Inevitable

Today’s guest is Moji Karimi, CEO and Co-Founder of Cemvita Factory. Cemvita Factory’s mission is to deploy nature-inspired economical technology to empower the energy transition and create a brighter future. This is done by a portfolio of industrial biotechnology solutions across Cemvita’s three verticals: CO2-based biomanufacturing, biomining, and subsurface biomanufacturing. On the surface, it sounds like the company is tackling an impossible number of initiatives for an early stage startup, but that’s part of the excitement of what's happening in synthetic biology right now. Cemvita’s de-siloed and deverticalized approach to innovation requires cross-functional expertise and problem solving. Moji and Cody have a great discussion about biomining for lithium and copper, subsurface biochemical production, including gold hydrogen, and biomanufacturing of waste carbon dioxide into other end products. Plus they talk about the different use cases as businesses, and Cemvita Factory's cross-disciplinary approach to innovation. Solving climate change requires new ways of thinking, and Moji’s background and work at Cemvita is an excellent example of this. In today’s episode, we cover: [5:35] An overview of Cemvita Factory and the company's origin[8:35] How Moji transitioned from deep space exploration into working on energy [10:32] Meaning of biomimicry [12:28] Cemvita's go-to-market applications [17:26] Use cases for biomining and issues with lithium extraction today [19:27] An overview of leaching [24:17] Risky byproducts associated with using microbes and biomaterials for extraction[27:28] An overview of subsurface biomanufacturing and gold hydrogen [34:05] An overview of carbon biomanufacturing and how it can generate sustainable aviation fuel [41:54] An overview of renewable natural gas[45:24] How Cemvita's different pathways are interconnected [50:50] How Cemvita is sourcing solutions Get connected: Cody's TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on August 8, 2022. 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 Rebecca Dell, Senior Program Director, Industry at ClimateWorks Foundation.ClimateWorks is on a mission to end the climate crisis by amplifying the power of philanthropy. Since 2008, ClimateWorks has granted over $1.3 billion to more than 600 grantees in over 50 countries. Now, Rebecca leads the industry program, which is dedicated to reducing and eliminating the one-third of greenhouse gas emissions that come from the material economy. Previously, she worked at the U.S. Department of Energy in the Obama Administration, where she coordinated implementation of President Obama's Climate Action Plan and was a lead analyst and author of the U.S. Quadrennial Energy Review. Before her federal service, Rebecca was a scientist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, studying the interaction between the ocean and land-based ice sheets like those in Greenland and Antarctica. Industries are a huge source of emissions and many people say that they are notoriously "hard to decarbonize," but this conversation with Rebecca sheds light on additional context for why that may be the case (or not). What aspects make them hard to decarbonize? How can we accelerate decarbonization and philosophically, what should we do in the meantime? This is a great discussion and we hope you enjoy it! In today’s episode, we cover: [3:57] An overview of ClimateWorks Foundation[6:02] Rebecca's unusual entry into climate from physics[11:37] Gap in resources and funding for solutions in the industrial sector[13:53] Why the industrial sector is considered "hard to decarbonize"[16:21] Activities that are mainly responsible for GHG emissions, including steel, cement and chemicals[21:56] Costs associated with green production and who covers it[28:56] Examples of how Rebecca creates demand for low GHG commodities[32:34] ClimateWorks' model for looking at potential grantees[37:15] Biggest levers for decarbonizing industrials faster[39:28] Voestalpine steel company example of the infrastructure planning, local politics, and social issues tied to decarbonizing certain industrials[44:44] Types of capital needed[48:36] Why a carbon tax is unappealing[52:52] Carbon capture and the cement industry[58:41] How people can make an impact in climate working in the industry sectorGet connected: Jason's TwitterRebecca’s TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on August 5, 2022. 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 Mary Yap, Co-Founder and CEO at Lithos Carbon, and Adam Wolf, Co-Founder and CEO at Eion Carbon.Both Lithos and Eion work in the space of enhanced rock weathering, a subset of carbon removal that seeks to speed up the planet's natural carbon cycle. In this process, rain absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere, falls onto and weathers rocks and in doing so creates a bicarbonate solution that eventually finds its way into the ocean for permanent carbon sequestration. For all the talk of engineered carbon capture solutions, rock weathering is about as natural as you can get. It's the foundation of the earth's long carbon cycle, and it also takes place over millions of years, so a bit longer than we need right now.In this episode, we seek to understand what it means to speed up this natural process and apply it to agriculture such that it can be a viable carbon sink in the decade-scale timeframe we need to address climate change. We have a great discussion about the long carbon cycle itself, the different types of rocks found on earth, how agriculture uses mineral inputs today, and some of the underlying economics of this method as a carbon removal technology. We also learn more about Lithos and Eion, plus Mary and Adam’s personal climate journeys. In today’s episode, we cover: Broad overview of the long carbon cycleThe power of acid rain in removing CO2 from the atmosphereEarth as a habitable planet compared to VenusAn overview of bicarbonatesHow enhanced rock weathering speeds up this carbon capture solutionDifferent types of rocks used for enhanced rock weatheringBenefits and drawbacks of using limestoneEnergy demands of creating the Lithos and Eion productsTransportation challengesMary and Adam's MRV methodsTheir company's business modelsGet connected: Cody's TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded on July 29, 2022. 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 Timothée Parrique, a researcher in ecological economics at Lund University in Sweden. Degrowth is one school of thought in the path towards decarbonization, but the topic is rife with controversy. Proponents argue against growing economies and instead shrinking production and consumption while favoring sustainability, social justice, democracy, and well-being. In other words, instead of measuring GDP as a monetary or market value, those who advocate for degrowth measure health and happiness. Skeptics aren’t convinced. Can degrowth be a powerful lever for change and is it realistic given the way some societies are structured today?  Jason posed this question on Twitter and Timothée kindly offered to share his expertise. Titled “The political economy of degrowth” (2019), Timothée’s PhD dissertation explores the economic implications of degrowth. And while we don’t get to cover everything in this episode, the conversation is another example of the importance of spending time to discuss debated concepts and tease out some of the nuances that can’t be found in 280 characters on Twitter. In today’s episode, we cover: [8:23] Timothée's background in ecological economics or the interaction between economy and nature [14:29] Having a holistic perspective of climate change [17:51] The 1.5 degree threshold [27:07] How production and consumption contribute to climate change [28:52] The carbon budget [33:32] Government integrating climate mitigation into politics and environmental awareness among youth [35:27] Finland's climate neutrality announcement [40:37] The concept of degrowth and its origin[43:17] A culture of low-carbon mobility seen in European countries [46:04] Positive dividends of reducing our ecological footprint [51:24] The Rebound Effect [55:21] Capitalism and the impact of removing drivers for growth [1:02:47] Technological innovation and the "avoid, shift, and improve" approach Episode recorded on August 4, 2022.Get connected: Jason’s TwitterTimothée’s TwitterMCJ Podcast TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests. 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 Kip Pastor, Founder and CEO of Pique Action.When most people think of climate change, they picture stories about wildfires, melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and a myriad of other ways we’re all just generally screwed. It can feel pretty hopeless, but those of us who have been leaning into solutions know that not all is lost. There are incredible innovations that have the potential to change so much of what we take for granted today, and it's not far-fetched to believe that these innovations can scale to unlock improvements for our future. Pique Action is a new media company on a mission to fight climate change with viral storytelling. It's the opposite of doomscrolling. Since their launch in Fall of 2021, Pique has produced 32 micro-documentaries on big climate solutions, amassed more than 7 million views across platforms and gained over 100,000 TikTok followers. In this conversation, we talk to Kip about the type of climate storytelling that resonates with audiences today and how Pique plans to scale its impact as it grows. We all have a role to play as climate communicators, even in one-on-one conversations, and hearing what's working for Pique Action can also inspire us to think about our own climate voices. In today’s episode, we cover: An overview of Pique ActionHow Pique intends to change the conversation around climate and drive actionBalancing realism and optimism in climate storytellingDifferent audiences and levels of engagement across platformsNature Based Solutions with Alaina WoodHow the company finds content creatorsClimate TikTokKip's background in film/video production and his movement into climateDifferences between climate communication and other forms of storytellingGaps in climate communication in various forms of media todayLack of representation of climate solutions in major movies and televisionPique's partnerships and business modelKip's learnings from watching next-gen media companiesGet connected: Cody on TwitterMCJ Pod TwitterMCJ Collective Twitter*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded July 25, 2022. 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 John Dees, Senior Science Analyst at Carbon Direct.Carbon Direct is a science-first carbon management firm that enables organizations around the world to reduce, remove, and monitor their carbon emissions. They combine science, technology, and market expertise to help these organizations take action and reach their climate goals. They’re an incredible organization with clients and portfolio companies spanning 28 countries.  Now, if you've been a longtime listener of the show, Carbon Direct might be a familiar name. The CEO, Jon Goldberg, and the Chief Scientist, Julio Friedmann, have been guests in the past. We’ve also talked to Nili Gilbert who's the current Vice Chairwoman even before she worked at Carbon Direct. This episode is great because John Dees comes from a different background. He's in the trenches, living in excel, and working on the life cycle assessments (LCAs) for carbon emissions. In today's episode, we cover:An overview of Carbon Direct and where John sits in their portfolio of servicesProjects that require life cycle assessments (LCAs)How he thinks about climate and how his perspective has evolvedHow John got involved with carbon removalScaling carbon removal to a level that mattersCharacteristics to consider when selecting CDR technologiesBarries holding CDR backThe process behind developing LCAs for different projectsTypes of clients and business drivers for Carbon Direct's LCA servicesThe need for LCA standardization and challenges in doing soTooling for LCAs and blind spotsDifferences in LCAs between small vs. big companies and across sectorsIncentives for a company to care about LCA accuracyFor-profit LCA work vs. non-profit approachesWhen companies should start thinking about tracking LCAsGet connected: Jason JacobsMCJ PodcastMCJ Collective*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded August 1, 2022. 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 Allison Wolff, Founder and CEO at Vibrant Planet. This year, wildfires have raged across the Western US, the Mediterranean, Australia, and parts of Canada. While many worry that the intensity and frequency of these blazes are going to get worse, Vibrant Planet is on a mission to create a cloud-based planning and monitoring tool for agile, adaptive land management at scale. The company harnesses data-driven science and cloud-based technology to help community stakeholders create resiliency plans for forests that take multiple factors into account. Their goal is to help planners and policy makers save lives, avoid trillions of dollars in infrastructure loss, and restore the ability of natural systems to store carbon, deliver clean water, and support biodiversity, local economies, and recreational habits.If you're curious about wildfires and their relationship to climate change, both in terms of how climate change is resulting in increased wildfire severity and how increased wildfire activity is creating feedback loops that reinforce global warming, you'll appreciate this conversation. And lastly, even in the face of some pretty dire numbers, we appreciate Allison’s optimism about what our forests could look like in the coming centuries, given proper care and maintenance today. In today’s episode, we cover: The state of forests in the US and across the globeWhy wildfires are increasingIntersection between land management and climate changeHow some forests need fires to regenerate themselvesEffective forest management by Indigenous PeoplesWhat we can learn from tribesHow state and federal governments are approaching the issueRoadblocks that have slowed progress on forest managementAllison's background in tech and transition to climateRole of software and tech in unlocking collaborationStakeholders involved in planning projectsCarbon methodology for fire adapted forestsEnjoy the show!You can find me on Twitter @codysimms (me), @mcjpod (podcast) or @mcjcollective (company). You can reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded July 20, 2022. 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 Benji Backer, Founder and President of the American Conservation Coalition (ACC). ACC is focused on building grassroots environmental movement amongst the right-of-center space for climate action, with 150 chapters across the country. Benji is a passionate environmentalist and out to change the minds of people who think conservative and climate change advocate don't belong in the same sentence. In today’s episode, we cover: An overview of the American Conservation Coalition and the work they doBenji's background and his passion for the environmentHis transition from conservative activist to climate activist How he reconciles his passions and conservative viewpointsThe two-party system and its shortcomings Increasing polarization in the US Who controls the narrative in Washington vs. who gets bills passedThe Build Back Better Bill The Republican party's shift away from conservation in the early 2000sIssues with the climate narrative leaving people outBenji's views on how to balance self-interest and taking action on climate solutionsThe role of government in addressing the climate crisis Consumer behavior changes The intersection between of climate change and environmental justice in cities and rural communities Benji's key priorities over the next 12-24 months ACC's Climate Commitment plan Who he wants to hear fromEnjoy the show!You can find me on Twitter @jjacobs22 (me), @mcjpod (podcast) or @mcjcollective (company). You can reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded July 15, 2022. 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 Jacob Nathan, CEO and Co-Founder of Epoch Biodesign.Plastics are among the most visible and ubiquitous environmental issues plaguing Earth today. Hundreds of millions of tons of plastics are produced every year, but they weren't mass produced until after World War II (that's just one human lifetime ago). As a byproduct of the fossil fuel industry, plastics contribute significantly to the value of a barrel of oil, they create considerable emissions when produced, and they release carbon into the atmosphere when they are incinerated at the end of their lifecycle. So while plastics are a key building block of our modern world, they're also very problematic. Epoch Biodesign is on a mission to scale and industrialize biology to solve the world's biggest climate challenges, starting with an enzyme that eats plastic and converts it to industrial chemicals. The company is currently working with unrecyclable plastics that would otherwise go to landfill or incineration. The resulting molecules from their unique biological process can be used to create new products like adhesives, cleaning products, and fertilizers. In today’s episode, we cover: An overview of plastics, their origin, widespread uses, and impacts on the environmentPlastics and the fossil fuel industryProblems associated with recycling End of life pathways most plastics take Epoch Biodesign's solution to addressing the plastic problem How enzymes can break down plastics and convert them into useful chemicals with a reduced carbon footprint The company's cell-free fermentation process and target outputs CO2 emissions associated with producing and incinerating plastic chemicals The origin of Epoch Biodesign Jacob's background and how he met his Co-Founder, Douglas Kell Douglas Kell's extensive background in systems biology, machine learning, etc. How Epoch Biodesign uses machine learning and tooling to design a computing platform for plastic-eating enzymes Future applications of the company's proprietary methods of designing biology How Epoch Biodesign's software enables them to scale and solve climate problems fasterThe company's business model Adjacent opportunities including textiles Epoch Biodesign's seed round and future financing Who Jacob wants to hear from and open positions at Epoch BiodesignEnjoy the show!You can find Cody on Twitter @codysimms, @mcjpod (podcast) or @mcjcollective (company). You can reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded July 15, 2022. 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 Ketan Joshi, a writer, data analyst and communications consultant working on climate and energy. Ketan Joshi has been at the forefront of clean energy for eight years, starting out as a data analyst working in wind energy, and expanding his knowledge base to community engagement, climate science and new energy technology. He’s written for the Guardian, The Monthly, ABC News and has penned several hundred blog posts digging into climate and energy issues, building a position as a respected and analytical energy commentator in Australia. Ketan is also the author of Windfall: Unlocking a Fossil Free Future, and has a large following on social media. Before coming on the show, Ketan and Jason had a few heated exchanges on Twitter. Despite what appeared to be opposing views around climate, this conversation shed light on an important lesson about the polarization of social media platforms. When we actually take the time to meet and discuss these topics live, we might find out that we’re in agreement more than we think. In today’s episode, we cover: Ketan's background and personal climate journeyHis experience working in data science, communications, community engagement, and climate policy within organizationsHow his feelings about climate and theory of change have evolved over timeThe level of urgency of the climate crisis and the level of disruption we should expect in order to adequately address itOur dependence on fossil fuelsThe rate of change in emissions reductions and some of the impacts associated with itBenefits of engaging community members in climate solutionsThe role of corporate decision making in heavily fossil reliant companiesHow society impacts individual decision makingBenefits of reducing carbon emissions and examples where it's not easy to doThe role of natural gas in the clean energy transitionKetan's thoughts about carbon removal and its role in the transitionTransforming carbon offsetsKetan's thoughts on nuclear and if we should be deploying it at scaleWho he'd like to hear fromEnjoy the show!You can find Jason on Twitter @jjacobs22, @mcjpod (podcast) or @mcjcollective (company). You can reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded July 7, 2022. 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