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Samantha Bazant & Clara Atwell

10 Things We Learned at PNW Climate Week

After a week immersed in Pacific Northwest Climate Week—engaging with startups, strategists, and sustainability nerds across Seattle—Clara Atwell and Samantha Bazant left energized by the momentum and collaboration already shaping a more resilient and sustainable future in the Pacific Northwest. Across multiple days of networking at happy hours, attending panels, and cohosting multiple events at the iF office, below are their top takeaways about sustainability in Seattle: 

1. People have a vision for a more regenerative and sustainable future, but navigating the path to that future within our current systems is unclear. During iF’s workshop, Clara and Sam asked people to envision a regenerative PNW in 2050. Participants had no trouble envisioning a healthier, more sustainable community. But, it was more challenging to outline how to shift from “business as usual” to a more sustainable future. This gap between vision and action underscores the need for new frameworks, tools, and support systems that can help translate sustainability ideals into systemic changes.
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2. Employees are eager to integrate sustainability and purpose into their work, yet many are unsure where to begin. The most common question we got at Climate Week was “how do I do this at my organization?” As the demand for purpose-driven work grows, organizations that lead in sustainability and create ways for all employees to contribute will not only help create a better future but will also be better positioned to attract, retain, and engage top talent seeking alignment between their values and their professional work.

3. Reaching systems-level change for regeneration starts with shifting internal culture work. At iF, we often use the metaphor of a seed to describe regenerative systems change: it starts small, as a mindset shift or a new habit.  For that seed to grow into a tree, or even a forest, it must be rooted in a shift in your organization’s underlying values, beliefs, and purpose. Only then can a company begin shifting products, metrics, and processes to align with regenerative practices. 

4. Despite federal cuts to climate initiatives, meaningful sustainability work is still unfolding. We heard that many individuals and teams are continuing their efforts under the radar, deliberately downplaying or keeping quiet to avoid scrutiny or politicization. The path to a sustainable future may not be driven by top-down mandates, but by grassroots momentum, local initiatives, and the choices made within teams and neighborhoods. 

5. The future is local. As national policies fluctuate and multinational corporations struggle to implement changes, local organizations and communities are stepping up to fill the gap. These groups are uniquely positioned to build trust and implement changes quickly. For example, zero-waste consultant Moji Igun of Blue Daisi Consulting finds small businesses to be enthusiastic, nimble adopters of sustainable solutions. Her work shows how engaging small businesses can drive meaningful progress toward a circular and sustainable economy, much faster than larger companies can. 

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6. Design is a powerful tool for reimagining a more sustainable future. Designers and other creatives have a unique role to play in a sustainable transition. By taking people out of their current modes of thinking, helping reframe problems, and creating activities and spaces that invite radically new approaches to how we create systems and run organizations, designers can help translate vision into action. Consider a reframe in your next meeting. To invite new solution areas and broader exploration, instead of a question such as “how can we make a more sustainable car?” reframe to “what does a healthy, sustainable transportation ecosystem look like?”

7. Product designers have a huge role to play. Up to 80% of a product’s environmental impact is baked in during the design phase. The Sustainable Design Project, a community of designers dedicated to driving sustainable product and service innovation across industries, hosted a workshop to reimagine various household items—like pool floaties, old electronics, and a hoverboard—through the lens of circularity. They equipped participants with simple frameworks and tools that embed sustainability from the start, including using circularity principles as design constraints and leveraging life-cycle assessments to understand where the highest impact design changes can be made. 

8. Making the business case for sustainability can be challenging, especially when traditional metrics like ROI dominate decision-making. Moving beyond a narrow focus on financial return—“how does this make or save money?”—toward a more holistic view that includes managing risks, creating employee and community value, and driving market leadership can help shift perspectives. Former iFster Tynan Gable is working on embedding sustainability and regenerative values into her startup, Citrus Wellness Co., and shared the following reflection from our time together: 

"When you start to think critically about the business case for regeneration, three opportunities stand out. First, squeeze more value from every link of your existing supply chain: Lower energy and material costs, new local jobs that strengthen the talent pool, and planet-positive materials that reduce compliance risk and win eco-conscious customers. Second, remove links that add cost but no value, like sourcing directly from farmers to trim distributor mark-ups, shorten lead times, and tighten quality control. And third, close the loop on what remains through takeback programs, converting disposal costs into recovered value and reinforcing your brand's sustainability story. Each of these levers can boost margins, cut risk, and demonstrate that what is good for the planet is also just smart business.”

9. Climate resilience starts in communities. Amid rising climate anxiety and a growing epidemic of loneliness, only 26% of Americans report knowing most of their neighbors. Yet, research shows that in natural disasters, it’s neighbors, not first responders, who provide the first line of rescue, shelter, and support. Hyper-local social infrastructure built through everyday trust and familiarity often has more impact on survival and recovery than physical infrastructure. Using the Asset Based Community Development framework, we introduced workshop participants to a practical framework for developing local trust. Building climate resilience can start with hosting a potluck, co-building a free little library or neighborhood pantry, or knocking on a neighbor's door to borrow an ingredient. 

10. Shared data is necessary for effective climate solutions. Radiant Earth is a nonprofit on a mission to increase shared understanding of our world through community-led initiatives that make data easier to access and use. In simple terms, they provide open access to Earth observation and geospatial machine learning tools that help train the models we use to understand and respond to climate change. Their Executive Director, Jed Sundwall’s, talk “Planetary-Scale Data Institutions” reminded us of a recurring theme across our work at iF: open source data is critical. It equips communities to advocate for themselves, lowers barriers to education, and enables broader participation in climate research that builds on past efforts rather than starting from scratch.

If you’re interested in learning more about iF’s work in regenerative design, check out our offerings and work here. You can also download our regenerative design card deck here and sign up for our newsletter here

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