Cleaning Up: Leadership in an Age of Climate Change

Selling Sustainability - Ep150: Solitaire Townsend

Jan 17, 2024

Solitaire Townsend, a renowned sustainability expert and solutionist, discusses the power of storytelling in sustainability communication, the influence of advertising and the transition to web 3, bringing sustainable pet food to the market, working together for entrepreneurial growth, solutionists and the importance of mental resilience, and power, money, and influence in shaping the sustainability conversation.

01:02:51

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Episode guests

Solitaire Townsend

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The power of storytelling and appealing to emotions is essential in effectively communicating sustainability.

Communicating personal benefits alongside environmental and societal benefits can engage and motivate individuals towards sustainable choices.

The shift of the most valuable companies from oil and gas to tech creates an opportunity for decarbonization and a diminished influence of the former.

Deep dives

Creating Sustainable Solutions

Solitaire Townsend, co-founder and chief solutionist at Futera, discusses the journey of creating sustainable solutions and communicating sustainability effectively. She shares how her organization started as a project funded by the National Endowment for Science Technology, and evolved into a successful business focused on logic (carbon footprinting, human rights strategies) and magic (storytelling and communications). The importance of telling a compelling story and appealing to people's emotions rather than bombarding them with facts is emphasized.

Introduction

2min

The Power of Storytelling in Sustainability Communication

23min

The Influence of Advertising and the Transition to Web 3

22min

Bringing Sustainable Pet Food to the Market

4min

Working Together for Entrepreneurial Growth

3min

Solutionists and the Importance of Mental Resilience

7min

Power, Money, and Influence in Shaping the Sustainability Conversation

3min

Bryony returns in Season 11 this week, sitting down with her longtime friend Solitaire Townsend. Solitaire is Co-founder & Chief Solutionist at Futerra, and Trustee of the Solutions Union. She is a renowned sustainability expert and solutionist. From Google to the United Nations, Ikea to WWF, Solitaire works with the worlds’ most influential organisations to activate social justice and environmental restoration. Over two decades she has led the movement towards solutions, hope and optimism with numerous publications and keynotes at the UN, MIT, Ted and many more. She was named “Ethical Entrepreneur of the Year” in 2008 and more recently chair of the UK Green Energy Scheme, trustee of Ashden, a founder member of the United Nations Sustainable Lifestyles Taskforce and a London Leader for Sustainability.

She holds master’s degrees in both Sustainable Development and Shakespeare.

Links

Solitaire's recent book, The Solutionists: How Businesses Can Fix the Future: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Solutionists-How-Businesses-Can-Future/dp/139860934X

Watch Solitaire's 2021 Ted talk - Are Ad Agencies, PR Firms and Lobbyists Destroying the Climate?: https://www.ted.com/talks/solitaire_townsend_are_ad_agencies_pr_firms_and_lobbyists_destroying_the_climate?language=en

The Game Changers Movie on Meat and Nutrition: https://gamechangersmovie.com

Buy Lovebug cat food here: https://www.lovebugpetfood.com

Related Episodes

Lifting the Curtain on Climate Change Denial - Ep 141: Prof Naomi Oreskes: https://www.cleaningup.live/lifting-the-curtain-on-climate-change-denial-ep-141-prof-naomi-oreskes/

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