Climate with Kiana

In this special crossover episode with Uptown Chats, the podcast of WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Kiana is joined by Jaron and Lonnie for a discussion on environmental storytelling and the state of the solar industry. 

Have you ever seen or heard a reference to climate or environmental justice in movies, TV, or novels? Join Uptown Chat co-hosts Jaron and Lonnie for their first podcast collaboration with Kiana Michaan, long-time WE ACT member and host of Climate with Kiana, where they discuss the state of the solar industry and then explore how climate and environmental justice show up through storytelling in media. Stay tuned for part two!

Subscribe to Uptown Chats:

https://uptown-chats.castos.com/

Jaron Burke

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaronrburke/

Lonnie J Portis

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ljportis/

Learn more about WE ACT for Environmental Justice:

https://weact.org/

https://www.instagram.com/weact4ej/

Home Swap Stories and Climate with Kiana bring you a collaborative episode about sustainable living at home. Recorded at one of Home Swap Stories’ sustainable living events that took place in a passive apartment building, the event exhibited sustainable fashion vendors, vegan bites, and panels with sustainable living experts. Home Swap Stories is a show sharing stories of how New Yorkers live sustainably and low waste created & hosted by Yelle Belle. This episode features a series of short interviews with environmental creatives. The conversations explore what it means to live sustainably at home with discussions about herbalism, vegan cooking, violin making, sustainable fashion, and more delightful sustainable stories.

Home Swap Stories

https://www.instagram.com/homeswapstories/

Featuring Interviews with:

Vanessa Sossa Sanchez, Plant Based Chef, Founder of Alegria Vegana & La Bakeria NYC , @alegriavegana

Ana Anu, Interdisciplinary Artist & Climate Educator, @soopspoon

Sheila McMenamin, Writer & Climate Justice Advocate, @climate_cuties

Jess Vetterli, Founder of Simply Sustainable, @Simply_Sustainable

Kim Macharia, Founder & Executive Director Brave Leap, @galactic_kim

MJ Kwan, Violin Maker, mj.mkwan.com

Jacob Simon, Climate Educator & Video Creator, @jacobsimonsays

Jeorgina Williams, Hydroponics & Science Teacher and founder NerdDNA Experiences, @nerddna

CREDITS:

Produced by Kiana Michaan & Yelle Belle

Edited by Maxfield Biggs

In this episode, which was recorded at Expo West, we hear from several sustainable brands about how they implement sustainable practices in their products and operations. Expo West is a  natural food & products industry conference, bringing together brands and attendees from around the country. Sustainability is crucial in the production of all kinds of products from matcha to soap to non-toxic cleaning products to clean beauty, and even toilet paper. This episode features interviews with Hannah Habes, founder of Matchaful, Nathalie Marin-Gest, Special Operations at Dr. Bronner’s,  Richard Kostick, founder & CEO at 100% Pure, Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, president & CEO of ECOS, and  Aaron Liou, from Who Gives a Crap. In these conversations we discuss topics including sustainable supply chains, regenerative organic certified, growing matcha under solar panels, innovative ingredients in non-toxic products, and more.

This episode features interviews with:

Hannah Habes, Founder & Chief Matcha Officer, Matchaful 

https://www.matchaful.com/ 

Nathalie Marin-Gest, Special Operations, Dr. Bronner's 

https://www.drbronner.com/  

Richard Kostick, Founder & CEO, 100% Pure 

https://www.100percentpure.com/  

Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, President & CEO, ECOS 

https://www.ecos.com/  

Aaron Liou, Brand Activations Manager, Who Gives a Crap 

https://us.whogivesacrap.org/

CREDITS:

Produced by Kiana Michaan

Edited by Maxfield Biggs

In this episode, we hear from Willis Elkins, executive director of Newtown Creek Alliance. Newtown Creek Alliance is a community-based local New York City organization dedicated to restoring, revealing, and revitalizing Newtown Creek. Newtown Creek is a 3.8 mile tributary of the East River, an estuary, a border between Brooklyn and Queens, and a federal superfund site. Historically, the creek has had over 50 industrial refineries along its banks. 

In this conversation with Willis, we discuss the history of industry & legacy pollution on Newtown Creek, the Greenpoint oil spill, environmental remediation efforts, water quality, green roofs, and the vision for a more sustainable future for the creek. This episode was recorded at Kingsland Wildflowers Green Roof in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Check out the video version of this episode on youtube to see the green roof!

Video version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj6ToprNazs

Connect with Newtown Creek Alliance:

www.newtowncreekalliance.org/

www.instagram.com/newtowncreek/

www.kingslandwildflowers.com/

CREDITS:

Hosted and produced by Kiana Michaan

Edited by Maxfield Biggs

www.strandedastronaut.com

Videography by Jae Minard

www.jaeminard.com

Sound Recordist & Co-produced by Lucy Little

www.lucyalittle.com

In this episode, we hear from award winning Irish investigative journalist, Philip Boucher-Hayes. We discuss his new documentary, Global Warning, a three part series, written & hosted by Philip. His documentary series unpacks the current impacts of climate change, highlights how communities are responding & adapting, and explores solutions in the transition away from fossil fuels. In our conversation we discuss Philip’s career covering climate change and the biodiversity crisis, key moments in the docu series, and the role of media in environmental communication.

Watch Global Warning on Al-Jareeza:

Inside the planet’s most urgent climate warning | Global Warning E1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8vI5_gN90g

Inside the planet’s race to adapt | Global Warning E2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwgqVoFhVNM

Inside the planet’s fight to end fossil fuels | Global Warning E3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlNuYqrXNS0

RESOURCES:

Hot Mess - Podcast - RTÉ Radio 1

https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/hot-mess/

Manual for Environmental Justice

https://envjusticemanual.com/

Bangladesh has become much more resilient to cyclones, saving many lives - Our World in Data

https://ourworldindata.org/data-insights/bangladesh-has-become-much-more-resilient-to-cyclones-saving-many-lives

CREDITS:

Hosted and produced by Kiana Michaan

Edited by Maxfield Biggs

Music by Naima Mackrel

In this episode, we hear from Rennie Meyers, Global Policy Lead at Ørsted, about her work in offshore wind, ocean policy, and biodiversity. Ørsted is a Danish energy company and the world’s leading & largest offshore wind developer. In our conversation, we discuss Rennie’s journey into working in sustainability, offshore wind infrastructure, Ørsted’s transition to clean energy, protecting ocean biodiversity, nature positive project development, and ocean policy.

Rennie is a regulatory and public affairs specialist focusing on interactions between infrastructure, communities, and the environment. At Ørsted, she focuses on global ocean policy and oversees international policy forums and stakeholder engagement. This episode was recorded in Denmark in 2024.

Connect with Rennie on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rennie-meyers-82a0b03b/

RESOURCES

Ørsted - Protecting Biodiversity

https://orsted.com/en/about-us/sustainability/biodiversity

Ørsted successfully pilots new technology that further optimises offshore wind monopile installation

https://orsted.com/en/media/news/2024/07/orsted-successfully-pilots-new-technology-that-fur-13959650

Ørsted to commercialise its state-of-the-art low-noise technology Osonic

https://orsted.com/en/media/news/2025/11/orsted-to-commercialise-its-state-of-the-art-low-n-1467749011

ReCoral – Coral Restoration Project | Ørsted

https://orsted.com/en/who-we-are/sustainability/nature/net-positive-biodiversity-impact/recoral

Home | ARK Rewilding Nederland

https://arkrewilding.nl/home

Global Offshore Wind Alliance

https://gowa-energy.org/

Ocean Energy Pathway

https://oceanenergypathway.org/

Oceantic Network 

https://oceantic.org/

WindEurope

https://windeurope.org/

CLEANPOWER

https://cleanpower.org/expo/

CREDITS

Hosted and produced by Kiana Michaan

Edited by Maxfield Biggs

Music by Naima Mackrel

In this episode, which was recorded last year in Copenhagen, I speak with Magnus Højberg Mernild at State of Green Denmark. State of Green is a non-profit, public-private partnership between the Danish government and the country’s three leading business associations, encouraging cross-sector collaboration and international knowledge sharing. State of Green is connected to over 600 Danish businesses, agencies, academic institutions, experts and researchers all working to drive the global transition to a sustainable, low-carbon, resource-efficient society. In my conversation with Magnus, we discuss Denmark’s innovation and leadership in sustainability and cover topics including offshore wind, green hydrogen, energy islands and more. 

RESOURCES:

State of Green

https://stateofgreen.com/en/

LinkedIn - Magnus Højberg Mernild 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/magnusmernild/

Middelgrunden: Wind Turbine Co-operatives

https://stateofgreen.com/en/solutions/middelgrunden-wind-turbine-co-operative-middelgrunden-vindmollelaug/

North Sea Energy Island 

https://northseaenergyisland.dk/en

CREDITS:

Hosted and produced by Kiana Michaan

Edited by Maxfield Biggs

Music by Naima Mackrel

In this episode, we hear from ocean activist Bodhi Patil. Bodhi is a UN recognized ocean-climate solutionist and co-creator of Ocean Uprise. In our conversation, we discuss the intersection of ocean health and human health, ocean justice for coastal communities, blue carbon, deep sea mining, oceans & spirituality, and joy in activism.

Bodhi is the founder of Inner Light, co-creator of One World Breathe, impact advisor at OnDeck Fisheries AI, an advisor at Earth Elders, and a member of the Wisdom Keepers Delegation. Bodhi has been a speaker for TEDx, the UN, Forbes, CNN, and among other international media platforms. He recently completed his Masters of Management at the University of British Columbia, with a focus on Environment, Sustainability, & Climate Action.

Connect with Bodhi:

bodhipatil.com

linkedin.com/in/bodhipatil

instagram.com/bodhi_patil

Resources:

Ocean Uprise

Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols

Global Fishing Watch

Seatrees

Amniotic Fluid and Ocean Water: Evolutionary Echoes, Chemical Parallels, and the Infiltration of Micro- and Nanoplastics.

Credits

Hosted and produced by Kiana Michaan

Co-produced by Lucy Little

Edited by Maxfield Biggs

Music by Naima Mackrel

For resources, transcripts, and more information about the guests:  https://www.climatewithkiana.com/podcast/ocean-solutions-with-bodhi-patil

In this episode,  we hear from marine scientist Frances Crable. Frances is a PhD candidate studying Arctic Ocean Biogeochemistry at the University of Illinois Chicago. In our conversation, we discuss her field research in the Canadian Arctic, arctic phytoplankton, biogeochemical cycling, and the impact of science communication.

Frances’ research focuses on arctic ocean phytoplankton, nutrient cycles, and the impacts of climate change. Frances works in the Gonzalez-Meler Stable Isotope Lab and also works with the Norwegian Institute for Water Research.  Frances has been a speaker for TEDx Chicago and was a 2024 Yale Environmental Fellow. She was featured in the PBS documentary Frozen Obsession.

CONNECT WITH FRANCES:

https://francescrable.weebly.com/

https://www.instagram.com/phytofran

https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-crable

https://www.pbs.org/video/frozen-obsession-nsbaqw/

https://ikaarvik.org/

CREDITS

Hosted and produced by Kiana Michaan

Co-produced by Lucy Little

Edited by Maxfield Biggs

Music by Naima Mackrel

For resources, transcripts, and more information:  https://www.climatewithkiana.com/podcast/arctic-ocean-with-frances-crable

In this episode, we hear from Dr. Destenie Nock about energy justice and her organization Peoples Energy Analytics. We discuss her work using utility energy data to further energy equity. This is an extended cut of the video version of this interview, which is available on youtube.

Dr. Nock is the founder and CEO of Peoples Energy Analytics and a Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. Her work and research addresses the intersections of energy affordability, sustainability, energy justice, and designing equitable power systems.

Connect with Dr. Nock:

https://www.peoplesenergyanalytics.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/desdes

http://www.destenienock.com/

CREDITS

Hosted and produced by Kiana Michaan

Edited by Maxfield Biggs

Music by Naima Mackrel