Host John Whidden interviews 16-year-old Teja from Hyderabad, India, after a Quick Fix from Vaibhav about the mental-health benefits of spending time with soil. Teja says climate change isn’t widely discussed in Hyderabad, though youth involvement is growing through efforts like the Center for Green Revolution, and he describes worsening heat and heatstroke since 2016. He explains founding his youth-led nonprofit Climateyc (Youth Collaborative) to research climate change, run accessible events, and support projects such as “smog to soil” and portable direct air capture with mentorship sought from IIT Hyderabad. Teja recounts attending COP30 as a 14-year-old student delegate via earlier projects like gray water recycling, notes Indian youth often lack funding compared to other countries, and encourages networking through social media and local events. He shares personal actions—stopping red meat and building a terrace garden—and says youth engagement gives him hope.

00:00 Welcome Teja

00:27 Quick Fix Soil Therapy

01:45 Hyderabad Climate Reality

03:05 Launching Climateyc

03:52 Smog to Soil Project

04:18 Why Youth Collaborative

05:17 COP30 Inspiration

06:07 Funding Barriers for Youth

07:25 Lessons From COP30

09:12 Networking Tips for Youth

10:46 Direct Air Capture Work

11:27 Tech as Climate Solution

12:30 Developing Country Mindset

14:18 Personal Climate Actions

14:41 Hope and Farewell

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Host John Whidden welcomes Ben to Climate Action Figures and shares a Quick Fix from Linda advising bamboo and compostable partyware, noting composting challenges without proper bins. Ben describes Edmonton’s Paths for People, which advocates for walking, rolling, and cycling through city council engagement and community events featuring guests like YouTuber CityNerd and author Anna Zivarts, with a key takeaway that about a third of people don’t drive. They discuss tensions and compromises between car and active transportation, Ben’s reasons for biking (enjoyment, cost, environment, parking), and concerns about potential provincial legislation reducing bike lanes and related safety risks. Ben explains the Missing Links campaign crowdsourcing gaps in crossings, sidewalks, and bike infrastructure. He’s starting a master’s in urban and regional planning at the University of Alberta, is a triathlete, and his climate action is driving less by biking or taking transit; his hope comes from more friends starting to bike commute.

00:00 Welcome to the Show

00:25 Quick Fix Compostables

01:17 Meet Paths for People

01:58 Community Events Highlights

02:34 Who Cities Leave Behind

03:11 Cars Versus Bike Lanes

04:17 Why Ben Bikes

05:32 Province Threatens Bike Lanes

07:06 Missing Links Campaign

08:01 Masters in Urban Planning

09:23 Triathlon Side Quest

10:17 Ben's Climate Action

11:09 Hope and Farewell

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In the season four premiere of Climate Action Figures, host John Whidden introduces guest Brittney and shares a “Quick Fix” from Genevieve in Medicine Hat: building “bug snugs,” tripod shelters filled with dried organic material for insects to overwinter. Brittney discusses her master’s research in the Bow Valley, funded in part by the Biosphere Institute, using interviews, walk-and-talks, and a photo-voice gathering to explore young adults’ work toward socioecological justice, and notes the Biosphere’s $1,000 youth microgrant. She recounts being named one of Canada’s top 75 youth environmental change-makers at the Starfish Changemaker Summit in Squamish, emphasizing climate justice, burnout prevention, and Indigenous land-based learning. Brittney then describes her documentary/honours thesis on the Crowsnest Pass coal fight, arguing people act to defend identity and love of place—especially clean water from the Eastern Slopes—while outlining Y2Y’s wildlife-corridor work and her hope to release the film in 2027.

00:00 Season Four Kickoff

00:34 Quick Fix Bug Snugs

02:11 Biosphere Research Project

03:39 Starfish Changemaker Summit

05:33 Indigenous Learning On Land

06:17 Coal Fight Documentary

08:47 Identity Drives Action

10:10 Eastern Slopes Water Stakes

12:09 Love Fear And Grief

17:16 Film Release Plans

18:41 What Y2Y Does

21:05 Her Climate Action Today

22:28 What Gives Her Hope

24:23 Closing And Call To Share

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