We don’t talk enough about how much of the environmental movement is powered by unpaid labour. Behind every glossy NGO report or beach cleanup is a workforce that rarely gets mentioned: volunteers, interns and early-career conservationists often working for free.
Conservation is one of the only sectors where passion is expected to be payment. While dedication is admirable, the system it props up is fragile and increasingly unsustainable.
This episode isn’t about blame. It’s about asking a bigger question; what would it look like if we actually invested in the people who protect the planet?
There are signs of what’s possible. In the UK, the Green Recovery Challenge Fund created thousands of green jobs. In the US, AmeriCorps NCCC supports young people to carry out conservation work while covering their basic needs. These examples show it’s not a fantasy, it’s a choice.
If we’re serious about reversing climate collapse and biodiversity loss, we can’t rely on burnout and goodwill alone. We need systems that value people as much as the planet.
The ocean can’t wait for volunteers.
The planet cannot survive on passion alone.
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