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In this episode of the Climate Dad podcast, Mike Smith interviews Julie Schneiderman, the CEO and founder of EcoStiks. Julie shares her journey from corporate law to environmental entrepreneurship. She highlights the mission behind EcoStiks, which creates eco-friendly patches from recycled water bottles. The conversation emphasizes the importance of community, collaboration, and small actions in combating climate change. Julie introduces the concept of 'Small Waves,' encouraging listeners to make small yet meaningful environmental contributions. Mike and Julie discuss the significance of celebrating small wins and fostering connections with both nature and one another.
00:00 Introduction to EcoStiks and Julie's Journey
06:00 Transition from Corporate Law to Environmental Entrepreneurship
12:02 Building Community and Collaboration
20:06 Celebrating Small Wins and Upcycling Mentality
Mike Smith (00:17)
Hey everyone. Welcome to episode 12, season two of The Climate Dad, the environmental podcast where we talk about and explain the news and science of climate change. continue to be your host. name is Mike Smith. I continue also to be the father of two great kids. and I also continue to be the founder of Aclymate the climate solution where we help businesses without sustainability teams measure, reduce, report, and offset their footprint all without having to become a climate expert. And with our expert guidance and our great net zero software.
Let's get started with our climate minute. First, good news on climate. The world's governments continue to meet in Baku, Azerbaijan for the annual gathering on climate known as COP29. There's a bit of a pall sitting over the summit based upon the expected withdrawal of the United States after the election of Donald Trump. But nonetheless, progress has been moving forward. A key sticking point on international accounting around carbon credits was a debate on how countries would count carbon offsets that were produced in one country and consumed in another, but
they've now reached an agreement. This is an important unlock for the financing of sustainable projects around the globe. And it's really a key mechanism for the preservation of nature in the developing world and the finance of or the flow of finance from one country to another. On the other hand, a very sour note, 2024 is the first year in recorded history in which temperatures have exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average.
Though this does appear to be a bit of a spike in the trend, the trend is very clear and it is a point of evidence that the goal of remaining below 1.5 C was probably untenable from the beginning because climate models were actually being too conservative in their warming predictions. And that's just kind of unalloyed bad news. Also in a separate piece of news There is a concern about the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation or AMOC.
And sometimes people just call it the AMOC. The AMOC is a system of ocean currents that includes a Gulf Stream, which brings warm water North, along the East coast of North America. And it keeps Europe actually pretty habitable. And then that water, when it reaches the North Atlantic, it cools, sinks and returns into the deep oceans. And in that deep ocean, it returns back to the South. So you have this circulation that is in the vertical plane along the surface when it's warm, deep
under the surface when it's cold. However, studies have shown that we've been underestimating the sensitivity of the AMOC to a warming climate. This has some really massive implications for weather and concerns about tipping points, but we don't appear to have crossed the tipping point of the AMOC collapsing yet. But that collapse is likely much sooner than the IPCC report estimates, with a 95 % likelihood of currents happening sometime between next year
in 2095, with the mean year of collapse now being narrowed in around 2050. Should it collapse, the US East Coast would see about one meter of sea level rise through the thermal expansion of the water alone. So just the warmer water takes up more space. And this meter of rise would not include the effects from the melting of glaciers and other climate effects. Grim news indeed. And on that cheery note, that was your Climate Minute.
Let's quickly talk about Aclymate. If you're in the dumps about our climate or feeling the pain of being required to report your footprint, we'd love to help you over here at Aclymate, where we have the easiest, most intuitive climate solution for your business. We'll get you a baseline environmental assessment, show you ways to reduce your carbon footprint, and we'll get you on the path to net zero. It will help your environmental branding to win new customers and to keep the most valuable ones, attract and retain the talent you need from that climate generation. And our green business certification program will help you complete a sustainability audit.
Maybe you're looking to improve those EcoVadis scores or win other certifications like CDP, B Corp, or Green Business Benchmark Or maybe you're looking to purchase carbon offsets beneath a reliable carbon credit broker. Well, at Aclymate we've got you covered with both. A friendly accounting solution and also the best carbon offset programs and leading selection of sustainable projects on the web. Now, on to this week's interview. My friend Julie Schneiderman...
has been making a sustainability journey that I really find very inspiring actually. I left this interview feeling pretty energized about how we can all be part of the solution and I really think you will too. Let's give it a listen.
Mike Smith (04:45)
All right, on today's episode of The Climate Dad, I'm really excited to be joined by my friend Julie Schneiderman. She's the CEO and founder of EcoStiks. Those are her official titles. Amongst her unofficial titles, obviously as a friend of mine, I've had the privilege of getting to work with her both as a client, but also as a collaborator within the promotional products industry. Another title that Julie has is Julie Upcycle, or as she's known in the biz. Julie, thanks for joining us.
Julie Schneiderman - EcoStiks (05:12)
Thank you. really appreciate it. So great to be here. It's been such a joy to get to know you and be able to share our passions for the environment and the promo industry and just climate change at large.
Mike Smith (05:24)
Yeah, the pleasure is all mine. okay, Julie up cycle. What's that all about? me.
Julie Schneiderman - EcoStiks (05:28)
Yeah, so Julie Upcycled is a name I gave to myself even before I started my sustainability journey, recognizing that we as people are also upcycled, creating new versions of ourselves, of our old versions into something interesting and new and creative and collaborative. And it's actually kind of what started me on my sustainability journey and my transition from doing corporate law into
creating my own company around a platform for climate change.
Mike Smith (06:00)
There's a lot to unpack there. Okay. So you used to be a corporate lawyer. Now you're working a promotional products industry. So, first maybe let's start with what are EcoStiks? What do you do at EcoStiks?
Julie Schneiderman - EcoStiks (06:11)
Okay, yeah, EcoStiks are patches made from recycled water bottles. I actually have a couple here. They were originally designed out of my love of surfing. So the idea was, I was kind of bobbing around in the ocean. I have a creative side. The vision was to decorate wetsuits, seeing them as canvases in the ocean, but more specifically to create community and also support artists. And so for
maybe three, five, six months, we started kind of product testing different versions of EcoStiks. Back then they were called PatchStix. And then we figured out that they stick on everything but wetsuits. But through that journey, I was really passionate about one, making sure that they're environmentally friendly for the ocean, two, that they were creating community, and three, that we were supporting the artists and the photographers around.
the EcoStiks product. And so once I figured kind of what they could stick to everything, but, and because they're made from reprieve out of recycled water bottles, I then kind of thought to myself that really they, my passion is really to create a platform for change and bring awareness to single use plastics and the environment. And so I quickly kind of transitioned from, you know, they started in my garage into our warehouse in the funk zone to really being
for me, a really platform for change around single use plastics and single use and awareness. And then that's our main mission vision. So EcoStiks as a brand is really just eco-conscious. Everything we do is around trying to figure out how to support corporations, nonprofits, and ambassadors to collectively work together to create change around climate. So yeah, that's kind of the story around EcoStiks. It's a little bit like...
a long journey and then to kind of extend that journey and how we got connected with the promo product industry is I was invited to walk the floor at the expo for the promotional products industry in Las Vegas. And I had no idea, had a bit of a heart attack, actually a little punch to the stomach when I walked in and did not realize, I guess not being in the industry, how much plastic there is and how much
plastic waste their potential is in the promo industry. So then I did a lot of research and got really passionate about trying to figure out how we could use our EcoStiks to make change. And part of that was, okay, how do we educate and just convince people that maybe there's other ways to think around the promo industry and around sustainability. And I think the timing was really,
really good in the sense that people were starting to want to recognizing that 96 % of promo products end up in a landfill in the first year. You pick, a product, you literally take it in your hand and you put it in the trash. It wasn't representing the brands well, it wasn't representing our planet well. so we cut, EcoStiks and myself personally, as Julie upcycled, has got integrated into the promotional products industry and creating our EcoStiks as a way of like rethinking.
One, you can, you it's made from recycled materials. So we're trying to bring awareness. It helps the brand bring awareness to that. Two, you can use our eco-sticks to rebrand like old branded products. So instead of putting it in the landfill, put an eco-sticks patch on top of it. And then you can reduce the, you can lengthen actually the time of which you keep it without putting it in the landfill.
Right. And then the last thing is that we discovered that our EcoStiks patches can actually be used for repair. So you can use our patches to patch holes. You can use them to patch luggage, tents, like sleeping bags, things in the outdoor industry. So again, another way of keeping products out of the landfill faster. those were kind of our main missions around the promo industry.
Mike Smith (10:15)
Got it. Yeah, I can attest to that. Actually at the last time I saw you, you gave me a patch for climate action, which I really appreciated. And it's something I'm going to use to repair my ski coat. I tore it a little bit while I was through the trees last year and it's a great coat other than a small tear. And so I fix it up. Absolutely. Reduce, reuse, recycles, you know, the big three for the R's there, right? And so I keep reusing it. Okay, so.
That's kind of your that's EcoStiks. That's what you all do. I really love like they're like these decorative patches that kind of put your personality onto your gear and also help to kind of extend the life of it. And then I can attest to the durability of it. But you used to be a corporate lawyer. So talk to me about that transition. Is that being upcycled in your words?
Julie Schneiderman - EcoStiks (11:00)
Yeah.
Yes and no. So I did legal operations for SaaS companies for many, many, many years and went through bit of my own personal transformation as far as like going through a divorce and having kids and really wanting to work with my passions. And my passion was surfing in the ocean. It got me through a lot of my own personal times. And I also met a great community.
Through that, I also, from that started an organization here in Santa Barbara called Women in the Water as the same way as bringing women together to be inspired, network and connect by other women so that we can create community and support one another through the threat of water. And so I think that the upcycling part is the transition to becoming a bit of an accidental environmental entrepreneur.
That was not my mission when I started and thinking about patches. was more thinking about decoration and the arts and supporting local artists and community, which is also a huge passion of mine. And then the environmental piece kind of came with the recognition of the platform of using recycled water bottles. And so for me to be a learn more, started taking classes. did our environmental steward.
program through our community environmental council, started taking plastics classes. I needed to educate myself about what was going on in the industry. Same thing with the promotional products. I got really ingrained with helping and working and connecting with other big players in the promotional product industry. I think the bottom line is I just care. And so, yeah, I was just part of this transition and I'm still growing and learning all the time.
I will say, think one of the things that was a challenge at first is that I'm not a perfect environmental advocate. And I think that's one of the challenges with other, I feel like people too, is that if they don't feel perfect and they don't participate. And I think that there may be, it was a swing where it felt like you had to do all of these things to be considered an environmental activist. And I think...
where I really realized is that kind of small waves make big waves. The kind of concept is that we can do little things each day, but in collective collaboration with others, we have great greater impact. And so I just felt more comfortable about being and participating in climate change, knowing that and that I wasn't alone and that we could connect with others and we could all work together and
and share and no judgment. We're all just trying to do the best we can. But I just wanted to do it in community.
Mike Smith (14:02)
love that. In my time in the military, I was in the Navy obviously, but the Marines have a saying that a perfect plan later is not as good as a good plan executed today. Right? And it's the same sort of thing. Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Get it done now while you can. I also really like the idea of, you've said this a couple of times, small waves make big waves to me. And just now here on the conversation.
and I think that's really at the core of like what we're doing here at Alcymate It's really kind of the core of like The Climate Dad podcast, which is that like, all have a part to play. and it can really help to bring us community and to kind of avoid a sense of hopelessness. so I think maybe this is the point to go ahead and introduce to listeners, a new segment. I alluded to it last week on the, on my previous podcast.
But I want to say that Julie's going to be joining us for a regular recurring segment that's going to be at the end of The Climate Dad podcast. And we're going to be calling it Small Waves. So surfer Julie, Julie Upcycle, talk to me. What do you think we're going to be doing with Small Waves?
Julie Schneiderman - EcoStiks (15:07)
you
Yeah, so small waves is kind of an idea that I had been percolating in the back of my mind for some time for as busy people that are trying to figure out how to create impact. I've been kind of bantering it around with different friends, different ideas about what would resonate and help motivate people in collective collaboration. So the small waves is small waves make big waves is an opportunity for a collective.
eco hacks for global impact. And so my goal is every week to bring an opportunity, a concept, an idea that already builds on our current habits that will help us do one thing that day that would create impact. But then in collection, if we're all doing that one thing that one day, that's what creates kind of the small waves make big waves and that we're in community and not alone.
We're also, like, I think we chatted about this, trying to work on ways to track the metrics around it. So that way, you know, if we were kind of working on collaborations, I may be posting on Instagram what you're doing, if you did it so that we can then take these impacts and create measurable metrics and change, and then share it with our community so that they could then be inspired to do more and show that they really are.
making impacts, even if just a small little hacks that we do every day.
Mike Smith (16:42)
When we were in discussions about like what this would look like, it was clear to me. So I'm The Climate Dad, you're kind of climate mom here. And that there was this idea of like, what do busy parents do when they cannot kind of feel like hopeless? Is there a little thing that they can kind of fit into their life? And so I love, I've loved the whole concept from the moment you proposed it about like, you know, here's a couple, three minutes worth of something that you can do today that you can fit into your schedule right now.
Julie Schneiderman - EcoStiks (17:10)
Yeah, exactly. I mean, I think the original idea came about like with coffee hacks, right? Or maybe when you're drinking your coffee in the morning, maybe when you're waiting for your kids to come out of class, maybe when you're, you know, some of us enjoy a little glass of wine at the end of the night. So maybe you're doing your couple sips, one thing of impact, and then you can move on. Just little opportunities that already exist within our daily habit. I don't want
people to feel like they have to do more. I think that we are already doing a lot and it's the idea of building upon what we have. I think another kind of thing, and maybe this is a slightly bit of a tangent, but I was chatting with Brianna and one of the things that I think is really interesting, and I was at 1 % for the planet, is realizing that there is...
climate impact into the things that we're already doing. And so for instance, she works with a dog rescue and part of that is that they spay and neuter. So there aren't so many dogs on the planet, but if there's like that itself has a climate impact, right? And so if we could potentially encourage and measure that kind of climate impact too, so people that are already doing it, maybe it would encourage them to do what they're doing even more.
So there's ways I think also to integrate or understand that our actions that you're currently doing have a way of impacting the climate. The one specifically at 1 % of the planet that was super interesting was banking, which I did not realize. The biggest impact we can have is by changing our banks or our banking practices, even more so than composting. And so what I realized, and he gave an example of a gentleman who started
consulting people to move to smaller businesses, not for the environmental impact, but for the community aspect. But then he realized they did kind of a study on what the environmental impact of that was. And it was something he wasn't, the person wasn't even aware of, but they were actually doing already. And so I think about that as a concept too, is thinking about things that we're already doing in a day that we could understand the climate impact and build upon that too.
So there's just a couple of different ideas and concepts that we can explore. And I'm very curious and interested to get a lot of feedback from the people that are listening and giving ideas and suggestions. It is a really community collaboration platform. So I want it to be very interactive and supportive and idea generating. And I can give ideas and then other people can give ideas and maybe we can implement that.
potentially have guests coming on that actually showed impact. They can also help others. It really is meant to create that community and community impact.
Mike Smith (20:07)
I that's key. It's a big part of why we built Aclymate which is that there are billions of climate decisions that happen every day by people that aren't sustainability experts. And you don't have to be a sustainability expert. You just have to care a little. And a little bit, those small waves pile up to make bigger waves. The Brianna that you mentioned earlier is Brianna Mazze who's a mutual friend of ours and a sustainability leader within the promotional products industry. She works at St. Regis Group.
Julie Schneiderman - EcoStiks (20:30)
Yes.
Mike Smith (20:38)
On the sense of community and maybe kind of that sense of hopelessness, there's, you know, if you're a climate first voter, there may be a sense of hopelessness right now. What do you think about like where we're at?
Julie Schneiderman - EcoStiks (20:53)
I we chatted a little bit about this too. I think we're in no different place than we were before in some ways in the sense of, I think climate impact always has will and always start at the community level. And so if we continue to connect within our communities and build on that, that's what is ideally the future gonna create change. That's always been my passion. I think people have said this before, we don't.
you can't vote for climate change anymore. It's really about your actions behind it. And so I think if we, I know we're all devastated, some of us are devastated by recent actions, but I do feel like, you know, keeping that community, that creativity, that, you know, community impact, that that's what's going to ultimately create the change that we need. And
I think it's time that we probably start thinking a little bit differently, right? And that we're thinking more on the personal level of change and looking at how we connect with the earth and ourselves in a totally different way. And I also truly believe, and I think that this is probably a totally different segment is we can't connect with the planet unless we're connected with ourselves. And I think in this day and age, we've all become very, a little disconnected just because of
all the things that we have going on. And so do, part of my segment will be opportunities to figure out how do we connect with ourselves so that we can connect with the planet, how do we connect with the planet so we can connect with ourselves. And a lot of that is, you know, community, creativity, you know, maybe one of the event, you know, the weekly segments will be do nothing. You know, like, just take a moment to breathe and listen to nature and connect with your environment to remind ourselves why we're doing what.
doing, you know, that in itself is is part of our impact. And I'm hoping it spreads, right? So we can share what we feel with someone else and maybe it slightly touches them and then they can share it with someone else and make it really accessible. That's kind of the other big, big thing is making it accessible and no shaming, no blaming, no kind of
us against them. I kind of want to get away from that. I just think that it's time that we, you know, work together and try and figure out community ways of collaborating and and and can not like sharing with others how we feel about it.
Mike Smith (23:34)
I like to think of happiness as a verb, which is that it requires action in order to get there. And one of the things that I've found is that the more I act on climate, the more...
at comfortable I come with like that. I actually have some agency and being able to, to, steer the direction as huge as the problem is. and I, in knowing that I'm just a small part of the solution, I am a part of the solution. and that brings me, I wouldn't say, joy, by any stretch, but maybe a little bit of, solace, resolve. I, and I think that I, see that with like employees that we have here at Alcymate, a lot of them.
kind of tangentially interested in the climate. Like they want their work to have meaning. And the longer that they spend here, no preach, no shame, you know, just like living our values day to day in community. The more I start to see them like becoming personally invested in the outcomes and making another little change, another small wave that starts piling up, starts making real bigger waves. At the end of the day, that's the only real power that we do have, right? Is not to be a...
maybe a bit of a stoic here, but like you can only control your reaction to the world around you, not, can't control the world. But paradoxically, by controlling your reactions, you actually do affect the world.
Julie Schneiderman - EcoStiks (24:52)
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, exactly. I couldn't say it better myself. That's exactly right. You know, that's the idea of the small waves and creating that community and connection. And I just love that story about how when you bring people in, they get connected and learn over time. And then they start to see and connect and empower and want to participate and, you know, building that kind of infrastructure and support.
And I'm a big fan and passion that we need to celebrate small wins, right? Like I think that we don't celebrate enough about the things that we are doing and accomplishing. Cause I think that will encourage others versus there's a fair amount of like what's not happening versus focusing on what we're actually doing. That's actually creating change for each one of us individually to help booster. you said, our happiness, our joy are like, you know,
wanting to be on this planet and being like, whoa, that was really cool. That's, you know, we did that. That's where I want to kind of focus this next phase.
Mike Smith (26:09)
Yeah, we only have so many sunrises.
Julie Schneiderman - EcoStiks (26:11)
Yes, I couldn't agree with you more. And it feels like these day and age, yeah, it's really even more important than ever to celebrate the sunrises.
Mike Smith (26:23)
Now at the beginning, speaking of sunrises, I'd imagine you've been in the water for a sunrise or two. At the beginning, you were talking about like that you were going through this difficult personal transition and you found community in the surfing community. Talk to me, I'm not a surfer, backpacking, sailing. I like water sports, but like I've never been a surfer. So, you know, for those of us that aren't surfers, explain about like, what was so special to you about the surfing community?
Julie Schneiderman - EcoStiks (26:28)
Yeah
think there's a lot to it. It's kind of fascinating because surfing can be kind of an individualized sport, right? You're out in the water. There's a little bit of like, not posturing, but where you fit in in the lineup, right? And there is a pecking order. There's, you you get better over time and you find your way of where you sit on the wave. And...
I just felt like in some ways it was kind of lonely and I grew up very competitive. I played competitive sports and so I was kind of getting into, actually I was very competitive around it and maybe less around community building. And then I just recognized with what I was going through that what I was really missing was connection and community in the water. Like saying, hey, how's it going? Or smiling or connecting.
And I think also along those same lines is I had a pretty bad surf accident maybe six or eight years ago and without the community of people in the water, I probably would be in a very different position than I am now. And so I just recognize that it's really important to know who's in the water, feel connected. I was feeling lonely wanting to make that shift from being
competitive to collaborative. And I do think that that shift is actually not just happening in the water, but also happening in business, in communities, in different kinds of like women's organizations I belong to too. Like we've been talking a lot about, like I went to the Women's Leadership Conference for the promo industry and it was euphoric the amount of women there that were about.
know, collaboration, where in times in business, we were pitted against one another to be competitive around very limited roles for women in certain areas of professional areas, and how it's completely shifted in that there wasn't a single person that wasn't like, hey, I'll help you out. You have a question, text me, email me, find me on LinkedIn.
I've gone to people since then and said, hey, how did you get where you are? They're like, okay, set up a meeting. Suzanne Simpson, who is that, was there, but an amazing, amazing mentor. And she is like an environmental steward in the promo industry. And it was just instant. We've made an instant connection. And then she's like,
set time up on my calendar, I wanna help you. I wanna figure out how to support you and EcoStiks and sustainability in the promo industry. There was no competition. It was just like, let's figure out how we're gonna do this. is a collective problem. It's not just an individualized experience. So that's kind of a long-winded explanation of going from surfing, feeling, know, individualized, competitive.
to wanting to feel more connected, to recognizing that things are shifting and that people want to be more collaborative. I would like to be more collaborative. And then seeing that happen with the women and then starting Women in the Water. And I didn't know who was going to show up, but we had turned out like hundreds of people. And specifically women wanted to figure out how to connect with other women over water, right? And we all are really diverse backgrounds and
The meetings are really interesting. They're very organic. We do something different each time. There's not like it's all volunteer. There's no like status in it. We're just like trying to figure out how to connect with other people. And the same thing with Women in the Water. It has one piece around education. We always bring in environmental nonprofit and then we do networking and find ways to collaborate, connect and support one another. So I guess.
That's kind of been my shift in how it would apply to today from the water into what ecostics and small waves is.
Mike Smith (31:00)
If I may suggest, it sounds like you upcycled your mentality, not so much your career as much as your view on the world.
Julie Schneiderman - EcoStiks (31:04)
Yeah.
I don't know, you just gave me goosebumps. I think you're exactly right. I don't know if I made that connection. It's been a wild six years, you know, of seeing a lot of my own personal growth and transformation and thinking like, my gosh, I can't even believe how I got here and doing the thing that I absolutely love with the people that I love and the passion that I have that I didn't even know existed. But you know when you know you're on the right track when...
You wake up every morning and you're just stoked. Like, this is what I get to do. These are the things that I, you know, I get to, the people I get to connect with, the products I get to support, the organizations, the people I get to meet. So yeah, I really appreciate what you're saying about my mentality being upcycled. It wasn't like that so much before. I was definitely more competitive. Yeah, just a different mindset for sure.
Mike Smith (32:00)
think we all grow through those points of maturity and growth. And I think maybe for the listeners at home that are listening to this, and if some part of that story didn't resonate with them, whether it's surfing or gender or the promotional industry, take that part out, take all of them out. Wherever you are, I think that there's this opportunity for finding community, finding people that are like you, finding a way to upcycle your mentality, if you will, and to grow and to make impact.
One of my conclusions from this election is that America is pretty broken right now and much of the world is too. as somebody in business who has to do like a SWOT analysis, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, sometimes you come to realize that problems are actually opportunities. And I think that this is an opportunity for us to rebuild all the institutions of our world for the 21st century.
and that we've been clinging on to the past a little too much and it's time to rebuild it. And I think that starts very locally and it starts at a very human level and it starts with individuals forming bonds over the things that they care about and where they work. So Julia, I find you inspirational. So thank you for being that example.
Julie Schneiderman - EcoStiks (33:19)
Yeah. Well, I find you inspirational and I think you just totally, I mean, you're like, love thinking this is why I love connecting with people is like my brain just starts opening and going, but I think you nailed it on the upcycle. You know, when you talk about rebuild, I don't think we need to get rid of everything. We can, we can upcycle certain things and then write the whole definition is like taking something that we have and making it better and more beautiful and more creative and, and thinking outside the box, right? Reusing.
And so I like this idea of like upcycled mentality that you're talking about that we can all do that with what we have. And especially in these current times and, you know, keep the things that we like, but then upcycle the mentality and the mind about moving forward. That's kind of, I'm digging that like way of thinking.
Mike Smith (34:08)
great to have a conversation with you. I think that's where we need to stop. folks, I've been joined by my friend, Julie. Obviously we've had a great time, chatting. She's Julie Schneiderman. She's the CEO and founder of EcoStiks. you're looking for EcoStiks products. Go to EcoStiks.com. That's ECO STI KS.com. Again, that's ECO STI KS.com. Drop that second C. I get a test that a product it's great. so, so look for their Julie upcycle Julie Schneiderman.
Thanks for joining us on The Climate Dad.
Julie Schneiderman - EcoStiks (34:39)
Thank so much for having me, Mike. I so appreciate it. I'm looking forward to more projects and future together. We're just getting started.
Mike Smith (34:46)
right on.
Mike Smith (34:56)
I'm glad that Julie Upcycle changed her mentality. Aren't you? I think we all can too. We can all be part of that solution. And I'm really glad that Julie is going to be a regular contributor. But before we get to Julie's first small wave, I want to hear from you. Go to Aclymate.com or send an email to TheClimateDad at Aclymate.com to submit a question for me or the show or to Julie. Again, Aclymate as always is spelled A-C-L-Y-M-A-T-E.
If your business needs help measuring, reducing, reporting, or offsetting your company's climate footprint, please reach out to my team at Aclymate and we're going to get you set up with the best, most affordable, and easiest climate solution out there.
I'll be back next time with a breakdown of all things climate and with another guest. Make sure to subscribe to The Climate Dad where you get your podcasts and to share, like, and comment on social media. I'd really appreciate it. I'm Mike Smith. You've been listening to The Climate Dad and here it is your small wave of the week.
Mike Smith (35:58)
Welcome, welcome to Small Waves. I am your host, Julie Schneiderman, CEO and founder of EcoStiks, Women in the Water, Upcycled, and Stick and Stuck Creative Studios. Our weekly segment is a three-minute hack for global impact for busy folks like you and me. This is a learning opportunity for all of us. Many years ago when I started EcoStiks, one of the things that I recognized is I wanted to create change, but I didn't know how.
We learn a lot, we're educated, we get a lot of information, but how do we turn that information into actionable impact that we can integrate into our daily busy lives? So I'm here with you learning along the journey as far as figuring out different kinds of hacks that we can do each week. You can find us on TikTok and Instagram under climate dad and small waves make big waves for ideas in the future. But I thought we would start this podcast off with a few, our first hack.
is by Dr. Ayana Johnson. It's for us to discover what is our climate change sweet spot. So my goal around climate change is that we want to make it fun, easy, sustainable, creative, and doing the things that bring us joy. So if you guys are familiar with a Venn diagram, it is a three circle diagram in which all of the circles intersect in one spot. So what Dr. Ayana Johnson suggests is you create your Venn diagram.
One that says, brings you joy? What works, what work needs doing? And what are you good at? So think about those three things in your mind while you're having your coffee, while you're driving to school, while you're maybe chatting with your girlfriends and or friends, maybe sipping on a glass of wine and where those three sweet spots.
exist is your climate action goal. This is where you want to be to make a difference in a positive and healthy and productive way. So to forbide, I was doing my goals this morning while I was having my coffee and I discovered like the what brings me joy, bringing joy, helping others, educating people, getting people connected, learning about the environment, trying new things, doing things differently. That's what brings me joy.
We know what the work needs to be doing on my end. I'm aware, bringing awareness to single use plastics, creating community, creating sustainability around creativity. That's the work that I know that needs to be doing. Also decreasing anxiety in these times of transition. And then what am I good at? I'm good at bringing people together. I love networking. I love collaborating. I love sharing of ideas. I love creating platforms. And so this is where my sweet spot came into in my idea of coming up with this.
Weekly podcast. So that is your weekly hack. So I encourage you to do the same thing while you're having your coffee. And I want to know more about what you're thinking. So make sure you message us and tell us about what your climate change sweet spot is. Next week, we're going to get into the nitty gritties of some real specific hacks that we can do that hopefully align with your climate change goals. And collectively, if each one of us does one thing each day,
We together, globally, we can all make a difference. And so that's the reason of small waves make big waves. I hope you enjoy this three minute hack. We'll continue to do it. I can't wait to see you next time. Thanks for joining us and we look forward to hearing you soon. Bye.
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