In this episode of Doom and Bloom, Eric Benson and Marc O’Brien join us to ask some big questions: Why is climate being erased from federal budgets? Why is climate literacy still an elective in design schools and not a required course? And why are we preparing students for AI but not for the climate crisis?

We explore the uncertainty of our current political moment and the urgent need to embed climate education into the foundation of every design program. Eric and Marc also explore a bold vision for the future—transforming unused office buildings or local restaurants into pop-up co-learning hubs where designers, students, and communities come together to collaborate, learn, and act.

From rethinking how we teach design to reimagining where learning happens, this conversation is a call for creativity, community, and radical inclusion in the face of climate change.

In this special episode recorded live during San Francisco Climate Week, Marc O’Brien and Katie Patrick dig into why we’re stuck in a doom-heavy narrative—and what it’ll take to design for the future we actually want. From breaking down the “value-action gap” to calling out the overreliance on financial incentives and education as motivators, Katie challenges us to rewire how we think about change. This is a conversation about systems, behavior, and possibility. About moving beyond facts and fear. About shifting from problem-obsession to solution momentum. Maybe it’s time to rethink everything.

Together, they explore a playful prompt that sparks fresh ideas about reconnecting with nature, community, and each other. From imagining a “Pug Cafe” to considering the role animals could play in urban sustainability and healing social divides, they reveal how warmth, creativity, and unexpected connections might be the keys to building climate resiliency and bridging polarized communities.

This episode blends thoughtful critique with hopeful dreaming, inviting listeners to reimagine what’s possible when design, empathy, and a touch of whimsy come together.

In this episode of Doom and Bloom, we’re joined by UX/UI designer and New Wave researcher Zoe to unpack a big question: why have designers become so focused on short-term results? From tight job markets to pressure from profit-driven industries, many designers are racing to deliver—often at the expense of long-term thinking, community impact, and climate considerations.

Together, we explore what it means to design with integrity: to center people over products, to tell honest stories, and to hold space for uncertainty. We imagine new ways forward—from lecture series that connect designers with impacted communities to meditation tools that help designers tap into their human voice.

This conversation is an invitation to slow down, reflect, and reimagine design not just as a skill—but as a responsibility. What if “I don’t know” was a strength? What if we valued process over perfection? And what if design started with listening?

Why are we still gatekeeping designs? Why do we prioritize competition over collaboration? Why do we assume we have all the answers before asking others? 

On the latest episode of Doom & Bloom, Marc O’Brien and Rachel Cellinese use the Thinknado process to question reality and dismantle outdated mindsets that keep design isolated and exclusive.

The conversation embraces open-source design and rejects the idea that ownership matters more than impact. When design moves beyond individual pursuits and into collective creation, new possibilities emerge. It’s time we build networks that connect designers, farmers, biologists, and organizers to co-create meaningful solutions. 

You’ll hear Marc and Rachel challenge designers to step outside their silos, forge unexpected alliances, and develop impact-driven innovations that uplift entire communities. Remember, collaboration over competition.

Why isn’t sustainability at the core of every project? Why are people still asking what sustainability even means? And why isn’t it baked into our education system? These communication gaps are holding us back—but what if we flipped the script?

On this episode of Doom and Bloom, host Marc O’Brien and guest Brian Stancheski explore how we can get more people excited about climate solutions.

What if we marketed sustainability like the latest tech drop—sexy, desirable, and impossible to ignore? Together, they use the two-word mash up "jolly & sand", to brainstorm bold ideas like sustainability beach festivals, viral campaigns, and immersive experiences that make climate solutions unforgettable. From influencers to massive beach cleanups, they explore ways to turn sustainability into a movement that can’t be overlooked.

It’s time to think bigger, take action, and make sustainability the main event.

In the first episode of Doom and Bloom, Marc O’Brien sits down with John Bielenberg and Brandt Williams, the masterminds behind Thinknado, to dismantle the predictable thinking that’s keeping us stuck. It’s time to flip the script and ask the hard questions: Is our way of thinking broken?Why do we settle for the status-quo? And most importantly, how do we unleash the creative potential we all have but rarely tap into?

Doom & Bloom cuts through the noise to the heart of design and climate action. Our future is undecided—how will we use our collective imagination to design a better world for all? Through unfiltered conversations, we unpack today's challenges through the lens of creativity and possibility to motivate designers to take meaningful action. Explore bold, innovative ideas that shift away from the current paradigm towards a regenerative future.