ClimateSparking: Who’s Who & How It Works
Tens of millions of Americans recognize our Climate Emergency — and our Election Emergency. ClimateSparking gives us a pathway to respond to both emergencies, creatively and effectively, at the scale we need. We aim to:
1) empower diverse groups of young adult climate advocates to catalyze climate solutions, and 2) reach out to everyone we know to talk about our feelings of urgency and hope, inviting them to join us in achieving maximum impACT.
Around the world, millions of young people are joining groups like FridaysForFuture and Extinction Rebellion, and, in the US, the Sunrise Movement. Young people of all ages are saying or writing on signs their version of Greta Thunberg’s powerful words: “You say you love your children above all else, and yet you are stealing their future in front of their very eyes”.
At ClimateChangesEverything, we believe there is no power on Earth greater than a full-time young adult climate advocate. So what would it take for them to be able to not only volunteer evenings and weekends, but actually devote their working hours to advancing climate solutions?
ClimateSparking’s Four Pillars
1. Young Adult Climate Advocates can become Climate Projects Managers
Starting out in the San Francisco Bay Area, we’re paying young people so they can afford to work on what they care about most: a climate-stable, ecologically resilient, and socially just future. Managers use their focus and creativity as communicators, strategists, and networkers to expand the efforts of the Climate Projects Sponsors and Mentors they work with. See the Status Update below and learn more at the full Climate Projects Manager job description page.
2. Climate Advocates & Entrepreneurs can become Climate Projects Sponsors
Given that this year and next are ultra-critical for elections and the climate emergency, we’ve proposed a strategy to respond to both at Ten Million Americans Can Make 2020 a Climate Election — And Win! Do you want to do more and wish you had more hours in your day? Here’s how we can end “business as usual” in our own lives (at least for one year) to accomplish more and respond, individually and together, to this pre-eminent challenge. Anyone who can afford it can pay for half the hours of a Manager. People with fewer resources can assemble friends and groups to financially “Sponsor” a Manager, who can continue their activism/organizing, and work with the Sponsor to reach out to their networks, and on other projects, including those suggested by Climate Projects Experts. Learn more at Climate Projects Sponsor.
3. Climate Projects Mentors can be expert advisors to Managers & Sponsors
Those who aren’t in a position to sponsor Managers can work with both sides of the partnership. Young people don’t want older generations telling them what to do or how to do it, but as Greta said before the September 2019 Climate Strike, youth need adults to “step up alongside us… To change everything, we need everyone.” Climate Projects Mentors can connect Managers and Sponsors with existing projects and organizations and advise them on “missing pieces” in awareness and solutions.
4. All can collaborate on a variety of exciting climate projects
The Manager’s first project can be to create a mailing list of the Sponsor’s networks of colleagues and friends to say, “We invite you to join us in ending business as usual in our lives this year to act on the climate and election emergencies.” Other projects can include campaigns to build political will for local, state, and federal climate action; accelerate the transition to 100% renewable energy; advance carbon dioxide removal and climate restoration solutions; and ensure that justice and equity are at the center of our efforts.
Status Update: ClimateSparking is Up & Running!
First Manager: On August 27, 2019, Anna Michel, a versatile recent college grad & volunteer with the Sunrise Movement, became the world’s first Climate Projects Manager, working with Climate Projects Sponsor Felix Kramer to expand his activities. Together they’ve been reaching out to over 1,200 people in his network, introducing them to Climate Restoration and inviting them to collaborate. (You can join ClimateChangesEverything’s mailing list.) They’ve collaborated on articles, and on launching ClimateSparking.
In November, Anna also began working with a second Sponsor, on the Anthropocene Institute‘s team organized by a Silicon Valley environmental entrepreneur, to write articles and plan social media campaigns and events. And in 2020, she became a full-time salaried employee with the two Sponsors!
Second Manager: In January 2020, we welcomed Costanza Gonzalo, a UC Davis senior in Environmental Policy & Planning and the Sunrise Davis hub’s Community Building Lead. Part-time until she graduates, she’s helping with the ClimateSparking project launch.
Technology & Recruitment Partner: We’re collaborating with Climate.Careers to integrate with their scalable platform to recruit and match candidates with climate-solutions employers, and to identify more young adult climate advocates who dream of being paid to do what they care about most.
We’re starting to present our first Climate Project Managers Candidates to a few dozen potential Climate Projects Sponsors.
Partners & Endorsements: We’re gaining Partners for ClimateSparking. And The Climate Mobilization founder Margaret Klein-Salamon says:
“This is an exciting project, which pairs the talent and passion of young climate warriors with the resources and wisdom of their adult allies. It could be an explosive combination!”