🌍 CAT Newsletter 241 - 2024-10-13
👉 Latest newsletter
CAT 241 - 2024-10-13
Hey CATs,
Welcome to issue 241 of the ClimateAction.tech (CAT) Newsletter - your weekly summary of what's happening inside the CAT community, and in the wider world of climate and tech. New to CAT or looking to re-discover the community? Try out our onboarding checklist.
Remember you can unsubscribe from this newsletter at any time - the link is at the bottom.
Stay safe & healthy 😌 💚 🐱
CAT Community News
💰 Mini grants update
We're happy to announce a new project funded by CAT mini grants program 🎉
🐱 CAT Generative AI Exploratorium ✨ is a collaborative journey in which you will be able to question, learn, practice, and reflect on the intersection of climate action in tech and generative AI. Throughout November, @Alja Isaković will be facilitating a series of online sync & async community explorations you can join at your own pace. Head over to the CAT blog to read more about the project and ways to get involved.
If you have a project idea that advances climate advocacy and benefits the community, you can apply for a CAT mini grant by filling out this form – the next evaluation is in December. To learn more about the process and how we evaluate projects, check out our Mini Grants Outline page. The mini grant program is funded by CAT donations. If you want to see more of these, consider donating via OpenCollective.
🧠 Knowledge base deepdive
Behavior & Psychology: Struggling with eco-anxiety, climate grief, or other emotions as the consequences of climate change get more intense and closer to home? Log into the CAT knowledge base with your CAT Slack account to explore actions & resources that can help you cope with challenging emotions evoked by the climate crisis. And help a fellow CAT learn something new by adding your own recommendations.
📅 CAT events
Tue, Oct 15 - London [in-person]: Code Green London x CAT Meetup (more info in #local-london)
Note: Our MeetUp account is now closed. You can find out about upcoming CAT events right here as well as in #4-cat-events. Also keep an eye on your #local channel to find any informal or formal events where you can meet fellow CATs. Speaking of which, recently events were shared in #local-australia, #local-boston, #local-germany , #local-london, and #local-netherlands.
🍩 Community networking
Every 2 weeks, we match 2-3 CATs so you can connect over a quick 30-minute call. Simply join #cat-roulette, pick your region and wait for a message from Donut about your match! Our next round of matches will go out on Fri, Oct 18th. More info
Media, events, and news
😺 CAT recommendations
▶️ CAT videos
10-15 minute videos providing accessible explainers to climate related issues.
Planet A: How Europe wants to stop the flood of broken stuff
Europeans have more "things" than anybody else and the EU is working hard to reduce the massive amounts of e-waste produced in the region every year. Some places are being innovative. Like Berlin – which is paying residents to repair their broken things. Can this really make a difference?
🎤 Podcasts
The latest climate-related podcast episodes. Don't forget, if you're looking around, there's a list of podcasts maintained by CATs
Volts: Digging into one of this year's most important-but-overlooked clean energy elections
In this episode, Ylenia Aguilar joins me to discuss her candidacy for the Arizona Corporation Commission. We examine the ACC's history of rubber stamping rate hikes, dismantling renewable energy initiatives, and generally pandering to utilities. Three ACC seats are up for election this year and the outcomes could have a profound impact on the state's energy future
Zero: The fight over finance brewing at COP29: Moving Money
Next month, when delegates from around the world meet in Baku, Azerbaijan at COP29, the biggest questions on the table will have to do with money. Can rich nations find a way to meet developing countries' demand for up to $1 trillion each year in climate finance? Avinash Persaud, special adviser on climate change for the Inter-American Development Bank, tells Akshat Rathi why he believes climate change is an "uninsurable" event, and the kinds of financial instruments and commitments that can help poorer countries contribute to the energy transition and adapt to a warmer world.
Catalyst with Shayle Khan: Unpacking China's cheap battery costs
Chinese battery companies are manufacturing the cheapest cells in the world right now, and it's not just because of cheap labor and state subsidies. They've streamlined the process in a way that has industry experts wondering how international competitors can ever catch up.
In this episode, Shayle talks to James Frith, principal at the battery investment firm Volta Energy Technologies, to learn how.
The Week in Green Software: Backstage: TOSS Project
In this episode of Environment Variables, host Chris Skipper introduces "Backstage," a new segment offering behind-the-scenes insights into the Green Software Foundation's key projects. The episode highlights the "Transforming Organizations for Sustainable Software" (TOSS) project, led by Pindy Bhullar, which aims to embed sustainable practices across all aspects of business operations. The project is set to release version 1.0, with the ultimate goal of reducing carbon emissions across the industry.
Green IO #46 - Green SEO with Natalie Arney and Stuart Davies
Green SEO? Not the most widespread concept in the sustainability field. Still, seasoned web designers and developers know it well: folks in charge of SEO often have the final say when it comes to content, design and even sometimes technical choices. And on top of this influence, SEO practices also carry their own environmental footprint being very data hungry.
In this episode, Gaël DUEZ invites two seasoned SEO practitioners and pillars of BrightonSEO - one of the world's top conferences on the topic - Stuart Davies, founder of the Ethical Agency Creative Bloom, and Nathalie Arney, an SEO Consultant with a knack for sustainability to explore Green SEO.
📅 Submitted events
Want an event listed here? Use this event listing form to submit the details so we can add it in the newsletter.
Mon Oct 14 2024 - SxSW Sydney
From a grassroots start in Austin TX, 1987 to a new, second home in Sydney Australia. Tech Innovation with track focus on Energy, Climate & Sustainability
Thu Oct 24 2024 - Design Systems Community Austin - monthly meetup
Monthly IRL design systems meetup in Austin, always open to those working on climate, green tech, and sustainable product design - https://designsystemsaustin.com
Thu Oct 24 2024 - Sustainable AI: Less Byte, More Right
In the race for tech innovation, AI's environmental impact is often ignored. Join us and Pascal Joly, Environmental Advocate, to explore the true cost of AI and how we can minimise it. Learn about sustainable AI and best practices to lower its footprint! On 10.24.2024 @ 17:00 CET
Tue Oct 29 2024 - Adapt NSW Forum - Pathways, Intersections & Evolution
AdaptNSW Forum - world class adaptation presenters, immersive workshops and interactive sessions. This year dedicated to catalysing action. We're bringing climate change adaptation specialists together for 2 days thought-provoking conversation & collective change making.
Wed Nov 27 2024 - Australian Climate Tech Connect & Awards 2024
One-of-a-kind opportunity to connect with investors, founders and industry leaders while celebrating the achievements of the Australian climate tech industry in 2024.
Tue Dec 10 2024 - The RIPE Green Tech Hackathon
Join the next RIPE NCC hackathon focused on Green Tech this December! This time, our goals are to develop tools, policies and protocols to reduce the environmental impact of Internet infrastructure. Apply now to join and help us organise this Sustain-a-thon!
📰 News Highlights
The Verge: Right-to-repair is now the law in California
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed SB 244, or the Right to Repair Act, into law, making it easier for owners to repair devices themselves or to take them to independent repair shops. Because California is one of the world’s largest economies, this iFixit-cosponsored bill may make it easier for people all over the US to repair their devices. Manufacturers must make available appropriate tools, parts, software, and documentation for seven years after production for devices priced above $100. (Less expensive devices only have to have these materials available for three years.)
TheGuardian: California's Gavin Newsom signs law banning all plastic bags at grocery stores
"Paper or plastic" will no longer be a choice at grocery store checkout lines in California under a new law signed on Sunday by the governor, Gavin Newsom, that bans all plastic shopping bags. The new measure, approved by state legislators last month, bans all plastic shopping bags starting in 2026. Consumers who don't bring their own bags will now simply be asked if they want a paper bag.
Grist: How Germany outfitted half a million balconies with solar panels
Meet balkonkraftwerk, the simple technology putting solar power in the hands of renters.
"Matthias Weyland loves having people ask about his balcony. A pair of solar panels hang from the railing, casting a sheen of dark blue against the red brick of his apartment building. They're connected to a microinverter plugged into a wall outlet and feed electricity directly into his home. On a sunny day, he'll produce enough power to supply up to half of his family's daily needs."
DataCentre Dynamics: Microsoft urged to ditch plans to power Wisconsin data center with methane gas
Microsoft is being urged to ditch plans to power its new Wisconsin data center with gas amid fears that work on the facility could lock the US state into "30 more years of fossil fuels." Environmental and health campaign groups led by Clean Wisconsin have signed an open letter criticizing the decision by Microsoft to use methane gas from We Energies at the site in Racine County.
Carbon Brief: Explainer - How hotter oceans can fuel more intense Atlantic hurricanes
Record-breaking sea temperatures across the Gulf of Mexico have been a key ingredient behind some of the intense hurricanes devastating the region this year. A rapid attribution study recently concluded that record-breaking ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, which helped Hurricane Helene to "spin up", were made 200-500 times more likely because of human-caused climate change. Scientists tell Carbon Brief that the same intense ocean heat likely helped to fuel Milton's behaviour and explains how hurricanes can become more intense in a fast warming world
MIT Tech Review: Sorry, AI won't "fix" climate change
In an essay last week, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, argued that the accelerating capabilities of AI will usher in an idyllic "Intelligence Age," unleashing "unimaginable" prosperity and "astounding triumphs" like "fixing the climate."
It's a promise that no one is in a position to make—and one that, when it comes to the topic of climate change, fundamentally misunderstands the nature of the problem.
Heatmap: Decarbonise your Life
Welcome to Decarbonize Your Life, Heatmap's special report that aims to help you make decisions in your own life that are better for the climate, better for you, and better for the world we all live in.
The Register: US may exempt latest chip fabs from eco red-tape, but power is still a trip
Jobs
Remember only jobs listing salary ranges are listed here - to get your job listed, you need to list a salary range. Folks can still look in the #jobs channel. Remember: if you're looking for advice finding a role, check our #climate-careers channel.
Icebreaker One - Senior Project Manager - Up to £550/day - Contract - Totally remote
Icebreaker One is a non-profit that helps organisations across the economy share data more effectively to achieve their net-zero targets. Our programmes are collaborative efforts with a wide range of stakeholders to develop legal, technical and procedural solutions for trusted data sharing. We have been successful in winning new projects for the second half of 2024 and consequently need an experienced project manager to join our existing PM team to ensure our work is delivered on time and within scope.
4WARD's Global Climate Community - Climate "Local" Community Coordination Superstar - Unpaid Fellowship - Intern Fellowship - Totally remote
4WARD's has a part-time, unpaid fellowship to become a Climate Community Coordination Superstar to help plan, promote & support our 100s of local city meetup leaders.
Growth For Impact (hiring for client) - Senior Consultant - Climate Change & Sustainability - A$60T - A$95T/yr - Permanent - Onsite only
The client is one of the largest network of assurance, tax and consulting firms. Primary requirements: 1. Carrying out sustainability baseline and materiality assessments and developing sustainability Roadmaps and Strategies. 2. Working with the client to collect their data and develop a carbon account/inventory or Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 GHG emissions, as well climate risk assessments. 3. Support clients in preparing for mandatory sustainability-related disclosure compliance in Australia and abroad.
Vizzuality - Back End Engineer - NodeJS - 30.000 to 49.000 Euros per year - Permanent - Totally remote
Are you a passionate Back End Engineer looking to create meaningful change? Join us on our mission toward a fairer future. At Vizzuality, we develop innovative data-driven tools for global organizations addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and social inequality.
For more information about our culture and the full benefits list, please visit our playbook. https://playbook.vizzuality.com
Support our work
You can support us financially on Open Collective.