Hey Change Podcast

“Every culture is sustained by the stories it repeats. Every institution is reinforced by the stories it rewards.” Our guest today has spent two decades at the front lines of that realization — tracking how narrative doesn't just reflect our world, but actively constructs our power, our policy, and our future. Melissa Jun Rowley is an award-winning journalist, activist, and a true veteran of the i...

This week, we're sharing one of our favorite interviews from 2025! Anne Therese's conversation with neuroscientist Norman Farb is a great summer reset to help us tap into our inner wisdoms, reawaken our senses, and become enablers of positive change. Enjoy! What if our obsession with certainty is actually making us more stressed? And most importantly, less open to real change?  In this episod...

What if we started to show up with new narratives? Ones that are rooted in nurturing and hope, instead of apathy and fear? Could our impact grow, and if so, how? Sophia Li is an award-winning journalist and Earthshot Prize correspondent who is quite literally rewriting the script of our future. From navigating the highest levels of fashion at Vogue to the front lines of the climate crisis as a UN...

The courage to pause at the peak with Mara Hoffman & Dana Davis! What does it take to walk away from momentum at its peak? In fashion, the relentless pressure to produce more—more collections, more shows, more growth—is treated as gospel. This episode challenges that assumption at its core. In 2024, Mara Hoffman—who spent over two decades building her namesake label from hand-dyeing pieces in...

What if AI could actually help save the planet? We're flipping the script on the doom-and-gloom AI narrative! In this episode, Anne Therese sits down with Sinead Bovell — strategic futurist, Vogue's "AI Educator for Non-Nerds," and one of the most trusted voices in tech today — fresh off an appearance on Oprah to talk about hope in an AI world. From the energy paradox to the rise of Small Language...

What does it mean to restore our relationship with the Earth — not just protect it, but belong to it again? In this episode, Anne sits down with Dax Dasilva, entrepreneur, environmentalist, and author of Echoes from Eden , for a powerful conversation about restoration, belonging, and what it takes to build a livable future. Drawing from his journeys through the Amazon, the Congo, and Haiti, Dax sh...

Why is it that nature and climate change have become such difficult topics to talk about, especially with people with different political viewpoints than us? Why is climate change so politicized, and how can we come back to the fact that we all, truly, deep inside, care about the same things?  That is the guiding mission behind Nature Is Nonpartisan , a new nonprofit working to restore conser...

In this special episode, Anne Therese brings back two of the most impactful conversations from the Hey Change archives — featuring Mike Veny, mental health speaker and advocate, and Jack Adam Webber, author of Climate Cure . As the days get darker and we naturally turn inward, this episode invites listeners to explore the often-overlooked emotional dimension of climate work. Anne reflects on how f...

What does it really mean to practice optimism in the face of the climate crisis? In this episode, I break down my signature Climate Optimist Venn Diagram — a simple yet powerful framework built on three essential pillars: inner development, taking action, and community. You’ll learn how optimism isn’t an attitude you simply choose — it’s something you grow through daily practice. I'll share how em...

Today’s episode is such a special one. I’m joined by James Godfrey-Faussett , a restoration ecologist and founder of the Healing Earth Project , who has spent over two decades bringing degraded land back to life — from city forests to desert landscapes. James shares what he’s learned from observing nature: that restoration doesn’t have to be complicated, that the Earth already knows how to heal if...

Today, I’m bringing back one of my all-time favorite episodes from the archives of Hey Change . This conversation is between my former co-host Robin and me, along with Katharine Hayhoe , an atmospheric scientist, communicator, and one of the most inspiring voices in the climate space. Even though we recorded this a few years ago, the wisdom and hope Katharine shares feel just as relevant — maybe e...

How do we navigate climate anxiety in the classroom? This episode is a special one, and one that feels close to my heart since I struggled with climate anxiety for such a big part of my youth. Pr.. Angus, a geography teacher in the UK, reached out a while back and asked if we could please have a chat, since he kept getting questions from his students about climate change, and especially how to nav...

Is it OK to laugh about serious issues? If so, what role does humor play in our important work for climate justice? Let’s talk about it! Today I’m joined by Tom Toro — a celebrated cartoonist whose work has appeared over 200 times in The New Yorker and who is best known for the now-iconic climate cartoon that says, ‘Yes, the planet got destroyed, but for a beautiful moment in time we created a lot...

Anne Therese talks with Sally Fouts, Global Lead for The Climate Pledge at Amazon, about how businesses can accelerate climate action together. They discuss the origins of the pledge, why collaboration is crucial, the risk of “greenhushing,” and how progress — not perfection — drives change. Plus, Sally shares the story of Climate Pledge Arena and how it’s reimagining what sustainable experiences...

What if the stories we tell about climate change are keeping us stuck in fear — instead of moving us into action? In this solo episode, I dive into three narrative shifts that can help us move from overwhelm to opportunity, from minimizing ourselves to maximizing our impact, and from trying to "save the world" to building something better. Whether you're a seasoned changemaker or just waking up to...

Do you ever feel the need to go really deep with someone and throw at them life’s biggest, most thought-provoking questions? That’s how I felt when preparing my interview with Darin Olien. And let me tell you - I didn’t hold back! In this episode, we talk about the root cause of so much of today’s chaos and how the path to healing starts by coming back to ourselves. We explore why joy is a radical...

In this episode, I sit down with the creators of Positive Polar, a love-passion-science project inviting you to directly participating in restoring our oceans. The mission? Biochemically mimic whales to restore marine ecosystems, sequester carbon, and turn tourism into a force for regeneration. Jenn Bonilla, the President of Positive Pola, brings a PhD from Princeton, Stanford training, and deep e...

What if the most powerful tool we have in facing climate collapse… is refusing to give up? In this episode, I talk with Alan Weisman, journalist and bestselling author of The World Without Us , about his new book Hope Dies Last . We explore stories of stubborn climate optimism from around the world, breakthroughs in energy and food, and why the future is still worth fighting for—even when the odds...

What if the solution to single-use waste wasn’t more effort, but better design? In today’s episode, I sit down with Mac Sellars from r. World , an award-winning company transforming concerts and sports venues by making the sustainable choice the easiest one. It’s a story of climate optimism, systems change, and the power of rethinking not just what we do, but how we do it. Together, we get into so...

A new climate change denial is spreading, and yes, we need to talk about it. So in this episode, I sit down with journalist Samantha Harrington to unpack how climate misinformation is evolving. It’s no longer about denying climate change. Instead, it claims that the solutions don’t work, that clean energy is dangerous, or that the entire climate movement is a form of government control.  We b...

What does it look like to embrace optimism when forces around you want you to feel overwhelmed, defeated, and in despair? What is climate optimism, and how do we not mistake it for toxic positivity? And what does a healthy relationship to climate grief actually look like? In this bonus episode that was originally shared on Climify Podcast , Eric Benson and I have a deeply human and heart-forward c...

In this conversation, Anne Therese Gennari and guest Charlie Sellars explore the journey of sustainability, emphasizing that every job can contribute to climate action. They discuss the importance of maximizing opportunities in sustainability rather than focusing solely on minimizing negative impacts. The dialogue highlights the need for narrative shifts in climate action and the significance of e...

What are eco-emotions and how are they affecting our everyday lives? What role do they play in our ability to – and desire to – make a difference? And how do we overcome these mental barriers that are keeping us paralyzed and stuck in place? Seeking answers to these questions could be one of the most important topics of our times. Not just for the individual, but also for the world, as it’s a crit...

What does it mean to use your anger for good? Today's guest Mike Veny hasn't just learned to deal with his anger, he actively challenges it to better his work and do good in the world! As a mental health expert, advocate, and professional speaker, Mike tours the country helping companies and their employees revive the gifts of mental wellness. We brought him on the Hey Change Podcast to talk about...

Can climate grief and anger be catalysts for transformational healing? Is there such a thing as healthy denial? And how can we learn to work with our emotions in a way where our hearts break open and use that to serve ourselves, others, and the world? Those are only a few of the things we get into in our beautiful conversation with Jack! In this episode: How to pay attention to our fear, anger, an...