Christina Kramlich incorporates her passion for adventuring and the climate, not only through Climate Ride but in her personal life as well. As a Climate Ride veteran, Christina has gained valuable insight into what climate action means to her and how she incorporates it in Green Investing through her career with Chicory Wealth. We picked Christina’s brain about this and more during our recent interview with her.
Climate Ride (CR): What made you decide to participate in Climate Ride?
Christina Kramlich (CK): I first learned about Climate Ride from my sister-in-law who has participated in a few rides. I was so inspired. It was always in the back of my mind that this was something I really wanted to do. The first ride I participated in was the Maine ride with my husband.
Climate Ride appeals to me on a number of different levels. I want to be a part of supporting climate action and encouraging others to do the same. I like the combination of engaging in outdoor activities and having a social community that is focused on climate issues. Having a common goal is really important for creating a movement that is going to stick around. I’ve also always participated in endurance events on horseback and bike, so I love the idea of traveling long distances through active means.
CR: It sounds like Climate Ride is right up your alley as far as interests and climate advocacy go! What’s motivating you?
CK: I feel that it is such a good cause and such a good organization. Climate Ride does such a great job in supporting the riders. I’m very impressed with all the people involved. It really feels like a family.
CR: We are so happy to hear that! Feeling like a family is something we strive for when it comes to working together towards a shared climate goal. How has climate change affected the area you live in?
CK: I live in Sonoma County. We have had really challenging fires surrounding us. Starting in 2015 and then again in 2017. It’s not just smoke and general unpleasantness, I have friends who have lost their homes. People in our immediate community have lost everything because of these fires. The only positive is that the community really came together. It caused people to examine their values and the need to support families that can’t support themselves when these events happen.
CR: It’s hard to imagine losing everything you own in an event like that. We hope to help put a stop to that! Thank you for being a part of it on and off the rides. We understand you apply your sustainable practices to your field of work. What field do you work in? Can you tell us about your work at Chicory Wealth and what Green Investing is?
CK: In my work at Chicory Wealth, we are passionate about providing holistic financial life planning services. We spend a lot of time helping clients integrate their personal and social values with how they run their “money lives”. Planning can include cash flow planning, education planning, tax planning, insurance reviews, assistance with estate planning, charitable giving, and of course, investing. Our investment strategies are screened for environmental/social/governance factors, meaning that the companies we invest in offer both financial returns through solid management practices and a history of cash flows, and they follow progressive environmental stewardship, social, and governance protocols. We vote proxies at shareholder meetings on behalf of our investors, and we also provide (as suitable) investment opportunities outside of the public markets in areas such as community finance, new ventures led by diverse management teams, and sustainable agriculture.
CR: That’s so interesting! Your company is doing some incredible work. How do you like to spend your personal time adventuring? How do adventuring and sustainability play a role in your life?
CK: I enjoy doing long-distance horseback riding and biking. I also really enjoy winter sports. I’m happy to say I’ve made some pretty big commitments to adventuring in my life. I moved out of the city 15 years ago because I wanted to be able to do the outdoor adventuring that I enjoy more easily. I love being out in nature. I love having experiences like horse camping or Climate Ride trips where I get to see places that I wouldn’t otherwise get to see with a group of friends. It’s life-changing. It pushes me to get up in the morning and work towards my goals!
As for sustainability, when I’m out in nature, I start to see how immediately nature is affected by carelessness and a lack of accountability. If we all do our part to take care of nature, we will hopefully be able to enjoy it in the future. It starts to become much more personal when you are out and enjoying it on a regular basis. It has a real impact.
CR: So true! If everyone spent a little more time in nature, they would begin to notice the impact we have on every aspect of it. With that in mind, which beneficiaries have you chosen to support through your Climate Rides and why?
CK: I tend to choose local beneficiaries. I love that Climate Ride is organized in a way that allows participants to support larger beneficiaries as well as smaller, local ones. I can see a balance in my dollars that I know is making a difference in more immediate areas as well as areas like the national parks as a whole.
CR: Thank you for choosing to fundraise for both local and national beneficiaries! Has preparing for and participating in this event spurred you to take any action on the climate outside of your ride?
CK: It caused me to become more aware of more local organizations in my area. I noticed them on the beneficiary list, which lead me to look into local rides and events that they put on in my area. I also focus a lot on climate as a part of my work. I’m very vocal about that through the investment front with Chicory Wealth – both in my personal investing and the investing that I am helping my clients with. Outside of that, I have also become more aware of household purchases and minimizing our waste as a family in our everyday lives.
CR: Thank you for sharing your experiences, Christina!
Christina will be joining us for Climate Ride San Juan Islands and Olympics! If you’d like to support her, you can do so
here. Any donation you make will be doubled thanks to the Algorand Foundation!