In this episode of 5Talks, free solo climber Alex Honnold talks about overcoming the seemingly impossible, from scaling sheer rock faces to tackling the climate crisis.
He’s the first and only person ever to climb the 3,000-foot vertical rock monolith known as El Capitan without ropes but when it comes to challenges, Alex Honnold finds the climate crisis more daunting, because unlike climbing, with the climate, “you hardly even know where to start”.
That hasn’t stopped him from trying, founding the Honnold Foundation in 2012 to focus on supporting access to solar energy as an impactful climate solution for communities all over the world. In the past five years alone, it has supported over 70 partners in 27 countries.
In spite of the scale of the problem, there’s always something you can do, he believes.
The biggest lesson he’s learned, both in climbing and climate? “Being afraid doesn’t matter a lot of the time… you just need to act”.
He shares his story here.
We spoke to Alex Honnold at change think tank Futerra’s Solutions House, a space for optimism and action, this year at Climate Week NYC.
Directors – Prunelle Mathet and Ben SuliteanuHome footage – Tino MartiranoClimbing footage – Sender FilmsEditor – Benjamin Suliteanu
Cover star Madame Gandhi on the sounds of the Antarctic, free climber Alex Honnold reveals his biggest challenge yet, actor Rainn Wilson embraces his soulful side and much much more!
