Make Climate Cool Again

The fashion industry feels split right now - it's either promoting Shein or woman-owned brands that are making a difference. We think that the more people that know about the issues in fashion, the more people will shop in accordance to their values. What like it's hard? Even Kourtney Kardashian is advocating for responsible materials. Shannon Lohr is the founder of Factory45, the online business school trusted by over 500 fashion entrepreneurs since 2014. Over the years she's worked with aspiring designers, all over the globe, to launch or grow their brands in a way that’s better for people and planet. Shannon got her start in 2010 when she co-founded {r}evolution apparel, a sustainable clothing brand for female travelers and minimalists that was featured by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Forbes.com.

Check out www.factory45.co and makeclimatecool.com for more info.

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Music: Jake Huffman

Artwork: Groove Street

Editing: Ivy Moore

Norman Crowley may be the Elon Musk of Europe. I don't know anything more on brand than talking to Norman Crowley, CEO of Cool Planet Group. When I first met with Norman, we talked about his newest company Electrifii. The company converts classic luxury cars like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin into high performance electric cars using Tesla components. Boasting a performance specification on par with a Formula 1 racing car, these electrified cars can hit speeds of 0 to 60mph in under 2 seconds and deliver a driving range of 600km. Electrifii makes sense when the other companies in Cool Planet Group include Crowley Carbon, a carbon reduction software for buildings and Crowley Solar, solar manufacturing and development. It's a triple threat. 

Learn more at http://www.coolplanetgroup.ie/

Sustainability Help Desk: Special Promotion for the first 10 that join: https://www.patreon.com/makeclimatecoolagain?fan_landing=true

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Music: Jake Huffman

Artwork: Groove Street

Editing: Ivy Moore

The Nerdwallet for sustainability, Finch started out as an informational website, studying different areas of consumer goods and making recommendations. Lizzie Horvitz, CEO of FINCH Insights, has been passionate about sustainability since the age of 16 when she lived off the grid. It was there that, depending only on wind energy and rainwater, she saw the solution of climate change before fully understanding the problem. Lizzie has taken those early beginnings and created a really powerful browser extension that works with Amazon to educate consumers on their purchasing choices. Browser extensions are not new tools BUT they are a passive opportunity to integrate education and awareness. Before Finch, Lizzie worked in supply chain and sustainability at Unilever and then became Chief Operating Officer at Muuse, a startup that aims to mitigate single-use plastics in the to-go industry. She has a BA from Middlebury College and an MBA and Master of Environmental Management from Yale University. 

Sustainability Help Desk

Special Promotion for the first 10 that join: https://www.patreon.com/makeclimatecoolagain?fan_landing=true

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Music: Jake Huffman

Artwork: Groove Street

Editing: Ivy Moore

There is nowhere on earth Erica Ferencik won’t go to take you out of your head and into the great wild world. An award-winning novelist, Ferencik writes adventure novels featuring women who brave not only internal struggles but face extreme challenges in their environment: remote forests, steaming jungles, and desolated icescapes. GIRL IN ICE is truly a fantastic story that is compelling, chilling and addicting in the best way. Even though the events of the story are fiction, you can identify with the characters emotions rooted in family, loyalty, fear and love. Erica was raised in the wilds of upstate New York during the era when—rightly or wrongly —you could take off after school to explore and no one worried, as long as you were home by dark. Now, she lives in MetroWest Boston with her "very tolerant husband and frankly enormous Maine Coon cat."

Sustainability Help Desk

Special Promotion for the first 10 that join: https://www.patreon.com/makeclimatecoolagain?fan_landing=true

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Music: Jake Huffman

Artwork: Groove Street

Editing: Ivy Moore

Summer is officially here and so is travel. Something you might see or use out and about are single use utensils. Newlight Technologies is revolutionizing typically wasteful products and materials. Please welcome CEO and Co-Founder, Mark Herrema, on the Make Climate Cool Again Podcast. 

 Mark has spent the last 15 years developing a revolutionary new biomaterial called AirCarbon. By feeding greenhouse gasses to microorganisms found in the ocean, Newlight is able to extract AirCarbon and use it to replace plastic, leather, acetate and other fibers.

Naturally regenerative and carbon-negative, AirCarbon has been used to create Restore FoodWare, which is carried nationwide by Target and has been implemented into Shake Shack locations, and Covalent fashion. A few months ago, it was announced that the use of AirCarbon is going to be explored by Nike in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint further.

Sustainability Help Desk

Special Promotion for the first 10 that join: https://www.patreon.com/makeclimatecoolagain?fan_landing=true

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Music: Jake Huffman

Artwork: Groove Street

Editing: Ivy Moore

Season 3 is back with an action packed and planned season. To start the podcast off with a bang, meet Chris and Sam, two friends who met in grad school at University Of Michigan and have never actually taken a class together. They started an email newsletter sponsored by their school called On Ramp, a guide to meaningful climate action. Like most people, they have grown increasingly worried about climate change. Raging wildfires, biblical floods, and polar vortexes tend to have that effect. They wanted to be a part of the solution, but had no idea where to start. Every week, Onramp sent subscribers bite-sized actions in the form of links. These links were videos, blog posts, sustainable product recommendations, and whatever else Chris and Sam could dream up. When subscribers clicked on the links, they would earn Planet Points. Planet Points measure how much carbon dioxide you’ve sucked out of the atmosphere by engaging with On Ramp. A seriously cool concept and awesome guys to chat with - get connected with Sam and Chris via Linkedin. 

Follow along on IG @makeclimatecool or submit your question to be shared on www.makeclimatecool.com

Sustainability Help Desk

Special Promotion for the first 10 that join: https://www.patreon.com/makeclimatecoolagain?fan_landing=true

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Music: Jake Huffman

Artwork: Groove Street

Production: Ivy Moore

Warby Parker is known as one of the OG social impact companies. But how are they reallllly doing? What does their report say? Are they misleading consumers or are they actually a good company. I was actually surprised at the significant amount of data that Warby had and could share. Not only did they share data from 2021 but also over the past five years so you could track progress. There were points where you noticed Warby Parker had to backtrack due to the COVID pandemic but I do think they tried to make up for it in other areas. I would say the biggest learning opportunities for other companies surround people and DEI opportunities. I would be interested in some of their updates in net years report on how some of their people initiatives are working out but all really progressive and designed to invest in the culture of the company. I always quote Cardi B in my presentations to college kids, "Kulture is Expensive". BUt it's so valuable and it can speed up change in the best ways. Or worst. Depending on what a company decides to invest in. 

Feel free to check it out yourself if you have some free time or a family holiday you want to get out of: https://www.warbyparker.com/assets/img/impact-report/Impact-Report-2020.pdf

TEAM:

Host: Sara Miltenberger, RSTR Media & Strategy

Music: Jake Huffman Creative

Artwork: Groove Street Creative

Can you guess the number one thing that makes sustainability professionals feel like hypocrites?

It's travel! In fact, I tell all of my podcast guests that they aren't allowed to use that answer to my classic question. But @goodwingstravel is changing all of that. Christian Møller-Holst is the CEO and founder of Goodwings. When you book a hotel with Goodwings, they calculate the carbon spend of your full trip. Yes, that includes your burger, and the plane trip you booked elsewhere.

You simply fill out your chosen method of transportation, and they do the rest. Seems a little too easy?? But I'll take it. 

As a serial entrepreneur with a passion for impact, Christian has 20 years of experience with sustainability and CSR. Besides holding the title of CEO, Christian has studied philosophy and business, and holds a Master's Degree from Copenhagen Business, is an ex-army officer, and father of three.

TEAM:

Host: Sara Miltenberger, RSTR Media & Strategy

Music: Jake Huffman Creative

Artwork: Groove Street Creative

I need a coffee and a new glasses prescription after reviewing Jetblue's long 2019/2020 ESG report in size 5 font. BUT I think what was most interesting to me was how Jetblue is preparing for the future by assessing their climate risks and opportunities. Also I had no idea that they were the first carbon neutral airline (for domestic flights) in the US. Jetblue also alludes to a medium term timeline for carbon pricing or a carbon tax. That's a big hint for all of us of what could be coming down the pipeline. Pun intended. There is some really great data throughout the report and highly organized charts on topics that some businesses could really learn and benefit from when it comes to preparing for the future. Did I know I was reading their future goals? No. But I do know their investment strategy and I'll take that to the bank. My biggest criticism for this report is to make a 10 page summary of this report designed for regular people who want to learn more and take sustainability lessons and apply them to their jobs. And also, carbon neutral isn't enough. 

Feel free to check it out yourself if you have some free time or a family holiday you want to get out of: https://www.jetblue.com/magnoliapublic/dam/ui-assets/p/2019_2020_JetBlue_ESG_Reporting.pdf  

TEAM:

Host: Sara Miltenberger, RSTR Media & Strategy

Music: Jake Huffman Creative

Artwork: Groove Street Creative

Jessica Reid is the author of the book Planet Now: Effective Strategies for Communicating about the Environment (published September 2020). Planet Now’s strategies are designed to educate, encourage, and equip readers to talk about the environment with confidence and without shame or scare tactics. It explains how readers can tailor communications to their audience to encourage behavior change like climate action. Jessica is in the Environment and Science Communication dual-degree program at UNC-Chapel Hill, so she is currently finishing her bachelor’s degree in environmental studies with a focus on sustainability while beginning her master’s degree in media and communication with a focus on strategic communication. Since publishing Planet Now, Jessica has focused on sharing her research with as many people as possible through public speaking engagements. Ultimately, Jessica is passionate about combining communications and her love for the environment to create a more sustainable planet. 

Feel free to connect with Jessica at the following sites: 

LinkedIn 

Twitter: @jessica_camryn

Instagram: @planetnow.jessicareid

Order Planet Now here

Direct message @planetnow.jessicareid on Instagram with code MAKECLIMATECOOL to get 15% off a signed copy of Planet Now now through December 31st, 2021 (only available in the United States). 

Follow along on IG @makeclimatecool or submit your question to be shared on www.makeclimatecool.com

TEAM:

Host: Sara Miltenberger, RSTR Media & Strategy

Music: Jake Huffman Creative

Artwork: Groove Street Creative