Why Eugene Kirpichov believes mobilizing human talent is the key to solving climate change
At 250, America still gives us much to stand in awe of. Despite our problems (and we know there are many), this is still the land of opportunity. The spirit of entrepreneurship that fuels this country is alive and well, both for native born Americans and immigrants who adopt it as their own. Even better, that spirit is often directed at solving the most pressing and complex challenges of our time.
A few years ago, out of the blue, I received an email from a man named Eugene Kirpichov. Originally from Russia, Eugene introduced himself as a former software engineer at Google who had recently quit his job to start a nonprofit he was calling “Work on Climate.” The organization’s goal was simple but enormously ambitious: build the world’s largest community of professionals helping each other transition into climate work.
Eugene had never run a nonprofit before. He also had never worked in the environmental field. But that didn’t seem to deter him at all. I was struck by his directness, his sincerity, and his sheer determination to try something completely new because he believed the world needed it.
As I often say in this newsletter, everyone (and I mean literally everyone) has something meaningful to contribute to the climate challenge. You don’t need a special credential or a lifetime of experience. You just need the courage to start. Eugene embodied exactly that spirit when he reached out to me. So of course I agreed to meet with him, shared whatever advice I could, and made a small donation. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect after that.
I’m so glad I said yes. Eugene and his team have built something remarkable. Today, Work on Climate is the world’s largest professional community of its kind with nearly 40,000 members, thousands of whom have found climate jobs, started companies, and transformed their industries from within. I hope his story inspires you as much as it inspires me.