Joel Cesare & Owen Barrett
Less Talk, More Action
The nexus of business, policy, and sustainability is more divided than ever, but Less Talk, More Action is here to cut through the noise. Hosted by clean energy experts Joel Cesare and Owen Barrett, this podcast dives into the front lines of decarbonization, net-zero real estate, and entrepreneurship. Each episode features bold questions, real solutions, and stories from leaders in science, tech, and business who are taking action to make the world a better place. Join us as we move beyond talk and work toward a cleaner, net-zero future.
Author
Joel Cesare & Owen Barrett
Category
Podcast website
Latest episode
Jul 8, 2026
Where to listen?
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Episodes
The Supercool Way: Solving Climate Challenges with Profit and Purpose 09.07.2025 49:39
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...
Dollars and Sense: Making Sustainability Business-Friendly with Becca Timms of Ultreia Advisory 02.07.2025 48:39
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...
ESG Unplugged: Practical Sustainability in Multifamily Real Estate with Thomas Stanchak 25.06.2025 51:02
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...
Bits That Move Atoms: Scaling Sustainable Design with C.Scale 18.06.2025 44:31
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...
Sustainability as Art: Designing Action, Not Just Awareness 11.06.2025 55:37
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...
Growing Together: The Future of Regenerative Neighborhoods 04.06.2025 50:06
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...
Beyond the Buzzwords: Practical Solutions in Sustainability 28.05.2025 46:05
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...
Maybe Software Can Help Decarbonize Buildings 21.05.2025 54:15
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...
We Are Winning the Building Decarbonization Fight 14.05.2025 48:06
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...
The Intersection of Art and Science in Creating Lasting Change Featuring Sustainability Strategist, Educator, and Photographer, Meg Haywood Sullivan 06.09.2023 51:03
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...
Balancing Impatience and Optimism with Action, Featuring Founder of THRIVE Collaborative & Founder/CEO of FEW Nexus & FEW Energy, Matt Grocoff 30.08.2023 48:17
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...
Convening to Exchange Ideas and Solutions for Climate Change Featuring Net Zero Conference Founder and CEO of Verdical Group, Drew Shula 23.08.2023 53:16
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...
Creating Partners, Not Enemies in the Climate Fight, Featuring Founder and Managing Partner of Doomsday Partners, Nizar Delbani 16.08.2023 49:53
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...
Hope in the Fight for Sustainability Featuring the Climate Rebel Podcast Hosts Joel Cesare and Owen Barrett 09.08.2023 39:42
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...
It’s Time to Dig In Featuring U.S. Green Building Council - Los Angeles' Executive Director, Ben Stapleton 02.08.2023 54:31
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...
How Surfing Can Save the Planet with Surfrider Foundation CEO, Chad Nelsen 26.07.2023 56:34
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...
Finding the Inflection Point in Clean-Energy Investing for Long-Term Growth with SVP and Portfolio Manager at Lazard Asset Management, Shanu Mathew 21.07.2023 56:46
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...
Protecting Nature’s Place in the Global Economy with Managing Partner at EcoAdvisors & Founder at EcoInvestors Capital, Hari Balasubramanian 12.07.2023 52:52
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...
From Food Stamps to Seven-Figure Success with Founder and President of Rayven, Owen Barrett 05.07.2023 57:40
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...
Investing in Real Estate Strategically and Sustainably with the Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Fifth Wall, Brendan Wallace 28.06.2023 42:16
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...
The Importance of Electrifying our Homes Now with CEO and Co-founder of Rewiring America, Ari Matusiak 21.06.2023 44:09
Today we are speaking to Ari Matusiak, distinguished leader and social entrepreneur, leading the charge in promoting home electrification, confronting climate change, and tackling economic inequality. He’s the CEO and co-founder of Rewiring America, the market leading organization focused on electrifying everything in our homes, businesses and communities. We discuss what it means to electrify our...
Protecting What You Love with Executive Director of Building Transparency, Stacy Smedley 14.06.2023 36:57
Today we are speaking to Stacy Smedley, the Executive Director of Building Transparency, a nonprofit organization that is focused on making information and tools easily available to help the building industry quickly and effectively address the impact of embodied carbon’s role on climate change. We discuss Stacy’s “Impact Junkie” mentality, her heart wrenching origin story that kickstarted her car...
Changing our Relationship with Carbon with VP of Sustainability for the Americas at Interface, Lisa Conway 07.06.2023 40:55
Today we are speaking to Lisa Conway, VP of Sustainability for the Americas at Interface – the global flooring manufacturer that is changing the game with their carbon storing flooring. She is passionate about bringing awareness to the interconnectedness of environmental sustainability and human health. We chat about flipping the carbon narrative and the value in becoming a “carbon lover.” Lisa g...
The Ocean is the Answer to Climate Change with Marine Conservationist and Sustainability Educator, Carissa Cabrera 31.05.2023 42:03
Today we are speaking to Carissa Cabrera, marine conservationist, sustainability educator, and climate activist. For the past 10 years, Carissa has focused on ocean recovery efforts related to endangered species, ecosystem restoration, conservation financing, community outreach, and environmental literacy. Carissa’s work, company, and media projects are united by the shared goal to increase access...
Monetizing the Right Kind of Energy with the Director at the Loan Programs Office at the Department of Energy, Jigar Shah 24.05.2023 47:15
We discuss Jigar’s work at the Department of Energy, virtual power plants, and smart technology. He shares tips for how to future-proof decisions when it comes to buying property as well as a BIG announcement about the Department of Energy! Listen for our game called Did you Know where we chat about the world’s first net-zero shoe. Tune in! Rebel topics: Finding the underexplored angle BIG annou...
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