CleanTechies Podcast #256 Soil Health, Carbon Markets & Measuring the Hidden Climate Solution Beneath Our Feet | Chris Tolles (Yard Stick PBC)
How can we fight climate change by focusing underground?
It turns out one of the biggest untapped climate solutions isn’t in the air—or in the trees, it’s in the soil beneath our feet. Today’s guest has developed a game-changing way to measure and protect soil organic carbon, helping farmers, agribusinesses, and carbon markets work together for climate impact and economic resilience.
Our guest is Chris Tolles, Founder & CEO of Yard Stick PBC.
Some quotes to hook you:
“Soils store way, way more carbon than all the trees and plants and animals combined.”
“If you want to sell soil carbon credits, you’ve got to measure soil carbon—accurately and at scale.”
“Healthy soils aren’t just about climate—they’re about keeping Cheerios on the shelves.”
“Identify the application of your technology that helps someone make money or save money—that’s what all businesses do.”
Check Out Our Sponsor!
ErthTech Talent – Expert, Affordable CleanTech Search FirmGet the best CleanTech talent without paying absurdly high prices.
Affordable: Search fee is 12–15% of first-year base salary (most charge 25–30%).
Specialized: ONLY works with CleanTech startups.
Proven: 70+ placements since 2020 (Aypa Power, ChargeScape, QCells, & more).
Save time and money when you work with ErthTech Talent.
Plus, Silas runs it—so you already know him. Reach out and tell him you saw this ad.
Show Notes: Topics
05:50 – What Yardstick does and how the tech works
08:07 – Why soil organic carbon matters for climate and food security
09:31 – Is higher soil carbon concentration always better?
09:31 – Yardstick’s two main revenue streams
14:02 – Climate product or economic solution?
17:21 – How big companies will make the change
30:12 – Is framing as a “climate solution” a dead end?
36:45 – Balancing production and soil health
42:16 – Revisiting emissions per calorie in agriculture
49:10 – Messaging Yardstick to different audiences
Links- Connect with Somil | Connect with Silas- Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn- This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe