Ask HN: What can a software engineer do for Climate Change?

2 points by underdeserver 5y ago ↗ HN

I currently work at a FAANG, and in a few years I will have saved enough to pay off my house and any other large expenses. We live relatively simply and aside from these large one-time expenses, can subsist on about 25% of what my current after-tax total compensation is.

Once the big stuff is paid off I can no longer justify not working on climate change. So what are the current most promising directions for fighting climate change, where an experienced software engineer can make a real contribution? What are the most effective organizations working on them?

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leipert 5y ago ↗

Not an expert in any way, research what you can do to offset your own carbon footprint. Go carbon neutral / negative for yourself and your whole family. There are projects like effective altruism where you can donate your money efficiently. Maybe switch to a bank that invests mostly in carbon neutral energies / Research (don’t know if there is something like this in the US).

Try to convince other people in your peer group to do the same.

But I assume the best thing one can do, get involved and spend time. Whether in local politics, companies trying to move things forward, NGOs, I don’t know.