It all began with an initiative aimed at helping companies and individuals to show kindness to the planet in a fun way. Michelle first started her Clever Carbon to raise awareness about sustainability. Later, she sought to establish a welcoming and supportive environment for more women to learn and discuss climate, leading to the creation of Women and Climate, which invites newcomers to the climate field. Her latest initiative, the Carbon Newbie Summit, was unveiled during New York Climate Week 2023, making climate action accessible to all.
She said “Getting started in climate can be intimidating. The Carbon Newbie Summit aims to create a welcoming space for those new to climate and provide a strong foundation of knowledge and skills for accelerated and impactful climate action."
The three organizations she founded aim to help more people understand and recognize 'sustainable development' and 'reducing carbon emissions.' She hopes that through these organizations, individuals from various industries, ages, and genders can take small steps in their daily lives or work to make a significant positive impact on the planet.
Do you know your aeverage daily CO2 emissions? Clever Carbon can help you!
Clever Carbon is the first organization founded by Michelle Li, which originated from a small belief: she wanted to help companies and individuals treat the Earth kindly in a fun way. Clever Carbon aims to enhance low-carbon literacy and create a zero-carbon society, focusing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. With a stylish and engaging brand image, the goal is to maximize interest and reach.
She has proposed over a hundred 'Clever Actions,' categorized by different levels of effort, such as creating a clothing swap party within the company, introducing planet friendly travel guide to employees, and promoting vegan days, all with the hope of encouraging companies to set sustainable goals and foster a sustainable culture for their employees.
And the 'Coffee Menu' is one such initiative. Clever Carbon begins with coffee, examining the carbon emissions associated with a cup of coffee: from cultivation, roasting, and packaging to transportation, as well as whether you use a reusable cup, all of which can be calculated to determine its carbon footprint. Clever Carbon has created an engaging and simple 'Coffee Menu,' which is available on their website. This can be used not only in company pantry but also downloaded by various coffee shops around the world to display in their establishments, helping employees and customers better understand their carbon footprint!
The vegan, sustainable laundry cafe CLEAN, located in Sheung Wan, has also implemented Clever Carbon’s ‘The Coffee Meanu’.
Carbon Newbie Summit: Born from the Annual Climate Week
Climate Week in New York is the largest annual climate event organized by the Climate Group, attracting participation from numerous multinational companies and government representatives. Michelle aims to create a space for small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as individuals, who are eager to contribute to environmental protection, fostering collaboration to discuss and implement solutions. This vision led to the establishment of the Carbon Newbie Summit.
The summit invites various companies and experts to speak and participate in panel discussions. Last September, we were honored to attend this event in New York, where we held a session to share our mission and vision. Earlier this year, a similar event was held in San Francisco, and the second event of this year will take place in New York on September 26. If you're interested, you can find more information on their official website, and the event will also be available for live streaming.
Our co-founder Devana got invited to speak at Carbon Newbie Summit 2023 in New York. The recap is available on YouTube.(Photo Credit, Carbon Newbie Summit)
Women and Climate: Established for Women and Non-Binary Individuals
Michelle has also founded an organization called Women and Climate, designed to create a safe and welcoming environment for women and non-binary professionals globally to learn and discuss climate change issues.
The mission of Women and Climate is to inspire more women and non-binary individuals to engage in environmental protection and support those already active in the climate field. By fostering knowledge sharing, discussions, and collaboration, the aim is to enhance collective efforts toward sustainability.
Women and Climate hosts gatherings and events in various cities around the world, such as New York, Berlin, London, Paris, Bali, Dubai, and Hong Kong. Each location is led by a volunteer city lead who coordinates local member participation, facilitating the exchange of ideas on sustainable development and climate change. Last year, Michelle and the members participated in our hike cleanup in Hong Kong.
Both Carbon Newbie Summit and Women and Climate welcome individuals of all ages and experience levels, so as long as you are enthusiast, you can join their community! You can also visit their website to check out their upcoming events!
The first Hong Kong community dinner organized by Women and Climate. (Photo credit, Women and Climate)
Michelle and her community members joined our hike cleanup event.
Learn more about Michelle Li:
Michelle Li is a founder of these 3 organizations, a prominent speaker, and global thought leader. She has served as a keynote speaker, moderator, panelist at various international events, addressing topics ranging from women’s empowerment to carbon dioxide removal. During her time at Salesforce and DocuSign, one of the aspects she cherished most was the emphasis on giving back.
Currently, she is actively facilitating employee engagement and corporate sustainability programs for businesses, while also promoting a stronger community for women’s empowerment and climate action.
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Photos by Invisible Company Team
Thank you CLEAN providing the perfect space for our photo shoot!
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