Climate Swings

Dive into the wild ride that is the professional journey of Ross Kenyon—from disillusioned philosophy PhD dropout to Hollywood screenwriter to accidental climate entrepreneur. As co-founder of Nori, a pioneering carbon removal marketplace, Ross shattered the stuffy climate-tech mold with his irreverent approach and razor-sharp wit. He’s harnessed humor through viral carbon removal memes and built...

How can creative storytelling become a powerful force for climate action and sustainability? Birgitte Rasine is a writer, documentary filmmaker, and founder of LUCITÀ, a marketing and communications agency focused on sustainability. Having escaped Communist Czechoslovakia with her parents at age 10, Birgitte's journey has been one of constant reinvention—from Hollywood filmmaker holding sticks for...

How can a sustainability consultant bridge the gap between corporate bottom lines and climate action? In this episode of Climate Swings, Jonathan Taylor shares his fascinating journey from political science major writing about hybrid cars to renewable energy developer, utility specialist, head of sustainability strategy at Gap Inc, and up to his current role as global sustainability director at co...

Join me for a riveting conversation with Dr. Lisa Micheli , a wildfire resilience expert who traded water science for fire prevention when climate change chose her path! From managing a 3,200-acre preserve in Northern California and helping it recover from devastating fires to pioneering AI-powered wildfire prediction, Lisa shares crucial insights about living with fire in a warming world. In this...

What does a cognitive scientist's journey into climate tech reveal about the intersection of human behavior and environmental action? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Pooja Paul , a former academic who traded her research into human cognition for a mission to make climate action fun and accessible. From watching Captain Planet as a child in India to founding Habitable Earth , a startup creatin...

Few people understand the green shift taking place in the corporate world better than Joel Makower . Joel is co-founder and chairman of Trellis Group , formerly known as GreenBiz, a news, content, and events company sitting at the intersection of business, technology, and sustainability. His decades of experience in this space have been marked by a number of unexpected swings, from his beginnings...

How can and should the mainstream media cover climate change? My guest today is Peter Prengaman , global climate and environmental news director at the Associated Press . In today's fractured and fast-changing news landscape, climate is usually the top story only during times of extreme weather. But its role in our lives is so fundamental, media organizations have no choice but to make more space...

In climate, sometimes we want to take a soft approach, and sometimes we want to "bang people’s heads together". Such is the mission of Jess Brown , my guest on today’s episode. Jess is the co-founder and partner at The Action Exchange , a Sydney-based consultancy that helps its clients engage and deepen relationships with institutional customers, investors, and other critical stakeholders on a var...

How do you tell the story of the energy transition to audiences tired of the same old messages? On today’s episode, I’m speaking with Mel Adamson . Mel is the founder of climate-tech marketing firm Alder & Co . Mel and I discuss the evolving role of climate change in energy marketing, the importance of brand values, and where marketing fits in the climate-tech sector more broadly. Mel emphasizes t...

How do you build a climate career centered on bringing people together? Host Michael Gold interviews Susan Kish , a seasoned climate consultant and former banker, about her journey into the climate sector. Susan shares her experiences in establishing impactful climate events, the evolution of clean-tech investment, and the importance of in-person gatherings in driving change. She discusses the set...

How do you talk to local communities about climate and the work needed to make change? Host Michael Gold speaks with Jennifer Diggins , vice president of public affairs at 8 Rivers , who shares her journey from Capitol Hill to the private sector, discussing her experiences in the steel industry, lithium sector, and climate deep-tech. She emphasizes the importance of community engagement in climate...

In this episode of Climate Swings, host Michael Gold speaks with Angel Hsu , an associate professor of public policy at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. They discuss Angel's journey into climate science, her academic path, and the importance of data in evaluating climate policies. The conversation explores the evolution of climate-change awareness, the role of sub-national government...

What is Climate Swings? Hosted by Michael Gold , it focuses on the professional evolution of individuals in the climate sector. In this intro episode, I share my personal journey from journalism to climate advocacy, inspired by the concept of Tarzan Economics , which emphasizes the need for individuals to "swing" their careers in response to the climate crisis. The podcast aims to inspire listener...