Sustainability In Your Ear

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Earth911 Podcast: Steve Nygren, Founder of Eco-community Serenbe Dec 30, 2019

Show notes

Serenbe is an ecologically responsible 1,000-acre community in the Chattahoochee Hill Country just outside Atlanta. With more than 700 residents living around four village centers, Serenbe maintains more than 70 percent of its land as green space, offering a lovely combination of environmental living with culture, food, and shopping designed for local consumption. Former restauranteur Steve Nygren, the founder of Serenbe, joins Earth911 to discuss his vision and progress toward a new model for communities. He shares how his love of the hill country started with a weekend retreat that has led three generations of his family to live in Serenbe.
Nygren sold dozens of restaurants around the country to pour his attention into building Serenbe, which won the Urban Land Institute's inaugural Sustainability Award. Bringing a lifetime of hospitality experience to the project, Nygren and his company have assembled stores, restaurants, and a variety of home designs that range from large single-family houses to small studio flats that allow for all incomes to live and work in Serenbe. The community also provides theater, art programs, and other programs for residents. Since it is so near Atlanta, Serenbe blends rural life with the convenience of a nearby urban center.
We discuss who finds Serenbe to be an ideal home, the challenges of building a town from scratch to coexist with nature, and how Serenbe supports small businesses that locate in the community. Nygren also shares how the construction of homes in Serenbe lowers power and heating requirements by 30 percent or more. You can visit Serenbe to see for yourself what natural living can look like.
Join the conversation and share your thoughts with the community in our Earthling Forum.

Earth911 Podcast: Recycling Info On Google Assistant, and Thanks For a Great 2019! Dec 23, 2019

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The Earth911 team has a lot to celebrate this year. We're live on Google Assistant, where you can now ask how and where to recycle materials with a simple "Hey, Google!" Evelyn Fielding-Lopez and Mitch Ratcliffe sit down to talk about the last year and where sustainability is going. Learn how to be environmentally friendly at college -- the lessons there will affect a lifetime and can be applied by anyone. We have a lot of confidence that youth will live in greater harmony with the planet. Check out Seattle-based Ridwell, which provides home pickup of batteries, textiles, and plastic film. Adding flexibility to the single-stream waste system is the best hope for increased recycling success.
We also take a look a the sustainability of cannabis farming. As the fast-growing industry evolves, will it embrace sustainability information for consumers? We'd like to see information about recycling on cannabis packaging. For those looking for a natural remedy, we also discuss the benefits of sleep, hydration, and natural medicine to staying healthy.
Of course, we also answer your Earthling Questions: How to organize community action to get recycling services -- one of our listeners just lost local recycling and wants to bring it back. What is working with Terracycle like? Jessica, a listener on Facebook wants to partner with Terracycle to address mixed materials, such as composite packaging. And what do you do with used antifreeze? Can it be filtered and reused at home?
Join the conversation and share your thoughts with the community in our Earthling Forum.

Earth911 Podcast: The Carton Council's Jason Pelz on Carton Recycling Progress Dec 16, 2019

Show notes

Jason Pelz, vice president of the Carton Council, joins Earth911 to talk about progress in beverage carton recycling, which is up more than 280 percent over the last decade. Founded in 2009, when carton recycling rates were stuck at six percent, the Carton Council is an alliance of beverage packaging manufacturing companies. Pelz, who is also the director of circular economy projects at TetraPak, shares the group's goals for 2025 and beyond. He also takes a pop-quiz on how cartons can be recycled with flying colors.
Carton packaging is made from paper fiber and other materials, it is a composite that was not accepted by most recycling programs in 2009. As new technology improves the ability to break down composite materials, more programs have added cartons to their accepted materials list. Today, 61 percent of homes in the United States have curbside access to carton recycling.
By passing more than 60 percent of homes with carton recycling, carton manufacturers now can place the recyclable label on their products. We discuss the three major carton recycling operations in the U.S. and the Carton Council's plans to reach 75 percent of homes by 2025.
Do you know whether a milk carton should be put in the blue bin with the cap or off? This podcast answers that question and many more.
Join the conversation and share your thoughts with the community in our Earthling Forum.

Earth911 Podcast: U.K. Environmental Leader Tony Juniper On Rainforest Awareness and Restoration Dec 09, 2019

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Tony Juniper spent a lifetime traveling the world’s rainforests and raising awareness about environmental threats. Now, he chairman of the United Kingdom’s Natural England, the national conservation agency — by contrast the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is headed by a former coal industry lobbyist. He joins Earth911 to talk about his new book, Rainforest: Dispatches From the Earth’s Most Vital Frontlines. It is an exploration of the role rainforests play in the global environment and Juniper’s many activist accomplishments. We particularly recalled the Mahogony is Murder campaign that dramatically reduced illegal logging in the Amazon basin. Juniper has been at the forefront of environmental movements since they first began.
The rainforests are “Earth’s lungs,” Juniper explains. They help to exchange water between the soil and atmosphere, as well as host the widest range of species on the planet. The loss of rainforests threatens humanity’s ability to discover and learn from nature’s mechanism through “biomimicry.” He shares how the planet will suffer from systemic illness in the planet’s body — as ice collapses in the South, oceans will rise on all continents, for example. We can learn from Juniper, who has the ear of Britain’s Prince Charles, a leader of efforts to preserve rainforests in South America and the Asia-Pacific region. His experience can teach people everywhere how to get involved and make a positive impact for the Earth.
All is not lost, Juniper counsels, but the hour for action is passing. He sees governments, businesses, and non-governmental organizations working together to reduce the carbon emissions and believes humanity may have awakened to climate threats. Join the conversation to learn what you can do to help.
Join the conversation and share your thoughts with the community in our Earthling Forum.

Earth911 Podcast: Tracker Tom Brown Jr. On Saving The Earth One Step At a Time Dec 02, 2019

Show notes

Humans began their journey on this planet by learning to survive, then to steward the Earth, but they have forgotten that they live in a great system. Author Tom Brown Jr., renowned tracker, and teacher talks with Earth911 about his latest book, Tom Brown's Guide to Healing the Earth. Brown, who was taught by an Apache elder he met as a boy to live in harmony with nature, shares how small steps taken each day can create vast change in the world. He and co-author Randy Walker Jr. recently shared a summary of his ideas in an article for Earth911.
Tom shares how he met Stalking Wolf, the Apache who mentored him in exploring and appreciating the interconnectedness of nature and humanity. By pausing and stepping back to take in a meadow or clearing, his tracking students learn to recognize what should be and how natural patterns have been interrupted, pointing the way to a lost child, a fleeing criminal, or a friend in need. It's a fascinating half-hour with a thoughtful teacher and explorer who has trained people around the world to survive in the wilderness.

Earth911 Podcast: Beat Wishcycling Habits with Lauren Olson of World Centric Nov 28, 2019

Show notes

Wishcycling, tossing something that can't be recycled into the blue bin, is the bane of recycling programs because it can contaminate other materials in the system. Earth911's Mitch Ratcliffe talks with Lauren Olson, Zero Waste Manager at compostable tableware maker World Centric in Rohnert Park, California, about building simple habits that prevent wishcycling. Simply keeping up with your local recycling program's rules is the best step you can take, but with rules changing so often consumers need to build a habit of checking with their recycler's website frequently.
Wishcycled materials, which can include many types of plastic, glass, and electronics, among other materials, can lead to injuries in the materials recovery facility (MRF, or "Murph") where recyclables are sorted. Machines can be jammed by styrofoam and plastic film, for example, and when workers try to pull the jam out they can be injured. Lauren also discusses how compostable and recyclable products companies like World Centric must engage with local solid waste authorities to get new materials included in the recycling stream. Without a national standard for recycling, it's tough for everyone, from product makers to citizens who buy those products, to successfully recycle materials.
If you'd like to see local restaurants and grocers using compostable plastic and fiber containers for to-go food and other packaging, tell them about World Centric's wide range of Earth-friendly packaging.

Earth911 Podcast: How To Lower Your Carbon Footprint and Save Money Nov 24, 2019

Show notes

The Earth911 gang gathers at the microphone to talk about how to lower CO2 emissions and save money in your commute and heating bills. We start with the savings from switching to an electric vehicle. Earth911 recently published an EV article and worksheet that helps you understand the potential CO2 reductions and cash savings an EV delivers by state. Because different states generate more or less electricity from fossil fuels, your results will vary. If you have already installed solar on your home to power your car, the savings can be almost 100% of your commuting carbon footprint.
Sarah Lozanova shares how the real estate industry is upgrading its building standards and her experience living in a passive house. Commercial buildings account for 39 percent of global carbon emissions, which can be lowered by introducing more efficient construction and technology that are part of the LEED standards from the U.S. Green Building Council. The Urban Land Institute's Center for Sustainability and Economic Performance has introduced the Greenprint program to help drive improved standards and reporting about sustainable building practices. Members lowered power consumption in their buildings by 3.3 percent between 2016 and 2017. Sarah's home in a community of passive houses in Maine has provided consistently warm winters using very little energy while staying cool in the Summer. We walk through how a passive home works and the potential to reach net-zero emissions with solar panels.
And don't forget our furry friends. We discuss how to make dog toys from reused fabric (the hide-a-treat dog mat is our favorite), including puzzle toys that help improve your dog's thinking skills. Yes, dogs have thinking skills, even if Cat People don't agree! In Earthling Questions, we explain how to recycle or donate a used bed frame. Also on tap: what the best Christmas tree for the planet and the truth about Best Buy's excellent free recycling program -- it's not necessary to buy something to recycle.
Join the conversation and share your thoughts with the community in our Earthling Forum.

Earth911 Podcast: Giki's Jo Hand on Achieving a Sustainable Lifestyle Nov 22, 2019

Show notes

Planet-friendly shopping is a new skill for many consumers. Making the right environmental choice takes information and coaching. Giki, a British mobile app for iPhone and Android, is helping U.K. shoppers make responsible decisions. Earth911 talks with Jo Hand, co-founder of Giki, about the path to a sustainable life. Giki users simply scan a barcode on the product to get a quick environmental and social responsibility report about the product and the company that made it. While the app is available only in the U.K. and European Union today, it's a smart step forward that will eventually reach U.S. consumers.
Giki uses badges to explain the environmental qualities of products. "Organic," Free from Additives," and "Low Carbon Footprint" are examples of quick cues provided to the Giki user as they shop. A product with more badges is better. Each badge offers additional details about the impact on the planet, animals, and people, so you can tune your consumption to support your goals for the world.
Jo Hand shares how her own shopping is guided by the need to reduce unsustainable palm oil consumption -- palm oil is used in thousands of products, often without clear attribution on the labelling. She also focuses on UK-made products and enjoys finding "Hero Products" that are the most sustainable and healthiest available. Her team at Giki, which she cofounded with her husband, has profiled thousands of products to identify their environmental impact. We discuss the importance of transparency at brands and the power of individuals making informed choices. Giki aims to expand to North America, but this is an app that we think can inspire a better world today.
Join the conversation and share your thoughts with the community in our Earthling Forum.

Earth911 Podcast: Author Alice Hill on Building a Resilient Future Nov 18, 2019

Show notes

In an important new book about the climate challenges faced by U.S. cities, Alice Hill, Senior Fellow for Climate Change Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, and Leonardo Martinez-Diaz, the Global Director, Sustainable Finance Center of the World Resources Institute, lay out the issues that will define our lives and public policy for the next century. We talk with Alice Hill about Building A Resilient Tomorrow: How to Prepare for the Coming Climate Disruption.
Hill explains how Norfolk, Virginia, the home of the largest naval port in the U.S., is an early example of a city confronting rising seas and sinking land, increased salinity in drinking water, and extreme weather, which can serve as an example for the entire country. The city's conservative government has worked aggressively to prepare for climate warming after seeing sea levels rise by 18 inches over the past several decades. As "climate attribution" science improves, the facts of global warming became undisputable. Pragmatic action replaced skepticism.
We also discuss how communities and citizens can motivate local and national action. Hill describes a new reality in which the consequences of CO2 are widely understood and consumers with transparent access to information will have better choices available. It will also produce a wave of liability lawsuits that redefine responsibility for CO2 emissions. Why? Because entire populations may be on the move due to seal water inundating coastal cities. But we can prevent that by acting now. Hill's advice to many communities: Lawyer up.
But cities, too, face consequences from their zoning and regulatory decisions. Are cities liable for changes in flood and fire management rules put in place for companies or investors in their communities? These issues will be decided by living generations. Building A Resilient Tomorrow: How to Prepare for the Coming Climate Disruption is a must-read guide for policymakers and citizens who recognize that climate disruption is redefining our lives every day.
Join the conversation and share your thoughts with the community in our Earthling Forum.

Earth911 Podcast: eevie Offers Sustainable Living Coaching in the Palm of Your Hand Nov 15, 2019

Show notes

eevie is a new mobile app for the iPhone and Android that helps people identify their carbon impact when shopping and making daily decisions about travel and diet. Earth911 talks with the founders of eevie, Tono Willms, Lenni Paar, and Raphi Ferretti. eevie suggests personal carbon reduction goals and tracks your location to coach you toward those goals based on an "Impact Score" it calculates as you make choices in your life. It's a smart assistant and mentor for carbon-conscious consumers.
The eevie team lives its mission. They work collaboratively across three counties in Europe, minimizing travel and CO2 footprint. They have established a goal of helping people achieve a “4 tonnes CO2 lifestyle” by 2025, starting with themselves. If everyone were to reduce their CO2 output to 8,800 lb.s a year -- four metric tons -- we can stop the rise of excess CO2 in the atmosphere.
We also explore the ways eevie tracks users, especially how personal data is used, to help create improvements. Chief Data Officer Raphi Ferretti shares how aggregated anonymous information can be used to help populations of people understand the trade-offs available when buying a product or planning travel. The app does not share any personal information and hopes to build its business through subscriptions or anonymized advertising services.
Want to start using eevie today? Visit the Apple App Store or Google Play store.
Join the conversation and share your thoughts with the community in our Earthling Forum.

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