Green Success Stories sat down with Simonas Valadkevicius, Founder and SEO of Lavastream, a Lithuanian renewable energy company that develops geothermal power production and electricity storage assets in Lithuania and Poland. Simonas describes his dramatic turnaround from oil and gas to renewable energy, and the enormous potential of geothermal as a zero-emission climate-friendly energy solution. He looks forward to a time when coal and natural gas are remembered as an archaic way of generating energy, and invites others with oil, gas, and commodity trade experience to join him on this meaningful journey.

Green Success Stories shines the Green Spotlight on Matt Macunas, co-founder of Weather Trade Net. Matt describes his north star sustainability instincts from early on, his work in energy policy, in financing climate tech, in consulting and in leading Weather Trade Net from the US side. He describes the many use cases of the climate risk data analysis his firm provides, from helping firms comply with regulatory requirements through helping them develop sound financial and risk transparency and mitigation planning. Matt stresses the far-ranging involvement of sustainability in all our futures, and the openness of the field to people from all backgrounds and levels of prior knowledge who are ready to help our world in the fight against climate change.

Green Success Stories puts Kelsey Alexander, Sustainability Manager at RE Tech Advisors, in the Green Spotlight. We discussed her journey from sustainable agriculture and providing food to people without access, through her efforts to helping with sustainability in the built environment, particularly with holistic ESG strategy and implementation for global real estate funds. Noting that the built environment accounts for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions globally – the shelter we need is destroying the planet that shelters us – Kelsey calls for a systemic integrated approach to achieve sustainability in the industry, with supporting real estate funds right now in improving their ESG performance being of paramount importance.

Attention sustainability and climate tech folks. Please keep swinging. Even if you’re in a slump. For losers shall be winners, and green (diamond) successes are sometimes one pitch and one swing away.

Green Success Stories puts Ashley Besic, Thermal Energy Networks Senior Associate at the Building Decarbonization Coalition, in the Green Spotlight. Ashley shares her passion for implementing neighborhood-scale building decarbonization solutions, using thermal energy networks (TENs) as a holistic sustainability solution, and merging expertise in real estate, collaboration, and technology to foster resilient, equitable communities across the country.

Green Success Stories puts McQuillen Martinez, Sustainability Analyst at WAP Sustainability Consulting, in the Green Spotlight. We discussed the sadness McQuillen felt at the disappearance of white Christmases and the muting of autumn colors in his native Boston area, and how it led him to working toward fighting to protect the natural world. We discussed the wide range of consulting, carbon management, ESG, Life Cycle Assessments and other services his team offers, as well as his role in providing comprehensive support for clients carbon management and ESG efforts. He described the joy he feels at leading clients’ evolution from reluctant participants to passionate advocates for meaningful climate action.

Green Success Stories sat down with Ashutosh Deshpande, Environmental Manager of California Facilities of Grifols. We discussed his growth in sustainability awareness, education, and action, his sustainability professional certification, and his efforts to help companies get ISO certified. Per Ashutosh, journeys begin with small steps and, over time, accumulate to great (green) successes.

You may have heard us say it before. Green Success Stories highlights leaders in sustainability and climate tech. That’s what we do. We highlight green giants. We show off your giant green footsteps. We get others to follow in your lead. So be a part of our community. And let us shine that green light on you and what you do.

Green Success Stories had a great conversation with Kirstin Skyrm, Sustainability Specialist at Preferred By Nature (PbN). We discussed her move from the financial sector to follow her passion for sustainability, and her ability to bring her analytical and quantitative skills to her work in mitigating deforestation and ecosystem conversion and other green efforts. Kirstin described her work with PbN developing sustainability due diligence systems within company supply chains, as well PbN’s wide range of assurance, certification, advisory, capacity building, carbon footprint management and other initiatives. She invites readers to connect via LinkedIn and to learn more about PbN at http://www.preferredbynature.org.

Green Success Stories sat down with Sarah Shepard, Senior Sustainability Quality Manager at Edwards Garment. We discussed their commitment to sustainability in the apparel industry, their quantifiable approach to meeting objectives, their innovative efforts including using recycled materials in the uniforms they make, their optimization of manufacturing and logistics toward minimizing waste and energy consumption, and in general their hope for a more sustainable future in which organizations manage the delicate interplay between innovation and regulation.

Green Success Story puts John Sarter, West Coast Operations and Relations Lead for dcbel, in the Green Spotlight. We discussed the award-winning sustainable passive house design and building firm he’s led for over 40 years, his pioneering efforts in the success of the bidirectional EV charging “Beacon Project,” how it led him to work on bringing dcbel’s evolutionary technology into the built environment, and the potential of this technology to rapidly and simultaneously decarbonize the built environment, transportation sector and energy sector.

Green Success Stories puts Gary Weinstein, Sustainability Manager at JFK International Air Terminal – Terminal 4 (JFKIAT), in the Green Spotlight. Gary shares his lifelong passion for protecting the environment and its inhabitants. He describes innovative efforts of making aviation more sustainable, including decarbonization, ESG, and even harvesting used cooking oil from airport restaurants and turning it into sustainable aviation fuel. He encourages readers to inspire others to assess and improve their own environmental impact.

Green Success Stories sat down with Aram Terry, Founder and CEO of MasayaCo, makers of modern furniture and ADUs, all handmade from reforested Nicaraguan teak. We discussed their heirloom-quality designs and how their “Seed to Seat” business model, built on sustainable practices, benefits consumers, supports the local economy, and contributes to the fight against climate change.

Green Success Stories puts Kiran Mali of FlipWash in the Green Spotlight. FlipWash presents an eco-friendly, investor-friendly, sustainable solution for car washes, using a wax-based cleaning solution instead of wasting water, at locations directly where consumers are anyways (e.g., parking garages). We discussed the evolution of the FlipWash solution, its benefits to the environment and to the consumer, and their hope for expansion and growth.

Green Success Stories puts Bridgid O’Connell, Marine Science and Technology Fellow at Seaside Sustainability, in the Green Spotlight. We discussed Bridgid’s hands-on educational and community outreach programs to clean up coastlines and enhance aquatic ecosystems, the use of “BlueTech” devices such as the PixieDrone, the building of coalitions toward local and global coastal cleanup, and more.

Green Success Stories sat down with Stjepan (Steve) Luburic, ESG and Sustainability Senior Manager at SAPRO. We discussed his work with SAPRO helping clients navigate ESG reporting, implement ESG strategies, and find sustainability solutions for their businesses. We further touched on the evolution of his interest in sustainability, his approach to business and environment not being on opposite ends of the spectrum, his interest in reducing plastic waste and advancing alternative fuels, and his encouragement to go outside, appreciate one’s surroundings, and enjoy the beauty of the world.

Here’s a little ditty about the great wide spectrum of sustainability efforts, and how to get the world to hear your sustainability song.

Last week Green Success Stories talked some more about The Story of More. The author, Hope Jahren also provides a blueprint for getting to “less.” In our opinion, there’s still more to say. More or less.

Green Success Stories puts Christina Snitko, Project Manager of EcoEngineers, in The Green Spotlight. We discussed her passion for environmental science, her innovative and collaborative work with her team solving complex issues related to renewable fuel and energy markets, her devotion to making the world a bit better one action at a time, and more.

Green Success Stories puts Garrett Delk of Pickering Energy Partners in The Green Spotlight. Garrett discusses his path toward his role in sustainability consulting and energy advocacy at PEP, how the tenets of ESG are reflected in efficient business operations and capital allocation (though the term ESG may be out of favor in some circles), and how it behooves us all to learn more about the energy industry while approaching it with an open mind.