Social Impact: The Magic of Water

Hello friends. I'm a little late getting this out today - my weekly slot for irrigation water here on our small farm is Tuesday 7:30 - 10:30 AM this year. It's a great draw for a soundly human time to irrigate (imagine 2:30 AM, which does happen), but NOT such a good time frame for newsletters that are published Tuesday mornings - like Godspeed.

As today was the first irrigation of the year, I spent most of the morning chasing and fixing leaks, repairing PVC pipe, troubleshooting a troublesome pump (I think it died over the winter), and whatnot. It's generally more fun once we get the shake-down cruise completed. As I tell folks, I always wanted to live on the water - I just never thought it would be an irrigation ditch!

So for being late to your inbox, I'll try to make up by sharing a video of irrigating today - outside of annual maintenance frustrations to the season's start, it's generally pretty soothing for me. There's something magical about water, isn't there?

From here on the water planet - Godspeed, friends.

Farmer Russ

Cool Tool

• How sustainable is your website? Here's a cool tool called Ecograder. Created by the good people of mightybytes, Ecograder can can give you insights into the impact of your website. Even better, it can help you reduce emissions, improve performance, and reach your website goals faster.

Quick Hit

• Another Artificial Intelligence job loss alert. I know, Chicken Little here on the AI employment front, but I just don't think society will be able to keep up with the pace of work change occasioned by AI. Just check out this prediction from soothsayer James Quincey (who also happens to be Coca-Cola's CEO,as quoted in the NY Times DealBook):

You'll notice he didn't say anything about people, objectifying the work into a more productive (and profitable) outcome. That's my guess how most CEOs will view - and act upon - the AI opportunity as it arises. If I were one of the thousands of production artists and designers who work for Coke and for other brands, I'd be plenty worried about my future. If I were an agency providing point-of-sale design I'd be shitting bricks.

Trivia Time

It's time for a little B Corp trivia! To certify as a B Corp, companies must pass a rigorous assessment of their social and environmental impact. Today's test teases breadcrumbs of the historical growth for this movement of businesses for good - and you get to extrapolate forward to guess how many certified B Corps there are currently.

• The certified B Corporation movement started in 2007 with 82 founding B Corps.

• In the first five years, this number rose to 299 B Corps.

• By 2017, there were 2,000 certified B Corps.

How many certified B Corps are there globally as of today's date?

Today's trivia answer can be found at the bottom of this newsletter.‌‌‌

Find the Most Meaningful Work of Your Career

Our partner One Work has you covered with meaningful work that goes beyond a paycheck, a cubicle, or a weekly team Zoom call. This week, you can make knowledge more egalitarian, power the conservation movement, and enjoy the curiosity of childhood again.

• POSIT - This public benefit corporation is on a mission to enhance the production and consumption of knowledge of everyone, regardless of economic means. Water Resources Senior Associate, Washington, DC.

• ENVIRONMENTAL INCENTIVES - Here's your chance to work with governments, nonprofits, and universities around the world to design and implement conservation programs. Sales Support Supervisor, Remote.

• LOVEVERY - Shout out to the hometown team! This Boise-based B Corp provides tools and toys for early childhood learning development. Motion Designer, Boise, ID.

Check out One Work's full roster of purposeful jobs with mission-driven companies and organizations.‌‌‌‌

‌Trivia Answer‌

As of May 2, 2023, there are 6,702 companies around the world certified as B Corporations. My guess is that the community of B Corps will reach 10,000 globally in July 2024.

Have an interesting social impact tool, idea, or trivia question you'd like to share? Reply to this newsletter and let me know - I'd love to hear about it. You can also hit me up at rstoddard@oliverrussell.com.

Also - please don't hesitate to forward this to a friend you think would benefit from it - thank you!