How can we finance development that’s good for the planet and the communities that live there?

How can we finance development that’s good for the planet and the communities that live there?

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7 out of 10 Americans don’t want a data center in their backyard, and it’s hard to blame them. But we’re also seeing backlash increase against clean energy infrastructure, which is definitely hurting our ability to transition off of fossil fuels.

Columbia’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law found 498 contested renewable energy projects in 2025, a 32% increase from the prior year. They also found a 16% increase in local laws restricting renewable energy development.

Resistance has been at the heart of every environmental movement. You look at the history, you understand the harm, and you fight to make sure it doesn’t repeat.

But building the clean energy we desperately need takes something resistance alone can’t deliver. It takes openness to the still-imperfect solutions that represent a huge improvement over the status quo for planetary health.

Building climate tech means understanding multiple truths. No development should harm. But no development at all means we fail to address climate change urgently.

My guest today, Dawn Lippert, has protected the environment for decades and understands industrial tradeoffs. Now she’s calling for an environmentalism which centers on innovating and building faster.

Why sensory inclusivity matters.

Why sensory inclusivity matters.

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Join in for a moving, empowering, and life-giving conversation with Sho Baraka—husband, father, artist, speaker, and sensory inclusivity advocate. In this episode, Sho shares his powerful personal journey as the father of two sons on the autism spectrum. He honestly reflects on the emotions, challenges, and joys his family has experienced on this journey. We talk through the insecurities and shame that can arise as a parent, the challenge of knowing your child could be triggered at any moment, and the difficulty of managing others’ expectations and mixed reactions. Refreshingly, we also highlight the necessity of community, the importance of learning from others and fighting against the tendency to walk in isolation. Sho also shares the ways he has embraced new normals and put increased attention on his kids’ strengths. You’ll also hear about the unexpected blessings and community Sho has found, while leaning into advocacy to create sensory-inclusive spaces. An inspiring conversation with essential perspectives that all of us need to hear on what it means to be neuro-inclusive and why it matters for all of us.

The Addy Hour is recorded at the Yale Teaching Studios, with engineering support from Ryan McEvoy, edited by Orlando Suazo, and hosted by Dr. Nii Addy. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and follow our podcast page, to help us grow this podcast and our community.

Today’s top psychologists discuss mental health, social media, and everyday psychological tools

Today’s top psychologists discuss mental health, social media, and everyday psychological tools

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Today, we delve into an honest and practical conversation about the place of psychology in society and in our daily lives. I’m joined by Dr. Simon Rego and Dr. Sandy Pimentel, two leading and influential clinical psychologists. We jump right in, first considering whether our culture’s increased focus on mental health is a passing fad or an emerging trend that’s here to stay. It doesn’t take long before we venture into the murky waters of mental health content on social media, wrestling with the best way to navigate through the helpful content and misinformation that circulates daily. We also talk about the unexpected impacts of our guests’ social media involvement. Things get practical, as we share advice on how to manage life’s frustrations while holding on to gratitude and hope. We even get personal, sharing about successes and failures and the growth that can only come when you stretch yourself and learn from mistakes along the way. Humorously, we consider society’s mixed feelings about psychologists – either embracing them or running away from them. Finally, we talk about ways psychologists and other mental health professionals can authentically and effectively engage with the community.

Fixing the Reason Why Nobody Wants a Heat Pump | Jeff Coleman, Eli

Fixing the Reason Why Nobody Wants a Heat Pump | Jeff Coleman, Eli

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Jeff Coleman woke up one morning and realized he was running a different kind of company than he started. What began as a software platform to help homeowners access clean energy incentives became a product with a much harder problem to tackle: a fintech company speeding up the rebate turnaround between utilities, governments, and contractors.

In this conversation, Eli’s founder shares the truth about scaling a company rooted in clean energy through a political reversal, why the path to energy upgrades is paved with paperwork for contractors, and why he believes leaning into the “boring” parts of climate tech is crucial to expanding clean energy access.

The climate tech company copying trees to remake our world sustainably

The climate tech company copying trees to remake our world sustainably

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On this episode of Future in Bloom, Steph Speirs speaks with Etosha Cave, co-founder and Chief Science Advisor at Twelve. Twelve is discovering new ways to recycle CO2 and transform it into the things we use in our everyday lives. Etosha discusses her journey from grad school, realizing nature doesn’t treat CO2 as waste, so why should we? She dives deep into the story of how she helped build a company that mimics photosynthesis to turn captured carbon and water into fuels and everyday products.

Along the way, they discuss why CO₂ is such a “stubborn molecule,” how Twelve chose what to make from sixteen possible options, the role the Inflation Reduction Act played in their pivot to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and why the company can now produce jet fuel almost anywhere in the world. It’s a conversation about science, commercialization, and the belief that waste and pollution are design choices we can make differently.

Reflections from an innovative scientist, leader and mentor

Reflections from an innovative scientist, leader and mentor

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In today’s episode, we delve into the world of leading a high-level biomedical research program and mentoring students who will make the key scientific breakthroughs of tomorrow. I’m joined by Dr. Faye Rogers, a pioneering researcher studying cell repair and genomic instability, with the goal of developing novel therapies for breast and ovarian cancers. In our conversation, Dr. Rogers recounts her early years, growing up on a small island and never having met a scientist. Somehow, she still gravitated towards science, performing “experiments” as a kid, and eventually developing a passion both for research and mentorship. She talks candidly about the pressures that come with navigating graduate school and the inevitable but sometimes unexpected shifts and changes that happen along the journey. Dr. Rogers shares honestly about her own experience and discusses the importance of giving students the tools to be resilient scientists. She also describes her innovative programs introducing high school and college students to cancer research. Perhaps most poignantly, she reflects on the necessity for leaders like her to be good listeners, to incorporate other points of view, to admit when they make mistakes, and to have the flexibility to incorporate different perspectives when tackling complex problems.

It feeds half the world. It Also Emits 2% of Global CO₂. Can We Fix It?

It feeds half the world. It Also Emits 2% of Global CO₂. Can We Fix It?

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In this episode of Future in Bloom, host Steph talks with Dr. Lea Winter, a chemical and environmental engineering professor at Yale, to explore how we can redesign the basic chemistry of our economy and actually reuse CO2. Lea breaks down why carbon isn’t just a pollutant to get rid of but an essential building block of our everyday lives. Her lab is developing ways to take CO2 from the atmosphere or industrial emissions and convert it into fuels, chemicals, and materials using reactions that could one day replace fossil-fuel-based manufacturing.

Lea also explains how synthetic fertilizer enabled the population boom of the 20th century, but at a steep cost: massive fossil fuel dependence, significant CO2 emissions, and widespread nitrogen contamination of groundwater and ecosystems. Her lab is pursuing green ammonia pathways that use only air, water, and renewable electricity.

Together, Lea and Steph discuss her work on transforming wastewater into a resource recovery opportunity, converting nitrogen contaminants into ammonia for fertilizer. Lea shares her vision of a truly circular chemical economy, one designed to eliminate waste, increase resilience, and expand access to essential resources for communities around the world.

A media veteran shares his story

A media veteran shares his story

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Today’s episode emerged from a “chance” encounter that led to an authentic connection and eventually a podcast conversation. From his poignant investigative journalism at MTV, to his dynamic storytelling and cultural commentary across multiple media platforms, and his red-carpet interviews with chart-topping artists at the Grammys, Dometi Pongo’s lasting impact on the industry is clear. Today, we hear his story. In this thought-provoking dialogue, Dometi reflects on the many lessons learned in his life and career. He shares honestly about his winding career journey and the impact of those who reached out and grabbed him when he was at his lowest. He also talks about his present-day experiences as a media personality and the opportunities and challenges along the way. We consider the tension of looking for clicks and views, ongoing contentions around objectivity in the media, and the necessity of staying true to your calling. This is a refreshing episode touching on the power of authentic community and the importance of calling society to something greater. Listen in. You’re sure to be inspired.

Jamil Mahuad

Jamil Mahuad

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Jamil Mahuad, former President of Ecuador, joins for a fascinating conversation on leadership, instinct, and imagination. He opens up about the choice to go into politics, and his experiences negotiating a peace accord and navigating an economic “perfect storm.”