Less Talk, More Action

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action, Joel welcomes Matthew Knoll, Co-founder and CTO of Quilt. Matthew shares Quilt’s mission to accelerate home electrification through innovative, user-friendly heat pump technology. They discuss the shortcomings of traditional HVAC systems, the benefits of ductless mini splits, and how Quilt’s vertically integrated approach improves design, efficiency, and...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action, Joel and Owen welcome author and consultant Alex Kruzel to explore the shifting landscape of corporate sustainability. The conversation covers the challenges of effective messaging, the growing influence of regulation and compliance, and the potential for sustainability to align with national security and economic interests. Alex shares insights from her...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Joel and Owen fly solo as they dive into the evolving landscape of sustainability, discussing Formula 1’s ambitious net zero goals, the debate between real and “fake” net zero, and the growing fatigue around ESG reporting in commercial real estate. They share insights from a recent industry conference, explore the impact of rising energy costs, and consi...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Joel and Owen welcome Aaron Tartakovsky, Co-Founder and CEO of Epic Cleantec, exploring innovative water reuse technologies. Aaron shares how his company transforms building wastewater into valuable resources, recycling water for non-drinking purposes, and even creating beer and whiskey from treated water. The conversation delves into the challenges of w...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Joel and Owen welcome James Ball, Director of the Future Cities Initiative at the National Building Museum. The conversation explores the need for a radical reimagining of urban development, moving beyond individual building approaches to a holistic city-level perspective. James challenges current sustainability narratives, emphasizing the importance of...

Highlights from this week’s conversation include: Josh Dorfman’s Background and Journey (1:14) Solar Corner with Owen: Solar Industry Challenges (2:20) Solar Industry Outlook and “Solar Coaster” (5:11) Tax Credit Phase-Out Timeline (7:27) Josh’s Approach to Climate Solutions (9:56) Food Waste Entrepreneurship Stories (12:33) Supercool Media Brand Structure (15:26) Challenges of Selling to Multifam...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Joel and Owen welcome Becca Timms, Founding Principal at Ultreia Advisory, as they dissect the current state of sustainability and ESG reporting. The conversation explores critical industry challenges, including the over-reliance on complex reporting frameworks and the need for more practical, business-focused approaches to environmental impact. Becca sh...

Highlights from this week’s conversation include: Making a Bet: Building Performance Standards (1:55) Impact of BPS/BIPs on Real Estate Investment (5:02) Wager on BPS/BIPs Enforcement (8:06) Guest Introduction: Thomas Stanchart (9:02) Thomas’s Entry into Stoneweg US & ESG (12:23) Incremental Approach to Sustainability Investments (16:06) Engaging Leadership in ESG (17:45) Reporting vs. Action in E...

Highlights from this week’s conversation include: Positive Trend Segment (1:37) Jack’s Background & C.Scale Mission (4:08) Challenges in Architectural Decision-Making (8:00) Role of Software in Decarbonization (10:13) Jack’s Career Journey (13:08) Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) & Building Design (17:42) Integrating Financial Data & Cost-Carbon Tradeoffs (23:58) Material Choices & Embodied Carbon (26:0...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Joel and Owen welcome sustainability expert and Chief Action Designer at Hello World Labs, Katie Patrick. During the conversation, Katie challenges traditional approaches to environmental action by emphasizing behavior design over education. She discusses innovative strategies for motivating people to engage with sustainability, including gamification, s...

Highlights from this week’s conversation include: Sustainability and Food Access (1:31) Carbon Removal Technology Examples (4:20) Discussion on Carbon Removal (6:14) Scope of Emissions (9:07) Community and Sustainability (11:35) Agricultural Development (15:28) Innovative Housing Models (19:06) Evolving Real Estate Concepts (22:28) Challenges with Impact Investors (23:25)   Entrepreneurship in Rea...

Highlights from this week’s conversation include: Importance of Multidisciplinary Decision-Making (1:30) Provocative Tweets Segment Introduction (2:57) Headlines and Climate Change (5:02) Climate Tech as a Business Opportunity (7:32) Introduction to Akhila’s Work (9:52) Value of Design in Climate Tech (13:17) Adoption Problems in Climate Solutions (18:12) Understanding Climate Events (21:17) Ideal...

Highlights from this week’s conversation include: Skepticism about Software (1:37) Building Energy Performance Standards Explained (2:30) Discussion on Fine Proceeds (5:04) Grocery Store Bag Fee Discussion (9:07) Behavior Change and City Policies (11:11) Introduction to McGee's Work (13:11) Software's Role in Decarbonization (15:15) The Role of Measurement and Verification (19:51) Integrating Data...

Highlights from this week’s conversation include: Focus on Solutions (2:06) Call for Optimism (4:43) Welcoming Panama to the Show (6:26) Panama's Background (10:03) Maintaining Optimism (13:54) Reframing the Conversation (17:09) Chef Insider Program (20:33) Challenges with Gas Competition (23:44) Future of Gas Investments (25:58) Real-World Data on Heat Pumps (27:29) Neighborhood Electrification S...

Highlights from this week’s conversation include: Special segment: Adventures of Joel’s Eco-Friendly House (3:15) What makes Meg a climate rebel? (9:18) The connection between hunting and climate action (13:19) The need to take action in climate change (15:50) Art as a way to communicate climate information (23:36) Why the arts help bring people together (24:53) Bringing nature to people through p...

Highlights from this week’s conversation include: Introduction of Matt and his green building work (0:57) \ Special segment: Zero bullshit (3:21) What makes Matt a climate rebel? (8:30) Staying optimistic in the climate fight (11:13) We have the tools for sustainability (12:38) The need for accessible information and support (18:06) Matt’s early recognition of the climate crisis (21:20) Converting...

Highlights from this week’s conversation include: Drew’s work and impact at Verdical and the Net Zero Conference (1:57) Special Segment: The Trees Won’t Save Us (3:48) What makes Drew a Climate Rebel? (7:25) The importance of convening at climate conferences (13:39) The impact and adaptability of climate startups (20:14) Verdical Group’s founding and journey (21:52) The process and value of becomi...

Highlights from this week’s conversation include: Science corner segment: LK-99 Superconductor (3:18) What makes Nizar a Climate Rebel? (9:50) Nizar’s shift from an oil and gas background to renewable energy (13:16) Bringing partners in oil and gas into a net zero future (19:10) The value of net zero buildings (22:56) The mission and founding of Doomsday Partners (29:13) Agrovoltaic Deployments (3...

Highlights from this week’s conversation include: A Climate of Hope segment (2:15) The confusion of changing buzzwords (10:49) Stay positive in the fight against climate change (12:55) Carbon Accounting and Emission Mitigation (19:52) Trends towards mandatory climate disclosures (20:50) The urgency of action in the climate crisis (29:09) Consistent messaging is important (31:25) The impact of clim...

Highlights from this week’s conversation include: Ben’s background and work at USGBC-LA (2:19) What makes Ben a climate rebel? (6:41) People First Language in Sustainability (10:52) The Mission of U.S. Green Building Council (15:26) The importance of acting locally (19:25) Approaching sustainability differently (20:52) Empowerment through education and training (24:00) Educating homeowners on maki...

Highlights from this week’s conversation include: What to look for in this episode with Chad (1:19) Science Corner: breaking down net zero energy buildings (3:15) How is Chad a climate rebel? (9:26) Chad’s journey with the Surfrider Foundation (12:13) The ocean’s role in fighting the climate crisis (17:08) How grassroots activism can help address climate issues (21:14) The concept of surfionomics...

Highlights from this week’s conversation include: If Climate-Tech were an NBA Legend: Special Segment (2:45) Shanu’s background in the clean energy space (12:57) How is Shanu a climate rebel? (13:59) Living in the gray area of climate transition (15:58) Shanu’s intersection of finance and sustainability (18:08) Investing for impact, growth, and change (23:43) Finding the inflection point for inves...

In this episode of the Climate Rebels Podcast, the crew welcomes Hari Balasubramanian, Managing Partner at EcoAdvisors & Founder at EcoInvestors Capital. During the conversation, Hari shares how working with seahorses in Portugal sparked a desire to work in sustainability and conservation. Since then, Hari has spent over two decades impacting the space and driving change. The group discusses why p...

In this episode of the Climate Rebels Podcast, host Joel Cesare interviews fellow co-host Owen Barrett on the show. During the conversation, Owen shares his journey from living on food stamps to becoming a millionaire with a clean tech real estate idea. Other topics in the conversation include having the “all-in” mindset of a successful entrepreneur, how business is going to solve the environmenta...

Today we are speaking to Brendan Wallace, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Fifth Wall, the largest venture capital firm focused on technologies for the global real estate industry, including those which decarbonize the sector. We discuss everything from real estate’s massive impact and potential to mitigate our carbon footprint to the ways in which a lot of climate activism is theatrical.  Listen...