The media matters.
I regularly speak with journalists and give interviews on broadcast outlets about climate change, sustainability, and sports. I also publish the occasional op-ed. Here are some links to a sample of my interviews and quotes in the media.
Times Colonist. (April 9, 2025). Victoria speaker has dire warning for winter sports. https://www.timescolonist.com/sports/victoria-speaker-has-dire-warning-for-winter-sports-10503767
The Narwhal. (February 28, 2025). Is pond hockey on thin ice — because of climate change? https://thenarwhal.ca/manitoba-pond-hockey-climate-change/
Today, Explained. (August 9, 2024). A green medal for Paris? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-green-medal-for-paris/id1346207297?i=1000664848170
KCRW. (August 8, 2024). How green were the Paris Olympics, what can LA learn for 2028? https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/press-play-with-madeleine-brand/nasa-sports-climate-film/olympics-carbon-footprint
The New York Times. (July 26, 2024). The climate is changing. The Olympics need to change, too. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/26/opinion/paris-olympics-climate-change.html
Running for Real Podcast. (July 21, 2024). Climate action as a team sport. https://runningforreal.com/madeleine-orr/
CBC Sunday Magazine. (July 21, 2024). How climate change is changing sports. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/sunday/the-sunday-magazine-for-july-21-2024-1.7268237
Stacker. (July 18, 2024). Going to extremes: How Olympians vying for the gold in Paris contend with climate change. https://stacker.com/stories/sports/going-extremes-how-olympians-vying-gold-paris-contend-climate-change
Breakfast Television. (July 17, 2024). How climate change will impact the future of professional sports. https://www.breakfasttelevision.ca/videos/how-climate-change-will-impact-the-future-of-professional-sports/
CTV The Social. (July 12, 2024). How climate change is changing sports. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpp4m8mxVgM
CBC News. (July 12, 2024). Athletes find a fierce opponent in climate change. https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/extreme-heat-sport-climate-change-1.7260556
PBS Newshour. (June 30, 2024). How climate extremes are changing the world of sports. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYEKXdK20Qc
Real News Network. (May 21, 2024). Can sports survive climate change? https://therealnews.com/can-sports-survive-climate-change
Science Friday. (May 10, 2024). How climate change is changing sports. https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/climate-change-sports-book/
The Guardian. (May 6, 2024). Sport and the climate emergency: collating injustice with an action plan. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/may/06/sport-and-the-climate-emergency-collating-injustice-with-an-action-plan
The Guardian. (May 5, 2024). ‘We’re looking at losing 20% of Olympic nations’: how the climate crisis is changing sport. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/may/05/how-climate-crisis-is-changing-sport-extract
CBC. (April 22, 2024). How do we love sports when they’re not always good for the environment? https://www.cbc.ca/sports/earthday-opinion-shireen-ahmed-1.7179070
The Globe and Mail. (April 19, 2024). Climate change is a growing threat to our love of sports. But can we adapt? https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/article-climate-change-is-a-growing-threat-for-our-love-of-sports-but-can-we/
NBC Sports. (July 12, 2023). How the Women’s World Cup will be more eco-friendly this year. https://www.nbcsportsboston.com/soccer/womens-world-cup/how-the-womens-world-cup-will-be-more-eco-friendly-this-year/541572/?os=rokufno_journeysdtruerefappamp19gwnq5i2u0026ref%3Dapp&ref=app
Sports Illustrated. (April 21, 2023). Can F1 stay fueled amid climate change? https://www.si.com/formula1/2023/04/21/f1-stay-fueled-climate-change
Agence France Press. (March 13, 2023). Can Paris 2024 deliver a climate positive games? https://www.zawya.com/en/special-coverage/zawya-green/can-paris-2024-deliver-a-climate-positive-olympics-v1235vde?amp=1
Yahoo! News. (February 27, 2023). Winter sports ‘nailing the lid on its own coffin’ says British athlete. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/winter-sports-nailing-lid-own-000100181.html
Sierra Magazine. (February 22, 2023). Ski resorts’ snowmaking quandary. https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/ski-resorts-snowmaking-quandary
Southern China Morning Post. (December 13, 2022). Is Qatar 2022 as sustainable as Fifa says, and can future World Cups change? https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3202984/qatars-olympics-style-world-cup-may-not-be-carbon-neutral-fifa-claims-what-do-make-future
BBC Futures. (December 7, 2022). What would a green World Cup look like? https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20221206-what-would-a-green-world-cup-look-like
The Times. (November 18, 2022). Qater World Cup: How pitches were prepared in the desert. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/qatar-world-cup-how-pitches-were-prepared-in-the-desert-h5zkz8xg2
BBC Sport. (October 4, 2022). Asian Winter Games to be held in Trojena, Saudi Arabia in 2029. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/winter-sports/63131479
The Globe and Mail. (September 2, 2022). The climate crisis is already a disruptive force in sports. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/article-the-climate-crisis-is-already-a-disruptive-force-in-sports/
The Conversation. (July 27, 2022). Tour de France: future heatwaves may make it untenable to hold the race in July. https://theconversation.com/tour-de-france-future-heatwaves-may-make-it-untenable-to-hold-the-race-in-july-187725
The Sustainability Report. (February 24, 2022) Podcast: Can sport push for growth and be environmentally responsible? https://sustainabilityreport.com/2022/02/24/can-sport-push-for-growth-and-be-environmentally-responsible/
The Bunker Podcast. (February 23, 2022). On thin ice - Can we green the Olympics? https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-bunker-1000341/episodes/daily-on-thin-ice-can-we-green-129616496
The Independent. (February 22, 2022). ‘I was lucky I didn’t go into a coma’: Football’s fight against extreme heat and the climate crisis. https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/afcon-heatstroke-global-warming-football-b2006867.html
Sky News. (February 11, 2022). ClimateCast: Are the Olympics on Thin Ice? https://news.sky.com/story/climatecast-are-the-winter-olympics-on-thin-ice-12538421
The Conversation. (February 10, 2022). Beijing 2022: environmental cost of world’s first Winter Olympics without natural snow – expert Q+A. https://theconversation.com/beijing-2022-environmental-cost-of-worlds-first-winter-olympics-without-natural-snow-expert-q-a-176717
China Daily. (February 8, 2022). Uncertainty over climate poses threat to future Games. https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202202/08/WS6201c106a310cdd39bc85347.html
Climate of Sport Podcast. (February 4, 2022). w/ guest Dr Madeleine Orr. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/with-guest-dr-madeleine-orr/id1605178320?i=1000550049813
Globe and Mail. (February 3, 2022). What does the Beijing Olympics’ machine-made snow tell us about climate change and the future of winter sports? https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/olympics/article-what-does-the-beijing-olympics-machine-made-snow-tell-us-about-climate/
The Japan Times. (February 2, 2022). Deep Dive Podcast: Beijing 2022, A second pandemic Olympics. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/podcast/beijing-2022-a-second-pandemic-olympic/
The New Statesman. (January 28, 2022). Beijing’s “green” Winter Olympics looks as fake as its snow. https://www.newstatesman.com/environment/2022/01/beijings-green-winter-olympics-looks-as-fake-as-its-snow
SportsPro. (November 11, 2021). How can sports marketing become more sustainable?https://www.sportspromedia.com/opinions/sponsorship-marketing-newsletter-sustainability-guide-sport-ecology-group/
BBC 5Live. (November 10, 2021). Can sport help save the planet? https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0b3h2jl; also available on Spotify
Grazia. (October 2021 issue). Madeleine Orr: Pionirska sportska ekologinja. https://grazia.hr/novi-broj-grazije-na-kioscima-2/ (in Croatian)
The Conversation. (September 8, 2021). As U.S. football season kicks off, climate change threatens the game. https://theconversation.com/as-u-s-football-season-kicks-off-climate-change-threatens-the-game-167036
Corporate Knights. (August 24, 2021). As Paralympics heat up, COVID-19 is not Tokyo 2020’s biggest health risk. https://www.corporateknights.com/leadership/as-paralympics-heat-up-covid-19-is-not-tokyo-2020s-biggest-health-risk-16298086/
Globe and Mail. (July 17, 2021). Should Vancouver pursue the 2030 Winter Olympic Games? https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-should-vancouver-pursue-the-2030-winter-olympic-games/
The Sustainability Report (July 15, 2021). Olympic sport sustainability review.
Part 1: https://sustainabilityreport.com/2021/07/15/olympic-sport-sustainability-review-part-one/
Part 2: https://sustainabilityreport.com/2021/07/22/olympic-sport-sustainability-review-part-two/
Part 3: https://sustainabilityreport.com/2021/07/29/olympic-sport-sustainability-review-part-3/
BBC Sport (May 17-21, 2021). Sport 2050 Series (multiple articles, radio stories, and television hits; I’ve linked some examples below)
Sport 2050: Imagined sports news headlines in a warmer world.
Sport 2050: Snowless snow sport? How climate change could impact winter sports?
Sport 2050: Why are we doing this - and why does it matter?
Sportshour asks: How could sports look in 2050? (start at minute 23)
Burn it All Down Podcast (April 27, 2021). Episode 203: Climate Activism in Sport. https://www.burnitalldownpod.com/episodes/203
SIRCuit Magazine (April 19, 2021). Sports at risk: Addressing climate change in the Canadian sport sector. https://sirc.ca/blog/addressing-climate-change/
Bloomberg TV (March 13 & 14, 2021). Green Sports interview. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2021-03-12/bloomberg-green-saving-the-planet-is-a-team-sport-video
The Sustainability Report (March 6, 2021) Salla 2032 Olympic bid parody hits close to home. https://sustainabilityreport.com/2021/03/04/salla-2032-olympic-bid-parody-hits-too-close-to-home/
BBC (February 8, 2021) 2022 Winter Olympic Games: Beijing air pollution fears raised in new report. (5 min radio segment) (5 min TV segment) (print news article)
CBC Daybreak Montreal (January 4, 2021) Should Canada have a Green Sports Day? (9 min segment)
BBC Radio (December 18, 2020) Sustainability at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. (5 min segment)
Forbes (December 1, 2020) Winning on and off the field: Forbes 30 Under 30, Sports 2021
https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30/2021/sports/
Corporate Knights (November 10, 2020) 2020’s class of Top 30 under 30 sustainability leaders shape #nextnormal
Sports Pro Media (October 20, 2020) Opinion: Professional sports are in the line of (wild)fire.
https://www.sportspromedia.com/opinion/professional-sports-wildfires-nfl-ncaa-mlb-mls-sustainability
TSN (September 15, 2020) Orr: Wildfires and the impact on sports
https://www.tsn.ca/radio/montreal-690/orr-wildfires-and-the-impact-on-sports-1.1524510
ESPN (September 12, 2020) Air quality issues expected to increasingly impact sports.
https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/29870359/air-quality-issues-expected-increasingly-impact-sports
The Sporting Spirit Podcast (September 3, 2020) Sports in the Age of the Climate Crisis.
https://anchor.fm/thesportingspirit
GreenBiz (August 14, 2020) The sustainable sports agenda: Opportunities to #BuildBackBetter.
https://www.greenbiz.com/article/sustainable-sports-agenda-opportunities-buildbackbetter
The Sustainability Report (July 2, 2020). Climate Pledge Arena signals a game-changing statement of intent.
The Sustainability Report (May 21, 2020) Sport, Climate Change, and Acknowledging Vulnerability. https://sustainabilityreport.com/2020/05/21/sport-climate-change-and-acknowledging-vulnerability/
The Sustainability Report Podcast (April 28, 2020) Managing your Sport Organization’s Vulnerability to Climate Change. https://sustainabilityreport.com/2020/04/28/managing-your-sport-organisations-vulnerability-to-climate-change/
Green Sports Pod (April 9, 2020) Episode 2: Dr. Maddy Orr.
https://greensportsblog.com/episode-2-guest-dr-maddy-orr/
State of Sport Management Podcast (February 12, 2020) On Sport Ecology.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/maddy-orr/id1446111134?i=1000475468899
GreenBiz350 (January 31, 2020). Greening the Super Bowl (segment starts at 45min)
https://www.greenbiz.com/taxonomy/term/1418
The Sudbury Star (January 28, 2020). Sports and sustainability: Laurentian Students Headed to Super Bowl
Green Sports Blog (December 17, 2019). Why Women are Finding Success in Green-Sports.
https://greensportsblog.com/women-green-sports/
Green Sports Blog (December 16, 2019). GSB’s Best and Worst of Green-Sports 2019
https://greensportsblog.com/gsbs-best-and-worst-of-green-sports-2019/
The Sustainability Report. (October 3, 2019). Where’s the climate leadership? (Op-Ed)
https://sustainabilityreport.com/2019/10/03/wheres-the-climate-leadership/
The Sustainability Report. (March 29, 2019). Sport is at risk from climate change and needs a strategy to address it (Op-Ed)
Star Tribune (December 17, 2017). University of Minnesota graduate students compete in the Three Minute Thesis contest. https://www.startribune.com/university-of-minnesota-graduate-students-compete-in-the-three-minute-thesis-contest/464451753/