One of the most powerful tools in the fight against climate change is the money sitting in investment portfolios. The trillions of dollars of investor capital in these portfolios could fund climate solutions or keep fueling the crisis. But it’s not just companies that can have an impact — individual investors can create change, too.

More than half of U.S. households have a dedicated retirement account, like a 401(k) or IRA, and those accounts hold a lot of invisible power. “It turns out that moving your investments to a climate-friendly investment option is the single most impactful thing that the average American can do for climate change,” said Alex Wright-Gladstein, founder and CEO of Sphere, which offers a fossil fuel-free index fund. “It's more impactful than the combination of going vegan, never flying again, driving an electric car, putting solar on your house.” 

Wright-Gladstein created the Sphere 500 Climate Fund to give individual investors a greener alternative. It’s made up of the top 500 companies in the U.S. by market value, minus fossil fuel companies. The company also uses its shareholder voice to push for change at the companies it does invest in, voting its shares in favor of climate-friendly proposals. 

But how can you find out how “green” your own retirement plan is? Sphere offers an online tool where you can look up your own workplace plan. To compare individual mutual funds and ETFs, check out the website fossilfreefunds.org, created by the nonprofit shareholder advocacy group As You Sow. 

This is an excerpt from the latest season of How We Survive. Listen to the full episode here.