Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers
74 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 months ago - ★★★★★ - 74 ratingsWant to use your job to tackle climate change? Today there are more opportunities across industries to find a job and have impact. Join Climate Corps network manager Yesh Pavlik Slenk for candid conversations with everyday changemakers about careers, motivation, how they're fighting climate change — and how you can too.
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Episodes
How to land a sustainability J-O-B
February 15, 2021 07:00 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBTrish Kenlon, founder of Sustainable Career Pathways, lends her expertise on questions like: how do I get that job? What are employers looking for in 2021? What are the trends these days? What can I do today to make progress toward a new job? And: how can it be easier?
Transforming energy by creating new solutions in solar with Steph Speirs
February 09, 2021 07:00 - 38 minutes - 35.7 MBSteph Speirs is right in the middle of one of the most critical challenges of our time: the quest to move our energy economy away from fossil fuels and into systems that are clean, equitable, and renewable. Steph is the CEO and co-founder of Solstice, a dynamic startup that is bringing solar energy to the 80% of Americans who are unable to install solar panels on their roofs. Our conversation with Steph goes way beyond solar energy. Her remarkable career path, from Bubba Gump Shrimp company ...
How employees can drive corporate climate leadership
February 08, 2021 07:00 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MBLeading the sustainability efforts at Google and Facebook might seem like dream jobs, but for Bill Weihl there were still nights when he couldn't sleep. Acutely aware of the narrowing window to avoid the worst effects of climate change, Bill was haunted by a burning question: how could he create more change, faster? Thus was born "Climate Voice," his new initiative designed to empower employees of any company to be agents of change... particularly around influencing public policy.
Pete Muller - A National Geographic photographer captures the emotional impacts of climate change
February 08, 2021 07:00 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MBObsessed with the loneliness and longing wrought from the impacts of a changing planet, Pete Muller discusses how he uses his camera to make "the invisible become visible" – and to tell the story of climate change from a human perspective. Correction: we inadvertently identified Glenn & Jill Albrecht as driving 20 miles out of their way to avoid viewing strip mines. This is incorrect; it is John & Denise Lamb who make this drive.
ESG: Using finance to drive real change
February 01, 2021 07:00 - 39 minutes - 36.3 MBAfter a meandering career path through more "typical" purpose-driven jobs, Adam Heltzer had an epiphany: the private sector--and in particular the world of finance-- was THE place for him to create lasting change. Once a "nice to have," ESG is quickly becoming an essential, core piece of any leading business. Today, Adam Heltzer is Managing Director and Head of ESG at Ares Management and shares his career journey with us.
Adam Heltzer - ESG: Using finance to drive real change
February 01, 2021 07:00 - 39 minutes - 36.3 MBAfter a meandering career path through more "typical" purpose-driven jobs, Adam Heltzer had an epiphany: the private sector--and in particular the world of finance-- was THE place for him to create lasting change. Once a "nice to have", ESG is quickly becoming an essential, core piece of any leading business.
Steven Moelk - The unlikely leader of IKEA's EV revolution
January 25, 2021 07:00 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MBAfter building a career about as far away from sustainability as you can get, Steven Moelk has found himself in a place he never imagined: as the guy responsible for bringing electric vehicle home delivery to IKEA.
The unlikely leader of IKEA's EV revolution
January 25, 2021 07:00 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MBAfter mastering logistics and delivery as a bike messenger in New York City, Steven Moelk blazed his own trail and found himself in a place he never imagined: as the guy responsible for bringing electric vehicle, zero-emissions delivery to IKEA.
Peggy Shepard - The godmother of the environmental justice movement speaks out
January 18, 2021 07:00 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MBPeggy Shepard, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of WE ACT, tells the story of how the environmental justice movement was born, where its headed and why anyone who wants a career in sustainability should care.
The godmother of the environmental justice movement speaks out
January 18, 2021 07:00 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MBPeggy Shepard, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of WE ACT, tells the story of how the environmental justice movement was born, where its headed and why anyone who wants a career in sustainability should care.
Michelle Romero - Why environmental justice is crucial for today's climate careers
January 11, 2021 07:00 - 30 minutes - 28.3 MBMichelle Romero, National Director of Green For All, is bringing together unlikely coalitions to find new solutions for reducing poverty while building a clean-energy economy. She's at the forefront of the environmental justice movement, the mastery of which is now essential for anyone wanting a career in sustainability.
Why environmental justice matters for your climate career
January 11, 2021 07:00 - 30 minutes - 28.3 MBMichelle Romero, National Director of Green For All, is bringing together unlikely coalitions to find new solutions for reducing poverty while building a clean-energy economy. She's at the forefront of the environmental justice movement, the mastery of which is now essential for anyone wanting a career in sustainability.
Trish Kenlon - How to land a sustainability J-O-B
January 04, 2021 07:00 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBTrish Kenlon, founder of Sustainable Career Pathways, lends her expertise on questions like: how do I get that job? What are employers looking for in 2021? What are the trends these days? What can I do today to make progress toward a new job? And: how can it be easier?
Bill Weihl - Why employees are key for a hopeful future
December 28, 2020 07:00 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MBLeading the sustainability efforts at Google and Facebook might seem like dream jobs, but for Bill Weihl there were still nights when he couldn't sleep. Acutely aware of the narrowing window to avoid the worst effects of climate change, Bill was haunted by a burning question: how could he create more change, faster? Thus was born "Climate Voice", his new initiative designed to empower employees of any company to be agents of change... particularly around influencing public policy.
Great reads and listens: Inspiration from the Degrees team
December 24, 2020 07:00 - 6 minutes - 6.19 MBHappy holidays listeners! The Degrees team is taking the week off, but we SO appreciate you that we wanted to gift you a few recommendations: things that have inspired us, fed our souls, stretched our brains, or made us laugh over the course of this strange year. We hope they do the same for you! Stay tuned: December 28 we'll bring you an incredible interview with Bill Weihl, a superstar of sustainability.
Why what's in your makeup is an environmental justice issue
December 14, 2020 07:00 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBBoma Brown-West is leading the charge to eliminate toxic chemicals from our food and consumer products. As the Director of Consumer Health at Environmental Defense Fund, her vision is to create a "new normal" where every aisle of every store is safer for every person.
Boma Brown-West - Chemical soup: The quest to create a toxic-free marketplace
December 14, 2020 07:00 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBBoma Brown-West is leading the charge to eliminate toxic chemicals from our food and consumer products. As the Director of Consumer Health at Environmental Defense Fund, her vision is to create a "new normal" where every aisle of every store is safer for every person.
Career reinvention: From world-touring musician to environmental champion
December 07, 2020 07:00 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBCynthia Shih is the climate change activist and Director of Knowledge at mckinsey.org who’s helping to redefine what recycling means for the 21st century. But you might also know her as touring and recording artist Vienna Teng. Cynthia longed to be making more of a direct, positive impact on the planet, so she ditched the tour bus to tackle a dual Master’s degree, because she’s convinced there’s more than one way to fight climate change. It doesn’t just come from the world of business or fro...
Cynthia Shih - Global recycling, career reinvention... and the double life of Vienna Teng
December 07, 2020 07:00 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBCynthia Shih is the climate change activist and Director of Knowledge at mckinsey.org who’s helping to redefine what recycling means for the 21st century. But you might also know her as touring and recording artist Vienna Teng. Cynthia longed to be making more of a direct, positive impact on the planet, so she ditched the tour bus to tackle a dual Master’s degree, because she’s convinced there’s more than one way to fight climate change. It doesn’t just come from the world of business or fro...
Jeff Kirschner - Tackling trash with data... and turning disappointment into delight
November 30, 2020 07:00 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBJeff Kirschner is the founder and CEO of Litterati, the crowdsourcing app that has helped people all over the world clean up more than 6 million pieces of litter to date. Litterati isn't just cleaning up the streets though: the data collected by the app is actually transforming the way some companies do business. Jeff has also transformed his own career, from ad exec and screenwriter to green entrepreneur. He's got a lot of heartfelt insights to offer on how to tackle big problems, how to us...
How one startup CEO enlisted millions of people around world to clean up trash
November 30, 2020 07:00 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBJeff Kirschner is the founder and CEO of Litterati, the crowdsourcing app that has helped people all over the world clean up more than 6 million pieces of litter to date. Litterati isn't just cleaning up the streets though: the data collected by the app is actually transforming the way some companies do business. Jeff has also transformed his own career, from ad exec and screenwriter to green entrepreneur. He's got a lot of heartfelt insights to offer on how to tackle big problems, how to us...
Chris Castro - Climate intrapreneurship: Think big, start small, scale fast!
November 23, 2020 07:05 - 26 minutes - 24.2 MBChris Castro joined the City of Orlando as the Director of Sustainability and Resilience in 2016, but his title doesn’t even begin to capture Chris’s drive to fight climate change and environmental injustice. In just a few years, he’s helped start solar co-ops. He’s increased electric vehicle adoption. And he’s helped low-income residents invest in clean energy. Chris believes that greening a city doesn’t just help fight climate change. It also helps communities and families prosper. One of ...
This climate champion will upend the way you think about city government jobs
November 23, 2020 07:05 - 26 minutes - 24.2 MBChris Castro joined the City of Orlando as the Director of Sustainability and Resilience in 2016, but his title doesn’t even begin to capture Chris’s drive to fight climate change and environmental injustice. In just a few years, he’s helped start solar co-ops. He’s increased electric vehicle adoption. And he’s helped low-income residents invest in clean energy. Chris believes that greening a city doesn’t just help fight climate change. It also helps communities and families prosper. One of ...
Steph Speirs - Transforming energy, unlocking change... and Bubba Gump Shrimp
November 23, 2020 07:00 - 38 minutes - 35.7 MBSteph Speirs is right in the middle of one of the most critical challenges of our time: the quest to move our energy economy away from fossil fuels and into systems that are clean, equitable, and renewable. Steph is the CEO and co-founder of Solstice, a dynamic startup that is bringing solar energy to the 80% of Americans who are unable to install solar panels on their roofs. Our conversation with Steph goes way beyond solar energy. Her remarkable career path, from Bubba Gump Shrimp company ...