50 Shades of Green: A Climate Group Podcast

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.

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

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, MultiplierCraig Segall, Senior Advisor, Federation of American ScientistsHeather Reams, President and CEO, Citizens for Responsible Energy SolutionsBob Keefe, Executive Director, E2Expect 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.

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.

In this episode of 50 Shades of Green, we’re joined by Peter Colavito, Executive Director of Invest in Our Future (IOF), to explore how community-led clean energy deployment can unlock economic opportunity while accelerating climate action.Peter shares how IOF bridges the gap between policy and project implementation, ensuring federal clean energy investments like those from the Inflation Reduction Act actually reach the communities that need them most. We dig into the biggest barriers slowing clean energy deployment, from siting and permitting challenges to financing gaps, workforce shortages, and a deeply polarized public narrative.You’ll hear why local voices - workers, farmers, school leaders, and community advocates - are far more persuasive than top-down messaging, and how IOF is helping build a national network of “builders” who can tell the real stories behind clean energy success. We also look at powerful examples of collaboration between the private sector, government, and grassroots organizations, and what funders can do right now to keep momentum alive.

Methane is one of the most powerful - and overlooked - drivers of climate change. In this episode of 50 Shades of Green, we sit down with Ken Alex, former senior policy advisor to California Governor Jerry Brown and current leader at UC Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy and the Environment (CLEE), to explore why methane reduction is one of the fastest ways to slow global warming.Ken shares how his work on international and subnational climate policy led to the creation of the Subnational Methane Action Coalition (SMAC), a global partnership of state and regional governments working to cut methane emissions across key sectors like oil and gas, agriculture, landfills, and waste. We discuss why methane is up to 80 times more potent than CO₂ in the short term, how satellite monitoring and data innovation are transforming accountability, and why states and local governments are uniquely positioned to deliver real, near-term climate results.From reducing food waste and fixing methane leaks to deploying low‑cost solutions like landfill bio‑covers, this conversation highlights practical, scalable strategies that can make an immediate impact. If you want to understand why methane matters, and how policy, technology, and collaboration can drive rapid climate progress - this episode is for you.

Wildfires are reshaping North America and the future of our forests. In this episode, we sit down with Grant Canary, CEO of Mast Reforestation, to explore how climate tech, biomass burial, and large‑scale reforestation can turn wildfire destruction into long‑term carbon removal.Grant shares why fixing the atmosphere is “the problem all other problems report to,” and how Mast rebuilds forests faster by burying fire‑killed trees to lock carbon away for thousands of years. We also discuss shrinking natural regeneration rates, the overwhelmed seed supply chain, and what it takes to restore burned landscapes at scale.If you care about climate solutions, carbon removal, forest restoration, or how innovation can reshape our response to megafires, this episode offers a clear look at the technologies and strategies shaping our planet’s future.Topics Covered:• Why natural forest recovery is dropping from 90% to as low as 40%–70% after wildfires• How biomass burial locks carbon away for thousands of years• What it takes to rebuild seed and seedling supply chains• The role of carbon markets in financing large‑scale reforestation• How Mast went from construction to carbon‑credit issuance in just nine monthsListen in for a hopeful, actionable look at climate innovation and what it will take to restore our forests for the next generation.

Maryland is reshaping what climate leadership looks like — not just through bold targets, but through the dollars that bring those targets to life. In this episode of Fifty Shades of Green, we sit down with Secretary Serena McIlwain of the Maryland Department of the Environment to explore how the state is embedding climate action into its budgeting system and building a government where climate impact is part of every decision.Secretary McIlwain breaks down how Maryland:Aligns 26 state agencies using a unified climate budgeting frameworkTracks more than $3.5 billion in climate‑aligned spendingRedirects funding toward resilience, clean energy, and vulnerable communitiesLeverages partnerships like the Under2 Coalition to mobilize private investmentBuilds long‑term stability so climate action continues regardless of politicsYou’ll hear how Maryland is institutionalizing climate responsibility, building market certainty, and ensuring everyday public investments cut pollution, lower costs, and support communities facing real climate impacts.If you want a look inside what “next‑generation climate budgeting” really means, and how states can transform ambition into results, this episode is a must‑listen.