Restoring Balance Between Our Lives And Our World

Photography of hands touching the soil

Humans have always known how to live sustainably. It’s in our nature. Commons helps us tap into our inner carbon compass. Together, we’re using our spending to shape a sustainable world.

Our Values

Black and white photograph of a boy running on the beach, wiht seagull in the foreground
01.

Radical Optimism

A more abundant, balanced, connected way of living is within reach. Life on Earth is rich.

Dr. Sheridan.Ross at Compton Community Garden
02.

Progress Over Perfection

The most sustainable action is the one you’ll actually take. Every bit of improvement helps.

03.

Trusted Guidance

No shaming. No panic-inducing headlines. Just practical, rigorous guidance to make impactful choices. Always grounded in data.

Photograph of a person handling cherry tomatoes
Cut-out graphic of a tree
Black and white photograph of bicyclists
Photography of a farmers' market
04.

Shared Power

None of us can reverse the climate crisis alone. All of us can do it together. We change the world by changing ourselves and each other.

05.

Live Lighter

The climate crisis is heavy. But we’re inventing lighter ways of living. We create space to be humble and find joy.

Sanchali Pal

From Our Founder

Unleashing Our Carbon Inlfuence

We have less than 10 years to cut global emissions in half. More of us than ever before are concerned about the climate crisis and want to take action to make a difference.

For me, the climate crisis became real when I worked in international development in Ethiopia and India and saw first-hand its devastating effects, especially for poor and vulnerable people. Since moving back to the US, I’ve also seen changing climates disrupt lives at home.

I started tracking my carbon footprint in an excel spreadsheet 10 years ago because I couldn’t find any good tools to help me align my life with the world I wanted to live in. As I built my intuition for the choices that mattered most, I cut my emissions by over 30%. And my life is richer, healthier, and happier because of it.

In the last few years, people like me who shift our behavior have created massive market shifts. Plant-based eating has exploded, bringing down the emissions of our agricultural sector. People demanding greener modes of transit have shut down flight routes.

I founded Commons to help people tap into our collective carbon influence faster and more intentionally. The climate crisis was caused by humans. We’ll reverse it too.

We have less than 10 years to cut global emissions in half. More of us than ever before are concerned about the climate crisis and want to take action to make a difference.

For me, the climate crisis became real when I worked in international development in Ethiopia and India and saw first-hand its devastating effects, especially for poor and vulnerable people. Since moving back to the US, I’ve also  seen changing climates disrupt lives at home.

“We have an intuition for other important metrics in our lives – dollars, calories, steps. Soon we’ll have an intuition for carbon, too.”

I started tracking my carbon footprint in an excel spreadsheet 10 years ago because I couldn’t find any good tools to help me align my life with the world I wanted to live in. As I built my intuition for the choices that mattered most, I cut my emissions by over 30%. And my life is richer, healthier, and happier because of it.

In the last few years, people like me shifting our behaviors have created massive market shifts. Plant-based eating has exploded, bringing down the emissions of our agricultural sector. People demanding greener modes of transit have shut down flight routes.

I founded Commons to help people tap into our collective carbon influence faster and more intentionally. The climate crisis was caused by humans. We’ll reverse it too.

Sanchali Seth Pal
CEO & Founder, Commons
“We have an intuition for other important metrics in our lives – dollars, calories, steps. Soon we’ll have an intuition for carbon, too.”
Shadows of the Commons team
Commons team
Commons team hiking

Common Home, Common Purpose

We're a passionate crew of doers committed to addressing the biggest crisis of our generation. We bring the same commitment to building an incredible workplace.

Want to work with us?  We’d love to get to know you.

View Job Openings   →
Sanchali Pal
CEO & Founder
Practical idealist, strict flexitarian. Seasoned carbon budgeter. Novice secondhand shopper.
Nick Reavill
CTO
Cold water, air drying launderer. Grey water collector. Darner of jumpers and socks.
Kyna Payawal
Design Lead
Nature explorer and urban farmer. Loves hosting intentional earth-centered dinners.
Will Gislason
Software Engineer
Optimist by nature, bicyclist by nurture. Frequenter of trails, patron of gear sales.
Gabrielle Gustilo
Software Engineer
Seeking a better balance by building conscious habits. Yogi, gardener, cat lady, slow traveler.
Madeline Streilein
Software Engineer
Lifelong secondhand shopper. Public transportation evangelist. Future homesteader.
Sonja Johnson-Yu
Data Scientist
Pet chicken enthusiast. Bike commuter. Slow fashion maker. Data devotee.
Sophie Janaskie
Carbon Strategy Manager
Urban park explorer. Enthusiastic secondhand shopper. Carbon data nerd.
Laura Barber
Social Media & Community Manager
Conscious traveller. Lifelong learner. Tropical tree planter. Secondhand shopper.
Zachary Connolly
Data Scientist & Analyst
Mostly never eat meat. Compost enthusiast. If there's a mountain I'd like to climb it.
Kristina Kelhofer
Chief of Staff
Outdoor adventurer, slow traveler, and pantry-chef. Believer in people power.
Carey Brown
Lifecycle Marketing Manager
Food waste fighter. Mountain flyer. Secondhand buyer. Hype woman.
Roxanne Cook
Principal Product Designer
Ethical traveller. Backyard homesteader. Slow craft & DIY enthusiast. Eats mostly plants.
Katelan Cunningham
Content Strategy Lead
Backyard gardener. Novice home composter. Aspiring to eliminate food waste.
Jacob Lowe
Software Engineer
EV enthusiast. Explorer of the earth. Brewer of kombucha. Lover of all things natural.
Andrea Childress
Software Engineer
Food enthusiast. Adventure seeker. Urban gardener and compost lover.
Alex Alhadeff
Lead Product Manager
Zero-waste apprentice. Pre-loved shopper. Aspiring waterwoman and Latin dancer.
Reed Miller
Advisor
Cat enthusiast. Pescatarian biker. Data and board game nerd.
Brydon Gerus
Advisor
Climate Optimist. Only by understanding nature can we understand our own human nature.
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