How one animated video helped Springfield pass clean-energy policy—and what it teaches us about moving people and systems.

• Guests: Kathryn Taccone (Open Pixel Studios) and Samantha Hamilton (Public Health Institute of Western Mass).
• Host: Louisa Henry

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Links mentioned in the show:

• LiveWell Springfield
• Community Choice Energy
• Public Health Institute of Western MA
• OpenPixel Studios
• Check out the Animation Video on YouTube
• Local News article about City Council Approval
• Looking to learn from people who have made the switch into climate-specific careers? Check out Climate Swings Podcast.

A compost bin. A bold question. A re-written conference agenda. This special Earth Day episode brings back two past guests—Charlie Sellars and Gabe Dover—and introduces Shruti Chander, showing how small, surprising workplace actions can launch big climate impact.

🎙 New here? Check out our earlier one-on-one conversations with Charlie and Gabe after this episode for a deeper dive into their journeys.

In this episode:

• • Shruti sparks change with a compost bin
  • Gabe pushes a data question that reshapes a company
  • Charlie pivots from events to Microsoft sustainability
  • Real tactics for starting conversations and building momentum
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• 🎯 Chapters:

  0:00 Intro

  4:30 Start Small (Shruti)

  11:20 Ask the Question (Gabe)

  18:40 Make the Business Case (Charlie)

  24:00 Build Culture & Ripples

  31:10 Q&A: Land a role, start where you are

  
  

  🔗 Show Notes:

  • Climate Action Resource Library (CARL)
• • Charlie’s Book - What We Can Do: A Climate Optimist's Guide to Sustainable Living Charlie Sellars
  • Moon Five - Gabe’s EV charging start-up
  • Climate Reality Project - Tools, training and network to fight climate change.
  • Sign up for my newsletter
    

• 🎤 Know someone turning their job into climate action? I want to hear from you: anyjobcanbeaclimatejob@gmail.com

What if you could turn your existing career into a climate job — no matter what your title says?

In this inspiring conversation, Charlie Sellars, a sustainability leader at Microsoft and author of What We Can Do, shares how he embedded climate action into his work at Gartner and later at Microsoft.

He reveals how personal branding, customer focus, and small strategic actions helped him drive big change inside global companies — and how you can do it too.

🌎 Key topics:

• • Building a sustainability career from any role
  • Lessons from creating the Ocean Plastic Mouse and Xbox circular economy innovations
  • Advice for professionals navigating climate action in the private sector
  • How to stay optimistic in the face of climate challenges
    

• Mentioned: Gartner: Making An Impact With Sustainability: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQFzFwx1sYE

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• ➡️ Read Charlie’s book: https://www.charliesellars.com/

  ➡️ Connect with Charlie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlessellars/