How a punk-rocking paralegal harnessed employee power to green Microsoft

Dr. Katharine Hayhoe’s research focuses on understanding what climate change means for people and the places where we live. She is the Horn Distinguished Professor of Public Policy and Public Law at Texas Tech University. Her book Saving Us: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World, followed her 2018 TED Talk, “The most important thing you can do to fight climate change: talk about it.” The Guardian called her “a committed Christian who has gained a reputation for being able to reach across the most partisan of political divides.” ‘Resources from this episode:For climate communication and advocacy trainings, check out the Science Network Workshop Series from the Union of Concerned Scientists and read Work for Climate’s tips for talking about climate change at work.Subscribe to Talking Climate, Dr. Hayhoe’s weekly newsletter for good news, not so good news, and things you can do about climate change.Follow Dr. Hayoe on TikTok @dr.katharine and watch her PBS series Global Weirding for fact-based, practical, and hopeful lessons on climate change.If you want to push climate solutions from “the inside” of a workplace that is not doing anything, make sure you have a support network elsewhere. Try the Action Network’s Our Climate Voices or find your local Net Impact chapter.To understand more about how people in the US feel about climate change, and how it influences their actions, read this study from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. It will help you think about your approach beyond a believer versus denier binary.Dr. Hayoe recommends finding common ground through the things you love to do or ways you identify. For instance, she started a group called Science Moms, and recommends a blog called Fossil Free Football.Related episodes:How a punk-rocking paralegal harnessed employee power to green MicrosoftHow Heather McTeer Toney is redefining climate action for the next generation of leadersYes, you can turn your climate anxiety into meaningful action***🌎 Job hunting? Visit our comprehensive Green Jobs Hub for job listings, networking resources, skills and certification information and more.💚 Follow and rate Degrees on Apple, Spotify, CastBox, or your favorite listening app. 📧 Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on green careers, upcoming episodes and more.🔗 Connect with Yesh Pavlik Slenk on LinkedIn👉 Follow up on social media:@environmental_defense_fund on Instagram@EnvDefenseFund on X/Twitter@EnvDefenseFund on TikTokEnvironmental Defense Fund on LinkedIn***Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers is presented by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Yesh Pavlik Slenk is our host.  Amy Morse is EDF’s producer. Podcast Allies is our production company. Tressa Versteeg produced this episode. Mia Lobel is our story editor. Ayo Oti is our researcher. Engineering by Kevin Kline. Editing assistance on this episode from executive producer Elaine Appleton Grant. Our music is Shame, Shame, Shame from Yesh’s favorite band, Lake Street Dive.

Betony Jones is a nationally recognized expert in labor-climate issues, with a focus on the intersection between climate jobs, clean energy, and unions. As the director of the Office of Energy Jobs, she oversees workforce development strategies and engages with organized labor and other stakeholders to ensure that the Department of Energy’s (DOE) policies and program implementation result in high-quality jobs and economic equity. Previously, Jones was a senior advisor on workforce for the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. She began her career working on climate science in the White House Office of Science and Technology policy in the Clinton Administration. From there, she spent 20 years researching the economic opportunities associated with climate action, including as associate director of the Green Economy program at the University of California Labor Center and as founder and CEO of Inclusive Economics, a national strategy firm working at the intersection of labor, workforce, and clean energy.Resources from this episode - how to learn more and where to apply: Through the Registered Apprenticeship Program, get paid to earn nationally recognized credentials and receive hands-on training and mentorship in industries like manufacturing, construction, energy, and transportation. Find information about opportunities and grants that fund clean energy and infrastructure projects—and the jobs that go with them— through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law launchpad.Read these GreenBiz articles on how to compete for the Department of Energy’s $97 billion in funding and three grants specific to renewable energy.The American Climate Corps is set to get 20,000 citizens into climate jobs. One of their first available programs is Forest Corps. Apply here. Want to work with Betony Jones? Here’s a fellowship at her department, the Office of Energy Jobs. How the Department of Energy supports retooling automotive factories for electric vehicle manufacturing. Clean energy fellowships, internships and other opportunities:Check out Sustainable Career Pathways’ list of 18 sustainability fellowships for students and working professionals.Read everything you need to know about an EDF Climate Corps Fellowship and tips on the application process. If you’re an undergraduate college student, consider the United Nations Academic Impact Millennium Fellowship, where you can make your campus more sustainable. For recent graduates, there’s the International Council on Clean Transportation Fellowship, which supports research on transportation policy around the globe; and the Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy has fellowships in both wind and solar energy. If you are working full or part time, there’s programs for you too! Check out fellowships with the Clean Energy Leadership Institute, Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), and Climatebase. Must-reads on the impact of the legislation on climate jobs:Betony Jones’ article Good Jobs with Good Pay and Benefits are Key to Building the Clean Energy Future.How the Inflation Reduction Act is impacting green job creation, according to the World Economic Forum. The fact sheet on how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) will create, on average, 1.5 million jobs per year for ten years. Confused by the acronyms? Here’s the differences between the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure LawLearn how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act are making historic levels of funding available for fossil fuel communities in transition to clean energy.  Related episodes:How to solve the EV problem and a jobs problem at the same timeThis climate champion will upend the way you think about city government jobsThe EDF Climate Corps alumna greening the golden arches How a psychology major is on the frontlines of decarbonizing a global industry***🌎 Job hunting? Visit our comprehensive Green Jobs Hub for job listings, networking resources, skills and certification information and more.💚 Follow and rate Degrees on Apple, Spotify, CastBox, or your favorite listening app. 📧 Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on green careers, upcoming episodes and more.🔗 Connect with Yesh Pavlik Slenk on LinkedIn👉 Follow up on social media:@environmental_defense_fund on Instagram@EnvDefenseFund on X/Twitter@EnvDefenseFund on TikTokEnvironmental Defense Fund on LinkedIn***Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers is presented by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Yesh Pavlik Slenk is our host.  Amy Morse is EDF’s producer. Podcast Allies is our production company. Tressa Versteeg produced this episode. Mia Lobel is our story editor. Ayo Oti is our researcher. Engineering by Andrew Parella and Daniel Chavez Crook. Editing assistance from executive producer Elaine Appleton Grant. Our music is Shame, Shame, Shame from Yesh’s favorite band, Lake Street Dive. Additional music from Epidemic Sound. 

Rev. Dr. Ambrose F. Carroll, Sr., is the founder and CEO of Green The Church, a catalyst for environmentalism and sustainability built for and by the Black Church. Pastor Carroll serves on the National Environmental Justice Action Committee for the United States Environmental Protection Agency. He’s also been a fellow with the Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity. He earned his B.A. in psychology from Florida Memorial University in Miami, FL, a Master of Divinity from Morehouse School of Religion in Atlanta, GA, a Master of Business Administration from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, CA, and a Doctor of Divinity from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. Resources from this episode:Learn more about Green the Church.Read Rev. Dr. Ambrose F. Carroll’s bio.Watch Pastor Carroll give a sermon about climate change.The Van Jones book that inspired Carroll so much, “The Green Collar Economy.”Learn more about the Catholic Climate Covenant and Dan Misleh.Read the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 2001 plea for dialogue and action on climate change.Learn more about Colorado Jewish Climate Action and Moshe Kornfeld.Learn more about Green Ramadan and Kori Majeed.Read Prof. Atul K. Shah’s bio.From Inside Climate News: “Religious Leaders May Be Key to Breaking Climate Action Gridlock, Poll Suggests”From The Tennessean: “Uneven Ground: Exceptional Black farmer and their fight to flourish in the South”Related episodes:Hollywood screenwriter and producer Scott Z. Burns on making climate change central to storytellingFrom mud cakes to high stakes with Youth Climate Collaborative’s Pooja TilvawalaEco-anxiety is fueling a new green career: climate psychologyWhy environmental justice is crucial for today’s climate careers***🌎 Job hunting? Visit our comprehensive Green Jobs Hub for job listings, networking resources, skills and certification information and more.💚 Follow and rate Degrees on Apple, Spotify, CastBox, or your favorite listening app. 📧 Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on green careers, upcoming episodes and more.🔗 Connect with Yesh Pavlik Slenk on LinkedIn👉 Follow up on social media:@environmental_defense_fund on Instagram@EnvDefenseFund on Twitter@EnvDefenseFund on TikTokEnvironmental Defense Fund on LinkedIn***Who makes Degrees?Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers is presented by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Yesh Pavlik Slenk is our host.  Amy Morse is EDF’s producer. Podcast Allies is our production company. Stephanie Wolf produced this episode. Mia Lobel is our story editor. Ayo Oti is our researcher and Audrey Nelson provided fact checking. Engineering by Matthew Simonson. Our music is Shame, Shame, Shame from Yesh’s favorite band, Lake Street Dive.

Solitaire is a renowned sustainability expert who works with some of the world’s most influential organizations. She is co-founder and Chief Solutionist at Futerra and trustee of the Solutions Union. In 2023 she was named ‘Agency Lead of the Year’ at Adweek’s Sustainability Awards. Her popular TED Talk, Forbes column and most recent book – The Solutionists: How Businesses Can Fix the Future – are available online.Resources from this episode:Learn about Futerra’s projects, including climate campaigns, sustainability training for businesses, and products incubator. Watch Solitaire’s 2021 TED Talk:  Are ad agencies, PR firms and lobbyists destroying the climate?Check out Futerra’s web series, Solutions House. The series includes debates, presentations, and workshops — all with the motto of “Answers Only.”Read Solitaire’s latest book, The Solutionists: How Businesses Can Fix the Future, and her previous book, The Happy Hero: How to Change Your Life by Changing the World.Follow Solitaire’s column in Forbes. PR & Climate must reads:How PR companies hurt the climateFormer PR executive Christine Arena’s 2023 congressional testimony ”Clean creatives” campaign pushing PR firms to fire their fossil fuel clientsFossil fuel companies are paying influencersThe House Natural Resource Committee’s hearing about the role of public relations firms in preventing climate actionRelated episodes:Hollywood screenwriter and producer Scott Z. Burns on making climate change central to storytellingLake Street Dive on music, activism, and braveryHow to green any job with Project Drawdown’s Jamie Beck Alexander***🌎 Job hunting? Visit our comprehensive Green Jobs Hub for job listings, networking resources, skills and certification information and more.💚 Follow and rate Degrees on Apple, Spotify, CastBox, or your favorite listening app. 📧 Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on green careers, upcoming episodes and more.🔗 Connect with Yesh Pavlik Slenk on LinkedIn👉 Follow up on social media:@environmental_defense_fund on Instagram@EnvDefenseFund on Twitter@EnvDefenseFund on TikTokEnvironmental Defense Fund on LinkedIn***Who makes Degrees?Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers is presented by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Yesh Pavlik Slenk is our host.  Amy Morse is EDF’s producer. Podcast Allies is our production company. Tressa Versteeg produced this episode. Mia Lobel is our story editor. Ayo Oti is our researcher. Engineering by Kevin Kline. Editing assistance from executive producer Elaine Appleton Grant. Our music is Shame, Shame, Shame from Yesh’s favorite band, Lake Street Dive. Other music in this episode is from Epidemic Sound.

Shannon Houde is the multi-lingual International Coaching Federation (ICF)-certified coach and talent strategist behind Walk of Life Coaching, where she has mentored and trained 1000+ change leaders to maximize their personal brands to advance their impact careers. After working as a financial analyst, eco-tour guide, recruiter, and then ESG consultant for clients like Adobe, BlackRock, and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Shannon has learned all the ins and outs of the green job search. She’s also the author of a step-by-step book called Good Work: How to Build a Career that Makes a Difference in the World.Resources from this episode:Book a trial coaching session with Shannon Houde of Walk of Life CoachingFollow Shannon’s step-by-step guide, Good Work: How to Build a Career that Makes a Difference in the WorldVisit Walk of Life’s “hot jobs” board listing openings in the impact careersRead Shannon’s six tips to making your LinkedIn Profile stand outRelated episodes:Diversity, equity and inclusion in the climate job hunt with Kristy DrutmanYes, you can turn your climate anxiety into meaningful actionLand a Green Job 101 - Five key questions to turbocharge your job hunt***🌎 Job hunting? Visit our comprehensive Green Jobs Hub for job listings, networking resources, skills and certification information and more.💚 Follow and rate Degrees on Apple, Spotify, CastBox, or your favorite listening app. 📧 Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on green careers, upcoming episodes and more.🔗 Connect with Yesh Pavlik Slenk on LinkedIn👉 Follow up on social media:@environmental_defense_fund on Instagram@EnvDefenseFund on X (Twitter)@EnvDefenseFund on TikTokEnvironmental Defense Fund on LinkedIn***Who makes Degrees?Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers is presented by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Yesh Pavlik Slenk is our host.  Amy Morse is EDF’s producer. Podcast Allies is our production company. Tressa Versteeg produced this episode. Mia Lobel is our story editor. Ayo Oti is our researcher. Engineering by Kevin Kline. Editing assistance from executive producer Elaine Appleton Grant. Our music is Shame, Shame, Shame from Yesh’s favorite band, Lake Street Dive. Other music in this episode is from Epidemic Sound.

Scott Z. Burns is a screenwriter, director, producer and playwright. His film writing credits include “The Bourne Ultimatum,” “The Informant!," "Contagion,” “Side Effects,” and “The Laundromat.” As a director, his work includes “Pu-239” and “The Report.” He also was a producer for the Academy Award-winning documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” and served as an executive producer of the film’s sequel as well as “Sea of Shadows.” Most recently, he’s the writer, director, executive producer and creator of the Apple TV+ series “Extrapolations,” which features eight interconnected stories exploring how climate change will affect all aspects of our lives.Resources from this episode:Read the media impact report from USC Norman Lear Center.Learn about Good Energies Stories, a nonprofit consulting firm focused on climate storytelling.Listen to Scott Z. Burns’ interview on the Climate One podcast.Check out EDF’s Green Jobs Hub.Related episodes:Transfer your skills to a green job with Work on Climate’s Eugene KirpichovHow to green any job with Project Drawdown's Jamie Beck AlexanderThe future of climate-smart ag and the hot politics of your dinner plateLake Street Dive on music, activism, and bravery***🌎 Job hunting? Visit our comprehensive Green Jobs Hub for job listings, networking resources, skills and certification information and more.💚 Follow and rate Degrees on Apple, Spotify, CastBox, or your favorite listening app. 📧 Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on green careers, upcoming episodes and more.🔗 Connect with Yesh Pavlik Slenk on LinkedIn👉 Follow up on social media:@environmental_defense_fund on Instagram@EnvDefenseFund on X@EnvDefenseFund on TikTokEnvironmental Defense Fund on LinkedIn***Who makes Degrees?Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers is presented by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Yesh Pavlik Slenk is our host.  Amy Morse is EDF’s producer. Podcast Allies is our production company. Stephanie Wolf produced this episode. Mia Lobel is our story editor. Ayo Oti is our researcher. Engineering by Matthew Simonson. Our music is Shame, Shame, Shame from Yesh’s favorite band, Lake Street Dive.

Pooja Tilvawala is an Indian-American climate justice advocate, opportunity curator, and youth engagement expert with five years of experience in the global climate movement. Since 2020, she has served as the founder and executive director of Youth Climate Collaborative (YCC), which is creating a more just, inclusive, and intergenerational climate movement that sustains youth and their initiatives for meaningful climate action. She is a current recipient of the Walking Softer Award for young climate leaders, and an Advisor to Rivet, which intends to create the world’s largest micro-grant fund for youth-led action.Resources from this episode:Learn about the work of Youth Climate Collaborative. Listen to another interview with Pooja about how to make climate justice work accessible.Network with Pooja by following her on LinkedIn.Check out this climate comedy recommendation: Climate Town with Rollie WilliamsRelated episodes:How to network for a green job with purpose-driven LinkedIn expert Nick@NoonLearn how to build your climate experience with Terra.do founder Anshuman Bapna***🌎 Job hunting? Visit our comprehensive Green Jobs Hub for job listings, networking resources, skills and certification information and more.💚 Follow and rate Degrees on Apple, Spotify, CastBox, or your favorite listening app. 📧 Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on green careers, upcoming episodes and more.🔗 Connect with Yesh Pavlik Slenk on LinkedIn👉 Follow up on social media:@environmental_defense_fund on Instagram@EnvDefenseFund X (formerly Twitter)@EnvDefenseFund on TikTokEnvironmental Defense Fund on LinkedIn***Credits:Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers is presented by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Yesh Pavlik Slenk is our host.  Amy Morse is EDF’s producer. Podcast Allies is our production company. Ayo Oti produced this episode. Mia Lobel is our story editor. Engineering by Kevin Kline. Our music is Shame, Shame, Shame from Yesh’s favorite band, Lake Street Dive.

Rebecca Weston, LCSW and JD is a metro-New York psychotherapist and co-president of the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America. She supports climate-aware mental health practitioners and professionals on the front lines of climate work. She’s also written multiple pieces and spoken on the mental health impacts of the climate crisis, and how other systems of inequity affect climate mental issues. Resources from this episode:What is climate psychology?Visit Rebecca Weston’s website.Learn more about the work of Climate Psychology Alliance of North AmericaFind more information on Climate Cafes.Watch Renee Lertzman’s TED Talk.Read more of Renee Lertzman’s work. For those dealing with burnout, Weston recommends reading the work of Rebecca Solnit. Read the Newsweek piece that Weston co-authored on “climate silence.” Check out EDF’s Green Jobs Hub.Related episodes:Yes, you can turn your climate anxiety into meaningful actionHow to green any job with Project Drawdown's Jamie Beck AlexanderHow a psychology major is on the frontlines of decarbonizing a global industry***🌎 Job hunting? Visit our comprehensive Green Jobs Hub for job listings, networking resources, skills and certification information and more.💚 Follow and rate Degrees on Apple, Spotify, CastBox, or your favorite listening app. 📧 Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on green careers, upcoming episodes and more.🔗 Connect with Yesh Pavlik Slenk on LinkedIn👉 Follow up on social media:@environmental_defense_fund on Instagram@EnvDefenseFund on Twitter@EnvDefenseFund on TikTokEnvironmental Defense Fund on LinkedIn***Who makes Degrees?Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers is presented by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Yesh Pavlik Slenk is our host.  Amy Morse is EDF’s producer. Podcast Allies is our production company. Stephanie Wolf produced this episode. Mia Lobel is our story editor. Ayo Oti is our researcher. Engineering by Kevin Kline. Our music is Shame, Shame, Shame from Yesh’s favorite band, Lake Street Dive.

Ciara Imani May is the founder of Rebundle, the first U.S.-made, plant-based hair extensions brand on a mission to provide more comfort and less waste through eco-friendly and non-toxic hair extensions. The idea for Rebundle sparked in 2019 when Ciara suffered from one too many itchy scalps from wearing braids made from plastic synthetic hair. In researching alternatives, Ciara came to understand that banana fibers could provide a sustainable option. That breakthrough led to Rebundle’s first product, braidbetter.Resources from this episode:Check out the Rebundle website to learn more about the ReGen Hair Fiber™ that May’s company created.Follow Rebundle on social media: Instagram, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter)Learn about Rebundle’s recycling partner Terracycle, a company helping Rebundle customer’s recycle their old plastic-based hair extensions.Read this article for more about Ciara’s venture capital funding journey.Learn about the USDA’s BioPreferred program. Rebundle’s braidBetter is the first hair extensions product to receive the certification.If you liked this episode, you’ll love these:The woman greening the golden archesBuilding a Black community for green jobseekers***🌎 Job hunting? Visit our comprehensive Green Jobs Hub for job listings, networking resources, skills and certification information and more.💚 Follow and rate Degrees on Apple, Spotify, CastBox, or your favorite listening app. 📧 Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on green careers, upcoming episodes and more.🔗 Connect with Yesh Pavlik Slenk on LinkedIn👉 Follow up on social media:@environmental_defense_fund on Instagram@EnvDefenseFund on X (formerly Twitter)@EnvDefenseFund on TikTokEnvironmental Defense Fund on LinkedIn***Who makes Degrees?Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers is presented by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Yesh Pavlik Slenk is our host.  Amy Morse is EDF’s producer. Podcast Allies is our production company. Ayo Oti researched and produced this episode. Mia Lobel is our story editor. Production manager Andrew Parrella edited this episode. Editing assistance on this episode from executive producer Elaine Appleton Grant. Our music is Shame, Shame, Shame from Yesh’s favorite band, Lake Street Dive.

Drew Wilkinson is a climate activist and co-founder of Microsoft’s 10,000-member employee sustainability community, which has pushed the company to protect natural resources and operate with more sustainable practices. Now, as founder of Climate Leadership Collective, he helps organizations on the people side of sustainability: employee engagement, culture and change management, community building, green skilling, and leadership development. His mission is to make sustainability part of everybody’s job.Resources from this episode:Check out recent reports on sustainability job growth:The Deloitte Global 2023 Gen Z and Millennial SurveyClosing the Sustainability Skills Gap (microsoft.com)The Future of Jobs Report 2023 | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)Check out Drew’s website to learn more about his consulting work with Climate Leadership Collective. Learn about his punk rock, sea pirate, and DIY background.Read Drew’s blog on how to Make Sustainability Part of Everybody's Job. Learn more about Microsoft’s Sustainability Connected Community:Read Drew’s article on How to Build Your Own Employee Sustainability Community.Listen to Powered by the People, a Microsoft podcast that tells the community’s origin story.Watch Climate at Work’s panel about building grassroots sustainability movements within companies, featuring Sustainability Connected at Microsoft and Anthroprocene at Google. Check out how Drew used the Microsoft Hackathon to help clean up the ocean. Listen to the music of Drew’s hardcore punk band, Run with the Hunted, and the song you heard in this episode, Destroy All Calendars.If you liked this episode, you’ll love these related Degrees episodes:How to green any job with Project Drawdown's Jamie Beck AlexanderHow Heather McTeer Toney is redefining climate action for the next generation of leadersThe fastest electric vehicle fleet makeover in the west***🌎 Job hunting? Visit our comprehensive Green Jobs Hub for job listings, networking resources, skills and certification information and more.💚 Follow and rate Degrees on Apple, Spotify, CastBox, or your favorite listening app. 📧 Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on green careers, upcoming episodes and more.🔗 Connect with Yesh Pavlik Slenk on LinkedIn👉 Follow up on social media:@environmental_defense_fund on Instagram@EnvDefenseFund on X@EnvDefenseFund on TikTokEnvironmental Defense Fund on LinkedIn***Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers is presented by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Yesh Pavlik Slenk is our host.  Amy Morse is EDF’s producer. Podcast Allies is our production company. Tressa Versteeg produced this episode. Mia Lobel is our story editor. Ayo Oti is our researcher and Audrey Nelson provided fact checking. Engineering by Kevin Kline. Editing assistance on this episode from executive producer Elaine Appleton Grant. Our music is Shame, Shame, Shame from Yesh’s favorite band, Lake Street Dive.