Dr. Love-Ese Chile is a scientist, innovator, and storyteller on a mission to bridge the gap between research and real-world action. With expertise in biodegradable plastics, circular economy solutions, and knowledge mobilization, she is reshaping the way we think about waste, sustainability, and our future. But what makes her approach unique is her passion for storytelling—using narrative to spark imagination and drive change.
In our conversation, we got nerdy about nature, exploring her journey from chemistry to circular solutions, the power of stories in shaping our future, and how leadership and hope can transform the way we approach the world’s biggest challenges.
Read this summary of our conversation, and listen to the full interview below!
From Chemistry to Circularity: A Scientist’s Journey to Sustainability
Dr. Love-Ese Chile’s path into sustainability started with a deep curiosity about the world. Growing up in New Zealand as a child of migrant parents, she was always a keen observer of the world around her; fascinated by the natural laws that governed the universe, yet puzzled by the way humans often acted against them.
That curiosity led her into chemistry, a science where you get to play around with the very building blocks of life. As a student, she was also learning about crises like the plastic in our oceans and climate change; challenges she notes that she didn’t see many people all too concerned with. With chemistry, curiosity, and concern in her mind, Dr. Chile continued her studies as a researcher focusing on sustainable, bio-based plastics and how they could fit into a circular bioeconomy—an economy that mirrors nature by keeping resources in continuous use rather than discarding them as waste.
Her passion grew and evolved into leadership roles, including her time as Managing Owner at Regenerative Waste Labs and Principal Consultant at Grey to Green Sustainable Solutions. Today, she focuses on knowledge mobilization as the Network Manager of the BC Agricultural Climate Action Research Network, ensuring that cutting-edge sustainability research actively benefits communities.
The Power of Storytelling in Climate Action
Beyond science, Dr. Chile is a passionate storyteller, drawing on her love of sci-fi and speculative fiction to shape how she approaches climate challenges. She believes that before we can build a better future, we have to be able to imagine it.
“People are made of stories. They’re how we pass down knowledge, shape our culture, and influence decisions,” she said. “Science has helped us understand the challenges we face and devise solutions, but stories move people to act.”
She goes on to say, “In graduate school, I was really interested in innovation and how technology shapes society. Reading fantastic stories from the 1900s about flying cars and being able to talk to people on the video phone, I was wondering, what came first: the imagining of new futures, or the technology? I had many discussions with my colleagues in grad school, and we ended up coming to how they’re kind of indistinguishable from each other. Dreams feed science, and science feeds our dreams.”
She points to solarpunk, a subgenre of science fiction that envisions a future where technology and nature exist in harmony, as a powerful example of how storytelling can shape real-world innovation. Unlike the dystopian narratives that dominate media—where the future is often bleak and dominated by environmental collapse—solarpunk offers an alternative vision: one where human ingenuity is used to regenerate ecosystems and create thriving communities. She asks, “How can we reframe the way we talk about our future, and how can we center a healing relationship between the environment and our society in our stories?”
By integrating storytelling into sustainability work, Dr. Chile hopes to inspire people to see climate action not as a burden, but as an opportunity to build something beautiful.
A New Model of Leadership for a Changing World
Dr. Chile challenges traditional models of leadership, advocating for a shift from hierarchical, top-down control to a more collaborative and facilitative approach.
“We often think of leadership as a single person at the top making all the decisions,” she explained. “But real leadership is less about telling people what to do and more about providing the space and the resources they need to get things done. Those resources could be time, empathy, encouragement, honesty, accountability, or a vision for a future.”
She shares that she often comes back to the old adage that it takes a village; “It takes the village to mobilize change. We learn in the climate movement that you can’t do this work on your own, the only way to make these changes is as a collective, and the best way to move collectives forward is to have [a leader] who’s responsible for making sure everyone is supported to continue to work together and move forward.”
Dr. Chile draws inspiration from nature, where ecosystems thrive through interdependence rather than domination. Just as a forest relies on diverse species working together, she sees leadership as a process of nurturing and empowering communities to take action, stepping collectively into the future that we envision together.
Finding Hope in Nature and Community
With so many environmental challenges ahead, where does Dr. Chile find hope? For her, it is about a regular practice of gratitude, and shifting focus from fear to love.
She finds hope in small moments—walking in the forest, observing the resilience of moss and mushrooms, watching the tide roll in. Even in a dense urban city like Vancouver, she reminds us that there’s nature everywhere and that spending time in a state of wonder can help us tune into all that we love about our world. “We talk so much about what we’re fighting for. But what if instead we asked, ‘What are we loving for?’” she said.
She also draws inspiration from her nieces and nephews, reminding her that the work she does today will shape the world they inherit and that she has a responsibility to create a better world for our future generations. “I don’t want [young people] to be stressed about where they can find a connection with nature, where they can get clean water, or where they can breathe safely.”
“We talk so much about what we’re fighting for. But what if instead we asked, ‘What are we loving for?"
Advice for Those Wanting to Make a Difference
For those looking to integrate sustainability into their personal and professional lives, Dr. Chile offers a mix of practical wisdom and encouragement.
First, she emphasizes the importance of self-compassion. Climate action is not about perfection; it is about making progress. She encourages people to give themselves grace and do what they can.
She also urges people to reflect on their own vision for the future. “What is the dream, the story, the vision that you might have for your own future? Where do you see yourself in 50 years?” she asks. By grounding sustainability efforts in a personal story or dream, people can find motivation that lasts.
Finally, she highlights the power of community. The best solutions come from collective effort. Surrounding yourself with people who share your values and inspire you can help sustain action in the long run.
At the heart of it all, Dr. Love-Ese Chile believes that a better future is not just possible—it is already being imagined and built by people all over the world. Through science, storytelling, and community, she is helping to bring that vision to life.
