A climate-focused startup fostering community is drawing tech workers who are feeling anxious about the planet’s environmental trajectory and eager to collectively engage in positive activism.

“Tech is this perfect industry where there’s a lot of resources, a lot of power, and a lot of good intentions,” said Nivi Achanta. “And people don’t always know where to put those good intentions.”

Achanta is the founder and CEO of the Soapbox Project, a nonprofit bringing people together over climate anxiety. On Jan. 7, the organization is hosting a launch party that kicks off the first of its Tuesday meetups to be held at Slip Gallery in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood.

Soapbox also sends a weekly email dubbed the “changeletter” — rather than “newsletter” — that includes “bite-sized climate actions” that people can take. The group offers online resources for organizing events and learning more about climate issues and solutions. The messaging takes an upbeat tone.

Achanta launched Soapbox five years ago after being laid off from Accenture and the group has largely drawn tech workers. But she emphasizes that it’s open to everyone and she’s partnering with different organizations to attract participants from other sectors such as the arts and food industries.

Soapbox is getting traction in tech for multiple reasons, Achanta said. Many employees are still doing remote or hybrid work and many are new to the region with limited social circles, so they’re lonely and looking for community.

The climate crisis can also feel overwhelming and hopeless, driving people to find support with similarly concerned individuals.

And the surging use of energy-intensive artificial intelligence is creating increased angst for some tech workers.

“Most people go into tech with a sense of optimism about the world and making it better and using technology to improve lives,” Achanta said. “And I think there’s a disillusionment from a lot of people when they realize that’s not always what is happening.”

Tech giants such as Amazon and Microsoft are touting their sustainability efforts and climate tech investments while simultaneously erecting power-hungry data centers at a breakneck speed. New sources of clean energy can’t come online fast enough to support the growth, leading to continued use of fossil-fueled power.

Some workers also worry about the use of AI tools to promote oil and gas production. Two former Microsoft employees spearheaded a shareholders’ proposal regarding the issue, which was defeated in a December vote.

Seattle, which has a reputation for being socially chilly, is home to multiple community-building initiatives in the business and climate spaces. The recently created U.S. Chamber of Connection is using Seattle as its pilot city in an effort to help new residents connect. This summer 9Zero launched a climate-focused co-working and event space in the city.

Achanta said that while community response has been really favorable, financing the effort is tough.

Soapbox offers memberships that include access to in-person events, exclusive online resources and a book club. The memberships are available on a sliding scale based on ability to pay and cost between $99 to $450 per year. Weekly events are also priced according to pay-what-you-can. The group recently landed three grants after securing nonprofit status.

Kayla Hidayat is Soapbox’s climate action content manager.

Soapbox is also hosting occasional in-person events in New York City and hopes to do the same in tech hubs such as the San Francisco Bay area, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

Achanta looks forward to having a dedicated space in Seattle for weekly meetups.

“I’m hoping that people realize the power that they have when they are able to come together on a consistent basis with like-minded people,” she said.