October Outlook: Climate Fellowship and Ways to Participate in Citizen Science

Greetings Friends and Family!

I hope everyone had an activity-filled yet restful summer. I can’t believe we’re already diving into the fall season! Looking back on an amazing summer, I think I wore shorts nearly every day, except for those rare few I can count on one hand!

I'm especially excited about this month's issue for a couple of reasons. First, I officially entered my 4th decade of life—yes, I turned 40 last month! While it's still a little hard to process, I’m encouraged by the thought that I’m just getting started!

Second, I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve begun my fellowship with Climatebase as part of cohort #6! So far, I’ve delved into topics like Energy Consumption, Transportation, and so much more! On top of that, I’ve kicked off a Capstone Project, an independent research project where I’ll be exploring the technical capabilities of citizen science platforms like eBird and iNaturalist to drive real conservation changes.

So without further ado, let’s get going!

Shameless Plug: Birdsy

As someone who does not yet have any sponsors for this newsletter, this month's issue is (unofficially) brought to you by Birdsy. While product managers work hard to focus on building sustainable solutions and ultimately “go green”, Birdsy offers a fun way to relax and enjoy birds.

But there’s more to it than just fun—Birdsy uses the latest AI capabilities to capture wildlife, particularly birds. Its purpose is to connect people more deeply with nature by leveraging state-of-the-art technology. The closer we get to our animal neighbors, the more engaged we become in caring for the environment.

Learn more about how you can enjoy Birdsy and learn about birds here: Birdsy.com

And if anyone at Birdsy is reading this—give a big fan of yours a shoutout!

🌱Sustainability Corner: Leveraging Citizen Science in Product Management

As sustainability-focused product managers, we're always looking for ways to create a meaningful impact. This month, let’s explore how to integrate citizen science initiatives—particularly birdwatching—into product development and sustainability strategies.

Case Study: Project FeederWatch

Project FeederWatch turns the simple act of feeding birds into valuable scientific discoveries, encouraging people to contribute to citizen science from the comfort of their homes.

Key Takeaways:

1. Data-Driven Decisions: Just as product managers rely on data analytics, participating in large-scale bird tracking provides essential data for research.

2. Engaging Users Creatively: Product managers can engage users in creative and collaborative ways that mobilize them to contribute to initiatives bigger than themselves.

3. Scalable Solutions for Biodiversity: Widespread participation in citizen science can help institutions scale up their suite of solutions—just as product management aims to create scalable technologies.

📋Productivity Tip: The 5 Most Important Words You Need to Hear

This month’s productivity tip is simple yet incredibly effective: Think about why you have meetings in the first place. It’s not just a time for people to come together and share their thoughts. While that is important, the true value of these times are your intended outcomes.

That being said, here are the 5 most important words you should ask yourself and your team at the end of every meeting:

“WHO WILL DO WHAT WHEN?”

It seems basic, but you'd be surprised how many meetings end without clear action steps or accountability. While you don’t need to go around the room asking each person this directly, ensuring clear documentation of action items and timelines will make a huge difference.

Give it a try—I promise you won’t regret it.

Resource(s) of the Month

1. Book Recommendation: "Something in the Woods Loves You" by Jarod K. Anderson. A heartwarming read about a man’s journey with mental illness and how nature played a crucial role in his healing.

2. Podcast Episode: "Random Birds with Ted Floyd" by the American Birding Podcast. A super interesting and fun listen about—yep—random birds! Using a random number generator, the hosts pick birds from North America and tell fascinating stories about each one!

Screenshot of the Week!

In lieu of the very scary hurricane season currently happening down in the SE US, I came across this wild graphic that shows how truly important tracking migrating bird populations is especially during an extreme weather events:

Shoutout to @featherfriendly 

Your Feedback Matters!

I truly appreciate all your feedback—it’s just me running the show right now, and I read every single message. I’d love to hear how this newsletter has impacted your work or personal life! Please share your thoughts below

Stay inspired and grounded,

Patrick 🫡

About Feather Frameworks

Feather Frameworks, led by Patrick Meeker, is a consultancy deeply committed to harnessing the power of technology to meet people at the intersection of mindfulness, sustainability, and innovation.