Supercool

Ken LaRoe has done what no one else in U.S. history has: founded three banks. His first two were financial successes. His third—Climate First Bank—is his answer to unfinished business. Built to align money with mission, it’s now America’s fastest-growing new bank, surpassing $1.4 billion in assets while financing the clean energy economy.In this episode, Ken shares what he learned across 25 years of banking—why financial performance and climate action can’t be opposites, and how being, in his words, a “rabid environmentalist and rabid capitalist” became his edge. He explains how Climate First’s fintech arm, OneEthos, built proprietary software that powers $30 million in solar loans each month across 700+ installers—without relying on tax credits or Wall Street intermediaries.Now, as the bank prepares for an IPO, Ken is proving that mission-driven finance can outperform the market—and that the clean energy transition runs on something deeper than capital: conviction.Show NotesGuest: Ken LaRoe, CEO of Climate First Bancorp and Executive Chairman of Climate First BankCompany: Climate First BankFor more low-carbon innovations now scaling—and the playbooks that drive their adoption—subscribe or follow the podcast, plus our:* Weekly Newsletter* YouTube Channel* Supercool on LinkedIn and Instagram

Peatlands cover just 3% of the Earth's land surface, yet store more carbon than all the vegetation on the planet combined. Every forest. Every tree. Every blade of grass.So why aren't we talking about them?When peatlands are drained, carbon stored underground for thousands of years begins escaping into the atmosphere. Degraded peatlands account for approximately 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. But restoring them can be remarkably straightforward: put the water back.Tripp Wall, founder and CEO of Pantheon Regeneration, is restoring nearly 15,000 acres of peatland in North Carolina. His company has attracted investment from Microsoft, and his ambition extends beyond peatlands: making conservation an investable asset class.Wall joins Supercool to discuss the extraordinary economics of peatland restoration, how markets for carbon, water, and biodiversity can generate financial returns, and why the explosive growth of AI and data centers could unlock a new wave of investment in nature.

We have electric cars, artificial intelligence, and rockets that land themselves. So why are millions of American homes still using last century’s technology and burning fossil fuels to stay warm?Stephen Lake wants to bring our homes into the 21st century.His company, Jetson, is making home electrification more affordable by eliminating everything from the trip to the home improvement store to hiring a contractor, selling directly to homeowners and owning every step of the process.Jetson’s high-performance heat pumps replace conventional furnaces and air conditioners with cleaner, more efficient technology that monitors its own performance and gets better over time through software updates.Now Jetson is expanding into water heating and EV charging, connecting more of the systems that power our homes.Lake, whose previous consumer technology company was acquired by Google, joins Supercool to discuss how to take cost out of home electrification, build a consumer brand in an industry with little brand awareness, and make fossil-free homes the better choice.

From Sofas to Swim Spas: Secondhand Goods Get the Buy-New ExperienceBuying a used Peloton, sofa, or swim spa can save you thousands of dollars. But when it comes to large, expensive products, the inconvenience and risk of purchasing secondhand often outweigh the savings.Commonplace founder and CEO Ari Kimmelfeld has built a business to eliminate those obstacles, creating a three-sided marketplace connecting buyers, sellers, and a network of trained drivers who handle inspection, transportation, and installation.For sellers, listing a product is remarkably easy. For buyers, Commonplace offers premium secondhand goods at steep discounts, with financing, delivery, and installation taken care of.To grow the circular economy, buying secondhand needs to be as easy as buying new. On Supercool, Ari explains how Commonplace is building the infrastructure to make that happen, keeping valuable products in circulation, reducing waste, and cutting the carbon emissions associated with manufacturing new products.Show NotesGuest: Ari Kimmelfeld, founder and CEOCompany: CommonplaceFor more low-carbon innovations now scaling—and the playbooks driving their market adoption—subscribe to the podcast plus our:* Weekly Newsletter* Climate Adoption Playbook* Supercool on Instagram * Supercool on LinkedIn

While saving the Amazon grabs headlines, the trees right outside your front door shape your life in important ways. The more trees in your city neighborhood, the less crime, the fewer prescriptions for antidepressants, and the lower rates of asthma, childhood leukemia, and other immune diseases. These leafy giants affect everything from healthier newborns to longer life expectancy to higher property values.  Geoffrey Donovan, an urban forester and economist with the U.S. Forest Service, joins the show. His groundbreaking research over the two decades is reshaping how urban planners and policymakers think about the essential public health and economic role of trees in city life.Show Links:Guest: Geoffrey DonovanOrganization: U.S. Forest ServiceGrant Program: U.S. Forest Service's Urban and Community Forest ProgramFor more low-carbon innovations now scaling—and the playbooks driving their market adoption—subscribe to the podcast plus our:* Weekly Newsletter* Climate Adoption Playbook* Supercool on Instagram * Supercool on LinkedIn