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Ask HN: How to fight climate change with software?

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Re: Ask HN: How to fight climate change with software?

#3

Post by IpV8 »

sillysaurus3 wrote: post #2

Spreading awareness would be good. Many people reject the notion that the climate is changing, so there would be value in collating the most persuasive and concrete arguments. It's important to filter out conjecture and anecdata, though.

I don't think that there is very much value there. Everyone who is going to believe in global warming already does. Acknowledging extremists only strengthens their cause.

In response to OP, I have dedicated my career to fighting global warming through software. It is VERY difficult to find good software jobs that accomplish this, but they do exists if you are flexible on pay/location. Some angles that I have found successful:

- Supporting REC markets with technology. The more successful they are the more politicians will support them which starts the cycle of affordable renewables driving more financing for innovative companies driving lower prices...

- Join companies doing efficiency profiling. This has been a huge area of recent growth. Companies doing things like analyzing utility data to show companies where they can reduce usages to have the most impact

- Work in renewables. PV's, inverters, batteries, wind turbines, etc all need to talk to each other! Brush up on your modbus, mqtt, sunspec, etc and start looking for companies.

- Build our scientists better tools! Tons of companies are working to provide researchers with better ways of understanding the environment and the effects of global warming. This may not be the most direct way for you to help, but it is important to understanding climate change. There is tooonnns of room for innovation here, especially in allowing scientists to understand and harness AI and standardizing data/research to open up collaboration.

- Work for the grid. Many giant utility companies are starting to realize that microgrids are real and imminent. How do utilities maintain control over a homeowner's power so that there aren't dangerous power fluctuations on the grid? Check out Kitu or Autogrid for some solutions. Larger utilities will also have R&D labs where they set up and test cutting edge renewable options and control strategies.

TL;DR: Tons of companies are working to drive down the cost of renewables. Save the world!

Re: Ask HN: How to fight climate change with software?

#4

Post by DoreenMichele »

I keep hypothesizing that using a website or software to somehow promote pedestrianism would be helpful. You don't even need to promote it as fighting climate change per se. You could promote it as how to save money on gas while improving your personal fitness.

There are probably other creative approaches. But I would try to think about what's their motivation. What is in it for them. Moralizing tends to not have the best track record for promoting the changes we would like to see. It tends to just force "bad behavior" underground, which can lead to worse things.

Re: Ask HN: How to fight climate change with software?

#5

Post by nathantone »

DoreenMichele wrote: post #4

I keep hypothesizing that using a website or software to somehow promote pedestrianism would be helpful. You don't even need to promote it as fighting climate change per se. You could promote it as how to save money on gas while improving your personal fitness. There are probably other creative approaches. But I would try to think about what's their motivation. What is in it for them. Moralizing tends to not have the…

that's smart.

a mr. miyagi wax on / wax off approach. can you think of any co's that do this well?

here's a fun walking app btw (https://jaywalk.me/)

Re: Ask HN: How to fight climate change with software?

#6

Post by nathantone »

sillysaurus3 wrote: post #2

Spreading awareness would be good. Many people reject the notion that the climate is changing, so there would be value in collating the most persuasive and concrete arguments. It's important to filter out conjecture and anecdata, though.

the goal would be to create an vehicle that's super effective at changing ppl's strongly held beliefs. that's tough!

i wonder what the most successful method is to change someone's deeply rooted beliefs.

Re: Ask HN: How to fight climate change with software?

#7

Post by nathantone »

IpV8 wrote: post #3
sillysaurus3 wrote: post #2

Spreading awareness would be good. Many people reject the notion that the climate is changing, so there would be value in collating the most persuasive and concrete arguments. It's important to filter out conjecture and anecdata, though.

I don't think that there is very much value there. Everyone who is going to believe in global warming already does. Acknowledging extremists only strengthens their cause. In response to OP, I have dedicated my career to fighting global warming through software. It is VERY difficult to find good software jobs that accomplish this, but they do exists if you are flexible on pay/location. Some angles that I have found su…

love this.

what are the biggest frustrations you're currently seeing w/ REC markets?

i was surprised at how hard it is to compare REC prices. Like, am I supposed to request a quote from each of these? https://www.green-e.org/certified-resources

It'd be great to snap a pic of my utility bill and get back the best REC pricing... :)

Re: Ask HN: How to fight climate change with software?

#8

Post by DoreenMichele »

nathantone wrote: post #5
DoreenMichele wrote: post #4

I keep hypothesizing that using a website or software to somehow promote pedestrianism would be helpful. You don't even need to promote it as fighting climate change per se. You could promote it as how to save money on gas while improving your personal fitness. There are probably other creative approaches. But I would try to think about what's their motivation. What is in it for them. Moralizing tends to not have the…

that's smart. a mr. miyagi wax on / wax off approach. can you think of any co's that do this well? here's a fun walking app btw ( https://jaywalk.me/ )

No, I can't.

I have spent quite a lot of years trying to figure out how to do a pedestrian-themed blog. I finally have one that I think might "have legs." ;) It has two whole posts. I have probably gone through 10 or 12 different blog names, most of which never got any content whatsoever.

I think trying to promote pedestrianism in the US is quite challenging. I have lived without a car for like a decade or so. The most common assumption people make is that I am clearly just pathetically poor. This happens to be true right now, but I also am a committed environmentalist type. My college major was in environmental studies.

I gave up my car when I still had a corporate job. Only one person who ever gave me a ride home from the corporate job ever asked me why I gave up the car. Everyone else just made polite noises about what a trooper I was for dutifully walking to work in spite of the pathetic state of my obviously poverty stricken life.

In the US, no car = pathetic poor person. So trying to sell people on the idea of choosing to go carless is a really tough thing. Thus, I would just start with trying to get them to drive less and maybe go from a two-car family to a one-car family. That's a much easier starting point.

There was an website I saw the other day on HN:

Transforming How We Collect and Visualize Information about Urban Accessibility (projectsidewalk.io)

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15790713

I liked that.

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