Climate Swings

Nick Halla has had a wild arc—from his upbringing on a small dairy farm in Minnesota to becoming employee #1 at Impossible Foods, where he helped turn “meat from plants” into a mainstream, climate-first movement and scaled the company from little more than an idea to a global brand reshaping how we eat. In this episode, Nick discusses ditching his safe career path in big food and energy, betting it all on a radical new way to make meat, navigating the hype and turbulence of the alternative protein boom, and why he now sees “climate” not as an industry but as a design constraint for every business he helps build through GigaClimate, his current venture. It’s a story about serendipity, stubborn optimism, and what it really takes to bend entire systems toward a livable future.Notes and resources* Nick Halla’s LinkedIn* GigaClimate* Impossible Foods* Climate Swings Substack Get full access to Climate Swings at climateswings.substack.com/subscribe

Tim Gray is one of Canada’s most seasoned, quietly formidable forces in conservation and climate action. He’s spent decades in the trenches—from getting arrested at an environmental protest in Northern Ontario to policy backrooms where evidence becomes law—and has built a career translating science into power, confronting entrenched interests, and evolving traditional conservation into a relentless push for deep climate mitigation. This conversation traces the arc of his impact career, from acid-rain fieldwork and old-growth forest fights to shaping modern climate policy and steering Canada through the turbulence of the global energy transition. Now, as executive director of Environmental Defence, Tim is a model for what commitment looks like when it spans a lifetime—and how conservation becomes climate action at scale.Notes and resources* Tim Gray’s LinkedIn* Environmental Defence Canada* Climate Swings Substack Get full access to Climate Swings at climateswings.substack.com/subscribe

Neelambaree Prasad grew up in Mumbai the daughter of a mathematician and a nuclear scientist. She later became both a pharmacologist and a practitioner of traditional Indian dance. For sixteen years she built a corporate career in biotech and pharma, until the pandemic—and motherhood—cracked something open. What began as a restless question about purpose turned into ClimArts, a global collective weaving climate science with performance and storytelling, from stand-up comedy in Jakarta to ballet about coral reefs in Madagascar. In this conversation, Neelambaree talks about how art can illuminate evidence, how purpose can evolve, and how imagination might just be climate’s most renewable resource.Notes and resources* Neelambaree Prasad’s LinkedIn* ClimArts* Climate Swings interview with Kamal Kapadia* Climate Swings Substack Get full access to Climate Swings at climateswings.substack.com/subscribe

From scaling an AI startup before it was cool, to negotiating international trade deals, to building Canada’s first blue innovation cluster from a literal garden by the sea, Amelie Desrochers’ journey is anything but linear. In this episode, she traces the unlikely path that led her from Silicon Valley’s tech bubble and diplomatic corridors to the beating heart of the ocean economy. Now principal for blue economy and maritime sustainability at Cleantech Group, Amelie’s work represents the culmination of her search for meaning at the intersection of innovation, diplomacy, and nature—a place where technology meets tides, and purpose truly finds its depth.Notes and resources* Amelie Desrochers’ LinkedIn* Cleantech Group* Climate Swings Substack Get full access to Climate Swings at climateswings.substack.com/subscribe

Lars Tallert took a wild swing from classical violinist to hard-hitting journalist early in his career, and then became an advisor to prime ministers, UN agencies, and The Guardian—and even served as a frontline witness in Nicaragua, where a reporting project on poisoned banana workers changed his life. Lars then co-founded the Sustainable Journalism Partnership—now 70 countries strong—to answer a simple, urgent question: how can climate journalism actually motivate people to act? In this conversation, Lars traces the thread from anti-apartheid campaigns to today’s “doom and gloom” news cycle, and lays out a blueprint for journalism that empowers communities instead of exhausting them—shifting audiences from consumers to participants, and linking climate change to the systems we live in, from culture to national resilience.Notes and resources* Lars Tallert's LinkedIn* Sustainable Journalism Partnership* Climate Swings episode with Peter Prengaman, global climate and environmental news director, the Associated Press* Climate Swings SubstackClimate Swings is an audience-supported podcast. To receive new episodes and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Climate Swings at climateswings.substack.com/subscribe

Astrid Atkinson has a story that should inspire even the most jaded climate hawk. Growing up in rural Australia, she first got online when an internet-enabled train arrived in her village. She then decamped to the United States, dropped out of college to work for Google, and swung through a variety of high-impact roles at the search giant before founding her own company when the itch to do something about climate change got too strong to ignore. Now as the head of Camus, which provides digital solutions for the energy grid, she serves as a model of what it means to leave everything on the field when it comes to pursuing a climate career that can truly make a difference.Notes and resources* Astrid Atkinson's LinkedIn* Camus website* Climate Swings Substack Get full access to Climate Swings at climateswings.substack.com/subscribe

Climate change and racial inequality are problems that demand system change on a massive scale. Kory Murphy is working at the intersection of both. As program officer at The Lemelson Foundation, he empowers Black entrepreneurs in climate who are righting historical wrongs and creating a more liveable planet for all. His story starts in college, where his time on the football team helped him think strategically and holistically about how to maneuver and make change. Having swung through various roles managing critical infrastructure and child welfare services in Portland, Oregon, before landing at Lemelson, Kory has a sharp vision for how to move the needle on big, intractable problems in climate and racial justice.Notes and resources* Kory Murphy’s LinkedIn* The Lemelson Foundation* Climate Swings Substack Get full access to Climate Swings at climateswings.substack.com/subscribe

We all spend time in nature, but there is something truly unique about how John Muir Laws approaches his work (yes, that is his given name). John—who goes by the nickname Jack—is a naturalist, illustrator, and educator whose depictions of the great outdoors bring a fresh perspective to many places and spaces that we all take for granted. A few steps removed from your typical climate warrior, Jack works across vast political and socio-cultural divides to bring the joy of nature journaling to audiences around the world. In his journey, which took him from roaming the Sierra Nevadas to sparking an artistic movement, he demonstrates that the best way to succeed in difficult climate discussions is to find common ground with the simple things, like the birds and bees in our own backyards, that connect us. In this episode, Jack takes us through a lesson in nature art that could very well change how you see the world around you—and maybe inspire you to slow down and pay a bit more attention than you would otherwise. You’ll definitely want to WATCH this one!Notes and resources* John Muir Laws’s website* Americans’ partisan identities are stronger than race and ethnicity, Stanford scholar finds* Climate Swings Substack* Climate Swings YouTube* Climate Swings Spotify Get full access to Climate Swings at climateswings.substack.com/subscribe

From small-town Pennsylvania to the halls of Stanford Law, from EPA environmental attorney to mayor of Sausalito, Janelle Kellman’s career has put her at the heart of the climate-community nexus—and could even see her become the next Lieutenant Governor of California. Join Janelle as she takes us through her "intellectual buffet" of roles—law firm partner, EPA Region 9 attorney, renewable energy consultant, planning commissioner, nonprofit founder, e-commerce entrepreneur, and elected official. Her secret sauce? An unshakeable belief that resilience beats sustainability every time, and that communities know best how to solve their own problems. Whether she’s securing $2 million in grants to flood-proof her waterfront town or hiking California’s watersheds to understand dam removal impacts, Janelle proves that the most effective climate leaders are those who listen first, act second, and never stop building coalitions. Her mantra is "community leader who took action" and she’s living it at every level from city hall to state politics.Notes and resources* Janelle Kellman’s LinkedIn* Center for Sea Rise Solutions* Janelle Kellman’s campaign website Get full access to Climate Swings at climateswings.substack.com/subscribe

In this special episode of Climate Swings, I'm breaking from my usual interview format to share a personal update from Barcelona, Spain—where I've been completely won over after just two weeks. Join me as I take you through the captivating blend of old-world charm and modern innovation that defines this Mediterranean gem, from its vibrant street life and exceptional public transit to its surprisingly robust climate action community. What started as the first stop on a three-city European tour has quickly evolved into something more significant: a potential future home. Listen in to discover why my husband and I have already changed our travel plans, how Barcelona compares to American urban life, and what this means for the future of Climate Swings as I explore the intersection of sustainable cities and climate careers from across the Atlantic. Get full access to Climate Swings at climateswings.substack.com/subscribe

Pop quiz: what is the most critical—yet criminally overlooked—frontier in our battle against climate change? If you said "cities", you get the gold star! Drawing from decades of global experience transforming urban landscapes, Gil Penalosa, today's guest and founder of 8 80 Cities, argues that how we design our cities in the next 40 years will fundamentally determine human sustainability for centuries to come. While most climate conversations obsess over energy, Penalosa, who came in second place in 2022's Toronto mayoral race, passionately demonstrates that urban planning is the secret weapon we've been missing—a holistic approach that combines health, equity, environmental sustainability, and human joy. His message is both urgent and optimistic: by reimagining cities as interconnected, walkable, green spaces that prioritize people over cars, we can create solutions that are not sacrifices, but pathways to a more vibrant, connected, and livable world. With infectious enthusiasm and razor-sharp insights, Gil challenges listeners to see urban design not as a technical challenge, but as a profound opportunity to reshape how humans live, move, and thrive together.Notes and resources* Cities for Everyone with Gil* 8 80 Cities* Gil Penalosa’s LinkedIn Get full access to Climate Swings at climateswings.substack.com/subscribe

Avroh Shah is a remarkable teenage climate activist who's already spent half his life advocating for environmental protection. Unlike my typical guests who've established professional careers, Avroh offers us something perhaps even more valuable: the unfiltered perspective of a generation inheriting our climate decisions. From organizing cleanups as an eight-year-old to becoming a plaintiff in a landmark lawsuit against the EPA, Avroh's journey demonstrates that age is no barrier to meaningful action. His clarity of purpose and unwavering commitment serve as a powerful reminder that passion and persistence can create change at any stage of life. Whether you're just starting your climate journey or decades into your career, Avroh's story challenges us all to examine what more we might do with the platforms we have.Also, if you’re going to be in town for San Francisco Climate Week at the end of the month, check out the two live Climate Swings recordings I’ll be hosting—links below. Would love to see you there!Notes and resources* Avroh Shah's LinkedIn* Genesis B. v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency* LIVE podcast recording: Climate Swings interview with Terra.do co-founder Kamal Kapadia* Climate VC Dealmaker Live at KALW: Inside Anku Madan's Science-to-Investing Journey Get full access to Climate Swings at climateswings.substack.com/subscribe