Inevitable

Today's guest is Jonathan Strauss, co-founder and CEO of Climate Draft, whose mission is to expose more people to the inspiring, impactful, and lucrative opportunities at venture-backed startups focused on decarbonizing the global economy.Talent movement into climate tech is critical, especially talent that has learned to scale businesses and technologies fast. In many cases, the skillsets that these folks possess are so ingrained that they don't even recognize them as skills. Innate familiarity with things like how to build a hiring pipeline, how to properly incentivize a sales team, do performance reviews, how to establish a culture, bring in and integrate senior executives as it scales, and how to manage key accounts. These are all day-to-day activities that people in big tech companies take for granted but in many cases are altogether new skills for climate companies founded by folks with skills in synthetic biology, mechanical engineering, or other areas. And getting many of these key climate technologies to a scale fast is what needs to happen given the timeframes we are working with from a global carbon budget.Climate Draft is an organic effort, born out of the climate tech community and focused on increasing the awareness of climate in other corners of tech and industries beyond, particularly into talent pools with individuals who have deep experience scaling businesses and who may be concerned about climate change but haven't yet explored working in climate as a career path.Jonathan and Cody have known each other for over 15 years, and have a great conversation about his journey from mainstream tech into progressive political work and then into climate, the community-based origins of Climate Draft, and what he's learned as he's helped thousands of people take their first step into exploring climate-related work. Great inspiration for anybody looking to figure out how to apply their skills most effectively in climate work.In this episode, we cover: 3:21] Jonathan's background and climate journey[14:55] The initial idea for Climate Draft[21:29] Need for talent and company-building experience in the climate space[26:18] First version of the "sports draft" model and learnings [32:06] Pros and cons of working with an all-volunteer team [36:38] An overview of Climate Draft today [41:35] Use case for people using Climate Draft as an entry point[44:24] Some of the takeaways from talent looking to transition to climate [46:06] Misconceptions about compensation in climate careers[47:08] Applicable skills [48:40] Learnings from climate companies trying to recruit talent [51:01] Range of geographies, skill sets, and industries that involve climate [53:26] Revenue-based financing that worked for Climate Draft [59:03] Learnings from foundersGet connected: Cody SimmsClimate Draft Twitter / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on December 1, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Sarah Richardson, CEO and co-founder of MicroByre, which is domesticating novel bacteria and using biology to produce chemicals that can supplant petrochemical production methods.Only a small portion of a barrel of oil is responsible for its petrochemical outputs. Most of a barrel is what you'd expect: fuel that's converted to gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, etc. But that small portion of petrochemical feedstocks is really valuable; by some estimates, it makes up to a quarter or more of the value of a barrel of oil. If we want to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels to slow down climate change, one of the ways to do that is to lessen the value of a barrel of oil.MicroByre does this by looking to the natural world. There are microbes and bacteria all around us, eating things, producing things, and living in all sorts of environments, from the highest mountains to the deepest sea vents. There may be a trillion or more bacterial species out there, with 99.99% of them undiscovered by humans. And yet when it comes to domesticating microbes, the technology world has turned almost exclusively to yeast and E. coli.We typically think of microbes as something to which you feed sugar and it outputs alcohol. That's fermentation and it's how we make sourdough bread, beer, kombucha, kimchee, etc. But on this show, we've covered other input/output combinations such as Zero Acre Farms which uses bacteria to produce cooking oils. So what combinations of bacteria, feed, and environment can produce valuable chemicals? And can these bacteria be genetically modified to do this even more efficiently?These are the things that MicroByre is focused on. When we first started asking people about Sarah, more than one person told us that she was among the most intelligent people they'd ever met. Someone even said that they thought she'd win a Nobel Prize someday. After listening to her climate journey with bacteria, you’ll quickly realize why she’s highly regarded. We're thrilled to be investors in MicroByre at MCJ and hope you enjoy this conversation. In this episode, we cover: [3:10] Sarah's background and early lab experience [7:15] Her cross-disciplinary work at Johns Hopkins and the Department of Energy [16:55] Differences between biology and chemistry in trying to manipulate and grow organisms[21:33] An overview of biotechnology vs. industrial biotechnology [22:37] Petroleum's role in chemical production [24:40] Sarah's motivation for working on climate [27:40] An overview of MicroByre [31:49] The role of genetic modification in MicroByre's solution [37:12] MicroByre's commercial business model [40:07] The company's flexible approach to working with clients and managing uncertainty [43:56] Some of the chemical compounds MicroByre is solving for[47:22] The company's four client categories [55:22] The types of talent working at MicroByre [1:00:05] Funding to date and plans moving forwardGet connected: Cody SimmsSarah Richardson / MicroByreMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on November 4, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our new Skilled Labor Series hosted by MCJ partner, Yin Lu. This series is focused on amplifying the voices of folks from the skilled labor workforce, including electricians, farmers, ranchers, HVAC installers, and others who are on the front lines of rewiring our infrastructure.Today, we are talking trucks with Larry Coons. Transportation accounted for the largest portion of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, with 26% of those emissions coming from medium and heavy-duty trucks alone. Regulations on freight transportation are bound to have an impact, as the industry grapples with an aging workforce. But to understand exactly what it’s like to haul cargo on the road for 11 hours a day, or to adequately address concerns among truckers as new technology develops, you have to put yourself in the driver’s seat. Luckily, Larry has 10 years of experience on the road and also spent time as an automation truck tester with Uber Freight and Ike.In this chat, Yin and Larry talk about how he got into trucking, the role the climate change narrative has on decision-making, and what it’s like to be a long-haul driver. Larry also sheds light on the aging workforce and the need for younger drivers who are more likely to adopt new technologies. They also cover some general frustrations and stressors of the job, Larry’s views on electric trucks, and his experience working on some self-driving programs. In this episode, we cover:[1:56] How Larry got interested in trucking at a young age [5:52] The education, training, and certification process to becoming a truck driver [11:31] The trucker shortage and its impacts [13:37] Issues with driver payments [17:03] Deciding between the owner-operate route or working for a freight company [19:46] Things we can do to inspire a younger and more diverse trucking fleet [22:02] Role of technology [25:09] Larry's thoughts and concerns on electric trucks [28:09] A day in the life of a truck driver [31:31] Larry's work with Uber Freight [42:16] His future plans Get connected:Yin Twitter / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on October 3, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Jason Prapas, CEO and Founder of FYTO, which is a technology company that is unlocking the potential of nutrient-rich aquatic plants to reduce the emissions and water footprint of food production, starting with cattle cultivation.Raising livestock, particularly cattle, is known for its incredibly high emissions footprint. And while we can make responsible diet choices individually, relying on society to change as a whole is challenging in a world that’s increasingly adopting meat-oriented food products. If opting for plant-based alternatives requires consumer choice and sacrifice, what are the systems-level approaches we can take to solve cattle’s carbon footprint?Each of humanity's major cultivated crops is a platform of sorts. Wheat, corn, soybeans, rice, etc. all have micro-economies surrounding them, including specific tools and machinery, input requirements, supply chains, markets, and geographies. FYTO is creating an entirely new agricultural crop platform that uses automation and sensor technology to achieve protein-rich aquatic plant mass at scale. It's a huge bet, with a huge reward for the planet if it pays off.Cody and Jason have a great conversation about the negative feedback loops built into the emissions and water impact of cattle production today, plus what it will take to grow a closed-loop system that can halt and reverse these externalities. In this episode, we cover:[4:12] Problems with food and water security coupled with rapid carbon reductions [6:04] Expected growth of food production and the climate impact [8:15] The role of animal agriculture [11:06] How climate justice fits in[12:59] Downstream impacts of a cow's diet, including emissions and deforestation[20:47] Groundwater pollution from animal food production [25:21] Methane emissions from cattle and different approaches aimed at reducing them [30:04] FYTO's farm solution [34:31] Role of technology development in farming better crops at scale [36:01] The FYTO farm setup [39:39] Protein comparisons between FYTO's plants and other types of cattle feed [40:39] Role of recycled animal waste as fertilizer [41:27] FYTO's current trials for measuring methane impact [42:51] The company's business model [48:07] Understanding impacts on scope three emissions [50:01] FYTO's shelf-life and storage [53:59] The company's funding to date and plans for growthGet connected: Cody SimmsMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on October 5, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Dr. Katharine Wilkinson, best-selling author, strategist, teacher, and one of 15 “women who will save the world,” according to Time magazine.Dr. Wilkinson leads the All We Can Save Project, which she co-founded with Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. As an emergent nonprofit, the project's mission is to nurture the leaderful climate community we need for a life-giving future using the tools of narrative change, community building, deep learning, and tending the emotional and spiritual route from which climate leadership grows. She is the creator of All We Can Save Circles, a unique model for deep dialogue about the climate crisis and building community around solutions, and Climate Wayfinding, a program that supports people in finding or deepening their place in climate work. Last but certainly not least, Dr. Wilkinson co-hosts the podcast A Matter of Degrees with Dr. Leah Stokes, which tells stories for the climate curious. Dr. Stokes recently had an insightful conversation with Jason (listen here), but Katharine brings a unique perspective and experience to the climate discussion, given her different background. In this episode, we dive into Dr. Wilkinson's journey to working on climate, her theory of change, and how it’s evolved. We also cover the role of activism, the arts, education, and a bunch of things that aren't typically associated with climate discussions, especially in Silicon Valley technology and innovation circles. In this episode, we cover: [4:00] Dr. Wilkinson's portfolio of projects [8:11] Her thoughts on the nature of the climate problem and how they've evolved [11:31] The myth of separation and the interconnected web of life [15:17] The urgency of creating more just solutions in partnership with communities [21:37] Humans are more hardwired for cooperation than competition [22:53] Dr. Wilkinson's theory of change for cultivating a different kind of leadership across sectors[24:38] Need for deep learning [28:01] Climate Wayfinding course with Terra.do [33:34] Her thoughts on the narrative of abundance vs. sacrifice [35:50] Some tensions in the Inflation Reduction Act and ways of overcoming them [38:45] Direct activism tactics [40:52] Dr. Wilkinson's thoughts on the good vs. evil narrative in climateGet connected: Jason JacobsDr. WilkinsonAll We Can SaveA Matter of DegreesMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on November 4, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Adam Wright, CEO and co-founder of Vespene Energy, which uses landfill methane to fuel Bitcoin mining.At MCJ we’ve spent some time at the intersection of Bitcoin as an incentive mechanism for halting methane emissions with Crusoe Energy and their work with flared waste gas at oil wells. But understanding the actual scale of the landfill emissions problem and how the status quo doesn't provide an economic incentive for improvements is pretty mind-blowing. Perhaps a carbon tax could pass some day or fines for landfill owners could aim to remedy the issue, but we need landfills and collaborative solutions for all the waste we produce. Vespene's answer is to provide a carrot rather than a stick. The company offers operators the financial upside of the biogas that their sites produce in exchange for Vespene being able to use it. Adam describes Bitcoin mining not as the end-all-be-all for Vespene, but instead as an immediate economic consumer for biogas that doesn't require facilitating a buyer or hooking up a ton of expensive infrastructure. It essentially bootstraps an energy business with a third-party, logistics-free, economic model attached. And it's a model that can unlock totally different use cases once it's in place, including EV charging and more. Vespene is on the early side of building out its business, and they'll no doubt learn a lot about the real-world atoms at play as they move forward. But if they can incentivize the halt of the 15% or more of the US's methane footprint that comes from landfills, they can make a real difference on the climate front. In this episode, we cover: [3:25] Adam's journey transitioning from submarines and ocean conservation to landfill-based climate problems and Bitcoin[5:25] The problem of methane in landfills today compared to other sources[7:30] Landfill projects, EPA regulations, and issues with underreporting[12:50] Vespene's solution[15:18] An overview of biogas[12:34] U.S. landfill ownership and community beneficiaries[20:34] An overview of Bitcoin and its implications from a climate perspective[22:41] Demand side of Vespene's solution and uses for Bitcoin data processing[25:55] How Vespene uses Bitcoin as a tool[35:18] Bitcoin mining as a low margin but scalable business[37:09] Profitability from a Bitcoin mining perspective[39:25] Vespene's progress to date[43:02] Geographic nature of landfills and benefits for Vespene's business[45:07] White House Office of Science and Technology Policy report[47:10] Vespene's funding from the crypto and climate worldsGet connected: Cody's TwitterVespene Twitter / Adam’s TwitterMCJ Podcast*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on October 17, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Ira Pearl, Vice President of Environmental Sustainability at Cox Enterprises. Ira is also the leader of Cox Conserves. In his role, Ira leads Cox's efforts to tackle sustainability challenges while driving its goals to achieve zero waste to landfill by 2024 and become water and carbon neutral by 2034. Cox Enterprises is interesting because they are a privately held global conglomerate headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with approximately 55,000 employees and $21 billion in total revenue. Its major operating subsidiaries are Cox Communications and Cox Automotive. Not only is the scale of Cox Enterprises pretty shocking, but the proactive role they've taken in trying to do the right thing with climate change and the clean energy transition is also noteworthy. Jason and Ira unpack a lot in this episode, including Ira's career and what led him to Cox in the first place. They talk about Cox's approach to sustainability, some of the progress the company has made in reaching net zero goals, as well as some of the barriers that they've come across along the way. They also cover where Cox is going in the future and have a great discussion about some of the things Ira thinks will help everybody move faster and what gets him most excited about the future and the clean energy transition overall. Enjoy the show! In this episode, we cover: [3:20] An overview of Cox Enterprises, including Cox Communication, Cox Automotive, and their clean tech division [5:37] Ira's personal climate journey [10:39] How Cox approaches organizational change at the functional level [15:01] The reason behind Cox’s pursuit of climate-related and philanthropic projects [18:09] How public companies can focus on the longtime horizons of the collective good [21:15] Ira’s views on solutions that need improvements [25:40] An overview of Cox Enterprises' clean tech division [27:45] How Ira's sustainability department collaborates with their clean tech group [29:00] The importance of data tracking in reducing emissions and how Cox evolved from energy conservation to energy production[34:14] Balancing the tension between barriers to accelerated adoption and issues associated with changing too quickly [37:36] Ira's thoughts on the Inflation Reduction Act [41:39] Some of Cox's partnerships and community work in disadvantaged areas [45:09] How the company inspires employee action for climate-related activities [49:36] Ira's thoughts on offsetsGet connected: Jason's TwitterIra’s LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on November 3, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Matt LeDucq, CEO and co-founder of Forum Mobility, which is working on the problem of heavy-duty trucking electrification, starting in California with the drayage sector.There are essentially two types of trucking. The first is long-haul or "over the road" which transports goods over long distances. If you've ever done a cross-country road-trip, the semi trucks on the interstates you see are long-haul trucks. And then there are drayage trucks. These trucks take large cargo containers from sea ports to distribution centers (and back and forth). Their typically short distances and repeatable patterns make them especially good candidates for electrification. Drayage trucks are relatively densely clustered and predictable, which helps when it comes to planning the EV charging infrastructure that can provide the amount of power these trucks command. It also turns out that California has some aggressive emissions reduction regulations coming online that will dramatically escalate the transition of drayage trucks from diesel to electric.Matt and Cody have a great conversation about the pending California regulations at play, as well as the history of clean air regulation around trucking. They also talk about the air quality issues surrounding most ports and the environmental justice issues that these regulations are aiming to address. They cover how the vast majority of drayage truck owners are independent operators and the financial burden that these regulations place on them. And, of course, they talk about Forum Mobility's product offering and company history, in addition to Matt's deep background in renewable energy. There are loads to learn about electrifying the trucking industry in this episode. Enjoy! In this episode, we cover: [3:19] The current regulatory world of decarbonizing the trucking industry in California[6:59] The role of environmental justice and dangerous emissions around ports[10:17] Challenges for independent truck owners and small businesses in meeting new regulations[14:32] Geographic differences in the drayage model[16:28] Incentive programs that help bridge the financing gap[18:19] Forum Mobility's solution[27:21] The company's business model[30:17] An overview of the charging infrastructure needed for drayage trucks[33:11] Matt's background in solar, construction, and electrification[36:41] Where he sees the company growing[38:18] How policy tailwinds can expand Forum's future business[42:13] Funding to date and how Matt sees funding moving forwardGet connected: Cody's TwitterMatt’s LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on October 18, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our Skilled Labor Series hosted by MCJ partner, Yin Lu. This series is focused on amplifying the voices of folks from the skilled labor workforce, including electricians, farmers, ranchers, HVAC installers, and others who are on the front lines of rewiring our infrastructure.Today's guest is Alejandro Carrillo, a rancher who lives in El Paso, Texas and stewards his family's ranch in Mexico's Chihuahuan Desert. Maintaining grasslands is important for preserving biodiversity, ensuring clean rivers, and storing carbon. In fact, since grasslands store carbon underground in their roots and soil, some would argue that they are better carbon sinks than forests. As stewards of these habitats, ranchers like Alejandro who focus on regenerative practices play an important role raising livestock and maintaining carbon sinks. After a successful career as an IT consultant, Alejandra joined his family ranch in 2004. Tired of the constant drought and suffering that came with traditional ranching in a desert climate, he'd been searching for ways to adapt and rehabilitate his family's land. Since 2006, Alejandro has adapted the principles of holistic grazing or regenerative ranching as we'll learn about in this episode. He’s also the president of Pare Del, a nonprofit organization that provides ongoing education for cattle ranchers as well as promotes holistic plant grazing across the world's deserts. In this fascinating and meandering conversation, Yin and Alejandro discuss regenerative ranching, why dung beetles are so important, the epigenetics of cows, the differences between Mexican and American agriculture policies, their effects on ranching and a whole lot more. Enjoy! In this episode, we cover: [2:23] Alejandro's background and ranching experience [5:47] An overview of his family's ranch in Chihuahua, Mexico[8:24] Differences between farming and ranching[16:28] Symbiotic relationship between grasslands and cattle grazing [19:47] An overview of the water cycle, issues with management today and impacts on soil[25:45] Regenerative ranching principles [32:24] How ranchers make a living[39:45] Policy differences for ranching between the U.S. and Mexico [43:18] What keeps Alejandro optimistic about the future of ranching practicesGet connected: Yin’s Twitter / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on September 1, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Taj Eldridge. He calls himself the DJ Khaled of climate and you’ll know why when you hear him speak. Taj’s professional portfolio spans a variety of roles that live at the intersection of diversity, inclusivity, and climate. He’s currently involved in three exciting pursuits. As general partner at Include Ventures, Taj works with a team of experts to build a large and dynamic platform of women and historically underrepresented fund managers and founders, with the goal of opening new market opportunities for investors and driving alpha, environmental, and social governance. Taj is also leading CREST or the Climate Resilient Employees for a Sustainable Tomorrow out of JFF Labs, which is a program that prepares people for climate resilient jobs in the United States and India. Lastly, Taj supports Klean Energy Kulture, an organization on a mission to transition black communities to clean energy by kicking off a series of experiences that tour historically black institutions and leverage music, gaming and sustainable fashion to promote sustainability and opportunities as a way of life. These topics are each so important and they're also undeniably interrelated. In this conversation, Taj walks us through ways to think about diversity and inclusion, how they go together, and what types of initiatives can be most important to bring about the progress that we all desire. Jason and Taj have a great discussion about his personal journey, what motivates him, and how his theory of change has evolved from when he started doing this work many years ago to today. Then we talk about each of the initiatives he's currently involved with and also his framework for thinking about how to allocate his portfolio of time. This is a really exciting and insightful discussion. Enjoy!In this episode, we cover: [4:31] Taj's portfolio of climate projects [7:25] His journey at the intersection of inclusion and climate [13:50] Inclusivity and how Taj's thoughts toward it have evolved over time [17:32] His views on the state of the climate emergency[21:07] How we can collectively balance the transition with education [25:13] The role of pop culture and media influencing consumer decisions[27:48] Taj's decision making process for projects he focuses on[31:46] The exciting youth climate movement [33:43] Frustrations around privileged climate conversations and the need for more inclusivity[36:05] Blind spots in building a more diverse climate community [42:23] The opportunity to create measurement tools for climate investing[44:26] Innovating climate solutions outside of Silicon Valley Get connected: Jason's TwitterTaj’s TwitterMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on October 12, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Eric Reinhardt, CEO and co-founder of Helio, which makes it simple for customers to transition off fossil fuels and fully electrify their homes. The home electrification process in most of the U.S. is not a seamless experience. Homeowners approach electrification with different needs. Some have to upgrade broken equipment, whereas others opt for a total rehab. But having to piece together a variety of seemingly related projects requires working with multiple contractors, contracts, and challenges that could limit widespread adoption. Helio is making a bet that there is a growing segment of homeowners who are motivated to electrify the whole stack of their homes, from rooftop solar and HVAC to water heaters, EV chargers, and more. The company aims to provide customers with a roadmap for achieving that while also doing the actual installation work. Given all of the tax credits and rebates coming online for home electrification as part of the Inflation Reduction Act and other local programs, more homeowners will likely be looking at this problem. And with a third of emissions coming from residential buildings, Helio’s solution could make a significant dent in their goal of electrifying millions of homes. Their roadmap solution educates homeowners and helps them plan for the amount of power they’ll need as they pursue home improvement projects. In this episode, Eric and Cody have a great chat about his background as well as his co-founders, what he's learned from customer interest thus far, how they can provide home estimates at scale, and how he sees Helio growing in the future. We're honored that our venture fund at MCJ Collective is an investor in Helio, and I hope you enjoy the conversation.In this episode, we cover: [3:39] Eric's background at Sunrun and personal electrification journey [7:08] How he met Helio's co-founders and started the company [9:56] The home electrification process today and Helio's net zero roadmap solution [13:56] Need for customer education [16:41] The risk for contractors to take on new technology like heat pumps [19:41] Helio's estimating process and accurate design[23:22] An overview of ducted vs ductless or mini split systems [28:21] Helio's customer experience and how they manage handoffs with contractors [31:57] Financing projects and Helio's vision of moving to a subscription model [35:02] Role of insulation and sealing [40:54] Job opportunities at Helio and how to applyGet connected: Cody's TwitterHelio TwitterMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on October 7, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Jill Tauber, Vice President of Litigation for Climate and Energy at Earthjustice. Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit public interest environmental law organization. They wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people's health, preserve magnificent places and wildlife, advance clean energy, and to combat climate change. The work they do is not only extremely important, but also in the thick of relevant topics we’re seeing at the moment. One that comes to mind is permitting. We need to move quickly on building clean infrastructure, but at the same time we need to be mindful of communities where this infrastructure is being built. Community members should have a voice in these projects and we have to build them in a way that’s not harmful to people living around them. This is just one example. In this episode, we cover Jill's journey to doing the work that she does, and we also dig into Earthjustice and their criteria for projects they take on. We cover Jill's views on the role of fossil fuels in the clean energy transition, and of course the Inflation Reduction Act bill permitting, barriers holding us back, changes that could unlock faster progress, and where Earthjustice fits into all of this now and in the future. The earth certainly needs a good lawyer and we’re stoked to have Jill share her journey with us. In this episode, we cover: [3:14] An overview of Earthjustice[4:18] Jill's background and climate journey[7:43] How Earthjustice determines which projects to take on[9:34] Jill’s thoughts on the role of fossil fuels[12:48] Balancing energy stability and reliability as we usher in the clean transition[20:01] Unintended consequences of regulation[25:10] Need for better government and developer planning[30:26] How Earthjustice works with experts to evaluate various projects[34:23] Example case on a new gas plant in Indiana[38:39] Jill's thoughts on the IRA[43:03] Systems level changes that would be impactful to Earthjustice's work[47:03] The role of innovation and technology that will help clean energy win[49:32] Jill's thoughts on activismGet connected: Jason's TwitterJill’s TwitterEarthjustice Twitter / TikTokMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on October 27, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Emily McAteer, co-founder and CEO of Odyssey Energy Solutions, helping emerging market project developers to finance, build and operate distributed renewable energy at scale. How the Global South modernizes is the original climate justice debate that has been a key topic of global policy discussions for decades, going back to the Kyoto Protocol of the 1990s and even earlier. The crux of the conversation is that climate change has primarily been caused by the 20th century economic development of the United States, Western Europe, Japan, et cetera. And if the rest of the world were to follow the same fossil fuel enabled development path, we'd rapidly blow past emissions targets and into the worst possible climate change outcomes. So what's the rest of the world to do?The answer seems to be to leapfrog, to modernize via a network of distributed renewable energy technology as opposed to a monolithic fossil fuel-powered grid. And yet that also introduces a whole new host of questions. Emily's been working at the nexus of climate and emerging markets for just about her whole career and brings a wealth of experience into Odyssey while working on answering these questions. In this episode, Cody and Emily have a great conversation about energy access in emerging markets today, what new distributed grids will look like, how development finance institutions (DFIs) work and the role of nation states in securing financing for energy projects. We also cover how Odyssey is bringing financing, procurement, and operational solutions to market to solve the local problems inherent in this space. Emily and Odyssey just announced a seed round led by Equal Ventures that we at MCJ Collective were honored to participate in. So we’re welcoming Emily today as an MCJ Collective portfolio CEO, as well as an MCJ podcast guest. Enjoy the show! In this episode, we cover: [3:16] Emily's dedicated career in climate [10:18] Grid challenges in emerging markets [14:51] Financing gaps for small projects [17:33] The Nigeria Electrification Project case study [21:38] Profile of project developers in emerging markets [23:56] An overview of Odyssey's solution [28:38] The company's FERN platform [31:44] How Odyssey is scaling and handling projects in multiple countries [35:09] The capital they've raised thus far and what they're using it forGet connected: Cody's TwitterOdyssey TwitterMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on September 21, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Felicia Marcus, the Williams C. Landreth visiting fellow at Stanford University's Water in the West program. Felicia is also an attorney, consultant, and member of the Water Policy Group. She most recently served as Chair of the California State Water Resources Control Board, where she implemented laws regarding drinking water, water quality and state's water rights, as well as heard regional board water quality appeals, settled disputes, and provided financial assistance to communities to upgrade water infrastructure. Before her appointment to the Water Board, she also served in positions in government, the non-profit and private sector. In government, Felicia served as the regional administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Pacific Southwest region during the Clinton Administration, where she was known for her work in bringing unlikely allies together for environmental progress and for making the agency more responsive to the communities it serves, particularly Indian Tribes, communities of color, local government and agricultural and business interests. Water is often considered an untold climate story. From water scarcity and drought, to extreme flooding and rising sea level, the impacts of our changing climate on this critical resource demand our attention. In this episode, Jason and Felicia dig deep into her background and have a great discussion about the intersection of water and climate. what the biggest risks are, how much those risks are factored in today, what some of the barriers are to properly factor in those risks, and from a solution standpoint, what we can do about it. In this episode, we cover: [2:55] Felicia's background [6:26] Why water matters generally and in the context of climate change [15:44] The human right to water movement [21:41] How the playbook for managing water needs to change in response to the changing climate [29:05] The business case for improving and increasing water recycling[36:57] The role of conservation and efficiency in urban landscapes [40:55] How location may impact the approach to water management [44:58] Water and corporate risks[50:41] The regulatory environment for water [59:19] The need for a mindset change to accelerate our progress around waterGet connected: Jason's TwitterFelicia’s TwitterMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on October 3, 2022 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Lauren Salz, co-founder and CEO of Sealed, which modernizes houses with the latest HVAC, weatherproofing and smart home technology, while covering the upfront cost to homeowners.Home efficiency and electrification is a critical front for combating climate change. Incentives for residential heat pump installation are one of the big winners of the Inflation Reduction Act.The often overlooked but critical steps of weatherizing homes via better insulation and sealing is also key to reducing energy consumption. Sealed has been understanding consumer motivations for home efficiency upgrades for nearly a decade. They've learned what consumers care about, what they are concerned about, and what triggers them to invest significant capital into updating their home's heating and cooling infrastructure. And no surprise, climate change and emissions reduction still does not rate as a top motivator. So what does? And are we at the point where these lower emission technologies are just generally better for home heating and cooling? Spoiler alert: the answer is yes. Cody and Lauren have a great chat about how she came to work on the problem of home efficiency updates, how they assess a home's needs at Sealed and how this compares to the normal way of doing things. We also talk about the innovative model Sealed is using to help consumers finance projects via energy cost savings, how they work with contractors, and how the IRA promises to accelerate this space even more. And most importantly, we hear from Lauren on how to reach consumers and what their motivations are.In this episode, we cover: [3:24] Lauren's journey[6:05] Her early days of figuring out home energy efficiency and her company’s origin story[11:57] An overview of Sealed[19:12] Value propositions that are most popular for consumers[21:33] Process for how Sealed designs custom solutions for each home[25:54] The company’s performance-based financing model [31:16] How customers and contractors learn about Sealed's solution [35:46] The company's role in assessing contractor work [37:50] Benefits from the Inflation Reduction Act [45:41] Common changes people need to make with insulationGet connected: Cody's TwitterLauren’s Twitter / Sealed TwitterMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on September 14, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guests are Geert van de Wouw and Vikas Gupta from Shell Ventures. Shell Ventures was established in 1996 as one of the first corporate venture funds in the oil and gas industry. Although we’ve published over 300 episodes to date, Geert and Vikas are actually the first guests we’ve had from the oil majors come on the show. Although tons of anger has been directed at the oil and gas industry, we also acknowledge that they are critical to the clean energy transition. Collaboration is ultimately key to unlocking our future potential. In this discussion, we check Geert and Vikas’ Shell business cards aside and talk about their personal views on climate. We also discuss how they think about negative sentiments towards oil majors, as well as their role in the future. Then we cover Shell as a company, what percentage of its energy portfolio comes from fossil fuels versus renewables and other clean energy, and how those percentages will shift over time. Finally, we talk about Shell Ventures, how they invest, and how those investments fit into the bigger picture of what the company's trying to do. This conversation only scratches the surface of the role oil and gas will play in the clean energy transition, but it also begins building necessary bridges between the traditional climate world and our realistic future. We know climate touches every facet of our lives and appreciate Geert and Vikas’ time in helping to tease out the nuances of this complex crisis we’re facing.In this episode, we cover: [4:11] An overview of Shell Ventures[5:58] How Geert found his way into Shell and his motivations[8:20] Vikas' background and climate journey[10:11] Geert and Vikas' level of concern regarding climate change[13:18] Anger geared towards big oil and realistic expectations for the energy transition[16:11] Shell's net zero commitments and investments on clean technologies[18:43] Strategic priorities for Shell vs. Shell Ventures[23:16] How Shell Ventures thinks about general impact, strategic value, and financial returns[26:45] Shell's level of collaboration with entrepreneurs and founders[29:01] The role of behavior change and consumer mentality to the transition[32:44] Thoughts on if we've reached a tipping point and how they see the transition playing out[35:17] Carbon removal and capture as one solution in the mix[38:49] The role of policy in Shell's investments[40:26] Reskilling oil and gas workers for the clean energy transition[43:47] How collaboration with oil and gas can accelerate the transitionGet connected: Jason's TwitterGeert van de Wouw LinkedInVikas Gupta LinkedInShell LinkedIn / TwitterMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on September 27, 2022 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Tom Green, CEO and Co-founder of Vesta.The ocean is one of nature's largest carbon sinks, as it absorbs upwards of 30% of cumulative human emissions. Vesta is tackling the dual problem of shoreline erosion due to sea level rise and carbon emissions reduction with olivine sand that speeds up the ocean's natural carbon cycle. They call it coastal carbon capture, and it's one form of the broader category of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) solutions known as enhanced rock weathering. The olivine sand that Vesta deploys into the ocean accelerates the natural carbon cycle dramatically, creating a form of permanent and durable carbon sequestration.Vesta also has a very unique corporate setup. They started their journey as a non-profit research group that has continued on as a 501(c)(3) called Coastal Carbon Capture Impact Fund. Vesta – the for-profit public benefit corporation that Tom is CEO of – emerged later as a way to pursue scaled commercial projects leveraging the non-profit research. And the two orgs continue to work together, though they have separate governance structures and economics.Tom and Cody have a great chat about the many stakeholders at play in the projects they consider, from local communities and scientists to the impact on various types of sea life itself, and the ecotoxicology studies that Vesta produces. They also talk about the nature of olivine and how Vesta sources it, plus how the company determines what shorelines are a good target for coastal carbon capture. If you’re interested in carbon removal generally or nature-based solutions, this one's for you. In this episode, we cover: [3:22] Tom's background and how Vesta has evolved[6:36] The ocean's role as a carbon sink[11:26] Distinction between geoengineering and nature-based carbon dioxide removal[13:08] Vesta's origins[15:54] An overview of olivine and it's role in Vesta's CDR approach[25:10] How Vesta partners with the dredging industry to work more efficiently[29:41] Coastal engineering and optimizing for carbon removal[32:43] Vesta's history as a non-profit and transition to a public benefit corporation (PBC)[36:00] Philanthropy and project finance[44:26] Engaging various stakeholders throughout Vesta's research and solution, including local communities[49:20] How Tom decided on coastal carbon removal[53:41] Pricing on Vesta's carbon credits and how they plan to decrease with scale[55:02] Vesta's seed financing and future plans for building their businessGet connected: Cody's TwitterVesta TwitterMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on September 27, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Dr. Leah Stokes, a renowned climate and energy policy expert, strategist and researcher, helping leaders build clean energy practices into their long-term plans to secure our future. But her resume doesn’t end there. Leah is an award-winning author of Short Circuiting Policy, an associate professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara and co-host of a top climate podcast called A Matter of Degrees, where she and Dr. Katharine Wilkinson tell stories about the powerful forces behind climate change and the tools we have to fix it. Leah is also senior policy advisor at Rewiring America and Evergreen Action, plus she was named a Grist 50 Fixer in 2020. While she has a pretty impressive bio, Leah is also a unique combination of pragmatic, progressive, commercial-minded, activism-minded, academic-minded, and scientific-minded, all blended into one powerhouse of a woman.In this episode, Jason and Leah have a great discussion about her journey, theory of change, and how it's evolved from when she first started doing this work to today. We also cover some of the barriers holding back the transition and the most impactful levers to facilitate it. Finally, we put controversial topics that people squabble over all the time, front and center, and talk through them pragmatically and respectfully with the nuance that they deserve. This is an insightful conversation you don’t want to miss. *Leah will be participating in an MCJ Ask-Me-Anything event on Wednesday 11/02 in our Slack community. Get your burning climate questions ready. RSVP here.In this episode, we cover: [3:12] An overview of Leah's work[5:56] Her motivations and how she started working in climate[9:40] How her theory of change has evolved[11:27] Importance of structural change[15:27] Tensions between conservation, decarbonization and environmental justice[21:46] Leah's feelings toward fossil fuel company executives and the impacts of their denial campaign[28:47] The role of fossil fuel companies moving forward in the clean energy transition[32:31] The political polarization of climate change[35:48] A future of abundance with clean energy[38:23] Leah's views on the state of the climate emergency[41:55] The role of the West vs. the rest of the world[46:19] GDP growth and falling emissions[49:46] Speed round including nuclear, offsets, carbon pricing, and moreResources mentioned in this episode: The Dirty Truth About Electric UtilitiesThe Faraway Nearby by Rebecca SolnitFollow the Leader by Gabe LenzHow Solar Energy Became Cheap: A Model for Low-Carbon Innovation by Greg NemetGet connected: Jason's TwitterLeah’s Website / TwitterMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on September 22, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is David Wallace, co-founder and CEO of CODA Farm Technologies, which provides remote monitoring and control for agricultural irrigation pumps and irrigation reels. The looming water crisis is often described as one of the major symptoms of climate change. You hear about it in the news, coupled with drought-stricken images of dried up riverbeds and diminishing reservoirs. The Western U.S. is currently facing the largest mega drought in a millennium. The Colorado River, which provides water to approximately 40 million Americans, plus much of the irrigation for some of the most productive agricultural land in the U.S., is in an existential crisis. Lake Mead is at 25% capacity and groundwater across the West is being depleted rapidly. So what’s to be done to ensure the future of our water supply and food systems? To understand how farmers across the country are thinking about all of this, CODA Farm Technologies is on the forefront of selling irrigation efficiency tech to farmers. You’ll be surprised to hear that cost savings due to water efficiency isn't even a key selling point for David’s company, and that's because of how agricultural water is (or is not) priced in much of the U.S. today. Cody and David have a really interesting conversation about the state of agricultural irrigation and how he’s helping farmers with time savings and automation that are ultimately driving CODA Farm’s current sales.In this episode, we cover: [3:13] David's background and the origin of CODA Farm Technologies[9:28] An overview of farm irrigation [13:21] What's top of mind for farmers today around the U.S. [26:16] Value propositions for different farmers[27:11] Economics of water usage and impacts on a farmer’s bottom line[29:18] CODA Farm's technology and pricing[31:27] CODA Farm's go-to-market consumers [34:44] Generational changes on farms and a look at the modern farmer[36:44] How David made the decision to go the venture route for scale and the company's seed round with Lowercarbon[37:32] Data on water savings [40:28] An overview of the irrigation control industry Get connected:Cody's TwitterCODA Farm LinkedIn / TwitterMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on September 12, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Scott Arnold, a HVAC technician and small business owner based out of New York. With heating and cooling accounting for nearly 50% of energy costs, upgrading outdated appliances can not only save homeowners money but also provide a cleaner environment to live in and a healthier planet overall. Scott’s company is working to help customers purchase and install heat pumps as an alternative to gas furnaces. In his 22+ years of experience working in the space, Scott has built a business facilitating the transition not only with his customers, but also through his employee training and apprenticeship programs. In this episode, Scott and Yin talk about the history of heating, what it takes to make his business run, the importance of getting more young people working in the trades, and how in his vocabulary the word cold doesn't exist. You'll have to keep listening to find out why.In this episode, we cover: [2:30] Scott's background and HVAC expertise[5:47] Path to becoming a HVAC technician [9:54] Economic mobility working in the trades[12:40] History of HVAC space and key milestones that have changed the trajectory [19:30] An overview of heat pumps[20:36] Technology innovations in the past 20 years [23:27] An overview of Scott's company, Rycor [27:33] Scott's vision for expanding [31:36] Mitsubishi's heat pump product [35:23] The customer's mentality and where climate change fits in [37:37] Different refrigerants and how they're managed[39:41] What keeps Scott optimistic Get connected:Yin’s Twitter / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on September 15, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Sue Brown, Executive Group Director of Sustainability at Worley. As a leading global provider of professional project and asset services in the energy, chemicals and resources sectors, Worley is on the frontlines of doing the actual work to engineer and build everything we’re going to need for the clean energy transition, and they’re doing so across industries and the globe. Worley covers a full project lifecycle from guiding their customers with pioneering projects to finding innovative ways of sustaining and enhancing their existing assets. The company employs over 52,000 people, operates on all continents and is administered by its head office in North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.Sue has been with the company for quite a while and she runs a sustainability team, so we dug in on her journey and experience working at Worley. We also talk about the mix of project work coming from traditional industries versus cleaner sources, how that mix is shifting over time, what barriers are holding back the transition and what we can do to unlock faster progress.In this episode, we cover: [4:47] An overview of Worley [5:51] Sue's climate journey and how she started working in sustainability [8:43] Role of an EPC like Worley [13:42] How big oil and gas companies are transitioning into global integrated energy companies[18:40] Breakdown of Worley's traditional customers vs new customers from emerging industries [20:17] Worley's aggressive sustainability revenue targets [25:33] Five key shifts service providers need to take for the delivery of projects [28:15] Biggest barriers to the transition [33:14] Balancing the tension between energy security and the energy transition [35:40] Environmental justice reforms needed and how those might come about [42:02] Talent bottleneck and ways to address them [43:19] Sue's sustainability team and its charter Get connected: Jason's TwitterMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on September 14, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guests are Dave Finocchio and Anna Robertson, co-founders of The Cool Down.Since the beginning, media businesses have been in the game of building audience segments and mobilizing those audiences to do something. Most American media has learned how to mobilize audiences on various platforms to click or view ads. To buy stuff. But in the wake of the climate crisis, there are certainly better uses of our time online and purchasing power. As you’ll see in this episode, some media companies are trying to get people to become local leaders in their communities or make climate conscious purchases. The Cool Down aims to do this and become America's mainstream climate brand. Dave and Anna have extensive digital media credentials that are as strong as they come, and (bonus!) they met via the MCJ member community. In this conversation, Cody learns more about Dave and Anna’s backgrounds as media leaders, how and why they decided to apply their skills to climate, the gaps in climate communication today, what audiences they are targeting, and how they plan to build a business or otherwise monetize The Cool Down. Since launching earlier this year, Anna and Dave are just at the beginning of figuring out who these climate-motivated audiences are and how they can be mobilized, but they made one thing abundantly clear: their goal is to reach mainstream audiences to have an even bigger impact in the climate fight.In this episode, we cover: [3:03] Anna's background at ABC News and Yahoo [6:26] Dave's media experience and transition to climate [12:19] Gap in media and climate communications [16:15] The Cool Down's storytelling strategy [19:18] Popular climate topics they’re experimenting with[22:15] Value-based actions that are good for people and the planet [29:45] Packaging tech innovation into engaging, digestible content [35:19] Taking local actions that benefit communities [38:27] Anna and Dave's business model and how they're starting to test it [48:16] What's next for The Cool Down Get connected: Cody's TwitterThe Cool Down TikTok / Instagram / WebsiteMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on September 7, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode is part of our new Skilled Labor Series hosted by MCJ partner, Yin Lu. This series is focused on amplifying the voices of folks from the skilled labor workforce, including electricians, farmers, ranchers, HVAC installers, and others who are on the front lines of rewiring our infrastructure.Today’s guest is Josh Svaty, a farm owner and operator who also happens to be the former secretary of agriculture of the state of Kansas, among other hats he's worn. Farming practices have dramatically shaped human development and the structure of our society. We may not see the every day implications, but farming will continue to impact land management and food systems around the world. Since climate change has altered the predictability of crops, innovative solutions addressing agriculture’s biggest issues are cause for optimism. Josh provides a lot of insight in this topic as he oversees a diversified crop and livestock operation at Free State Farms. In this conversation, we learn about the evolution of farming, the role climate change has played in the day to day operations of Josh’s farm, his views on regenerative agriculture and promising trends in agricultural innovations. This episode is great for anybody interested in the food, agriculture and land use areas of the climate fight.In this episode, we cover: [1:46] Josh's upbringing and extensive background[5:26] The role agriculture has played in human development[7:24] Large-scale monoculture practices and Josh's feelings about them[10:24] Climate change impacts felt on Free State Farms[15:11] Solutions addressing the growing lack of predictability for farmers, including increasing crop diversity and livestock[19:06] An overview of regenerative agriculture[25:03] Role of water in farming operations[27:11] Local and global trends as the result of drought[29:00] What happens when we run out of water[32:45] What keeps Josh optimistic about the future of agriculture[35:50] Nitricity's unique solution to addressing the GHG impact of fertilizerGet connected: Yin’s Twitter / LinkedInMCJ Podcast / Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on August 31, 2022 Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Rachel Delacour, co-founder and CEO of Sweep. Carbon accounting helps organizations measure their emissions so they can understand their overall footprint, share findings, and plan future reductions. Sweep’s business intelligence tools specialize in using data to map a company’s carbon emissions and helping them realize feasible goals while managing future growth. In doing so, Sweep is shifting the way companies view carbon from a limitation to a creative force for innovation.Rachel has a background in business intelligence, having sold her previous startup to Zendesk. She felt that she could best contribute to the climate problem by leveraging the skills and expertise she and her team already had around data management, modeling, and forecasting. Sweep recently announced a sizable Series B in funding led by Coatue, and they've raised over a hundred million dollars in aggregate in a little less than two years. In this conversation, Cody and Rachel discuss her journey, how Sweep views the market need, how companies source scope 3 emissions data, the potential role of regulation and carbon reporting, and whether or not recommending offsets or contributions creates any incentives. Rachel’s story is great for people looking to make the transition, but not quite sure where to start. In this episode, we cover: [2:27] Rachel's financial background and climate journey[8:51] How she took existing skills and applied them to carbon[18:14] Sweep's approach to building a diverse team of experts from the carbon, tech, and political backgrounds[24:19] Rachel's views of carbon accounting vs. carbon management[29:15] An overview of scope 3 emissions[33:09] How companies are accessing accurate emissions data[38:32] The role of carbon management platforms in accelerating regulations[41:17] Sweep's success with companies so far[44:27] Future targets vs short-term reality in emissions reductions[48:59] Rachel's interactions with sustainability teams and financial directors[56:29] Where global climate justice fits into Sweep's solution[1:01:19] How Sweep balances customer reductions and credits[1:05:02] What's next for Rachel and SweepGet connected: Cody's TwitterRachel’s TwitterSweepMCJ PodcastMCJ Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on September 7, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is David Roberts, aka Dr. Volts, who runs the Volts newsletter and podcast.David has been reporting on and explaining clean energy topics for almost 20 years. He talks to politicians, analysts, innovators, activists, and more about the latest progress in the world's most important fight. David’s work is deeply researched and an invaluable resource for people who want a better understanding of what a clean energy transition and viable future could look like. And he isn’t afraid to share his strongly held opinions. In this conversation, Jason learns more about David’s background, his views on the issue and how they’ve evolved throughout his career. They discuss some of the fundamental politics ingrained in climate, and some of the solutions that are accelerating our transition away from fossil fuels. There’s a lot of insight packed into this episode and we hope you enjoy it.In this episode, we cover: [4:49] How David got involved in journalism and climate [9:10] His thoughts on the climate issue early in his career and how they've evolved [13:54] How concerned he thinks people should be [23:32] Approaching solutions to climate that also solve other issues [27:25] Importance of celebrating small victories to motivate future progress [34:37] David's optimism for a clean energy future[44:16] The human need to feel some sense of control and how that impacts their views on climate [54:07] U.S. journalism today [57:54] Intersection between environmentalism and climate [1:01:03] David's thoughts on tech and how it’s approaching clean energy [1:05:02] Speed round including solar geoengineering, nuclear, carbon capture, offsets, and moreGet connected: Jason's TwitterDr. Volts TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on September 23, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Insiya Jafferjee, CEO ad Co-Founder of Shellworks. When we talk about excellence in packaging today, we typically think of companies who create an elegant and exciting unboxing experience. Think Apple. But as sustainability continues to gain awareness in the popular conscience, how far away are we from celebrating companies who create small footprints from their packaging? How do you celebrate something if the goal is for it not to be noticeable in the first place? Shellworks is developing sustainable packaging alternatives to plastic that don't compromise on performance or aesthetic. Based in the UK, the company recently raised a seed round of funding to help them scale their micro based mono-material packaging via cosmetics companies that are looking for natural packaging alternatives. Insiya brings a no-compromises spirit to what she's doing at Shellworks. She believes her company can develop packaging that has minimal footprint and is stunning and brand-forward. In this conversation, Cody and Insiya cover her background, the state of plastic packaging today, how Shellworks came to be, their initial approach to product development, current product lines and traction, and how their non-compromising culture turns internal innovations into a robust product pipeline.In today’s episode, we cover: [2:38] Insiya's background and climate journey [8:15] The world of packaging and different types of plastics involved[14:04] Industrial shift away from plastic packaging [18:03] Challenges to addressing packaging in cosmetics [19:46] Shellworks' go-to-market strategy [24:33] An overview of Shellworks and their focus on mono-material products [27:27] The company's commercial traction [29:47] Use cases that aren't a good fit for Shellworks' offerings [36:53] The company's core value ads[41:44] What's next for Shellworks [45:20] Funding to date, early challenges and how Insiya overcame them Get connected: Cody's TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on August 31, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

*This episode is part of our new Skilled Labor Series hosted by MCJ partner, Yin Lu. This series is focused on amplifying the voices of folks from the skilled labor workforce, including electricians, farmers, ranchers, HVAC installers, and others who are on the front lines of rewiring our infrastructure.To kick off our new Skilled Labor Series, this episode is co-hosted by Yin Lu and Sam Steyer, CEO and Co-Founder of Greenwork, with guest Andy Martinez, PV Field Performance Technician at Sunrun. The solar market represents approximately 5% of the current U.S. energy mix. While this may seem insignificant, the industry is expected to grow at a record pace in coming years, especially following the Inflation Reduction Act. But to reach the clean electricity goals set by President Biden, employment in solar-related positions will need to exceed 900,000 workers by 2035. Greenwork is facilitating this transition by helping climate tech companies build their construction teams, both by adding new employees and by partnering with local specialty contractors like Andy. After attending electrical trade school, Andy landed a job with Sunrun as has been with the company for 4 years. In this conversation, Yin and Sam learn about Andy’s background and how he started working with Sunrun. We learn about his day-to-day experience as a field performance technician and where Andy sees his career progressing in the space. Like any job, we also hear about some of the challenges Andy faces and how he continues to overcome them while maintaining a positive and optimistic outlook. We cannot create a clean energy future without people like Andy, and are extremely grateful for him sharing his story and inspiring others. In today’s episode, we cover: [1:49] Intro to Sam and Greenwork [3:30] Andy's background and experience as a field technician at Sunrun [5:09] Andy's educational journey toward becoming a solar installer [6:05] The Sunrun interview process and employee training [7:56] A typical day for Andy as a solar installer [9:32] Some day-to-say frustrations, including disconnections between sales and field work[11:59] How Andy views the environmental factor of his work[12:57] Where climate change fits in when communicating customers [15:36] The evolution in solar technology [20:04] What's working in terms of companies building construction and installation teams [23:42] Importance of treating contractors like a second customer [24:52] What Andy wishes more people knew about solar installation work [28:16] Andy's future career path [29:32] Jobs needed to meet electrification demands in the US [30:43] How to get more people into trade schools [32:57] Initial challenges of the job and how to overcome them[36:27] The little things that keep Andy optimistic and happy at work Get connected: Yin’s TwitterYin’s LinkedInMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on September 7, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Michele Demers, Founder and CEO at Boundless Impact Research & Analytics. As companies pursue sustainability targets, having an accurate measure of their carbon footprint provides transparency, accountability, and benchmarks to reach and improve on. Boundless is an industry research and impact analytics platform that provides quantitative and evidence-based research and data for investors, companies, and funds. They offer Scope 1, 2, and 3 climate data, analysis and market intelligence across a growing number of emerging sectors that address significant environmental challenges. In this episode, Jason and Michele dig deeper on this important area to better understand what the landscape is, how well adopted these frameworks are, how much standardization there is out there, what types of incentives exist, which ones are helpful, and which ones cause friction. They also cover the types of companies that are taking advantage of this work, how consistent it is across sectors, and of course, what we can change to help get to where we need to be.In today’s episode, we cover: [3:19] An overview of Boundless Impact Research and Analytics [4:54] The company's origin story[9:35] How companies understand their true carbon footprints [14:32] Tooling available to understand risk and environmental impact[21:25] Boundless' balance of software vs services [24:31] Which industries the company is focused on and why [29:12] How the annual assessment process changes across industries [31:24] The role of life cycle assessment as the standard [33:09] The process for companies working with Boundless [37:22] The future of a real-time dashboard for emissions [39:02] What happens when reports are not favorable[42:10] How Boundless works with companies on improvements based on first analysisGet connected: Jason's TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on September 8, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Khaled Hassounah, CEO and Co-Founder of Ample. When entirely new platforms emerge, the initial product attempts on those platforms often look like what we already know, and they typically don't take full advantage of inherent differences from the historical way of doing things. For example, when the internet first emerged, media resembled digital newspapers. When mobile first emerged, apps looked like small versions of websites. With EVs, the way they are sold and powered mirrors how internal combustion vehicles are sold. After all, you wouldn't buy a gas-powered car without a gas tank!But Ample is rethinking all of that. The company’s mission is to accelerate the transition to electric mobility by offering an energy delivery system that is as fast, as convenient, and as cheap as gas, while being powered by 100% renewable energy. They do this by deploying robotic pods that enable modular battery swapping for EVs. Ample's take on all this is to rethink how energy is delivered to EVs and to reconsider the unit economics around powering your car. This episode will inspire you to think of all the possibilities of what things can look like when you reconsider them from first principles. In today’s episode, we cover:[2:57] Khaled's background and transition to climate[5:11] State of EVs today[8:38] Nuances around EV charging networks and associated challenges[13:15] Outlier geographies that have done well with EV charging networks[17:20] Battery swapping and leasing alternatives[22:10] An overview of Ample and its battery swapping solution[32:54] How Ample's solution scales while reducing the amount of batteries across their system[37:06] Different use cases for Ample's different batteries[40:23] Details of Ample's charging pods[43:41] The company's go-to-market[47:21] Ample's pod setup and servicing[54:11] How Ample is sharing profits with OEMs, landowners, and municipalities[59:16] How Khaled is building the business from a venture capital and debt financing perspectiveGet connected: Cody's TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on August 25, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Genevieve Guenther, author, activist, and Founding Director of End Climate Silence. Dr. Genevieve Guenther is a Renaissance scholar and literary critic who turned to climate activism after having a child and becoming increasingly alarmed about the world she might leave to her son. Using her training in rhetoric and cultural politics, she works to revamp the ways that we think and talk about the climate crisis. She is guided by the conviction that our language for the crisis is largely inaccurate and misleading, and that fixing this problem requires us not just to reframe talking points, but to recognize how our speech itself—what we say and what we don’t say about climate change—reproduces fossil-fuel ideologies. Mobilizing through digital and direct action, Dr. Guenther founded End Climate Silence, a volunteer organization that pushes the news media to start talking about the climate crisis with the urgency it deserves. Dr. Guenther also advises activist groups, corporations, and policymakers, and she serves as an Expert Reviewer for the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Her next book, The Language of Climate Politics, is forthcoming from Oxford University Press. Jason and Genevieve have a great discussion in this episode about many of the topics we typically cover on the My Climate Journey podcast, but Dr. Guenther offers a unique perspective given her background. They also dig into some areas of disagreement and find that once again people who are dedicated to working on solving the crisis agree on a lot more than the polarized environment of Twitter may have them believe.In today’s episode, we cover: [3:39] Genevieve's background and her work in climate[10:04] Use of the word "uncertainty" among scientists and in climate communications[13:35] An overview of End Climate Silence[16:06] How Genevieve's views about the nature of the problem have evolved[24:40] Her views on the gravity of the problem, and challenges of modeling human behavior and warming[35:46] Energy poverty and justifying fossil fuel production[39:30] How Genevieve would transition to clean energy if she was in charge[44:31] Her thoughts on carbon removal[49:44] Challenges with direct air capture as a solution[57:03] Issues with entrepreneurs overpromising carbon removalGenevieve's book recommendations: Donella Meadows, Thinking in SystemsAmitav Gosh, The Nutmeg's Curse: Parables for a Planet in Crisis Jason Moore, Capitalism in the Web of Life: Ecology and the Accumulation of CapitalGet connected: Jason's TwitterGenevieve's TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on August 11, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Gagan Dhillon, CEO & Co-Founder of Synop. In many climate conversations about mobility, solutions inevitably turn into conversations about fleets. But understanding what fleets are, how they manage access to fuel, and how all of this will change as fleets adopt EVs are critical to clean transportation at large. Synop automates EV operations by helping businesses handle tracking, billing, reporting, and cost management under one unified, data-centric platform. Compatible with all EV types and charging stations, their AI-powered platform is designed specifically for commercial fleets and OEMs to modernize performance and meet sustainability commitments.Prior to co-founding Synop, Gagan witnessed first-hand the challenges of businesses transitioning to commercial electric vehicles. Previously at REIN, an insurtech startup, he worked with major commercial OEMs and global insurance carriers on solutions for the commercial auto space. During that time, he got a first-hand look at the challenges of the commercial EV space and was inspired to develop the software needed to support the industry’s transition to using electric-powered commercial vehicles. In today’s episode, we cover: [2:06] Gagan and his co-founder's background[5:34] An overview of fleets in the transportation sector today[10:15] How ICE fleets are managed and fueled [12:03] Challenges of electrifying fleets [14:33] Use cases for different types of EV charging[17:48] An overview of Synop[21:15] Status of electric semi-trucks in U.S. [24:42] Synop's customers today and who they plan to serve in the future [27:25] The company's energy management service [31:03] Synop's solution to charge management for fleet operators [34:38] Potential cost savings [39:40] What Gagan has learned along his climate journey [46:21] Synop's funding and how they plan to capitalize the business going forward [48:36] How Gagan sees the space evolving over the next 5 yearsGet connected: Cody's TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on August 22, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Camila Thorndike. Most recently, Camila managed Senator Bernie Sanders' portfolio on climate, energy, environment, territories, and tribes. The focus of her tenure was the Build Back Better Act passed in 2021 out of the Senate budget committee and House of Representatives. The majority of the bill's climate policies were retained in the subsequent Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) passed by the Senate in 2022. Camila is also co-founder of Our Climate, a youth advocacy nonprofit. Camila and Jason cover the IRA, what she’s celebrating, where it missed the mark, and where we should go from here. They also talk about climate justice, energy poverty, the policy and regulatory landscape, and tons more. The conversation is a great follow-up to a previous episode with Benji Backer, who is very active in the conservative climate circle. Camila will be participating in an AMA in the MCJ Slack community and answering questions asynchronously for 24 hours starting Wednesday 21st September 21 at 8am PST / 11am EST / 4pm BST. Set your reminders, and get your questions ready!In today’s episode, we cover: [8:18] Camila's background and how she got started in climate activism and policy[11:23] Her work with Senator Bernie Sanders [16:04] How Camila thinks about the problem of climate change and how it's evolved over time[22:17] Her views on the urgency of the problem [28:19] Greed and the fossil fuel industry [39:47] Financing access to clean energy and energy efficiency in developing countries [41:46] Ensuring a just transition away from fossil fuels[47:10] Potential phases of a rapid transition [49:58] Camila's thoughts on the Inflation Reduction Act[53:45] The lack of Republican support and level of polarization today [56:37] Her views on the two-party system [1:00:06] The role of individuals and actions we can take [1:04:27] Speed round including nuclear energy, billionaires, carbon offsets, carbon removal, and moreCorrection: Original green new deal plan was $16 trillion, not $10 trillion.Get connected: Cody's TwitterCamila’s TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on August 15, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Jason Aramburu, CEO and co-founder of Climate Robotics. Earth’s soils contain 14 times more carbon dioxide than the atmosphere. To harness this natural resource, Climate Robotics is using existing technologies and converting crop residue into biochar before sequestering it deep in the ground for thousands of years. The company uses advanced robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate and automate this process. The end result allows farmers to turn waste on their fields into carbon sinks while improving the health of their soils. Jason has an extensive career focused in leveraging technology for improving agricultural productivity. His background spans from smart irrigation and soil sensoring to agricultural technology and robotics. Cody and Jason have a great discussion about Jason’s background, biochar's origins as an indigenous practice dating back millennia, the chemistry of biochar, the Climate Robotics solution and his company's business model. As one of the most peer-reviewed CDR technologies, biochar is poised to make a substantial impact in carbon sequestration. In today’s episode, we cover: [2:11] Jason's background and how he got involved in carbon sequestration [3:15] History of biochar as an indigenous practice [7:55] Origins of Climate Robotics [11:55] An overview of biochar [20:52] Biochar and enhanced rock weathering [24:02] History of biochar in the U.S, how it's being used today and challenges [28:36] What Climate Robotics is building [32:25] How automation fits into the company's technology [36:15] The company's business model [43:45] Carbon credits and cost relative to other sequestration methods [48:10] Funding to date and future plans [50:04] Patents and how Jason protect's the company's technology [53:06] Biochar's permanence and scalabilityGet connected: Cody's TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on August 12, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Matthias Schmelzer, an economic historian, networker and climate activist. This episode is complementary to a previous podcast with Timothée Parrique, who covered the topic of degrowth. Matthias’ main interests include the political economy of capitalism, social and environmental history, climate catastrophe, aviation, and alternative economics. He is author of the award-winning The Hegemony of Growth and co-author of The Future Is Degrowth: A Guide to a World beyond Capitalism.To further the conversation about degrowth, Jason and Matthias discuss the overall concept and build bridges to not only increase understanding, but also help us come together to address the problem that we all share.*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on August 9, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Rollie Williams, host and creator of Climate Town. The topic of climate change can be dark upon initial exploration. While some find inspiration in innovation and action, many folks struggle to get beyond the pervasive desperation and doomerism that dominate the conversation. Climate Town takes a totally different approach and uses humor to unpack complex climate topics while offering suggestions for how audiences can take meaningful action. In the past two years, the Climate Town YouTube channel has amassed 393,000 subscribers, several millions views, a handful of awards, and has spawned an engaged Discord community of climate-focused-yet-delightfully-regular people.Rollie is a Brooklyn-based comedian and video editor, and he holds a graduate degree in Climate Science and Policy from Columbia University. He’s also the former creator and host of the monthly comedy show 'An Inconvenient Talk Show' doing sketches and comedic deep dives by pairing comedians (SNL, The Daily Show, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, etc) together with climate scientists (NASA, MIT, Harvard). In today’s episode, we cover: [5:41] And overview of Climate Town and how it came to be [13:32] How climate is being communicated today, its complications and direct opposition[18:18] Rollie's goal of making comedy videos while sharing facts and CTAs[22:25] Importance of taking action on the local level and where to start[28:20] Rollie's comedic influences [35:56] The future of the Climate Town community [46:41] Why context and learning helps keep people groundedGet connected: Cody's TwitterClimate Town TikTokClimate Town YouTubeMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on August 10, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Alex Trembath, Deputy Director at the Breakthrough Institute. The Breakthrough Institute is a global research center that identifies and promotes technological solutions to environmental and human development challenges. Their vision is of a world that is good for both people and nature, and they believe that human prosperity and an ecologically vibrant planet are possible at the same time. They have an eco-modernist perspective and embrace technological innovation without sacrifice. In this episode, Jason and Alex discuss eco-modernism, the work at the Breakthrough Institute, Alex's views on the nature of the climate problem and what some environmentalists get wrong in his opinion. They also talk about potential solutions, the role of innovation, the role of policy, how urgent this challenge is and some of the best ways to address it. Starting on Wednesday 7th September at 9am PST / 12pm EST / 5pm BST Alex will be joining the MCJ community in our AMA channel, answering questions asynchronously for 24 hours. Set your reminders, and get your questions ready!In today’s episode, we cover: [5:38] An overview of Breakthrough Institute and their focus on technological solutions to environmental problems [7:18] Alex's climate journey and early ideological frictions with Breakthrough [9:22] Origins of Breakthrough [12:48] Alex's views on the right vs wrong way to think about the problem of climate change [17:44] Dealing with climate anxiety [25:26] Why different groups of people can look at the same data and have drastically different conclusions about the level of urgency required to address climate change [28:02] GDP as a measure of human well-being [31:01] Ways of decoupling emissions from economic growth [33:49] Capitalism, colonialism, and mixed economies around the world [39:00] Policy tools Breakthrough pursues to accelerate decarbonization [43:42] Problems with net-zero pledges and voluntary offsets from big companies [45:54] The role of individual behaviors and eco-modernist virtue signaling [48:15] The role of government [54:00] What drives Alex in his work Get connected: Jason's TwitterAlex’s TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on August 8, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Moji Karimi, CEO and Co-Founder of Cemvita Factory. Cemvita Factory’s mission is to deploy nature-inspired economical technology to empower the energy transition and create a brighter future. This is done by a portfolio of industrial biotechnology solutions across Cemvita’s three verticals: CO2-based biomanufacturing, biomining, and subsurface biomanufacturing. On the surface, it sounds like the company is tackling an impossible number of initiatives for an early stage startup, but that’s part of the excitement of what's happening in synthetic biology right now. Cemvita’s de-siloed and deverticalized approach to innovation requires cross-functional expertise and problem solving. Moji and Cody have a great discussion about biomining for lithium and copper, subsurface biochemical production, including gold hydrogen, and biomanufacturing of waste carbon dioxide into other end products. Plus they talk about the different use cases as businesses, and Cemvita Factory's cross-disciplinary approach to innovation. Solving climate change requires new ways of thinking, and Moji’s background and work at Cemvita is an excellent example of this. In today’s episode, we cover: [5:35] An overview of Cemvita Factory and the company's origin[8:35] How Moji transitioned from deep space exploration into working on energy [10:32] Meaning of biomimicry [12:28] Cemvita's go-to-market applications [17:26] Use cases for biomining and issues with lithium extraction today [19:27] An overview of leaching [24:17] Risky byproducts associated with using microbes and biomaterials for extraction[27:28] An overview of subsurface biomanufacturing and gold hydrogen [34:05] An overview of carbon biomanufacturing and how it can generate sustainable aviation fuel [41:54] An overview of renewable natural gas[45:24] How Cemvita's different pathways are interconnected [50:50] How Cemvita is sourcing solutions Get connected: Cody's TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on August 8, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Rebecca Dell, Senior Program Director, Industry at ClimateWorks Foundation.ClimateWorks is on a mission to end the climate crisis by amplifying the power of philanthropy. Since 2008, ClimateWorks has granted over $1.3 billion to more than 600 grantees in over 50 countries. Now, Rebecca leads the industry program, which is dedicated to reducing and eliminating the one-third of greenhouse gas emissions that come from the material economy. Previously, she worked at the U.S. Department of Energy in the Obama Administration, where she coordinated implementation of President Obama's Climate Action Plan and was a lead analyst and author of the U.S. Quadrennial Energy Review. Before her federal service, Rebecca was a scientist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, studying the interaction between the ocean and land-based ice sheets like those in Greenland and Antarctica. Industries are a huge source of emissions and many people say that they are notoriously "hard to decarbonize," but this conversation with Rebecca sheds light on additional context for why that may be the case (or not). What aspects make them hard to decarbonize? How can we accelerate decarbonization and philosophically, what should we do in the meantime? This is a great discussion and we hope you enjoy it! In today’s episode, we cover: [3:57] An overview of ClimateWorks Foundation[6:02] Rebecca's unusual entry into climate from physics[11:37] Gap in resources and funding for solutions in the industrial sector[13:53] Why the industrial sector is considered "hard to decarbonize"[16:21] Activities that are mainly responsible for GHG emissions, including steel, cement and chemicals[21:56] Costs associated with green production and who covers it[28:56] Examples of how Rebecca creates demand for low GHG commodities[32:34] ClimateWorks' model for looking at potential grantees[37:15] Biggest levers for decarbonizing industrials faster[39:28] Voestalpine steel company example of the infrastructure planning, local politics, and social issues tied to decarbonizing certain industrials[44:44] Types of capital needed[48:36] Why a carbon tax is unappealing[52:52] Carbon capture and the cement industry[58:41] How people can make an impact in climate working in the industry sectorGet connected: Jason's TwitterRebecca’s TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on August 5, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guests are Mary Yap, Co-Founder and CEO at Lithos Carbon, and Adam Wolf, Co-Founder and CEO at Eion Carbon.Both Lithos and Eion work in the space of enhanced rock weathering, a subset of carbon removal that seeks to speed up the planet's natural carbon cycle. In this process, rain absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere, falls onto and weathers rocks and in doing so creates a bicarbonate solution that eventually finds its way into the ocean for permanent carbon sequestration. For all the talk of engineered carbon capture solutions, rock weathering is about as natural as you can get. It's the foundation of the earth's long carbon cycle, and it also takes place over millions of years, so a bit longer than we need right now.In this episode, we seek to understand what it means to speed up this natural process and apply it to agriculture such that it can be a viable carbon sink in the decade-scale timeframe we need to address climate change. We have a great discussion about the long carbon cycle itself, the different types of rocks found on earth, how agriculture uses mineral inputs today, and some of the underlying economics of this method as a carbon removal technology. We also learn more about Lithos and Eion, plus Mary and Adam’s personal climate journeys. In today’s episode, we cover: Broad overview of the long carbon cycleThe power of acid rain in removing CO2 from the atmosphereEarth as a habitable planet compared to VenusAn overview of bicarbonatesHow enhanced rock weathering speeds up this carbon capture solutionDifferent types of rocks used for enhanced rock weatheringBenefits and drawbacks of using limestoneEnergy demands of creating the Lithos and Eion productsTransportation challengesMary and Adam's MRV methodsTheir company's business modelsGet connected: Cody's TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on July 29, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Timothée Parrique, a researcher in ecological economics at Lund University in Sweden. Degrowth is one school of thought in the path towards decarbonization, but the topic is rife with controversy. Proponents argue against growing economies and instead shrinking production and consumption while favoring sustainability, social justice, democracy, and well-being. In other words, instead of measuring GDP as a monetary or market value, those who advocate for degrowth measure health and happiness. Skeptics aren’t convinced. Can degrowth be a powerful lever for change and is it realistic given the way some societies are structured today? Jason posed this question on Twitter and Timothée kindly offered to share his expertise. Titled “The political economy of degrowth” (2019), Timothée’s PhD dissertation explores the economic implications of degrowth. And while we don’t get to cover everything in this episode, the conversation is another example of the importance of spending time to discuss debated concepts and tease out some of the nuances that can’t be found in 280 characters on Twitter. In today’s episode, we cover: [8:23] Timothée's background in ecological economics or the interaction between economy and nature [14:29] Having a holistic perspective of climate change [17:51] The 1.5 degree threshold [27:07] How production and consumption contribute to climate change [28:52] The carbon budget [33:32] Government integrating climate mitigation into politics and environmental awareness among youth [35:27] Finland's climate neutrality announcement [40:37] The concept of degrowth and its origin[43:17] A culture of low-carbon mobility seen in European countries [46:04] Positive dividends of reducing our ecological footprint [51:24] The Rebound Effect [55:21] Capitalism and the impact of removing drivers for growth [1:02:47] Technological innovation and the "avoid, shift, and improve" approach Episode recorded on August 4, 2022.Get connected: Jason’s TwitterTimothée’s TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Kip Pastor, Founder and CEO of Pique Action.When most people think of climate change, they picture stories about wildfires, melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and a myriad of other ways we’re all just generally screwed. It can feel pretty hopeless, but those of us who have been leaning into solutions know that not all is lost. There are incredible innovations that have the potential to change so much of what we take for granted today, and it's not far-fetched to believe that these innovations can scale to unlock improvements for our future. Pique Action is a new media company on a mission to fight climate change with viral storytelling. It's the opposite of doomscrolling. Since their launch in Fall of 2021, Pique has produced 32 micro-documentaries on big climate solutions, amassed more than 7 million views across platforms and gained over 100,000 TikTok followers. In this conversation, we talk to Kip about the type of climate storytelling that resonates with audiences today and how Pique plans to scale its impact as it grows. We all have a role to play as climate communicators, even in one-on-one conversations, and hearing what's working for Pique Action can also inspire us to think about our own climate voices. In today’s episode, we cover: An overview of Pique ActionHow Pique intends to change the conversation around climate and drive actionBalancing realism and optimism in climate storytellingDifferent audiences and levels of engagement across platformsNature Based Solutions with Alaina WoodHow the company finds content creatorsClimate TikTokKip's background in film/video production and his movement into climateDifferences between climate communication and other forms of storytellingGaps in climate communication in various forms of media todayLack of representation of climate solutions in major movies and televisionPique's partnerships and business modelKip's learnings from watching next-gen media companiesGet connected: Cody on TwitterMCJ Pod TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded July 25, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is John Dees, Senior Science Analyst at Carbon Direct.Carbon Direct is a science-first carbon management firm that enables organizations around the world to reduce, remove, and monitor their carbon emissions. They combine science, technology, and market expertise to help these organizations take action and reach their climate goals. They’re an incredible organization with clients and portfolio companies spanning 28 countries. Now, if you've been a longtime listener of the show, Carbon Direct might be a familiar name. The CEO, Jon Goldberg, and the Chief Scientist, Julio Friedmann, have been guests in the past. We’ve also talked to Nili Gilbert who's the current Vice Chairwoman even before she worked at Carbon Direct. This episode is great because John Dees comes from a different background. He's in the trenches, living in excel, and working on the life cycle assessments (LCAs) for carbon emissions. In today's episode, we cover:An overview of Carbon Direct and where John sits in their portfolio of servicesProjects that require life cycle assessments (LCAs)How he thinks about climate and how his perspective has evolvedHow John got involved with carbon removalScaling carbon removal to a level that mattersCharacteristics to consider when selecting CDR technologiesBarries holding CDR backThe process behind developing LCAs for different projectsTypes of clients and business drivers for Carbon Direct's LCA servicesThe need for LCA standardization and challenges in doing soTooling for LCAs and blind spotsDifferences in LCAs between small vs. big companies and across sectorsIncentives for a company to care about LCA accuracyFor-profit LCA work vs. non-profit approachesWhen companies should start thinking about tracking LCAsGet connected: Jason JacobsMCJ PodcastMCJ Collective*You can also reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded August 1, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Allison Wolff, Founder and CEO at Vibrant Planet. This year, wildfires have raged across the Western US, the Mediterranean, Australia, and parts of Canada. While many worry that the intensity and frequency of these blazes are going to get worse, Vibrant Planet is on a mission to create a cloud-based planning and monitoring tool for agile, adaptive land management at scale. The company harnesses data-driven science and cloud-based technology to help community stakeholders create resiliency plans for forests that take multiple factors into account. Their goal is to help planners and policy makers save lives, avoid trillions of dollars in infrastructure loss, and restore the ability of natural systems to store carbon, deliver clean water, and support biodiversity, local economies, and recreational habits.If you're curious about wildfires and their relationship to climate change, both in terms of how climate change is resulting in increased wildfire severity and how increased wildfire activity is creating feedback loops that reinforce global warming, you'll appreciate this conversation. And lastly, even in the face of some pretty dire numbers, we appreciate Allison’s optimism about what our forests could look like in the coming centuries, given proper care and maintenance today. In today’s episode, we cover: The state of forests in the US and across the globeWhy wildfires are increasingIntersection between land management and climate changeHow some forests need fires to regenerate themselvesEffective forest management by Indigenous PeoplesWhat we can learn from tribesHow state and federal governments are approaching the issueRoadblocks that have slowed progress on forest managementAllison's background in tech and transition to climateRole of software and tech in unlocking collaborationStakeholders involved in planning projectsCarbon methodology for fire adapted forestsEnjoy the show!You can find me on Twitter @codysimms (me), @mcjpod (podcast) or @mcjcollective (company). You can reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded July 20, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Benji Backer, Founder and President of the American Conservation Coalition (ACC). ACC is focused on building grassroots environmental movement amongst the right-of-center space for climate action, with 150 chapters across the country. Benji is a passionate environmentalist and out to change the minds of people who think conservative and climate change advocate don't belong in the same sentence. In today’s episode, we cover: An overview of the American Conservation Coalition and the work they doBenji's background and his passion for the environmentHis transition from conservative activist to climate activist How he reconciles his passions and conservative viewpointsThe two-party system and its shortcomings Increasing polarization in the US Who controls the narrative in Washington vs. who gets bills passedThe Build Back Better Bill The Republican party's shift away from conservation in the early 2000sIssues with the climate narrative leaving people outBenji's views on how to balance self-interest and taking action on climate solutionsThe role of government in addressing the climate crisis Consumer behavior changes The intersection between of climate change and environmental justice in cities and rural communities Benji's key priorities over the next 12-24 months ACC's Climate Commitment plan Who he wants to hear fromEnjoy the show!You can find me on Twitter @jjacobs22 (me), @mcjpod (podcast) or @mcjcollective (company). You can reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded July 15, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Jacob Nathan, CEO and Co-Founder of Epoch Biodesign.Plastics are among the most visible and ubiquitous environmental issues plaguing Earth today. Hundreds of millions of tons of plastics are produced every year, but they weren't mass produced until after World War II (that's just one human lifetime ago). As a byproduct of the fossil fuel industry, plastics contribute significantly to the value of a barrel of oil, they create considerable emissions when produced, and they release carbon into the atmosphere when they are incinerated at the end of their lifecycle. So while plastics are a key building block of our modern world, they're also very problematic. Epoch Biodesign is on a mission to scale and industrialize biology to solve the world's biggest climate challenges, starting with an enzyme that eats plastic and converts it to industrial chemicals. The company is currently working with unrecyclable plastics that would otherwise go to landfill or incineration. The resulting molecules from their unique biological process can be used to create new products like adhesives, cleaning products, and fertilizers. In today’s episode, we cover: An overview of plastics, their origin, widespread uses, and impacts on the environmentPlastics and the fossil fuel industryProblems associated with recycling End of life pathways most plastics take Epoch Biodesign's solution to addressing the plastic problem How enzymes can break down plastics and convert them into useful chemicals with a reduced carbon footprint The company's cell-free fermentation process and target outputs CO2 emissions associated with producing and incinerating plastic chemicals The origin of Epoch Biodesign Jacob's background and how he met his Co-Founder, Douglas Kell Douglas Kell's extensive background in systems biology, machine learning, etc. How Epoch Biodesign uses machine learning and tooling to design a computing platform for plastic-eating enzymes Future applications of the company's proprietary methods of designing biology How Epoch Biodesign's software enables them to scale and solve climate problems fasterThe company's business model Adjacent opportunities including textiles Epoch Biodesign's seed round and future financing Who Jacob wants to hear from and open positions at Epoch BiodesignEnjoy the show!You can find Cody on Twitter @codysimms, @mcjpod (podcast) or @mcjcollective (company). You can reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded July 15, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Ketan Joshi, a writer, data analyst and communications consultant working on climate and energy. Ketan Joshi has been at the forefront of clean energy for eight years, starting out as a data analyst working in wind energy, and expanding his knowledge base to community engagement, climate science and new energy technology. He’s written for the Guardian, The Monthly, ABC News and has penned several hundred blog posts digging into climate and energy issues, building a position as a respected and analytical energy commentator in Australia. Ketan is also the author of Windfall: Unlocking a Fossil Free Future, and has a large following on social media. Before coming on the show, Ketan and Jason had a few heated exchanges on Twitter. Despite what appeared to be opposing views around climate, this conversation shed light on an important lesson about the polarization of social media platforms. When we actually take the time to meet and discuss these topics live, we might find out that we’re in agreement more than we think. In today’s episode, we cover: Ketan's background and personal climate journeyHis experience working in data science, communications, community engagement, and climate policy within organizationsHow his feelings about climate and theory of change have evolved over timeThe level of urgency of the climate crisis and the level of disruption we should expect in order to adequately address itOur dependence on fossil fuelsThe rate of change in emissions reductions and some of the impacts associated with itBenefits of engaging community members in climate solutionsThe role of corporate decision making in heavily fossil reliant companiesHow society impacts individual decision makingBenefits of reducing carbon emissions and examples where it's not easy to doThe role of natural gas in the clean energy transitionKetan's thoughts about carbon removal and its role in the transitionTransforming carbon offsetsKetan's thoughts on nuclear and if we should be deploying it at scaleWho he'd like to hear fromEnjoy the show!You can find Jason on Twitter @jjacobs22, @mcjpod (podcast) or @mcjcollective (company). You can reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded July 7, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Jeff Nobbs, CEO and Co-Founder of Zero Acre Farms.It turns out 20% of our daily caloric intake is made of vegetable oils that are not only harmful to human health, but also have a massive impact on the environment and deforestation. So when thinking about systems problems that impact climate change, how we produce oils for food consumption is a big lever that's yet to be pulled. Zero Acre Farms is on a mission to change that. The company is developing a new category of healthy oils and fats made by fermentation. In today’s episode, we cover: Broad overview of vegetable oil Environmental impacts of different vegetable oils The shift away from animal toward trans fats in the 1980s & 1990s Drivers of vegetable oil growth, including consumer advocacy groups and large fast-food restaurants An overview of Zero Acre Farms How the startup is solving the problem of vegetable oils using fermentation An overview of the fermentation process for foodThe company's direct-to-consumer launch and future plans to scale to restaurants and packaged foods Jeff's background in food, health, and nutrition Zero Acre Farm's externalities How the company creates its cultured oilTheir seed round, series A, and future funding sources Zero Acre Farms as a Public Benefits Corporation (PBC) their initial product has just become available on their website, you can try cultured oil for yourself and see what you think.Enjoy the show!You can find me on Twitter @codysimms (me), @mcjpod (podcast) or @mcjcollective (company). You can reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded July 14, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Cris Stainbrook, President of the Indian Land Tenure Foundation (ILTF). ILTF is a national community-based organization serving Indian nations and Indian people in the recovery and control of their rightful homelands. They work to promote education, increase cultural awareness, create economic opportunity, and reform the legal and administrative systems that prevent Indian people from owning and controlling reservation lands. The organization has provided over $98 million of grants, loans and services over the past 20 years. In today’s episode, we cover: An overview of the Indian Land Tenure Foundation (ILTF)How the organization came to be and its mission to restore rightful land ownership of 90 million acresCris' personal climate journeyHis background in fisheries biology and transition to Indian landThe role of the federal government in Indian land ownershipThe Dawes General Allotment ActILTF's tactics at the beginning and how they've changed over timeImportance of education for Indian history and land issuesThe organization's theory of change and how they measure progressChanges on tribal land related to climateHow climate impacts day-to-day life of tribal membersHow the tribes became interested in carbon markets and some of the issues they're working to overcomeThe Indian Land Capital Company, a CDFI subsidiary of ILTFBuyer incentives for the tribe's carbon creditsThe National Indian Carbon Coalition and its assessment of additionality credits, setting prices, finding buyers, etc.What Cris sees as the biggest barriers to moving forward on climate changeHis thoughts on government's role in solving certain issuesCris' message to listeners both in terms of the problem of climate change and Indian landsEnjoy the show!You can find me on Twitter @jjacobs22 (me), @mcjpod (podcast) or @mcjcollective (company). You can reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded June 30, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Mujeeb Ijaz, Founder and CEO of ONE. Widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) not only face technical challenges, but also psychological barriers that consumers need to overcome. ONE has the audacious goal to design a battery that can double the range of EVs while using sustainable and safe materials, avoiding nickel and cobalt in particular. The company is also working to develop and localize raw material supply chains to bring down costs associated with this clean energy solution. In today’s episode, we cover: Mujeeb's background in EVs and battery innovation at Ford, A123 Systems, and AppleBattery range anxiety and its impact on widespread adoptionONE's solution to double the range of EV batteries to 600 milesDensity of charger networks and the implications for EV driversPredictions for the used market for EVsImpact of local driving conditions on EV range and comparisons to ICE vehiclesImpacts of location and climate on battery rangeONE's latest accomplishments, including their partnership with BMWThe company's two types of batteries: Gemini and AriesDifferences between battery chemistries like lithium ion, manganese, and nickel cobaltHow ONE avoids nickel and cobalt in their batteriesThe predictability of commercial fleets like package delivery trucks and busesCost structures associated with different battery chemistriesONE's go-to-market roadmap and funding to dateGaps in talent and training for battery manufacturingONE's focus on sourcing the right talent and workforce development effortsEnjoy the show!You can find me on Twitter @codysimms (me), @mcjpod (podcast) or @mcjcollective (company). You can reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded July 11, 2022. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Marcius Extavour, Chief Scientist, Executive Vice President Energy and Climate at XPRIZE.XPRIZE is a global future positive movement of over a million people and rising. They are a trusted, proven platform for impact that leverages the power of competition to catalyze innovation and accelerate a more hopeful future by incentivizing radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. The organization began supporting climate projects with a $20 million prize for breakthrough technologies to convert CO2 emissions into usable products. Now, they’re hosting their largest prize initiative in history funded by Elon Musk and the Musk Foundation, and awarding $100 million for Carbon Removal solutions.This episode covers XPRIZE’s mission, how they decide on and evaluate competitions, key takeaways from their climate prize experiences, and how they measure success. We also dig into some of the nuances of the carbon removal conversation, how Marcius deals with naysayers, and why he focuses on solving the climate crisis instead of punishing polluters. Enjoy the show!You can find me on Twitter @jjacobs22 (me), @mcjpod (podcast) or @mcjcollective (company). You can reach us via email at [email protected], where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded July 1, 2022.In today’s episode, we cover: An overview of XPRIZE and the organization came to beXPRIZE's model expansion over time Where XPRIZE's money comes from How the org's external partnerships help XPRIZE support an innovative ecosystemMarcius' climate journey and background in academia, utility, policy, and fundraisingAn overview of the AAAS Science & Technology Fellowship ProgramCharacteristics XPRIZE uses to determine where prizes can be helpful, including impact, an identifiable problem, public awareness, and a specific and measurable goal Differences between short and long-term impact The NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE and key takeaways from the competitionHow XPRIZE started to explore climate topics The moral hazard argument XPRIZE Carbon Removal, the org's largest incentive prize in history with Elon Musk and the Musk FoundationHow Marcius responds to critics XPRIZE's plans to improve CDR measurementsDifferences between measurement processes and tooling across solutions MRV 3 evaluation factors, including operational performance, cost, and scalability Marcius' predictions for how CDR can develop His thoughts on the role of voluntary and compliance markets Marcius' stance on whether we should punish polluters or focus on solving the climate problemHow people can get involved with XPRIZE and the org's new Carbon Removal cohortThe community's role in moving things forward, growing globally, and maintaining inclusivity Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at [email protected] with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant