Climate Conversations to Encourage Action

Smiely Khurana presents a podcast called The Sustainable Act. Photo by Ursula Galvao

By Patricia Lane and Smiely Khurana

These in-their-own-words pieces are told to Patricia Lane and co-edited with input from the interviewee for the purpose of brevity.

Smiely Khurana’s online platform, The Sustainable Act, showcases thoughtful storytelling about the climate crisis, and encourages us to appreciate each other and take action to protect what we love. With her team of volunteers, this 26-year-old Vancouverite hosts a podcast with a global audience, publishes a blog, Instagram posts and reels, and invites us to face-to-face conversations at climate cafes.

Tell us your project.

Each offering is different. On the podcast, I host inspirational climate leaders. My background is in sustainable film production, so I have chatted with groups intent on greening that industry like Earth Angel and the Entertainment and Culture Pavilion. I have interviewed the convenor of The Music of Junk who composes, conducts and convenes an orchestra playing instruments made from objects that would otherwise be in the landfill. I hosted the founder of Alberta’s The Earth Group, which markets aluminium water bottles and uses the profits to buy school meals in the Global South.

We have recently started publishing the podcast in video.

The blog lifts up stories of sustainable leaders in the arts of various kinds, such as Gunjan Nanda, co-founder of the Dubai Climate Collective. Our columnists also publish tips for making every-day life sustainable. It is a platform that invites others to contribute.