Climate Positive

In this episode, we speak with Nancy Floyd, the founder and managing director of the venture capital firm Nth Power and a new member of Hannon Armstrong’s Board of Directors. Throughout the conversation, Nancy offers several insights on the past, present, and future of the clean energy venture space. She also provides plainspoken advice on effective board service, what makes a good pitch, and a good business plan from the perspective of someone who reads thousands a year. Additionally, Nancy talked with Gil about her time in the political spotlight, how the traits she developed in competitive ski racing and tennis help her in the venture world, and much more. We hope you enjoy this conversation with one of the true pioneers of climate tech investing.

Links: 

Nancy Floyd on LinkedIn

2008 Democratic National Convention speech by Nancy Floyd 

Hannon Armstrong Appoints Clarence D. Armbrister and Nancy C. Floyd to Board of Directors 

What Do Venture Capitalists Need to Hear from Scientists? A Conversation with Nancy Floyd, the Founder of Nth Power 

Episode recorded June 2, 2021. 

Email your feedback to Gil, Guy, Hilary, and Kenny at [email protected].

Starbucks Chief Sustainability Officer Michael Kobori has been corporate sustainability changemaker for over two decades. From his time at Levi’s to his current role at Starbucks, Michael has been at the forefront of a movement that has evolved from a narrower focus on Corporate Social Responsibility to a broader conception of Stakeholder Capitalism. In this episode, Michael joined us to talk about how the intrapreneurship he exercised at Levi’s progressed and broadened its concept of sustainability. Chad and Michael also discuss the carbon footprint of coffee, how to discern greenwashers from true climate leaders, the role of business in combatting systemic racism, and how lessons from the Boy Scouts inform Starbucks’ recent commitment to become resource positive.

Links:

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-kobori-7a04b26/

Twitter
@koborigrillscsr

Sustainability at Starbucks
https://www.starbucks.com/responsibility

Starbucks Borrow a Cup Program
https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2021/seattle-starbucks-stores-go-even-greener-this-earth-month-with-new-borrow-a-cup-program/

Transform to Net Zero
https://transformtonetzero.org/

All We Can Save
https://www.amazon.com/All-We-Can-Save-Solutions/dp/0593237064

Utopia Theater Project
http://www.utopiatheatreproject.com/

Email your feedback to Gil, Guy, Hilary, and Kenny at [email protected].

In this episode, we speak with Erin Burns (Executive Director) and Giana Amador (Co-Founder and Policy Director) of Carbon180, a new breed of climate-focused NGO on a mission to fundamentally rethink carbon. Chad and Gil talked to Erin and Giana about how their early years in rural West Virginia and the Central Valley of California drove their passionate interest in climate policy. We also discussed how Carbon180 has pivoted as an organization over the last six years, the most promising carbon removal technologies (including direct air capture, soil sequestration, and carbon tech), and the essential role of policy in driving solutions in the future. Finally, Erin and Giana give their takes on the most overused energy jargon we should retire and share what "climate positive" means to each of them.

Links:

Official Bios 
https://carbon180.org/team

Twitter
@erinmburns, @GianaAmador, and @carbon_180

Carbon180 Newsletter
https://carbon180.org/subscribe

Direct Air Capture Fact Sheet 
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b9362d89d5abb8c51d474f8/t/60022bcabbe04a3784a73d25/1610755025490/Carbon180+FactSheet+DirectAirCapture+2021.pdf

Soil Carbon Storage Fact Sheet
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b9362d89d5abb8c51d474f8/t/5e55a0e096f3913deb5e31ca/1582670065496/Carbon180+FactSheet+SoilCarbon+R3.pdf

Enhancing and expanding the 45Q tax credit for direct air capture: How 45Q can catalyze equitable DAC development and deployment
https://carbon180.medium.com/enhancing-and-expanding-the-45q-tax-credit-for-direct-air-capture-85f0f00c98c

Paving the Way for Low-Carbon Concrete: Recommendations for a Federal Procurement Strategy
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b9362d89d5abb8c51d474f8/t/5fd95907de113c3cc0f144af/1608079634052/Paving+the+Way+for+Low-Carbon+Concrete

The Atlantic: Why Celebrities Are Agog Over This Tiny Climate Think Tank 
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/03/the-deluge-of-nft-money-is-going-to-a-tiny-think-tank-climate/618380/

Episode recorded April 21, 2021. 

Email your feedback to Gil, Guy, Hilary, and Kenny at [email protected].

Blue Forest Co-Founder and CEO Zach Knight joined us to talk about the Forest Resilience Bond – an innovative public-private partnership focused on deploying private capital to fund proactive forest management practices that reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and generate other ecosystem services and community benefits. We also spoke with Zach about his transition from Wall Street to conservation finance, the role of policy in scaling solutions, and the long-term perspective children can open our eyes to.

Links:

Official Bio
www.blueforest.org/meet-the-team

The Forest Resilience Bond
www.blueforest.org/forest-resilience-bond

The Yuba Project
www.blueforest.org/the-yuba-project

Episode recorded April 13, 2021.  

Email your feedback to Gil, Guy, Hilary, and Kenny at [email protected].

For our inaugural episode, HASI Chairman and CEO Jeff Eckel joined us to talk about his experience growing up in deindustrializing Ohio, how he became committed to sustainability, his early start, and his eventual return to HASI, and his reflections on the company’s 2013 initial public offering. We also talked to Jeff about the case for carbon dividends, his views on the ESG movement, and how 2020 changed him as a leader.

Episode recorded February 11, 2021. 

Email your feedback to Gil, Guy, Hilary, and Kenny at [email protected].

With the climate crisis igniting around us, it’s easy to let defeatism and complacency creep in. But there is so much to be hopeful for. And we know that hope breeds action, the action we need to sustain change. That’s why we’re starting Climate Positive. As investors in climate solutions, we only make investments that improve our climate future. Of course, Climate Positive means so much more than that. 

Join us, Chad Reed, Hilary Langer, and Gil Jenkins, as we talk with the business leaders, scientists, authors, advocates, and policymakers who are committed to making a difference in the climate fight. We’ll unpack their personal journeys and accomplishments and get their perspectives on emerging energy and environmental trends with the goal of driving all of us toward a more just and sustainable future.

Email your thoughts to [email protected] or tweet us at @ClimatePosiPod.

Email your feedback to Gil, Guy, Hilary, and Kenny at [email protected].