50 Shades of Green: A Climate Group Podcast

Adam Lake and Katie Lanegran welcome Sarah Lake—no relation—founder and CEO of Tilt Collective, a philanthropy initiative working to make the most sustainable and healthy foods the most available and affordable. Recorded as Climate Week NYC approaches, the conversation lands on a topic filling the week’s calendar: food. Tilt Collective’s mission is a “balanced food system”: more whole foods, more plant-rich meals, fewer ultra-processed products and less overconsumption of animal foods. Sarah argues food is nearly a third of climate emissions yet is still sliced into fertilizer, land, and production debates instead of what we actually eat. The payoff is unusually broad—climate, water, public health, pandemic risk, antimicrobial resistance, and healthcare costs tied to diet-related disease. She traces her path from a childhood love of cows and summers on farms to a PhD on cattle supply chains in Colorado, corporate sustainability work, and a team question that reframed everything: instead of only greening beef, why not eat fewer animal products? That led to Tilt, which now re-grants to groups in nearly nine countries so companies and governments can shift menus in ways that are culturally appropriate. The episode is not a lecture on going vegan. Americans eat about six times the recommended amount of red meat; bringing intake toward guidelines would move climate and health at once. Sarah’s personal stake is visceral: at 11, her father needed six-way bypass surgery linked to a 1950s meat-and-potatoes diet—while the hospital’s main restaurant was a McDonald’s. Meat’s cheapness, she says, is policy: subsidies for feed and production make burgers cheaper than Brussels sprouts. Practical levers include blended products (a 60/40 beef-mushroom burger that testers often prefer), school and hospital procurement, chef training, food-service companies, and supermarket promotions that currently push meat. Beans, she notes, are having a moment; quinoa and kale already proved obscure plants can go mainstream. Culture is treated as a constraint and an asset: visit grandma and eat the pork; don’t fight Super Bowl wings head-on; help regions keep traditional beans and modest meat rather than import industrial diets. Tilt is Climate Week NYC’s lead food partner again and hosts Food Day on Wednesday the 23rd, aiming for alignment rather than plant-based vs. regenerative turf wars. Adam and Katie close on family kitchens, equity, and why choice only exists if healthy options are cheap and nearby. Find out more at https://tiltcollective.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of 50 Shades of Green, hosts Adam Lake and Katie Lanegran speak with Christine Egan, CEO of CLASP, about energy-efficient appliances — from household ACs and refrigerators to off-grid fans and lights serving 660 million people without electricity.As extreme heat intensifies, Egan makes the case that cooling is becoming a human right, provided it is highly efficient. She outlines how minimum energy performance standards create a market floor while incentives and bulk buying pull products toward best-available technology. A standout success: leveraging the Minamata Convention on mercury to phase out fluorescent lighting in favor of LEDs, avoiding nearly three gigatons of CO2.Recorded ahead of Climate Week NYC, the discussion links kitchen-table energy bills, indoor air quality, and climate policy, showing why smarter appliances matter for health, livelihoods, and the planet. Tune in for a clear-eyed look at one of climate action’s most practical — and overlooked — tools. CLASP has a Find CLASP at New York Climate Week 2026 page to find out more, you can also catch them at the following Climate Week NYC events. Advancing Climate Action through Private Sector Collaboratives (Monday, 21 September, 3:30 - 4:20PM) Win-Win Policies: Unlocking Investment for a Sustainable Future (Tuesday, 22 September, 8:00 - 10:00AM) Powering Prosperity: Equitable Policy Design in the Global South (Wednesday, 23 September, 10:30AM - 12:30PM) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Adam and Katie speak to some of the "mega hosts" who make Climate Week NYC the biggest climate event in the world. From fireside chats with Elmo, to bringing together the future of AI technology under one roof, Solitaire Townsend from Futerra - who run Solutions House - and Peter Gilmer from The Nest Campus talk us through what it is like to run some of the biggest events at Climate Week NYC, and how you can get involved. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam and Katie are joined by John Higginson, CEO of Eco Age, moving the needle of sustainable fashion. Eco Age operates on two fronts. They educate consumers on positive, non-guilt-inducing choices. Separately, the organization funds independent investigative journalism into fashion’s supply chains—work traditional fashion media often avoids due to advertising dependence—while generating revenue as a consultancy for brands, material innovators, and organizations pursuing genuine sustainability. The conversation highlights fashion’s outsized footprint: roughly 2% of global GDP yet about 10% of climate emissions, plus water pollution from dyeing and widespread labor abuses, often in developing countries where some of the best progressive work is also happening. Show notes: Find out more at https://eco-age.com/ Check out their Climate Week NYC event at https://www.climateweeknyc.org/event-search/convening-the-next-gen-materials-transition Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it time to bring back Smokey the Bear? In this episode of 50 Shades of Green, hosts Adam Lake and Katie Lanegran are joined by meteorologist Stephanie Abrams from The Weather Channel to find out just what IS happening with the weather right now. From heatwaves to wildfires, Katie and Stephanie talk through the reasons why the weather has been so extreme this year and the role that human made emissions have played in making it worse. They also explore what actions people should take to cope with extreme weather and what we can all do to be more resilient in the face of more frequent events. Asking the big question, what can people do to prevent climate change, Stephanie talks about the small things individuals can do to make a difference, as well as the major systemic changes which need to happen. Follow Stephanie at https://x.com/StephanieAbrams and https://www.weathergroup.com/shows/amhq This episode is brought to you by Climate Week NYC. Climate Week NYC brings together over 1000 events and hundreds of thousands of people for the biggest climate event on the planet. If you are a non-profit, organization or company doing the right thing who has a story to tell, find out more about how you can be a part of the week. Find out more at climateweeknyc.org Partner with us: Partner with us at Climate Week NYC Delegate tickets for The Hub Live: https://www.climateweeknyc.org/attend-climate-week-nyc Submit your event here: Host a Climate Week NYC Event 2026 | Register Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of 50 Shades of Green from Climate Group, hosts Adam Lake and Katie Lanegran welcome back transport correspondent Ricky (Richard Parker) by popular demand for a deep dive into corporate fleet electrification. Fresh off the release of EV100’s annual Electric Realities Report, the conversation moves from high-level commitments to the practical realities of getting battery-electric vehicles on the road at scale. The episode features two rich interviews that map the full electrification journey. First, Ricky sits down with Brandon Jones from Ceres and Santeri Palomäki from the We Mean Business Coalition. They unpack complementary resources designed for companies at different stages. Ceres’ Driving Growth: Managing Transition Risks in Transportation report makes the financial and risk-management case for electrification—covering physical, market, and transition risks tied to fossil-fuel dependence, capital reallocation, and regulatory shifts. It stresses accounting for transport emissions across operations and value chains, securing leadership buy-in for science-aligned targets, developing time-bound EV strategies, and joining collaborative platforms such as Ceres’ Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance (CEVA) and Climate Group’s EV100. Santeri walks through We Mean Business’s freely available Business Action Checklists (including a dedicated India edition). The second interview features Adam Orth, Head of US Fleet at Siemens. Siemens has electrified 50% of its roughly 8,000 US vehicles—spanning light-duty sedans, SUVs, pickups, medium-duty assets, and even early heavy-duty tractor trailers and yard spotters across every climate and geography. Adam shares how the company shifted from asking “which EV should we buy?” to “what does the job actually require?” That mindset unlocked operational redesigns: many small vans were carrying far less payload than assumed (or mostly air), leading to right-sizing into more suitable models (including a phased transition via ICE Equinoxes that prepared teams for the EV versions). Drivers now operate smart vehicles with one-pedal driving, advanced safety features, and 300–400+ mile ranges that meet real duty cycles.Adam is candid about remaining gaps—especially medium-duty vans with high payload needs—and the value of peer networks (EV100 and CEVA) in aggregating demand so OEMs can close those gaps. Change management has been continuous: custom training videos, ongoing education even after a year of driving, and treating electrification as an opportunity to improve efficiency rather than a one-for-one fuel swap. His three pieces of advice for companies just starting: begin with the work (not the vehicle), don’t wait for perfect (electrify the easy routes first and learn), and don’t go it alone. Throughout, the hosts and guests emphasize that electrification is operational systems change—not merely swapping powertrains. It forces companies to re-examine payload, routing, gear, employee behavior, and fuel-price risk. The consistent message across NGO guidance and corporate practice is clear: start now, share lessons, and scale what works. Listeners leave with concrete entry points—whether they still need to win the internal business case, need a step-by-step checklist, or are ready to move from pilots to majority electrification.Resources mentioned include the EV100 Electric Realities Report (climategroup.org), Ceres’ Driving Growth report and CEVA, and We Mean Business Business Action Checklists. The episode closes with a look ahead to Climate Week NYC transport conversations (charging access, power availability, and vehicle affordability) and a preview of next week’s guest.Tune in for actionable insights from the companies and coalitions already proving that large-scale fleet electrification is not only possible—it’s underway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Fifty Shades of Green, hosts Adam Lake and Katie Lanegran sit down with Lisa Sachs, Director of the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment and lead of Columbia’s M.S. in Climate Finance at Columbia Climate School, for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about net zero, carbon markets, and what it will actually take to decarbonize the global economy. Against a backdrop of record heat, wildfires, storms and smoky skies, the trio wrestles with a central question: has the language and practice of “net zero” helped — or distracted — the climate movement? Lisa opens by clarifying what net zero really means: an atmospheric goal to balance emissions and sinks. She argues that the way net zero has been popularized — as an entity-level target for companies, cities or countries — is misleading and often counterproductive. Rather than driving systemic decarbonization, entity-level promises too frequently rely on offsets and voluntary carbon markets, allowing emitters to claim neutrality without changing underlying systems. Lisa worries voluntary markets are largely driven by methodological flaws and middlemen profit, and that offsets cannot substitute for actual decarbonization everywhere. Adam and Katie push back and probe implications, including whether the net zero framing could be a cynical distraction — Lisa admits that while conspiracy is tempting, institutional inertia and misunderstanding of systems are more likely culprits. The conversation pivots to solutions-oriented thinking. Lisa is optimistic about the present moment: decarbonized systems for energy, transport, buildings and industry are now often cheaper, more resilient, and superior on performance — they are “better systems.” The barrier is not technology but coordination, planning, policy enablers and financing structures, especially in emerging markets. She emphasizes that while private capital can and should drive many transitions, nature and resilience must be treated as public goods requiring public finance. Rather than obsessing over terminology or expecting COP negotiations to design and implement systems, Lisa urges practical, sectoral, regionally tailored solutions developed in the year between COPs and then brought to the global stage for political validation and scale. Adam and Katie reflect on messaging and politics: why “net zero” has become a loaded phrase and how consumer-focused narratives (you must sacrifice) have undermined public support. They highlight the need to shift discourse toward the tangible, everyday benefits of better systems — cheaper energy, reliable grids, improved appliances, and jobs — drawing parallels with how LEDs and EVs moved from niche statements to mainstream, nonpartisan technologies. The hosts also discuss the role of fossil fuels in emerging economies and the unfair financing barriers that make leapfrogging to clean systems difficult; Lisa insists we should enable scalable, financeable clean infrastructure rather than concede fossil dependence. Throughout, the tone balances critique and constructive optimism: the net zero construct may be flawed, but the transition to a cleaner, fairer, more prosperous world is feasible and economically compelling. The episode closes with a call to reframe the work: focus on building the better systems we need, redesign financing and policy levers to unlock them globally — especially in fast-growing emerging markets — and use forums like COP to scale proven solutions rather than invent them. Listeners will come away with a sharper understanding of the limits of carbon offsets, a clearer picture of what “net zero” should mean, and practical hope: we know what systems to build, the barriers we must remove, and how collective, cross-disciplinary action can make a decarbonized future both attainable and beneficial for everyone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of 50 Shades of Green, hosts Adam Lake and Katie Lanegran sit down with Naftali Honig, Regional Operations Manager for Africa Parks’ Congo's region, for a deep, hopeful conversation about the Congo Basin — its global climate importance, the wildlife it supports, and the practical work and challenges of protecting and restoring these critical ecosystems. The show opens with light banter about the World Cup, then quickly pivots to the episode’s focus: why the Congo Basin matters and how on-the-ground conservation is being done differently and successfully. Naftali explains the basin’s role as a global “lung” — not only in gas exchange and carbon storage but as a vast hydrological system that moves freshwater across Central Africa. He outlines the geography of the region, centered on the Democratic Republic of Congo but stretching into neighboring countries, and describes the remarkable biodiversity: forest elephants, gorillas, chimpanzees, myriad less-known species, and savanna-edge animals historically including cheetah. The conversation emphasizes that these ecosystems are interconnected and underpin global climate stability, water security, food systems, and local livelihoods. A major thread is African Parks’ approach: protected areas as anchors for a nature-based, sustainable economy that benefits both people and nature. Naftali debunks the myth that conservation in Africa is only about tourism, explaining how protected lands support sustainable fisheries, forestry, cultural heritage, and community wellbeing. He stresses local stewardship — most park staff are from surrounding communities — and argues that conservation succeeds when it empowers people economically and culturally, not when it excludes them. The episode highlights inspiring restoration work, notably the reintroduction of white rhinos to Garamba National Park in northeastern DRC. Naftali describes the complex logistics and long-term monitoring required for translocations, and how returning “ecosystem engineers” like rhinos can transform landscapes and accelerate ecological recovery. They also discuss plans to restore prey populations, antelopes, zebras, and potentially cheetah, illustrating how recovery must follow ecological sequencing and sustained management. Naftali outlines the principal challenges: ecological logistics and anti-poaching work, socio-political complexities, and, critically, finances. Tourism can help, but crises like Ebola and limited national budgets mean conservation needs diversified funding and innovative financial tools. He also points to technological advances — satellite imagery, tracking collars, and environmental DNA (eDNA) — that revolutionize how scientists monitor biodiversity and ecosystem health, offering richer, networked insights into species interactions and food webs. Practical takeaways for listeners include how to support the work: visit and respect rules as responsible tourists, donate to credible organizations like African Parks, and amplify the stories and science of conservation. The hosts reflect on misconceptions — especially the condescending “white savior” narrative — and celebrate the leadership and expertise originating in Africa. The episode closes on an optimistic note: real, measurable conservation successes prove that “nothing is impossible” when communities, governments, science, and sustained funding come together. Warm, informative, and grounded in field experience, this episode reframes conservation as a complex, people-centered enterprise with global stakes. It’s essential listening for anyone curious about how large-scale restoration works in practice, why the Congo Basin matters to all of us, and how targeted, locally driven efforts can yield dramatic ecological returns — from rhinos roaming again to forests stabilizing climate and water for generations to come. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

50 Shades of Green dives into the unexpected intersection of climate and the world’s most beloved sport in this timely episode. Hosts Adam Lake and Katie Lanegran welcome Elliot Arthur-Worsop, founder of Football for Future, to explore how football (soccer) can be a powerful vehicle for climate communication, action, and adaptation. Fresh off the global spectacle of the World Cup, Adam and Katie frame the conversation with fan anecdotes and the tournament’s uncanny ability to unite divided rooms — then pivot to the bigger picture: how that unity and cultural reach can help break the climate echo chamber. Elliot shares his origin story — from climate activism with Extinction Rebellion to realizing that football culture offers a far broader, more diverse audience for climate messaging. He describes the “penny-drop” moment that launched Football for Future: grassroots fans who loved the game but found mainstream climate activism off-putting. That insight led to campaigns that marry sport, storytelling, science, and celebrity to make climate action feel relevant to billions of fans worldwide. The conversation centers on Football for Future’s flagship research and campaign, “Pitches in Peril,” which maps future climate risk for both World Cup stadiums and the grassroots pitches where legends began. Elliot and the hosts walk listeners through the methodology: partnering with top climate forecasters, applying established playability thresholds (like wet-bulb globe temperature), and translating complex climate projections into a relatable metric — days of unplayable football. The result is a storytelling breakthrough: instead of abstract temperature stats, fans can grasp how many match or training days could be lost by 2050, making climate risk tangible to players, clubs, and communities. Listeners learn how the campaign built momentum — from a global survey of thousands of fans and a major media lift (translations into multiple languages and significant earned media value) to player activations and partnerships. Elliot emphasizes pragmatic, football-first recommendations: clubs and governing bodies should set carbon neutrality targets, publish sustainability strategies, and crucially, create adaptation funds as legacy investments to protect grassroots pitches and community programs in host nations. The episode highlights concrete funding ideas — ring-fenced adaptation funds, sponsorship contributions tied to social value, and embedding climate resilience into existing facility upgrade streams. Elliot argues that measuring impact in “playable days saved” offers a compelling ROI that resonates with funders and football administrators, while also delivering measurable social benefits like youth engagement, education, and community health. Adam and Katie reflect on the wider implications: sport’s unique cultural reach, its power to convene strangers around shared rituals and values, and its potential to normalize climate adaptation at the highest levels. They also explore how athletes, post-career and current, are stepping into climate advocacy, offering relatable messengers who connect health, performance, and environmental stability. This episode is for climate communicators, sports fans curious about sustainability, and anyone interested in how cultural institutions can accelerate climate action. Tune in for a thoughtful blend of data-driven analysis, campaign insight, and human stories that show how protecting the future of football is inseparable from protecting the planet. Links to the “Pitches in Peril” report, Football for Future resources, and ways to get involved are available in the episode notes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam and Katie return to coverage of London Climate Action Week with a lively, optimistic episode that dives into the intersection of climate, health and technology. They set the scene with World Cup vibes before Adam shares his on‑the‑ground experience judging the Health in Climate hackathon — a fast, furious weekend of teams building working AI‑enabled prototypes to tackle real health risks from climate events. Their guests are key figures behind the hackathon: Seema Wadhwa (former lead for sustainability at a major US health system and Founder of Climate in Health) and Chethan Sarabu (a clinician and tech partner from Cornell Tech). Together they explain what a hackathon actually is, why bringing climate scientists, clinicians, engineers, comms and product builders into an intense, time‑bounded room produces finished, deployable tools, and how AI is changing the game. Rather than replacing people, AI accelerates what’s possible — making it easier for non‑tech experts to participate and for teams to ship working solutions in a weekend. But with speed comes responsibility: energy efficiency of AI models, data privacy (especially for health data) and ethical deployment are front of mind. Highlights from the hackathon showcase the breadth and impact of the work. The winning team’s tool addressed firefighters’ long‑term health risks by combining drone‑delivered regional air‑quality sensing with personalised exposure profiles and alerts — a solution that impressed judges and actuaries alike and immediately attracted interest from potential implementers. Other standouts included a resilience tool for healthcare supply chains in flooding events and a post‑disaster travel planner for essential supplies like baby formula. The conversation emphasizes that hackathons don’t just create prototypes; they create networks, incubator opportunities and direct pathways to adoption by corporate and healthcare partners. Seema and Chethan reflect on their journeys into climate and health — from civil engineering and landscape architecture to frontline pediatrics — and on the strategic value of focussing health in climate action. Framing climate impacts through health (extreme heat, respiratory illness from wildfire smoke, pregnancy risks) makes the issue personal and depoliticizes the conversation, engaging clinicians, patients and the public in new ways. They also spell out practical next steps: AI literacy bootcamps, cross‑disciplinary capacity building and plans to expand the hackathon model globally, culminating in New York during Climate Week. Adam and Katie weave in broader reporting: how extreme heat disrupted sporting events and daily life, the need to rethink stadiums and infrastructure, and the urgency of translating technical innovation into policy and practice. This episode is for anyone curious about where rapid innovation meets frontline impact — clinicians, technologists, policymakers and organizers who want to turn ideas into deployed solutions. Find out more at https://healthinclimate.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of 50 Shades of Green takes you straight into the heat — literally and figuratively — of London Climate Action Week. Hosts Adam Lake and Katie Lanegran unpack a timely, wide‑ranging discussion hosted by Climate Group on energy efficiency, electrification, cooling, finance and the role of technology in closing the gap between climate ambition and execution. From sweaty conference rooms in London to the bigger picture of global climate weeks, this special edition weaves practical solutions with policy and market realities. With some introductory framing from Mike Umiker - Managing Director, Energy Efficiency Movement, Climate Group's Mike Peirce introduces a powerhouse panel: Erika Gupta (Siemens Financial Services), Ana Troncoso (ABB), Emma Harvey‑Smith (Green Finance Institute) and Chris Skidmore (Climate Action Coalition; former UK Energy and Clean Growth Minister). Together they interrogate why, despite clear economics and existing technologies, energy efficiency remains underfunded and fragmented. Topics include the critical role of efficiency as “the first fuel,” the challenges of scaling retrofit projects, and innovative financing models like energy efficiency as a service, retrofit-as-a-service, and property‑linked finance (PACE) that spread costs and align benefits over time. The conversation zeroes in on cooling: rising air‑conditioning demand, public health impacts of extreme heat, and the uncomfortable tradeoffs between keeping people safe and avoiding runaway electricity demand. Panelists highlight solutions that don’t rely on brute‑force AC expansion: smarter HVAC controls, motor-driven system optimization, thermal and electrical storage, load‑smoothing strategies, and liquid cooling for data centers. The discussion also explores how electrification must be “efficient electrification” to avoid overwhelming grids and lock in costly infrastructure. Finance and policy emerge as pivotal themes. The guests explain why aggregation, standardized project pipelines, fit‑for‑purpose data and mandates are necessary to mobilize institutional capital. Real‑world case studies — from university decarbonization partnerships to large industrial motor replacements — demonstrate that when projects are designed at scale, paybacks shorten and impact multiplies. The episode spotlights the Global Property‑Linked Finance Initiative and practical routes to unlock capital for retrofits. Technology and AI are presented as double‑edged tools: powerful enablers of optimization, digital twinning and demand management, but also potential sources of inefficiency if misused. The panel calls for responsible, targeted AI deployment to drive measurable efficiency gains and for broader consumer education so households and businesses seize the right opportunities at the right moments (mortgage renewals, retrofits, tech upgrades). Warm, candid and solution‑focused, this episode is for policymakers, investors, technologists and anyone frustrated by the slow pace of implementation. Listen for pragmatic ideas on scaling energy efficiency, financing the retrofit revolution, making cooling sustainable, and turning climate ambition into measurable action — before the next heatwave. Siemens and ABB are members of Climate Group's Smart Energy Coalition, for more information contact smartenergycoalition@climategroup.org or visit: https://www.theclimategroup.org/smart-energy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Fifty Shades of Green, Adam Lake and Katie Lanegran dive into the intersection of theatre and climate with Molly Braverman, Executive Director of the Broadway Green Alliance. If you love Broadway — or care about practical climate action — this conversation reveals how the theatrical world backstage and onstage is being transformed to reduce emissions, cut waste, and inspire audiences. Molly explains Broadway Green Alliance's two-part mission: make theatre operations more sustainable (lower emissions, boost circularity, change backstage practices) and use the cultural power of Broadway to reach audiences with climate solutions. She walks us through concrete, replicable programs that show sustainability can be both creative and cost-effective — and often a better business decision. Highlights from the episode: Green Captains: A volunteer program with over 1,600 green captains across Broadway, touring productions, colleges, unions, and community theatres. These sustainability champions receive department-specific toolkits and one-on-one support to implement changes that fit each show’s needs, from stage management to props. Rechargeable batteries at Wicked: A striking example of impact — Wicked moved from 15,000 single-use alkaline batteries per year to 96 rechargeable batteries, dramatically reducing e-waste and costs while maintaining show safety. LED marquees: A Broadway-wide transition from incandescent bulbs to LEDs has saved over 10,000 tons of carbon to date and delivered substantial financial savings while preserving the iconic look of Times Square. Front-of-house and dressing room changes: From reusable glassware and reusable “sippy” cups to composting in dressing rooms, Molly shares how small visible shifts reduce waste and normalize sustainable behavior for audiences and performers alike. Circular programs and collections: BGA runs specialty collections (flowers and vases, instrument strings, binders and props) partnering with organizations like TerraCycle, D’Addario, Materials for the Arts, and local florists to keep materials in use across the community. Binder lending library: A Midtown lending system for binders (complete with library slips) to reduce single-use purchases for readings and rehearsals — a charming example of theatre’s inherently reuse-friendly culture. Audience engagement & storytelling: BGA leverages Broadway’s reach — from Earth Month concerts in Times Square to livestreamed events — to educate and inspire audiences. Molly describes using existing shows to “tell climate stories” and creating short climate-themed pieces (e.g., a 30-minute “Climate Talk” with showtune puns) to meet people where they are. Global connections: BGA collaborates with international counterparts (Julie’s Bicycle, Theatre Green Book) to share best practices and amplify the performing arts sector’s climate leadership worldwide. How to get involved: Molly invites theatre professionals, students, and fans to join BGA’s free membership, follow @BroadwayGreenAlliance on social, sign up for the quarterly newsletter, attend public drives in Times Square, or support local theatres by asking what they’re doing to be greener. Throughout the episode, Adam, Katie, and Molly keep the chat lively, full of theatre nerd energy and practical optimism. Whether you’re a stage manager curious about digitizing paperwork, a performer wanting to start a compost routine, a fan wondering about reusable cups, or a student pursuing theatre and climate studies, this episode shows there’s a place for you in the movement — and that “every job is a climate job.” Find out more at BroadwayGreen.com or follow Broadway Green Alliance on Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of 50 Shades of Green Adam Lake and Katie Lanegran speak with Betsy Apple, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Global Climate Legal Defense (CliDef). Betsy — a longtime human-rights lawyer who has worked across Africa, Asia and beyond — explains why legal protection for climate defenders is now essential, how CliDef operates in difficult and dangerous environments, and what ordinary listeners can do to help. What we cover: Why climate defense is a human-rights issue: Betsy frames climate work as inseparable from human wellbeing — whether defenders are villagers, park rangers, journalists, teachers or scientists — and explains how opposing fossil fuel projects often puts people at risk. How CliDef works: A small, high-impact team partners with trusted local legal groups and private counsel across roughly 20 countries, funding local representation, supporting jailed or prosecuted activists, and bringing “affirmative” cases to challenge abusive laws and official misconduct. The global scale of repression: From apparently democratic countries (UK, France, Germany, the U.S.) to authoritarian states, Betsy highlights the alarming trend of closing civic space — criminal prosecutions, harsh sentences (even for organizing via Zoom), disappearances, and targeted legal harassment. Case studies and frontline struggles: UK prosecutions of protesters and extreme sentences for organizers. COP-related repression in Azerbaijan and Egypt, where local activists faced mass arrests and ongoing detention. Uganda’s East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) protests: grassroots mobilisation that has delayed projects — and why “delay is victory.” DRC park rangers defending Rarunga National Park, facing armed threats, corporate capture of courts, and spurious criminal charges. SLAPPs and social-media repression: Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) are being used worldwide to intimidate and silence critics — including criminal defamation charges for posting videos or warnings online. Limits of tech and AI: Betsy reflects on AI’s role in expanding access to legal help but cautions that technology can’t replace human judgment, trust-building, contextual understanding, or the holistic support defenders often need. Pathways into climate legal work: Betsy offers realistic career reflections — the long arc of legal activism, the inequality of arms in legal systems, and why practical experience, patience and diverse skills matter more than a rushed route to law school. Why this matters This conversation pulls back the curtain on how powerful economic and state interests — often tied to fossil fuels — shape legal systems and civic freedoms. It also spotlights courageous people risking their lives to protect communities and ecosystems, and the vital role lawyers and civil-society partners play in keeping them safe. Resources & how to help Learn more about CliDef and donate: climatelegaldefense.org Need help or want to refer a case? Email: hello@climatelegaldefense.org If this episode sparked questions or you want to dig deeper into any case we discussed, email us or leave a comment. If you found the episode useful, please subscribe, rate and share — it helps get these urgent stories to more listeners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Katie and Adam kick off this episode with their usual warm banter (groundhogs, hay fever, and gardening included) before diving into a seriously inspiring conversation with Sam Elfmont, Director of Response at World Central Kitchen (WCK) — José Andrés’ disaster-response outfit that gets food to people fast when climate-driven storms, floods, fires and conflicts strike. Sam walks us through what being “first on the ground” actually looks like: rapid deployment, working with local chefs and restaurants, buying fresh food locally (no mystery MREs), and getting hot, culturally familiar meals to people on day one. From a surprise flood response in Texas to a category‑5 typhoon in Saipan, WCK’s model is simple but powerful — feed people with dignity, support local economies, and move fast. Sam also explains clever resilience work they do, like handing out long‑lasting water filtration bags and community filters so places don’t become flooded with disposable plastic water bottles after disasters. We hear about the tough realities too: unpredictable logistics, airports and ports closed, responding to fires and conflict zones, and the need to keep teams safe while being quick. Sam estimates most of WCK’s work now addresses climate-related disasters — floods, hurricanes, fires — and describes an innovation team working on future tools to make responses smarter and greener. Katie and Adam reflect on why this matters: food is immediate, human, and easy to support — Sam says even $10 can cover a meal and a bottle of water. They discuss how celebrity support (think Colbert and José Andrés) can amplify donations, why storytelling and practical language matter for climate conversations, and how aid is increasingly politicized despite being fundamentally about helping neighbors. Find out more at https://wck.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of 50 Shades of Green, hosts Adam and Katie chat with Cecilia Brenner, Managing Director of Design for Good, about how design skills are being mobilized globally to tackle the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Design for Good is a global non-profit that convenes a global alliance of companies, design schools and NGOs to co-create open-source solutions for real community problems. Cecilia explains their two-year SDG cycles (past: clean water & sanitation; current: quality education; upcoming: people and planet health combining SDGs 3 & 13), and how local NGOs provide briefs and community access while volunteer designers form cross-functional task forces to prototype, validate and implement solutions. Key themes: Open-source approach: How alliance members waive IP so solutions can be adapted and scaled, shifting from ownership to shared impact. Practical impact: Learning about campaigns like a water-saving social media initiative which reached millions; Design practices: How they co-design with communities, systems thinking, life-centered and regenerative design, and treating climate impacts as design constraints rather than afterthoughts. Capacity-building: Updates of how a partnership with the Royal College of Art and the Design for Good Academy has trained over 1,200 designers to design for measurable impact, including sustainability and AI ethics topics. Scale and ambition: Find out how over 2,000 designers mobilized across 30 countries with a goal to improve 10 million lives and help regenerate the planet by 2030. You can find out more about Design for Good here: https://www.designforgood.org/ Fifty Shades of Green is produced by Climate Group North America and recorded in New York City. Climate Group is a non-profit with a global impact. You can support this podcast and our wider work here: https://support.theclimategroup.org/give/280085/#!/donation/checkout Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of 50 Shades of Green, Adam and Katie sit down with Jamil Wine, founder of the Hazelwood Network, for a wide‑ranging conversation about climate finance and climate tech—from the fast‑moving innovation hubs of the Middle East to the practical realities of scaling solutions in vulnerable countries. Jamil traces his accidental entry into climate work, explains why regions like the Gulf are both urgent hot spots and hubs of ingenuity, and lays out the “ecosystem” ingredients—talent, diverse capital, governance and markets—needed to build climate tech at scale. He shares lessons from advising governments, NGOs and corporations, reflects on how necessity drives invention in the world’s most affected places, and offers actionable career advice for young people: build social capital, embrace networking, and be willing to fail. The conversation also spotlights adaptation and resilience as growing investment priorities and ends on an optimistic note about cross‑sector collaboration and the role events like Climate Week NYC play in accelerating action. Practical, hopeful and full of on‑the‑ground insight, this episode is a must‑listen for anyone curious about where climate innovation is happening—and how to get involved. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of 50 Shades of Green hosts Adam Lake and Katie Lanagren interview Jennifer Hinton, co‑founder of Carve Designs, about building a performance swimwear brand rooted in sustainability. Jennifer explains how Carve developed recycled‑bottle and natural‑blend fabrics (including coconut‑infused blends), the challenges of recyclable swim materials, and the company’s shift from local manufacturing to certified partner factories. They discuss logistics and carbon reductions, the importance of supply‑chain visits and ethical factory choices, and ambitious plans to create fashion recycling loop. Jennifer also shares her observations of changing seasons from an outdoor‑athlete perspective, and how policies such as California's textile producer responsibility legislation is starting to push the industry toward end‑of‑life solutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we prepare for Smart and Sustainable Mobility Week, where cities showcase their progress on clean transportation and identify the steps needed to advance effective mobility policies in their region, we're joined by the Québec Government Office in New York and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) to take us through the agenda and identify how, why and where companies, transportation agencies, and community partners are primed to take action on these issues. This episode features: ⭕ Richard Parker , Senior Manager, Transportation Programs, Climate Group North America ⭕ Frederic Langlois , Transportation and Energy Attache, Québec Government Office in New York ⭕ Alessandra Guido , Commercial Attache, Québec Government Office in New York ⭕ Emily Duncan , Manager of Business Innovation, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) ⭕ Rachel L. Lamb, PhD , Assistant Secretary, Maryland Department of the Environment Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded live at the US Leaders Forum in Washington, D.C., this special episode of 50 Shades of Green dives into one of the biggest questions shaping climate action today: can the “abundance” narrative unlock real progress—or is it just another buzzword? Featuring a live debate moderated by The Spectator ’s Ben Clerkin, this episode brings together leaders from across politics, business, and climate advocacy to challenge conventional thinking on clean energy, economic growth, and government’s role in driving change. The conversation explores why we already have the technology to cut emissions at scale, what’s holding deployment back, and whether politics—not innovation—is the biggest barrier to progress. From rising energy demand and affordability concerns to bipartisan frustration over slow permitting and grid constraints, panelists make the case that climate change is no longer just an environmental issue—it’s an economic one that requires urgent, systemic action. Featured panelists include: Jigar Shah, Managing Partner, Multiplier Craig Segall, Senior Advisor, Federation of American Scientists Heather Reams, President and CEO, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions Bob Keefe, Executive Director, E2 Expect bold takes, real disagreement, and a clear takeaway: the solutions exist—but the world needs to move from talking to doing. Subscribe to The Spectator here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does effective climate action look like in a conservative state, and how can clean energy actually save people money? In this episode of 50 Shades of Green , host Phil sits down with Sarah Wright , Founder of Utah Clean Energy , for a wide-ranging conversation on practical, people-centered climate solutions. Drawing on her background in geology and public health, Sarah explains why Utah Clean Energy focuses on energy efficiency, building electrification, zero-emission homes, clean transportation, and grid decarbonization, and how these strategies improve both air quality and household affordability. Sarah shares how reframing climate change as a health, community, and economic issue has helped bring together unlikely allies, including the creation of Utah’s Climate and Clean Air Compact with more than 200 business, faith, and civic leaders. She also discusses why fuel-free resources like wind and solar protect families from volatile energy costs, and how smart building design can deliver billions in long-term savings. The conversation closes with lessons from nearly two decades of climate advocacy, from finding shared values in tough negotiations to making sure renters and low-income households aren’t left behind. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.