A short note for the end of the year!
I did also want to offer a few resources for those who want to get involved on a few of the important causes mentioned, climate-related or not:
Brown U Flight Fund (getting students out of Providence quickly and safely)
I encourage you to follow reporter Cate Brown and community activist Amanda Stecco (both of whom I am lucky enough to call friends) for more on the ongoing genocide in Gaza and how you can get involved.
Here’s a comprehensive list of ways you can get involved in aiding those affected by the floods in Washington.
See you next year!
In this episode, Addie sits down with Bianca Clarke — parks advocate, community-builder, and Director of the 10-Minute Walk Program at Trust for Public Land — to talk about equitable access to nature, climate resilience and why neighborhood parks are critical climate infrastructure in addition to providing opportunities for local outdoor recreation. From childhood moments that sparked her environmental path to the national effort to ensure every person lives a 10-minute walk from a green space, Bianca shares what it means to design for connection, invest in community and build a future where nature is truly for everyone.
We talk about:
How early experiences outdoors shaped Bianca’s path into conservation
Why millions of people in the US lack access to a nearby park — and what that means
How Trust for Public Land designs parks with communities, not for them
Climate resilience: heat mitigation, flood protection, and “sponge parks”
The social power of parks - belonging, safety, and everyday connection
…and much more!
Links
TPL’s 10-Minute Walk Program
TPL’s ParkServe Program
TPL’s Schoolyard Initiative
Keywords
parks, public lands, equitable access, climate resilience, urban heat, flood mitigation, sponge cities, green space, community design, environmental justice, nature-based solutions, neighborhood parks, social connection, mental health, outdoor equity, conservation, climate adaptation
WTCTA is a whole year old! 🎉
A huge thank you to everyone who has read, listened, subscribed, told a friend about this, come to an event, suggested a guest, BEEN a guest… you name it. The belief in this little project is palpable, and means more than you all know. We would not be here without it.
Addie reads the latest post on the Where The Climate Things Are Substack about a recent trip to Vietnam for a wedding, and the very real climate impacts the country is facing from weeks of typhoons and flooding.
In this episode, Addie sits down with Christian Vanizette - social entrepreneur, activist, and founder of Makesense and chilli, the world’s first climate activism app. From growing up surrounded by the reefs and whales of Tahiti to building global movements for systemic change, Christian’s story bridges the personal and the political - showing how a single moment of heartbreak can evolve into a lifetime of action.
We talk about:
Early connections to nature - growing up in Tahiti and realizing even paradise isn’t safe from climate change
From impact investing to activism - why solutions alone aren’t enough without policy change
The power of people - using collective action to stop pipelines, protect oceans, and shift corporate behavior
Dreaming big and starting small - lessons from Muhammad Yunus on turning ideas into impact
Building chilli - a new platform helping climate “impact creators” mobilize communities and funding
Links & Mentions:
Keywords:
climate activism, social entrepreneurship, collective action, coral reefs, fossil fuels, impact investing, policy change, Obama Scholars, Muhammad Yunus, IPCC, systemic change, youth movements, ocean protection, climate storytelling, Climate Week NYC
Ryan Thrower reads Addie's guest post on the TRR substack about Guster's environmental leadership in the music industry via the nonprofit REVERB (and also talks about how good their music is).
Links:
In this episode, Addie sits down with Liv Rose — freediver, ocean educator, and founder of Liv for the Sea — to talk about ocean confidence, vulnerability, and how connection beneath the surface can shape how we show up for the planet. From witnessing coral bleaching firsthand to leading small-group expeditions across the Pacific, Liv shares what it means to teach courage, build community, and fall in love with the sea.
We talk about:
Finding identity and confidence through freediving
Seeing coral bleaching up close — and how ecosystems can recover
Building Liv for the Sea into a global expedition business
Balancing tourism, culture, and conservation in remote places
Why seaweed farming gives her hope for the future
Links & Mentions
Liv for the Sea
Liv’s Instagram
Lord Howe Island
Example of seaweed farming
Keywords: freediving, ocean confidence, marine conservation, climate storytelling, coral bleaching, adventure tourism, environmental education, resilience, seaweed farming, ocean awareness, sustainability, travel, community, curiosity, courage
In this episode, I sit down with Tim Weed — writer, teacher, and international trip leader turned novelist. Tim’s latest book, The Afterlife Project, is a cli-fi novel that travels 10,000 years into the future to wrestle with the fate of humanity, biodiversity, and our relationship to nature.
We talk about:
Growing up between Vermont and Denver and discovering a love of winter and skiing
How fly fishing — in various locations throughout the US, including my favorite, Kennebago Lake — became a lifelong practice
Trip leading, group dynamics, and what time in the wilderness reveals about human connection
Why geological time, mass extinctions, and perspective helped him write through climate anxiety
The role of fiction in shifting climate paradigms and building new climate mythologies
Links
Keywords: cli-fi, climate fiction, The Afterlife Project, Tim Weed, fly fishing, Vermont, Colorado, geological time, mass extinctions, stewardship, storytelling, literature, outdoor community, Protect Our Winters, climate narratives, nature, resilience
Addie talks about the recent Climate Strides events at NYC Climate Week, as well as some moments of both existential crisis and uplifting inspiration.
Substack post is here.
In this episode, Addie sits down with Matt Scott — storyteller, podcaster, and Director of Storytelling & Engagement at Project Drawdown. From imposter syndrome and courage to representation and belonging, Matt shares what it means to “pass the mic” and create climate stories that are both human and transformative.
We talk about:
Growing up with family legacies that shaped his path
The Climate Reality training that turned curiosity into commitment
Passing the mic and making space for others at the table
Representation, outdoor safety, and belonging
Bringing storytelling into Project Drawdown and launching Drawdown’s Neighborhood
Links
Keywords: storytelling, Project Drawdown, Drawdown’s Neighborhood, passing the mic, representation, climate justice, outdoor safety, courage, imposter syndrome, climate storytelling, environmental justice, Climate Reality Project, trail running, belonging, community, advocacy
In this episode, Addie debriefs tonight's Kilian Jornet Foundation event in Colorado Springs, as well as reads the newest substack article on the design of the environmental advocacy campaign that accompanies Kilian Jornet's States of Elevation challenge. Plus! We preview the five Climate Strides events happening in NYC at NYC Climate Week this month. Don't miss it if you'll be in town!
Links:
Keywords: Kilian Jornet, climate, environment, event, running, trail running, Running Minds, campaign, strategy, design, restoration, resilience, reconnection, advocacy, policy, volunteers, partnerships, storytelling, community
In this episode, Addie sits down with Peyton Thomas - a biologist and competitive trail runner whose work explores the connections between aquatic ecosystems, climate change, and community. From growing up in Atlanta and confronting inequities in access to green space, to building a career that bridges research and running, Peyton shares what it means to navigate multiple identities while staying rooted in purpose.
We talk about:
Peyton’s “aha” moment on climate: canvassing neighborhoods in Atlanta and recognizing environmental inequities.
Running as a way to process life, find home in new landscapes, and stay connected to the natural world.
How language learning became a bridge to community in Quebec and her work with the broader Black diaspora.
The Anticosti Island fastpacking project: sampling rivers, studying brook trout, and blending science with outdoor adventure.
The balance of pursuing both a science career and competitive running, and the ongoing process of defining fulfillment.
Links & Mentions
Keywords
trail running, road running, competitive running, community, Indigenous sovereignty, climate change, aquatic ecosystems, brook trout, biodiversity, environmental DNA, fish otoliths, conservation, Anticosti Island, UNESCO World Heritage, Quebec, Atlanta, Chattahoochee River, environmental justice, access to green space, PhD journey, Alaska, Yukon, Patagonia, NNormal, Western States 100, Dakota Jones, science and sport, language learning, French, resilience, climate storytelling
Climate Strides Returns to Central Park! We are excited to announce *five* Climate Strides events at NYC Climate Week. Addie talks about the upcoming events, what to expect and how to get involved. Thanks to Protect Our Winters who came on board as the presenting sponsor for these activations. Hope to see you there!
This week, I spoke with Emma Mary Murray — textile artist, place-based educator, and environmental storyteller stitching climate realities into fabric, flags, and community.
Emma joined me from Mount Desert Island, Maine, where she’s somehow managing to maintain a thriving career as an artist while teaching full-time. Her work is rooted in craft and kinship: an approach that blends personal ritual with planetary care, using slow art to tell fast-moving stories about aspects of the planet we’re losing and the one we’re still building.
In this conversation, Emma shares what it means to create climate art that isn’t just decorative but, rather, declarative. From glacier flags to embroidered landscapes to collaborative workshops, she’s turning thread into a form of truth-telling.
We talked about:
Her formative climate “aha” moment at Chewonki’s Maine Coast Semester
Her journey from outdoor guide and climber to embroidery artist
Her experience as artist-in-residence with the North Cascades Glacier Climate Project and creating “impact flags” in the field
How teaching her slow art craft is helping people reconnect with themselves and each other
How Maine’s Island Explorer bus inspired her belief in public transit as a rural climate solution
Links
Shaped By Ice art show in Seattle
Jill Pelto, climate artist and NCGCP art director
Keywords:
climate art, glacier loss, North Cascades, embroidery, storytelling, public transit, Mount Desert Island, climate education, slow craft, community art, place-based learning, youth climate action, teaching, glacial data, American Alpine Club, No Man’s Land Film Festival, climate grief, adaptation, handmade advocacy, rural climate solutions, Chewonki, activism
This week, we are joined by Emme Hayes - former fashion designer, backcountry guide, and the founder of Articles In Common, a resale marketplace reshaping outdoor culture through circularity and climate advocacy.
Emme joined me just days after we met - because sometimes you have a conversation so powerful, you need to keep it going. She brings a rare dual perspective: both insider experience from the apparel and outdoor industries, and the fierce clarity of someone who’s decided to build something better. In this conversation, Emme breaks down the systems that prop up extractive gear culture - and how she’s working to replace them with models rooted in reuse, transparency, and justice. From climbing shoes to climate anxiety, she’s asking the questions the outdoor industry doesn’t want to face.
We talked about:
Her “no going back” moment after working in fashion and seeing the waste firsthand
Why outdoor brands often center access, but not climate, in their advocacy
The deeper problem behind “buy better”—and why sustainable apparel is a myth
How Articles in Common makes secondhand gear a climate solution, not just a lifestyle
Building Wild for Climate - a new community hub for creatives and athletes who want to speak out without brand interference
Keywords:
climate action, resale, circular economy, circularity, secondhand gear, sustainable fashion, outdoor industry, environmental storytelling, Articles In Common, PFAS, overconsumption, public lands, climate anxiety, policy advocacy, backcountry guiding, marine protection, wild horses, BLM, outdoor brands, greenwashing, outdoor community, brand sponsorship, fashion industry, gear culture, re-commerce, climate justice
This episode was recorded live at TrailCon during the panel Sustainability, Stewardship and Climate Action in Trail Running. It brought together four powerful voices from across the outdoor and climate worlds: Gerard Vila (Kilian Jornet Foundation), Rory Fuerst Jr. (Keen Footwear), Kelly Newlon (Real Athlete Diets), and Scott Jurek (ultrarunner + Protect Our Winters). From cleaning up PFAS in global supply chains to stewarding sensitive mountain ecosystems, each guest shared their personal climate “aha” moments and the stakes they see on and off the trail.
We cover:
Trail running isn’t separate from climate - it’s part of it. And this conversation offers reminders and roadmaps for how our sport, our industry, and our communities can show up.
Guest Bios
🎙 Gerard Vila is Director of the Kilian Jornet Foundation, working to preserve mountain environments through education, science, and on-the-ground stewardship.
🎙 Rory First Jr. leads R&D and innovation at Keen and has spent decades inside global footwear supply chains.
🎙 Kelly Newlon is a chef, athlete agent, and founder of RAD Boulder (Real Athlete Diets), with extensive experience supporting climate expeditions around the world.
🎙 Scott Jurek is an ultrarunning legend and member of Protect Our Winters’ Athlete Alliance, bringing his decades of environmental advocacy to the trails and the policy table.
Keywords:
trail running, climate action, outdoor community, sustainability, athlete activism, clean air, clean water, wildfire smoke, trail maintenance, ecosystem protection, PFAS, behavior change, endurance sports, climate storytelling, environmental policy, glacier melt, fresh water, supply chain, imperfect advocacy, mountain ecosystems
For this episode, I sat down in person at TrailCon with Kristina Randrup—an ultrarunner, wildlife ecologist, and PhD student at the University of Washington studying blue whale populations. Kristina joined me just after winning the 18K at Broken Arrow Skyrace to talk about her lifelong relationship with ecology, her early start in ultrarunning, and what it means to split your life between rigorous academic research and long days in the mountains.
We discussed growing up on the East Bay trails, the future of large cetaceans and what it means to defend public lands not just as a user, but as a scientist. Kristina is the kind of guest who’s equally comfortable talking about Bayesian modeling as she is about the finish-line chaos of major ultra races. Whether she’s running 100K races or analyzing blue whale stock assessments, she brings a level of curiosity and humility that feels especially rare - and especially needed - in both science and sport.
We talk about:
What it’s like to grow up running ultras - and having her mom sign her up for her first 50K
Why she almost didn't get into her PhD program—and how she ended up studying blue whales (and why it’s important to study them!)
Why data modeling is powerful, but not everything—and how Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is finally being taken seriously
The case for embracing multiple ways of being outdoors, without hierarchy or gatekeeping
The connection between running, science and place
Links
Kristina’s paper about natural climate solutions for Washington
Dr. Trevor Branch – UW School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences
Can you tell I interviewed a PhD researcher? Links galore! :)
Keywords: climate science, marine mammals, trail running, ultrarunning, blue whales, public lands, outdoor equity, environmental science, PhD student, GIS, Bayesian modeling, natural climate solutions, whale conservation, University of Washington, outdoor community, Indigenous knowledge, traditional ecological knowledge, land sovereignty, recreation access, seal overpopulation, Broken Arrow, Brooks Trail Team, science communication
For this episode, I spoke with Fabrice Perrin, the Director of Sports, Community and Sustainability at UTMB, the world’s largest trail running event series. We sat down in Olympic Valley the day before the start of Western States (which he was preparing to run) to talk about the new sustainability policies UTMB is implementing across its Mont Blanc races, what it means for athletes and organizers, and some of the tougher questions on why the race series formulated these new measures the way they did.
We talk about:
The newly announced pillars around sustainability for the race - commit, measure, reduce, offset
Why travel makes up over 85% of UTMB’s footprint—and how the race is trying to change that
How the race is trying to promoting behavior change, and the mechanics of the lottery weighting clause
What it means to offset emissions responsibly, and why UTMB didn’t make that cost optional (or cover it for runners themselves)
The tension between climate action and access: who gets to race, and what does it cost?
UTMB approached me about having this conversation, and I was glad to have the opportunity to dig in. I called upon a few friends who are members of the PTRA to gather more questions than the ones my research prompted - a special shout-out to Dakota Jones for helping me thoroughly prepare for this conversation.
Links:
EcoAct (current offset partner)
Keywords:
trail running, climate action, sustainable events, UTMB, ultra running, carbon offsets, weighted lottery, environmental policy, outdoor industry, equity, endurance sports, clean transportation, public transit, sustainable racing, offsetting ethics, global warming, glacier melt, climate storytelling, climate, sport, emissions reduction
For this episode, Addie sat down with Maddie Hart - a trail and ultra runner, environmental consultant, and the founder of Hart Athletic Co., a new sustainability consulting initiative for endurance events. Maddie is based in the Bay Area (shoutout to the Pacifica trails and the iconic Taco Bell Cantina) and joined me to talk about her path from skiing and horse riding to 100-mile ultras, the state of renewable energy, and how she’s helping races cut waste, emissions, and greenwashing.
We talk about:
Why we need to move away from climate perfectionism and toward meaningful, measurable change
What it’s like to go from burnout in the clean energy sector to launching her own consulting business
Her approach to certification, tailored to the realities of each event and community
What it means to show up with skin in the game—as a runner, racer, and trail user
The carbon footprint of finish-line beer (yes, it’s a thing) and what races can do about it
This episode is for anyone who’s curious about building something from scratch, shaping the future of trail events, or turning frustration into action.
Links
CleanPowerSF (Community Choice Aggregator)
Western Colorado University – Environment & Sustainability Program
Let me know what stood out to you - especially if you're a race director, athlete, or organizer thinking about how to make your event more sustainable. Or if you just want to talk trail snacks and carbon sinks.
Keywords:
climate action, sustainable racing, trail running, ultra running, Hart Athletic Co., endurance events, renewable energy, race sustainability, green sports, eco-friendly races, electrification, clean energy transition, waste reduction, carbon offsetting, zero waste, environmental consultant, outdoor industry, TerraCycle, RECs, climate communication, trail race emissions, climate and sport, public lands advocacy, inclusive outdoor community, sustainable event certification
For this episode, I spoke with Jordan Wright, a strategic communicator, creative campaigner, and storytelling force behind POW Europe (Protect Our Winters). Jordan is based in West Wales - yes, the land of rocky coastlines, cold surf, and long, rainy winters - and she joined me to talk about the path from brand designer to climate campaigner, what it's like to organize across 10+ European teams, and how storytelling can move people to action.
We talk about:
The aha moment that moved her from graphic design into the climate space
The unique structure of POW Europe and why localized campaigns matter
Why climate storytelling needs to balance urgency with hope—and fear with action
Messaging strategies that cut through the noise (hint: “you should do this” doesn’t land)
Her take on circular design as a favorite climate solution, with a shoutout to UK brand Finisterre
Plus: how growing up surfing in Wales, volunteering with Surfers Against Sewage, and witnessing climate impacts firsthand in British Columbia all shaped the work she’s doing today.
This one’s full of insight for anyone trying to communicate climate clearly, organize across borders, or just figure out how to plug in with imperfection and purpose.
Links:
Keywords
climate change, environmental storytelling, outdoor recreation, nature connection, strategic communications, POW Europe, climate advocacy, surfing, circular design, imperfect advocacy, climate campaigns, athlete activism, glacier preservation, low-carbon travel, climate messaging, European climate movement, sustainability, community engagement, climate resilience, environmental activism, storytelling strategies, climate policy, brand strategy, creative campaigning