Seaweed vs. Plastic: Inside the Mission to Disrupt a $500 Billion Industry.

Seaweed might be the key to disrupting a $500 billion plastic industry — and today, you’ll learn how.

Alyssa Pace, Head of Marketing & Communications at Sway, takes us behind the scenes of the ten-person climate startup designing seaweed-based, home-compostable alternatives to plastic.

Plastic is completely over-engineered. It persists in our environment for centuries, yet the average plastic bag lifespan is just 12 seconds. So, what if we could replace this pollution-wrecking material with something ocean-grown that decomposes in your backyard?

In this episode, Alyssa unpacks how seaweed can regenerate ocean ecosystems, what it’s really like working inside a materials-science startup, how to spot greenwashing instantly, and why generalists are thriving in early-stage climate roles. She also shares her burnout-prevention strategy and how to build a meaningful, resilient career in climate — without needing to quit your job.

00:00 – Why plastic is over-engineered & the problem with its 12-second lifespan
03:00 – How Sway is replacing plastic with seaweed-based materials
05:00 – Regeneration, sourcing, and the full lifecycle of compostable materials
07:00 – Alyssa’s role leading Marketing & Communications at a climate startup
08:00 – UCSB, creativity, and the path from environmental studies to media
10:00 – Growing up in Berkeley & how early values shape career choices
12:00 – What circularity really means (and why it matters)
14:00 – Breaking out of the climate echo chamber
15:00 – Why Sway believes education is their biggest lever
16:00 – Startup reality: internal communication at a 10-person company
18:00 – Storytelling strategies for complex material-science solutions
20:00 – The power of impact-driven work and thinking beyond the prototype
22:00 – Who thrives in early-stage climate roles (generalists, this is for you)
23:00 – Burnout, boundaries, and making yourself less accessible
26:00 – Becoming a manager & leading with empathy
27:00 – Why your current job is already a climate job
30:00 – Job boards & pathways into climate and materials science
31:00 – Closing reflections — building a career that lasts 90,000 hours
32:00 – Key lessons from Alyssa’s journey

🔗 Relevant Links & Resources
Guest – Alyssa Pace / Sway
Sway Website: https://www.swaythefuture.com
Contact Sway: [email protected]
Instagram:   / swaythefuture  
LinkedIn:   / swaythefuture  

WORK THAT'S WORTH IT:
📘 Work That’s Worth It Book: https://georgienthoven.com/book/
📰 Join the Newsletter: https://georgienthoven.com/connect/

FOLLOW THE PODCAST:
📸 Instagram:   / georgienthoven  
📘 Facebook:   / georgienthoven.workthatsworthit  
🔗 LinkedIn:   / georgienthoven  

Enjoyed this episode? Like, comment, and subscribe for weekly episodes on building a career that matters.

Listen on your favorite podcast apps: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Podcast Index, Deezer, Pocket Casts.

#WorkThatsWorthIt #ClimateCareers #Sustainability #ClimateTech #ImpactJobs #CircularEconomy #SeaweedPackaging #CompostableMaterials #SwayTheFuture #CareerGrowth #MeaningfulWork