On Thin Ice

Artificial intelligence, quantum computing and satellites have the potential to exponentially improve our capability to monitor and predict the impacts of climate change on our environment. As floods and natural disasters hit Nepal and other countries this summer, in this episode of the On Thin Ice podcast we look at how new technologies and other proven methods can help stay safe in the mountains and in the great outdoors.  Host Paolo Bosonin speaks with Laura Kottlowski, professional ice skater and influencer with tens of millions of viewers on TikTok and Instagram, and Tenzing Chogyal Sherpa, glaciologist at ICIMOD. Laura Kottlowski shares her insights from years of studying frozen lakes around the world, and explains how her discipline is having to adapt to the loss of ice around the world, where many natural ice rinks are quickly disappearing. Tenzing Chogyal Sherpa, who has been closely watching the evolution of glaciers around Mount Everest and other parts of the Himalayas, breaks down some of the dangers faced by local populations: with melting glaciers, there are more and more lakes that could outburst and cause massive damage to villages and people living downstream. But Tenzing, Laura and other scientists say artificial intelligence and machine learning can scale up their ability to process satellite images and other data, allowing for a better understanding of the consequences of higher temperatures on our world’s ice - and on the communities whose lives depend on it. So can AI help us mitigate the risks brought by climate change? Listen to On Thin Ice, produced in partnership with the Bally Peak Outlook Foundation. Head to https://www.ballypeakoutlook.org/  to learn more about the foundation, which is on a mission to safeguard the world's fragile mountain habitats from the adverse effects of global warming and excessive tourism.  LINKS: https://www.ballypeakoutlook.org/ [https://www.ballypeakoutlook.org/] https://www.iceworm.media [https://www.iceworm.media] https://www.instagram.com/laurakottlowski/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/laurakottlowski/?hl=en] https://www.tiktok.com/@laura.kottlowski?lang=en [https://www.tiktok.com/@laura.kottlowski?lang=en] https://www.icimod.org/ [https://www.icimod.org/] https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/group/ai-for-good-research-lab/ai-for-good-book/ [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/group/ai-for-good-research-lab/ai-for-good-book/] PRODUCTION CREDITS: Production: Iceworm Media Editorial advisor: David Vetter Video Editor: Canyon James Original Music: Nadir Cassim TAGS: AI, Artifical Intelligence, Satellites, Climate Change, AI for Good, science, alpinism, climbing, glaciologist, Sherpa, Namche Bazar, Thame, Lobuche, Quantum computing, climate change, Everest, Floods, disasters, Nepal, Colorado, Ice Skating, TikTok, Instgram, Influencer, Safety, Ice, Thin Ice, Natural Rinks Would you like to suggest guests and projects that we should cover? Do you have feedback or questions? Email paolo@iceworm.media

Can Africa become the next innovation hub for climate tech? From solar power to recycled materials and carbon capture, an array of technological advances are promising to help humanity live more sustainably–and fight global warming. But for now, much of that tech is still out of reach for most people in the Global South.  In Africa, some pioneering entrepreneurs and advocates are trying to change that: in this episode of On Thin Ice, host Paolo Bosonin speaks with climate entrepreneur Bilha Ndirangu and alpinist Saray Khumalo, who share their strategies for making Africa a global climate innovation hub. Saray, who is credited with breaking several records, including becoming the first Black woman to complete the so-called Seven Summits, climbs and guides groups to raise money to bring a better education to children across the continent.  Bilha is known for leading several climate related projects in Africa, and she recently announced an ambitious partnership with ClimeWorks of Switzerland to build a massive carbon capture facility. So what’s at stake for a continent that emits a small percentage of global emissions, and yet faces direct consequences of climate change, such as droughts, natural disasters, and the disappearance of glaciers? Bilha and Saray say the solutions lie in Africa’s young population, in its rich natural resources, and fast-growing economies. On Thin Ice is produced by Iceworm Media, in partnership with the Bally Peak Outlook Foundation. Head to ballypeakoutlook.org/ to learn more about the foundation's mission to safeguard the world's most fragile mountain habitats from the adverse effects of global warming and excessive tourism. Production credits: Script editor and editorial advisor: Dave Vetter Video and audio editor: Canyon James Coleman-Mcdowall Original music: Nadir Cassim Would you like to suggest guests and projects that we should cover? Do you have feedback or questions? Email paolo@iceworm.media

In China, the number of hikers, climbers and nature enthusiasts has boomed in the wake of the Covid pandemic. And it's not just about leisure travel: Following years of fast economic growth and the rapid expansion of megacities, a new generation of Chinese professionals and business leaders are taking action to accelerate the transition to sustainable business models, while also raising awareness about the manmade dangers threatening natural environments and rural communities. In this episode of On Thin Ice, host Paolo Bosonin speaks with Vivian Han, a former corporate executive who became the first Chinese woman to climb Everest both from Tibet and Nepal, and Lena Yang, head of Women’s Wear Daily China and other publications, who has fostered greener supply chains in the fashion and beauty industries through a number of projects. The guests share their lessons and experiences in respective initiatives, including Lena’s championing of ESG investing despite a tricky financial environment, and Vivian’s fundraising efforts to provide scholarships for high school girls in less developed areas of China, as tourism brings economic opportunities and environmental challenges to communities around the country. On Thin Ice is produced by Iceworm Media, in partnership with the Bally Peak Outlook Foundation. Head to ballypeakoutlook.org/ to learn more about the foundation's mission to safeguard the world's most fragile mountain habitats from the adverse effects of global warming and excessive tourism. Production credits: Script editor and editorial advisor: Dave Vetter Video and audio editor: Canyon James Coleman-Mcdowall Original music: Nadir Cassim Would you like to suggest guests and projects that we should cover? Do you have feedback or questions? Email paolo@iceworm.media

Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, faces an environmental crisis, giving us a preview of the devastating effects of climate change. While the ice on its glaciers is melting at a record pace, increasing the risk of floods and other disasters, mass tourism has brought garbage and other pollution issues for local populations. Climbers Conrad Anker and Dawa Steven Sherpa have worked together in the Everest Valley. Today, they are both taking action. In this episode of On Thin Ice, they discuss how climbers and local communities can work together to protect the mountain and its people from climate threats. Conrad is one of the most iconic alpinists of the past three decades, and he has witnessed the dramatic transformations brought by climate change to mountain environments everywhere; he is now working with local communities and experienced Sherpa mountaineers to help make ice climbing safer in the region, as the glaciers become more unpredictable.  Dawa, a board member of the Bally Peak Outlook Foundation, is a famed mountaineer, serial entrepreneur and climate advocate, representing a new generation of Nepalis who are trying to develop a sustainable tourism industry–one that respects local traditions as well as the mountains they live off. Dawa has worked relentlessly to develop programs such as “Carry me back”, one of the key projects supported by the foundation, to reduce pollution and other negative impacts of tourism in the Everest Valley. How can the local Sherpa communities handle the tons of trash left behind by tourism? How can climbers mitigate the risks of glacier collapses and avalanches? These are some of the vital questions they address on the mountain on a daily basis, as they look for answers that could also help other alpinists around the world.   On Thin Ice is produced in partnership with the Bally Peak Outlook Foundation. Head to ballypeakoutlook.org/  to learn more about the foundation, which is on a mission to safeguard the world's fragile mountain habitats from the adverse effects of global warming and excessive tourism.  Production credits:  Original Music: Nadir Cassim Editorial advisor: Dave Vetter Graphic Design: Guillaume Ory Video editing: Iceworm team Would you like to suggest guests and projects that we should cover? Do you have feedback or questions? Email paolo@iceworm.media

Superstar climber Sasha DiGiulian and Ethiopian technologist Kidus Asfaw have one big thing in common: both are entrepreneurs with a focus on sustainability and ethical products. Every day they face the challenge of making money with their green startups, while also helping to solve some of the big environmental issues of our time.  In this episode of On Thin Ice, a podcast by Iceworm Media in partnership with the Bally Peak Outlook Foundation, they share their respective experiences and tips for aspiring founders and pioneers who want to create companies with a purpose. Sasha is a climbing world champion, a professional first-ascender holding a series of records, book author, influencer and the founder of SEND bars, a vegan food company based in Colorado. Kidus is a Time Climate 100 entrepreneur who won many awards, helped UNICEF build schools from trash, and founded Kubik, a startup that turns plastic waste from Ethiopia’s high-altitude cities into low-carbon buildings.  In North America, Africa and elsewhere, Sasha and Kidus have witnessed dramatic changes in the environment and the impact of pollution and urbanization on mountain landscapes. After explaining what prompted them to launch their ventures, the guests offer valuable insights into their industries. Kidus talks about plastic waste–a hot topic also for the Bally Peak Outlook Foundation–the challenges of decarbonizing real-estate by moving away from cement, the crucial importance of factoring sustainability into the conceptual phase of your startup, and a key issue with the mindset of venture capitalists. Sasha explains why natural, healthy foods are more expensive than highly processed, conventional ones, and how she developed her own vision for developing nutritional bars made with locally farmed ingredients, including adaptogens, benefitting health and athletic performance. She also looks back at her expedition to Alaska with a microplastics scientist, and updates us on her lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C., with the Explore Act and her other climate-related initiatives. Join host Paolo Bosonin for an action-focused conversation about what it means to be a green entrepreneur, and some of the realities of launching and running a green business today. On Thin Ice is produced in partnership with the Bally Peak Outlook Foundation. Head to ballypeakoutlook.org/  to learn more about the foundation, which is on a mission to safeguard the world's fragile mountain habitats from the adverse effects of global warming and excessive tourism.  Production credits:  Original Music: Nadir Cassim Editorial advisor: Dave Vetter Graphic Design: Guillaume Ory Video editing: Iceworm team Would you like to suggest guests and projects that we should cover? Do you have feedback or questions? Email paolo@iceworm.media