Climate, AI, and the Fight to Stay Human with Mikaela Ringquist

What if the biggest question about artificial intelligence is not whether it will replace us, but whether it can help us become more responsible humans?In this episode of The Ethical Stitch, Michelle Alleyne sits down with Mikaela Ringquist, Director of Partnerships at Climate Change AI and New York Chapter Chair for Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, for a timely conversation about climate, technology, ethics, accountability, and the future we are building.Mikaela brings a rare perspective shaped by diplomacy, corporate sustainability, grassroots organizing, sustainable fashion, and climate-focused artificial intelligence. Together, Michelle and Mikaela explore how AI is already being used in climate solutions, from monitoring rainforests and detecting illegal logging to improving energy grids and supporting renewable energy systems.But this conversation does not treat technology as a magic fix.At the center of the episode is a deeper question: if technology helped accelerate some of the systems that created our climate crisis, can technology also help us repair them?Michelle and Mikaela unpack the environmental footprint of AI, including data centers, energy use, water demand, and the difference between large language models and smaller, more purpose-built systems. Mikaela also breaks down why the “move fast and break things” mindset may be especially dangerous in this new era of artificial intelligence.This episode also explores convenience culture, climate anxiety, corporate accountability, greenwashing, circular systems, community, and why physical spaces still matter in an increasingly digital world.This is not just a conversation about AI.It is a conversation about power, responsibility, imagination, and whether progress still has a conscience.In this episode, we explore:✨ How AI is being used in climate solutions ✨ The environmental impact of data centers and large AI models ✨ Why small, purpose-built AI systems may be more sustainable ✨ The connection between technology, power, and accountability ✨ Why convenience culture makes sustainability harder ✨ How companies are evolving beyond performative sustainability ✨ Why climate anxiety is real, especially for younger generations ✨ The importance of community in a digital-first world ✨ Why the future needs world-building, not just innovation ✨ How we can stay human while the world accelerates around usStitch Mob MVP of the Week: ✨ Climate Change AI, with a special shoutout to Mikaela’s colleagues Maria, Joao Souza, and Priya Donti for their work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, climate solutions, research, and public education.Connect with Mikaela Ringquist & Climate Change AI: 🌍 Website: climatechange.ai🌿 The Ethical Stitch Hosted by Michelle AlleyneFollow us for more threads of truth: 📱 Instagram: @theethicalstitch | @michellealleyneofficial 🌍 Website: michellealleyne.com🎙️ New episodes drop weekly. Stay curious. Stay conscious. Stay human.🌿 The Ethical StitchHosted by Michelle AlleyneFollow us for more threads of truth:📱 Instagram: @theethicalstitch | @michellealleyneofficial🌍 Website: michellealleyne.com🎙️ New episodes drop weekly.Stay smart. Stay stylish. Stay stitched in.