Reversing Climate Change
By Nori
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Subscribers: 125
Reviews: 1
Steven Isley
Oct 17, 2019
great podcast! love the material and the guests are a good mix, not hyper focused on a single topic and not too random.
Description
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S2E25: The DAC-up plan for climate change—w/ Dr. Jen Wilcox of Worcester Polytechnic Institute
3357
There is a temptation to believe that science and technology will save us from climate change, while we continue business as usual. But we have already emitted huge levels of CO2 into the atmosphere, and it’s going to take both carbon capture at the source and direct air capture (DAC) from ambient air to make a dent in the record atmospheric concentration of 415ppm we hit in 2019. Dr. Jennifer Wilcox is the James H. Manning Chaired Professor of Chemical Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the author of the first textbook on carbon capture. Today, Dr. Wilcox joins Ross and Christophe to discuss the distinction between carbon capture in general and direct air capture specifically and explain why we need both strategies to succeed in reversing climate change. Dr. Wilcox goes on to describe the two leading DAC technologies, solvents and solid sorbents, sharing how we might decide where to build plants and what tech to use in a given situation. Listen in for Dr. Wilcox’s insight on conducting a techno-economic assessment on systems that have yet to be deployed and learn how you can get involved in the ongoing advancement of carbon management. Resources: American Physical Society 2011 Report Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/support |
Aug 11, 2020 |
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S2E24: Black Americans Care About Climate Change (But It’s Complicated)—w/ Jared DeWese of Third Way
2913
We know that minority populations bear an unequal burden when it comes to climate change. And yes, Black Americans are concerned about the climate crisis, but they don’t see the environment as a top-tier issue. So, what can advocates and policymakers do to make climate change more relevant to Black communities and ensure their inclusion in a clean energy transition? Jared DeWese is Senior Communications Advisor for the Climate & Energy Program at Third Way, a center-left federal policy think tank based in Washington, D.C. Jared joins Ross to discuss the organization’s recent report, ‘Black Americans Care About Climate Change (But It’s Complicated),’ sharing the top takeaways from their qualitative research and explaining how advocates can mobilize communities of color around climate change by connecting the issue with their daily lives. Jared weighs in on how Black Americans are impacted by climate change, introducing us to the idea of environmental racism and exploring what we can do to confront and transform discriminatory systems and policies. Listen in for Jared’s insight on promoting climate policy in a divided Congress and learn why he is optimistic about the potential for real progress at this particular moment in history. Resources: Black Americans Care About Climate Change (But It’s Complicated) Yale Program on Climate Communication Study on Race & Attitudes Toward Climate Change The Environmental Kuznets Curve Joe Biden’s Plan for a Clean Energy Revolution & Environmental Justice Otto von Bismarck & the Welfare State The Life & Legacy of John Lewis on The Daily Podcast James Baldwin on Being Black in America Alexander Hamilton on Slavery as Wasted Potential W.E.B. Du Bois’ Concept of Double Consciousness The Environmental Defense Fund Poll on African Americans & Clean Energy Resources --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/support |
Aug 04, 2020 |
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How to Decolonize the Atmosphere (with carbon removal)—w/ Dr. Holly Jean Buck
3304
Many indigenous communities see the climate crisis as another form of colonialism. First World countries have colonized the atmosphere with their greenhouse gas emissions. And there is a risk that carbon removal infrastructure reinforces business-as-usual. So, what is the best approach to decolonizing the atmosphere? How can we tackle climate change in a way that fits with broader progressive goals around equity and social justice? Dr. Holly Jean Buck is a postdoctoral fellow at UCLA’s Institute on the Environment and Sustainability and the author of After Geoengineering: Climate Tragedy, Repair, and Restoration. Dr. Buck joins Ross to discuss her recent article in Progressive International, ‘How to Decolonize the Atmosphere.’ She describes how the ideas in The Red Deal: Indigenous Action to Save Our Earth informed her thinking and introduces us to the concept of settler-colonialism as it relates to climate change. Dr. Buck walks us through her three progressive goals for carbon removal: 1) slink carbon with the managed decline of fossil fuels, 2) ensure public ownership and return on investment, and 3) advocate for a global framework for carbon removal. Listen in for Dr. Buck’s insight on the interconnectedness of the climate crisis with the other major issues we face and find out why she is concerned about the way social media may be influencing scientific research. Resources The Red Deal Part 1: End the Occupation Beyond Wiindigo Infrastructure by Winona LaDuke, Deborah Cowen After Geoengineering: Climate Tragedy, Repair, and Restoration by Holly Jean Buck Global CCS Institute Report on Climate Change Rhodium Report on Jobs & Direct Air Capture Rhodium Report on Policies for the US to Advance Direct Air Capture Sad by Design: On Platform Nihilism by Geert Lovink ‘Climate Change is a Waste Management Problem’ in Issues in Science and Technology All Hell Breaking Loose: The Pentagon’s Perspective on Climate Change by Michael T. Klare --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/support |
Jul 30, 2020 |
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S2E23: Can green sand beaches sequester carbon at scale?—w/ Kelly Erhart & Tom Green of Project Vesta
2533
Carbon dioxide levels are double what they were prior the Industrial Revolution. And we know that reducing emissions is simply not going to be enough to avoid widespread ecological collapse. We need strategies for removing CO2 from the atmosphere at scale. So, what if green sand beaches could provide a promising solution to climate change that is nature-based, affordable, and can be deployed around the globe? Kelly Erhart and Tom Green are the Cofounder and Executive Director, respectively, of Project Vesta, an organization dedicated to capturing a trillion tonnes of excess CO2 in rock through coastal enhanced weathering. Kelly and Tom join Ross to explain how they are creating green sand beaches with olivine to remove CO2 from the atmosphere faster and store it in limestone on the sea floor. They discuss the benefits and potential risks of enhanced weathering in an aquatic environment as well as the permanence of Project Vesta’s sequestration process. Kelly and Tom share the news of how Stripe came to be their first customer, describing how the nonprofit is funded and what’s behind their decision to make the technology open-source. Listen in to understand how the enhanced weathering process might help solve the ocean acidification problem and how Project Vesta sees their solution's scalability and cost-effectiveness. Resources Eric Matzner on Carbon Removal Newsroom EP018 Stripe’s Negative Emissions Commitment Stripe’s Partnership with Project Vesta Email podcast@nori.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/support |
Jul 28, 2020 |
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S2E22: The unexpected order in the global "waste" trade—w/ Adam Minter, author of Junkyard Planet & Secondhand
3693
Have you ever wondered what happens to your clothes after you drop them off at Goodwill? Or where your electronics go once you’ve left them at the recycling center? Yes, some of our excess is exported to emerging markets around the world and either resold or harvested for parts. Is that cool? And what can we do to shop in a way that reduces our environmental impact? Adam Minter is a columnist at Bloomberg Opinion and the author of Junkyard Planet: Travels in the Billion-Dollar Trash Trade and Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale. Today, Adam joins Ross to explain how being born into a family of junk dealers informed his career as a journalist. He introduces us to what happens when we donate clothing to Goodwill, describing how items are sorted and resold or exported to other markets around the world. Adam weighs in on why it’s not unethical to send our e-waste to West Africa or resell used car seats in Mexico, challenging us to worry more about the quality of the products we buy and less about where they’re exported when we’re done with them. Listen in for Adam’s insight around the value of mass market collectibles and learn how to shift your consumer thinking from immediate cost to total cost of ownership. Resources Junkyard Planet: Travels in the Billion-Dollar Trash Trade by Adam Minter Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale by Adam Minter Unbundled Airlines on Planet Money EP517 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/support |
Jul 21, 2020 |
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The promise & peril of blockchain governance—w/ Dr. Nick Cowen, University of Lincoln
3295
The American Constitution provides the ‘nuts and bolts of liberty,’ putting constraints on the government and promising equality before the law. But the challenge is that it relies on state officials to enforce the law impartially. What if the blockchain could help us avoid these human-level implementation problems and effectively automate some features of our bureaucracy? Dr. Nick Cowen is a lecturer in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Lincoln and the author of the paper, ‘Markets for Rules: The Promise and Peril of Blockchain Distributed Governance.’ Today, Nick is back to discuss the potential benefits of blockchain governance structures, including the ability to apply law impartially and reduce censorship. He explores the idea of consent as it applies to the blockchain and explains how the technology prevents the off-diagonals that manifest out of subsidiarity. Nick weighs in on whether the blockchain will become a competition to be the best or the most permissive and describes how the technology might influence our political systems—and vice versa. Listen in for Nick’s insight around the application of civil versus common law traditions via the blockchain and learn how we can leverage blockchain technology for environmental governance. Resources ‘Markets for Rules: The Promise and Peril of Blockchain Distributed Governance’ by Nick Cowen Being Me Being You: Adam Smith and Empathy by Samuel Fleischacker --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/support |
Jul 16, 2020 |
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S2E21: Buildings grown by bacteria?! and other frontiers in architecture—w/ Dr. Wil Srubar, CU Boulder
2611
What's the future got in store for architecture? A return to tried and true organic construction methods like adobe or rammed earth? Buildings that are as alive as human bodies? Something in between? How do we create more beautiful and livable spaces while also making the built environment carbon-negative? This week's guest is Dr. Wil Srubar, Assistant Professor of Architectural Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Colorado Boulder, Technical Director of Materials R&D at Katerra, and Cochair of the Carbon Leadership Forum Network and serves as its global hub director. We talk about trends in architecture and materials science and try to ferret out what might be coming down the pike, particularly in light of the article Wil wrote in The Conversation, "Buildings grown by bacteria—new research is finding ways to turn cells into mini-factories for materials". A Field Guide to American Houses (Revised): The Definitive Guide to Identifying and Understanding America's Domestic Architecture by Virginia Savage McAlester Dr. Kate Simonen's RCC episode Chris Magwood and Jacob Deva Racusin's RCC episode --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/support |
Jul 14, 2020 |
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S2E20: Beyond markets and states: an intro to Elinor Ostrom—w/ Dr. Nick Cowen, University of Lincoln
2644
The tragedy of the commons suggests that, left to our own devices, we will overuse and overconsume our shared resources in the name of self-interest. And that either privatization or state control is required to keep us in check. But Elinor Ostrom advanced a third option, a polycentric governance approach in which the people involved solve the problem on their own through a commons solution. Dr. Nick Cowen is a lecturer in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Lincoln and the author of the paper, ‘Cost and Choice in the Commons: Ostrom and the Case of British Flood Management’. Today, Nick joins Ross to discuss the differences among state, market, and commons solutions to the environmental problems we face. He explains how Ostrom’s work changed the way we think about the tragedy of the commons and walks us through several examples of communal solutions that preserve shared resources. Nick goes on to introduce the concepts of residual-claimancy and the transitional gains trap, describing how government intervention in flood management followed by a period of privatization led to the current dilemma in Great Britain. Listen in for insight around how Ostrom’s communal systems might appeal to both conservative and liberal politics and learn how we can apply her interdisciplinary ideas to protect our shared resources. Nori's website Carbon Removal Newsroom: our other podcast! ‘Cost and Choice in the Commons: Ostrom and the Case of British Flood Management’ by Nick Cowen Ludwig Von Mises’ Insights on Intervention ‘The Transitional Gains Trap’ by Gordon Tullock --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/support |
Jul 07, 2020 |
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S2E19: A current tour of The Future Earth with author Eric Holthaus
2883
We tend to think of climate change as a problem in and of itself. But what if the climate crisis is a symptom of a bigger issue? What if we can’t solve climate change without social justice? Meteorologist Eric Holthaus is the climate correspondent for The Correspondent and author of The Future Earth: A Radical Vision for What’s Possible in the Age of Warming. Today, Eric joins Ross to explain how climate change is a symptom of broader societal inequalities and discuss the role ownership has played in causing the climate crisis. He shares his vision for a cooperative political and economic system based on distributed production that supports the ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all. Eric goes on to explore the complexity of our connections with the each other and advocate for a system of ethics that promotes care work and prevents overconsumption by a privileged few. Listen in for Eric’s insight around what the pandemic has taught us about the potential for a radically different life and learn how actively reducing inequality is the first step in solving climate change—once and for all. Key Takeaways [1:16] The themes Eric presents in The Future Earth
[5:20] How quickly ‘radical solutions’ have become mainstream
[7:26] The relationship between climate and justice
[8:08] The role ownership has played in causing climate change
[17:41] Eric’s vision for our future economic and political systems
[21:35] The concept of distributed production
[27:58] Eric’s take on toxic masculinity and care work
[32:08] How Eric thinks about energy efficiency and overconsumption
[37:18] The potential for us to lead radically different lives
[40:47] Eric’s insight on travel and the auto industry in the US
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Jun 30, 2020 |
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S2E18: The conservative answer to the Green New Deal—w/ Quillan Robinson, American Conservation Coalition
2796
Young people on BOTH sides of the aisle want to see action on climate change. And Quillan Robinson believes that the will for action is a more powerful force than the disagreements we may have over policy. So, how does a conservative approach like the American Climate Contract differ from the progressive Green New Deal? And how do the principles of conservatism inform right-of-center climate solutions? Quill is the Vice President of Government Affairs with the American Conservation Coalition, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering young conservatives to reengage in environmental conversations. Today, Quill joins Ross to explain how his involvement in the I-732 campaign in Washington shaped his thinking and shifted his politics. He introduces us to the conservative thinkers who inspire him, walking us through the best principles of the conservative intellectual tradition and how they apply to climate policy. Quill goes on to discuss why oikophilia (love of place) is not exclusive to rural contexts and offer his take on Hamiltonian versus Jeffersonian economic models. Listen in for Quill’s insight on the three main approaches to climate policy at work in DC and learn what differentiates ACC’s American Climate Contract from the other federal climate policy solutions. Podcast listeners can purchase Nori Carbon Removal Tonnes here! Thanks so much for your support.
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Jun 23, 2020 |
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S2E17: How does clean energy policy work?—w/ Dr. Leah Stokes, author of Short Circuiting Policy
3093
The political process is complex and difficult to follow, no matter how deeply we care about climate policy. And yet, without federal clean electricity standards, energy companies are unlikely to change their behavior. So, what does good environmental policy look like? And what can we do as individuals to advocate for laws that reverse climate change? Dr. Leah C. Stokes is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at UC Santa Barbara and the author of Short Circuiting Policy: Interest Groups and the Battle Over Clean Energy and Climate Policy in the American States. Today, Leah joins Ross to discuss what makes for good environmental policy and why we need federal clean electricity standards. She weighs in on how public utilities abuse the political system, introducing us to the idea of intervener compensation programs as the most promising way to advocate for the public interest. Leah goes on to share her criticism of Planet of the Humans, describing the film’s failure to address the nuances of life cycle analysis or the fossil fuel industry’s role in the climate crisis and explaining how the film’s thesis is out of alignment with the Michael Moore’s supposed progressive politics. Listen in as Leah shares a case study of climate policy in the state of Ohio and learn what you can do to let lawmakers know that you care about climate change. Resources:
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Jun 16, 2020 |
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S2E16: Can we cure concrete's emissions problem?—w/ Rob Niven of CarbonCure
3200
Concrete is an incredibly useful and highly resilient building material. And with population growth and urbanization, we are on pace to double everything we’ve ever built in the next 40 years. At the same time, concrete production accounts for as much as 8% of global emissions. So, how can we continue to reap the benefits of concrete in a way that complies with our climate goals? Robert Niven is the Founder and CEO of CarbonCure, a company that recycles waste carbon dioxide to make stronger and greener concrete. They are also one of the four companies chosen by Stripe for its first negative emissions purchases. Today, Rob joins Ross and Christophe to explain how concrete is traditionally produced and what CarbonCure does differently to permanently mineralize carbon in concrete, both improving its quality and reducing its carbon footprint. Rob weighs in on embodied carbon, sharing the benefits of CarbonCure’s solution in terms of scalability and cost, and discusses the potential for his process to eventually use direct air capture as a source of CO2. Listen in as Rob introduces us to his audacious goal of reducing emissions by 500 megatons per year and learn how we can accelerate the change with procurement policy and carbon offsets. Resources Stripe’s Negative Emissions Commitment Stripe’s First Negative Emissions Purchases CarbonCure’s Cake Analogy Video Bill Gates’ Resources on Climate & Energy Hawaii’s Concrete Procurement Policy CarbonCure’s Partnership with HC&D in Honolulu Emissions Reduction Alberta’s Grand Carbon Challenge --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/support |
Jun 09, 2020 |
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BLM, climate justice, and carbon removal—w/ Mellina White
1995
Emily Atkin's June 1st issue of HEATED caught our attention with the headline "The climate movement's silence" regarding the Black Lives Matter protests taking place all over the United States and the lack of a substantial response from climate organizations. One of the long-running debates that shows up on the podcast is "to what degree should climate change policy be focused exclusively on decarbonization and drawdown vs. a more comprehensive suite of related issues?" On the one hand, ostensibly there is less room for disagreement when policy is unbundled. On the other hand, big change may be possible within moments like this and it seems myopic at best to focus only on the former and ignoring ongoing harms or negligence. What is an organization to do? Here's a beginning to that conversation, with more programming on the topic to come. Mellina White, who has been moonlighting as a Norinaut, wrote the article, "Attention white people: Your #BLM memes are not enough", that inspired this conversation. The Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America's Police Forces by Radley Balko "U.S. Lawmaker Prepares Bill Aiming to End Court Protection for Police" in The New York Times --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/support |
Jun 03, 2020 |
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S2E15: Are you a wizard or a prophet?—w/ Charles C. Mann
3238
What is the best approach to solving the climate crisis? Should we leverage science and technology to ‘produce’ our way out of the problem? Or aspire to live in Hobbiton and radically reduce our human footprint? Charles C. Mann is the New York Times bestselling author behind 1491, 1493 and The Wizard and the Prophet and a regular correspondent for The Atlantic, WIRED and Science Magazine. Today, Charles joins Ross to discuss the two major schools of thought he identified in the environmental movement—wizards and prophets—and introduce us to the scientists he uses to represent each camp in his book. Charles walks us through the fundamental differences between the two groups, describing their values, blind spots and radically different ways of seeing the world. Listen in for Charles’ insight on a third school of thought that dismisses both wizards and prophets and find out where he falls on the wizard-prophet spectrum in light of the current global health crisis. Connect with Ross Email podcast@nori.com Resources 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created Road to Survival by William Vogt ‘The Call of Cthulhu’ by H.P. Lovecraft Adam Smith’s Parable of the Poor Man’s Son --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/support |
Jun 02, 2020 |
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S2E14: Is it time to regulate fashion like oil?—w/ Dr. Elizabeth Segran of Fast Company
2771
The average person owns more than 300 items of clothing but only wears about 20% of what’s in their closet. And 100B pieces are produced every year for the 8B people on the planet. Exactly how much does the fashion industry contribute to the climate crisis? Some studies suggest that its carbon emissions are greater than that of international air travel and maritime shipping combined! So, why isn’t fashion regulated in the same way as oil and gas, for example?
Dr. Elizabeth Segran is a Senior Staff Writer at Fast Company and the author of several recent articles on the need for regulation in the fashion industry. Today, Liz joins Ross and guest host Lorraine Smith to discuss how fashion works, explaining how the industry has evolved over the last 150 years to a system in which clothes are disposable. She explores the environmental cost of fast fashion, describing the dangers of using synthetic material and the tremendous waste associated with producing inventory well beyond what consumers are likely to buy.
Liz weighs in what makes it challenging to regulate the fashion industry and addresses the consumer trend toward owning fewer, more timeless pieces that last longer. Listen in for Lorraine’s insight around what circularity really means for fashion brands and find out why Liz believes that, in the absence of regulations, it’s up to US to curb overconsumption, demand higher quality clothing, and mitigate the industry’s impact on climate change.
Key Takeaways
[3:16] How the fashion industry has evolved over the last 150 years
[9:25] The environmental cost of fast fashion
[18:03] Why it might be challenging to regulate the fashion industry
[31:06] The trend toward owning fewer, more durable, timeless pieces
[33:21] What luxury brands can teach us about circularity
[39:23] The potential to be truly regenerative in producing fashion
Connect with Ross
Email podcast@nori.com
Resources
"It's time to regulate fashion the way we regulate the oil industry" by Liz Segran at Fast Company "Our obsession with "color trends" is killing the planet" by Liz Segran at Fast Company Katja Bartholmess’ Article on Overproduction The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Definition of a Circular Economy H&M’s Sustainability Declarations Eileen Fisher’s Work on Social Consciousness Walmart’s Sustainability Journey Interface’s Climate Take Back Plan Interface’s Factory as a Forest Program |
May 26, 2020 |
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Do you want to work in climatetech?—w/ Evan Hynes of Climate.Careers
1991
Are you out of work because of COVID-19? Or are you reevaluating the work you do and wishing you could apply your skills to something much more meaningful? You CAN spend your working hours (and get paid) for solving the climate crisis, and you don’t have to be a climate scientist to make an impact.
Evan Hynes is the founder of Climate.Careers, a job site dedicated to helping talented jobseekers find high-impact, high-paying jobs at organizations working to address climate change. On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, Evan joins Ross to discuss why he built the Climate.Careers platform and explain what qualifies a job to be listed on the site.
Evan describes the exodus from the tech startup world to the climate action space, sharing his own journey to mission-driven work and offering advice for jobseekers interested in making a similar transition. Listen in to understand Evan’s long-term vision for Climate.Careers as a one-stop shop for climate action and learn how you can use the site to find meaningful work, learn about upcoming events, or perhaps even join the Climate.Careers team!
Key Takeaways
[1:08] The fundamental purpose of Climate Careers
[1:52] Why Climate Careers is necessary
[3:43] Evan’s climate journey
[7:29] What qualifies a job for Climate Careers
[8:32] How Climate Careers makes money
[10:09] Evan’s long-term vision for the platform
[13:06] How Climate Careers thinks about adding features
[18:47] Who Climate Careers is looking to add to their team
[22:27] What we can do at Climate Careers
[24:51] Evan’s advice to job seekers in the climate space
Connect with Ross
Email podcasts@nori.com
Resources
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May 22, 2020 |
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S2E13: How Koen van Seijen invests in regenerative agriculture
3241
Regenerative agriculture improves soil health and stores carbon, and there is mounting evidence that it produces healthier, more nutrient-dense food. But our agricultural system is complex and interconnected, and farmers need capital to finance the shift to regenerative practices. So, how can one put investment dollars to work to support this transition?
Koen van Seijen is the host of the Investing in Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, where he talks to pioneers in the regenerative food and agriculture space about putting money to work to regenerate the soil. Today, Koen joins Ross and Christophe to discuss the many different flavors of financing for regenerative agriculture and explain the distinction between investing in regenerative agriculture and what is sometimes called "regenerative financing" which innovates in terms of deal structure and beyond.
Koen goes on to explore the role of transition finance in the regenerative economy and the danger in overselling the potential for soil to address climate change. Listen in for Koen’s insight around the connection between soil health and nutrient density in food and learn how he thinks about the influence of technology in making the transition to regenerative agriculture.
Key Takeaways
[1:53] What inspired Koen to create the Investing in Regenerative Agriculture podcast
[5:08] The distinction between investing IN regenerative ag and regenerative finance
[6:49] The role of transition finance in the regenerative economy
[9:46] The different flavors of financing for regenerative agriculture
[15:49] What role ecosystem services might play in financing regenerative ag
[17:37] The challenges around gaining the trust of farmers
[21:19] The danger in overselling the potential of soil to solve climate change
[25:03] How to get consumers behind the transition to regenerative ag
[27:46] Why large food companies are likely to fight the transition to regenerative ag
[33:08] The role of technology in the transition to regenerative agriculture
[36:34] How Koehn thinks about the wizard and the prophet
[45:23] The role of policy in the transition to regenerative agriculture
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email podcast@nori.com
Resources
Investing in Regenerative Agriculture and Food Investing in Regenerative Agriculture and Food on LinkedIn Investing in Regenerative Agriculture Podcast on SoundCloud Regenerative Agriculture on Patreon Rabo AgriFinance’s Organic Transition Loan Offering TeakOrigin Guide Food Research |
May 19, 2020 |
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S2E12: The Hottest New Literary Genre Is ‘Doomer Lit’—w/ Kate Knibbs, Senior Writer at Wired
3075
Spoiler Alert: In this episode, we discuss the endings of several works, including Jenny Offill’s Weather, Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, P.D. James’ The Children of Men, Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette’s Snowpiercer, the Paul Schrader film First Reformer, and the HBO series Game of Thrones. Probably some others too!
A lot of fiction that deals with climate change 1) considers a very different future world, and 2) ends on a hopeful note. But a new genre is emerging that no longer fits into the category of speculative or science fiction. In doomer lit, climate change is simply part of the landscape—and a feeling of fatalism pervades the work.
Kate Knibbs is a Senior Writer at WIRED covering culture, and is the author of ‘The Hottest New Literary Genre is Doomer Lit.’ Today, Kate joins Ross to explain what inspired her conception of the new (sub)genre, discussing what differentiates doomer lit from cli-fi and how Jenny Offill’s new novel Weather functions as a mood piece on climate change.
Kate and Ross go on to explore the pros and cons of fatalism in art, the intersections between climate change and pandemic doomerism, and the way COVID-19 is likely to inform art and literature moving forward. Listen in for Kate’s insight around the challenge of writing great literature that engages in politics and learn why we have yet to develop a strong monster metaphor for climate change the way we have for other big societal issues.
Key Takeaways
[1:51] What inspired Kate’s conception of doomer lit
[3:54] The distinction between cli-fi and doomer lit
[9:53] Why we remember the worlds in sci-fi, speculative and historical fiction
[16:49] Kate’s insight on the pros and cons of fatalism
[19:32] The connection between climate + pandemic doomerism
[24:12] The appetite for fatalism in art
[34:18] Why there is no monster metaphor for climate change
[40:05] The challenge of writing great literature that engages in politics
[46:09] Kate’s take on how COVID-19 will inform literature moving forward
Connect with Ross
Email podcast@nori.com
Resources
Kate’s Article on ‘Doomer Lit’ The Children of Men by P.D. James Snowpiercer by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette Paul Schrader’s First Reformed Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez Shop Ettitude (with a Nori Discount) The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain James Baldwin’s ‘Everybody’s Protest Novel’ Essay |
May 12, 2020 |
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Making fabric from bamboo?!—w/ Phoebe Yu & Kat Dey of ettitude
1943
Considering that we spend one-third of our lives in contact with bedding and sleepwear, it seems obvious that we would choose products we are comfortable with being close to our skin. So, what are our options when it comes to textiles for sheets and pajamas? Does one need to choose between comfort and environmental ethics?
Phoebe Yu and Kat Dey are the cofounders of ettitude, a sustainable lifestyle brand that uses CleanBamboo fabric to produce bedding, bath, and sleepwear. On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, they join Ross to walk us through the process ettitude uses to turn bamboo into fabric, sharing the benefits of using bamboo as a raw material in terms of carbon capture and storage.
Kat discusses her role in ettitude’s expansion to the US, describing the startup’s growth in recent years and the potential for bringing the brand to retail locations. Listen in for Phoebe’s insight on what ewttitude is doing to innovate and further improve the sustainability of their processes and learn how you can be a more informed consumer in shopping for fabrics that are good for you—and the planet. There is an advertising relationship between Nori and ettitude, with some midroll ads to come in the next few weeks, but as discussed at the beginning of the episode, this is not sponsored content. Key Takeaways
[2:21] What inspired Phoebe to create ettitude
[4:16] How ettitude turns bamboo into fabric
[7:00] Kat’s role in bringing ettitude to the US
[8:15] The growing consumer awareness around sustainable fabrics
[10:53] What makes cotton one of the most polluting industries
[12:11] ettitude’s recent business growth
[13:13] Kat’s take on retail sales of ettitude products
[17:08] The advantages of using bamboo as raw material
[19:49] What ettitude is looking to achieve next
[22:00] ettitude’s competitors in the bamboo fabric space
[24:00] What ettitude is doing to innovate and improve
Connect with Ross
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
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May 08, 2020 |
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S2E11: Can capitalism be regenerative?—w/ John Elkington, author of Green Swans
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Join in on the conversation around regenerative capitalism and if/how capitalism can be made regenerative by tweeting @volansjohn and @nori, and you will automatically be entered to win copy of John Elkington’s latest book, Green Swans: The Coming Boom in Regenerative Capitalism!
Most of us are familiar with Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s concept of a black swan: an unforeseen, adverse event with off-the-scale impact. But what if we were to flip this concept on its head? In his new book, John Elkington envisions a world where capitalism transforms to serve people and planet, where the black swan problems currently leading us to exponential breakdown are mitigated by green swan solutions taking us exponentially toward breakthrough.
John is an internationally recognized authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable development, bestselling author, and serial entrepreneur. He currently serves as Chief Pollinator at Volans, a future-focused business working at the intersection of the sustainability, entrepreneurship, and innovation movements. Today, John joins Ross and Paul to discuss his most recent book, Green Swans: The Coming Boom in Regenerative Capitalism, and explain how a green swan differs from a black swan event in its potential for an exponentially positive impact.
John goes on to discuss the idea of regenerative capitalism, explaining why he doesn’t trust incumbents to lead the movement, how we can approach new ventures with a regenerative mindset, and why he suggests transforming the current system rather than scrapping capitalism altogether. Listen in for John’s insight around the unintended consequences of implementing new technologies, and find out what green swans might arise out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Takeaways
[2:52] What John is trying to communicate through Green Swans
[5:52] How John defines a gray swan and a white swan
[8:27] John’s concept of regenerative capitalism
[11:17] The potential for oil and gas to lead the movement
[13:49] Why we shouldn’t just get rid of capitalism
[15:57] How to start new ventures with a regenerative mindset
[22:19] How a regenerative focus might heal the political divide
[25:57] Nori’s potential role in establishing regenerative capitalism
[30:08] What we need to know about Thomas Midgley
[33:26] How to cultivate leaders who put the community’s needs first
[36:25] What green swans may arise out of COVID-19
Connect with Ross & Paul
Email podcast@nori.com
Resources
Green Swans: The Coming Boom in Regenerative Capitalism by John Elkington The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb People of the State of New York v. Exxon Mobil Corporation Richard Roberts’ Series on Shareholders vs. Stakeholders ‘To an Uneducated Ruler’ by Plutarch The Finnish Basic Income Experiment |
May 05, 2020 |
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Geology Cage Match! The Sapiezoic vs. the Anthropocene—w/ Dr. David Grinspoon, astrobiologist
1879
We spend a lot of time discussing the impacts of the climate crisis we need to avoid as a global community, including but not limited to sea-level rise, climate refugees, and the collapse of our agricultural system. But astrobiologist David Grinspoon argues that we need to go beyond simply mitigating the risks of climate change and consider what kind of future we want to create. And he sees the rise of planetary change agents conscious of their role as bigger than mere epoch status as typically conceived of with the Anthropocene. David posits that this change deserves its own eon, the Sapiezoic, or Time of Wisdom.
Dr. David Grinspoon is the author of Earth in Human Hands: Shaping Our Planet’s Future. He is also part of the team working with NASA on a proposed mission to Venus! On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, David is back on the show with Ross to discuss the basic units of the geological time scale and explain why he proposes calling this new time marked by human impact and self-awareness the Sapiezoic Eon rather than the Anthropocene Epoch.
Listen in for insight on what’s unique about the current transition in geological time and learn how we can create a vision for the future that includes a sustainable, lasting global civilization.
Key Takeaways
[3:31] David’s work on DAVINCI+
[7:32] The basic units of the geologic time scale
[11:23] The Anthropocene vs. the Sapiezoic
[18:51] The Sapiezoic Eon as an aspirational goal
[24:29] David’s concept of the Terra Sapiens
Connect with Ross
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Earth in Human Hands: Shaping Our Planet’s Future by David Grinspoon 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created by Charles C. Mann |
May 01, 2020 |
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S2E10: Getting transpartisan with the hosts of Political Climate, Julia Pyper & Shane Skelton
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It’s easy to disagree with an idea, but it’s hard to be disagreeable with a person, especially if it’s someone you happen to know and like. And yet, most of the conversations we have around climate change are politically charged shouting matches with strangers—typed in all caps online. So, what can we do to foster truly productive discussions around climate solutions, even among people with a very different point of view?
Julia Pyper is a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and contributing editor at Greentech Media, and Shane Skelton is the cofounder and partner at S2C Pacific, an energy and environment consultancy firm. Together, they are two of the three cohosts of Political Climate, a bipartisan podcast on energy and environmental politics in America. Today, Julia and Shane join Ross to discuss how their show is working to normalize the conversation on climate change (on both sides of the aisle) and explore what’s behind the increasing polarization in DC and what role the media plays in perpetuating our political divisions.
Julia and Shane go on to explain how we can be open to views that differ from our own without participating in ‘balance is bias’ and address the arguments for and against carbon removal as a climate solution. Listen in for insight into the common ground that exists between Democrats and Republicans and learn what YOU can do to further productive discussions on climate change!
Key Takeaways
[2:09] What the Political Climate podcast is working to achieve
[5:11] How Shane and Julia think about the idea of deplatforming
[8:06] The concern that taking half measures is not enough
[13:21] What’s behind the increasing polarization in politics
[17:46] The media’s role in our current political divisions
[24:54] How much common ground exists on climate change
[30:15] The arguments against carbon removal as a solution
[37:49] What we can do to further the climate discussion
[45:49] Shane’s insight on how to foster productive discussion
Connect with Ross
Email podcast@nori.com
Resources
David Roberts on Political Climate Arnold Schwarzenegger on Political Climate The Political Climate Path to Zero Series The Political Climate Solutions Show The Schwarzenegger Institute on Reversing Climate Change |
Apr 28, 2020 |
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Nori and Joro's Earth Day pilot announcement!
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I’m just one person! What can I do to fight climate change?
Yes, the climate crisis is a systems problem. And to solve it, we need governments and corporations to take action. But governments and corporations don’t make changes unless citizens and consumers demand it. So, how can we demonstrate our collective commitment to reduce and reverse our emissions?
Sanchali Pal is the Founder and CEO of Joro, an app designed to mobilize climate action. On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, Sanchali joins Ross and Alexsandra to explain how Joro allows users to track their carbon footprint (by way of credit card data) and take collective action to reduce emissions through behavior change, and how Nori and Joro are working together.
Sanchali discusses what inspired her to build Joro and how her company plans to make money in the long term. Listen in for insight around the new Nori-Joro pilot launching on Earth Day 2020 and learn how YOU can use the app to be part of the climate solution!
Key Takeaways
[1:31] The purpose of the Joro app
[2:40] Behavior changes that reduce our carbon footprint
[3:43] How Joro uses credit card data to calculate carbon footprint
[5:35] Why Joro and Nori have formed a partnership
[7:25] What inspired Sanchali to create Joro
[8:54] How Joro works on the back end
[14:00] The Nori-Joro pilot program
[15:14] How Joro plans to make money in the long term
[16:43] Consumer-level vs. corporate behavior change
Connect with Ross & Alexsandra
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Berkley’s CoolClimate Calculator |
Apr 22, 2020 |
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S2E9: Travel writing a disappearing Oceania—w/ J. Maarten Troost
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One of the many tragedies of the climate crisis is that the people least responsible will be the first to suffer. Among the regions where this is playing out is in the atoll nations of Oceania, an area of small islands in the Pacific where it feels ‘more like being on a boat than a continent.’
J. Maarten Troost is the travel writer behind such titles as The Sex Lives of Cannibals, Getting Stoned with Savages and Headhunters on My Doorstep. He spent multiple years in Kiribati in the Equatorial Pacific as well as Fiji and Vanuatu. On this episode of the Reversing Climate Change, Maarten joins Ross to explain how he came to spend time in the region of Oceania and offer insight around the provocative titles for his books and the egalitarian nature of island culture.
Maarten goes on to describe how climate change is impacting the area, explaining why these atoll nations will be uninhabitable within 30 years and what the people there are doing to prepare for this inevitability. Listen in to understand why Maarten is pessimistic about our ability to make systemic change before it’s too late and hear his take on the role of the travel writer in the age of climate change.
Key Takeaways
[1:20] Maarten’s take on the term Oceania
[2:05] How Maarten came to travel in the region
[6:24] Why Maarten chose provocative titles for his books
[8:51] The egalitarian nature of island culture
[10:28] How climate change is impacting the Pacific
[14:41] The two schools of thought in the region
[17:05] Why adaptation is not an option in Oceania
[18:23] Maarten’s take on so-called ‘climate porn’ tourism
[20:11] Maarten’s pessimism re: our ability to make systemic change
[22:03] The connection between human progress and temperature
[26:08] The role of a travel writer in the age of climate change
[31:19] What makes a good travel writer
[35:32] What Maarten is working on now
[36:59] The tragedy of the loss of islands in Oceania
[39:01] Maarten’s take on social media
Connect with Ross
Email podcast@nori.com
Resources
The Happy Isles of Oceania: Paddling the Pacific by Paul Theroux Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia by Christina Thompson A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again: Essays and Arguments by David Foster Wallace John Jeremiah Sullivan’s Disneyland Piece Lands of Lost Borders: A Journey on the Silk Road by Kate Harris |
Apr 21, 2020 |
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Regenerative farming & (re)discovering your heritage—w/ Ethan Soloviev of High Falls Farm
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Most of us think of regenerative agriculture as a way to restore biodiversity and store carbon in the soil. But regenerative agriculture can also be about restoring our awareness of ancestral and spiritual traditions—and then using those practices to inform our farming techniques.
Ethan Soloviev is the coauthor of Regenerative Enterprise and Levels of Regenerative Agriculture and co-owner of High Falls Farm, a multi-enterprise farm in the Hudson Valley of New York that aims toward regenerative principles and practices. On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, Ethan joins Ross to introduce us to the Jewish idea of shmita, explaining its religious significance and sharing his take on the ancient traditions of harvesting in the wild that might inform the practice, but the show soon heads into Irish/Celtic and indigenous North American traditions as well.
Ethan discusses why he’s not a fan of dichotomies, challenging us to see beyond one ‘right’ way of doing things and explore regenerative agriculture as an opportunity to look into the past but make it work now. Listen in for insight on how Ethan draws his farming techniques from both his own ancestral lineage and the traditions of the place where he is growing and learn what YOU can do to learn more about your own heritage—and what your ancestors ate!
Key Takeaways
[1:14] An overview of Ethan’s diversified farm
[2:56] How Ethan thinks about the value of language
[4:09] Why Ethan is not a fan of dichotomies
[8:50] The Jewish idea of shmita
[10:18] Ethan’s take on what’s behind shmita
[14:21] The Jewish concept of the year of Jubilee
[19:19] The farming techniques Ethan draws from
[27:09] How to start engaging in our own heritage
Connect with Ross
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Levels of Regenerative Agriculture by Ethan Roland Soloviev and Gregory Landua The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T. E. Lawrence The Tangled Tree: A Radical History of New Life by David Quammen |
Apr 17, 2020 |
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S2E8: Commoditizing Forest Carbon and Its Discontents—w/ Dr. Lauren Gifford
2859
As Samuel Johnson famously said, “Hell is paved with good intentions.” And many of the previous attempts to commodify carbon, in forests for instance, excluded the very people who were impacted most and led to a number of unintended consequences. So, how can Nori create a market that quantifies carbon removal—without making those same mistakes?
Dr. Lauren Gifford is a critical geographer exploring the intersections of global climate policy, conservation, markets and justice. She is also the host of Carbon Social Club and the author of a recent paper entitled “‘You Can’t Value What You Can’t Measure’: A Critical Look at Forest Carbon Accounting.” On this episode, we dig into avoided deforestation credits, REDD/REDD+, and the dynamics at play when carbon is commoditized in forestry and in general.
Lauren describes the carbon colonialism charge that is often levied against early iterations of REDD, explaining why the Global North’s investment in saving high-density tropical rainforests failed, how the money was actually spent, and what unintended consequences emerged around these carbon offset projects. Listen in for Lauren’s insight on the danger in financializing a forest and learn how Nori is considering issues of equity and justice as we work to standardize an efficient way of quantifying carbon.
Key Takeaways
[2:34] Lauren’s work around the commodification of carbon
[4:59] The origin of carbon credits for forestry
[7:18] What happened to the money invested to save the rainforest
[11:44] The driving question behind Lauren’s doctoral research
[13:42] Lauren’s insight on carbon colonialism
[18:19] The danger in financializing forests
[23:42] Donating to soil carbon projects vs. creating complex markets
[27:59] Lauren’s take on why we’d be better off without REDD+
[32:13] How the terms baseline and additionality are defined
[38:33] Nori’s intention to avoid the criticisms of previous carbon markets
[41:54] How Nori thinks about the loss of small farms in the US
[44:16] What equity and justice mean to the Nori team
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email podcast@nori.com
Resources
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change The Carbon Rush: The Truth Behind the Carbon Market Smokescreen by Amy Miller What Money Can’t Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets by Michael J. Sandel ISO Guidelines on Greenhouse Gas Accounting & Verification |
Apr 14, 2020 |
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The latest on managed mine tailings & enhanced weathering—w/ Dr. Greg Dipple of UBC
1319
The mining industry has a reputation for being a villain in the environmental space. But enhanced weathering and managed mine tailings could change that, giving mines the ability to capture and store carbon long-term. So, what does that process look like? What have we learned from the research thus far? And why doesn’t the idea get more attention in the carbon removal space?
Dr. Greg Dipple is a Professor of Geology in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of British Columbia—Vancouver,and a podcast alumnus! On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, Greg joins Ross to give us an update on his research around carbon mineralization in mine tailings, reminding us how the process works and explaining why it’s not already common practice.
Greg describes his team’s field pilot experiments with concentrated flue gas and direct air capture, discussing how these processes, implemented at scale, could make mining operations carbon neutral—or even net negative. Listen in for insight on how the Coronavirus is impacting scientific research and learn how carbon mineralization in mine tailings could make the industry a hero in the fight against climate change.
This episode is jointly released as Carbon Removal Newsroom episode #48.
Key Takeaways
[2:20] The focus of Greg’s research
[5:50] Why carbon mineralization isn’t already common practice
[9:55] The problems Greg is solving through these experiments
[11:39] The price at which it would be worth it to mine for waste rock
[12:39] Why carbon mineralization in mine tailings doesn’t get more hype
[16:07] How the Coronavirus is impacting the pace of scientific research
Connect with Ross
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences at UBC |
Apr 13, 2020 |
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S2E7: Why is soil carbon measurement so tricky?—w/ Dr. Jane Zelikova of Carbon180
3657
At Nori, we’re interested in helping people get paid for carbon sequestration, including the farmers and ranchers implementing soil health practices. But as much as scientists have learned about how to quantify soil carbon, there is still a lot left to be done. So, what can one do to 1) help support the producers who are interested in sequestering CO2, and 2) compensate them for the work they do?
Dr. Jane Zelikova is the Chief Scientist at Carbon180, a carbon removal think tank on a mission to fundamentally rethink carbon, and cofounder of 500 Women Scientists, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming the leadership, diversity, and public engagement in science. On this episode of the Reversing Climate Change, Jane joins Ross and Christophe to share her ecologist’s perspective on climate math. She discusses the challenges of measuring the carbon content of soil and the projections around how much CO2 we can sequester with improved management practices.
Jane describes her time working with farmers and ranchers in the West, explaining what she learned about the challenges they face in implementing soil health practices and why it’s so much harder to measure carbon sequestration on rangeland versus cropland. Listen in for Jane’s critique of capitalism as a framework for climate solutions and learn how you can be a part of the work 500 Women Scientists is doing to make the field inclusive and accessible to everyone.
Key Takeaways
[5:53] An ecologist’s perspective on climate math
[10:02] The top trends in the soil carbon space
[13:18] The challenges around measuring the carbon content of soil
[16:24] How much CO2 we can sequester with improved management practices
[20:42] What producers need to implement soil health practices
[27:19] The controversy re: measuring carbon sequestration on rangelands
[32:24] How weather and geography influence soil dynamics
[37:54] Jane’s criticism of using capitalism as a framework for climate solutions
[47:20] The origin story and evolution of 500 Women Scientists
[52:18] The idea that science aspires to a standard of objectivity
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email podcast@nori.com
Resources
500 Women Scientists on Twitter AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships |
Apr 07, 2020 |
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Wired releases its climate solutions issue!—w/ Maria Streshinsky, Wired's Executive Editor
1277
“What if your power in this fight lies not in what you can do as an individual, but in your ability to be part of a collective? What if you broadened your perspective beyond what you can accomplish alone and let yourself see what you could do if you lent your efforts to something bigger? Yes, it’s true that you can’t solve the climate crisis alone, but it’s even more true that we can’t solve it without you. It’s a team sport.” —Mary AnnaÏse Heglar
When Wired Editor-in-Chief Nicholas Thompson’s kids asked him what they should learn to do to save the planet, he brought the question to his team at the magazine. And they responded with an entire issue devoted to climate solutions.
Maria Streshinsky is the Executive Editor of Wired, a science and technology magazine devoted to exploring technology’s potential to shape the world for the better. On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, Maria joins Ross to discuss the forthcoming issue of Wired, walking us through its sections on carbon capture, food and land, transportation and renewable energy.
Maria describes the magazine’s positioning as techno-optimists, explaining their decision to focus on the technology we have today that can make the biggest impact in the next ten years. Listen in for Maria’s insight on how the magazine addresses both big picture infrastructure and individual responsibility for climate solutions and learn how you can access this special climate issue of Wired.
Key Takeaways
[1:11] Why Wired devoted an entire issue to climate solutions
[3:52] The magazine’s positioning as techno-optimists
[6:38] The wizard vs. prophet dichotomy
[9:05] How the Wired team structured its climate issue
[14:42] The careful optimism that characterizes the issue
[19:00] How to access the climate issue of Wired
Connect with Ross
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
1491: New Revelations of America Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency |
Apr 01, 2020 |
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S2E6: California's big negative emissions opportunity—w/ Dr. Roger Aines of Lawrence Livermore Nat'l Lab
2987
In September of 2018, then-Governor Jerry Brown signed an ambitious executive order committing the State of California to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 and maintain net negative emissions thereafter. But is this a feasible goal?
Dr. Roger Aines is the Chief Scientist of the Energy Program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and coauthor of the LLNL report Getting to Neutral: Options for Negative Carbon Emissions in California. On this episode of the Reversing Climate Change, Roger joins Ross and Christophe to discuss how the California study came about and walk us through the three carbon removal strategies outlined in the report—natural solutions, waste biomass and direct air capture.
Roger explains the technology involved in turning biomass into hydrogen and offers insight into the relative safety of carbon capture and storage or CCS. Listen in to understand why Roger sees oil and gas evolving into the direct air capture industry and learn how California is leading the charge toward negative emissions.
Key Takeaways
[2:46] Roger’s work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
[4:50] The origin of the LLNL report Getting to Neutral
[8:03] The carbon removal strategies outlined in the report
[11:02] How we can turn biomass into hydrogen
[15:08] The issues around direct air capture
[18:29] Roger’s insight on the safety of carbon capture and storage (CCS)
[25:20] Industrial carbon management vs. negative emissions
[31:15] The ‘coming soon’ technology Roger is most excited about
[35:55] How much the report’s plan would cost California residents
[39:38] How oil and gas might evolve into the direct air capture industry
[42:12] Why the LLNL report took a local approach
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email podcast@nori.com
Resources
LLNL Report: Getting to Neutral Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Research Coordination Network on Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage |
Mar 31, 2020 |
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S2E5: Ayahuasca, shamanism, & the climate crisis—w/ Sophia Rokhlin, author of When Plants Dream
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We live in a world of abundance. And yet, a growing number of us struggle with mental health issues like anxiety, depression and PTSD. What if our disconnection from the natural world is part of the problem? To that end, thousands of Westerners are traveling to the Amazon Basin to engage in the healing tradition of ayahuasca.
Sophia Rokhlin is the coauthor of When Plants Dream: Ayahuasca, Amazonian Shamanism and the Global Psychedelic Renaissance. She also serves as the director of the sustainable ayahuasca cultivation program at the Temple of the Way of Light, a traditional plant medicine retreat center in the Peruvian Amazon. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Sophia joins Ross and Alexsandra to introduce us to the traditions of shamanism and discuss the fundamentals of ayahuasca, and how ayahuasca tourism impacts indigenous communities.
Sophia explains the role of plant medicine in addressing climate change, describing the intelligence of plants and the connection between humans and the natural world elevated by the ayahuasca ceremony. We also weigh in on the spiritual elitism and cultural appropriation surrounding Amazonian shamanism and examine the pros and cons of commoditizing plant medicine. Listen in for Sophia’s insight on the permaculture idea of edge realms and learn how combining our rational, pragmatic mindset with an enchanted indigenous perspective can lead to a kinder, more empathetic way of being.
Key Takeaways
[4:40] How Sophia defines shamanism
[8:06] The fundamentals of ayahuasca and ayahuasca tourism
[12:26] The permaculture concept of edge realms
[14:16] How Sophia thinks about overcoming our cultural aversion to psychedelics
[19:23] The role of plants like ayahuasca in addressing climate change
[29:05] How Sophia compares the 1960’s to what is happening now
[33:39] How ayahuasca tourism impacts indigenous communities
[44:28] Sophia’s insight around experience-based spirituality
[51:02] How ayahuasca interacts with different faith traditions
[54:12] The ordeal aspect of plant medicine
[58:39] Sophia’s advice on choosing an ayahuasca center
Connect with Ross & Alexsandra
Email podcast@nori.com
Resources
Graham Hancock: The War on Consciousness |
Mar 24, 2020 |
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S2E4: A climate change prequel—w/ Nathaniel Rich, author of Losing Earth: A Recent History
2528
Most of us believe that climate change is a relatively new problem. But the fact is, the government and the oil and gas industry knew about global warming long before Dr. James Hansen’s famous testimony in Congress in 1989. And believe it or not, actors on both sides of the aisle spent the 1980’s working toward a comprehensive solution even more ambitious than the Green New Deal.
Nathaniel Rich is a writer-at-large for The New York Times Magazine and the author of three novels. His nonfiction book, Losing Earth: A Recent History, is an account of the 10-year period from 1979 to 1989 when we ‘almost stopped climate change.’ On this episode of the podcast, Nathaniel joins Ross to give us an overview of the story behind the book, explaining how climate change was a bipartisan issue at the time and what eventually moved Republicans into a much more hostile posture.
Nathaniel goes on to discuss the evolution of the oil and gas industry’s fight against legislation to reduce emissions and the potential legal ramifications for the deliberate misinformation campaign that followed. Listen in for Nathaniel’s response to Naomi Klein’s criticism of his work and find out what lessons we can learn from the failure of the 1989 global treaty to curb carbon emissions.
*Nori has a Patreon. Would you please support the show?*
Key Takeaways
[1:31] The story Nathaniel tells in Losing Earth
[3:48] How different the political landscape was in the 1980’s
[6:52] What turned Republicans into the party of climate denialism
[9:59] Nathaniel’s take on the intentions of oil and gas execs
[15:45] The potential legal ramifications for fossil fuel companies
[17:41] Why Nathaniel believes oil execs took the actions they did
[21:25] How Naomi Klein’s writing differs from Nathaniel’s
[30:58] The historical lessons we can learn from Nathaniel’s work
[34:48] The current shift away from climate denial
Connect with Ross
Email podcast@nori.com
Resources
Losing Earth: A Recent History by Nathaniel Rich “Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change” in The New York Times Magazine Dr. James Hansen’s 1988 Congressional Testimony On Fire: The Burning Case for a Green New Deal by Naomi Klein “Capitalism Killed Our Climate Momentum, Not ‘Human Nature’” in The Intercept |
Mar 17, 2020 |
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S2E3: We ask Vox's David Roberts if we're naive about conservatives and climate
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The team at Nori prides themselves on including individuals across the political spectrum in the climate conversation and being open to the idea of energy companies as partners in the fight against climate change. Is this a naive position to take? Is it possible to rekindle the social trust we need to work together on climate solutions?
David Roberts is a staff writer for Vox, and his work focuses on energy, politics and climate change. On this episode of the podcast, David joins Ross and Aldyen to share his take on the disappearance of the center-right as a faction of the Republican Party and discuss the role social trust plays in the health of a society. Aldyen introduces the idea of a common goal as key to the survival of an empire, and David explains why climate change is unlikely to serve as our national purpose here in the US.
David goes on to describe what drew him to the topic of carbon utilization and how he thinks about applying emissions performance standards to carbon removal. Listen in for David’s warning around allowing what he sees as bad actors (potentially like the oil and gas industry) into the fold as partners and learn why we can’t solve climate change with a spreadsheet—and would do well to prepare ourselves for a messy process.
Key Takeaways
[1:53] David’s take on the center-right as a faction
[8:01] Why most major environmental laws were signed by Republicans
[13:03] The challenge around creating a multi-ethnic democracy
[15:20] How the health of a society is linked to the idea of social trust
[19:28] Why empires need a common, driving goal to survive
[24:28] Why David doesn’t think climate change can serve as our national purpose
[31:58] What drew David to the topic of carbon utilization
[34:59] How David defines the emissions performance standard
[41:30] How David thinks about employing emissions performance standards to carbon removal
[48:23] The potential for oil and gas companies to transition to energy companies
[56:02] David’s criticism of Republican climate efforts
[1:01:49] David’s insight around our cognitive and emotional blind spots
[1:11:27] Why solving climate change will be a messy process
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email podcast@nori.com
Resources
Environmental Protection Agency Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Massachusetts’ GHG Emissions and Mitigation Policy (We will add in Aldyen's economics of empire book when we can figure out what it is.) White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo California’s Building Standards Code |
Mar 10, 2020 |
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Citizens' Climate Lobby's carbon fee and dividend bill—w/ Conservative Outreach Fellow Daniel Palken
2107
There is a misconception among the American public that conservatives don’t see climate change as an issue. And yet, when polled, a strong majority DO recognize the climate crisis as a problem worth doing something about. But in such a polarized political environment, how do we work together on bipartisan climate solutions?
Daniel Palken is a Conservative Outreach Fellow for Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL), an organization working to build support in Congress for a national bipartisan solution to climate change. On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, Daniel joins Ross to explain what drew him to work with the organization and discuss their recent Conservative Climate Lobby Day for climate advocates right of center.
Daniel introduces us to CCL’s Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, describing how the bill disincentivizes the use of fossil fuels and what differentiates it from other carbon pricing proposals. Listen in for Daniel’s insight on engaging conservatives in the climate conversation and learn how CCL’s market-driven solution seeks to unite Democrats and Republicans around its vision of a prosperous future.
Key Takeaways
[1:22] What drew Daniel to work with Citizens’ Climate Lobby
[6:27] Citizens’ Climate Lobby’s Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act
[13:08] How CCL’s bill compares to other carbon pricing proposals
[18:31] What we need to do to move the needle on climate legislation
[23:08] The potential for a Republican vision of climate solutions
Connect with Ross
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act Conservative Climate Lobby Day A Message from the Future with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Baker-Schultz Carbon Dividends Plan |
Mar 06, 2020 |
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S2E2: Open Borders: immigration, climate change, & economic growth—w/ Dr. Bryan Caplan
3389
How does immigration impact the environment? There are ideological arguments against open borders both right and left of center, and yes, the economic growth that would likely result from such a liberal policy would increase emissions—at first. But there is an environmental argument FOR allowing more and more people to immigrate to rich countries.
Dr. Bryan Caplan is a Professor of Economics at George Mason University and New York Times Bestselling author. His most recent release is a collaboration with Zach Weinersmith called Open Borders: The Science and Ethics of Immigration. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Bryan joins Ross and Paul to discuss the thesis of his new nonfiction graphic novel and explain his view that open borders would ultimately double the productivity of humankind.
Bryan introduces us to the value of his Ideological Turing Test and practice of public betting, discussing why he likes to hold people accountable for their views in objective, quantifiable ways. Listen in for Bryan’s insight around how open borders are likely to impact the climate, the responsibility rich countries have to climate refugees, and the best keyhole solutions to social issues around immigration and the environment.
Key Takeaways
[1:04] The value of Bryan’s ideological Touring test
[4:44] Bryan’s public bet with Yoram Bauman on global warming
[7:35] Why Bryan engages in public betting
[11:32] The thesis of Bryan’s nonfiction graphic novel Open Borders
[19:20] How open borders are likely to impact the climate
[27:22] Bryan’s insight on the degrowther argument
[30:49] The responsibility rich countries have to climate refugees
[34:01] Bryan’s take on the opposition to immigration
[39:56] How US opinion on immigration has evolved since 2000
[42:51] The idea of keyhole solutions to social problems
[48:22] How Bryan thinks about adding to the human population
Connect with Ross & Paul
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Open Borders: The Science and Ethics of Immigration by Bryan Caplan and Zach Weinersmith The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change by Yoram Bauman and Grady Klein The Cartoon History of the Universe by Larry Gonick Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal Hard Heads, Soft Hearts: Tough-Minded Economics for a Just Society by Alan S. Blinder The Simpsons’ Open Borders Meme The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet by Ramez Naam |
Mar 03, 2020 |
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Shipped is better than perfect—an update from the Nori Product Team (bonus)
3602
As any good developer can tell you, if you release a product you feel good about, you waited WAY TOO LONG to get said product on the market.
Last summer, Nori’s product team was spending time onboarding farmers, building up auctions and a spot market, but they didn’t have a defined launch date. And they were trying to build out the Nori marketplace in its entirety—before customers had the opportunity to use it. So, what initiated the team’s pivot to an iterative process on an accelerated timeline?
Michael Leggett is Nori’s Director of Product, Jacob Farny is the team’s Principal Product Designer, Jaycen Horton serves as the Principal Blockchain Architect, and Software Developer Richie “never writes code with bugs” Farman. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, the Nori product team joins Ross for a product update, walking us through what they’ve been working on and how their priorities have shifted since last summer.
They describe how participating in Techstars inspired the decision to sell carbon removal for cash, driving them to think iteratively to get a product out much sooner. The team explains their greatest challenges leading up to the Lightning Sale and in the migration to the ongoing Live Sale, discussing why serialization and working on the blockchain make their job more difficult. Listen in to understand the Nori product team’s audacious goals for Q1 (and beyond) and learn how they are working to scale the sale of NRTs moving forward.
Key Takeaways
[3:10] What the product team was working on last summer
[6:29] What inspired the product team’s pivot in priorities
[10:35] How Techstars changed Nori’s direction
[19:44] The product team’s struggles around the Lightning Sale
[32:46] How Nori differs from previous carbon markets
[38:05] The migration from Nori’s Lightning Sale to Live Sale
[44:01] The product team’s priorities for development in Q1
[52:32] What the product team is looking forward to
Connect with Ross
Email podcast@nori.com
Resources
Nori’s Carbon Removal Marketplace |
Feb 28, 2020 |
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S2E1: What can carbon removal learn from cleantech?—w/ Jigar Shah of Generate Capital
2504
There are a number of proven cleantech solutions that have yet to enjoy commercial success. So, how do we encourage investors to direct their money toward scaling up such crucial climate solutions? How do we convince financiers that sustainability pays?
Jigar Shah is the Cofounder and COO of Generate Capital, a financial services firm dedicated to building the infrastructure necessary to deliver affordable and reliable resource solutions. A luminary in the realm of financing renewable energy, Jigar is also the author of Creating Climate Wealth: Unlocking the Impact Economy. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Jigar joins Ross and Christophe to discuss his mission to help entrepreneurs and companies scale up proven climate solutions.
Jigar weighs in on the relationship between policy and market actors as well as the biggest failures and successes of the last decade in clean tech. He also explains the idea of deployment-led innovation and shares the connection between Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and project finance. Listen in for Jigar’s insight around the financial infrastructure of a carbon marketplace like Nori and learn how Generate plans to use its recent $1B raise to help scale climate solutions.
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Key Takeaways
[3:50] Jigar’s path to Generate Capital
[6:11] The relationship between policy and market actors
[10:42] The connection between PPAs and project finance
[12:17] The concept of deployment-led innovation
[14:39] Jigar’s take on the biggest failure + success in the last ten years of clean tech
[20:35] What it means to have a social license to operate
[24:44] The parallels between carbon removal + clean energy
[27:13] Jigar’s insight on the financial infrastructure of a carbon removal marketplace
[30:55] How regenerative agriculture differs in terms of risk assessment
[36:30] How Generate plans to use its recent $1B raise
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email podcast@nori.com
Resources
National Renewable Energy Laboratory California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard Creating Climate Wealth: Unlocking the Impact Economy by Jigar Shah |
Feb 25, 2020 |
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Welcome to Reversing Climate Change!
108
Reversing Climate Change is a Nori podcast about the innovators working to reverse climate change, as the name well-implies! Our primary interest is in carbon removal—actually pulling CO2 out of the atmosphere and storing it—but we chat about social science, policy, philosophy, theology, economics, history, and beyond. We usually describe the show as "intellectual, yet goofy", so if that's the sort of climate show you're looking for, come hang with us. |
Feb 25, 2020 |
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Have humans earned the Anthropocene?—with Peter Brannen
1438
Do humans deserve to have an epoch named for us? On the one hand, we have irreparably changed the course of evolution. On the other hand, should things continue on their current trajectory, human civilization may not be around long enough to read as more than a blip on the fossil record. So, is Anthropocene the right name for the geologic period we’re in?
Peter Brannen is the award-winning science journalist and deep time aficionado behind The Ends of the World: Volcanic Apocalypses, Lethal Oceans, and Our Quest to Understand Earth’s Past Mass Extinctions. On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, he comes back on the show to discuss his recently published articles in The Atlantic, ‘The Anthropocene is a Joke’ and ‘What Made Me Reconsider the Anthropocene.’ We discuss why deep time is such a foreign concept to the general public and Peter explains how the term Anthropocene has evolved to encompass all human activity.
Peter shares his initial argument against the Anthropocene being classified as an epoch, describing how our impact on the geologic record will present as a tiny line in the rocks and why it’s wildly optimistic to assume that we’ll persist far enough into geological time to merit the label. Listen in to understand why Peter’s point of view on the Anthropocene has shifted and learn how our actions may have initiated the mass extinction that introduces the next epoch.
Key Takeaways
[0:59] Why deep time is such a foreign concept to the general public
[1:40] Peter’s argument against the Anthropocene as an epoch
[8:34] The biggest impact humans have had on the planet thus far
[12:10] How Peter’s point of view on the Anthropocene has shifted
[16:21] How humans might earn our own epoch
[19:34] The Cambrian explosion vs. current technological innovation
Connect with Ross
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
‘The Anthropocene is a Joke’ in The Atlantic |
Feb 04, 2020 |
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CarbonWA's pivot from a carbon tax or fee to regenerative agriculture
1132
CarbonWA's Kyle Murphy and Greg Rock have both previously been on the show to talk about Washington state's carbon policy and their legislative attempts. Now, CarbonWA is focusing on a new approach to incentivize regenerative agriculture called the Sustainable Farms and Fields Bill, which is Senate Bill 5947. In this Reversing Climate Change bonus episode, CarbonWA's Sustainable Farms Campaign Manager, Noa Kay, joins the show to give us an update on their efforts and change of approach. CarbonWA's Sustainable Farms and Fields Campaign page Soil Health Institute's Policy Resources Catalogue RCC #56: Kyle Murphy, Executive Director of CarbonWA RCC #36: Greg Rock of Carbon Washington
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Jan 28, 2020 |
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Is the Climate Crisis a Secular Eschatology?—with Dr. Evan Kuehn
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Classically, but also in response to Greta Thunberg’s address to the United Nations, a number of right-wing critics have weaponized the term ‘secular #eschatology,’ accusing climate activists of an illegitimate alarmism that mimics the Christian idea of the rapture. So, in what ways might the climate crisis be considered secular eschatology? And more broadly, what other theological questions should we be asking ourselves when it comes to climate change?
Dr. Evan Kuehn is a theologian and academic librarian at North Park University, conducting research around modern religious thought. His forthcoming book is called Troeltsch’s Eschatological Absolute. On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, Evan joins Ross to discuss his recently published article, "Is the Climate Crisis a Secular Eschatology?", introducing us to eschatology as an account of how our world ends and explaining how climate change qualifies as a secular eschatology.
Evan offers his take on how Naomi Klein, et al's work ties socioeconomic structure to the eschatological question and describes some of the anxieties we have around the eschaton in connection with climate change. Listen in for Evan’s insight on the theological questions to consider in relationship to the climate crisis, including issues of human belonging and exclusion and our moral obligation to our neighbor.
Key Takeaways
[1:20] How eschatology is defined
[3:11] How climate change could be a secular eschatology
[5:46] Naomi Klein’s work around climate change
[7:39] The ambiguity around immanentizing the eschaton
[9:13] The anxieties around climate change + the eschaton
[10:31] How premillennialism differs from postmillennialism
[13:04] The linear vs. cyclical perception of time
[18:51] Further study on faith traditions + climate change
[23:21] Evan’s insight on theological ideas to explore further
Connect with Ross
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Evan’s Article on Climate Change & Secular Eschatology The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate by Naomi Klein Dangerous Years: Climate Change, the Long Emergency, and the Way Forward by David W. Orr The God of Hope and the End of the World by John Polkinghorne |
Jan 21, 2020 |
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Jimmy Jia's new book, "The Corporate Energy Strategist's Handbook"
931
Jimmy Jia is an author and professor at Presidio Graduate School. Jimmy was on the show over a year ago talking about his work in cleantech, and applying the insights of thermodynamics to business and beyond. We welcome Jimmy back to the Reversing Climate Change podcast for a short bonus episode on his new book, The Corporate Energy Strategist's Handbook: Frameworks to Achieve Environmental Sustainability and Competitive Advantage. You can preorder the book on Amazon here. It comes out March 11th, 2020. "Clean Tech Entrepreneur Jimmy Jia", episode #57 on Reversing Climate Change |
Jan 14, 2020 |
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107: A dedicated introduction to communitarianism—w/ Jeffrey Howard of Erraticus
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Do you have strong bonds with a faith community or civic organization? How about a book club or sports league? Do you live near your parents? How well do you know your neighbors? In Why Liberalism Failed, Patrick Deneen makes the communitarian argument that liberalism’s failure lies in its success. In the pursuit of individual autonomy, we have alienated ourselves from each other and the environment.
Jeffrey Howard is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief at Erraticus, an online publication focused on human flourishing. On this episode, Jeffrey joins Alexsandra and Ross to discuss the ideas in Deneen’s book and compare how communitarians and liberals see the world.
Jeffrey offers his take on the downside of liberalism’s success, describing our growing isolation and dependence on government interventions or markets—as opposed to each other. Listen in to understand the limits of communitarianism in terms of scale and learn how a communitarian might approach climate change.
Key Takeaways
[1:43] How communitarians see the world
[7:54] The three different types of communities
[10:02] The fundamentals of liberalism
[12:47] How liberalism impacts communities
[19:22] Patrick Deneen’s argument re: the loose relationships of liberalism
[28:35] The downside of liberalism’s success
[35:01] The consequences of liberalism for individuals
[37:39] A communitarian take on climate change
[43:20] Jeffrey’s solutions for brain drain in small communities
[51:15] Jeffrey’s argument against the romanticizing of travel
[56:21] A communitarian approach to solving climate change
[59:31] The best critiques of communitarianism
Connect with Alexsandra & Ross
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Why Liberalism Failed by Patrick J. Deneen John Stuart Mill’s Harm Principle David Hume’s ‘Of the Original Contract’ Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville The Quest for Community: A Study in the Ethics of Order and Freedom by Robert Nisbet Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert D. Putnam Wendell Berry’s Port William Novels & Stories Wendell Berry Farming Program at Sterling College Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress by Steven Pinker |
Dec 31, 2019 |
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106: Maritime trade with wooden ships?!—w/ Danielle Doggett of SAILCARGO
2379
Are you willing to give up coffee? Chocolate? Rum? Many of us have come to think of these products as necessities and would have a very hard time giving them up. And yet, we know that the current methods of shipping those items contribute to the carbon emissions causing climate change. So, is there a way to transport the products we’ve come to love in a way that’s sustainable, financially viable AND emission-free?
Danielle Doggett is the Executive Director of SAILCARGO, a carbon-neutral shipping company in the process of building the world’s largest emission-free cargo ship, Ceiba. The team uses high-quality wood and old-world shipbuilding techniques with the goal of transporting artisanal products from Central America to the US and Canada. In this episode, Danielle joins Alexsandra and Ross to discuss how Ceiba will be powered by wind energy and explain how it compares to traditional ships in terms of capacity, delivery speed and shipping costs.
Danielle shares the problems with the current shipping industry, including air and bioacoustics pollution, oil spills, deforestation, dangerous shipbreaking practices, and illegal dumping. Listen in for Danielle’s insight around using technology options to improve the shipping industry and learn how you can support the creation of a sustainable supply chain by owning shares in SAILCARGO!
Key Takeaways
[1:01] What Danielle’s team is building at SAILCARGO
[1:53] Danielle’s vision for SAILCARGO
[3:20] How Ceiba will be powered
[5:04] How Ceiba’s size compares to other ships
[7:27] The international team at SAILCARGO
[8:29] The SAILCARGO business model
[9:59] Danielle’s path to founding SAILCARGO
[12:17] Danielle’s commitment to high-quality wood
[13:54] What’s wrong with the current shipping industry
[16:55] The problems associated with a lack of governance
[19:50] Danielle’s rebuttal to the premise of The Locavore’s Dilemma
[28:58] How Danielle thinks about the future of shipping
[30:33] How the cost of shipping on Ceiba compares to other ships
[31:27] How Ceiba’s delivery times compare to traditional ships
[33:41] Ross and Alexsandra’s unsolicited business advice
Connect with Alexsandra & Ross
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
North Pacific Timber Corporation International Maritime Organization SAILCARGO’s COP23 Presentation The Locavore’s Dilemma: In Praise of the 10,000-Mile Diet by Pierre Desrochers and Hiroko Shimizu |
Dec 24, 2019 |
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105: Should you have children in light of climate change?—w/ Darrell Bricker of Empty Planet
2719
Everybody knows that the global population is out of control. And everybody is wrong, our guest argues. In fact, Darrell Bricker and John Ibbitson contend that the UN model predicting 11.2B people by the end of the century is deeply flawed. According to their research, the human population is likely to reach only 8.5B by midcentury and then begin to decline.
Darrell Bricker is the coauthor of Empty Planet: The Shock of Global Population Decline, a book exploring how a shrinking population might reshape the social, political, environmental and economic landscape. On this episode of the Reversing Climate Change, Darrell joins Alexsandra and Ross to discuss how his understanding of population trends differs from conventional wisdom and explain why the UN numbers around global fertility rates are wrong.
Darrell shares the reasons why women are making the decision to have fewer children, exploring the impact urbanization, education, healthcare delivery and even access to telenovelas (yes, Spanish-language soap operas!) have had on birthrate. He also discusses the potential consequences of global population decline, including its effect on the natural environment and what it means for our current economic model. Listen in for Darrell’s insight on why government policies to promote childbirth don’t seem to work and learn what to consider in making your own decision to have children—or not.
Key Takeaways
[0:39] How Darrell’s understanding of population trends differs from conventional wisdom
[2:56] Why the UN numbers are wrong
[4:27] Why women are making the decision to have fewer children
[6:08] The general pros and cons of a declining birthrate
[8:29] Wolfgang Lutz’s work around the decline in population
[12:18] The impact of telenovelas on the birthrate in Brazil
[14:29] Other factors that influenced the birthrate in Brazil
[16:45] The main criticism of Empty Planet
[18:17] The generational conflicts associated with population decline
[22:28] The potential consequences of global population decline
[24:35] Darrell’s insight on making the decision to have children
[32:26] How having children later in life impacts fertility rates
[38:07] Government policies to promote childbirth
[41:18] The complex decision women are facing all over the world
Connect with Alexsandra & Ross
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Empty Planet: The Shock of Global Population Decline by Darrell Bricker and John Ibbitson 2019 UN World Population Prospects Wolfgang Lutz on the ‘Education Effect’ |
Dec 17, 2019 |
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104: How tech can help save the Amazon—w/ Diego Saez Gil of Pachama
2496
If you want to verify carbon capture for a reforestation or forest conservation project, you’re looking at a price tag of anywhere between $100K and $400K, depending on the size of the forest. But a new company called Pachama is working to make the process much more affordable and add trust to the system, harnessing AI to measure carbon capture in forests.
Diego Saez Gil is the Cofounder and CEO of Pachama, a startup developing the technologies to bring trust, transparency and efficiency to the forest carbon market. His team leverages machine learning to accelerate the validation of carbon captured in reforestation and forest conservation projects. On this episode of the podcast, Diego joins Alexsandra, Ross and Christophe to explain how LiDAR technology works and discuss how Pachama is using it to measure carbon capture with stunning accuracy.
Diego shares the benefits of using Pachama’s platform in terms of adding trust to the system and reducing the transaction costs associated with verifying reforestation projects in carbon markets. He also discusses the fight over development versus conservation in Brazil and describes his take on the role of corporations in reversing climate change. Listen in for insight around the need for an abundance mindset in developing climate solutions and learn how Diego thinks about carbon markets as a mechanism to align incentives on the path to reversing climate change.
Key Takeaways
[1:40] The work Diego and his team do through Pachama
[3:29] How Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology works
[7:08] Why we should trust that Pachama’s algorithm works
[9:08] The expense associated with verifying reforestation projects
[10:46] Pachama’s approach to onboarding new clients
[13:47] How we can improve the design of forestry projects in carbon markets
[15:51] Pachama’s progress in its first year in business
[17:10] Pachama’s needs around data collection
[18:11] The complexity of land and development politics
[24:06] Diego’s insight into the role of corporations in reversing climate change
[27:51] Diego’s entrepreneurial path to reversing climate change
[30:44] How the scarcity vs. abundance mindset plays into Diego’s work
[34:50] How David Grinspoon’s work influenced Diego
Connect with Alexsandra, Ross & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Email info@pachama.com The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by David Wallace-Wells Earth in Human Hands: Shaping Our Planet’s Future by David Grinspoon A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle |
Dec 10, 2019 |
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103: The critical left & carbon removal—with Dr. Holly Jean Buck of UCLA
3520
Most leftist political views of the climate crisis lean toward natural solutions like reforestation and regenerative ag. But if we’re serious about taking action at the necessary scale before it’s too late, Dr. Holly Jean Buck argues that we have to consider ALL available solutions, including carbon capture technology and geoengineering. She comes at the issue from the Critical Left, advocating for the thoughtful use of industrial tech to reverse climate change.
Dr. Buck is a postdoctoral research fellow at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and the author of After Geoengineering: Climate Tragedy, Repair and Restoration. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Dr. Buck joins Ross to discuss how her take on climate solutions differs from traditional left-leaning views, explaining the aspects of geoengineering that should be in the hands of the people and the risks associated with Nori’s premise of treating carbon as a commodity.
Dr. Buck weighs in on why people are skeptical of industrial solutions to climate change and why she believes state involvement is key in removing carbon at scale. Listen in for insight into the pros and cons of policy solutions to climate change and learn why the Critical Left needs to take carbon capture technology seriously.
Key Takeaways
[3:12] What inspired Dr. Buck to write After Geoengineering
[4:46] What aspects of geoengineering should be in the hands of the people
[8:18] The risks around treating carbon as a commodity
[10:57] How Dr. Buck thinks about the buyer’s side of a carbon market
[15:26] Why people aren’t talking about radical solutions
[19:20] Why Dr. Buck is skeptical of fossil fuel companies leading drawdown
[28:08] Why people are suspicious of industrial climate solutions
[37:54] The pros and cons policy solutions to climate change
[40:46] How Dr. Buck thinks about the mission of Nori
[45:16] A Critical Left take on Nori
[49:12] Dr. Buck’s insight around reasonable criticisms of her work
[51:34] Why the Critical Left should take industrial solutions seriously
Connect with Ross
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
After Geoengineering: Climate Tragedy, Repair, and Restoration by Holly Jean Buck ‘The Empty Radicalism of the Climate Apocalypse’ by Ted Nordhaus The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by David Wallace-Wells Climate Wars: What People Will Be Killed for in the 21st Century by Harald Welzer Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming edited by Paul Hawken Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Giridharadas |
Dec 03, 2019 |
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102: Techstars, The Nature Conservancy, & Nori's sustainability startup accelerator experience
3205
A great deal of talent and resources are dedicated to the development of technology that makes the lives of the privileged even easier. What if that kind of energy and investment was redirected to problems like conservation and climate change? How can we inspire more entrepreneurs to focus on the sustainability space? And what can we do to support the startups that are working to make the world a better place?
Zach Neis is the Managing Director of the Techstars Sustainability Accelerator, August Ritter serves as Program Director of The Nature Conservancy’s partnership with Techstars, and Hannah Davis is the Program Director of the Techstars Sustainability Accelerator. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, August, Zach and Hannah join Alexsandra, Jason and Christophe to discuss the origin of The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) partnership with Techstars and share the idea behind the program—to create a community of mission-driven companies and help them achieve a year’s worth of progress in just three months.
August weighs in on what TNC and Techstars look for in a company, Hannah shares the purpose behind the Mentor Madness component of the program, and Zach addresses the role of VC money in expanding the possibilities for tech teams in the sustainability space. Listen in to understand how the Techstars experience helped the Nori team overcome its limiting beliefs and launch a product much sooner than expected!
Key Takeaways
[0:40] The premise of the Techstars accelerator
[5:34] The origin of The Nature Conservancy’s partnership with Techstars
[8:19] What inspired August’s work with the Techstars program
[9:16] What inspired Zach’s work with the Techstars program
[11:06] What inspired Hannah’s work with the Techstars program
[12:16] What Techstars looks for in a company
[13:59] The community built through the Techstars program
[16:40] Why Techstars incorporates Mentor Madness
[20:04] The Nature Conservancy’s general investment themes
[23:24] The panel’s hopes for the future
[29:14] The tension around using VC money to address sustainability
[33:36] The fundamental reframes Nori experienced at Techstars
[38:15] The Nori team’s advice around building a startup team
[43:04] Nori’s biggest barriers to ‘learning by doing’
[47:33] The high points of the Techstars experience for Nori
Connect with Alexsandra, Jason & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Hannah’s Email: hannah.davis@techstars.com Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek |
Nov 26, 2019 |
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101: If California were engulfed in flames—w/ Allison Wolff of Vibrant Planet
3357
Trees are carbon storage machines. And they are disappearing at an alarming rate. In fact, experts predict that California could lose two-thirds of its 33M acres of forest in the next 15 to 20 years due to megafire and climate-driven disease and mortality. What’s more, the 2018 fires there emitted 68B tons of carbon, the equivalent of powering the state of California for an entire year. So, what can we do to restore our forests and manage them long-term in a way that mitigates the risk of megafire?
Allison Wolff is the Founder and CEO of Vibrant Planet, a firm that leverages the power of narrative to mobilize positive social change. She has 25 years of experience in the space, and her impressive client roster includes Google, eBay, Facebook and Netflix. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Allison joins Ross and Christophe to discuss what sparked her interest in the megafire issue and explain why the California forests are burning—and what we can do about it.
Allison also weighs in on the thousands of jobs associated with restoring and maintaining our forests long-term and how we might employ a new carbon accounting system to fund the necessary work. Listen in for Allison’s take on why a ‘let them burn’ policy is misguided and learn how you can get involved in promoting a carbon market that would pay to bring resilience back AND mitigate fire risk in our forests.
Key Takeaways
[1:45] Allison’s path to Reversing Climate Change
[10:45] Why Allison is interested in working with Nori
[12:57] Why California forests are burning
[22:19] What we can do to reintroduce low-intensity fire
[28:12] Allison’s insight around the potential to restore forests
[31:35] How we might pay for forest restoration
[36:18] The jobs associated with restoring forests
[38:09] Allison’s take on the Sierra Club no touch policy
[41:33] The potential to create a new accounting system for carbon
[47:28] Allison’s work with the California Forest Observatory
[52:58] How RCC listeners can get involved in Allison’s work
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Copenhagen Climate Change Conference Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming edited by Paul Hawken The Sagehen Experimental Forest Blue Forest Pilot with Yuba County Water Agency Stanford Natural Capital Project Mental Health as an Ecosystem Service 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann |
Nov 19, 2019 |
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100: An Ecomodernist Podcast-o—with Ted Nordhaus of The Breakthrough Institute
3481
In a zero-sum game between human prosperity and saving the planet, the planet will lose every time, our guest believes. But what if we can have our cake and eat it too? What if we can grow the economy AND deal with climate change at the same time?
Ted Nordhaus is the Founder and Executive Director of The Breakthrough Institute, the world’s first ecomodernist think tank promoting technological solutions to environmental problems. He is also the author of Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Ted joins Ross and Christophe to discuss the fundamentals of ecomodernism, explaining the movement’s idea of decoupling and offering his response to the degrowther argument against it.
Ted also shares the ecomodernist take on industrial agriculture and addresses the reasons why nuclear energy has failed to gain traction. Listen in to understand what’s wrong with apocalyptic environmentalism and find out how we can move the needle on climate change without threatening the end of days.
Key Takeaways
[1:30] The fundamentals of ecomodernism
[5:03] The ecomodernist idea of decoupling
[8:59] Ted’s response to the degrowthers
[13:46] The ecomodernist take on industrial agriculture
[18:58] Ted’s insight on apocalyptic environmentalism
[25:18] The policies with the most climate benefits
[28:29] How to move the needle without threatening apocalypse
[32:53] Why nuclear energy has failed to gain traction
[40:44] Ted’s take on the smartest people who disagree with him
[44:54] Ted’s response to George Monbiot’s critique of ecomodernism
[48:51] How the Right might respond to apocalyptic climate action
[51:45] Ted’s vision of a population that adapts well to 4° warming
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Breakthrough Dialogues Podcast ‘The Empty Radicalism of the Climate Apocalypse’ by Ted Nordhaus The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by David Wallace-Wells ‘Meet the Ecomodernists: Ignorant of History and Paradoxically Old-Fashioned’ by George Monbiot |
Nov 12, 2019 |
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99: Nuclear, GMOs, & the importance of being rigorous—with Nathanael Johnson of Grist
3208
“If you’re saying, ‘Let’s just stick with what we have until we can prove that anything new isn’t going to hurt us,’ then we’re stuck in this status quo that’s heading at 400 miles per hour toward six degrees of global warming—which I’m not willing to accept. There’s a real need for not blindly rushing into things, but we have to weigh that against the need to make some real changes.”
Nathanael Johnson is a Senior Writer at Grist and the author of All Natural: A Skeptic’s Quest to Discover If the Natural Approach to Diet, Childbirth, Healing and the Environment Really Keeps Us Healthier and Happier and Unseen City: The Majesty of Pigeons, the Discreet Charm of Snails & Other Wonders of the Urban Wilderness. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Nathanael joins Ross and Christophe to discuss how his writing challenges the status quo, asking the questions that inspire real results.
Nathanael describes the arguments for and against nuclear energy, explaining why it’s continued use may be necessary to mitigate climate change and what forces are affecting the industry’s collapse. He also addresses the controversy around GMOs, sharing why it’s difficult to define what qualifies as a GMO and how he thinks about the issue as a consumer—and a journalist. Listen in for Nathanael’s questions around soil organic carbon as a climate solution and learn how he cultivates the ability to see issues from multiple perspectives, staying open to cultural critiques of his views.
Key Takeaways
[1:00] How Nevada City shaped Nathanael
[6:38] The little experiences that shook Nathanael’s beliefs
[11:49] The impact of nuclear energy on climate change
[15:24] The forces causing the collapse of nuclear energy
[21:09] Why people are generally resistant to nuclear
[26:09] The difficulty of defining what qualifies as a GMO
[30:07] Nathanael’s take on the precautionary principle
[33:04] How Nathanael thinks about GMOs as a consumer
[38:32] Nathanael’s questions around carbon sequestration
[41:52] How Nori navigates the internal tension of startups
[49:50] Nathanael’s best critics
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
DOE Risk Insurance for Nuclear Facilities ‘It’s Practically Impossible to Define GMOs’ in Grist The UN’s Precautionary Approach to Environmental Challenges Jeremy Kaufman on Reversing Climate Change EP049 ‘Regenerative Agriculture: World-Saving Idea or Food Marketing Ploy?’ in Grist |
Nov 05, 2019 |
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98: Getting your feet wet in water markets—with Richael Young of Mammoth Water
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Water markets are designed to reallocate H2O in times of scarcity and promote efficient use of the resource. And if they’re managed correctly, water markets can help us protect and preserve our water supply. Given that agricultural players account for 70% of global water use, small improvements in efficiency on farms can have a very big impact. Better yet, trading water rights can provide farmers with an additional income stream. So, how do water markets work?
Richael Young is the Cofounder and CEO of Mammoth Water, the smart market platform that delivers a smarter, simpler way to track and trade water. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Richael joins Alexsandra and Christophe to discuss the ins and outs of water markets and explain why strong governance is crucial to their success.
Richael describes the challenges farmers face in participating in water markets and how Mammoth Water makes it easy to trade water rights. She also introduces us to the team’s TAPP H2O product, explaining how it helps farmers track their water use. Listen in for Richael’s insight around the connection between groundwater and climate change and learn how water markets, when done right, can reduce our footprint on water use!
Key Takeaways
[1:24] What inspired Richael’s interest in environmental conservation
[2:42] The idea behind Mammoth Water
[3:58] The connection between ground water and climate change
[6:24] How water markets work
[8:30] Why governance is crucial to the success of water markets
[12:22] The challenges farmers face in trading water rights
[16:05] How Mammoth Water supports farmers
[17:43] The factors that impact the value of water
[20:20] Why water markets are useful
[24:12] How Mammoth’s TAPP H2O product tracks water use
[32:58] What you need to know about the Ogallala Aquifer
[35:18] Richael’s approach to managing water rights
Connect with Alexsandra & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Email info@mammothwater.com |
Oct 29, 2019 |
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Schwarzenegger Institute negates their office's emissions with carbon removals (lightning bonus episode #5)
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At the University of Southern California, the Schwarzenegger Institute works to find common ground and post-partisan solutions to pressing problems, not least of which is climate change. They participated in the Nori Lightning Sale. Find out why carbon removals is important to their work and why they support Nori in today's bonus episode. |
Oct 23, 2019 |
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97: Where reforestation & carbon markets meet—w/ Mike Smith & John Cleland of RenewWest
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Up to 25% of the world’s carbon emissions can be offset through natural climate solutions, and the #1 channel, both domestically and internationally, is reforestation. Planting trees is obviously a huge market opportunity. But the question is, how do we pay for it?
Mike Smith and John Cleland are the managing partners of RenewWest, an environmental services company committed to replanting forests in areas burned by wildfire in the American West and financializing the practice through carbon offset markets. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Mike and John join Ross and Christophe to share the team’s three-phase process and explain why reforestation projects are typically disfavored in traditional carbon markets.
Mike and John describe the top challenges forests face, including climate change, disease and fire, and introduce us to the concept of assisted migration risk. Listen in to understand why a Timber Investment Management Organization, or TIMO, Fund is a better way to raise capital for reforestation than private equity and learn how RenewWest is navigating the intersection where ecology and finance meet!
Key Takeaways
[1:36] Mike’s path to reversing climate change
[3:39] John’s path to reversing climate change
[9:29] What Mike & John do at RenewWest
[12:11] The RenewWest three-phase process
[16:12] Why reforestation projects are disfavored in carbon markets
[25:10] Venture capital vs. TIMO funding
[29:18] The top three challenges forests face
[36:40] The obstacles reforestation is up against
[47:44] The concept of assisted migration risk
[50:57] What John & Mike would like to fix about carbon markets
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Email msmith@renewwest.com California Water Action Collaborative California Environmental Quality Act Greta Thunberg & George Monbiot Video California Compliance Offset Program The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert |
Oct 22, 2019 |
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96: Poetry + Science = Conservation—with Hannah Birge & Nelson Winkel of The Nature Conservancy
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Farmers use poetry to make decisions, leveraging their deep connection with the land and the wisdom passed down from previous generations. Academics use science to make decisions, leveraging technology to innovate in the land management space. What if we recognized the value in both decision-making processes? What if we respected the farmers’ intuition, yet supported their efforts with tools from science to promote conservation?
Hannah Birge is the Director of Water and Agriculture and Nelson Winkel is the Platte River Prairies Assistant Preserve Manager and Soil Health Specialist with The Nature Conservancy in Nebraska. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Hannah and Nelson join Ryan and Christophe to discuss the conservation practices farmers are adopting in the Great Plains and explain how The Nature Conservancy supports them with funding, technical support and labor.
Hannah shares her approach to communicating with farmers, discussing the language she uses to navigate differences among stakeholders, and Nelson speaks to the relationship of trust their team works to build with skeptical farmers. Listen in for insight around scaling conservation through farmer-to-farmer learning and find out how The Nature Conservancy is putting theory into practice by helping farmers reduce tillage and leverage precision nutrition management, fertigation and cover crops.
Key Takeaways
[1:18] Hannah’s path to reversing climate change
[4:57] Nelson’s path to reversing climate change
[6:50] What conservation practices farmers are using
[8:30] Hannah’s approach to communicating with farmers
[12:25] The concept of farmer-to-farmer learning
[13:52] How to get farmers to adopt conservation practices long term
[18:06] The ex-ante issue around paying farmers for conservation
[22:19] The Nature Conservancy’s role in working with stakeholders
[25:43] Hannah’s vision for the future of agriculture
[27:47] Hannah’s argument against absolutes
[32:42] How The Nature Conservancy wins over skeptical farmers
[35:41] What people don’t know about farmers
Connect with Ryan & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
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Oct 15, 2019 |
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Why Volans supports Nori (lightning bonus episode #4)
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Nori has been in touch with the good folks at Volans since our early days. They've offered a lot of help as fellow travelers, not least of which was buying in the Nori Lightning Sale. Learn why they support Nori in this episode with Volans' Executive Director, Louise Kjellerup Roper. |
Oct 11, 2019 |
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95: Bill McKibben on the once and future climate movement
2175
“I’m optimistic, save for the fact that climate change is the first time-limited problem that we’ve ever really run into. Dr. King would say at the end of speeches ... ‘The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. This may take a while, but we’re going to win.’ The arc of the physical universe is short, and it bends toward heat. We win soon, or we don’t win.”
Bill McKibben is the author and environmentalist credited with penning the first book on climate change written for a general audience, The End of Nature. He is also a founder of 350.org, the first global, grassroots climate change movement. Bill was awarded the 2014 Right Livelihood Prize, the 2013 Gandhi Prize and the 2013 Thomas Merton Prize, and he was named to Foreign Policy magazine’s inaugural list of the world’s 100 most important global thinkers.
Today, Bill joins Ryan and Christophe to discuss his role in the climate movement, explaining what inspired him to start 350.org and why he chose that particular number as a target. He shares his view of the fossil fuel industry’s ability to divert the debate on climate change with money and power and addresses the global economy’s continued dependence on fossil fuels. Listen in for Bill’s insight on the powerful history of nonviolent social movements and learn how we can get back to a safe CO2 level of 350 ppm.
Key Takeaways
[0:59] Bill’s role in the climate movement
[4:59] Why Bill chose the number 350
[9:50] Bill’s insight around getting back to 350 ppm
[14:28] The role oil and gas companies might play in the solution
[18:15] The connection between big banks and oil and gas
[20:23] The global economy’s dependence on fossil fuels
[23:04] Bill’s take on the top two inventions of the 20th century
[28:35] The history of victory in social movements
[30:59] How Bill thinks about communication strategies
[33:24] Bill’s view of the opposition to the climate movement
Connect with Ryan & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Oil and Honey: The Education of an Unlikely Activist by Bill McKibben The End of Nature by Bill McKibben Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out? by Bill McKibben The Land Institute on RCC EP062 Dr. Hansen’s Paper on the 350 PPM Target Bill Moomaw’s Article on Forests & Climate Change Bill’s Piece on Big Banks in The New Yorker |
Oct 08, 2019 |
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BootsnAll & AirTreks is the first Nori Lightning Sale buyer (lightning bonus episode #3)
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Sean Keener, cofounder of BootsnAll and chairman of AirTreks, is the first buyer in the Nori Lightning Sale. In this bonus episode, Sean tells us why he chose to support Nori and purchase Carbon Removal Certificates for his businesses.
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Oct 04, 2019 |
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Regenerative farmer Trey Hill explains his efforts in the Nori Lightning Sale (lightning bonus episode #2)
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Trey Hill of Harborview Farms has been participating in the Nori pilot for cropping soils via regenerative agriculture. The Carbon Removal Certificates now available for purchase in the Nori Lightning Sale have been generated by Trey. Catch up more with Trey on Reversing Climate Change episode #59. Link to remove carbon with Nori: https://nori.com/remove-carbon. |
Oct 03, 2019 |
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The Nori Lightning Sale is now live! (lightning bonus episode #1)
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People can now buy Carbon Removal Certificates from the Nori marketplace. This is the first time this has happened and is the first step in Nori launching its full platform. Nori CEO Paul Gambill is on the show to share the news about the Nori Lightning Sale. This episode is posted on Reversing Climate Change and Carbon Removal Newsroom. Link to remove carbon with Nori: https://nori.com/remove-carbon. |
Oct 02, 2019 |
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94: Who's Afraid of Water Management?—with Chris Peacock of AQUAOSO
2378
The water utility sector is a fragmented, contentious space. Rather than bringing stakeholders together for comprehensive watershed planning, utilities, municipalities and agricultural players make decisions based on their own best interests. So, how do we encourage collaboration among stakeholders in the water management space? How can we use data and mapping to help utilities, farmers and urban centers make better decisions, ultimately moving water to the right place at the right time based on the broader needs of the community?
Chris Peacock is the CEO of AQUAOSO, A Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to building a water resilient future. Chris and his team use data science and machine learning to offer meaningful insight into water data and provide advanced water risk management and mitigation tools for the agricultural economy. Farmers, brokers, appraisers, lenders and water managers use AQUAOSO tools to identify, understand, monitor and mitigate water-related risks.
Today, Chris joins Alexsandra and Christophe to discuss how he became a water entrepreneur, sharing the challenges associated with innovating in the water management space and the controversial nature of water rights. He explains how AQUAOSO is driving better efficiency in water management, describing the complexities of comprehensive watershed planning and the benefits of geographic information systems (GSI) technology. Listen in to understand the links among water, climate and carbon and learn how Chris is working to disrupt the water industry and transform the way we value H2O as a society!
Key Takeaways
[1:08] How Chris became a water entrepreneur
[5:23] Chris’ insights from working on the Water Innovation Project
[6:53] The controversial nature of water rights
[11:26] The idea behind AQUAOSO
[13:29] How AQUAOSO is driving better efficiency in the water management space
[15:41] The complexities of watershed planning
[17:45] What water efficiency looks like
[19:18] The links among water, climate and carbon
[21:32] Chris’ insight around the benefit of wetlands
[24:34] How AQUAOSO is designing water markets based on equity
[26:21] How geographic information systems (GSI) tech works in water management
[29:16] Chris’ experience as an entrepreneur in the water sector
[30:56] How entrepreneurs should approach utilities
[33:58] How AQUAOSO is disrupting the water industry
[35:30] Chris’ ultimate goal to transform the way we value water as a society
[37:30] What’s next for AQUAOSO
Connect with Alexsandra & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Email chris@aquaoso.com Damned if We Don’t: Ideas for Accelerating Change Around Water edited by Christopher J. Peacock |
Oct 01, 2019 |
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93: Finding Wonder in Waste—with Tony Bova & Jeff Beegle of Mobius
3154
We humans have a waste problem. We design things to do just one job and produce a lot of garbage as a result. Nature, on the other hand, transforms its leftovers into nutrients for the rest of the ecosystem. So, how can we create the same kind of closed-loop system? How can we take organic waste and turn it into a valuable resource?
Tony Bova and Jeff Beegle are the CEO and CSO of Mobius, a mission-driven chemical company focused on eliminating waste by leveraging industrial organic waste streams to create new materials and chemicals. Today, Tony and Jeff join Alexsandra and Christophe to discuss the idea behind Mobius and explain how they are using the lignin stripped from trees by paper companies to make biodegradable plastics for agriculture.
They define the circular carbon economy, sharing their mission to capture lost carbon and facilitate a closed-loop system. Tony and Jeff also describe what differentiates Mobius from the traditional petrochemical industry and address what barriers to adoption they face. Listen in for insight around the technologies Mobius is developing for the horticulture and nursery industry and learn how they are creating a world where there is wonder in waste!
Key Takeaways
[2:18] Tony’s path to Reversing Climate Change
[5:35] Jeff’s path to Reversing Climate Change
[8:44] The inspiration behind Mobius
[13:51] Why we have a ‘waste problem’
[15:56] The components of the circular carbon economy
[18:38] The concept of ‘lost carbon’
[22:22] The first lignin-based technologies created at Mobius
[26:09] How Mobius differs from the current petrochemical industry
[29:57] The chemistry of brewing beer
[38:54] The barriers to adoption Mobius faces
[45:02] What it means for something to be biodegradable
[49:18] What’s next for Mobius
Connect with Alexsandra & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
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Sep 24, 2019 |
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92: How prices and data can communicate climate risk—Sarah Tuneberg of Geospiza
3016
Sarah Tuneberg thinks it’s incredibly unproductive to argue about whether a particular flood or drought was caused by climate change. The fact is, catastrophic events are happening more and more frequently, and we have to take action to mitigate the risks. So, how can we use the data available to us to promote this kind of disaster resilience?
Sarah is the Cofounder and CEO of Geospiza, a software company that helps corporations visualize, understand and take action around climate risks. Sarah has 10-plus years of experience in emergency management and public health, and she is committed to developing data-driven, evidence-based solutions to reduce risk and enhance resilience, especially for the most vulnerable. Sarah earned her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Georgia and her Master’s in Public Health from Tulane.
Today, Sarah joins Ross and Christophe to share the Geospiza origin story and discuss what inspired their pivot from serving state and local governments to large, multinational corporations. She offers an example of how a client is using Geospiza software to make strategic business decisions and describes how climate risk is changing the insurance industry as well as contract law. Sarah also addresses ongoing development in risky areas and explains who is likely to bear the brunt of climate change. Listen in for Sarah’s insight around why we don’t take action around disaster resilience and learn why she believes there is nothing natural about so-called natural disasters.
Key Takeaways
[1:04] Sarah’s path to reversing climate change
[3:53] The Geospiza origin story
[6:28] What inspired Geospiza’s pivot
[10:47] The argument against the repackaging of free data
[14:00] Why Geospiza focuses on multinational corporations
[15:14] Why it doesn’t matter if climate change caused a specific event
[18:09] A case study of how clients use Geospiza to change behavior
[20:46] The development of risky areas
[27:30] Sarah’s insight around flood insurance
[28:38] How hail coverage is likely to change in the near future
[32:23] How climate risk is changing the insurance industry
[36:46] How climate change will impact contract law
[38:28] Why we don’t take action around disaster resilience
[41:39] Our need for a moral mission to combat climate change
[44:02] Who is likely to bear the brunt of climate change
[45:52] Why Sarah advocates for the term ‘human disasters’
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
‘This High-Tech Solution to Disaster Response May Be Too Good to Be True’ in The New York Times The Coming Storm by Michael Lewis ‘FEMA Official Arrested for Fraud Over Hurricane Maria Recovery Effort in Puerto Rico’ on CNBC Climatopolis: How Our Cities Will Thrive in the Hotter Future by Matthew E. Kahn |
Sep 17, 2019 |
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91: Love, Capital, & Regenerative Ag—with Dr. Philip Taylor of Mad Agriculture
2742
“As we fall in love with the places we depend on, it forces us … to use virtue in all of our transactions, business and otherwise. And when we start building in love and empathy and compassion and reciprocity into every transaction that we make, the world will inevitably become a more beautiful place and things like climate change will go away.”
Dr. Phil Taylor is the Cofounder and Executive Director of Mad Agriculture, a venture that aims to restore our relationship with Earth through the story, community and the practice of good agriculture. Mad Ag works on-the-ground with producers to design Regenerative Farm Plans, heal mismanaged landscapes, and help farmers and ranchers thrive—ecologically and economically. Phil is also a fellow at the University of Colorado, where he teaches The Future of Food in the Masters of the Environment Food Systems program.
Today, Phil joins Christophe and Alexsandra to explain climate change is a symptom of the deep disconnection between humans and our dependency on the Earth. He describes how Mad Agriculture was inspired by the poems of Wendell Berry, discussing the challenges the organization faces in calling for a radical reworking of the economy. Phil also offers insight into how the organization builds trust with growers and helps them break away from commodities markets. Listen in to understand how Mad Ag is catalyzing the transition to regenerative farming with a combination of capital and radical love.
Key Takeaways
[1:19] Phil’s path to reversing climate change
[3:57] What inspired Phil to study soil science
[5:50] The origin of Mad Agriculture
[7:15] The greatest challenges facing Mad Agriculture
[11:43] What Mad Agriculture does
[18:13] How farmers can break away from commodities markets
[21:29] How Mad Agriculture approaches growers
[25:27] Why the transition to regenerative ag is slow
[28:23] How Phil thinks about catalyzing change
[31:44] Mad Agriculture’s theory of change
[33:25] Phil’s insight around the grain revival
[37:42] The new agrarian culture
[39:39] What’s next for Mad Agriculture
Connect with Christophe & Alexsandra
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Email brandon@madagriculture.org or philip@madagriculture.org The Mad Farmer Poems by Wendell Berry It All Turns on Affection: The Jefferson Lecture and Other Essays by Wendell Berry |
Sep 10, 2019 |
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90: Restoring Community & Climate Through Place-Based Economics—with Eric Kornacki
2555
We live in a culture that stresses achievement and promotes the mythology of the rugged individual. And as a result, we feel increasingly isolated, viewing life as a series of transactions rather than relationships. We’ve forgotten that our actions have consequences on other people—and the planet. What if we made an effort to develop community with our neighbors and take care of each other? What if we created place-based economies to serve the needs of our own communities? Economies that work without exploiting other people or the environment?
Eric Kornacki is the President and CEO of THRIVE Partners, an organization created to provide communities with the tools to establish healthy, resilient, inclusive and vibrant economies. He is also the former Executive Director of Re:Vision, a venture that transformed one of Denver’s most marginalized neighborhoods by cultivating community food systems and developing a place-based economy. Today, Eric joins Christophe and Alexsandra to explain how a community college English class sparked his interest in the relationship between economic development and environmental degradation. He discusses his decision to invest in his own community first, rather than pursuing work in developing countries.
Eric describes Re:Vision’s work around food insecurity in southwest Denver, sharing how the community has changed through the development of a place-based economy. He also walks us through the neighborhood’s decision to create a food cooperative that keeps more than $11M in the community every year. Listen in for Eric’s insight into the connection between consciousness and climate change—and learn how THRIVE is working to create a movement that inspires other communities to implement a village economy.
Key Takeaways
[0:26] What sparked Eric’s interest in climate change
[3:42] Eric’s path to Reversing Climate Change
[8:13] Why Eric chose to work in Denver vs. overseas
[10:52] Re:Vision’s work in southwest Denver
[15:38] How the community has changed through Re:Vision
[19:39] The downside of our cultural focus on achievement
[23:48] The framework of a place-based economy
[25:29] How Eric found the early adopters to start Re:Vision
[28:35] The role of the promotoras within Re:Vision
[29:45] How a place-based economy keeps money in the community
[32:45] How the Re:Vision coop deals with seasonality
[34:21] How the coop concept has expanded beyond food
[36:19] The idea behind Eric’s new venture, THRIVE
[37:06] How Eric’s work connects to climate change
[41:56] Eric’s challenge for Reversing Climate Change listeners
Connect with Christophe & Alexsandra
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered by EF Schumacher The Maritime Northwest Garden Guide by Carl Elliott and Rob Peterson |
Sep 03, 2019 |
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89: Bioreactors, deploy! Turning nutrient runoff into fish food—with microTERRA
2857
What’s the value in pitching your biomimicry solution to the guy selling you a wrench at Home Depot? Or explaining the overall vision for how your bioreactor will harvest microalgae to the field workers tasked with helping you build it? For the team at microTERRA, engaging the community in developing solutions is key to making important connections and leveraging the strengths of all involved to build the best possible system for removing pollutants from our waterways.
Marissa Cuevas, Mariana Elías, and Paula Constantino are the CEO, Project Manager and CTO of microTERRA, a sustainability startup building onsite water treatment systems with microalgae. The microTERA technology transforms wastewater into a sustainable protein source while cleaning the water. Today, Marissa, Mariana and Paula join Christophe and Alexsandra to share the microTERRA origin story and discuss how they are using a mix of biomimicry and technology to heal the planet.
Marissa, Mariana, and Paula explain how the microTERRA bioreactors turn the excess nitrogen and phosphorous in our waterways into fish food. They also describe their experiences in launching the microTERRA pilot in Mexico, discussing what they learned about leveraging every voice on the team to create a community of creative problem-solving. Listen in for insight around the pros and cons of sustainability policy for a biomimicry business like microTERRA and learn how they plan to scale their solution, first in Mexico and then around the globe.
Key Takeaways
[2:05] The microTERRA origin story
[4:56] How Mariana got involved with microTERRA
[7:32] How Paula got involved with microTERRA
[9:24] The fundamental ideas behind microTERRA
[12:34] How the microTERRA bioreactors work
[13:59] The microTERRA business model
[15:25] The microTERRA pilot adventure
[18:07] What the microTERRA team learned from the pilot
[23:32] How microTERRA plans to scale their solution
[30:10] What’s next for microTERRA
[33:41] What it’s like to be an entrepreneur in Mexico
[37:42] The pros and cons of sustainability policy
[41:34] The difference between the lab and the pilot
Connect with Christophe & Alexsandra
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
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Aug 27, 2019 |
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88: How Slow Money Works...and when not to say "fiduciary"—Woody Tasch
3092
There is more to life than money. But even the investors who believe that sentiment continues to feed the beast, putting much of their capital back into a system that thrives on consumption. What if we considered the impact of our investments as much as the returns? What if we designed our capital markets around restoration rather than extraction? What if we put Slow Money into local food systems and made soil health part of our ROI? Woody Tasch is the founder of the Slow Money Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to catalyzing the flow of capital to local food systems, connecting investors to the places where they live. He is also the author of Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money and SOIL: Notes Towards the Theory and Practice of Nurture Capital. Today, Woody joins Ross and Christophe to discuss how he developed the idea of Slow Money and explore the reasons why we can’t seem to get our money out of the markets and do something radically different with it—especially foundations whose investments are out of alignment with their missions. Woody introduces us to the concepts of innate value and shared risk, explaining how Wendell Berry’s ideas around belonging to a community inform his work on investing locally. He also covers the idea of blended value, weighing in on the non-financial aspects of sharing risk with farmers. Listen in for Woody’s distinction between agrobusiness and agriculture—and learn how Slow Money’s 0% loan program is growing a pool of capital and restoring soil health!
Key Takeaways
[1:13] Woody’s path to reversing climate change
[6:46] How Woody developed the idea of Slow Money
[13:17] Why few foundations align their investments + mission
[16:34] Why divestment campaigns don’t totally work
[21:58] How Woody defines shared risk
[24:01] Woody’s insight around blended value
[25:27] Woody’s take on the non-financial aspects of shared risk
[30:06] What keeps Americans from realizing Berry’s vision
[36:18] The difference between agriculture and agrobusiness
[41:52] Slow Money’s SOIL 0% Loan Program in Boulder
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Email info@slowmoney.org SOIL: Notes Towards the Theory and Practice of Nurture Capital by Woody Tasch International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center The Unsettling of America: Culture & Agriculture by Wendell Berry Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered by E.F. Schumacher ‘Microplastics are Raining Down from the Sky’ in National Geographic ‘It’s Raining Plastic: Microscopic Fibers Fall from the Sky in Rocky Mountains’ in The Guardian Video Game Addiction on Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel John Elkington on Reversing Climate Change EP028 Four-Season Harvest: Organic Vegetables from Your Home Garden All Year Long by Eliot Coleman An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith |
Aug 20, 2019 |
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87: The Ends of the World—with Peter Brannen
2964
“It’s not over yet. We still have time to save the planet, but it is worrying that—especially going forward—where in the past a lot of our damage has been done by hunting, now we’re starting to pull these levers that are really responsible for the worst things that have happened in Earth history, these big injections of CO2. So, before we go too far down that road, because we know it leads [to mass extinction], we should consult the rocks and learn what they have to tell us.”
Peter Brannen is an award-winning science journalist with expertise in ocean science, deep time, astrobiology and the carbon cycle. Peter’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic and The Washington Post, among many other media outlets, and he is the author of the acclaimed The Ends of the World: Volcanic Apocalypses, Lethal Oceans, and Our Quest to Understand Earth’s Past Mass Extinctions. Today, Peter joins Ross and Christophe to walk us through the five major mass extinctions in Earth’s history, discussing what events triggered each extinction and how plant and animal life changed each time.
Peter covers the current threat to coral reefs and shares his definition of fossil fuels, explaining how past mass extinctions generated the fossil fuels we use today. Listen in for Peter’s insight around the eerie shadow of extinction that follows human migration and find out what we can learn about managing the carbon cycle from previous extinctions to avert another ‘end of times.’
Key Takeaways
[1:46] How to think about the scale of geology and deep time
[6:25] The Ordovician mass extinction (445M years ago)
[11:18] The Late Devonian mass extinction (375M years ago)
[14:43] The End-Permian mass extinction (252M years ago)
[19:50] How the Earth recovered after the End-Permian
[20:49] The ‘Permian Jr.’ mass extinction (200M years ago)
[22:27] The instantaneous nature of the asteroid extinction
[27:00] The current threat to the coral reefs
[31:30] Peter’s definition of fossil fuels
[32:40] What role mass extinctions play in generating fossil fuels
[34:36] What characterizes the current potential extinction
[41:38] Why it doesn’t matter if humans cause the rise in CO2
[45:20] What we can learn about changing the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gasses from previous mass extinctions
[47:08] Why Peter has cause to be optimistic
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Techstars Sustainability Accelerator National Center for Atmospheric Research The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Dr. David Goldberg on RCC EP004 ‘We Need to Capture Carbon to Fight Climate Change’ in Nature |
Aug 13, 2019 |
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86: For what shall it profit a congressman to act on climate but lose his seat?—Bob Inglis of republicEn
3952
The Biblical Doctrine of Dominion engages Christians as stewards of the planet. Which faith communities embrace this message as a call to climate action? And how can we inspire more conservatives with Christian values to realize that we’re disrupting the balance the Creator intended and advocate for climate solutions?
Bob Inglis is a former Republican congressman representing South Carolina and the current Executive Director of republicEN, an EcoRight organization that supports a free market approach to climate change. Today, Bob joins Ross and Christophe to share the three-step metamorphosis that inspired his belief in climate change. He defines conservatism, discussing the link between Christianity and climate action and explaining why current conservative politics don’t reflect Christian values.
Bob weighs in on what the climate movement gets wrong when it comes to messaging and offers insight around how conservatives and progressives can come together, using climate change as a way out of the current polarization in politics. Listen in for Bob’s take on the pros and cons of voluntary offsets, cap and trade, and a carbon tax and learn why he believes America will lead the world to climate solutions!
Key Takeaways
[1:09] Bob’s path to Reversing Climate Change
[2:59] Bob’s 3-step metamorphosis on climate change
[9:12] How Bob defines conviction
[11:34] How Bob defines conservatism
[19:51] What the climate movement’s messaging gets wrong
[28:57] The link between climate action and Christianity
[34:27] How current conservative politics don’t reflect Christianity
[40:53] Bob’s take on voluntary carbon offsets
[49:09] Bob’s insight on cap and trade vs. carbon tax
[53:46] How conservatives and progressives can collaborate
[1:01:38] How the Green New Deal inspired conservative action
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Raise Wages, Cut Carbon Act of 2009 Jack Kemp: The Bleeding-Heart Conservative Who Changed America by Morton Kondracke and Fred Barnes Benji Backer on Reversing Climate Change EP074 Joel Salatin on Reversing Climate Change EP072 “Could the Ancient Jewish Practice of Shmita Be a New Tool for Sustainable Agriculture?” in Salon |
Aug 06, 2019 |
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85: The Gang Learns about Permaculture—with Blacksheep's Joshua Hughes, Sara Czarniecki, & Amanda Wilson
3165
On 20 acres of formerly eroded land in Costa Rica grows turmeric, ginger and beans. Above that is a vineyard with superfood nuts. Above that are cacao trees, and above that grow trees for lumber. Permaculture is being used to regenerate the soil and build a profitable cooperative owned by the 150 people who live and work there.
Joshua Hughes, Sara Czarniecki, and Amanda Wilson are the CEO, COO, and CMO of Blacksheep, a regenerative resource management cooperative taking direct action against landbase destruction by investing in natural capital. Today, Joshua, Sarah and Amanda join Ross and Christophe to define permaculture and explain how Blacksheep began with the intention to recover that 20 acres of eroded land—and how the business has grown since then.
Joshua, Sarah, and Amanda weigh in on the structure of Blacksheep as a cooperative, describing how they make collaborative decisions and how ownership is divided among the group. They also discuss Blacksheep’s value-add approach to market access and how they think about certified organic and regenerative labels. Listen in for the Blacksheep philosophy around voting every day with your actions and learn how you can invest in their efforts to promote permaculture and regenerative business!
Key Takeaways
[1:43] How the Blacksheep team defines permaculture
[6:07] The Blacksheep origin story
[12:01] Joshua’s insight around dams
[13:54] How the Blacksheep cooperative has grown
[15:34] Why cooperatives aren’t more common
[18:07] How the Blacksheep team makes decisions
[20:53] Why the Blacksheep team is fundraising now
[25:20] Blacksheep’s value-add approach to market access
[28:32] How the Blacksheep team thinks about labeling
[30:06] Josh’s insight around accessibility to quality food
[32:25] The term Banana Republic
[34:08] The idea that nothing exists in a vacuum
[39:07] The Blacksheep elevator pitch to investors
[42:01] Blacksheep’s approach to community governance
[45:21] Blacksheep’s direct + indirect impact
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Email hello@weareblacksheep.org Bullock’s Permaculture Homestead Community Supported Agriculture Permaculture: A Designers’ Manual by Bill Mollison Inevitable Revolutions: The United States in Central America by Walter LaFeber |
Jul 30, 2019 |
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84: Good Biomass, Bad Biomass: Giant Reed Edition—Wendy Owens of Hexas Biomass
2566
When it comes to biomass, giant reed ticks all the boxes. It’s a perennial grass that grows in marginal soil. It meets renewable fuel standards and sequesters a substantial amount of carbon. Not only that, giant reed revitalizes soil and facilitates an extremely high yield. So, what are its applications? Is there any downside to using it as raw material for products or fuel?
Wendy Owens is the founder and CEO of Hexas Biomass, a producer and distributor of sustainable biomass that can supplement or replace wood in multiple applications. Wendy’s team is dedicated to using sun, water and land to benefit people and the planet through renewable resources. Today, she joins Ross to discuss the process of growing giant reed for use in products or to produce energy.
Wendy explains why giant reed does not displace food crops, describing how it takes up chemicals in the soil and facilitates carbon capture. She also addresses the trees displaced by giant reed, the concerns around bioremediation, and the risk of giant reed becoming an invasive species. Listen in for insight on how Hexas Biomass serves as an ecospecies bank and learn about their partnership with IKEA to replace a portion of the wood in its particle board with giant reed!
Key Takeaways
[0:54] Wendy’s path to reversing climate change
[2:13] What attracted Wendy to the giant reed
[4:30] Why giant reed does not displace food crops
[5:52] The benefits of producing giant reed
[7:45] How Hexas Biomass serves as a producer and distributor of giant reed
[9:05] Wendy’s insight on the trees displaced by giant reed
[11:08] A comparison of giant reed vs. tree yields
[12:27] The perennial nature of giant reed
[13:47] The potential uses for giant reed
[18:11] The trend in manufacturing around finding nearby fuel sources
[20:38] The Hexas Biomass ecospecies bank
[22:44] How Hexas mitigates the risk of giant reed becoming an invasive species
[27:03] How giant reed crops facilitate carbon capture
[32:02] The Hexas Biomass business model
[34:26] Wendy’s insight on the risks around bioremediation
[38:05] What’s next for Hexas Biomass
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
The Land Institute on RCC EP062 |
Jul 23, 2019 |
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83: Thaddeus Russell vs. environmentalism
5218
Thaddeus Russell has always loved nature, and he is a fan of clean air and water. But he hates composting toilets, and he’s sick of environmentalists telling him what he should and should not do. In fact, he’s got an issue with the whole idea of sacrificing pleasure and freedom for the sake of the planet. Is there a way to address climate change without bringing morality into it? Can we reduce emissions without all the guilt and personal shaming?
Thaddeus is the creator of Renegade University, the host of the Unregistered Podcast, and the author of A Renegade History of the United States. He argues that American society has been defined not by the elites and intellectuals, but by the rebels who challenged conventions, expanded the realm of desire, and created our personal freedoms. Thaddeus is a former history and philosophy professor with a PhD from Columbia University, and his work has appeared in Newsweek, The Daily Beast, and New York Magazine, among many other publications.
Today, Thaddeus joins Ross, Christophe and Paul to explain why he takes issue with the environmental movement. He challenges the moralist approach to political problems, describing how environmentalists leverage guilt and shame individual choices—while ignoring big emitters like the US military. Thaddeus also offers an overview of the Progressive Era, discussing the historical efforts to eliminate cultural diversity in the US and sharing his take on the parallels between progressives and environmentalists. Listen in for insight on what Thad sees as the anti-immigrant roots of the top environmental organizations and learn why Thaddeus believes in Nori’s hypothesis around leveraging greed to solve climate change.
Key Takeaways
[2:22] Thaddeus’ path to reversing climate change
[10:25] The problem with a moralist approach to political problems
[13:23] An overview of the Progressive Era (1880’s to 1920’s)
[22:04] The historical efforts to annihilate black and gay culture in the US
[26:26] Thaddeus’ take on how rulers think
[35:06] The progressive concept of social engineering
[44:25] The central role of guilt in the environmental movement
[48:02] The argument for centralized control to solve climate change
[51:52] Thaddeus’ view of climate change as a ‘phantom menace’
[58:00] The idea that oil & gas and big ag will solve climate change
[1:05:25] Why sustainability and open borders cannot coexist
[1:12:25] Changing systems vs. the character of people
[1:17:44] How the military and big ag contribute to emissions
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
A Renegade History of the United States by Thaddeus Russell Murray Bookchin: The Ecology of Freedom Martin Luther King, Jr. Index of Sermon Topics The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas S. Kuhn Seeing Like a State by James C. Scott Civilization and Its Discontents by Sigmund Freud ‘The Empty Radicalism of the Climate Apocalypse’ by Ted Nordhaus |
Jul 16, 2019 |
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82: Better Farming Through Data—with Dr. Emma Fuller of Granular
3537
You can only manage what you measure. And sophisticated sensors on modern tractors and combines offer growers an immense amount of environmental data. How can farmers put that data together in a meaningful way and use it to drive decision-making? Can we use that data to reward the growers who are already engaging in sustainable practices—and incentivize those who are interested in pursuing environmental stewardship?
Dr. Emma Fuller is a Lead Data Scientist with Granular, a farm management software company working to apply data science to the agriculture industry. In her role, Emma tracks consumer trends in sustainability and works with NGOs and startups to identify opportunities for Granular growers to get rewarded for their stewardship. Today, Emma joins Christophe and Michael Leggett, Director of Product at Nori, to discuss the partnership between Granular and Nori and share their pilot program’s progress to date.
Emma introduces us to Granular’s suite of farm management software and offers insight around the current trends in big ag and innovations in data collection for growers. She also addresses the way farmers think about climate change, offering insight on the best way to approach growers around adopting sustainable practices. Listen in to understand how Nori and Granular are working together to reward growers, tying financial incentives to environmental outcomes!
Key Takeaways
[2:07] Emma’s path to reversing climate change
[5:29] The mission of Granular
[7:35] Emma’s insight on the top trends in big ag
[9:08] Emma’s role with Granular
[12:05] The lack of incentive structure around sustainability
[15:25] The consumer challenge around food labeling
[19:14] Innovations in data collection on farms
[24:25] What’s driving change in big ag
[29:53] The debate around small vs. large farms
[34:05] How farmers think about climate change
[38:57] How to approach farmers about the Nori pilot
[42:34] The partnership between Granular and Nori
[47:34] The current status of the Nori pilot program
[52:28] How the Nori pilot is likely to evolve
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
General Mills Regenerative Ag Guidelines Patagonia Foods Regenerative Ag Guidelines Dr. Charles Massy on RCC EP053 The Art of Loading Brush: New Agrarian Writings by Wendell Berry Email pilot@nori.com |
Jul 09, 2019 |
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81: The Business of "Waste"—with Lindsey Engh
3198
While a plastic straw ban might make us feel better, does it actually reduce consumption in the long-term? Does recycling really make a difference? As we think about waste management solutions, what questions should we be asking in terms of sustainability? What can we do to be more thoughtful about our waste and consider where our trash goes when we throw it AWAY?
Lindsey Engh began her career in philanthropy, serving as the cofounder and COO of Impact Hub Seattle, a coworking space designed to support innovation and positive social impact. In early 2017, she became a cleantech consultant, sharing her expertise in waste stream and recycling economics with clients including The Riveter, Lake Union Partners and Dwehl Housing, among many others. Today, Lindsey joins Ross and Christophe to discuss the need for solid waste market development in the US—now that China is no longer accepting our trash.
Lindsey shares the challenges around sorting recyclables and valuing trash as a commodity, challenging us to ask questions about the sustainability of our current waste management processes. She also explains why WTE is NOT renewable energy and how product regulations might address end-of-life ownership. Listen in for insight on recycling in a way that truly prevents the production of virgin materials and learn what you can do to develop a closer relationship with your trash!
Key Takeaways
[1:16] Lindsey’s path to reversing climate change
[4:29] The three primary problems in solid waste
[7:12] Why it’s difficult to value trash as a commodity
[11:47] The possibilities around requiring consumers to sort
[14:49] The downside of recycling
[20:00] What we should be doing more of in the realm of trash
[29:14] What we should start doing in the realm of trash
[35:27] What we should stop doing in the realm of trash
[44:07] Lindsey’s insight on the top goals for waste management
[45:33] The idea of throwing trash ‘away’
[49:26] Lindsey’s advice for RCC listeners
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
‘In San Francisco, Making a Living from Your Billionaire Neighbor’s Trash’ in The New York Times |
Jul 02, 2019 |
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80: 2020 Presidential candidates and their climate plans—with Zoya Teirstein
3006
So many candidates, so little time! If you’re curious what some of the Democratic contenders for president are proposing when it comes to climate change, fasten your seatbelt. From plans to reach net zero emissions by 2045 to investments in direct air capture technology, the presidential hopefuls each have an ambitious climate platform. Who has the most aggressive approach? What are some of the more unique initiatives? And how achievable are the policy proposals currently on the table?
Zoya Teirstein is a climate reporter for Grist, an environment and climate change media platform based in Seattle. Her work has been featured in Mother Jones, Salon and The Verge, among many other publications. Today, Zoya joins Alexsandra and Ross to explain why climate change has become part of the cultural zeitgeist for the first time. She walks us through several of the presidential candidates’ climate plans, covering Biden’s shifting approach, Inslee’s comprehensive policy, and Warren’s initiative to green the military.
Zoya also shares why an all-of-the-above approach is controversial, how feasible it would be to institute a carbon tax, and why there is a growing call for a separate climate debate. Listen in for insight into where Bernie, Beto and Booker stand on climate change and learn what Mayor Pete, Michael Bennet and John Delaney are proposing in terms of climate policy.
Key Takeaways
[0:48] Zoya’s path to reversing climate change
[2:16] Why climate change is in the cultural zeitgeist for the first time
[8:20] Joe Biden’s shifting approach to climate change
[12:39] Why an all-of-the-above approach is controversial
[14:07] The growing call for a climate debate
[19:53] Jay Inslee’s comprehensive climate policy
[24:33] Elizabeth Warren’s approach to climate change
[29:29] Bernie Sanders and Beto O’Rourke’s climate plans
[31:42] Cory Booker’s Environmental Justice Plan
[32:52] Pete Buttigieg's approach to climate change
[34:09] Michael Bennet’s climate plan
[35:29] John Delaney’s plan for climate change
[40:28] Zoya’s insight on the feasibility of a carbon tax
[44:44] Bill Weld’s position on climate change
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
“How Climate Change Worsened Violence in Syria” in Grist IPCC 2018 Report on Climate Change 2018 National Climate Assessment “We Broke Down What Climate Change Will Do, Region by Region” in Grist Diamond Joe Biden in The Onion “Presidential Hopeful Biden Looking for ‘Middle Ground’ Climate Policy” in Reuters Todd Tanner’s Conservation Hawks Elizabeth Warren’s Plan to Green the Military “How Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal is Being Built” in Grist Cory Booker’s Environmental Justice Plan “Mayor Pete: 2020’s Stealth Climate Candidate” in Grist Pete Buttigieg’s Climate Policy Michael Bennet’s Climate Policy John Delaney’s Plan for Climate Change |
Jun 25, 2019 |
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79: Biochar or: Using Fire to Cool the Earth—with Albert Bates
2759
We emit 37 gigatons of CO2 every year. If we turned our agricultural waste alone into biochar, we could bring that number down by one or two gigatons. If we poured our roads with biochar and started turning waste streams like seaweed and municipal waste into biochar as well, we could get that number up to 50 or 60 gigatons of stored carbon annually. And that kind of net gain would get us back down to a safe level of 350 ppm of atmospheric CO2—in time scales of decades. Albert Bates is the author of several books on climate solutions, including Burn: Using Fire to Cool the Earth and The Biochar Solution. He is also a former environmental rights lawyer, mushroom farmer, brick mason and horse trainer. Albert cofounded the Global Ecovillage Network in 1995 and continues to serve as the organization’s representative in UN climate talks. He is also an advocate for the preservation of indigenous cultures and a leader in the movement to drawdown carbon with biochar. Today, Albert joins Christophe and Alexsandra to share his unique path from the courtroom to the ecovillage, describing how he came to study terra preta soils and get involved in the biochar movement. He discusses the pore structure of charcoal in the rich soil of the Amazon and explains why biochar remains in the soil for thousands of years. Listen in for Albert’s insight around the waste streams that could serve as biochar source material and learn about the ecovillages and cities that serve as proof of concept for using biochar to draw carbon out of our atmosphere and oceans!
Key Takeaways
[2:47] Albert’s path to reversing climate change
[9:05] The pore structure of charcoal in Amazonian soil
[14:39] Why biochar remains in soil for thousands of years
[18:30] Examples of potential sources of biochar in waste
[20:36] Problematic waste streams that could source biochar
[22:42] The idea that not all biochar is created equal
[25:40] How scaling the Ecovillage Model might influence biochar production
[28:05] The roadblocks to harnessing waste streams for biochar
[36:05] How Stockholm serves as a proof of concept for cities
[39:02] How listeners can learn more about biochar
[43:27] Albert’s insight on the unique uses of biochar
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
International Biochar Initiative Burn: Using Fire to Cool the Earth by Albert Bates and Kathleen Draper The Biochar Solution: Carbon Farming and Climate Change by Albert Bates The Paris Agreement: The Best Chance We Have to Save the One Planet We’ve Got by Albert Bates |
Jun 18, 2019 |
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78: Turning CO2 waste into a profitable commodity—with Apoorv Sinha of CUT
2998
“Carbon policy writ large … has not gone far enough to drive industrial players to change how they do business. In the interim, until policy catches up, or if the global sentiment gets to a point where there is a carbon tax around the world, the onus is on the entrepreneur to make a business case for today.” Apoorv Sinha is the Founder and CEO of Carbon Upcycling Technologies (CUT), a Canadian cleantech startup that is turning CO2 waste into a profitable commodity. CUT’s proprietary technology manufactures CO2-enriched nanomaterials, improving the performance and value of concrete, polymers and adhesives, and energy storage products. CUT is a finalist for the Carbon XPRIZE, and Apoorv has been honored as a Clean 50 Emerging Leader. Today, Apoorv joins Christophe and Alexsandra to introduce the concept of upcycling and explain the company’s intention to use today’s pollution to create the materials of tomorrow. He describes CUT’s manhole solution as well as its innovation in the realm of cement and plastics. Apoorv also shares his take on how policymakers can best facilitate innovation and scale in the climate solutions space. Listen in for Apoorv’s insight around accurate life cycle carbon accounting and find out why he believes it’s up to entrepreneurs to make the business case for climate solutions!
Key Takeaways
[1:55] Apoorv’s path to reversing climate change
[4:05] The idea behind Carbon Upcycling Technology
[7:52] How Apoorv applies the concept of upcycling
[10:52] Carbon Upcycling’s industrial tech business model
[12:34] The CUT pilot project with the Carbon Conversion Center
[16:05] How policymakers can enable entrepreneurs
[19:20] Carbon Upcycling’s role in the climate tech space
[26:45] The Carbon Upcycling manhole solution
[30:17] Other products Carbon Upcycling is considering
[34:43] Apoorv’s insight on life cycle carbon accounting
[41:52] The necessity of shifting assumptions with context
Connect with Ross, Alexsandra, & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
Alberta Carbon Conversion Technology Centre Plug and Play Tech Center in Stuttgart The Buckminster Fuller Institute Alexsandra’s Interview with Philipe Fonta Meredith Adler at Student Energy The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell |
Jun 11, 2019 |
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77: Using Drones to Fast-Track Reforestation—with DroneSeed
2794
In the past 10 years, forest fires ravaged an average of 7M acres annually in the US. (This is up from 2.6M acres per year in the 10-year period from 1982 to 1992.) The current method of reforestation involves people with shovels, carrying 50-pound bags of one- to two-year-old trees up 60° slopes. But what if we didn’t have to wait for greenhouses to grow seedlings? What if we could plant the right biological mix of seeds as soon as the fire cools? And what if we could do it all with drones?
Grant Canary is the CEO and Matthew Aghai serves as the Director of Biological Research and Development at DroneSeed, a precision forestry startup using drone swarms to plant, protect and monitor seed growth. The company serves timber companies, government agencies and nonprofit organizations, and the DroneSeed team is currently working with three of the largest foresters in the US, managing 1,000-plus acres.
Today, Grant and Matthew join Ross and Christophe to share the DroneSeed value proposition, explaining the benefits of using their approach to reforest burnt land. They discuss the advantages of planting seeds over seedlings in terms of simplifying the supply chain and saving carbon. Grant and Matthew also offer insight into how they’re working with the FAA to navigate regulations and serve as a data source for the agency. Listen in for insight around leveraging reforestation to sequester carbon on a large scale and learn the ins and outs of DroneSeed’s ground-breaking, tech-driven planting system!
Key Takeaways
[0:38] Grant’s path to reversing climate change
[4:41] Matthew’s path to reversing climate change
[6:33] The DroneSeed value proposition
[8:45] How reforestation is done at present
[10:56] What’s causing the recent surge in forest fires
[17:38] The benefit of using drones to reforest burnt land
[18:47] How DroneSeed promotes seed variety
[21:18] The advantage of planting seeds vs. seedlings
[27:22] The DroneSeed team’s precision system
[34:35] How DroneSeed is working with the FAA
[40:36] The argument for using reforestation to sequester carbon
Connect with Ross & Christophe
Email hello@nori.com
Resources
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Jun 04, 2019 |
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76: Innovations in Carbon Beneficial Building Materials—with Chris Magwood & Jacob Deva Racusin
3327
Buckminster Fuller famously said that “waste materials are simply resources we haven’t found a use for.” So, what if we could use agricultural waste products like corn husks or coconut coir as building materials? The truth is that we can, and a number of innovative sustainable builders are working to not just reduce the carbon emissions associated with construction but turn homes and commercial buildings into carbon storage units. Chris Magwood is the executive director of The Endeavour Centre, a nonprofit sustainable building school in Ontario. He is also the author of seven books on sustainable building and the former operator of Camel’s Back Construction, a company responsible for the design and construction of 30-plus straw-bale homes and commercial buildings. Jacob Deva Racusin is the co-owner of New Frameworks, a carbon responsive building company offering services in green remodeling and new construction. He is a BPI-certified contractor and Certified Passive House Consultant and an active member of the Embodied Carbon Network’s Renewable Materials Task Force. Today, Chris and Jacob join Ross, Christophe, and Alexsandra to explain how they each came to build straw-bale homes for their families—and how those independent ventures grew into businesses. They discuss the top themes covered at the Living Future Conference, including the connections between climate action and social justice and the need to leverage systems thinking as we scale climate solutions in building. Chris and Jacob share the possibilities around carbon beneficial multifamily buildings and walk us through the benefits of several carbon responsive building materials. Listen in for insight into end-of-life considerations for drawdown buildings and learn how we might leverage agricultural waste in a particular region to construct buildings that store carbon and reverse climate change now!
Resources Chris, Jacob & Ace’s Carbon Drawdown NOW! Presentation Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land by Leah Penniman Thinking in Systems: A Primer by Donella H. Meadows The Tyranny of Metrics by Jerry Z. Muller WWF’s Greener Skies? Presentation Carbon Smart Materials Palette
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [0:45] Chris’ path to reversing climate change
[6:26] Jacob’s path to reversing climate change
[10:57] The top themes at the Living Future Conference
[14:19] The concept of decolonizing buildings
[18:26] The value in both reductionist AND systems thinking
[24:41] The possibilities around carbon beneficial multifamily buildings
[32:24] Other innovative carbon beneficial building materials
[40:59] How to identify ag waste for building materials
[45:38] The end-of-life considerations re: carbon stored in buildings
[48:36] Why it’s easy to measure carbon storage in buildings
[50:44] How listeners can promote drawdown building
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May 28, 2019 |
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75: A Chicago Lullaby (All About the Green New Deal)—with Rhiana Gunn-Wright
2765
If you’re asked to picture an environmentalist or climate activist, what do you see? Is it a white guy with a beard who wears a Patagonia fleece and rides his bike to work? Whether you agree with the policy or not, one of the benefits of the Green New Deal lies in the fact that it ‘builds a bigger tent.’ By addressing the twin pressures of climate change and income inequality, the proposed legislation opens the conversation about climate to a wider audience—one that includes everyone from the rural population in traditionally red states to people living on the south side of Chicago. Rhiana Gunn-Wright is the Policy Director at New Consensus and one of the architects behind the Green New Deal. Before New Consensus, Rhiana was the Policy Director for Dr. Abdul El-Sayed’s 2018 gubernatorial campaign in Michigan. She has also worked as the policy analyst for the Detroit Health Department and served as a policy intern for former First Lady Michelle Obama. Rhiana earned her BA in African American and Women’s Studies at Yale and her master’s in Comparative Social Policy from Oxford. Today, Rhiana joins Ross, Christophe, and Ramez to share a high-level overview of the Green New Deal, explaining how it leverages an economic mobilization framework to tackle climate change and income inequality. She describes how public response to the bill has surprised her, discussing the criticisms she finds useful and some of the writers offering constructive analysis. Listen in for Rhiana’s insight around aspects of the Green New Deal with the potential for bipartisan support and learn how the policy might include new groups in the conversation around climate change—and help the US lead on a global scale!
Resources Institute for Women’s Policy Research California Consumer Privacy Act Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the Green New Deal Green New Deal Articles in Jacobin Ramez’s Article on the Green New Deal Jerry Taylor’s Open Letter to Green New Dealers Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger Bullshit Jobs: A Theory by David Graeber
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [1:25] Rhiana’s path to reversing climate change
[10:03] A high-level overview of the Green New Deal
[11:57] The definition of economic mobilization
[12:52] Why the timing is right for the Green New Deal
[16:23] What has surprised Rhiana about the response to the Green New Deal
[19:45] Rhiana’s insight around state action on climate change
[22:16] The aspects of the Green New Deal with bipartisan potential
[25:51] The criticisms of the Green New Deal Rhiana finds useful
[30:04] The best places to read criticisms of the Green New Deal [32:39] Rhiana’s take on the criticism around labor without value
[38:17] What the Green New Deal can do on a global scale
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May 21, 2019 |
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74: A Conservative Approach to Climate Solutions—with Benji Backer
2710
In our polarized political climate, we are led to believe that ALL conservatives are irrational climate deniers, and ALL liberals are dead set on a large-scale policy solution that will shut down the American economy. But if you turn off the TV and close your social media tabs, you might discover that Democrats and Republicans actually agree on a lot more than we think. So, how do we get both parties to the table to talk about climate solutions? What is the best approach for getting right-of-center thinkers to engage in the discussion? How can we leverage the best of conservative principles to design a solution in which the markets and policy work hand in hand? Benji Backer is the President of the American Conservation Coalition, a nonprofit dedicated to educating and empowering conservatives to engage in environmental conversations and promote free-market and pro-business environmental solutions. Benji speaks at events across the country, and his work has appeared on CNBC, The Hill, and Townhall, among many other media outlets. Currently a junior at the University of Washington, Benji was named one of RedAlert’s Top 30 Under 30 conservatives in 2015. Today, Benji joins Ross, Christophe, and Paul to share his definition of what environmentalism should be, in contrast to what the term has come to represent. He discusses the principles of conservatism and offers insight on getting conservatives involved in the conversation around climate change. Listen in for Benji’s free-market approach to developing climate solutions and learn how liberals and conservatives can find common ground when it comes to reversing climate change.
Resources American Conservation Coalition The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [1:13] Benji’s path to reversing climate change
[3:23] The need for rural voices in environmental policy decisions
[5:24] Benji’s definition of what environmentalism SHOULD be
[7:34] The principles of conservatism
[11:26] Contemporary conservative voices worth listening to [18:38] How to get conservatives involved in the climate conversation
[22:21] The free market approach to reversing climate change
[26:28] Benji’s insight on convincing conservatives re: climate change
[31:18] The failure of Washington state’s revenue-neutral carbon tax
[34:30] How to find common ground between liberals and conservatives
[38:16] Why it’s crucial to understand the opposition’s argument
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May 14, 2019 |
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73: Using De-extinct DNA to Restore Grasslands in Pleistocene Park—with Nikita Zimov & George Church
2660
A significant amount of carbon has been stored in Arctic permafrost for tens of thousands of years. And unless we take radical steps to restore the ecosystem that we destroyed there, the permafrost will melt and release 1400 GT of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. This dwarfs the amount humans generate annually and would accelerate climate change on an exponential scale. So, what can we do to reestablish the grasslands and reintroduce the animals that used to dominate the region? And what do we do if the wildlife that supported the ecosystem have since gone extinct? Can we use ancient DNA to create hybrid elephant-mammoths with the potential to thrive there? Nikita Zimov is the Director of Pleistocene Park, a project in northern Siberia using wild grazing animals to reestablish climate-stabilizing grasslands in the region. The initiative began in 1988, and to date, the 20 km^2 is home to 8 major herbivore species. George Church is a Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and pioneer in the realm of genome sequencing. Through his work with Revive & Restore, George and his team are working to de-extinct the genes of the woolly mammoth to save the Asian elephant from extinction and populate Pleistocene Park. Today, George and Nikita join Ross and Christophe to share the vision for Pleistocene Park and the ground-breaking work in genome editing that supports the reintroduction of megafauna to the region. Nikita explains why restoring grasslands to the Arctic is crucial in mitigating climate change, and George discusses his work to make elephants compatible with warm and cold temperatures. They also cover the ethical questions regarding genome editing and the worst-case scenarios around restoring the grassland ecosystem in Siberia. Listen in to understand the potential to scale and perhaps replicate Pleistocene Park around the globe and learn how to support George and Nikita’s work to prevent the degradation of permafrost and reverse climate change!
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Resources Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warmingedited by Paul Hawken Woolly Mammoth Revival on Revive & Restore
Key Takeaways [1:31] George’s path to reversing climate change
[3:40] The definition of genome sequencing
[4:59] Nikita’s path to reversing climate change
[5:43] The vision for Pleistocene Park
[8:35] Why grassland is valuable to the Arctic
[14:29] Why Pleistocene Park needs megafauna
[16:50] George’s work to edit the elephant genome
[19:40] The ethical questions associated with genome editing
[21:30] The groundbreaking nature of George’s work
[22:27] George’s take on what could go wrong
[24:35] The opportunities around genome editing with other animals
[26:50] Nikita’s plans to scale Pleistocene Park
[29:25] The Russian government’s position on climate change
[31:38] The potential for unforeseen consequences at Pleistocene Park
[37:47] What’s next for George
[38:53] What’s next for Nikita
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May 07, 2019 |
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72: Biomimicry, Politics, and Lunatic Farming—with Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms
2923
“What does forgiveness look like? What does loving your neighbor look like? I think … one of the reasons we have this physical creation is so that God could demonstrate what forgiveness looks like, what neighborliness looks like. And guess what? Forgiveness does not look like a farm that has to use more and more drugs all the time to keep its animals healthy. Forgiving is not a farm that has to use more chemicals to keep its soil healthy or keep the bugs away. A forgiving farm is one that has resilience.” Joel Salatin is the self-proclaimed ‘Christian libertarian environmentalist capitalist lunatic farmer’ behind Polyface Farms, a $3M operation in Swoop, Virginia, serving more than 5,000 families, 50 restaurants, 10 retail outlets and a farmers’ market with its salad bar beef, pigaerator pork, pastured poultry and forestry products. Feature in both The Omnivore’s Dilemma and Food, Inc., Polyface is known for its environmentally-friendly farming practices modeled around the natural systems of the biological world. Joel also serves as the editor of The Stockman Grass Farmer, the writer of the Pitchfork Pulpit column in Mother Earth News, and the author of 12 books, including The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs: Respecting and Caring for All God’s Creation and Everything I Want to Do is Illegal: War Stories from the Local Food Front. Today, Joel joins Ross and Christophe to share his practice of duplicating nature’s patterns on the farmscape. He offers his take on the flaws in the environmentalist approach to climate change and where the Christian faith community, libertarians, and economists fall short. Joel also describes how the regulatory environment is prejudiced against small-scale operations, exploring the way oversight stifles innovation. Listen in for Joel’s insight on food choice as a human right and learn how to take responsibility for your own consumer choices around food!
Resources Joel’s Daily Blog: The Lunatic Farmer The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollen The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs: Respecting and Caring for All God’s Creation by Joel Salatin 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann Everything I Want to Do Is Illegal: War Stories from the Local Food Front by Joel Salatin
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [0:39] Joel’s path to reversing climate change
[2:44] Joel’s farming practices
[6:06] How humans have pillaged the land
[8:09] The idea of active management
[9:49] Joel’s criticism of the environmentalist approach
[18:28] Why Joel is an advocate for food emancipation
[21:42] Joel’s criticism of the Christian faith community
[28:20] Joel’s criticism of libertarians
[31:02] The danger in measuring GDP alone
[33:52] Why Joel wants to eliminate crop insurance and subsidies
[39:46] How to take responsibility for your consumer choices
[45:33] The innovation around Joel’s eggmobile
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Apr 30, 2019 |
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71: Creating Carbon Beneficial Fashion Through Fibersheds—with Becky Porlier of the Upper Canada Fibreshed
2368
Mass-produced clothing generates 37 tons of CO2 for every ton of fast fashion, making it the second dirtiest industry in the world. But there is a better way. A way to produce clothes locally with natural fibers grown in regenerative ways. A way that is at least carbon neutral, if not carbon beneficial. And that method of hyperlocal textile manufacturing is facilitated by fibersheds. Becky Porlier is the cofounder of the Upper Canada Fibreshed, a nonprofit dedicated to building a regional fiber system centered around local fibers, local dyes and local labor. An affiliate of the international Fibershed network, Becky and her team seek to nourish bioregional textile communities of producers and consumers who value soil health, sustainable agriculture, and the health of the biosphere. Today, Becky joins Ross, Christophe and guest host Lorraine to explain the fundamentals of a fibershed, discussing how they serve as a climate solution. She shares her approach to engaging farmers and shepherds and describes how big brands might get involved in the fibershed movement. Becky also offers insight around the negative aspects of fast fashion in terms of poor working conditions and environmental destruction. Listen in to understand how consumer demand could affect change in the fashion industry and learn how you can be a part of the fibershed community!
Resources
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [2:03] How Montreal is a leader in the climate solutions space
[5:02] Becky’s path to reversing climate change
[6:40] The fundamentals of a fibershed
[7:48] How fibersheds serve as climate solutions
[11:17] Becky’s approach to engaging farmers and shepherds
[12:48] How to get big brands involved in the fibershed movement
[16:39] How regional systems would impact uniformity
[22:08] What makes fibersheds incredible carbon sinks
[26:41] The parallels between technology and textiles
[30:04] What fibersheds can learn from other industries
[31:29] The negative aspects of fast fashion
[35:52] The fastest way to facilitate change in the fashion industry
[37:26] How did natural fiber lose in the marketplace
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Apr 23, 2019 |
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70: The Nori Marketplace Pilot Program—with Michael Leggett and Ryan Anderson from Nori
2579
You’ve got to crawl before you walk. The Nori team aims to have their carbon removal marketplace up and running this year, and to that end, they are currently running a pilot program with a handful of farmers and ranchers in the US. So, what does the process look like? What is their progress on the software product to date? What milestones has the team reached—and what are their next steps? Michael Leggett serves as the Director of Product, while Ryan Anderson joined the team as a consultant in January and is now the Supply Development Lead. Prior to Nori, Michael led design teams at Google and Facebook, and Ryan served as a Strategy Lead and Ecological Economist at the Delta Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to solving complex environmental challenges in the Midwest. Today, Michael and Ryan join Ross, Christophe, and Paul to share Nori’s progress to date. They walk us through the pilot program, discussing how the team is leveraging COMET-Farm modeling to measure the additionality of carbon stored. Michael describes Nori’s milestones in terms of software product development, and Ryan explores the value of a self-service portal for participating farmer-suppliers. Listen in for insight around the unique aspects of the Nori forward contract auction and learn how the team is incorporating feedback from suppliers, verifiers, and an expert peer-review committee as they work toward a 2019 launch of the marketplace!
Resources
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [2:17] The intent of the Nori pilot program
[8:58] How Nori thinks about additionality
[11:38] Nori’s milestones in terms of its software product
[18:29] The benefits of a self-service portal for suppliers
[24:34] How the forward contract auction works in Nori
[35:58] The role of the peer review committee in the pilot
[39:21] Michael’s insight on the verification process
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Apr 19, 2019 |
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69: Fighting US Energy Policy with the Youth Climate Lawsuit—with Andrea Rogers of Our Children’s Trust
3026
The amended complaint of the youth climate lawsuit, Juliana v. United States, includes a Prayer for Relief stating that “Defendants have violated and are violating Plaintiffs’ fundamental constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property by substantially causing or contributing to a dangerous concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, and that, in so doing, Defendants dangerously interfere with a stable climate system required by our nation and Plaintiffs alike.” In other words, the government isn’t just sitting back while climate change happens, they’re implementing an energy policy that actively contributes to the problem. Andrea Rogers is Senior Staff Attorney with Our Children’s Trust, an organization working to elevate the voice of youth in an effort to secure the legal right to a stable climate system. Andrea is a graduate of the Arizona State University School of Law, where she served as co-executive editor of Jurimetrics: The Journal of Law, Science and Technology. Her impressive resume includes roles as In-House Legal Counsel for the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe and Staff Attorney for the Western Environmental Law Center. Andrea’s environmental law practice is dedicated to reducing pollution and fighting climate change. Today, Andrea joins Ross and Christophe to explain why Juliana v. US qualifies as a constitutional law case, sharing the progress of the case to date and discussing how it provides a framework for decarbonization. She describes the nuances of the government’s duty to protect its citizens and counters the argument that the government didn’t know its energy policy contributed to climate change. Andrea also offers insight around the role of public trust doctrine in Juliana v. US, the court’s ability to influence policy, and the government’s defense in the case. Listen in to understand the role of the judiciary in setting new precedent and learn how you can support Our Children’s Trust in furthering this landmark case.
Resources Obama at the 2018 Rice University Gala McCleary v. State of Washington
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [1:38] Andrea’s path to reversing climate change
[5:11] The legal flaw of laws passed to protect the environment
[8:20] Why Juliana v. US qualifies as a constitutional law case
[10:29] The argument that the government doesn’t have a duty to protect
[13:10] The argument that the government didn’t know it was contributing to climate change
[15:19] The progress of Juliana v. US to date
[19:10] The cases that inspire Andrea’s team as precedent
[22:50] The role of public trust doctrine in the case of Juliana v. US
[26:54] Why Our Children’s Trust seeks to hold executive agencies liable
[28:37] Andrea’s insight on the court’s ability to influence policy
[29:54] The role of the judicial branch in setting new precedents
[32:27] How Juliana v. US provides a framework for decarbonization
[36:29] The other issues that might use Juliana v. US as precedent
[41:18] The role of the Supreme Court
[44:18] The government’s argument regarding Juliana v. US
[46:00] The grounds on which Our Children’s Trust might lose their case
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Apr 16, 2019 |
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68: One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Biofuel—with Stephen Johnson of Illinois Clean Fuels & Mark Fitz of Star Oilco
2406
The US is the Saudi Arabia of garbage. And Illinois Clean Fuels is working to use our surplus of municipal waste as its primary input, turning trash into biofuel. This solves two problems at once, providing a sustainable source of energy through a process that captures and stores CO2 underground. So, how does it work? Stephen Johnson is the Founder and CEO of Illinois Clean Fuels, a synthetic fuel project projected to produce more than 400M+ gallons of ultra-clean, climate-friendly diesel and jet fuel from municipal garbage every year. Mark Fitz is an advisor for Illinois Clean Fuels and the President of Star Oilco, a full-service oil company known for its outside-the-box solutions for fleets seeking to incorporate biofuels in their daily operations. Today, Stephen and Mark join Alexsandra and Christophe to explain how the Illinois Clean Fuels gasification process works and what they are doing to eliminate the life cycle footprint of the fuel. They also discuss what’s holding back the widespread use of biodiesel and how Illinois Clean Fuels is working to overcome those roadblocks. Listen in for insight around how some prominent airlines and oil and gas companies are providing leadership around climate change and backing critical innovations in the space!
Resources Combustion & Catalysis Laboratory at Columbia University Nat GeoArticle on Deforestation for Palm Plantations Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative Aaron Stash of United Airlines United’s Emissions Reduction Pledge Oil and Gas Climate Initiative Phillips 66 and Renewable Energy Group Collaboration
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [0:59] Stephen’s path to reversing climate change
[6:30] Mark’s path to reversing climate change
[9:36] How the ICF gasification process works
[11:29] How ICF recycles leftover tar back into the process
[15:58] How ICF’s renewable diesel results in negative emissions
[17:29] What differentiates Illinois Clean Fuels
[21:09] Why we aren’t using biodiesel jet fuel
[27:40] What we can expect from Illinois Clean Fuels
[31:26] What’s holding back biofuel adoption
[32:52] How some airlines and oil & gas companies are providing leadership
[35:29] What is shifting the mindset in traditional oil and gas
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Apr 09, 2019 |
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67: Advancing the Campaign for a Climate Nobel Prize—with Helene & Raoul Costa de Beauregard
2258
The Nobel Prize was established in 1895 to recognize advancements that have the greatest benefit to humankind. As the need for climate solutions becomes more and more crucial, it seems only fitting that the Nobel Committee consider adding an award for progress in the realm of reversing climate change. Helene and Raoul Costa de Beauregard are the leaders of the campaign for the creation of a Climate Nobel Prize. They believe that climate change is the defining issue of our time and that climate actions should be ‘supported and rewarded with the highest distinction.’ Helene served in the Ministry of Ecology for the French government from 2009 to 2013 before Raoul’s role with Amazon brought the couple to Seattle six years ago. She is also the founder of GarageHop, an app designed to reduce the emissions generated looking for parking. Today, Helene and Raoul join Ross and Christophe to discuss the movement to create a Climate Nobel Prize. They make the case for recognizing role models in the effort to reverse climate change and explain the need to reshape the conversation around ACTION. Helene shares what she learned from her work as a carbon market expert, including the need for incentives to make people change their behavior, and Raoul describes how the Amazon business model might be used to address climate change. Listen in as we debate Helene’s top three climate solutions and learn how you can be a part of #ClimateNobelPrize! |
Apr 02, 2019 |
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66: Building a Business Around Cleantech Innovation—with Tom Ranken of the CleanTech Alliance
1696
The Pacific Northwest boasts several world-class research institutions, making the region a hub for cleantech R&D. But how do you move from the lab to the marketplace, building a business around your new innovation? What government programs are available to help your startup gain traction early on? And what industry associations offer programs for entrepreneurs and advocate for cleantech companies large and small? Tom Ranken is the President and CEO of the CleanTech Alliance, a trade association working to drive clean technology innovation and job growth. The 300 member organizations represent a variety of industries and business models, all inspired to create products that are better, faster, cheaper, cleaner and safer. Prior to joining the Alliance, Tom served as Cofounder and CEO VizX Labs, President and CEO of Axio Research Corporation and President of the Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association. Today, Tom joins Ross, Alexsandra and Christophe to discuss what makes the Pacific Northwest a hub for cleantech. We talk about the need for products and services to ultimately stand on their own in the marketplace as well as the role policy can play in supporting early-stage companies. Tom shares his definition of cleantech and walks us through the trajectory of the industry since he started working with the CleanTech Alliance in 2010. Listen in for Tom’s insight into current trends in cleantech and learn how companies of all sizes are innovating in the cleantech space!
Resources Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator National Energy Technology Laboratory Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Hudson Technologies: Energy Saving Assessments Boeing: 2018 Environment Report
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [0:49] Tom’s path to reversing climate change
[1:50] The role of the CleanTech Alliance
[3:43] Why the Pacific Northwest is a cleantech hub
[5:46] How the Clean Energy Fund supports early-stage companies
[10:03] Tom’s insight on government ‘picking winners’
[12:56] The trajectory of cleantech as an industry
[14:50] Tom’s definition of cleantech
[20:00] Tom’s take on sharing ideas in the pre-competitive space
[22:16] The current trends in cleantech
[25:41] How large corporations benefit from reducing emissions
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Mar 26, 2019 |
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65: Translating Climate Data into Art—with University of Washington Doctoral Candidate Judy Twedt
1694
Climate data is overwhelming. And being inundated with numbers can make you feel disconnected or even hopeless, especially if you’re not a mathematician or a scientist. So, how can we help people connect with important data sets like the Keeling Curve or the satellite record of Arctic Sea ice? Is there a way to transform the data into art, giving people a new way to talk about climate change? Judy Twedt is a doctoral candidate at the University of Washington who shares climate science through data-driven music compositions. Her soundtracks are designed to emotionally connect us to the evidence of our rapidly changing planet and encourage us to become better stewards of the Earth we share. Judy has a master’s in atmospheric sciences, and her current research is supported by scholarships and fellowships from NASA, the National Science Foundation, and local philanthropic organizations. Today, Judy joins Ross, Christophe and Paul to explain how she translates climate data into music. We listen to one of her pieces based on the satellite record of Arctic Sea ice, and she describes the meaning behind the chords and key changes. Judy discusses the intent of her work to connect people with the data, evoke an emotional response, and empower listeners to talk about climate change in a new way. Listen in for Judy’s insight around meeting people where their values are and learn how she initiates conversation around climate change in her own civic community.
Resources Kristina Lee: ‘Arctic Sea Ice’ ‘What Climate Change Sounds Like’ in Crosscut Satellite Record of Arctic Sea Ice The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Johnathan Haidt
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [1:04] Judy’s path to reversing climate change
[5:13] How Judy translates data into music
[10:24] Judy’s motivation to share data through music
[13:27] Judy’s insight on the key changes in her piece
[16:29] How Judy’s work gives people hope and agency
[18:28] Judy’s take on meeting people where their values are
[20:59] How to initiate conversation outside your bubble
[25:00] The connection between social justice and climate change
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Mar 19, 2019 |
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64: Restoring Soil Health for Resilient Farms—with Louise Edmonds of Intuit Earth
2251
“We’ve got to nurture the land, nurture ourselves and nurture each other. That’s really what being human is about, and if we can get into that essence then we might have a future on the planet.” Healthy soil is key in restoring biodiversity, protecting against pests and disease, and improving water use and photosynthetic efficiency. Healthy soil supports healthy animals and healthy humans. And healthy soil sequesters carbon from the atmosphere, effectively reversing climate change. Louise Edmonds is the Eco-Agripreneur behind Intuit Earth, a company created to support farmers in restoring the carbon and water cycles on their land and bringing resilience into their systems on an environmental and economic level. Intuit is focused on restoring soil health, and to that end, the team produces Biodynamic Organic Compost specifically designed for the swan coastal plain sandy soils. Louise is also working with the Australian government to implement its new carbon sequestration pilot program. Today, Louise joins Ross and Christophe to discuss her obsession with aerobic composting and her role in changing Australia’s climate and soil health policy. She shares the details of their carbon sequestration pilot project, discussing how the country’s policy has changed over time and why corporate leadership is motivated to put carbon on the balance sheet. Listen in to understand how Intuit Earth is involved in implementing Australia’s carbon sequestration program and learn how Louise is working to return the Wheatbelt of Western Australia to its former, biodiverse glory!
Resources Ecofeminism (Critique. Influence. Change.) by Maria Mies and Vandana Shiva Dr. Charles Massy on RCC EP053
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [1:37] Louise’s path to reversing climate change
[7:23] Louise’s focus on aerobic composting
[9:07] The difference between compost tea and compost extract
[10:27] Louise’s role in Australia’s climate and soil health policy
[12:57] How Australia’s climate policy has changed over time
[17:19] Why corporate leadership is motivated to participate
[18:36] How adversity drives change
[20:58] Australia’s carbon sequestration pilot project
[25:30] The role of Intuit Earth in Australia’s program
[27:00] How data is collected and verified in Australia’s system
[31:13] Louise’s mission for Intuit Earth
[32:05] How much compost is needed to restore the soil
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Mar 12, 2019 |
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63: Reading Nutrient Density to Improve the Quality of Our Food—with Dan Kittredge of the Bionutrient Food Association
2874
Our current agricultural systems produce food with little nutritional value. And even the products labeled organic are not necessarily more nutrient dense. We assume that every carrot is as healthy as the next, but in truth, there is enormous variation and our existing standards assess process—not quality. So, is there a reliable way to determine the nutritional value of a particular food? To compare one carrot with another and make an informed decision on what to buy? Dan Kittredge is an organic farmer and founder of the Bionutrient Food Association, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of our food supply. The organization works with growers, consumers and purveyors of food, providing the information and relationships necessary to create a market for high-quality food. Dan’s team has developed a prototype ‘bionutrient meter,’ a spectrometer that reads the nutrient density in foods, allowing consumers to compare nutritional value and make decisions accordingly. Today, Dan joins Ross and Christophe to discuss the assumption that all food has the same nutritional value, explaining why the organic label can be misleading and how his organization is working to help consumers choose the most nutrient-dense food. We speak to the many benefits of producing food with high nutritional value (including carbon sequestration) and Dan describes how the conventional ag mindset impacts our health. Listen in for Dan’s insight around the open-source ethos of the Bionutrient Food Association and learn how you can get involved as a citizen scientist—and host your own spectrometer house party!
Resources Northeast Organic Farming Association World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [0:55] Dan’s path to reversing climate change
[8:32] Why the organic label can be misleading
[14:47] The assumption that all food has the same nutritional value
[21:46] How Dan wants to affect change through consumer dollars
[29:49] Dan’s take on privilege and the availability of nutritious food
[33:28] The challenge of shifting the traditional mindset
[38:46] The open-source ethos of the Bionutrient Food Association
[43:34] How we can get involved with Dan’s organization
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Mar 05, 2019 |
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62: The Shift to Perennialization in Agriculture & the Broader Culture—with Fred Iutzi & Tim Crews of The Land Institute
2588
To maintain annual agriculture, we wipe out perennial vegetation and effectively destroy everything on the landscape in order to plant crops every year. The negative consequences of this ecological disaster include soil erosion, loss of organic matter, and loss of nutrients. So, what if we shifted to a perennial crop system that regrows from year to year without having to be reseeded? Could such a transition facilitate a broader cultural shift toward sustainability and justice? And what impact would perennialization have on reversing climate change? Fred Iutzi and Tim Crews serve as President and Director of Research, respectively, at The Land Institute, a nonprofit based in Salina, Kansas. The organization is focused on developing perennial grains, pulses and oilseed bearing plants grown in diverse crop mixtures known as perennial polycultures. The team of 40 plant breeders and ecologists on six continents are collaborating to create an agricultural system that mimics natural systems, producing ample food and reducing the negative impacts of industrial agriculture. Today, Fred and Tim join Ross and Christophe to discuss the literal and figurative meanings of perennialization and share The Land Institute’s mission to create first a commercially viable method of perennial grain production and then a functional agro-ecosystem. We explore why people made the transition to annual crop production and the challenges around scaling up small, 20x20 proof-of-concept plots. Listen in to understand how perennial crops reverse climate change and learn how the new agriculture of perennialization can revitalize rural America.
Resources New Roots for Agricultureby Wes Jackson Nature as Measure: The Selected Essays of Wes Jackson by Wes Jackson
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [1:26] Fred’s path to reversing climate change
[4:07] Tim’s path to reversing climate change
[5:26] The literal and figurative definitions of perennialization
[7:53] Why people made the transition to annual crop production
[12:26] The theory of change for The Land Institute
[16:59] The Land Institute’s mission to create a commercially viable method of grain production
[21:21] The challenges around scaling up small proof-of-concept plots
[27:21] Monocrop vs. diverse landscapes
[30:26] How perennial crops fit into reversing climate change
[35:10] The difference between soil organic matter and soil organic carbon
[36:36] The relationship between annuals and the decline of rural America
[40:36] How to get involved and learn more about The Land Institute
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Feb 26, 2019 |
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61: Leveraging the Life Cycle Assessment for Useful Carbon Accounting with Professor Kate Simonen
2380
The processes of building material extraction, manufacturing, transportation and construction are ALL responsible for carbon emissions. So, how do you compare these embodied costs to make the best choices around which materials to use? How do you know whether it’s better for the environment to retrofit an existing building or build a new, passive one? How do you determine whether a building truly qualifies as zero-carbon? The primary tool we use to measure environmental impact is the life cycle assessment. Kate Simonen is a carbon accounting expert and professor in the Department of Architecture at the University of Washington. As a licensed architect and structural engineer, she has an extensive background in high-performance building systems, seismic design and retrofitting, and net-zero energy construction. Kate’s research is focused on environmental life cycle assessment and innovative construction materials and methods. She is also the founding director of the Carbon Leadership Forum, a research effort focused on advancing low-carbon construction. Today, Kate joins Ross and Christophe to share the ins and outs of life cycle assessments, or LCAs. She explains how to draw systems boundaries in a useful way and describes what makes for a good versus bad LCA. Kate walks us through the stages of building, discussing how LCAs can be applied in each phase and sharing the CLF’s aim to increase awareness around why material choices matter. Listen in for Kate’s insight on the trend toward green building, the opportunities for storing carbon in the built-environment, and the three ways you can get involved in the life cycle assessment space!
Resources Architecture 2030 Carbon Smart Materials Palette
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [1:39] Kate’s path to reversing climate change
[4:06] How to draw systems boundaries in a useful way
[7:17] How LCAs are applied in the stages of a building
[12:35] The rise of construction in the developing world
[17:53] The practical uses of LCAs
[20:47] What constitutes a good LCA
[25:48] The use case for the EC3 Calculator
[28:57] The trend toward green building in architecture/engineering
[32:40] The opportunities for storing carbon in the built environment
[34:04] Why wood is making a comeback
[36:58] Kate’s insight around forest management
[38:11] How to get involved in the LCA space
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Feb 19, 2019 |
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60: Connor Birkeland, Renewable Energy Research Fellow
1999
The need for energy innovation has never been more urgent. To effectively reduce climate change, we need to implement new technologies at scale quickly. Yet, the politics and regulations that dictate the energy industry make it incredibly difficult to put new ideas into practice. Despite the challenges around change, the use of solar energy continues to grow as production becomes more and more affordable. So, how do we navigate public policy and continue to innovate in a space where brilliant ideas can take a decade to adopt on a large scale? Connor Birkeland is research fellow working with Seattle City Light through the US Department of Energy Solar Technology Office. He is passionate about creating more effective environmental and energy policy by way of creative thinking and data-driven analysis. Connor has 10 years of hands-on experience working in renewable energy, and he earned his Master’s in Public Policy and Governance from the University of Washington Evans School. Connor has a specific interest in policy analysis, economic modeling and utility management. Today, Connor joins Ross, Christophe and Paul to explore the lay of the land in solar energy. He covers the main drivers of cost in solar, explaining why the industry has been able to scale exponentially in recent years. Connor shares his frustration in working with a public utility, walking us through the pros and cons of regulating the space and the challenges of innovating in such an entrenched industry. Listen in for Connor’s insight around the environmental impact of hydroelectric power and learn how the blockchain might play a central role in energy innovation!
Resources US Energy Information Administration
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [2:12] Connor’s path to reversing climate change
[4:24] The current overview of solar energy
[7:32] The main drivers of cost in solar
[11:35] The life cycle of a solar panel
[14:30] Connor’s frustration with working at a utility
[15:49] The environmental impact of hydroelectric power
[19:58] The challenges around innovating in the energy space
[26:02] The pros and cons of regulating utilities
[28:09] The blockchain’s role in energy innovation
[31:23] Connor’s take on the future of energy
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Feb 12, 2019 |
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59: Trey Hill of Harborview Farms
3319
No-till agriculture promotes soil health and sequesters carbon, so why isn’t everybody doing it? The practical reality is that farmers are limited by their infrastructure and financial obligations. Making a change is not always profitable and often means fighting against a father who’s mastered the conventional system. To facilitate large-scale change, we need a market that allows farmers to get paid for growing crops unconventionally. Trey Hill is the champion of change behind Harborview Farms, an agricultural operation that produces corn, wheat, and soybeans for the Mid-Atlantic region. Harborview focuses on sustainable farming and environmental stewardship, treating the land as a canvas rather than a commodity. Trey’s creative approach combines traditionalism with technology and environmentalism, making him an ideal candidate for Nori’s pilot program Today, Trey joins Ross and Christophe to discuss how working with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation led him on a path to environmentalism. He shares the fundamental idea behind cover crops and speaks to the rising use of technology in agriculture. Trey also offers his take on what farmers and environmentalists have in common and the advantage of a market-based approach to promoting regenerative practices. Listen in for Trey’s insight on the practical realities of farming green and learn about his experience as part of the Nori pilot!
Resources National No-Tillage Conference Dr. Charles Massy on RCC EP053 Call of the Reed Warbler: A New Agriculture, A New Earth by Charles Massy Chester River Watershed Observatory Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems Granular Farm Management Software ‘Soil My Undies’ Challenge in Modern Farmer
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [0:45] Trey’s path to reversing climate change
[8:33] The fundamental idea of cover crops
[13:49] The practical realities of farming green
[19:30] Trey’s take on farmland as canvas
[22:30] How to bring farmers and environmentalists together
[26:53] Trey’s experience with the Nori pilot program
[36:16] Why Trey supports a market-based approach
[44:32] The rise of technology in agriculture
[48:20] How Trey is taking planting green to the next level
[52:27] Why slugs have become Trey’s nemesis
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Feb 05, 2019 |
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58: Ryan Anderson of Delta Institute
3010
We typically think of value and ROI in monetary terms, but what about the social value of an investment? Or its environmental return? The field of ecological economics is built around the idea that the health of our land serves as the foundation of our economy, and we know that assigning a monetary value to ecosystem services helps us to be better stewards to these resources. So, how do we put carbon sequestration on the balance sheet? How do we build market incentives to reverse climate change at scale? And how do we talk to investors about deploying capital in ways that create real value for the landscape AND provide a healthy financial return? Ryan Anderson is the Strategy Lead with the Delta Institute, a nonprofit working to collaborate with communities to solve complex environmental challenges across the Midwest. They identify opportunities for market-based environmental solutions and then proceed to design, test and share those solutions for the social, environmental and economic benefit of their community partners. Ryan joined the team at Delta in 2007, and his role involves connecting innovative people and ideas to specific resources and places. Currently, he’s focused on reversing climate change by working with farmers to sequester carbon in the soil, creating a more inclusive and regenerative economy in the process. Today, Ryan joins Ross and Christophe to discuss the principles of ecological economics and the debate around financializing ecosystem services. He describes his work with The Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX), sharing its successes and failures and explaining what Nori can learn from his experience with the project. Listen in for Ryan’s advice to impact investors on diversifying their portfolios with farmland and learn about the Delta Institute’s recent report on valuing the ecosystem service benefits of regenerative agriculture practices.
Resources National No-Tillage Conference Carbon Farming Innovation Network Ecological Economics: Principles and Applicationsby Herman E. Daly and Joshua Farley Pope Francis’ ‘On Care for Our Common Home’ Robert Costanza’s ‘The Value of the World’s Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital’ Dr. Charles Massey on RCC EP053 Good Derivatives: A Story of Financial and Environmental Innovationby Richard L. Sander Cap-and-Trade Discussion on RCC EP031 Delta Institute & Farmland LP Report
Connect with Nori Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [2:29] Ryan’s path to reversing climate change
[7:59] The principles of ecological economics
[9:44] Ryan’s take on financializing ecosystem services
[16:28] Basic market terminology
[21:52] The function of The Chicago Climate Exchange
[28:19] The successes and failures of CCX
[33:44] What Nori can learn from CCX
[38:46] The mission of the Delta Institute
[42:18] Ryan’s advice for impact investors
[47:41] Ryan’s hope for the Nori pilot
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Jan 29, 2019 |
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57: Clean Tech Entrepreneur Jimmy Jia
2752
Sustainable energy is a wicked problem. As we solve one aspect of the challenge, others arise—and the very definition of the problem evolves over time. Yet admitting uncertainty is unpopular. No one is holding a picket sign that reads, “It depends on a number of factors that are mutually interdependent.” So, what should we be thinking about as we work toward a sustainable energy future? Jimmy Jia is an entrepreneur, author, educator, strategist and speaker at the intersection of sustainable energy and business. As the founder and CEO of Distributed Energy Management, he supports companies in right-sizing their energy consumption to reduce wasted utility spending. Jimmy also serves on the board of the Center for Sustainable Energy in San Diego and the Executive Committee of the CleanTech Alliance in Seattle. He teaches the Sustainable Energy Solutions Certificate at Presidio Graduate School, and Jimmy is the author of Driven by Demand: How Energy Gets Its Power. Today, Jimmy joins Ross, Christophe, and Paul to discuss the wicked problem of energy, offering his insight around energy transitions and the value proposition of sustainable energy. He explains the concepts of a microgrid and a smart grid, speaking to the nuances of those terms and the challenge of assigning a formal definition to either one. Jimmy also addresses what Nori might learn from the Renewable Energy Credit (REC) market and how Nori fits into the overall energy balance framework. Listen in for Jimmy’s advice to consumers regarding sustainable consumption and get his take on nuclear energy, the rise of cooperatives, and even the feasibility of the Dyson sphere!
Resources Driven by Demand: How Energy Gets Its Powerby Jimmy Jia
Connect with Nori Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [0:44] Jimmy’s energy journey
[4:56] How the laws of thermodynamics apply to business
[7:12] Jimmy’s insight around energy transitions
[12:48] How to frame the value prop of sustainable energy
[14:35] Jimmy’s advice for consumers
[15:49] Why energy qualifies as a ‘wicked problem’
[22:00] The concept of the microgrid
[25:06] The idea of the smart grid
[27:55] What Nori can learn from the REC market
[32:00] How Nori fits into the energy balance framework
[36:44] Jimmy’s take on nuclear energy
[39:48] The rise of energy cooperatives
[41:46] The feasibility of the Dyson sphere
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Jan 22, 2019 |
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56: Kyle Murphy, Executive Director of CarbonWA
2719
About 65% of Washington voters support action on climate change. But after six years of working to pass legislation for a carbon tax, the state has yet to put a price on emissions. How do political divisions make the mission so challenging? What alternative solutions are advocates exploring? And how might the Nori marketplace fit into a broader policy framework? Kyle Murphy is the Executive Director of CarbonWA, a nonprofit committed to move Washington State toward zero carbon emissions. The organization is composed of students, activists, scientists, economists and concerned citizens who share the moral obligation to reduce carbon pollution and promote clean, renewable energy. CarbonWA is dedicated to passing equitable, evidence-based carbon-reduction policies, and Kyle has been leading the charge since 2015. A passionate advocate for change, he has a background in campaign management, fundraising, public speaking, communications and climate change policy. Today, Kyle joins Ross, Christophe, and Paul to discuss the ongoing effort to put a price on carbon in Washington State. He shares the competition of ideas around enacting a carbon tax, the challenge of dealing with diverse stakeholders, and the CarbonWA approach to the issue of accountability. Kyle addresses why I-732 and I-1631 may have failed despite public support of climate action and explains the appetite for alternative solutions like regulations or a citizen’s dividend. Listen in for Kyle’s insight on how climate policy differs from the legalization of marijuana or gay marriage and learn how emitters might employ Nori to earn credits within the context of a carbon tax bill.
Resources ‘The Left vs. a Carbon Tax’ in Vox Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act of 2018
Connect with Nori Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [1:25] Kyle’s path to reversing climate change
[4:24] The efforts to put a price on carbon in WA
[6:30] The competition of ideas around a carbon tax
[9:45] How carbon pricing differs from cap and trade
[10:38] The challenges of dealing with different stakeholders
[15:00] Why I-1631 failed while despite public support of climate action
[20:03] The potential for carbon regulations in Washington State
[23:28] How states might deal with carbon leakage
[25:24] Kyle’s take on a regional alliance to prevent carbon leakage
[27:48] How climate policy differs from gay marriage or marijuana
[29:16] How fast climate change might ‘solve itself’
[30:37] How CarbonWA handles the issue of accountability
[33:22] The benefit to a citizen’s dividend policy
[36:18] How Nori might fit into the broader policy framework
[37:47] How Nori is considering issues of justice/fairness
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Jan 15, 2019 |
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55: Jaycen Horton, Nori's Principal Blockchain Architect
3219
To make Nori work, the data of carbon removal must be somehow transferred from a model like COMET-Farm to the blockchain—and that is precisely the infrastructure that Jaycen Horton is building at Nori. So, how does communication between the software work, exactly? Why did Nori choose to build on the Ethereum blockchain? And what is the benefit of building in an open-source community? Jaycen is the Principal Blockchain Architect at Nori. He has extensive experience as Lead Software Engineer at Dell, Security Engineer at Wells Fargo, and at ASU Decision Theater. Jaycen’s career has focused on peer-to-peer and distributed technologies, most recently drilling down to smart contracts and cutting-edge UX technology. He is also the co-organizer of the largest blockchain meetup in the state of Arizona, Desert Blockchain, and a contributor to the ground-breaking book, Mastering Ethereum: Building Smart Contracts and DApps. Today, Jaycen joins Ross, Christophe, and Paul to share his background in blockchain technology and how he came to join the Nori team. He explains his initial skepticism around Bitcoin, the advantage of Ethereum’s smart contracts, and the reasons Nori chose to build on the Ethereum blockchain. Jaycen describes the API that Nori is building, offering insight around the way it connects to COMET-Farm and the value of sharing the API in an open-source community. Listen in to understand the function of Nori’s backend software and learn where to go for more information about blockchain technology!
Resources Certified Bitcoin Professional Reversing Climate Change EP013 Mastering Ethereum: Building Smart Contracts and DAppsby Andreas Antonopoulos and Gavin Wood That Book on Blockchain: A One-Hour Introby Jonathan B. Morley
Key Takeaways [0:51] Jaycen’s background in blockchain technology
[3:54] Jaycen’s skepticism around Bitcoin early on
[6:14] How Ethereum changed the landscape
[11:13] Jaycen’s insight on poor blockchain use cases
[15:07] The fundamentals of blockchain technology
[19:16] Why Nori chose the Ethereum blockchain
[20:45] Jaycen’s take on public vs. private blockchains
[22:50] The integration of carbon removal and blockchain tech
[28:34] The significance of developing an API
[33:27] The parallels between scientific method and open-source software
[38:34] The function of Nori’s backend technology
[41:28] Why Nori is sharing its API
[43:04] The open-source ethos
[46:51] Where to learn more about blockchain tech
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Jan 08, 2019 |
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54: Gillian Muessig of Sybilla Masters Fund
2978
Nori has ambitious plans to reverse climate change by using the blockchain to enable the people who draw down CO2 from the atmosphere to get paid for doing so. And the team is in the process of building the infrastructure necessary to make that happen. But how do they go about talking farmers, for example, into using the platform? How do they convince companies to buy CRCs? How do they make the business case for carbon removal? Serial entrepreneur Gillian Muessig currently serves as General Partner at Sybilla Masters Fund, a division of Outlines Venture Group focused on funding diverse and inclusive founding teams. She is also the cohost of CEO Coach, a show designed to break down the art of business development. Gillian is best known as Founding President of Moz, the world’s leading provider of marketing applications and metrics reporting software. With more than 25 years of experience helping small businesses become global brands, she is a sought-after keynote speaker, board director and advisor to companies on four continents. One of the world’s most active entrepreneur-mentors, Gillian has helped more than 1,000 companies launch, grow, pivot and thrive. Today, Gillian joins Ross, Christophe, and Paul to advise the Nori team around making the business case for carbon removal. She shares her own entrepreneurial journey and the most important qualities of a successful entrepreneur. Gillian explains how the blockchain fits into Nori’s business model and offers her take on the startup’s garbage collector metaphor. Listen in for Gillian’s insight on the best way to approach farmers and potential CRC buyers and learn how Nori can scale faster if the founders are willing to ‘give away their Legos.’
Resources
Connect with Nori Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [1:15] Gillian’s path to entrepreneurship
[11:07] The qualities of a successful entrepreneur
[15:01] How the blockchain fits Nori’s business model
[17:34] How Nori’s approach to climate change is different
[21:52] Gillian’s take on the garbage collector metaphor
[24:37] The history of industrial pollution
[27:41] Gillian’s advice around approaching farmers
[37:32] The value in persuading a buyer’s board of directors
[42:08] Gillian’s advice for avoiding founder-itis
[45:32] Gillian’s favorite mistakes as an entrepreneur
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Jan 02, 2019 |
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53: Dr. Charles Massy, Farmer and Author
2915
With the Industrial Revolution and the development of a mechanistic mindset, we have come to view ourselves as entities separate from the earth. In fact, the earth has become a subset from which we extract profits. This attitude has led to industrial farming practices that destroy the land and an industrial food complex that strips the nutrients from the foods we consume. What if we combined the best of science and mechanics with the indigenous understanding that we are dependent on the earth to sustain us? What if we adopted—on a large scale—the regenerative agricultural practices that produce nutrient-rich foods, restore the soil, and remove carbon from the atmosphere? Dr. Charles Massy is a farmer, writer, and self-professed shit-stirrer. He has managed a 5K-acre sheep and cattle property for the last 40 years and conducted research in the areas of innovation in the Merino sheep and wool industries, regenerative landscape management, and climate change. Charles is a research associate with the Fenner School of Environment and Society at Australian National University and the author of Call of the Reed Warbler: A New Agriculture, A New Earth. Today, Charles joins Ross, Christophe and Paul to explain how the industrial approach damaged his own family farm and how draught and debt led him to the practices of modern regenerative agriculture. He discusses the dangers of economic rationalism and how we can work within the capitalist framework to profit from sustainable practices. Charles offers insight around the lack of nutrients in food produced by the industrial complex, describing the health impacts of processed and fast food as well as the opportunity to reestablish a human connection to our food through community gardens. Listen in to understand how an emergent mind combines the best of science with an indigenous or organic worldview and learn how regenerative farmers and urban consumers can collaborate to initiate the healing process and reverse climate change along the way!
Resources Call of the Reed Warbler: A New Agriculture, A New Earth by Charles Massy In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold Dialectic of Enlightenment by Max Horkheimer and Theodor W. Adorno Whitewash: The Story of a Weed Killer, Cancer, and the Corruption of Science by Carey Gillam UN Food & Agriculture Organization Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming edited by Paul Hawken
Connect with Nori Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [1:28] Charles’ path to regenerative agriculture
[6:16] The geology of Australia
[7:58] The indigenous mindset
[10:42] The profitability of regenerative practices
[14:36] The idea of economic rationalism
[19:56] The truth about industrial agriculture
[23:16] The myth around the necessity for industrial ag
[24:57] The cost to consumers for shifting to regenerative
[30:00] The idea of the innovator’s dilemma
[31:53] Charles’ insight on developing an emergent mind
[35:00] How self-interest is tied to sustaining the earth
[37:58] Who Charles is trying to reach
[43:12] How agriculture can take the lead in healing the earth
[45:08] Charles’ take on our spiritual connection to the earth
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Dec 26, 2018 |
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52: Todd Myers, Environmental Director at Washington Policy Center
2892
“The man who says it can’t be done should get out of the way of the woman who’s doing it. We focus all the time on politicians and what they’re going to do. Meanwhile, we’re becoming more energy efficient every day. We’re using fewer resources every day. We’re finding a way to do more with less, quietly, every day. But [the free market is] where the solutions are coming from.” Todd Myers is the Director of the Center for the Environment at the Washington Policy Center. One of the leading experts on free-market environmental policy, Todd has authored numerous studies on environment issues as well as the ground-breaking book Eco-Fads: How the Rise of Trendy Environmentalism Is Harming the Environment. His research on the failure of Washington’s green building mandate continues to receive national attention, and Todd has 20 years of experience in the environmental space. Today, Todd joins Ross, Christophe and Paul to discuss the role of the Washington Policy Center and the connection between economics and environmentalism. He offers insight around the shortcomings of both liberals and conservatives when it comes to climate policy, addressing the Democrats' failure to track results and the Republican messaging of denial. Todd shares his free market approach to carbon reduction, his take on the connection between poverty and deforestation, and his frustration with subsidies and policy incentives that don’t produce a significant reduction in CO2. Listen in to understand role of technology in helping us do more with less and learn how Todd is working to address climate change in a way that promotes prosperity and personal freedom.
Resources ‘Beyond Markets and States’ by Elinor Ostrom Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action by Elinor Ostrom This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate by Naomi Klein Todd’s TEDx Talk on Smartphones The Economics of Non-Human Societies by Gordon Tullock ‘How Capitalism Saved the Bees’ in Reason
Connect with Ross & Christophe Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [1:01] The role of the Washington Policy Center
[2:21] The link between economics and environmentalism
[4:45] Todd’s insight on where both parties fall short
[9:43] Todd’s take on the failure of 1631
[13:00] Todd’s free market approach to carbon reduction
[16:44] The role of technology in solving climate change
[20:42] The connection between poverty and deforestation
[26:43] Todd’s argument against Jevons paradox
[28:27] How some policy incentives encourage risky behavior
[31:53] Why politicians focus on image rather than results
[37:07] Who Todd looks to to challenge his ideas [40:22] The evolution of Todd’s beliefs about climate change
[44:31] Todd’s experience as a beekeeper
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Dec 18, 2018 |
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51: Joseph Majkut, Director of Climate Policy at Niskanen Center
2919
How do you talk to leaders in Washington DC about the climate challenge? Is there a way to frame the risk that will inspire policymakers on both sides of the aisle to take action? How might a carbon tax work—and would that be preferable to a regulatory approach? Joseph Majkut serves as the Director of Climate Policy at the Niskanen Center, a nonpartisan think tank that works to promote an open society and takes an activist stance on climate change. An expert in climate science, climate policy, and risk analysis for decisionmaking, Joseph’s writing has been featured in scientific journals, public media, and environmental trade press. Prior to joining Niskanen, he worked on climate change policy as a congressional science fellow, and Joseph holds a PhD from Princeton in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. Today, Joseph joins Ross, Christophe, and Paul to discuss the origin of the Niskanen Center and how its libertarian roots make it different from other advocacy organizations. He offers insight around the politics of climate change, explaining how he thinks about framing the climate challenge and why it’s important to address the issue from an empathetic perspective. Joseph shares his approach to managing risk in the form of a carbon tax, describing how the tax might work, who should pay and how the money could be used. Listen in for Joseph’s argument against a regulatory approach and learn how the Niskanen Center advocates for policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Resources This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climateby Naomi Klein
Connect with Nori Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [0:49] What makes Niskanen special
[3:39] Joseph’s background as a research scientist
[5:35] The ocean’s role in climate change
[9:24] The social cost of carbon
[13:20] How climate change impacts weather events
[15:43] The origin of the Niskanen Center
[20:34] Joseph’s insight on the politics on climate change
[24:40] How Joseph thinks about framing the climate challenge
[28:39] Joseph’s take on how to address climate change
[31:19] Joseph’s thoughts on how a carbon tax would work
[36:31] Joseph’s argument against a regulatory approach
[41:14] Joseph’s view of who should pay the carbon tax
[45:49] How the money from a federal carbon tax might be used
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Dec 11, 2018 |
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50: Jimmy Daukas of American Farmland Trust
2342
America’s farms are disappearing at an unsustainable rate of 1.5 million acres per year. Yes, this has implications in terms of food production, but it also impacts our ability to deal with climate change. Through conservation practices and regenerative innovation, agricultural lands have the potential to sequester a great deal of carbon in the soil—and that can’t happen if development continues to erase our farms and ranches. So, how do we protect our best land and promote agriculture as a natural climate solution? Jimmy Daukus is the Senior Program Officer at American Farmland Trust, an organization dedicated to saving the land that sustains us. AFT is working to protect the best farmland, promote environmentally sound practices and keep farmers on the land. In his current role, Jimmy is focused on national initiatives to combat climate change, engage non-operating landowners in conservation practices, and save America’s most productive, versatile and resilient agricultural lands. Jimmy has been with AFT for 21 years, serving as VP for Programs and Managing Director for Agriculture & Environment, and he led the organization’s campaign to transform US policy through the 2008 Farm Bill. Today, Jimmy joins Ross, Christophe, and Paul to discuss the importance of American Farmland Trust’s mission to protect farmland and explain the significant impact of land use on climate change. He describes AFT’s role as a protector of food-producing land, offering insight on how they work with both farmers and policymakers to identify the barriers to implementing conservation practices and advocate for policy changes and incentives. Jimmy addresses the need to make progress across the continuum of agricultural practices, elevating farming and ranching as a natural climate solution. Listen in for Jimmy’s take on the competition for land use and learn how agriculture can be a major player in reversing climate change.
Resources Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warmingedited by Paul Hawken NRCS Conservation Stewardship Program
Connect with Nori Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [0:47] Jimmy’s path to reversing climate change
[3:11] Where farmers fit into the climate issue
[4:37] The importance of AFT’s mission to protect farmland
[7:15] The barrier for new and beginning farmers
[9:41] AFT’s role as a protector of food-producing land
[15:22] How AFT works with farmers and policymakers
[17:56] Jimmy’s insight on the need for policy incentives
[20:00] How a carbon market could make a difference for farmers
[22:44] The disconnect between renters and landowners
[26:21] How to make progress across the continuum of ag practices
[29:08] Agriculture’s role in reversing climate change
[31:19] Jimmy’s view of the politics of climate change
[35:53] The policy changes necessary to promote conservation
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Dec 04, 2018 |
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49: Ethan Steinberg, Harry Greene, & Jeremy Kaufman of Propagate Ventures
3024
The business of the future is a good cooperator, working with other players in a particular space to drive progress. Collaboration is a core part of the ethos at Propagate Ventures as their team looks to leverage agroforestry to contribute to the growing pool of climate solutions and help build a world where people live in a symbiotic relationship with the ecosystem. Propagate Ventures is an organization that develops and manages agroforestry investments. They work with farmers to design and install tree-crop systems that work in tandem with existing farm operations to stabilize soil health, sequester carbon, and generate economic returns. Co-founders Ethan Steinberg, Harry Greene, and Jeremy Kaufman are on a mission to provide regenerative solutions and make agroforestry the foundation of agriculture. To date, the firm has 150 acres under management and 3,400 acres under advisement. Today, Harry, Ethan, and Jeremy join Ross and Christophe to discuss Propagate Venture’s progress since their last appearance on the podcast and their growing focus on place-based solutions. They share the Propagate business model, including their two main income streams and their systems approach to cumulative value. The Propagate team also offers insight around the yield of timber versus shrubs, the nuances of organic certification, and their key role in data management for Nori. Listen in to understand why agroforestry is the most cost-effective way to draw down carbon immediately, how Propagate’s practices may filter into mainstream agriculture, and how the spiritual aspect of their work complements the cooperative future of business.
Resources Propagate Ventures on RCC EP003
Connect with Nori Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [2:12] Propagate’s progress in the last year
[4:50] The concept of ecological succession
[7:09] Why Propagate is based in the Hudson Valley
[8:18] The Propagate Ventures business model
[12:17] The pros and cons of timbre vs. shrubs
[16:26] Propagate’s two main income streams
[20:56] The systems approach to cumulative value
[23:33] How to assure what you’re eating is healthy
[28:52] The concept of container farming
[30:24] The cost accounting of direct carbon capture
[31:31] The cultural component of organic farming
[34:27] Propagate’s key role in data management for Nori
[36:25] How Propagate filters into mainstream agriculture
[39:30] The spiritual aspect of Propagate’s work
[46:32] The cooperative future of business
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Nov 27, 2018 |
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48: Risalat Khan, Climate Activist
2456
Stories connect. And if we want to motivate people to engage in climate advocacy, authentic communication is key. Risalat Khan believes in the power of people to inspire each other, realize the urgency and join the global civic movement to reverse climate change. But for climate activism to facilitate real transformation, we must reach more and more people in a story-driven way and leverage public momentum to influence policy. Risalat is an activist and intrapreneur from Bangladesh who was named one of the Young Climate Campaigners to Watch by The Guardian in 2015. Risalat was part of the small core team with Avaaz that spearheaded the largest climate marches in history, turning out 800K people in 2000 cities around the globe. As a member of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Community, he spoke on a Stepping Up Climate Action panel with Al Gore and other leaders in the space. Risalat earned his BA in Environmental Studies and Geology from Amherst and his MPA in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University, and he is passionate about addressing climate change, biodiversity loss and other existential challenges. Today, Risalat joins Ross, Christophe, and Paul to discuss his upbringing in Bangladesh, explaining why his home country is particularly vulnerable to climate change and what is already driving displacement from coastal areas to cities. He shares his most memorable experiences meeting Al Gore, working on the Paris Climate Agreement, and most recently, visiting the Arctic as a part of the FutureTalks initiative. Listen in for Risalat’s insight around motivating people to engage in climate advocacy, even those who are right-of-center, and learn how we can inspire each other to hold leaders accountable and reach a collective understanding that puts the planet first.
Resources The Consensus Climate Solution
Connect with Nori Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [0:57] Risalat’s path to reversing climate change
[4:45] Why Bangladesh is vulnerable to climate change
[7:16] What drives displacement in Bangladesh
[8:42] Risalat’s most memorable experiences
[10:54] How protest facilitates change
[12:52] Risalat’s trip to the Arctic
[15:46] Risalat’s message to senior climate leaders
[18:15] The additional force necessary to create change
[21:40] Risalat’s caution against betting everything on carbon removal
[27:56] What needs to change in the realm of climate advocacy
[29:51] How to engage people right-of-center in climate activism
[35:27] Risalat’s take on what motivates people to engage
[39:07] Risalat’s insight on the power of people
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Nov 20, 2018 |
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47: David Grinspoon, Astrobiologist
2782
Like it or not, humans have become the dominant agent of change on the planet, and as we proceed further into the Anthropocene period, we have a responsibility to accept responsibility and find a way to gracefully integrate our presence. But what if we are not the only ones who have experienced this phenomenon? What if the process of inadvertent planetary change is universal? What if the climate challenges we face are a natural part of planetary evolution? David Grinspoon is an astrobiologist and award-winning author whose research focuses on the climate evolution of Earth-like planets and the potential for life elsewhere in the universe. David serves as a Senior Scientist at the Planetary Science Institute and Adjunct Professor of Astrophysical and Planetary Science at the University of Colorado, and he has received the Carl Sagan Medal for Public Communication of Planetary Science. He was also the inaugural Chair of Astrobiology at the US Library of Congress, where he studied human impact on Earth systems. David is the author many books, including the ground-breaking Earth in Human Hands: Shaping Our Planet’s Future. Today, David joins Ross, Christophe and Paul to discuss the significance of the study of space in understanding our own planet. He offers insight around our obligation to learn to work WITH the planet, the concept of Great Filter events, and the utility of viewing our current challenges in the context of planetary evolution. David also shares his take on the longevity of civilizations and the growing alignment of local self-interest and global interests when it comes to climate solutions. Listen in for David’s predictions of where we’ll be 100 years from now and learn about the spiritual aspect of his work in connecting us with something larger than ourselves.
Resources Earth in Human Hands: Shaping Our Planet’s Future by David Grinspoon Chasing New Horizons: Inside the Epic First Mission to Plutoby Alan Stern and David Grinspoon Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Spaceby Carl Sagan Our Final Century: Will the Human Race Survive the Twenty-First Century? by Martin Rees
Connect with Nori Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [3:33] David’s path to reversing climate change
[7:13] The significance of the study of space
[10:08] The role of humans in running the planet
[15:00] David’s insight on the Anthropocene
[21:12] The idea of Great Filter events (Fermi paradox)
[28:52] David’s take on the longevity of civilizations
[34:53] The alignment of self-interest and global interests
[38:57] David’s view of the next 100 years
[42:48] The spiritual aspect of David’s work
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Nov 13, 2018 |
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46: Hunter Lovins, Founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions
2886
Historically, civilizations collapse when there are high levels of inequality and depleted resources. Hunter Lovins argues that we either solve the climate crisis now, or we lose everything we care about. But the good news is, we CAN build an economy in service to life, one that reverses climate change—at a profit. Hunter is the President and Founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions, a nonprofit dedicated to the development of innovative climate change and sustainability solutions for companies, countries and communities. A renowned author and champion of sustainable development, Hunter has 35-plus years of consulting experience in the realm of sustainable agriculture, energy, business, water, security and climate policy. She lectures regularly to audiences around the globe and serves as a professor of Sustainable Management at Bard MBA. Time Magazine recognized Hunter as a Millennium Hero for the Planet, and Newsweek referred to her as the Green Business Icon. Today, Hunter joins Ross, Christophe and Paul to discuss her work helping to design MBA programs in sustainability and walk us through the fundamentals of the Bard program in New York City. She share the impetus for her new book, A Finer Future, explaining how we can solve climate change quickly AND at a profit. Listen in for Hunter’s insight on the eight principles of regenerative capitalism, the role of human dignity in Gross National Wellbeing, and what YOU can do to support a regenerative economy in your local community.
Connect with Nori Email hello@nori.com
Resources Conference of the Parties on Climate Change Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Index Alliance for Sustainability and Prosperity
Key Takeaways [1:35] Hunter’s path to reversing climate change
[4:28] Hunter’s work creating MBA programs in sustainability
[7:08] The fundamentals of the Bard program
[9:15] The impetus for Hunter’s book, A Finer Future
[15:28] How to solve climate change quickly at a profit
[30:53] Hunter’s take on the appeal to greed
[33:19] Nori’s aim to blend economics with meaning
[36:31] Hunter’s insight on the original neoliberals
[38:58] John Fullerton’s eight principles of regenerative capitalism
[45:02] Hunter’s call to action for listeners
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Nov 06, 2018 |
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45: Paul Polizzotto, Founder of EcoMedia & GiveWith
2688
“When brands underwrite human empathy, great things happen for brands.” Corporations are not obligated to contribute to nonprofit organizations. But what if serving the underserved would drive sales? What if addressing the most pressing social issues would improve profits? What if making the world a better place would increase share price? Paul Polizzotto has demonstrated that social impact does, indeed, drive business value, and he is on a mission to transform commerce and afford resources to our most urgent social issues. Paul is a serial social entrepreneur with 30-plus years of experience in improving the environment, health and education. Most notably, Paul is the Founder and President of CBS EcoMedia, a program enabling advertisers to fund social improvement projects through their advertising buys. He is also the Founder and CEO of GiveWith, a technology platform designed to power collaborations between brands and nonprofits in support of social impact initiatives. Paul is a frequent guest lecturer at business schools throughout the US, and he serves as a Senior Fellow at USC’s Marshall School of Business. Today, Paul joins Ross and Christophe to explain how he is leveraging transactions between brands and consumers to bring much needed resources to the most pressing issues of our time. He describes how EcoMedia applies social impact as a sales incentive and how he is expanding that proven business model beyond media to other industries via GiveWith. Paul offers insight around how his work pairs nonprofits with corporations to move people in need to the front of the line. Listen in for Paul’s advice to aspiring social entrepreneurs and learn how brands that underwrite human empathy can increase their share price and profits.
Resources USC’s Social Entrepreneurship Program
Connect with Nori Email hello@nori.com
Key Takeaways [0:34] Paul’s journey as a social entrepreneur
[11:42] Paul’s insight on social impact and activist investors
[16:26] How GiveWith shifts the role of the nonprofit
[21:28] How current conditions facilitate Paul’s approach
[23:37] How Paul is applying innovation to societal issues
[30:06] Why Paul is encouraged by recent events
[32:08] Paul’s story-empathy-action model of marketing
[36:51] Paul’s wonder at the beauty of the planet
[40:12] Paul’s advice for aspiring social entrepreneurs
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Oct 30, 2018 |
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44: Lorraine Smith, Sustainability Consultant
2760
We can learn a lot if we listen to the trees—and pay attention to the party going on underneath! Nature has much to say about how to realign our industrial value chains, embrace biodiversity, and maintain soil microbiology. The question is, are we smart enough to listen and move toward a regenerative economy? Lorraine Smith is a writer and independent consultant who advocates for the shift to a regenerative economy. Lorraine has consulted for leading change-agents and large companies since 2004, and she is a sought-after speaker in the realm of sustainability and corporate innovation. Lorraine collaborates regularly with John Elkington’s team at Volans and sits on the Sustainability Advisory Board of Fibria, a large Brazilian forest products company. She also serves on the Board of Canadian Business for Social Responsibility and the Review Council of the Future Fit Business Benchmark. Lorraine is currently working on her first book, a series of essays exploring the relationship between people and trees. Today, Lorraine joins Ross, Christophe and Paul to share her ‘silver lining’ approach to environmentalism, explaining how a shift in the conversation can lead to true progress. She discusses her work with corporate boards, describing the value of understanding a company’s current circumstances and humbly checking your assumptions at the door. Lorraine offers insight around accelerating the rate of change and helping business think beyond emissions reduction to elevate the use of products that use CO2 as feedstock. Listen in to understand how we can expand the way we think about sustainability and create a regenerative economy based on the natural process that has been evolving for 3.8 billion years!
Resources Canadian Business for Social Responsibility On Liberty by John Stuart Mill
Key Takeaways [2:59] Lorraine’s path to reversing climate change
[8:05] Lorraine’s current work in the climate space [9:40] The themes of Lorraine’s forthcoming book
[13:01] The ‘silver lining’ approach to environmentalism
[16:33] Lorraine’s work as a consultant to companies
[21:53] Our role in the deforestation supply chain
[25:12] Lorraine’s insight around what we can do
[26:52] Lorraine’s advice on accelerating the rate of change
[33:59] How companies can go beyond emissions reduction
[38:19] The evolving language of environmentalism
[42:37] The dichotomy of being open-minded vs. permissive
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Oct 23, 2018 |
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43: Anne Biklé, Biologist and Environmental Planner
2614
When Anne Biklé started rehabilitating her Seattle backyard to plant a garden, she didn’t anticipate the return of carbon to the soil. But after a few years, she got curious and invited a soil scientist from the University of Washington to compare samples from the original dirt behind the garage with samples from the Eco-Lawn, perennial beds, and vegetable bed. The results were astonishing. The Eco-Lawn had 5% more carbon than the baseline sample, the perennial beds came in at 8% more carbon, and the heavily amended vegetable bed had a full 12% more carbon. Imagine the impact if every gardener applied the same processes and principles. And what if farmers applied the ideas at scale? Anne is a biologist and environmental planner with what she calls "a bad case of plant lust," and her career spans the fields of environmental stewardship, habitat restoration, and public health. She is also the co-author of The Hidden Half of Nature, a thought-provoking book about leveraging the cultivation of microbiomes to transform agriculture and medicine. Anne and her husband, professor of geomorphology David Montgomery, speak regularly on the topics of soil health, conservation and sustainable development. Today, Anne joins Ross, Christophe and Paul to share the origin of her interest in the soil and appreciation of the natural world. She walks us through the process of rehabilitating the soil in her backyard garden, describing how she collected the necessary mulch and organic matter as well as the stunning experience of watching life return to the yard. Listen in to understand the concepts of biodynamic agriculture and learn how Anne came to recognize the significance of microbial life in the health of the soil AND the human body!
Resources Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver by Mary Oliver Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations by David R. Montgomery Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life by David R. Montgomery
Key Takeaways [0:49] Anne’s interest in the soil
[5:00] Anne’s insight on dirt vs. soil
[7:47] The magic of the natural world
[12:03] The emergence of life in Anne’s backyard
[15:56] How Anne rehabilitated the soil in her garden
[22:37] Our recent understanding around soil
[24:00] Anne’s advice on starting your own garden
[30:13] How the garden impacts Anne’s consumption
[33:34] The concept of biodynamic agriculture
[37:31] The parallels between plant root systems and the human gut
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Oct 16, 2018 |
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42: The Designer’s Role in Reversing Climate Change with Michael Leggett & Jacob Farny of Nori
2450
If you’re a technologist or designer who happens to be passionate about reversing climate change, what do you do? Join an advocacy group? Donate to a nonprofit organization? Write your congressperson? What if you could leverage your skill set and play an active role in reducing the amount of CO2in the atmosphere? Jacob Farny is the Principal Product Designer at Nori. His background in design and consulting spans a variety of industries, from healthcare to retail to big data. Jacob’s role at Nori leverages his training in human computer interaction and user research. Michael Leggett serves as Nori’s Director of Product. His resume includes 13-plus years of building design teams at Google and Facebook, where he led several projects in user experience, including Gmail, Messenger, and Facebook Ads. Today, Jacob and Michael join Ross and Christophe to explain the concept of human-centered design and how it informs their work at Nori. They discuss the challenge of teaching users what they need to know without making a product too complex and walk us through the three pillars of high-quality product design. Listen in for insight around how the Nori product adds a third layer to the typical product design model and learn how the team is applying their unique skill sets to reverse climate climate change.
Resources Earth in Human Hands: Shaping Our Planet’s Future by David Grinspoon The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman
Key Takeaways [2:39] Jacob’s role at Nori
[4:13] The concept of human-centered design
[8:30] Jacob’s roots in Indiana
[13:46] Michael’s journey to Nori
[17:46] Michael's role at Nori
[20:57] The abstracting vs. teaching design schema
[24:28] The three pillars of quality product design
[27:11] The Nori Design Team three-layer cake metaphor
[31:28] What has surprised Jacob and Michael
[36:25] Nori’s so-called software approach
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Oct 09, 2018 |
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41: Gaya Roshan, CEO of Dashboard Earth
2017
To date, the environmental movement has relied on fear and shame to persuade people to change their behavior. The problem is, guilt is not a lasting motivator. What if we used a different approach and incentivized positive action instead? What if people were rewarded for pursuits that benefit the climate AND humanity? Gaya Roshan is the CEO of Dashboard Earth, a technology platform designed to encourage the adoption of climate-friendly behavior and reward action in the form of a coin redeemable for eco-products, services and donations. Dashboard Earth crowdsources the limitless number of climate solutions from local governments, environmental groups and individuals, giving each and every one of us the opportunity to take eco-actions that make a meaningful difference. Gaya has spent the last 15 years working with some of the world’s most visionary environmentalists as a researcher, filmmaker and consultant in the realm of deep ecology. Today, Gaya joins Ross, Christophe and Paul to share her background in filmmaking and climate solutions and explain why she made the shift to the technology space—despite being a self-proclaimed technophobe. She walks us through the basics of the Dashboard Earth app, discussing how it matches unmet needs with unused resources and rewards positive action. Gaya offers insight around Dashboard Earth’s city-by-city approach to defining climate solutions, addressing how the app affords agency to the individual and encompasses lifestyle, behavior and consumption. Listen in to understand the benefit of multiple forms of currency and learn how Dashboard Earth and Nori are working to monetize activities that benefit the climate!
Resources
Key Takeaways [1:34] Gaya’s interest in the climate space
[4:10] Gaya’s background in filmmaking
[5:31] Gaya’s shift to the technology space
[7:24] The fundamentals of the Dashboard Earth app
[10:54] Gaya’s insight around climate solutions
[16:00] Why Gaya maintains a particular focus on meaning
[18:41] How Dashboard Earth assigns value to climate action
[20:29] How Gaya was influenced by Bernard Lietaer
[23:46] The concept of demurrage
[25:03] The timeline of Dashboard Earth
[29:24] The link between Dashboard Earth and Nori
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Oct 02, 2018 |
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40: Jon Connors, Community Development at Starfish Mission
2054
What happens when you create a space where blockchain proponents can share deep conversation and connection, creating a pool of talented people interested in developing solutions to our most challenging political, financial, and ecological problems? Jon Connors is the Community Development Lead at San Francisco’s Starfish Mission, a pioneering hub for the blockchain community dedicated to changing the way we approach commerce, communication and governance. Starfish hosts industry events, provides a popular co-working space, and offers training for developers, investors and business leaders. Jon is also the founder of Blockchain for Ecology, a marketing vehicle built to promote the unique organizations working to solve ecological problems with blockchain technology. Today, Jon sits down with Ross, Christophe, and Paul to share the idea behind Starfish Mission and explain his interest in both blockchain technology and ecological projects. He discusses his vision for a regenerative economy that functions appropriately rather than dumping an expense (e.g. nuclear waste disposal) on the rest of us. Jon offers insight around the potential to regenerate and flip land, the restrictions on silvopasture in the US, and the need for inclusion in the blockchain/ecology movement. Listen in to understand Jon’s current work around providing unconditional crypto token grants through Good Work Network and learn how the token economy incentivizes socially beneficial behavior to reverse climate change.
Resources Jon’s Article on Regenerative Returns Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warmingedited by Paul Hawken San Francisco Psychedelic Society
Key Takeaways [1:23] Jon’s interest in blockchain technology
[4:15] The idea behind Starfish Mission
[6:34] Jon’s idea around flipping land
[10:21] Jon’s insight on silvopasture
[14:02] The impetus behind Blockchain for Ecology
[17:11] Jon’s vision around ecology and the blockchain
[18:10] The Starfish Mission approach to sharing knowledge
[20:52] How the token economy incentivizes behavior
[25:34] The necessity for diversity in the movement
[30:15] The potential around small-scale currency
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Sep 25, 2018 |
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39: Peter Fiekowsky, Founder of Healthy Climate Alliance
2824
“We don’t do it for ourselves. It’s like planting a tree that you’re never going to sit under. As long as we’re looking at ‘what’s good for me,’ we’re going to keep doing the status quo as we’ve been doing. If we look at it as, ‘I’m part of humanity’ … it makes a lot of sense to provide a planet that our grandchildren can live on.” Peter Fiekowsky is the Founder and President of the Healthy Climate Alliance, an organization committed to removing 1 trillion tons of CO2from the atmosphere and restoring the Arctic ice. Peter is also the co-founder of 300X2050, and he is committed to leaving a world we’re proud of for our children. Today, Peter joins Ross, Christophe, and Paul to share his goal to reduce carbon in the atmosphere to 300 parts per million by 2050. Peter discusses his favorite methods of CO2 removal, permanent sequestration in limestone and ocean fertilization. He also shares the cutting-edge techniques for restoring the Arctic and the relative cost of those tactics. Listen in to understand the moral imperative around reversing climate change and get Peter’s take on overcoming the partisan divide around the issue.
Resources The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religionby Jonathan Haidt
Key Takeaways [2:34] Peter’s interest in reversing climate change
[9:37] Peter’s favorite method of CO2 removal
[14:45] The benefit of sequestering carbon in the ocean
[21:15] The top techniques to restore the Arctic
[24:14] The cost of restoring the Arctic
[28:05] The moral imperative of reversing climate change
[32:29] Peter’s work with Congress
[36:06] How to overcome the partisan feeling around climate change
[39:37] Peter’s take on the need for a sustainable population
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Sep 18, 2018 |
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38: Nori’s Token Economics with CEO Paul Gambill
2182
We know that Nori is on a mission to reverse climate change by building a platform that pays people to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But how exactly will the token economics of that platform work? Why is Nori creating its own cryptocurrency separate from its carbon removal certificates? And how can we get involved and invest in Nori? Today, Paul joins Ross and Christophe to explain Nori’s token economics and the general need for alternative currencies. They discuss how Nori tokens could serve as the reference price for carbon, why Nori tokens are separate from carbon removal certificates (CRCs), and how Nori tokens might drive innovation. Paul speaks to the challenge around creating a finite number of tokens and complying with SEC regulations. Listen in for insight on how Nori is leveraging the JOBS Act’s Regulation D exemption to sell tokens in accordance with securities law.
Resources Cryptoeconomics on Conversations with Tyler Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Paul’s Blog on Security Tokens JOBS Act Rule 506 of Regulation D
Key Takeaways [1:27] Nori’s latest initiatives
[4:12] The fundamentals of token economics
[5:20] The need for alternative currencies
[8:34] How Nori could serve as the reference price for carbon
[11:39] Why Nori tokens are separate from CRCs
[15:47] How Nori tokens could drive innovation
[18:24] The challenge around creating a finite number of tokens
[21:32] The definition of a security
[25:31] The parameters of an investment contract (i.e.: the Howey Test)
[26:44] How Nori is working to comply with SEC rules
[33:14] The breakdown of Nori’s 500M tokens
[34:43] Why Nori needs the blockchain
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Sep 11, 2018 |
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37: Ben Kessler, Holistic Grazing Specialist
1934
What if we could have our meat and eat it too? The current system of meat production in feed lots is devastating for the environment, but there is a better way. A way that would restore our grasslands and reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. This method is known as holistic grazing. Ben Kessler is a holistic grazing specialist with a long family history in ranching. His great-great-great-grandfather owned a 25k-acre ranch in southwest Texas in the 1880’s, and his grandfather was both a scientist and a farmer who worked on climate change in his retirement. Ben served in Afghanistan as a member of the Marine Corps before studying environmental philosophy at the University of North Texas. Two years ago, he discovered regenerative agriculture, and now Ben is on a mission to design a holistic grazing model that can be replicated at critical mass. Today, Ben joins Ross, Christophe, and Paul to share his family history in the realms of ranching and science. They discuss the difference between organic and regenerative agriculture, the process by which ungulates maintain grasslands, and the barriers to transitioning away from feed lots to holistic grazing. Ben offers his take on feeding cows algae, bringing back the aurochs, and the true impact of methane emissions. Listen in for insight around how meat production can be good for the environment and learn how Ben is working to accelerate the shift to holistic grazing.
Resources Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming by Paul Hawken
Key Takeaways [1:48] Ben’s path to holistic grazing
[4:13] The difference between organic and regenerative farming
[6:12] How meat production can be good for the environment
[8:56] How ungulates create grasslands
[10:39] The structural shift to holistic grazing
[14:50] The challenges Ben faces as an entrepreneur in this space
[20:42] The barriers to transitioning from feed lots to grasslands
[23:56] Ben’s take on feeding cows algae
[25:15] Ben’s insight around cows and methane production
[26:56] The idea of bringing back the aurochs
[28:48] The current focus of Ben’s work
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Aug 28, 2018 |
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36: Greg Rock of Carbon Washington
1380
When presented with solutions to a problem that conflict with our ideology, it is human nature to deny the existence of the problem. Thus, climate change solutions that involve regulation or ‘big government’ result in climate denial from right-leaning groups. How can we create solutions that provide conservatives with an economic win? How can we change the psyche of red districts by rewarding them for behavior that reverses climate change? Greg Rock is a board member with Carbon Washington, the state’s leading advocate for putting a price on carbon pollution. Greg has dedicated his career to addressing climate change, serving as the founding owner of The Green Car Company from 2004-2008 before heading to Sweden to pursue a master’s in Sustainable Energy Engineering. Since then, he has shifted his focus to policy, working as a volunteer lobbyist to promote carbon tax initiatives. Today, Greg joins Ross, Christophe and Paul to explain how the study of our ever-increasing demand for oil sparked his interest in reversing climate change. They discuss the idea behind I-732, the first carbon tax proposal that Greg championed, covering the reasons why it did not succeed and how Initiative 1631 is different. Greg offers his insight around what resonates with each side of the aisle when it comes to climate change initiatives and how a marketplace like Nori might combat the ‘solution aversion’ common in right-leaning areas. Listen in for Greg’s critique of Nori’s ‘one token to one ton’ formula and get his take on our obligation to act on climate change.
Resources The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert
Key Takeaways [1:08] Greg’s interest in reversing climate change
[3:03] The idea behind I-732
[4:46] Why I-732 didn’t work
[5:48] The difference between I-732 and Initiative 1631
[7:45] What messaging resonates with each side of the aisle
[9:50] How Nori might appeal to right-leaning districts
[12:13] The concept of solution aversion
[15:52] Greg’s critique of Nori’s one ton to one token formula
[22:04] Greg’s take on our obligation to act on climate change
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Aug 21, 2018 |
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35: Ramez Naam—Author, Futurist, and Nori Advisor
2431
Knowledge is the only truly infinite resource, and its value multiplies by the number of people who put it to work. How can we put what we know about climate change to work and develop sustainable innovations that either reduce emissions or capture carbon from the atmosphere? And what role might Nori play in accelerating that innovation? Ramez Naam is a well-known author and computer scientist who spent 13 years at Microsoft, leading teams in web browsing, internet search and artificial intelligence. He is also the winner of the 2005 H.G. Wells Award for the non-fiction work More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement. Ramez’s award-winning science fiction series, the Nexus Trilogy, tackles the pros and cons of technological innovation. He speaks around the world on exponential technology, solving environmental challenges and disruptive energy technologies, and Ramez is an angel investor in several clean energy startups. Today, Ramez joins Ross, Christophe and Paul to explain how he ‘fell in love with the planet’ on a road trip to the Yucatan. They discuss the idea behind his book, The Infinite Resource, describing how innovation will allow us to use fewer resources to accomplish more. Ramez walks us through the biggest barriers to reversing climate change and addresses the challenge of pushing back against tribal thinking and the spread of misinformation. Listen in for Ramez’s insight around the top sustainable innovations coming to the market and learn how Nori supports the consumer’s preference for clean AND makes it easy to get paid for carbon sequestration.
Resources The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planetby Ramez Naam Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny by Robert Wright Brian Von Herzen on Reversing Climate Change EP034 New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson
Key Takeaways [3:30] The lessons Ramez learned from his failed startups
[6:17] Ramez’s environmental awakening
[8:41] The idea behind The Infinite Resource
[10:45] The greatest barriers to reversing climate change
[16:21] The pros and cons of shared knowledge
[21:36] Why there is no fundamental conflict between genetic modification and the organic movement
[24:54] Ramez’s favorite sustainable innovations
[29:15] Ramez’s take on Nori’s voluntary market
[34:45] Ramez’s insight on the human ability to adapt to climate change
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Aug 14, 2018 |
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34: Brian Von Herzen, Founder of Climate Foundation
2821
Marsupials in Tasmania can get everything they need from the rainforest without destroying it. So, why can’t humans do the same? Brian Von Herzen wants to apply this idea to the ocean and restore the sea life wiped out by climate change via marine permaculture. The way he sees it, if we take care of nature, nature will take care of us. Brian is the founder of Climate Foundation, an organization working to reverse climate change in our lifetime. Brian earned a degree in physics from Princeton and a PhD in Computer and Planetary Science from Caltech. He spent the bulk of his career in Silicon Valley, developing innovative technical solutions for Pixar, Dolby and Microsoft, among many others. Since creating Climate Foundation in 2007, Brian and his team have been focused on restoring life to the sea and soil. Today, Brian joins Ross, Christophe and Paul to explain what inspired him to start Climate Foundation. They discuss the concept of marine permaculture and how it addresses issues of food security, ecosystem survival and carbon export. Brian shares the potential income streams associated with marine permaculture and the scalability of Climate Foundation’s ‘floating islands of life.’ Listen in for Brian’s insight on how tokenization could inspire the grassroots movement we need to facilitate large-scale change.
Resources
Key Takeaways [1:43] The impetus for Climate Foundation
[7:06] The concept of marine permaculture
[10:41] A business case for marine permaculture
[14:22] How to become a seaweed farmer
[19:16] The benefits of feeding cows algae
[23:09] Climate Foundation’s intention to be multi-trophic
[26:53] The potential income streams associated with marine permaculture
[34:48] Brian’s take on the scalability of marine permaculture
[39:18] Brian’s insight on blockchain applications
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Aug 07, 2018 |
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33: Roderick Jones, Co-Founder of Rubica
2528
A big part of public interest in the blockchain can be attributed to a desire to reclaim our digital identities and reintroduce privacy to our online lives. But cryptocurrency remains vulnerable to hackers and cyberattacks. What can we do at the consumer level to protect ourselves from scams and keep our digital assets safe? Roderick Jones is the co-founder and President of Rubica, an elite team of cyber experts who provide individuals with digital security as strong as the world’s leading companies. Roderick began his career with Scotland Yard, where he was tasked with preventing international terrorism and protecting a prominent member of the British cabinet. After a move to San Francisco, Roderick founded Concentric Advisors, one of the most influential security firms on the west coast. He has been called upon to brief leaders at the White House, Downing Street and the Pentagon, and Roderick is a frequent guest speaker at national and international conferences. Today, Roderick joins Ross, Christophe and Paul to explain what drew him to the blockchain space and the particular vulnerabilities of open wallets in exchanges. They discuss the advantages of building Nori on Ethereum’s proof of stake system, the purpose of a hardware wallet, and the best way for consumers to secure their digital assets. Listen in for Roderick’s insight on the potential to tokenize the use of Rubica and learn how the company provides advanced cybersecurity for individuals.
Resources Google Authenticator on Google Play Google Authenticator in the App Store Blockchain and the Law: The Rule of Codeby Primavera De Filippi and Aaron Wright
Key Takeaways [4:43] What drew Roderick to the blockchain space
[8:19] The risk involved in exchanges with open wallets
[11:23] Why cryptocurrency is as good as fiat currency
[15:38] The concept of a 51% attack
[19:03] The advantages of building Nori on Ethereum
[22:39] How consumers can secure their digital assets
[26:55] The purpose of a hardware wallet
[34:46] The impetus for Rubica
[37:31] Roderick’s insight on tokenizing Rubica
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Jul 31, 2018 |
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32: Joseph Williams & Brian Young of the WA Department of Commerce
2945
The State of Washington is a clear leader in technology innovation and carbon-free energy, so it is fitting the Nori chose Seattle for its headquarters. To learn more about the state’s leadership in the climate change space and cryptocurrency regulations, we are speaking with Joseph Williams and Brian Young with the Washington State Department of Commerce. Joseph serves as Governor Inslee’s ICT Industry Sector Lead, while Brian works as the Sector Lead on clean energy technology. Today, Joseph and Brian join Ross, Christophe and Paul to explain their role in providing policy guidance to elected officials in the State of Washington. They discuss the state’s ecosystem when it comes to technology and clean tech as well as Washington’s early involvement with cryptocurrency and the blockchain. Joseph and Brian speak to the leadership around climate change and clean energy in the region, the state’s Clean Energy Fund, and PPNL’s work to use the blockchain to secure the energy grid. Listen in as the group considers Nori’s challenges in terms of regulatory compliance and verification and learn why Washington State is a good place to innovate blockchain and energy solutions.
Resources Washington State Department of Commerce Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Washington State Department of Financial Institutions Growing a Revolutionby David R. Montgomery Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizationsby David R. Montgomery
Key Takeaways [1:08] Joseph’s role in the State of Washington
[5:04] The Washington State technology ecosystem
[8:10] Washington’s relationship with the blockchain
[11:18] The Bitcoin mining operations in Eastern Washington
[16:53] The future of regulations around crypto in Washington
[19:45] The leadership around climate change and clean energy in the region
[25:16] Washington State’s Clean Energy Fund
[26:50] The PPNL VOLTTRON Project
[32:28] Nori’s challenges around crypto regulations
[40:26] The challenges Nori faces around verification
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Jul 24, 2018 |
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31: Aldyen Donnelly on Why Carbon Pricing Hasn't Worked So Far
2815
If we don’t learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. Yet when it comes to reducing carbon in the atmosphere, the current solutions fail to recognize what has worked in the past. So, what can we learn from the pollution reduction success stories in our history? What can those successes tell us about the shortcomings of existing strategies like cap-and-trade and carbon taxes? Why do our current methods of carbon pricing fail so spectacularly? Aldyen Donnelly is Nori’s Director of Carbon Economics. She has been working to develop market-driven strategies for reducing carbon in the atmosphere since the mid-1990’s, creating a consortium of Canadian energy companies that developed the world’s first ‘emission reduction credit’ or ‘ERC’ purchase agreement to finance soil carbon sequestration as well as the first ERC-financed carbon capture and storage project. Today, Aldyen joins Ross, Christophe and Paul to explain the fundamentals of cap-and-trade, discussing why allowances don’t represent a real reduction in emissions. They cover the inaccuracy of carbon prices as set by cap-and-trade markets and the Nori team’s eye-opening experience with the CarbonSim trading simulation game. Aldyen speaks to what we can learn from successful pollution reductions in history, describing how market competitors will find ways to innovate if we order fossil carbon reductions in the energy supply chain. Listen in for Aldyen’s insight on the failure of carbon taxes and learn how such measures have resulted in a negligible reduction in emissions while shifting the tax burden from the rich to the poor.
Resources ‘Why Carbon Pricing Isn’t Working’ in Foreign Affairs
Key Takeaways [3:48] The fundamentals of cap-and-trade
[8:23] Why cap-and-trade doesn’t work
[12:27] Aldyen’s take on the ‘success’ of RECLAIM
[17:12] Why carbon pricing set my cap-and-trade markets is inaccurate
[20:36] The Nori team’s experience with CarbonSim
[24:21] What we can learn from successful pollution reductions in history
[28:42] Why a carbon tax doesn’t work to reduce emissions
[31:00] Aldyen’s top insights for government officials
[32:53] Why carbon taxes don’t change behavior
[38:29] How carbon taxes have impacted Sweden, Denmark and Norway
[41:58] Aldyen’s view on British Columbia’s carbon tax
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Jul 17, 2018 |
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30: Alex Ortiz, Chief Blockchain Evangelist at lifeID
2267
Alex Ortiz believes that technology should be used as a tool to teach, to heal, and to create personal freedom—in short, it should be used for good to make the world a better place. Alex has spent the last 11 months doing a deep dive into the blockchain space, working to build a community that can learn together and develop use cases for the technology that will improve our lives. So, what exactly is the blockchain? What are some of its possible use cases? And how might it be used to incentivize positive behavior change? Alex is the Chief Blockchain Evangelist with lifeID, a blockchain-based identity ecosystem that aims to give people the tools to own and manage their own identities online. lifeID is on a mission to facilitate secure authentication and provide a mechanism for the sharing of verified credentials rather than personal information. In his role, Alex is responsible for building critical mass adoption of and finding integration partners for the lifeID identity platform. Today, Alex joins Ross, Christophe, and Paul to explain how a Forbes article initiated his interest in the blockchain. They share the fundamentals of blockchain technology and discuss some of the most noteworthy use cases. Alex speaks to the idea behind lifeID as an open-source platform that supports self-sovereign identity technology, describing what they are working on right now. Listen in for Alex’s advice on becoming a part of the blockchain community and learn how use cases like Nori can use the blockchain to incentivize behavior change.
Resources ForbesGlobal Food Safety Article Nick Szabo on the Tim Ferriss Podcast Blockchain Conference Seattle 2018 IBM Blockchain Essentials Course Hands-On Blockchain with Hyperledgerby Nitin Gaur et al.
Key Takeaways [2:15] Alex’s introduction to the blockchain
[7:26] The fundamentals of the blockchain
[11:33] Noteworthy use cases for the blockchain
[18:46] The current evolution of the blockchain
[22:16] Alex’s insight on self-sovereign identity technology
[28:06] The idea of a blockchain ecosystem to support applications
[30:14] How lifeID functions as blockchain infrastructure
[31:47] What lifeID is working on right now
[33:45] Alex’s advice for aspiring blockchain enthusiasts
[35:04] The concept of monetizing positive behavior
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Jul 10, 2018 |
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29: Nori Methodologies for Rewarding Regenerative Agriculture with Alexsandra Guerra
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The team at Nori has spent the last several months traveling the world, attending conferences around regenerative farming, agricultural technology, and the soil health movement. And the overarching theme among stakeholders has been the need for a price on carbon. How is Nori working to deliver just that? What methodologies is the platform using to measure and verify carbon removal in soil? And how does the system work to pay farmers for regenerative practices? Alexsandra Guerra is the Director of Strategic Planning for Nori. A clean energy crusader with a background in the energy and tech space, she is well-versed in the realm of data-drive projects focused on increasing distributed energy resources and grid modernization. Alexsandra believes that they key to impactful innovation is a combination of social awareness and technology, and she prioritizes efficient and sustainable practices in all aspects of her life. Today, Alexsandra once again joins Ross, Christophe and Paul on the podcast. This time, she is here to talk methodologies, explaining her current work with the product team around compensating farmers for carbon removal. She walks us through the process of enrolling in the Nori marketplace, getting your data verified, and earning Nori tokens. Alexsandra offers insight around the benefits of regenerative farming practices and the demand for a price on carbon. Listen in to understand how and why Nori is engaging stakeholders to build a usable platform based on feedback from the community.
Resources Natural Resources Conservation Service Carbon Farming Innovation Network University of Minnesota Main Street Project
Key Takeaways [1:46] The fundamentals of Nori methodologies
[2:43] How to become a part of the Nori marketplace
[4:02] The benefits of regenerative farming practices
[5:53] The job of a verifier in the Nori system
[8:00] How farmers get paid through Nori after verification
[9:45] The difference between a verifier and an auditor
[14:09] How the Nori marketplace provides assurance to buyers
[15:47] The theme of recent ag tech and soil health conferences
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