Alex Wright-Gladstein was one of the first people I interviewed when I launched Invested in Climate nearly 3 years ago. Our conversation has stuck in my mind over the years as her company, Sphere, offers one of the most impactful actions individuals can take to address climate change. 

The action is really simple: Moving our savings out of fossil fuel companies. In the United States, fossil fuels are included by default in retirement savings accounts. If you have a 401(k), IRA, or pension, you are almost certainly supporting the fossil fuel industry. And we’re not talking about chump change: About 20% of the fossil fuel market cap is derived from 401(k)s and IRA investments. 

Sphere makes it easy for people and companies to move retirement savings away from fossil fuels. They’re currently raising money through a WeFunder crowdfunding campaign, so I thought it was a perfect time to catch up with Alex and hear about Sphere’s progress. Full disclosure: I’m a Sphere investor and soon-to-be customer, but I should say clearly - nothing in this episode should be considered investment advice and is just for informational purposes. 

I hope this conversation pushes your thinking in a helpful way. Enjoy.

On today’s episode, we cover:

• [00:58] Introduction to Alex Wright-Gladstein and Sphere
• [02:35] The origin of Sphere and the problem they're solving
• [05:00] Details about the Sphere 500 Climate Fund
• [06:28] Discussion of investment impact and fossil fuel investments
• [09:17] Navigating 401(k) regulations and lawsuits
• [13:44] Impact of political administrations on climate investing
• [19:37] Ways people can invest with Sphere
• [25:23] Strategies for pressuring companies to offer sustainable 401(k)s
• [29:57] Challenges faced by Sphere, including market volatility and ESG backlash
• [33:35] Vision for the future of climate-friendly investing

Resources Mentioned

• Sphere
• Sphere 500 Climate Fund
• InfluenceMap
• The Virtual March to Retire Big Oil
• WeFunder: Invest in Sphere

Connect with Alex Wright-Gladstein

• On LinkedIn

Connect with Jason Rissman

• On LinkedIn

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