Racing Green: Recent Episodes
The Camden Clean Air Initiative
Camden Clean Air’s podcast series, Racing Green, explores the worlds of those doing extraordinary things in the world of clean air, sustainability, and Greentech.
Hosted by Jeffrey Young, founder of Camden Clean Air and CEO of Allegra Group, each episode features an insightful conversation with interesting persons from well-establish companies leading the charge towards a sustainable future as well as exciting start-ups creating inspiring and positive change.
In this groundbreaking episode, we venture into the world of artificial intelligence and its incredible potential to combat one of the most pressing challenges of our time: climate change. Join us as we sit down with Drew Purves from Google DeepMind, a pioneer in the field of AI, to explore the cutting-edge innovations that are reshaping our approach to environmental conservation.
In this episode of Racing Green, we speak with Daniel McGrail, CEO of RenewableUK, about wind power. Discover the benefits of wind energy, the challenges in transitioning, and how wind power is reshaping the nation's energy landscape. Join us for a concise yet insightful exploration of the future of renewable energy in the UK.
Dan McGrail took up his post of Chief Executive at RenewableUK in May 2021, previously working as CEO of Siemens Engines. Between 2010 and 2014 he led Siemens plans to develop and invest in offshore wind turbine manufacturing in the UK, securing the world-class offshore wind turbine blade factory and port facility in Hull, negotiating with the UK government and overseeing one of the company’s most significant factory investments in its recent history.
In this episode, Jeffrey Young is joined by Paolo Tiramani, CEO of Boxabl. He explains the amazing tech behind the most disruptive technology in housing today that can enable complete homes to be built and shipped every 60 seconds from an automotive-style production line. They discuss Boxabl’s complete re-imagination of traditional building materials, assembly and over 70 mechanical patents brought to life in an operating factory. Paolo talks methodology, rationalization, first principles, and even a little about Elon Musk’s Boxabl and much more.
In this episode Jeffrey Young talks with Ties van der Hoeven, Co-founder of The Weather Makers – a pioneering Dutch ecosystem regeneration company using nature to help regreen our planet.
After centuries of change, both natural and man-made, many of our planet’s deserts that were once flourishing ecosystems, have now become barren landscapes, lacking in life, greenery, and natural vegetation.
In this conversation, Ties van der Hoeven discusses the monumental challenge The Weather Makers have taken on to regenerate Egypt’s Sinai desert, by using innovative technology to create the conditions required to bring life back to the desert.
In this episode, Jeffrey Young is joined by James McMicking, VP of Strategy at ZeroAvia, a leader in zero-emission aviation, focused on hydrogen-electric aviation solutions. They discuss how a new aviation technology based on hydrogen could pave the way to sustainability in an industry with no easy answers. ZeroAvia’s model is to retrofit existing aircrafts and convert them to running on hydrogen. Jeff and James discuss the impact that the current aviation industry has on the planet and look forward to the day when flying can become a sustainable travel option.
James’ 20+ year career combines strategy and engineering across multiple sectors, notably automotive and aerospace. Following his Masters Engineering degree, James joined engineering consultancy Ricardo as a drivetrain engineer and went on to manage R&D projects for automotive clients around the world. In 2021 James was awarded a commendation by the Air League for his contributions to the UK aerospace industry.
In this episode, Jeffrey Young is joined by Dmytro Chupryna, ESG Partnerships Director for AirLabs. Dmytro talks to us about AirScape, the world’s densest air quality sensor network, that has been installed in the Borough of Camden in partnership with Camden Clean Air and Camden Council. The hyper-local, real-time sensor network aims to fundamentally transform how we monitor and manage air pollution to improve public health and well-being in urban spaces. The network will provide at least 100x more spatial resolution and refresh 60x more regularly than the network of existing air quality reference stations in Camden, capturing and reporting hyper-local air quality data every minute to map the issue in real-time. The data will contribute to impactful decision-making for all stakeholders interested in improving air quality in the Borough, from councils, individuals and communities to schools, offices, hospitals, retail and hospitality businesses. This insightful episode explores how making the invisible visible will have significant impacts on our behavior.
Dmytro has spent his career working with governments and companies across the globe, with extensive commercial and charity experience. He is a passionate advocate of projects focused on sustainability and urban air quality, investing in the environment, health, and wellbeing for current and future generations. At AirScape, he leads on strategic partnerships to deliver street-level air quality data in real-time. Actionable information that will be made publicly available in 200 major cities of the world.
In this episode, Jeffrey Young is joined by Quentin Willson, Britishvolt’s EV Advocate. They discuss the topic of battery technology, and how battery technology will help us reach our decarbonisation goals. We learn about the link between batteries and electrification, and how this solution is supporting the green revolution. This episode explores the role that Britishvolt is playing in this industry, and about their new Gigaplant at the site of the former Blyth Power Station.
Quentin Willson has been driving electric cars every day for over a decade and works with government and industry to promote a wider understanding of EVs and the importance of electrification. He’s campaigned with Boris Johnson when he was Mayor of London, for more charging infrastructure and is the founder of FairCharge, a lobbying campaign to keep the prices of EV charging and EVs down. He works with battery manufacturer Britishvolt to advise on EV policy and market development.
In this episode, Jeffrey Young is joined by Alastair Evans, Government and Corporate Affairs Director for SMR at Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd. They discuss the topic of nuclear energy as a vital component in the solution to rapid decarbonisation and how SMRs can be a key player in this process. We learn about the development and application of SMRs and how these compare to large-scale reactors, as well as the benefits this technology may provide in accelerating green change on our planet. The episode explores the role of Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd in developing this technology, and what the future looks like with this energy solution at the forefront.
In this episode, Jeffrey Young is joined by Lorraine Dallmeier, CEO of Formula Botanica. They discuss the vast topic of green beauty, covering ingredients, naturalness, impact on the environment, the science behind products, and what to look out for as a responsible consumer.
Lorraine Dallmeier is the award-winning CEO of Formula Botanica, the online organic cosmetic formulation and business school, which has trained over 14,000 organic cosmetic formulators and indie beauty entrepreneurs in 175+ countries. Voted the most influential person in natural beauty for 2020 and awarded the Digital Achiever of the Year award for the cosmetics industry by Google, Lorraine is on a mission to teach the world to formulate.
In this episode, Jeffrey Young is joined by Anna Chernyavsky, Senior Sales Manager of Watergen. They discuss how the Watergen technology can turn air into water and how this can be used across the world to have a positive environmental and humanitarian impact.
Anna joined Watergen in September 2020, with a decade of experience in global B2B sales, strategic partnerships and sustainable business development. Previously Anna held senior commercial roles in leading Israeli companies, working closely with top executives and senior level decision makers worldwide.
Anna holds a Master of Arts in German and English linguistics from Essen University, Germany, and an Executive MBA from the University of Haifa, Israel.
Jeffrey Young is joined by the Vice President of Communications, Marketing, and Sustainability for FLSmidth, a company with the aim to reduce emissions in cement and mining to zero by 2030. Fleming discusses why the cement and mining industries are so carbon-intensive and how their technology hopes to reduce this. They talk about the future of this technology and the positive impact it can have across the globe, as well as the challenges that must be overcome to achieve this.
Fleming Voetmann has led FLSmidth’s marketing and sustainability efforts since September 2019 and has spearheaded the successful launch of MissionZero, FLSmidth’s ambition to deliver zero-emission technology to both mining and cement in 2030. MissionZero is a game-changer in two industries labelled “hard to abate” by the UN and with emissions that total more than 10% of all global emissions.
In this episode, Jeffrey Young is joined by Laurence Kemball-Cook, CEO and Founder of Pavegen, an innovative clean technology company. They discuss how the Pavegen technology can turn footsteps into power and how this can be used across the world to have a positive impact on the environment.
Laurence is the award-winning founder and CEO of Pavegen, an innovative clean technology company. Headquartered in London with an R&D centre in Cambridge, Pavegen manufactures a floor system that instantly converts kinetic energy from footfall into off-grid electricity, data, and rewards. Laurence founded Pavegen in 2009, after graduating from Loughborough University with a degree in Industrial Design and Technology. Pavegen has since scaled across the world, installing over 200 permanent and experiential projects in 36 countries. Laurence has established a reputation as a powerful communicator and thought leader on both technology and entrepreneurship.
In this episode, Jeffrey Young is joined by Nina Bowyer and Jeremy Griffin from Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF), a global law firm assisting major supply chain clients with their transition to sustainable energy, as we investigate hydrogen as the next sustainable energy source across Europe and beyond. But first, Jeffrey talks with Dr. David Hart, a hydrogen expert at E4tech, to help us understand more about hydrogen fuel technology and the opportunities for its application across the global energy supply chain.
Jeffrey Young is joined by Mark Preston, Team Principal at DS TECHEETAH, a world-champion team in Formula E. They discuss Formula E and the role it plays in keeping motorsports relevant alongside our changing environmental values. Mark details his reason behind moving from Formula 1 to Formula E as well as his most recent ventures in autonomous vehicles.
After a career in Formula 1 in teams such as McLaren and Arrows Grand Prix, Mark moved into Formula E. The DS TECHEETAH Formula E Team is the first team in Formula E history to become double world champions in the series. Mark was a Founding Team Principal of the Formula E series which started in 2014. STREETDRONE, an autonomous car company, rounds off Mark’s latest exciting ventures in motorsports, EV and AV.
Jeffrey Young is joined by Claire Thompson-Sage, Sustainable Development Co-ordinator for UPS. They discuss the changing behaviours of consumers due to the rise in online retail and how supply businesses such as UPS must meet this demand while racing to reduce their environmental footprint. Claire also discusses the developing technologies that will enable UPS to achieve a more sustainable supply chain and adapt to these accelerating environmental changes.
Claire Thompson-Sage is currently responsible for managing UPS UK, Ireland & Nordics’ 5-year sustainable vehicle strategy by collaborating with partners to develop sustainable vehicle, fuel, and facility solutions. Her recent projects include the development of electric and hybrid light goods vehicles, E-assist cycle solutions, and smart grid technologies.
Jeffrey Young is joined by Hanson Cheng and Siobhan Anderson from The Tyre Collective. They discuss the impact that tyre wear has on our air and the ingenious and innovative device that they have created to do something about this.
Hanson is an interdisciplinary designer working across scales of design. From products, speculation, to immersive pavilions, his work explores themes of sustainability and technology, health and wellbeing, as well as play and the built environment. Hanson received his MA/MSc with Distinction in Innovation Design Engineering (IDE) at Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) with a concentration in nature and culture. His work has won various international awards, been exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery London and featured on BBC, Guardian, Forbes, Reuters, Dezeen, and The Times.
Siobhan combines a knowledge of physiology and biomechanics to create a deeper understanding of the human body in the context of design and engineering. Whether it’s rethinking the future of augmented technology for female athletes or building solutions to micro-plastic pollution, her work focuses on empowering people.
Jeffrey Young is joined by the CEO and the Head of London of AirRated, Francesca Brady and Niall Ingham. Francesca and Niall discuss the work being done by AirRated to provide an AirScore as a simple and effective way for landlords, developers, and employers to communicate the health of indoor environments to their tenants, residents, and employees.
Francesca Brady believes indoor air quality has never been so important. As CEO at AirRated, she is dedicated to promoting and educating the importance and benefits of good indoor air quality. Francesca has been nominated as an Inspirational Woman in Tech and thanks to her work on AirScore, within her first 12 months at AirRated she got fast-tracked to the position of CEO. AirRated has been featured in The Times, City AM, The Telegraph, Property Week, Estates Gazette alongside other industry and national papers. In 2020, AirRated was shortlisted as a finalist in the Wellbeing Technology category of the EG Tech Awards. The AirScore has also been shortlisted as a finalist for the upcoming CIBSE Building Performance Awards.