Where The Climate Things Are

A rundown of a few recent events: Big Alta heatwave, UTMB's Tenerife cancellation, the LA Marathon's 18-mile medal, and the recent Paralympic temperatures/conditions. Check out the full roundup on substack with links: wtcta.substack.com

This week, climate scientist, polar explorer, and former international rower Susana Hancock joins Where The Climate Things Are to talk about what happens when science, sport, and global policy collide.Susana works at the intersection of cryosphere science and international climate negotiations — studying glaciers, ice sheets, and the communities around the world that depend on them. But her work isn’t just inside research institutions or negotiation rooms. It’s also on skis, in expedition tents, and across some of the most remote ice on Earth.This conversation explores how storytelling, science, and sport can all play a role in shaping climate action.More show notes and links at the substack post: wtcta.substack.com

This week Olympic marathon bronze medalist and ultrarunner Molly Seidel joins Where The Climate Things Are for a conversation about the environmental side of her story - one that rarely gets airtime in traditional running-focused interviews.Growing up in rural Wisconsin surrounded by land conservation work, Molly developed an early relationship with environmental stewardship long before becoming a professional athlete. In this episode, we talk about climate anxiety in the outdoor community, how travel and training shape our understanding of environmental change, and why athletes don’t need to be perfect advocates to participate in climate conversations.This discussion moves beyond performance and podiums to explore identity, place, and what it means to protect the landscapes that shape who we are.show notes & links at: wtcta.substack.com

This week, Addie is joined by Shannon Jade - an environmental scientist, poet, and author based in Australia whose work sits at the intersection of climate science and storytelling. Shannon’s debut novel-in-verse, A Song for the Earth, follows one young woman’s journey across the planet’s biomes, weaving ecology, grief, hope, and action into poetry that feels both grounded in science and deeply human. We talk about growing up with bushfires and drought, taking the path from creative writing into environmental science and back, and why hope - not doom - is a deliberate choice when communicating climate.You can find additional show notes under the Shannon Jade article at wtcta.substack.com

Addie talks about the major climate themes throughout the 2026 Winter Olympics, in addition to the endangerment finding reversal that arrived today. It's all connected. Full article and links on substack: wtcta.substack.com

A climate channel posting about this? Absolutely. Because it's all connected. CALL YOUR SENATORS: (202) 224-3121Scripts, resources and more at the WTCTA substack: wtcta.substack.com

Climate Strides is back!We are partnering with Running Up For Air and Patagonia on our next four events. Our Climate Strides series returns to play a special role in supporting RUFA’s mission. By bringing participants along on our mobile panel design, we want to get people moving while giving people a taste of climate advocacy on the go, encouraging more people to sign up for the (much longer) RUFA race a few weeks later. Hopefully, we help to build community and connect folks in the local climate space as well. Sign up here:Salt Lake City: https://rufaclimatestridessaltlakecity.splashthat.com/Boulder: https://rufaclimatestridesboulder.splashthat.com/Seattle: https://rufaclimatestridesseattle.splashthat.com/Bellingham: https://rufaclimatestridesbellingham.splashthat.com/

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:Everytown for Gun SafetyBrown U Flight Fund (getting students out of Providence quickly and safely)Bondi Beach GoFundMeI 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 conservationWhy millions of people in the US lack access to a nearby park — and what that meansHow Trust for Public Land designs parks with communities, not for themClimate resilience: heat mitigation, flood protection, and “sponge parks”The social power of parks - belonging, safety, and everyday connection…and much more! LinksTrust for Public Land (TPL)TPL’s 10-Minute Walk ProgramTPL’s ParkServe ProgramTPL’s Schoolyard InitiativeMoore Aloha — Ama OluKai FoundationGoing Green: A Kid’s Handbook to Saving the PlanetKeywordsparks, 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. WTCTA Substack Article

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 changeFrom impact investing to activism - why solutions alone aren’t enough without policy changeThe power of people - using collective action to stop pipelines, protect oceans, and shift corporate behaviorDreaming big and starting small - lessons from Muhammad Yunus on turning ideas into impactBuilding chilli - a new platform helping climate “impact creators” mobilize communities and fundingLinks & Mentions:chilli AppMakesenseProfessor Muhammad YunusObama Scholars ProgramIPCC ReportsKeywords: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:REVERBGuster Track 1 PlaylistTrail Running Radio SubstackWhere The Climate Things Are Substack 

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 freedivingSeeing coral bleaching up close — and how ecosystems can recoverBuilding Liv for the Sea into a global expedition businessBalancing tourism, culture, and conservation in remote placesWhy seaweed farming gives her hope for the futureLinks & MentionsLiv for the SeaLiv’s InstagramLord Howe IslandExample of seaweed farmingKeywords: 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 skiingHow fly fishing — in various locations throughout the US, including my favorite, Kennebago Lake — became a lifelong practiceTrip leading, group dynamics, and what time in the wilderness reveals about human connectionWhy geological time, mass extinctions, and perspective helped him write through climate anxietyThe role of fiction in shifting climate paradigms and building new climate mythologiesLinksTim Weed’s WebsiteThe Afterlife ProjectA Field Guide to Murder and Fly FishingThe World Without Us – Alan WeismanBraiding Sweetgrass – Robin Wall KimmererProject DrawdownKeywords: 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 pathThe Climate Reality training that turned curiosity into commitmentPassing the mic and making space for others at the tableRepresentation, outdoor safety, and belongingBringing storytelling into Project Drawdown and launching Drawdown’s NeighborhoodLinksMatt’s LinkedInMatt’s Bio PageProject DrawdownDrawdown’s NeighborhoodMatt’s PodcastClimate Reality ProjectThe Black Female ProjectMustafa Santiago AliNalleli CoboKeywords: 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:Sign up for future States of Elevation events: https://nnormal.typeform.com/to/w5iiQgLB Climate Strides NYC Monday - https://luma.com/bp02i5njClimate Strides NYC Tuesday - https://luma.com/kqm45betClimate Strides NYC Wednesday - https://luma.com/ug4uk2jrClimate Strides NYC Thursday - https://luma.com/pkzm255xClimate Strides NYC Friday - https://luma.com/k9el3yflKeywords: 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 & MentionsPeyton’s InstagramPeyton’s WebsiteAnticosti Island UNESCO nominationTrail Runner Mag Profile of Peyton (written by Dakota Jones)CU Boulder Profile Keywordstrail 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!