Stay ConnectedReversing Climate Change is a podcast about carbon removal and climatetech that keeps wandering off into literature, history, philosophy, theology, and geopolitics on the theory that the technical and scientific questions stop making much sense without them. Hosted by Ross Kenyon, who did not go past a year of political philosophy PhD coursework and has visibly not let it go.
Paid subscriptions live on Substack @ https://rosskenyon.com.
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Copyright: © Nori
Carbon removal tends not to be the most accessible pursuit for the layperson. One can plant a tree or practice regenerative farming in one's garden plot, but there typically isn't a lot else one can do. At least before Cyan! Cyan is an open-source do-it-yourself modular direct air capture machine for hobbyists you can build in an hour or two and start learning about and practicing carbon removal in your free time. And in this episode, Ross and his guest Dahl Winters build one in real time! (There is also an identical YouTube video of this podcast that shows the process!)
Dahl Winters is the CTO of DeepScience LTD and a member of the OpenAir Collective working on Cyan and other open-source DAC designs. Much scientific development focuses on patents and proprietary technology as a means of getting to a commercial market, but open-source development has an advantage of being anticompetitive, dynamic, and inclusive in ways that can be unexpectedly powerful.
Tune in today to learn the how and why of building Cyan, OpenAir Collective's work on policy as well as technological development, and why open-source movements can accomplish so much if done well.
Connect with Nori
Check out our other podcast, Carbon Removal Newsroom
Resources
Most importantly, watch the video version of this entire podcast on YouTube!
Cyan build instructions on GitHub
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/s2e66-build-your-own-diy-direct-air-c9c
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
So, you’re interested in carbon removal and curious about working in the climate space. But you’re not sure how your skills might apply, and you don’t know where to begin learning about the different types of carbon sequestration or the major players in the industry.
John Sanchez is the Founder and Curriculum Designer at Carbon Removal Academy and the Co-Creator of the AirMiners Boot Up Program and Problem Pack Climate Sprint Workgroups. He is also building Carbon Visions, a community of college students working on carbon removal solutions. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, John joins Ross to explain how these experiences facilitate the exploration process for transitioning into the climate space.
John shares his take on what makes a climate community valuable and discusses the debate around ecological versus industrial sequestration. Listen in to understand how John’s love of literature informs his work in carbon removal and learn how his experiences can help YOU uncover your climate affinity and then apply your skills to reversing climate change.
Connect with Ross
Check out our other podcast, Carbon Removal Newsroom
Resources
John’s Travels in Carbon Removal Newsletter
John’s Carbon Visions Slack Community
Biochar & Sawmills Problem Pack Report
World Resources Institute’s Post on Regenerative Ag
The Soil Scientists’ Response Letter to WRI
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/s2e65-how-to-start-learning-about-358
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
Nori has evolved a great deal since its founding in 2017, and today, the team is ready to shift from a build-to-learn prototype to a build-to-scale model. The product team is working to reduce friction in the supply experience, while the sales team develops a repeatable, scalable business model. So, what progress have they made in the last year? And where is there still room for growth?
Josh Felser is an angel investor in Nori and Founder of Climactic, a VC fund that invests in visionary founders solving our planet’s greatest challenges. On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, Josh interviews Nori team members Paul Gambill, Evangeline Marzec, Alexsandra Guerra, Radhika Moolgavkar, and Ross Kenyon for an update on Nori’s progress over the last 12 months, starting with the major trends in the climate space that affect the startup’s carbon removal marketplace.
They discuss how the team has grown, sharing Nori’s values-based approach to hiring and explaining how they’ve iterated over the last year to improve product-market fit. Listen in as Paul, Evangeline, Alexsandra, Radhika, and Ross offer insight on building trust with customers as they work to scale and learn about the forthcoming launch of the Nori token and the role it will play in determining the marketplace value of removing carbon from the atmosphere.
Resources
Gimlet Media’s StartUp Podcast
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/noris-past-present-and-future-an
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
The narrative of human exceptionalism posits that there is something unique about being human that makes us more valuable. And we believe that what matters most are the things that seem to separate us from animals—like our ability to reason or the immortal human soul. But what if you can’t separate the animal part of us from our spirit? What if being human IS being animal?
Melanie Challenger is a writer of environmental history, podcast host of Enter the Psychosphere, and author of the new release, How to Be Animal: A New History of What It Means to Be Human. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Melanie joins Ross to share her argument against substance dualism, explaining why we can’t separate the idea of being human from that of being animal.
Melanie offers insight on how we can ‘become animal’ without reverting to amoral, self-serving behaviors and why she sees the simple, clean messaging around environmental issues as being problematic. Listen in to understand Melanie’s take on the human battle with mortality and learn to accept that life is finite but not fear death.
Connect with Nori
Listen to our other show, Carbon Removal Newsroom
Resources
Enter the Psychosphere Podcast
How to Be Animal: A New History of What It Means to Be Human by Melanie Challenger
On Extinction: How We Became Estranged from Nature by Melanie Challenger
Thomas Aquinas’ Philosophy of Angelology
Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning by Timothy Snyder
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/s2e64-how-to-be-animal-a-guide-for-943
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
Are we out of balance? Some thinkers pose that the scales have tipped toward industry, ego, and individuality, and we’re disconnected from the cycles of nature. We’re all Yang and no Yin. And this imbalance is causing climate change. So, what can we do to restore our sense of interconnectedness among all living things? How can tapping into our spirituality help us heal ourselves and the earth?
Dr. Erin Yu-Juin McMorrow is the author of Grounded: A Fierce, Feminine Guide to Connecting with the Soil and Healing from the Ground Up. She is also a founding member of Kiss the Ground, a nonprofit dedicated to awakening people to the possibilities of regeneration. On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, Dr. McMorrow joins guest host and Nori cofounder Alexsandra Guerra to share her mother metaphor for the soil, describing how she sees the Yin as the feminine energy of regeneration and why western society struggles with birth and death—the primary portals of transformation.
Dr. McMorrow explores how our desire to DO disregards the spiritual aspect of climate change, discussing the individual and collective healing we must do to activate our soul voice and reconnect with each other and the earth. Listen in to understand the relationship between the empowerment of women and soil health and learn Dr. McMorrow’s simple practices for connecting with spirit and bringing our natural systems back into balance.
Connect with Nori
Check out our other podcast, Carbon Removal Newsroom
Resources
Katharine Wilkinson’s 2018 TED Talk
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/grounded-a-fierce-feminine-guide-4bf
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
In order to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, we can’t just reduce emissions. We have no choice but to add carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to the mix to keep global temperature rise under 2°C. So, what CO2 removal processes are in development? And what are governments and nonprofits doing to advocate for and fund carbon removal?
Dr. Jan Mazurek serves as Senior Director at the ClimateWorks Foundation, where she leads the Carbon Dioxide Removal Fund. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Dr. Mazurek joins Ross to discuss what the Biden administration is doing to make ‘historic strides on climate’ and explain what carbon removal measures are left out of the Biden-Harris climate agenda.
Dr. Mazurek explores why it’s politically beneficial to lead with rural resilience and job opportunities as opposed to carbon removal, describing how ClimateWorks grantees partner with unions to garner support for DAC. Listen in for Dr. Mazurek’s insight on the challenges associated with carbon pricing and find out why it’s crucial to engage front line communities in the discussion around carbon removal.
Connect with Ross
Check out our other podcast, Carbon Removal Newsroom
Resources
The CDR Program at ClimateWorks
Noah Deich & Giana Amador on RCC EP017
Dr. Julio Friedmann on RCC EP016
Giana Amador’s Blog on the Biden Budget
National Academy of Sciences Workshop on Ocean CDR
ClimateWorks’ Video on Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement
Rhodium Group’s Study on Job Opportunities in DAC
Tracy Johns at the Climate and Land Use Alliance
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/s2e63-carbon-removal-in-the-biden-fbb
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
Many corporations, organizations, and governments have made net zero commitments, and most are leaning on voluntary carbon offsetting to achieve these climate goals. But how can we be sure that such carbon offsets demonstrate a real change in the atmosphere? And how can we approach offsetting in a way that gives rise to an actual net zero society?
Eli Mitchell-Larson is a climate researcher and PhD candidate at the University of Oxford and the corresponding author of The Oxford Principles for Net Zero Aligned Carbon Offsetting. He also serves as an advisor to Carbon Direct and is helping build a new carbon removal advocacy organization in Europe. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Eli joins Ross to walk us through Oxford’s four principles, explaining why the guidelines prioritize decarbonizing first and then negating emissions.
Eli describes why he advocates for a shift to carbon removal offsetting and long-lived storage, discussing why he believes nature-based solutions are crucial—but may not be appropriate for carbon markets. Listen in to understand the argument of why companies must support the development of net zero aligned offsetting (and what that might look like) and learn how you can get involved in Eli’s burgeoning advocacy organization that serves as a champion for carbon removal.
Connect with Ross
Check out our other podcast, Carbon Removal Newsroom
Resources
The Oxford Principles for Net Zero Aligned Carbon Offsetting 2020
CDR Advocacy’s Open Executive Director Role
George Monbiot’s 2006 Article on Carbon Offsets
United Nations Race to Zero Campaign
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/s2e62-the-oxford-offsetting-principles-ea1
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
There’s a lot of advice on how reduce your carbon footprint. But everything seems to come with a caveat. You can stop eating meat, but do synthetic meats require monoculture? You can boycott Bitcoin, but would that make the grid itself any cleaner? You can drive an electric car, but its battery is made with rare minerals. So, how do you make choices that really move the needle?
Paul Greenberg is the fisherman and bestselling author behind Four Fish, American Catch, and The Omega Principle. His latest book is called The Climate Diet: 50 Simple Ways to Trim Your Carbon Footprint. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Paul joins Ross to explain what we can do to support sustainable fisheries and why we should be ‘picky plant eaters.’
Paul challenges us to be mindful of how many children we add to the planet and shares his argument against building infrastructure that gets us ‘back to normal’ after the pandemic. Listen in for Paul’s insight on electrical versus gas appliances and learn how The Climate Diet can help you make conscious choices in a spirit of kindness to the environment.
Connect with Ross
Check out our other podcast, Carbon Removal Newsroom
Resources
What a Fish Knows: The Inner Lives of Our Underwater Cousins by Jonathan Balcombe
‘The Wrong Mine for the Wrong Place’ in The New York Times
‘The Plant Prescription’ in Eating Well
Goodbye Phone, Hello World: 60 Ways to Disconnect from Tech and Reconnect to Joy by Paul Greenberg
How to Break Up with Your Phone by Catherine Price
Empty Planet on Reversing Climate Change EP105
‘Has the Pandemic Transformed the Office Forever?’ in The New Yorker
‘We Don’t Need More Life-Crushing Steel and Concrete’ in The New York Times
Natural Resource Defense Council
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/s2e61-paul-greenberg-on-the-climate-965
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
Art has a unique ability to explain complex, oft-emotional topics in an understandable way. And that’s why Carbon Upcycling Technologies (CUT) is engaging with visual artists to educate the general public about carbontech. CUT offers their artist-collaborators free materials and tech support, encouraging the use of CO2-derived materials to create pieces that ‘showcase the carbon capture and utilization industry.’
Madison Savilow is the Chief of Staff at Carbon Upcycling Technologies and Venture Lead of CUT’s new consumer brand, Expedition Air. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Madison joins Ross to discuss the technology Carbon Upcycling uses to create solid materials like concrete, plastics, and consumer products out of CO2 and share her take on the tradeoffs associated with working with some of the largest players in the energy sector.
Madison explains what inspired CUT to launch Expedition Air, describing how a consumer brand helps educate the general public about carbontech and what other companies in the space are following suit. Listen in for insight into Expedition Air’s collaboration with artists Annalee Levin and Luis Merchan and learn how Madison and her team are using visual art to market carbontech.
Connect with Nori
Check out our other podcast, Carbon Removal Newsroom
Resources
Expedition Air Artist Collaborations
Expedition Air Artist in Residence Program
Apoorv Sinha on Reversing Climate Change EP078
Newlight Technologies on Reversing Climate Change EP014
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/s2e60-art-out-of-thin-carbontech-60a
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
According to the NOMINATE Index, the last time the US was this polarized was just before and during the Civil War. So, how did we get here? And what can the philosophy of public reason liberalism teach us about living together—even when we don’t agree on much?
Dr. Kevin Vallier is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Bowling Green University and author of Trust in a Polarized Ageand Must Politics Be War? Restoring Trust in the Open Society. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Dr. Vallier joins Ross to discuss the doom loop between falling distrust and growing polarization and address how we can learn to disagree in more a productive way.
Dr. Vallier explains liberalism in general and public reason liberalism specifically, describing how we might build a shared doctrine that appeals to multiple reasonable perspectives. Listen in for Dr. Vallier’s public reason argument for restricting carbon emissions and learn what we can do to rebuild trust in our institutions and each other.
Connect with Nori
Check out our other podcast, Carbon Removal Newsroom
Resources
Trust in a Polarized Age by Kevin Vallier
Must Politics Be War? Restoring Our Trust in a Polarized Age by Kevin Vallier
Nolan McCarty on Google Scholar
So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson
A Theory of Justice by John Rawls
Political Liberalism by John Rawls
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/rebuilding-trust-in-a-polarized-worlddr-07b
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
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