Climate Coworking: Asks and Offers Fridays
Climate work can be lonely, especially from a kitchen table in January.
So, twice a month, we pick a local coffee shop and work side by side.
Climate Coworking is a Friday gathering hosted by the Twin Cities Climate Collaborative (TC3) for people already doing climate and sustainability work: remote practitioners, nonprofit staff, public servants, founders, consultants, researchers, volunteers, and people in between roles. Bring your laptop and your to-do list. Leave with real work done and a few more people in your corner.
We alternate mornings (9am–noon) and afternoons (1–4pm), so there's a session that fits most weeks.
→ What you'll get
Focused work, good company. Headphones on when you need them, conversation when you don't.
Asks and offers. A quick, optional round near the start: what you're working on, one thing you need, one thing you can offer.
Connections across sectors. The energy modeler meets the compost entrepreneur. The city planner meets the startup founder. Good things come from that.
Steadiness. A regular place to talk through the hard news with people who get it. The work is heavy right now. And also, there's a table full of people doing it with you.
→ How a session flows (morning times shown; afternoons follow the same rhythm from 1–4pm)
9:00 Arrive, settle in, say hi
9:15 Asks and offers (10 minutes, optional, pass anytime)
9:30–11:45 Work however you like. Hosts make a few introductions along the way.
11:45 Closing round: one thing you got done, or one person you'll follow up with
Noon Head out, or linger a bit
Q&A
Who is this for? Mostly people already working in climate and sustainability, paid or unpaid, full time or in transition. If you're new to climate, a student, or exploring a career change, you're still welcome, and our monthly Climate Onramps evening was made with you in mind.
Who is welcome? Anyone with a deep love for our home planet and a commitment to restoring ecosystem, planetary, and human health.
We each have a personal reason for doing this work: becoming a parent, watching winter disappear, seeing someone we love struggle with climate anxiety. That reason weaves us together, even when we don't say it out loud.
No matter how you identify, where you're from, how you dress, whether you know acronyms like MPCA (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency), or what disabilities you have, you are explicitly invited and welcome.
How much work will I get done? As much as you want. Some people put their headphones on for three hours. Others talk the whole time.
Can I take a meeting? Yep, it happens all the time. Earbuds and a quiet corner are appreciated.
Do I need to buy something? Not required. That said, a coffee or a pastry helps keep these local spots glad to have us.
How did this group get started? Around 2022, Matt Schmitt hosted a few meetups which Laurie McGinley picked up in 2023. In 2024, Laurie and Jon handed the reins to Cam and Rohan. We've met at least monthly ever since.
How will I find the group? Look for one of the hosts, trust your intuition, or just walk up and ask. (We still don't have a better system. Ope, sorry!)
Who's hosting? What is TC3? Coworking is hosted by the Twin Cities Climate Collaborative. TC3 is a grassroots, volunteer-led team that celebrates, educates, and connects the people, resources, and organizations building a regenerative, decarbonized, equitable future in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Learn more about our work.
→ Stay connected between sessions
Follow the TC3 calendar on Luma: luma.com/tc3_msp
Get the monthly TC3 newsletter: tc3msp.org
Browse our directory of Minnesota climate organizations: tc3msp.org
Bring a colleague next time, especially someone from a different corner of the work than yours.
Thank you for helping build a regenerative, decarbonized, equitable, future we all want.