I started my morning today with a walk while listening to an episode of one of my favourite climate action podcasts, Outrage and Optimism. And I feel inspired and wanted to share. First a little about the podcast.

Outrage and Optimism is hosted by founding partners of Global Optimism and co-authors of The Future We Choose, former UN Chief Christiana Figueres and former Senior Advisor to the Executive Secretary of the UN Climate Conventio, nTom Rivett-Carnac, and Paul Dickinson, founder a not-for-profit charity that runs a global disclosure system focused on sustainable economics and addressing environmental impacts. The podcast is filled with fiery and articulate outrage, and stubborn and persistent optimism, as the title suggests. They host some of the most interesting guests and speakers in the climate space, providing intelligent and insightful commentary, and importantly, inspiration and hope in a space where both are sorely needed to mobilize, expand, and sustain the growing community of climate activists and climate action leaders (and I mean leaders in the broadest sense – those who are committed to acting now to ensure a just, equitable, adaptive and resilient future).

Okay, so back to today. Episode 183: And then a hero comes along, features a discussion with the founders of an exciting new climate tech startup called Hero-labs, which focuses on accelerating climate action by financially supporting and amplifying the work of climate action mobilizers. They have developed a platform that provides a subscription model approach to financially supporting groups or circles of mobilizers – those working on the frontlines of climate action to shift policy and increase climate actions – with a stable income. These circles bring together groups of 5-10 mobilizers who are working towards the same climate policy objective whether global, national, regional, or local.

The innovative subscription approach recognizes that those working on the frontlines of climate action are often doing so at the expense of their own livelihoods, with little to no financial support or income. The circle approach further recognizes that the work of climate action is fundamentally and importantly, collective action. It’s new and there are only a few circles established, such as the LATAM Feminist Climate Justice Circle and the UK Climate Justice Circle, but hopefully as word gets out, the numbers and focus of the circles will increase. Of course, as with any philanthropic endeavour transparency is key, you can see where and to whom your money is going…and according to the Hero app (Herocircle.app), “all mobilizers on the platform have a track record of climate action and non-violence” and each “is endorsed by renowned NGOs, organizations and other mobilizers in the climate space.”

It’s a creative approach that provides a great opportunity for people wanting to have an impact on climate change but not knowing how to have that impact. It also provides an avenue for those with more resources to support those with less, taking action on equity, and to be able to do so in ways that make it very clear and transparent where and to whom their money is going. It’s not a substitute for climate action, something we all need to be engaged in, but rather it is a doorway into action.

Check it out. What do you think of the idea?

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