Inevitable

This week's guest is Scott Stringer, New York City Comptroller, the chief financial officer and chief auditor of the city agencies and their performance and spending.Scott has served in elected positions since the early '90s. He was elected to the New York State Assembly and represented Manhattan's West Side for 13 years. After working in the State Assembly, he became the Manhattan Borough President. He was elected Comptroller of New York City in 2013 and has served in that role ever since. Scott and his team manage the city's $240 billion public pension system. The Comptroller's office recently announced they would be divesting $4 billion from fossil fuel companies to promote clean energy use.In the episode, Scott explains his role as Comptroller, the recent announcement to divest $4B from fossil fuels, and how that decision came about. We also talk more broadly about the theory of change behind fossil fuel divestment, the path to a green economy, and the role public policy and government play in bringing about a clean energy future.Great conversation, I hope you enjoy it!  You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded March 5th, 2021To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/scott-stringerTo learn more about The New York City Comptroller: https://comptroller.nyc.gov/NYC pension funds vote to divest $4 billion from fossil fuels: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-new-york-fossil-fuels-pensions/nyc-pension-funds-vote-to-divest-4-billion-from-fossil-fuels-idUSKBN29U23Q Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guests are Josh Santos, Co-Founder & CEO, and Daniel Cavero, Co-Founder & CTO, of Noya.Josh and Daniel met a few years ago when they were roommates in San Francisco. In 2020, they founded Noya together. Noya captures CO2 from the atmosphere and resells it for half the cost of current options. The company works to retrofit existing industrial equipment to enable carbon capture and resale. When Josh and Daniel broke down the cost of direct air capture systems, they realized a large portion of the cost hinges on one component. Noya is working to reduce this component's cost, allowing for a scalable process that can have a massive impact. Noya aims to capture seven gigatons of carbon emissions with a removal cost that is half the current market price through its proprietary technology.Josh and Daniel are fantastic guests with a great vision. They walk me through how they met, what motivated them to start Noya, and the company's future. Josh and Daniel touch on Noya's timeline and approach for go-to-market, key milestones, and funding to date. We also discuss the problem Noya is tackling, the barriers holding the company back, and direct air capture as a climate solution more broadly. Whether you're interested in DAC or an aspiring climate tech founder looking for inspiration, this episode is a must-listen.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded March 3rd, 2021MCJ Investment in Noya: https://myclimatejourney.substack.com/p/our-investment-in-noyaTo learn more about Noya, visit their website: https://noyalabs.com/Noya is hiring a Chemical Engineer! Reach out to them here: https://noyalabs.com/founding-chemical-engineer Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This week's guest is Alicia Barton, CEO of FirstLight Power.FirstLight Power is a renewables and storage company that integrates and delivers clean power to New England homes and businesses. It operates the Northfield Mountain energy storage facility and other hydroelectric, solar, and energy assets in Massachusetts and Connecticut. I was excited about this discussion because Alicia has been on my wishlist for quite some time. Alicia walks me through how cleantech has evolved over her career, her role at FirstLight Power, and how hydrogen fits into the renewable landscape. We also dive into climate policy on the federal and state levels, barriers to adopting a clean and reliable grid, and the future of renewables. Alicia is an excellent guest, especially for those interested in how policy and innovation can work together to bring about a clean energy transition.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded February 26th, 2021To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/alicia-bartonTo learn more about FirstLight Power: https://www.firstlightpower.com/ Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Fiona Spruill, Chief Product Officer at Overstory.Overstory's mission is to monitor all of Earth's natural resources in real-time to reverse climate change. Its first project helps utilities track forest and vegetation growth to reduce the risk of wildfires and power outages by applying machine learning to satellite imagery. We are proud to be an Overstory investor!Prior to Overstory, Fiona was most recently COO at Meetup, and spent 14 years in journalism, in roles of increasing responsibility at The New York Times. In 2019, Fiona decided to transition into working on climate. Like so many, she found the transition to be a difficult one (because it is!), but she navigated it brilliantly, and landed in a terrific spot.This episode is meant for anyone else who is thinking about doing the same! It covers Fiona’s reasons for wanting to transition into working in climate tech, how she went about the process, lessons learned, and advice for others looking to head down a similar path.Enjoy the show! You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded February 24th, 2021Advice Fiona has for those looking to make a career transition:Narrow your focus as quickly as you can and being willing to pivotClimate is everything; therefore, no one is unqualified to work in climateTalk to as many people as you canLearning collectively through various projects such as Project Drawdown, On Deck Fellowships, Terra.do courses, and the MCJ podcast and membership If you are interested in connecting with Fiona, reach out to her via Twitter or LinkedIn.Overstory is hiring for a Front-End Engineer, Data Scientist, Data Engineer, and Marketing roles. Please check out their website: https://www.overstory.ai/ Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This week's guest is Kate Gordon, Senior Policy Advisor on Climate to  Governor Gavin Newsom & Director of the Office of Planning and Research for California.The California Governor's Office of Planning and Research serves the Governor and Cabinet for long-range planning across three significant buckets: land use and planning, climate risk and resilience, and sustainable economic development. As Senior Policy Advisor on Climate, Kate focuses on California's climate initiatives across policy, leadership, and budget.I was looking forward to this episode as policy plays a crucial role in a clean energy transition. Kate's knowledge and experience led to a lively discussion about the role of state government, public sector climate initiatives, and federal policies. She explains why California is unique and key ways the state is taking action to accelerate the transition. Kate also talks about her climate journey, what motivated her to work in climate, and her role in the Governor's office.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded February 9th, 2021To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/kate-gordonTo learn more about the Governor's Office of Planning and Research: https://opr.ca.gov/Please note, Kate misspoke when she mentioned the Climate Cabinet Fund; she meant to say the Climate Catalyst Fund. For more information about the Climate Catalyst fund and the Governor's plan: https://calmatters.org/environment/2020/01/california-budget-billion-dollar-climate-innovation-loan-fund/ Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

This episode was previously for members only. In an effort to make important content more widely available, the audio for this episode is now available for everyone.Co-founder Peter Reinhardt walks me through a company overview and an in-depth explanation of bio-oil. He also talks about how a tech entrepreneur like him (or anyone else) that is motivated by climate change) can find a way to make a dent.Enjoy the show!Recorded July 28nd, 2020 and published for Members August 27th, 2020To learn more about Charm Industrial, visit their website: https://charmindustrial.com/If you are a member and would like to watch the pitch presentation, visit our website: https://www.myclimatejourney.co/ctss-episodes/charm-industrialOur climate tech fund, MCJ Collective, recently invested in Charm Industrial! Check out the press release here. Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Sarah Saltzer, Managing Director of the Stanford Center for Carbon Storage.The Stanford Center for Carbon Storage focuses on applied and fundamental research to address critical questions around carbon storage in geological formations. The team also works on technological and economic analysis, public policy research, and carbon storage projects around the world.Sarah walks me through her time at Chevron, her current position at Stanford, and what motivated her to focus on carbon storage. Sarah's wealth of knowledge and experience leads to a lively discussion about how carbon capture and storage works, where oil and gas companies fit into the climate fight, and the future of the industry. This episode is awesome for those interested in the carbon storage landscape.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded February 10th, 2021To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/sarah-saltzerTo learn more about The Stanford Center for Carbon Storage: https://sccs.stanford.edu/ Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today’s guest is Anshuman Bapna, Founder and CEO of Terra.do. Terra.do is an online school working to solve climate change. Millions of people will need to transition into climate work in the years to come, and Terra.do is the platform to help make that happen. Since launching their flagship 12-week course, “Climate Change: Learning for Action”, they have rolled out new courses on hydrogen, climate-smart buildings, climate-resilient agriculture, and a track for venture investors looking to do more climate investing. Their goal is to educate 100 million people to join the climate fight.In this episode, Anshuman walks me through his own climate journey, what led him to switch from tech entrepreneurship to working on climate, the Terra.do origin story, their progress to date, their long vision, and a great discussion about what types of skills people will need to reorient their careers around helping address the problem of climate change and how Terra.do can help.This one is a can’t miss for anyone looking to reorient their careers around working on climate!Enjoy the show.You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded February 15th, 2021If you want to learn more about Terra.do, visit their website: https://www.terra.do/Looking for a climate job? Terra.do is hosting a job fair on March 5th: https://www.terra.do/climate-jobs-fair/professionals  Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Julia Collins, Founder and CEO of Planet FWD.Planet FWD is using the power of food the help tackle climate change. They created Moonshot, a brand of climate-friendly snacks made from regenerative ingredients. They also develop software that provides other food brands with regenerative resources to make climate-friendly products.Julia has always been involved in the plant-based and composting movements, but her career transition didn't become a reality until she had her son in 2017. Realizing the best way to help leave her son a liveable planet was to start working in climate more directly, Julia founded Planet FWD. Before Planet FWD, Julia co-founded Zume (formerly Zume Pizza), a technology-enabled food company whose mission is to make healthy food fast and accessible to everyone.I was excited for this episode, as our climate tech fund, MCJ Collective, recently invested in the company and Julia has an amazing story to share. Julia takes me through her journey leading up to founding Planet FWD, explains Planet FWD’s mission and progress to date, what is coming next for the company, and what they will achieve if they are successful beyond her wildest dreams. We also have a great discussion about Julia’s theory of change in building the company, and how their role can bring positive ripple effects through lots of other areas of the food supply chain.Julia is a fantastic guest for those interested in decarbonizing the food and agriculture industry, and for aspiring founders, alike.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded February 1st, 2021 To learn more about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/julia-collinsTo learn more about Planet FWD: https://planetfwd.com/ Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Today's guest is Paul Eremenko, Co-Founder and CEO of Universal Hydrogen.Before Universal Hydrogen, Paul served as Senior Vice President and CTO of United Technologies and CTO of Airbus. When he co-founded Universal Hydrogen, Paul felt hydrogen was the only solution the industry has to meet the Paris Agreement's goals and decarbonize.Universal Hydrogen is an end-to-end fuel logistics company making hydrogen-powered commercial flight a near-term reality. The aerospace and aviation industry is decarbonizing too slowly to meet the Paris Agreement objectives. Paul and his team are tackling two of the biggest challenges in hydrogen flight: creating a distribution infrastructure and kick-starting demand for hydrogen. To distribute hydrogen, Universal Hydrogen is rethinking how we can transport it. The company specially designs lightweight aviation-certified hydrogen capsules that are compatible with the existing infrastructure and freight networks. Universal Hydrogen is retrofitting regional airplanes with conversion kits necessary to utilize hydrogen as fuel. It is building a roadmap for other aircraft companies to adopt these designs. Universal Hydrogen partners with many companies, from freight logistics to fuel cell development to aircraft makers and modifiers. Backed by Trucks, Jeff Schox, Reilly Brennan, Plug Power, and smaller investors, Universal Hydrogen is paving the way for zero-emission aviation. Pauls walks me through how he transitioned to working in green hydrogen and the gaps that Universal Hydrogen is filling within the aviation industry. Paul explains why hydrogen is the best fuel for zero-emission flight, the barriers to hydrogen adoption, and key startups Universal Hydrogen partners with. Paul and I also discuss the stakeholders, funding to date, and the future of the company. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in learning more about how to decarbonize aviation.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded February 3rd, 2021To learn more about Universal Hydrogen, visit their website: https://www.hydrogen.aero/ Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant