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Nathan Zvi is on a mission to bring climate innovators to the forefront of media and help the people of the world reduce their carbon footprint, save money, and live happier. The Net Zero Life podcast answers the most basic question of “Why should you care about climate change?” and dives deep into topics such as “How many times do you need to use your Hydroflask before it is better than a Poland Springs water bottle?” Along the way you’ll hear from sustainability thought leaders such as climate scientists, politicians, celebrities, business people, and everyday folks who are living their best net zero life.
Episodes
Tuesday Mar 21, 2023
Tuesday Mar 21, 2023
Today on the podcast I’m speaking with Manuel Pinuela, co-founder and CEO of Cultivo. a company focused on unlocking capital to regenerate nature.
Unlocking capital is investment dollars spent on restoring land to its “original” state or at the very least improving its biodiversity through ecosystem growth. Regenerative capital is investment dollars that are put towards improving degraded land and creating improved outcomes for nature.
In the episode, we discuss Manuel's lengthy journey to Cultivo, his understanding of land degradation and what can be done about it, and some of the ecosystems he hopes to one day restore.
You can keep up with Manuel on LinkedIn and Twitter, and you can follow Cultivo's newest at their aptly named website, cultivo.land.
Keep up with the show by following The Net Zero Life onTwitter and Instagram (@thenetzerolife). You can also get in touch at www.thenetzerolife.com or via email at nathan@thenetzerolife.com.
Tuesday Mar 07, 2023
Tuesday Mar 07, 2023
Today on the podcast we hear from Manik Suri, Founder and CEO of Therma, a technology startup whose mission is to help protect our food, health and planet.
Manik had storied careers as an investment banker working on Wall Street, then as a Harvard trained lawyer working on Capital hill and yet he pivoted from New York and DC to join the ranks of Silicon Valley founders in order to fight climate change.
Manik founded Therma in 2019, to eliminate food waste, improve energy efficiency and reduce refrigerant emissions, three critical aspects of a net zero future. If these concepts sound foreign and unrelated to your daily life, fear not we get into them in detail, during the show.
On the flipside, companies you’ve likely heard of companies that work with Therma to reduce their emissions. Namely, McDonalds, Starbucks, NOW Foods, 7-Eleven and Marriott Hotels.
Manik’s pivot from a trajectory destined for the met gala to the chewing on glass life as an entrepreneur is one example of many where individuals are making career altering decisions to help move the world closer to net zero emissions. Manik pulls back the curtain on the “why” behind his move and at the same time this episode puts a spotlight on an emission area that is significantly less well known, “cold chain emissions.”
You can keep up with Manik on LinkedIn and Twitter, and you can follow Therma's newest Research and Impact at their website.
Keep up with the show by following The Net Zero Life onTwitter and Instagram (@thenetzerolife). You can also get in touch at www.thenetzerolife.com or via email at nathan@thenetzerolife.com.
Tuesday Feb 28, 2023
Tuesday Feb 28, 2023
Climate change is a relatively new science. The impacts of that scientific research can have massive impacts on how governments, companies, and even individuals can think about their role in preventing climate change. Yet distilling that knowledge requires a pair of skills few people have: first, the ability to comprehend the science and second, the skills to distill it to an understandable level for a non-expert.
Our guest today, Dr. Akshat Rathi, Senior Report for Climate at Bloomberg News, has made it his mission to do just that. Through his weekly newsletter and podcasts, Akshat covers physical and human solutions to the challenge of a global net zero transition. He is careful to cover the companies and people who are making a real impact.
During the episode we discuss Akshat’s unique pivot from a PHD in Organic Chemistry to journalism, his keys to writing accurate and accessible climate coverage, and how he measures the impact of his work on his readers and listeners.
You can keep up with Akshat on LinkedIn and Twitter, and you can find his work in his newsletter and podcast. Keep up with the show by following The Net Zero Life on Twitter and Instagram (@thenetzerolife). You can also get in touch at www.thenetzerolife.com or via email at nathan@thenetzerolife.com.
Tuesday Feb 21, 2023
Tuesday Feb 21, 2023
As part of the flow of capital in investments such as stocks and bonds, investment vehicles are rated by trusted services to help investors make informed decisions. This creates more opportunities for innovators and entrepreneurs by encouraging more capital flowing across global financial markets.
The same must happen to carbon markets to build a net zero future, and today I’m speaking with Ted Christie Miller, Head of Carbon removal at BeZero Carbon, about the role of Global Carbon Ratings and how they facilitate greater trust and transparency in carbon markets.
To close any remaining gap between emission reductions and a net zero future, we need to build a massive carbon market. According to the IPCC, we need to be sequestering as much as 10 BILLION tons of CO2 across the globe by 2050 to reach net zero. And the key ingredient to expand these voluntary and regulatory carbon markets from millions to billions of tons is trust.
Companies, governments, and even individuals need to trust that their carbon credit, offset, or removal purchases are accomplishing the thing they claim to do: namely, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Our guest today, Ted Christie Miller, is an expert in carbon removal and carbon markets. He is currently the Head of Carbon Removal at BeZero Carbon where he leads research, ratings and partnerships team for engineered carbon removal for the BeZero Carbon Markets platform. The Be Zero Markets Platform grades carbon offset and removal projects on their likeliness to reduce emissions. This streamlines companies and governments decisions as they look to reduce their carbon output outside their operations.
You can keep up with Ted on LinkedIn and Twitter, and you can check out BeZero Carbon on Twitter for updates on their work. Keep up with the show by following The Net Zero Life on Twitter and Instagram (@thenetzerolife). You can also get in touch at www.thenetzerolife.com or via email at nathan@thenetzerolife.com.
Other show notes:
Ted's Suggested Readings
- Net Zero: How We Stop Causing Climate Change by Dieter Helm
- Climate Change and the Nation State: The Case for Nationalism in a Warming World by Anatol Lieven
- Business Green
- Carbon Brief
- NoahPinion (Noah Smith on Substack)
Ted's Suggested People/Companies to Check Out
Tuesday Feb 14, 2023
Tuesday Feb 14, 2023
In the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, President Biden asked energy companies to pump more oil, drill more wells and overall increase fossil fuel production at the behest of the American public.
Energy companies have built the existing infrastructure, provided critical resources, including meeting energy demand, and they want to protect what they built. At times that has come at a cost to the climate, the speed at which we will achieve net zero emissions, and public trust. Nonetheless it’s important to identify good partners, and today’s guest, Bryan Trudel is one of those partners.
Bryan is the CFO and Co-founder of Avatar Innovations, a venture studio focused on energy innovation towards net zero. Reality has moved the goalposts for energy companies, and now they have to focus on a net zero future—both to save the planet and to make a profit. In service of this vision, Avatar incubates new energy companies that include net zero in their strategic business plan.
On today's episode, we discuss how and why he got to this point, as well as how his work is helping change the minds of other players in the energy space in the episode.
You can keep up with Bryan on LinkedIn and follow Avatar on Instagram for updates on their work. Keep up with the show by following The Net Zero Life on Twitter and Instagram (@thenetzerolife). You can also get in touch at www.thenetzerolife.com or via email at nathan@thenetzerolife.com.
Other show notes:
Bryan's Suggested Readings
Tuesday Feb 07, 2023
Tuesday Feb 07, 2023
Three and a bit seasons into The Net Zero Life we finally have our first climate scientist on the pod. Today on the podcast we hear from Professor Kimberly Nicholas from Lund University on perspectives from a climate scientist.
In conjunction with her research in sustainability, Kimberly is the author of the book Under the Sky we Make, and We Can Fix It, a monthly newsletter informing individuals on how to deliver the impacts humanity needs to reach net zero emissions.
Kimberly began her study of climate science and the impacts of human induced climate change on the environment in 2003 when, in her words, climate change was a problem for future generations. In the nearly 20 years since, she has navigated both a warming world and new expectations for academics.
Where previously, Kimberly and her peers solely communicated among themselves, they no longer have that luxury. Confronted with the current impacts of climate change, communicating her research with diverse groups of stakeholders is just another part of Kimberly’s job as a sustainability expert.
She has published over 55 articles on climate and sustainability in leading peer-reviewed journals; writes for publications such as Elle, The Guardian, Scientific American, and New Scientist. In her book, Under the Sky We Make, Kimberly navigates this new world, writing for academics and consumers alike .
You can keep up with Kimberly on Twitter, @KA_Nicholas. Sign up for her monthly newsletter We Can Fix It here and buy her book Under The Sky We Make here.
Keep up with the show by following The Net Zero Life on Twitter and Instagram (@thenetzerolife). You can also get in touch at www.thenetzerolife.com or via email at nathan@thenetzerolife.com.
Other show notes:
Kimberly's Suggested Readings
- New York 2140 and The Ministry For The Future by Kim Stanley Robinson
- Global Warming’s Terrifying New Math by Bill Mckibben | Rolling Stone
Kimberly's Suggested Organizations to Check Out
Tuesday Jan 31, 2023
Tuesday Jan 31, 2023
In the fight to ensure we maintain livable conditions on this planet, carbon gets most of the spotlight, however water is the key ingredient that enables life on this beautiful world. And yet, according to the World Health Organization, 2 BILLION people don’t have access to clean drinking water at their home. We’ve covered this topic in light detail with Andrea Johnson of Green Empowerment, but today on the show, I’m speaking with Neil Grimmer about water and how ensuring every person has access to clean water is a massive part of a net zero future.
Imagine you live in a desert, off the grid, and not connected to a public source of water. Instead of walking or driving miles to the neatest water source, you can use Hydropanels, to collect water out of the air right outside your house. This is one of Source Global’s many projects, and the one we’re going to talk about with Neil.
As co-founder and CEO of Plum Organics, Neil built one of the fastest-growing organic food brands in the U.S. and revolutionized a dormant and commoditized category. In 2013, he sold PlumOrganics to Campbell Soup Company, where he served as a senior executive for more than five years.
You can keep up with Neil on LinkedIn and at https://www.source.co/.
Keep up with the show by following The Net Zero Life on Twitter and Instagram (@thenetzerolife). You can also get in touch at www.thenetzerolife.com or via email at nathan@thenetzerolife.com.
Other show notes:
Neil's Suggested Readings
- Raising the Bar: Integrity and Passion in Life and Business: The Story of Clif Bar Inc. by Gary Erickson
Neil's Suggested Organizations to Check Out
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
Today on the show we have Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of the most important carbon recycling company in climate tech, LanzaTech. LanzaTech takes CO2 and turns it into useful materials like clothing (think Zara), jet fuel (sustainable aviation fuel), and shoes (including with the popular Swiss shoe company On).
Climate tech companies like LanzaTech often have two distinct types of problems to solve: physical and financial. We’ve covered a range of physical hurdles climate tech companies face on the show previously, but for the first time on the net zero life we cover the financial hurdles.
That’s what makes this episode so special and why LanzaTech’s $500M capital raise is so important. Because they are in the midst of crossing that financial valley of death and if they succeed, they will build the path for others to follow.
Jennifer was the first woman awarded the Malcolm E. Pruitt Award from the Council for Chemical Research . In 2010, she was the recipient of the Leadership Award from the Civil Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative for her work in establishing the technical and commercial viability of sustainable aviation biofuels.
Jennifer currently serves on the board of The National Renewable Energy Laboratory Biofuels Advisory Committee. She holds a B.Sc. degree from Harvey Mudd College, a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a MBA from the University of Chicago.
You can keep up with Jennifer on Twitter, @TodaDogs and LanzaTech too, @LanzaTech. If you prefer email, you can reach Jennifer at Jennifer@lanzatech.com, and you can keep up with everything LanzaTech at LanzaTech.com.
Keep up with the show by following The Net Zero Life on Twitter and Instagram (@thenetzerolife). You can also get in touch at www.thenetzerolife.com or via email at nathan@thenetzerolife.com.
Other show notes:
- 1491 - Charles C. Mann
- Sir David King
- Solyndra
- Cradle to Cradle - William (Bill) McDonough
Tuesday Jan 17, 2023
Tuesday Jan 17, 2023
A few years ago, Hal Harvey, an acclaimed energy advisor and Justin Gillis, an award winning New York Times climate reporter, discussed the health of our planet over steaks. By the end of that dinner, they decided to write a book together on the principles individuals can rely on to help save the planet. (Sound familiar?)
That book became THE BIG FIX: 7 Practical Steps to Save Our Planet. And over the course of the book, Hal and Justin provide readers with seven essential changes communities must enact to bring greenhouse gas emissions down to zero.
Today, Hal and Justin join The Net Zero Life to break down The Big Fix in detail, and as always, I ask them to share their climate origin stories and climate role models.
Hal is a Stanford trained engineer, and CEO of Energy Innovation. He is the recipient of the UN Climate and Clean Air Award, the Heinz Award for the Environment, and the State of California’s Haagen-Smit Clean Air Award. Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush both called on Hal to Serve on national and international climate panels.
Justin is an award-winning journalist with four decades of experience with major daily newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Miami Herald. As the lead reporter on climate science at The Times for nearly a decade, Justin won the John B. Oakes Award for Distinguished Environmental Journalism for a series of front-page articles exploring the basics of the climate crisis.
You can keep up with Hal and Justin on Twitter, @Hal_Harvey and @JustinHGillis. You can buy The Big Fix wherever you get your books, and here's a link to where I got my copy.
Keep up with the show by following The Net Zero Life on Twitter and Instagram (@thenetzerolife). You can also get in touch at www.thenetzerolife.com or via email at nathan@thenetzerolife.com.
Other show notes:
Tuesday Jan 10, 2023
Tuesday Jan 10, 2023
Welcome to The Net Zero Life Season 4, I’m Nathan Zvi. The question driving us this season is “How Do We Measure Impact?”
Our guests are climate leaders from all over the private sector. Their expertise intersects with a host of different climate challenges, and each of them need to be measured. Our guests are founders, authors, CEOs, board members, and writers. They represent climate science, journalism, consumer goods, water tech, climate tech, and venture capital.
Together, we discuss this theme along with their climate origin stories, first principles of their work, and, of course, how their organizations are building a net zero future.
In every episode we start with their why? Like Brian Trudel. How does a lifelong energy analyst become the co-founder of a net-zero focused incubator?
Trudel: "It dawned on me the oil and gas sector has a problem … you basically have an existential threat on your hands.”
We also cover the first principles of technical and non-technical topics, such as how to finance a critical, but as-of-yet unproven, circular economy solution at scale.
Jennifer Holmgren: "I think there's this—ridiculous frankly—fight between the people who think that the unicorns will magically appear, and the world will bend the carbon curve. And the people who say, 'I just got to take a step, help me take one step. That will give me a reduction. Then I'll take another step and then I'll take another step and eventually we'll solve this problem.'"
This is the question animating Jennifer Holmgren when she and her company LanzaTech recycle CO2 by making clothes and shoes with Zara and On.
Every guest, and the organizations they come from, define impact differently, and how they measure that impact differs as well.
And while your actions and how you measure their impact may differ from what our guests or society believe is best, these ten episodes in season four will help you consider your role in bringing about a net zero future.
Hal Harvey: “Guilt might work well for the Catholic Church, but not right set of solutions for solving climate change.”
And maybe, just maybe, help you make a small change that benefits the world.
The first episode comes out next Tuesday, if you can’t wait until then, check out the interviews from our incredible guests from seasons 1-3.
I’m Nathan Zvi, and this is the net zero life. I’ll talk to you next week.
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Keep up with the show by following The Net Zero Life on Twitter and Instagram (@thenetzerolife). You can also get in touch at www.thenetzerolife.com or via email at nathan@thenetzerolife.com.