Less Talk, More Action

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Joel and Owen welcome sustainability leader Anthony Guerrero to explore the challenges and opportunities in green building and urban housing. Anthony serves as the COO of Mindful MATERIALS and is the Founder of Sustainaprise. The conversation covers converting vacant office buildings into affordable residential spaces, navigating complex building regulat...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Joel and Owen welcome reflect on a transformative year in clean energy and real estate, discussing the ups and downs of the solar industry, the effects of policy shifts like the Inflation Reduction Act, and the current landscape for building decarbonization. The conversation highlights the challenges of stalled funding, the need for ambitious yet practic...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , it’s a solo episode as Joel challenges conventional climate narratives by exploring why fear-based messaging may backfire and proposing bold alternatives to build real impact. Drawing from recent debates and his own industry experience, he critiques overemphasis on carbon metrics and argues for redirecting climate funding into tangible efforts like affor...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Joel and Owen are joined by AI and sustainability pioneer Kevin Surace. The conversation dives into how AI is transforming solar energy projects, building efficiency, and the broader challenges of sustainability, from retrofitting icons like the Empire State Building to overcoming market barriers and upfront costs. Listeners will gain key insights on lev...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Ben Christensen, Founder and CEO of Cambium Carbon, joins Joel and Owen to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and how Cambium is redefining waste and climate solutions. The conversation explores innovative business strategies like the “Blue Ocean Strategy,” the company’s impact turning urban wood waste into valuable, sustainable products, and the challe...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Joel and Owen welcome Kyle Hendricks, VP and Head of Sustainability at Equity Residential. The conversation explores how Equity Residential has outpaced its energy intensity reduction goals by empowering employees and integrating sustainability into its core business strategy. Key topics include the challenges of achieving measurable results in decarboni...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Joel and Owen welcome Anneli Tostar, Co-founder and CEO of Tangible, for a candid discussion on revolutionizing the built environment. They dive into Anneli’s entrepreneurial journey, why tackling embodied carbon matters, and how technology, especially AI, can help make construction more efficient and sustainable. The conversation also critiques the obse...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Joel and Owen welcome Shreyas Sudhakar, Founder and CEO of Vayu, about his fascinating journey from rocket science at SpaceX to driving home electrification through heat pump installation in California. The conversation covers the technical and economic benefits of heat pumps, the challenges of market adoption, policy incentives, and the need for quality...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action, Joel and Owen sit down with Norman Crowley, Founder of CoolPlanet, to discuss bold new strategies for industrial decarbonization and the real-world impact of climate entrepreneurship. The conversation covers Norman’s journey from founding tech companies to leading a global sustainability business, future predictions on the evolution of Net Zero and ESG co...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , David Goldstein, founder of Hydronic Shell Technologies, joins Joel and Owen to discuss the urgent challenge of decarbonizing existing buildings, particularly old, multi-family structures in New York City. The conversation addresses the technical and economic challenges of retrofitting occupied buildings, innovative solutions featuring exterior facade-in...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Miles Haladay, COO of Concrete Transition Capital, joins Joel and Owen to discuss the environmental challenges and opportunities of decarbonizing the concrete industry. The conversation covers the massive global impact of concrete, innovative technologies for low-carbon production, the crucial role of finance and data, and the accelerating influence of A...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Julia Pyper, Vice President of Public Affairs at GoodLeap and host of the Political Climate podcast, joins Joel and Owen to discuss the state of clean energy and sustainability. The conversation covers personal and systemic challenges to making homes more sustainable, the complexity of rebates and incentives, and the role of technology—especially virtual...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Joel Cesare and Owen Barrett dive into the challenges and future direction of the climate movement, questioning whether current efforts are truly effective or in need of a major rebrand. They discuss the disconnect between climate initiatives and everyday concerns, the potential impact of redirecting resources toward issues like affordable housing and re...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Andrew Jones, Founder of Carba, joins Joel and Owen to explore the science, business, and challenges of large-scale carbon removal. The conversation covers the role of biochar in sequestering carbon, the importance of both decarbonization and carbon removal for climate solutions, and the myths and skepticism surrounding the industry. Andrew also shares i...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , climate leader and author Auden Schendler joins Joel and Owen to discuss the shortcomings of the current environmental movement and the urgent need for systemic, policy-driven solutions to climate change. The conversation explores why individual and corporate sustainability efforts often fall short, the importance of building powerful movements, and the...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , award-winning climate tech journalist and entrepreneur Sherrell Dorsey joins Joel to explore how authentic storytelling, innovation, and optimism can drive real progress in sustainability. They discuss the importance of making environmental action accessible and inspiring, the challenges and opportunities in climate tech, and the need for practical, incl...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Joel and Owen welcome Chris Pyke, Chief Innovation Officer at GRESB. Chris discusses the evolution of sustainability reporting in real estate, the challenges of balancing action with transparency, and the future of ESG standards. The conversation also explores the intent behind GRESB, the need to streamline reporting processes, and the importance of tran...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Joel and Owen are joined by clean energy leader Jigar Shah to discuss the evolution and future of sustainability, clean tech, and decarbonization. The conversation covers the importance of affordability and execution in clean energy solutions, the challenges and opportunities in distributed energy and grid flexibility, and the need for industry transpare...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Joel and Owen are joined by Raz Godelnik, Associate Professor of Strategic Design and Management at Parsons School of Design and author of "Rethinking Corporate Sustainability in the Era of Climate Crisis." Raz discusses why current ESG and sustainability efforts are falling short. The conversation explores the need to move beyond incremental change and...

In this episode of Less Talk, More Action , Joel and Owen welcome Gus Bartholomew, Co-Founder of Leafr. Gus discusses the pressing need for action over excessive reporting in the sustainability sector. The conversation also explores the pitfalls of audit fatigue, the importance of building lean, impact-focused sustainability teams, and the value of bringing in specialized expertise at the right ti...

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...