Interview with Alexis Assadi About His Student Environmental Startup Grant
Alexis Assadi is a financier who founded the Alexis Assadi Student Environmental Startup Grant in 2018. The program offers $1,000 to full-time enrollees in Canadian universities with business ideas that could lead to positive environmental outcomes. The purpose of the grant is to help offset initial business costs, such as incorporation or accounting fees and website design, etc.
To begin with a basic question, why did you decide to launch the Alexis Assadi Student Environmental Startup Grant?
The work I do on a daily basis doesn’t provide direct value to society. I lend money to companies and real estate projects, which may then go on to do impressive things. But I don’t feel as though I make much of an immediate contribution. This grant is a small way to change that.
What do you think about the politicization of climate change?
It’s frustrating because environmental protection and climate change are scientific issues. They should not be political. Almost 100% of climate scientists agree that the world is getting hotter because of humans. There is a consensus on the matter among anybody who knows the facts. The only people who debate it are those who don’t know enough about it – or those who stand to gain financially, usually via oil, gas and coal ventures. Annoyingly, today, if you are concerned about the preservation of our environment then you will often be branded as a liberal or a leftist. But I’m just a guy who would prefer not to live on a planet that is on fire.
Are you not concerned by the few dozen scientists who contest that climate change is induced by us?
No. There are over 7 billion people on earth, so there will always be a few outliers. I’m sure I could find scientists who argue that sugar does not contribute to diabetes, or that smoking does not increase the risk of cancer. That doesn’t mean that the other 99.5% of researchers are incorrect. Moreover, some of the dissenters have been found to have received financial benefits for their opinions. That’s a polite way of saying that people will say stuff for money.
There is debate over whether we should focus on the earth’s environmental issues or begin looking to migrate to other planets. A growing number of technologists are advocating for the latter. Do you disagree?
I don’t see why we can’t walk and chew gum at the same time. I support space exploration, not necessarily because I think humans need to move elsewhere, but because it benefits our scientific community. I also support taking meaningful steps to preserve our planet. The sad part is that we have the means to reduce climate change, but we lack the political will.
What’s the biggest misconception about environmentalism?
There’s an old video clip from the late comedian, George Carlin. He talks about how the narrative around environmentalism is misguided. We don’t need to “save the planet” because it will be fine. Rather, it is we who are and will continue to be affected by destroying it. I think he summed it up perfectly. This isn’t about hugging trees. It’s about the quality of life and even the survival of our species.
