🌏 Climate tech solutions: 4 quick ideas
$7.3T of wasted natural capital. Loneliness epidemic at work. Freaks of nurture vs. nature. Climate science in nine short posts. (vol 152)
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Today’s topics.
The world's top industries burn through $7.3T of free natural capital per year.
Here’s climate science distilled in nine *short* posts.
Be a freak of nurture (not nature).
Loneliness affects 1 billion people. Here’s how to address it at work.
1.
The world's top industries burn through $7.3T of free natural capital per year and would not be profitable without it.
First, some background:
“‘Natural capital’ refers to ecological materials and services like clean water or a stable atmosphere.”
“‘Free’ means that businesses don’t pay to consume them.”
Second, do we trust the source?
Yes - I’m drawing from Grist’s coverage.
Yes - Trucost produced the analysis for The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) program sponsored by the United Nations Environmental Program. [TEEB is now the Natural Capital Coalition.]
Finally, how do these impacts break down?
“The majority of unpriced natural capital costs are from greenhouse gas emissions (38%), followed by water use (25%), land use (24%), air pollution (7%), land and water pollution (5%), and waste (1%).”
Here’s a snapshot of the worst offenders by sector and region:
2.
A gift for your favorite climate change denier: These nine *short* posts distill the impacts of climate change on people, not just polar bears.
Susan Joy Hassol is the Director of Climate Communication, a Mentor at EFI, and a former Senior Science Writer on the first three US National Climate Assessments.
She’s been a part of curating the facts around climate change in this resource (samples below) and in short videos like this one for “soccer moms” — to make climate change tangible to the things we love today, not just for people in some distant future.
If you’re intrigued by the power of proper marketing to tackle climate change, check out Potential Energy's fantastic work.
3.
“Be a freak of nurture. Not a freak of nature.” Advice on how to build teams with a new mindset.
Research by Dr. Adam Grant showed that:
“The capacities to be proactive, prosocial, disciplined, and determined stayed with students longer and ultimately proved more powerful than early math and reading skills.”
Let’s broaden this to leading a team or company:
We can often nurture people into greatness (or greater-ness) by communicating that we believe they can do great things. (Yikes, my 6th grade grammar teacher is cringing right now at my writing. So are my teenagers at the use of that verb.)
It’s like the research where a teacher was told which kids were gifted at the beginning of the year. They indeed turned out to be amazing students that year. However, at the end of the year, it was revealed that they had historically been average students. The teacher nurtured them into excellence.
Similarly, what if we routinely said things like this to our team members? “NAME, we all know your superpower is X. We can’t wait to see what you produce!” How different might team performance be?
4.
If countries are appointing a “Minister for Loneliness,” what are we doing about it at work?
What stimulated the UK to be the first country to do this?
“More than 9 million people in Britain — around 14% of the population — often or always feel lonely. That costs UK employers up to $3.5 billion annually.” (Source: TIME)
How big is the problem globally?
“Nearly one in four people worldwide feel very or fairly lonely, according to a survey of more than 140 countries.” (Source: Gallup)
How can we address this within the companies we’re growing?
Foster a culture of connection and support: Create initiatives encouraging collaboration and interaction among team members, such as cross-departmental projects.
Encourage open communication and regularly check in: Schedule regular one-on-one meetings with employees to discuss their well-being and any challenges they might be facing.
Promote team-building activities: Organize monthly social events, such as virtual coffee breaks, game nights, or team lunches, to build camaraderie.
Implement flexible work arrangements: Offer remote work, flexible hours, or compressed workweeks to help employees manage their work-life balance.
Provide access to mental health resources: Offer benefits like counseling services, mental health days, and stress management workshops.
Create a safe environment for discussions: Establish anonymous feedback channels and encourage open forums where employees can share their thoughts and concerns without fear of judgment.
Recognize and appreciate efforts: Implement a recognition program to regularly acknowledge and reward employees’ contributions, fostering a sense of belonging and appreciation.
Want an executive coach in climate tech?
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We cover both business topics (strategy, culture, capital raising, business models, industry trends, business building) and personal goals (physical health, mental fitness, mindfulness, legacy).
That’s all, y’all.
Make it a great week because it’s usually a choice.
— Dr. Chris Wedding: Founder of Entrepreneurs for Impact
P.S. A little Buddhist humor for you: A Zen student asked his master, “Is it okay to use email?” “Yes”, replied the master, “but with no attachments.”
P.S.S. Check out Psychology Today's post to understand why attachments can be like a stinky, wet albatross around our neck.
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