17: Thinking Critically about Unpaid Work

Welcome back to a new season! We're diving right in the deep end, guys.

We know there are organizations that exploit young biologist hopefuls and take advantage of our passion. But there are also some really good ones out there that just legitimately don't have money. It's so easy to bash organizations and say "pay your interns/volunteers better" but not provide solutions about where that money is going to come from.

In this episode, I ask:

What defines an unpaid job (that *should* be paid) versus volunteering altruistically?

Will turning down unpaid work directly help diversity, equity and inclusion in conservation careers?

Is unpaid work necessary to get a job in conservation?

What are some other ways we can look at this problem and - most importantly - find sustainable solutions?!

I also talk about being “cancelled,” listening to other points of view, public shaming, generational differences (where I confuse Gen X and Gen Z, oops), the positives and negatives with nonprofits, and I realize I'm an eco-socialist! How fun!

Resources (there are lots, sry)

Frustrated Conservationists IG: @frustratedconservationists

Animal welfare accounts: @danielle4wildlife @connie.needham @larotravels

Review conservation nonprofits & research orgs here: https://app.novaconservation.com/entity/28815b6b-d569-46dc-b8ce-fc8ba638b8f2

Conservation Nation: https://conservationnation.org/

Vercammen et al paper: https://www.jstor.org/stable/26937306?seq=5

Hidden Brain | Red Brain, Blue Brain https://www.podbean.com/ea/dir-7tjxe-6198c73

In the Grey: Public Shaming: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4l-tJtVzpA

Cozy Robot Show: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cozy-robot-show-formerly-ask-science-mike/id956995247