at some point in the future. If you work in tech and want to contribute to public service, give this program a look.
• Integrated Marketing Strategist – UNICEF USA – Remote
• Software Engineer – DonorAtlas – New York, NY
• Product Manager – Project Canary – Denver, CO

Resource of the week

Veterans Day is on Monday, and one way you can recognize our military families' sacrifice is by experiencing more of the land they fight to protect.

The National Park Service waives their entrance fees for everyone on November 11th, and many State Parks around the country will follow suit. Be sure to look up your own state for the details, as some of them are waiving fees for veterans specifically.

Test your knowledge

Did you see the answer to last week's trivia question on Halloween? I was referring to the orange donation boxes provided by UNICEF, the United Nations organization that focuses on humanitarian aid to children around the world. The U.S. outlet is hiring, by the way (see above).

I don't watch much TV, but every once in a while I'll go looking for a new fixation. A classic from the 2000s caught my eye, and I suspect you'll recognize it for its sweeping portrayal of our planet:

Which famous naturalist and broadcaster narrated Planet Earth?

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

I took a jaunt into Portland last weekend to check out Wedgehead, a pinball arcade with a bar and restaurant attached. It was pretty cool, but thank goodness the machines were on free play; with my reflexes, I would have gone broke in minutes. You can find me on LinkedIn and Threads.