Climate Swings – Details, episodes & analysis

Neelambaree Prasad grew up in Mumbai the daughter of a mathematician and a nuclear scientist. She later became both a pharmacologist and a practitioner of traditional Indian dance. For sixteen years she built a corporate career in biotech and pharma, until the pandemic—and motherhood—cracked something open. What began as a restless question about purpose turned into ClimArts, a global collective weaving climate science with performance and storytelling, from stand-up comedy in Jakarta to ballet about coral reefs in Madagascar. In this conversation, Neelambaree talks about how art can illuminate evidence, how purpose can evolve, and how imagination might just be climate’s most renewable resource.

Notes and resources

* Neelambaree Prasad’s LinkedIn

* ClimArts

* Climate Swings interview with Kamal Kapadia

* Climate Swings Substack

In this special crossover episode, we flip the mic: I sit down in the guest chair for a heart-to-heart with Jae Canetti of Terra.talk, the official podcast of Terra.do. Together we dive into the strange, sprawling world of climate communications—from my early days in global media (Global Times, Reuters, The Economist Group), to launching Word Clouds, my climate communications consultancy, to my reflections on how AI, authenticity, and attention economics are reshaping storytelling. The conversation ping-pongs from greenwashing and the economics of journalism to the human pulse behind good communications, the rise of curated communities over clickbait, and that infamous 2020 “Orange Sky Day” that pushed me fully into climate work. It’s a lively, meta, and sometimes philosophical tour through why we talk about climate the way we do—and why it still matters to keep talking.

Notes and resources

* Michael Gold’s LinkedIn

* Climate Swings homepage

* Climate Swings Substack

We all spend time in nature, but there is something truly unique about how John Muir Laws approaches his work (yes, that is his given name). John—who goes by the nickname Jack—is a naturalist, illustrator, and educator whose depictions of the great outdoors bring a fresh perspective to many places and spaces that we all take for granted. A few steps removed from your typical climate warrior, Jack works across vast political and socio-cultural divides to bring the joy of nature journaling to audiences around the world. In his journey, which took him from roaming the Sierra Nevadas to sparking an artistic movement, he demonstrates that the best way to succeed in difficult climate discussions is to find common ground with the simple things, like the birds and bees in our own backyards, that connect us. In this episode, Jack takes us through a lesson in nature art that could very well change how you see the world around you—and maybe inspire you to slow down and pay a bit more attention than you would otherwise. You’ll definitely want to WATCH this one!

Notes and resources

* John Muir Laws’s website

* Americans’ partisan identities are stronger than race and ethnicity, Stanford scholar finds

* Climate Swings Substack

* Climate Swings YouTube

* Climate Swings Spotify

Join me on another special episode of Climate Swings, where I’m providing an update on the second leg of our Europe Summer travels. This time, I’m reporting from Madrid, which beats out Barcelona in terms of liveliness and being an undeniable seat of Spanish culture—but doesn’t quite measure up to Barcelona in other ways (including celebrity encounters 💃). Which city has the edge as the next place my husband and I might want to call home?

Notes and resources

LinkedIn Post: Barcelona Diaries Part II: Good Luck, Babe! 🇪🇸

From small-town Pennsylvania to the halls of Stanford Law, from EPA environmental attorney to mayor of Sausalito, Janelle Kellman’s career has put her at the heart of the climate-community nexus—and could even see her become the next Lieutenant Governor of California. Join Janelle as she takes us through her "intellectual buffet" of roles—law firm partner, EPA Region 9 attorney, renewable energy consultant, planning commissioner, nonprofit founder, e-commerce entrepreneur, and elected official. Her secret sauce? An unshakeable belief that resilience beats sustainability every time, and that communities know best how to solve their own problems. Whether she’s securing $2 million in grants to flood-proof her waterfront town or hiking California’s watersheds to understand dam removal impacts, Janelle proves that the most effective climate leaders are those who listen first, act second, and never stop building coalitions. Her mantra is "community leader who took action" and she’s living it at every level from city hall to state politics.

Notes and resources

* Janelle Kellman’s LinkedIn

* Center for Sea Rise Solutions

* Janelle Kellman’s campaign website

What happens when you combine NASA research experience, an abandoned PhD, and a passion for getting game-changing climate-tech out of labs and into the real world? Meet Anku Madan, principal at Obvious Ventures, whose career has swung from engineering metallic alloys to co-founding a startup that created date rape drug detection technology, before finally finding his sweet spot funding climate solutions that could help save our planet. Today, Anku hunts for breakthrough innovations in carbon removal, synthetic biology, and geothermal energy—backing founders who are tackling trillion-dollar problems with deep-tech solutions. His story shows how technical chops paired with business savvy can accelerate the climate tech revolution we desperately need.

Notes and resources

* Anku Madan’s LinkedIn

* Obvious Ventures

In this special episode of Climate Swings, I'm breaking from my usual interview format to share a personal update from Barcelona, Spain—where I've been completely won over after just two weeks. Join me as I take you through the captivating blend of old-world charm and modern innovation that defines this Mediterranean gem, from its vibrant street life and exceptional public transit to its surprisingly robust climate action community. What started as the first stop on a three-city European tour has quickly evolved into something more significant: a potential future home. Listen in to discover why my husband and I have already changed our travel plans, how Barcelona compares to American urban life, and what this means for the future of Climate Swings as I explore the intersection of sustainable cities and climate careers from across the Atlantic.

How does a passionate environmentalist swing from managing garbage piles in India to launching a groundbreaking climate education platform that’s transformed thousands of careers? Join me as I interview Kamal Kapadia, co-founder of Terra.do. Her remarkable journey took her from crowded Indian cities to Oxford’s hallowed halls, from installing solar panels in Sri Lankan villages to teaching middle schoolers in Hawaiian tents, and finally to creating one of the most influential climate education programs in the world. Through her story of constant reinvention—from journalism to academia, from food gardens (including tending to an appropriately icky “worm bin”) to tech startups—Kamal reveals how education can be our most powerful tool for climate action, and why sometimes the most meaningful careers are built not from careful planning, but from a series of bold adventures guided by curiosity and conviction.

Notes and resources

* Kamal Kapadia’s LinkedIn

* Terra.do

Pop quiz: what is the most critical—yet criminally overlooked—frontier in our battle against climate change? If you said "cities", you get the gold star! Drawing from decades of global experience transforming urban landscapes, Gil Penalosa, today's guest and founder of 8 80 Cities, argues that how we design our cities in the next 40 years will fundamentally determine human sustainability for centuries to come. While most climate conversations obsess over energy, Penalosa, who came in second place in 2022's Toronto mayoral race, passionately demonstrates that urban planning is the secret weapon we've been missing—a holistic approach that combines health, equity, environmental sustainability, and human joy. His message is both urgent and optimistic: by reimagining cities as interconnected, walkable, green spaces that prioritize people over cars, we can create solutions that are not sacrifices, but pathways to a more vibrant, connected, and livable world. With infectious enthusiasm and razor-sharp insights, Gil challenges listeners to see urban design not as a technical challenge, but as a profound opportunity to reshape how humans live, move, and thrive together.

Notes and resources

* Cities for Everyone with Gil

* 8 80 Cities

* Gil Penalosa’s LinkedIn

In this personal episode of Climate Swings, host Michael Gold shares why he’s spending three months in Europe this summer—and why it might become permanent. After Trump's re-election and amid America's retreating climate leadership, he’s questioning what keeps him here. Join him as he explores Barcelona, Madrid, and Berlin while reflecting on where climate action truly lives in 2025. Is Europe calling? Listen to find out.