Renowned Climber Alex Honnold Balances Passion for Nature and Daring Feats

In the past few years, renowned professional climber Alex Honnold has expanded his focus beyond the world of extreme sports. While still training to take on daring feats like climbing Taiwan's tallest skyscraper without a rope in 2026, Honnold has also become a passionate advocate for environmental conservation and climate action.

Honnold recently launched the fifth season of his Planet Visionaries podcast, which provides a platform for scientists and innovators to share their work. "I interview guests who are very passionate about what they do and very good at what they do, and I typically come out of the interviews feeling all fired up, basically to do what I do, but do it a little better," Honnold said.

Honnold's environmental work began in 2012 with the founding of a nonprofit organization that funds community solar energy projects around the world. The foundation has now supported over 120 projects, including a recent solar installation for a housing complex in São Paulo, Brazil, that is reducing energy costs for 227 families.

As Honnold has grown older and taken on more responsibilities as a husband and father, he has found ways to balance his passion for climbing with his desire to make a positive impact on the world. "The reality is that I turned 40 this summer and I think I can still basically climb about as well as ever, but I certainly won't be able to for another 10 or 15 years," he said. "I've been going so hard for so long, and I wouldn't want to just live in a van and only rock climb for my entire life."