Clear Haze Exchange

If the green building movement wants to grow, it has to start early. In this episode of Clear Haze Exchange, Marcus Hazelwood talks with Julia Pooler, founder of the Carbon Zero Youth Initiative (CZYI) and author of the children’s book “Buildy Green: It Takes a Team, a Better Building Story.”

Julia explains why youth outreach isn’t just “future workforce development”, kids can influence decisions today at home, in schools, and in communities. She shares why the best “tool” to spark curiosity is often the building you’re already standing in, and how professionals can make youth engagement easier than they expect using simple tours, scavenger-hunt style questions, and hands-on activities.

You’ll also hear how Buildy Green highlights the people behind better buildings, engineers, architects, trades, life cycle analysts, and more, so kids can understand that sustainability is a team effort.

Key topics:
  • Why youth outreach matters right now (not 20 years from now)
  • Easy ways to explain buildings to kids (HVAC vents, walls, materials)
  • How kids naturally understand reuse, deconstruction, and materials life cycles
  • The story behind Buildy Green and the outreach tools that come with it
  • Free, ready-to-use resources for professionals who want to get involved
Links / CTAs:

What is Clear Haze Exchange?

Clear Haze Exchange is an interview-led podcast focused on simplifying sustainability while uncovering the hidden systems, decisions, and long-term impacts shaping our built environment and energy future.

Hosted by Marcus Hazelwood, an energy engineer with 15+ years of experience in sustainability and energy efficiency consulting, the podcast has evolved across two seasons:

Season 1 focused on breaking down the fundamentals—making energy efficiency, building systems, and sustainability concepts more accessible and practical for a wide range of listeners.
Season 2 builds on that foundation, diving deeper into the systems-level thinking behind sustainability—exploring how decisions in design, operations, policy, and business strategy create long-term outcomes.

Each episode features thoughtful conversations with industry leaders, engineers, architects, researchers, and decision-makers who are actively shaping the future of sustainability. From building performance and infrastructure to sustainable chemistry and organizational mindset, Clear Haze Exchange connects ideas across disciplines to provide real-world insight.

This podcast is for professionals and curious minds alike, those who want to better understand not just what sustainability is, but how it actually works in practice.

If you're interested in smarter investments, better systems, and meaningful progress, you're in the right place.

Subscribe to Clear Haze Exchange on your favorite platform and join the conversation.

For inquiries or guest opportunities: hello@clear-haze.exchange