Open Sustainability Talk

In this episode, I interview Olivier Corradi from Electricity Maps.Olivier is the CEO and Founder of Electricity Maps, an app that shows real-time (hour-by-hour) production and consumption of electricity by source and carbon intensity across the world. Recently, the app can also show historical data up to 5 years.The same technology of the freely accessible app (which you can find at https://app.electricitymaps.com/map) is the basis of the data and technology that Electricity Maps is selling to companies like Google and Microsoft for them to minimize the carbon footprint of their own servers and their cloud products.Some of the topics that we cover in our conversation:A bit about Olivier’s past career in data and machine learningReducing carbon emissions by making the electricity grid "flexible"Why he started Electricity Maps and the effect it’s had on the energy conversations in the context of climate changeWhat Electricity Maps isTheir business modelTheir proof of concept project with GoogleHow they managed to build their software using an open source model and leveraging the community that they’ve builtBuilding algorithms to fill in the blanks where electricity data is not availableTwo of Electricity Maps' attempts at using their data for carbon accountingThe importance of having a clear focus in building sustainability solutionsThank you for listening, and I hope you'll enjoy it. 

In this episode, I interview Theis about nuclear power and its role within sustainability.Theis has co-founded an organization that promotes the adoption of nuclear power called Atomkraft Ja Tak - they campaign for the inclusion of nuclear power into the solutions we adopt to fight climate change. He's also the Country Manager for Kärnfull Energi DK, a utility company providing electricity supply via nuclear power credits.Some of the topics that we cover in our conversation:Thais' studies and how he got interested in the energy production topicEnergy density - as a concept and how it apply to different energy sourcesThe Atomkraft Ja Tak organization's goalsInformation asymmetry when it comes to energy productionThe negative sentiment we as a society have against nuclear and why that isNuclear energy in the public conversation How their association worksKärnfull and how they sell nuclear energy in DK, where we don’t produce anyKärnfull Next - small modular reactors in Sweden3 of the most common arguments against nuclearChernobyl and FukushimaThank you for listening, and I hope you'll enjoy it. 

Join Open Sustainability Network: https://open-sustainability.network/In this episode, I interview Robert about the circular and sharing economies. kleen hub is a story of how 3 students created a circular economy app that I use every time I get coffee.Some of the topics that we cover in our conversation:Reusability modelsThe scale of the single-use problemPlastic recycling and greenwashingPlastic and tote bagsLifecycle assessmentsKleen hub and where to find their containersThe circular and sharing economyGreenwashing in the circular economy... and moreThank you for listening, and I hope you'll enjoy it. 

Join Open Sustainability Network: https://open-sustainability.network/ In this episode, I interview Chris about the company he co-founded, Klimate and their industry and work.Some of the topics that we cover in our conversation:Greenwashing in carbon offsettingVoluntary offsettingWhat is and isn’t carbon removalThe Oxford offsetting principlesPast, present and future technologies for carbon removalWhy we can’t solve climate change by planting treesKlimate’s approaching in assessing removal technologiesKlimate’s approach in business and the importance of funding the right solutions... and moreThank you for listening, and I hope you'll enjoy it. 

Join Open Sustainability Network: https://open-sustainability.network/ In this episode, I interview Chris about his role as Chief Footprint Officer at NØIE, a customized skincare brand that doesn't take sustainability lightly.Some of the topics that we cover in our conversation:Sustainability in cosmetics and skincareThe cost of being sustainableImpact of skincare on the environmentThe tools and external help he's used to assess NØIE's impactThe balance between being precise and being impactful when it comes to offsettingGHG accounting, and a quick rundown of the 3 scopesHow NØIE offsets their impactCollaboration for the sake of sustainabilityGreenwashing and the perception of sustainabilityConsumer trends and demands when it comes to sustainability... and moreThank you for listening, and I hope you'll enjoy it. 

My guest on the first episode of the podcast is Heidi Lindvall, General Partner at Pale Blue Dot (https://paleblue.vc/), which is a venture capital firm focused on investing in climate tech companies.Before the episode starts, I have a quick intro to why I'm starting Open Sustainability Talk, and the associated knowledge-sharing network, Open Sustainability Network: https://open-sustainability.network/ In the episode itself, Heidi and I speak about:Heidi's slightly atypical journey and how she got into the climate tech VC gameThe breadth of the existing solutions that is also reflected in Pale Blue Dot's portfolio of investmentsThe role that technology has in sustainabilityThe human resources necessary for sustainability and the problems around matching impact companies with the best talent out thereMisconceptions that entrepeneurs have about what qualifies one to develop climate solutionsSustainability entrepreneurship and how to gain access to fundingHow pale blue dot finds prospects... and moreThank you for listening, and I hope you enjoyed it.