Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers
Episodes
Yesh and Daniel’s journeys to climate community
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s become clear to both hosts of Degrees that some of the most important things they can do in the climate fight are training people to work on cl...
How a mentor can open doors, including ones you didn’t know existed
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We all have an idea of what mentorship is, but what does a really effective relationship look like in practice? How can mentors set up their mentees f...
9 days to find a climate job
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Finding climate jobs, or groups of like minded professionals to network with, can be so challenging. But how do you get out of the networking slump, a...
A regenerative approach to networking with Drew Wilkinson (Founder of The Climate Leadership Collective)
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We form a lot of different kinds of relationships in our careers. Some are transactional, and others are more personal. Drew Wilkinson, founder of the...
Pivoting to a climate job with LinkedIn’s Green Economy Lead
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What can you do when you know you want a job in sustainability, but have no idea how to get there? When Nidhi Kaul graduated college, the pathway to h...
Connection as a climate solution
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Degrees, real talk about planet saving careers, is a production of Environmental Defense Fund. The show is hosted by Yesh Pavlik Slenk and Daniel Hill...
Katharine Hayhoe on how to start climate conversations
15 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Katharine Hayhoe’s research focuses on understanding what climate change means for people and the places where we live. She is the Horn Distingu...
How to land one of the millions of new clean energy jobs
08 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Betony Jones is a nationally recognized expert in labor-climate issues, with a focus on the intersection between climate jobs, clean energy, and union...
How to green your faith communities with Rev Dr. Ambrose F. Carroll
01 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Rev. Dr. Ambrose F. Carroll, Sr., is the founder and CEO of Green The Church, a catalyst for environmentalism and sustainability built for and by the ...
The climate fight at the heart of the PR industry
25 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Solitaire is a renowned sustainability expert who works with some of the world’s most influential organizations. She is co-founder and Chief Solutio...
Hotline Episode! Sustainability careers expert Shannon Houde answers your career questions
18 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Shannon Houde is the multi-lingual International Coaching Federation (ICF)-certified coach and talent strategist behind Walk of Life Coaching, where s...
Hollywood screenwriter and producer Scott Z. Burns on making climate change central to storytelling
11 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Scott Z. Burns is a screenwriter, director, producer and playwright. His film writing credits include “The Bourne Ultimatum,” “The Informant!," ...
From mud cakes to high stakes with Youth Climate Collaborative’s Pooja Tilvawala
04 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Pooja Tilvawala is an Indian-American climate justice advocate, opportunity curator, and youth engagement expert with five years of experience in the ...
Eco-anxiety is fueling a new green career: climate psychology
27 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Rebecca Weston, LCSW and JD is a metro-New York psychotherapist and co-president of the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America. She supports cli...
Creating zero waste in an unexpected place: the hair care industry
20 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ciara Imani May is the founder of Rebundle, the first U.S.-made, plant-based hair extensions brand on a mission to provide more comfort and less waste...
How a punk-rocking paralegal harnessed employee power to green Microsoft
13 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Drew Wilkinson is a climate activist and co-founder of Microsoft’s 10,000-member employee sustainability community, which has pushed the company to ...
Introducing Season 6: How to Green Your Job
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
🌎 Job hunting? Visit our comprehensive Green Jobs Hub for job listings, networking resources, skills and certification information and more.💚 Fo...
How to green any job with Project Drawdown's Jamie Beck Alexander
31 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jamie Beck Alexander is the director of Drawdown Labs, a division of the climate nonprofit Project Drawdown. In 202, Alexander developed and launched ...
The great electrician shortage: a bonus episode from The Carbon Copy with Stephen Lacey
24 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.In a special collaboration with Grist, reporter Emily Pontecorvo discusses wh...
Learn how to build your climate experience with Terra.do founder Anshuman Bapna
17 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Anshuman Bapna is CEO and founder of Terra.do, an international platform with educational opportunities designed to help people get jobs working on cl...
Transfer Your Skills to a Green Job with Work on Climate’s Eugene Kirpichov
10 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Eugene Kirpichov co-founded Work on Climate, an online community for people passionate about solving the climate crisis, in 2020. Prior to WoC, Kirpic...
How to network for a green job with purpose-driven LinkedIn expert Nick@Noon
03 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Technologist and entrepreneur Nick Martin founded the social impact company TechChange. He’s taught graduate courses at several colleges, including ...
Browngirl Green’s Kristy Drutman: Taking the mystery out of finding a green job
26 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kristy Drutman is a speaker, content producer, consultant and environmental advocate. Much of her work is focused on where media, diversity, equity an...
Introducing ‘The Year of the Climate Job,” a special Degrees mini-series
19 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
🌎 Job hunting? Visit our comprehensive Green Jobs Hub for job listings, networking resources, skills and certification information and more.💚 Fo...
How Heather McTeer Toney is redefining climate action for the next generation of leaders
09 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Elected at age 27, Heather McTeer Toney knows what it means to be a public servant. She was the first African-American, first female and the youngest ...
The future of climate-smart ag and the hot politics of your dinner plate
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Helena Bottemiller Evich, founder and editor in chief of Food Fix, which has rapidly become one of the go-to premium newsletters for anyone and everyo...
How to solve the EV problem and a jobs problem at the same time
26 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kameale Terry, CEO of ChargerHelp!, was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles. The daughter of Belizean immigrants, Kameale has always had a fo...
Tracking jaguars with a toddler: Introducing Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant
19 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To support Dr. Rae-Wynn Grant’s work, subscribe to Going Wild on your favorite listening app. And if you haven’t yet followed Degrees: Real talk ...
How to get a job investing millions in planet-saving tech
12 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mia Diawara is a partner at Lowercarbon Capital, where she invests in ambitious teams building needle-moving climate tech — always with her eye on e...
How do we learn to live with wildfire?
05 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Frank Kanawha Lake, Ph.D., is a research ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service. He’s been learning and teaching the role of fire in managing ecosys...
Building a Black community for green jobseekers
28 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Have a green jobs question for Yesh? Send it to her on Twitter @yeshsays. Use the hashtag #askyesh. Job hunting? Visit our comprehensive Green Jobs H...
The woman greening the golden arches
21 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To win a copy of Speed & Scale, rate and review Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podchaser or Spotify...
How a psychology major is on the frontlines of decarbonizing a global industry
14 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To win a copy of Speed & Scale, rate and review Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers on Apple Podcasts, Podchaser or Spotify. Take a scree...
The fastest electric vehicle fleet makeover in the west
07 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To win a copy of Speed & Scale, rate and review Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers on Apple Podcasts, Podchaser or Spotify. Take a screens...
10 Ways to Save the Planet
07 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Fighting climate change is the biggest job opportunity of our lifetime. But which career will make the biggest difference — and where will you fit i...
Introducing Season 4: Jobs of the Future
24 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kicking our addition to fossil fuels is the single biggest job opportunity of a lifetime. This season, we’re spotlighting jobs of the future, those ...
Jason Swann’s life turned upside down. Now, he’s saving wild places
01 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jason Swann’s childhood in the rural south included living in “a small shanty in the middle of a cow pasture.” Sure, he played outdoors—but he...
Sustainable investment leader Taeun Kwon on women, money and saving the planet
24 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Women have been the main drivers of sustainable finance, or investing with environmental, social and governance (ESG) values in mind. After years of s...
How an energy entrepreneur is helping to light up the world
17 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Some people know from an early age that they are environmentalists. Dan Schnitzer certainly did. Inspired by childhood nature walks with his mom, he s...
How a farmworker’s son-turned politician is fighting “the serious crisis with Mother Earth”
10 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Most people don’t think about running for office when pondering environmental careers. However, California Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia may change you...
How this 30 Under 30 sustainability star navigates tough dilemmas at REI
03 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The clothing retail industry is not known for being climate friendly. The textile industry, as a whole, emits 1.2 billion tons of carbon and uses fi...
Yes, you can turn your climate anxiety into meaningful action
27 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
LaUra Schmidt co-founded the non-profit Good Grief Network in 2016 with her wife, Aimee Lewis-Reau, to provide a space to help people cope with climat...
What drove a former USA swim team member to tackle the diesel problem
20 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
BJ Johnson is in a hurry—and for good reason. He’s frustrated by the slow pace of change to address the climate crisis. And he’s angry about how...
Lake Street Dive on music, activism, and bravery
13 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Brooklyn-based Lake Street Dive is Yesh’s favorite band ever! She was so excited to talk to them about her most passionate subject, climate change, ...
Introducing Degrees Season 3
06 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Join our newsletter to connect with our community! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collectio...
Awkward! Networking mistakes to avoid
21 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Networking takes work. Sam Charner offers specific advice to help you become a more effective networker, no matter whether you’re a student, a new j...
Resumes suck. But here’s how to rock the search
20 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For more guidance on making the biggest green job hunting pain points less painful, read on. Keep in mind: An hour spent networking is more valuable...
Certifications: Do I need them?
19 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sustainability certifications are a minefield. Do you have to spend time and money getting certified? How do you choose? GreenBiz’s John Davies know...
Real talk about salaries, gender and race in green jobs
18 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
John Davies of GreenBiz shares his latest findings on compensation, pay equity and how you can increase your value — and your salary. 1. How does m...
Green jobs are surging. Where to find them.
17 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sustainability jobs are growing fast. From industry hot spots to the most-needed skills, Episode 2 is full of insider tips for jobseekers from John Da...
Five key questions to turbocharge your job hunt
16 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sustainability jobs expert Trish Kenlon asked jobseeker Maya Johnson five key questions to help her narrow down her career choices. Try them! And visi...
Introducing Land a Green Job 101
16 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Trying to break into a sustainability job? Tune in to Land a Green Job 101 —six short episodes with pro tips from GreenBiz, Net Impact and Sustainab...
Degrees: The Trailer
01 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Check out the trailer for Degrees: real talk about planet-saving careers. Produced by Environmental Defense Fund and hosted by Yesh Pavlik Slenk, Degr...
How Steph Speirs is pioneering a new business model in solar
01 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Steph Speirs is right in the middle of one of the most critical challenges of our time: the quest to move our energy economy away from fossil fuels an...
How a National Geographic photographer captures the emotional impacts of climate change
22 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Obsessed with the loneliness and longing wrought from the impacts of a changing planet, Pete Muller discusses how he uses his camera to make "the invi...
How to land a sustainability J-O-B
15 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Trish Kenlon, founder of Sustainable Career Pathways, lends her expertise on questions like: how do I get that job? What are employers looking for in ...
How employees can drive corporate climate leadership
08 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Leading the sustainability efforts at Google and Facebook might seem like dream jobs, but for Bill Weihl there were still nights when he couldn't slee...
ESG: Using finance to drive real change
01 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After a meandering career path through more "typical" purpose-driven jobs, Adam Heltzer had an epiphany: the private sector--and in particular the wor...
The unlikely leader of IKEA's EV revolution
25 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After mastering logistics and delivery as a bike messenger in New York City, Steven Moelk blazed his own trail and found himself in a place he never i...
The godmother of the environmental justice movement speaks out
18 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Peggy Shepard, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of WE ACT, tells the story of how the environmental justice movement was born, where its headed a...
Why environmental justice matters for your climate career
11 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Michelle Romero, National Director of Green For All, is bringing together unlikely coalitions to find new solutions for reducing poverty while buildin...
Great reads and listens: Inspiration from the Degrees team
24 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Happy holidays listeners! The Degrees team is taking the week off, but we SO appreciate you that we wanted to gift you a few recommendations: things t...
Why what's in your makeup is an environmental justice issue
14 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Boma Brown-West is leading the charge to eliminate toxic chemicals from our food and consumer products. As the Director of Consumer Health at Environm...
Career reinvention: From world-touring musician to environmental champion
07 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Cynthia Shih is the climate change activist and Director of Knowledge at mckinsey.org who’s helping to redefine what recycling means for the 21st ce...
How one startup CEO enlisted millions of people around world to clean up trash
30 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jeff Kirschner is the founder and CEO of Litterati, the crowdsourcing app that has helped people all over the world clean up more than 6 million piece...
This climate champion will upend the way you think about city government jobs
23 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Castro joined the City of Orlando as the Director of Sustainability and Resilience in 2016, but his title doesn’t even begin to capture Chris’...