🌱 Climate DC: May 2026
See the community events happening this month!
DC Climate Week has officially come and gone, and honestly, we need a minute to recover. It was a whirlwind of good conversations, new connections, and more panels than any one person should attend in a week. We loved every second of it. Shoutout to C’pher Gresham and Chess Jakobs for capturing the week so well. Their LinkedIn recaps say it better than we can.
Also, thank you to everyone who joined us at Sycamore and Oak for our Earth Day celebration! The event brought together residents, volunteers, business leaders, and policymakers for an evening of music, a DMV sustainability showcase, and inspiring speakers including to celebrate local climate action and close out Earth Day in style.
Before you fully decompress from Climate Week, we have one more thing to put on your calendar. On May 17 at 10am, we’re taking everyone outside for a Spring Hike in Rock Creek Park. Come enjoy the trails, some fresh air, and good conversation with fellow climate folks. We’ll wrap up with coffee and pastries at Rose Ave Bakery.
🌍 Climate Headlines
Closer to Home: How DC’s Suburbs Are Getting It Done
While federal climate leadership continues to shrink, two DMV mayors are showing what’s possible at the local level. Takoma Park Mayor Talisha Searcy and Dumfries Mayor Derrick Wood shared their strategies at a DC Climate Week panel, from retrofitting multifamily buildings and electrifying city fleets to securing federal funds by carefully reframing project language to align with shifting federal priorities. The contrast between the two cities makes the story compelling: Takoma Park has environmental activism embedded in its identity, while Dumfries is working to recover from what its mayor called “climate illiteracy” including literally closing a landfill that earned the town the nickname “Dumpfries” and turning it into a resort and public park. Two very different starting points, one shared direction.
Community question: Local action is clearly moving, but what’s one thing you wish your city or county was doing that it isn’t yet?
🐌 Slow Food DC: Snail of Approval 2026 Winners
Slow Food DC just dropped their annual Snail of Approval list! It’s a curated guide to restaurants and stores across the DMV that prioritize local, seasonal, and sustainable food sourcing. If you’re looking for places where your dollars go a little further toward good, sustainable, fair food, this is a great place to start.
📅 Events This Month
This month seems a bit quiet on networking events since we packed them all into DCCW!
📆 Sunday, May 17 Climate DC: Spring Hike!
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Meet outside Woodley Park Metro | Washington, DC
Join Climate DC for a spring hike through Rock Creek Park! Meet at the Woodley Park Metro at 10 am and we’ll head to the trails together, finishing the morning over coffee and pastries at Rose Ave Bakery. A great chance to enjoy the city’s green space and connect with fellow climate enthusiasts in a more relaxed setting.
📆 May 1 | First Friday: River & Reuse
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Community Forklift | 4671 Tanglewood Dr, Hyattsville, MD
Still need plans for this evening? You can kick off May at this reuse warehouse with live music, food trucks, and community groups celebrating the Anacostia River. Free and open to all; food and drinks available for purchase (21+ for drinks).
📆 Monday, May 4 DC Green Budget Day of Action
8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC
Organized by the Sierra Club DC Chapter, this day of action is calling on the DC Council to protect the city’s green budget commitments. After a morning press conference, attendees will meet with Councilmembers, sit in on committee hearings, and take action to defend DC’s funding for environmental health, affordable energy, public transit, and climate programs. If you care about keeping DC’s local climate investments intact, this one is worth showing up for.
📆 May 7 | Go Solar, TkPk!
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
City Auditorium | 7500 Maple Ave, Takoma Park
Join Takoma Park’s annual solar event for residents, renters, and property owners. Learn about rooftop and community solar options, ask experts your questions, and find out how to cut your energy bills and carbon footprint.
📆 May 9 Climate Reality Local Training Event
Half-day | Morning
Washington, DC (address shared upon registration)
Join a fast-paced, half-day leadership training from the Climate Reality Project. Get up to speed on climate science and solutions — including an update from Al Gore — explore local opportunities for action, and connect with fellow advocates in your area. Completing this training is also the first step toward joining the Climate Reality Leadership Corps.
📆 May 9 | Tour de DCPL XVII
Check-in: 10:00 AM | Ride starts: 10:30 AM Start: Parklands-Turner Library | End: Southwest Library
Did you know it’s National Bike Month? Well, DCPL is celebrating with a free community bike ride hitting four DC library branches, the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, and a stretch of the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail. About 7 miles with a couple of hills. Beginners welcome. Ages 13+. No one gets left behind!
📆 May 12 | Meet the Pods: Energy & Climate
4:45 PM – 7:30 PM
MLK Library | Washington, DC
Take an inside look at “the Pods” which are small Upskiller communities working on thematic climate and energy problems. Come hear their research, share your expertise, and catch the pre-event workshop (open to all). A great one if you want to go deeper than small talk.
Thanks for being part of this community. After a big April, May feels like a chance to breathe, stay curious, and keep showing up.
See you out there,
Caroline Linne + The Climate DC Team
💼 Climate Jobs Board
🏛️ DMV-based
Senior Accountant - Maryland Clean Energy Center
Associate, Corporate Development - Capital Power
Vice President, Government Affairs - National Parks Conservation Association
Communications Manager - Southeastern Wind Coalition
Climate Portfolio Manager - Amalgamated Bank
Multiple Roles - NRDC
Multiple Roles - Bezos Earth Fund
Multiple Roles - Oceana
Multiple Roles - World Resources Institute
Multiple Roles - Audubon Society
Multiple Roles - 3E
Multiple Roles - Conservation International
Multiple Roles - Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
💻 Remote
Technical Support Associate, HVAC/R - Budderfly
Certification Associate - U.S. Green Building Council
Sustainability Analyst - EnerSys
Senior Associate, National Partnerships - National Power
New Buildings Energy Performance Consultant - Resource Innovations
Capital Markets Associate - NautilusSolar
Digital Designer - Tradewater
GHG Quantification Specialist - Terra Global Capital
Research Manager - Rewiring America
Multiple Roles - Energy Hub
Other Opportunities
Multiple Roles - NJ Board of Public Utilities