If we want to have a brighter, better, regenerative, equitable future, the one that I dream of, the one that we deserve — the one that I’m sure everyone also dreams of and deserves — we really need to start thinking of systemic change and doing things differently.”
In this latest episode of Distilled, host Will Sarni, CEO of Water Foundry, chats with a new guest about creating more magic, the importance of civil society’s participation in building a brighter future, and how we can make space for new narratives — plus, the guest’s journey throughout the world of water.
Carolina García Arbeláez, co-founder of Myzelio, joined Will to talk through her background. Kicking off the discussion, Will asked Carolina what got her hooked on water.
Watch the full video episode below or keep reading for the write-up.
Carolina on how she got hooked on water
Growing up in Colombia — one of the most biodiverse countries on the planet — Carolina grew up surrounded by nature, but never thought that she would dedicate her life to building a regenerative future.
It wasn’t until law school that she realized the scale of the planetary crisis and that multilateral movements were trying to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. It was here that she minored in journalism and discovered her love for storytelling.
I believe the connection between water and nature is the future. For the first time, people are looking at things more holistically. Whereas companies used to focus just on water replenishment, there’s now a shift toward seeing how water, biodiversity, and carbon are all linked. I believe — and really hope — that’s the direction we’re heading in.”
The convergence of Carolina’s passions led her to her first job covering environmental stories for a media outlet to then joining WWF’s delegation for climate negotiations, where she worked on advocacy strategies for the Paris Agreement.
Unexpectedly, Carolina soon found herself in the corporate world where she quickly recognized that the private sector (which comprises 70% of the world’s GDP and employment) was a huge part of the problem — but that it also needed to be part of the solution.
Her initial skepticism about working in the corporate world faded as she realized the impact she could have. After leading sustainability initiatives at ABInBev — first at a local level in Colombia, then at a regional level for Latin America, and finally on a global scale — she took a leap of faith and founded Myzelio, a one-of-a-kind sustainability consulting company.
Carolina on the magic within Myzelio
Carolina explained how Myzelio is more than a group of traditional sustainability consultants, but “sustainability magicians”. Inspired by mycelium (underground fungal networks that connect trees and ecosystems), the company is built on the idea that real change happens through interconnected, systemic shifts.
Referencing the fact that the world has already breached six of the nine planetary boundaries, Carolina said that Myzelio intends to be a fraction of the systemic change needed by focusing on creating more magic.
Myzelio works with organizations to help them boost their impact and support their growth while helping them stay within the planetary boundaries.
For me, magic is very important because in the midst of a planetary crisis where everything seems so catastrophic and hard to resolve, I think we need to build a lot of magic to reverse it. And that’s why I tell the team, we’re not consultants, but magicians. And I really want them to feel inspired about the magic they have in their hands to build what they thought wasn’t possible.”
For example, fast-growing companies with visionary leaders can outsource their sustainability teams to Myzelio, allowing them to become their Chief Sustainability Officer and create their strategies. One of their partners, Devoción, a Colombian coffee company with six coffee houses in New York, embodies this model. As a B-certified company looking to grow responsibly, Devoción has worked with Myzelio to become certified with a science-based target for their climate agenda.
For larger corporations, Myzelio co-creates high-impact initiatives that go beyond typical corporate sustainability. For example, Myzelio is rebuilding PepsiCo’s water strategy for Latin America. This includes designing a multi-stakeholder water program, starting in Mexico and expanding to multiple basins, which could serve as a model for the rest of Latin America.
Unlike traditional consulting firms that develop plans and leave corporations to execute them, Myzelio is actively involved in the implementation, ensuring that impact is realized every step of the way.
Carolina on COP and the integral participation of civil society
Speaking on her experience at COP16 in Colombia, Carolina said she was able to reaffirm something she’s known for a long time: real action doesn’t just happen during formal negotiations; it thrives in the collaboration, connections, and energy of the diverse groups gathered around them.
She recalled her first COP experience back in 2010, where discussions were slow, closed off, and dominated by state actors. In comparison, Carolina noted how COP16 was a completely different experience; a lively atmosphere packed with events and discussions.
Having a global biodiversity framework and agreeing on targets, finance mechanisms, reporting, and monitoring — these are important. And we need to continue pushing that agenda. However, the agency of governments is not the whole picture. There are so many actors that can contribute and play a very important role in reaching these targets.”
Carolina commented on the wide range of participants at COP16, including civil society, indigenous groups, private sector leaders, and youth groups. Reflecting on the past, she noted that ten years ago, many of these voices would have been absent. She said that although governments continue to be the ones setting targets, they’re only part of the equation; systemic change emerges from all corners of society and is driven by collective action.
Carolina on making space for dialogue, imagination, and new narratives
Carolina said that one of the biggest risks to sustainability today is the relentless push for immediate solutions without any deep reflection. She believes that we are constantly in “solution mode” — for example, biodiversity credits, renewable energy, and reforestation — but that without questioning the paradigms that got us to where we are now, we may just be replacing one extraction model with another.
She argued that meaningful change requires rethinking the very systems we operate in, which means creating space for dialogue, imagination, and new narratives.
As a society, we really need to indulge in reflection to understand the paradigms we’ve created in society that have led us to the planetary crisis. Otherwise, we might be replacing one extraction model with another extraction model. So for me, the magic is important — and it’s going to happen.”
She said that stories have and always will shape our world, and if we want to imagine a different future, we ultimately need better stories.
Interested in more Distilled content?
Hosted by Water Foundry CEO Will Sarni, Distilled is a video podcast series that features water leaders from around the world. Each one-on-one conversation explores the guest’s unique career path, discusses the challenges and opportunities facing the water industry, and considers what’s next for water.
You can find the full catalog of episodes here.
