Future in Bloom

Right now, humanity puts billions of tons of CO2 into the atmosphere every year. This has real, negative impacts on environmental and human health. Clean energy and the updated infrastructure that it demands are steps towards a healthier future. If that’s well known, why aren’t we building more?

In this episode of Future in Bloom, Steph sits down with Jackie Wong, Senior Vice President of Climate and Energy at the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of the largest environmental advocacy groups in the country. Together, they talk about why imperfect climate solutions are needed and how policymakers, businesses, and communities can all evaluate the trade-offs that come with them.

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In the past 50 years, the cost of generating solar power has dropped by 99%. That’s largely due to economics: when more solar generators get made, the cheaper it is to make more. This isn’t unique to solar power; in the right circumstances and with enough time, these economics play out with many new technologies. But the climate crisis is here, now, so how much longer can we wait?

In this episode of Future in Bloom, Steph sits down with Eric Rubenstein, co-founder of New Climate Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in new climate technologies. He answers questions about what founders and investors should know about each other, how venture capital can accelerate the energy transition, and how data centers might be a bigger force for good than you imagine.

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Most Americans support solar. Most are interested in it. But most people can’t afford it because of cost. And 63% of renters say the only reason they don’t have it is that they’d have to go through their landlord. Balcony solar, also called plug-in solar, is solving both of those problems.

In this episode of Future in Bloom, Steph sits down with Cora Stryker, co-founder of Bright Saver, a non-profit organization seeking to expand access to clean energy by paving the way for a low-cost, renter-friendly, plug-in solar energy solution. She answers questions about how to reduce the cost of solar options in the US, where balcony solar is expanding, and why she wants members, not just customers.

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Supply chains are made up of thousands of interconnected pieces, each with their own customers, suppliers, and responsibilities. In a global economy, how can any one company, let alone one person, understand where a product is really coming from?

In this episode of Future in Bloom, Steph sits down with Peter Swartz, co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Altana, an AI-powered platform that provides governments and companies with visibility deep into their supply chains, for a conversation about the ever-complex trade system, the disruptions it’s experienced, and how generative AI is making an impact.

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Most climate solutions don’t fail because the science is wrong. They fail because the market around them doesn’t get built. So, who is building more markets, and how?

In this episode of Future in Bloom, Steph sits down with Brandon Middaugh, General Manager of Microsoft’s Sustainable Markets and Climate Innovation Fund, for a conversation about climate investing and community-first AI. From measuring blades of grass in a marsh to leading one of the largest climate finance initiatives in the world, Brandon talks about the importance of data-driven decision-making in every aspect of her career. She answers questions about how and when to invest, how to work meaningfully with communities, and how to support the organizations who are building solutions for the future.

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