OUR story
China’s “environmental crisis” has been widely covered by the media. But as a result of these environmental challenges, China has also become a testing ground for innovation. Whether at the policy, technology, or grassroots level, both Chinese and foreign individuals are pioneering a wide range of solutions.
With this in mind, in 2016, a few members of the Beijing Energy Network collaborated to launch a bilingual podcast called Environment China.
The podcast's aims are twofold: to build connections among the community of environmental advocates and innovators in Beijing and beyond by providing them with a platform to share their stories in their own words; and to educate and inspire local and international listeners to help them become more informed and active environmentalists.
Following a few months of prep work, Environment China officially went live in January 2017, initially publishing in English on a bi-weekly basis. In September 2017, we launched our Chinese-language podcast. For the past two years, we have typically published every week on Thursday, alternating between English and Chinese-language episodes.
OUR TEAM
Anders Hove
Host, Executive Producer
Clean energy research in China. World travel and astronomy hobbyist. EC host and sometimes guest. Lives in Oxford, grew up in Missoula, MT. For more enviro research and conversations, find him on Twitter: @derznovich.
Xiaodan Yuan
Host, Executive Producer
2023 International Climate Protection Fellow of Alexander von Humboldt Foundation based in Berlin. Former Beijing Energy Network (BEN) Executive Director 2020-2023.
Lily Hartzell
Host, Producer
In and out of Beijing her whole life, with a big focus in climate. Former Princeton in Asia Environmental Law Fellow at NRDC and freelance environmental journalist, current Research Fellow at the Cohen Group (focused on China) in DC. Happiest on a bike.
Cynthia Wang
Media Manager, Producer
Princeton in Asia Fellow at the Natural Resources Defense Council researching sustainable and resilient cities. Former Beijing Energy Network (BEN) Executive Director. Big fan of midwestern storms (if you know, you know), tomato egg noodles, LOTR, and squirrels.
Lin Ji
EC ALUMNI
Noah Lerner
Host, Executive Producer, Co-Founder
Noah is a Princeton-in-Asia Fellow at the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Beijing Office, helping to support climate and clean-energy policy research and advocacy. He received a B.A. in Biology and East Asian Studies from Amherst College. Noah remains undefeated (3-0) in fruit eating competitions.
Kate Logan
Host, Executive Producer, Co-Founder
Kate is a co-founder, executive producer and occasional host of Environment China. She first became addicted to podcasts while seeking innovative strategies for making commuting in Beijing more bearable. She is currently pursuing a Master's at Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, and has previously worked for the Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs (IPE) and the Beijing office of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Her hobbies include maximizing the subtle injection of corny humor into unsuspecting conversations and EC episodes.
Lili Pike
Executive Producer, Co-Founder
Lili Pike is proud to serve as an executive producer for Environment China. She is a staff writer for chinadialogue, covering climate change. Previously, Lili was a Princeton-in-Asia research fellow in Natural Resources Defense Council’s Beijing office, researching urban sustainability policies in China. She served as Executive Director of the Beijing Energy Network (BEN) from 2016-2017. On the rare occaision she isn't writing or podcasting about the apocalypse, she serves as a self-appointed guacamole ambassador and a staunch defender of Beijing.
Lauren Huleatt
Sound Engineer
Lauren Huleatt is a sound engineer for Environment China. She lived and worked in Beijing for 5 years, and has recently relocated to Hong Kong to continue work as a Sustainable Finance Campaigner at Greenpeace East Asia. She comes from a banking background and is now working to push the financial sector to drive positive change for the environment. She received an MPA in International Development from Tsinghua University and a BS in International Business and Finance from the International Business and Chinese Enterprise (IBCE) program at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of South Carolina. She is an avid player of board games and amateur team sports.
Erin X. Wong
Website Manager, Producer
Erin Wong is the International Outreach Coordinator at the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE), where she works with brands and industry coalitions to leverage information disclosure for sustainable supply chain management. Prior to IPE, Erin worked at the Natural Resources Defense Council China Program, and from January to December 2018, she served as co-executive director at the Beijing Energy Network. She can’t claim much experience with website design, but hopes you like what you see and visit often.
Yanhui Wang
Producer
Yanhui Wang is the Operation Director at innovative Green Development Program (iGDP) in Beijing, supervising daily communications, human resources and finance. Prior to iGDP, Yanhui worked at the Beijing office of UNESCO. She has two decades of experience in nonprofit management, media and public relations.
Jingwei Zhang
Producer
Jingwei ZHANG is the Overseas Investment, Trade and the Environment program officer at the Global Environmental Institute (GEI), a Chinese environmental NGO based in Beijing. A true globetrotter, Jingwei completed her bachelor’s degree from the University of Toronto with a double major in environmental science and psychology, and master’s degree in city planning from Boston University, while also traveling throughout Asia and Africa to conduct research. Her areas of research include China-Africa timber trade sustainability, NGO engagement in South-South cooperation, and environmental conducts related to Chinese overseas investment companies in Southeast Asian and African countries.
She speaks Mandarin, English, y un pocito de espanol, and meows fluently with her cat/boyfriend Waffle. She is currently studying Playback Theater, which is a unique branch of improvisation. If you’re lucky, you can catch her at a local performance in Beijing!
Producer
Lin JI is the Executive Secretary at Global Environmental Institute (GEI) and works alongside the Executive Director to design and implement the vision and direction of the organization, as well as manage partnerships and oversees internal programs to achieve the organization’s sustainable development goals in China and abroad.
