The Most Important Question

Latest Episodes:

Issue #256: Alexa. Knows. Everything. Nov 22, 2021

Show notes

This Week: Is there a green bubble?; Can you get a booster?; Where to find clean water; Why health workers are quitting; Amazon’s privacy nightmare

Find links from this newsletter and more at newsletter.importantnotimportant.com
Got feedback? Email us at questions@importantnotimportant.com
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Important, Not Important is produced by Crate Media

127. How To Innovate Nov 22, 2021

Show notes

In Episode 127, Quinn wants to know just how the hell “innovation” actually works.

His guest is Christopher Mims, a journalist for the Wall Street Journal, who’s spent a career asking big questions about the most pressing technological and societal issues we face, from robot trains to the future of batteries, brain implants, and whatever happens to land in-between.

The thesis: every little bit counts, and it’s more predictable than you think. Or is it?

Together, Quinn and Chris explore the team dynamics of innovation, the “great man” question, the invisible force behind Moore’s Law, and more.

The bad news: Nobody gets to save the world. The good news: Everyone gets to save the world, a little bit.

Avocado is Climate Neutral Certified for net zero emissions and donates one percent of all revenue to environmental nonprofits through its membership with 1% For the Planet.

Find out what it means to sleep organic at AvocadoMattress.com.

Have feedback or questions? Tweet us, or send a message to questions@importantnotimportant.com

Important, Not Important Book Club:

Life as We Made It by Beth Shapiro
Arriving Today by Christopher Mims
https://bookshop.org/shop/importantnotimportant

Links:

mims.club
Twitter: @mims

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Subscribe to our newsletter at ImportantNotImportant.com!
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ImportantNotImp
Follow Quinn: twitter.com/quinnemmett
Follow Brian: twitter.com/beansaight
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Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com

Important, Not Important is produced by Crate Media

126. Climate Tech $ Above The Fold Nov 16, 2021

Show notes

In Episode 126, Quinn meets his newsletter heroes: Kim Zou & Sophie Purdom, co-founders of the independent media outlet Climate Tech VC.

Kim works with Energy Impact Partners, a venture capital firm investing in climate technology. Sophie works as an investor in early stage climate technology businesses.

Together they write Climate Tech VC, the data-obsessed, essential take on the opportunities, deals, and news in the flourishing climate tech scene.

There is a massive cost that comes with transitioning every single existing building and vehicle, not to mention all of our power and infrastructure to green tech. While it’s arguably the biggest challenge of our time, it is also quite possibly the biggest market opportunity ever.

Kim and Sophie discuss the sustainability of volunteer advocacy for these important endeavors, and managing the currency of free time as this work becomes people’s second jobs--without the pay.

They also outline the action steps you can take, whether an investor, journalist, or a student looking to make the leap into the climate tech space -- because (so fun) it’s now or never!

Avocado is Climate Neutral Certified for net zero emissions and donates one percent of all revenue to environmental nonprofits through its membership with 1% For the Planet.

Find out what it means to sleep organic at AvocadoMattress.com.

Have feedback or questions? Tweet us, or send a message to questions@importantnotimportant.com

New here? Get started with our fan favorite episodes at podcast.importantnotimportant.com.

Important, Not Important Book Club:

The Alchemy of Air by Thomas Hager
Reboot by Jerry Colonna
https://bookshop.org/shop/importantnotimportant

Links:

Subscribe to Climate Tech VC: climatetechvc.substack.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kim-zou
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sophiepurdom
energyimpactpartners.com

Connect with us:

Subscribe to our newsletter at ImportantNotImportant.com!
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ImportantNotImp
Follow Quinn: twitter.com/quinnemmett
Like and share us on Facebook: facebook.com/ImportantNotImportant
Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com
Art by Amrit Pal

Important, Not Important is produced by Crate Media

Issue #255: It’s My Birthday, Let’s Ban Coal Nov 15, 2021

Show notes

This Week: China takes on methane; Moderna's downturn; Inflated food costs; Measles on the rebound; Google's new drug company

Find links from this newsletter and more at newsletter.importantnotimportant.com
Got feedback? Email us at questions@importantnotimportant.com
Follow us on Twitter at @importantnotimp

Important, Not Important is produced by Crate Media

125. Elevating Climate Venture Capital Nov 08, 2021

Show notes

In Episode 125, Quinn asks: How can venture capital offer solutions to two of the biggest problems of our time?

His guests are Vida Asiegbu and Anthony Oni, two incredible climate venture capitalists with Elevate Future Fund.

Vida Asiegbu is a Principal within the Elevate Future Fund, working to make sure that the companies and organizations that they represent within their portfolio meet all of their goals and values.

Anthony Oni is the Managing Partner of the Elevate Future Fund, part of Energy Impact Partners, focused on creating a transition into clean energy through investments – while also building a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable future.

Together, Vida and Anthony ask (and answer): How do we build new systems that help and support all people, as we face this incredible crisis (and opportunity)?

How do we approach the obligation we have to help others? How do we address the very personal – and very local – effects of climate change?

And how the hell do we find and invest in companies that are moving the needle in both directions?

Today’s episode is brought to you by Avocado Green Brands, where sustainability comes first. They craft their GOTS certified organic mattresses, pillows, and bedding with natural materials sourced from their organic farms in India, in their own clean-energy powered facility in Los Angeles, where their team shares a singular purpose: To raise the bar for what it means to be a sustainable business. Avocado is Climate Neutral Certified for net zero emissions and donates one percent of all revenue to environmental nonprofits through its membership with 1% For the Planet. Find out what it means to sleep organic at AvocadoMattress.com.

Have feedback or questions? Tweet us, or send a message to questions@importantnotimportant.com

New here? Get started with our fan favorite episodes at podcast.importantnotimportant.com.

Important, Not Important Book Club:

Links:

Connect with us:

Subscribe to our newsletter at newsletter.importantnotimportant.com!
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ImportantNotImp
Follow Quinn: twitter.com/quinnemmett
Like and share us on Facebook: facebook.com/ImportantNotImportant
Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com

Important, Not Important is produced by Crate Media

Issue #254: Delete Your (Face)Book Nov 05, 2021

Show notes

This week: Checking in on COP; How is this still happening?; An Impossible evaluation; Digitizing Medicade; Facebook is deleting your face; Did Big Oil lie in front of Congress?

Find links from this newsletter and more at importantnotimportant.com/newsletter
Got feedback? Email us at questions@importantnotimportant.com
Follow us on Twitter at @importantnotimp

Important, Not Important is produced by Crate Media

Issue #253: Here’s The Deal Nov 01, 2021

Show notes

This Week: Biden's agreement, revealed; Why vaccinating kids matters for everyone; Plant-based meat emissions questioned; Public health's original sin; Fixing Facebook

Find links from this newsletter and more at importantnotimportant.com/newsletter
Got feedback? Email us at questions@importantnotimportant.com
Follow us on Twitter at @importantnotimp

Important, Not Important is produced by Crate Media

124. Birth Control 2.0 Nov 01, 2021

Show notes

In Episode 124, Quinn interviews Dr. Elizabeth Ruzzo, a brilliant human geneticist who left the world of academia to launch adyn, her effort to help women find the best birth control for their unique bodies.

Family planning affects everybody – whether they use it themselves or not. With 200 forms of birth control to choose from, you’d think women would be able to easily find an option that didn’t make them feel like hot trash garbage -- but you’d be wrong.

In 2021, genetic testing means we can make this process much, much, much easier. Enter adyn. Family planning is (wait for it) more or less ignored by medical research, but adyn’s goal is to address that disparity head on and usher in a new age where women don’t have to experiment with 43 different forms of birth control until they (maybe) find one that doesn’t cause side-effects ranging from depression to blood clots and worse.

Listen in as Elizabeth describes a world where a simple and private genetic test shared with adyn can lead to a medicine that gets the job done but doesn’t ruin your day, every day.

Have feedback or questions? Tweet us, or send a message to questions@importantnotimportant.com

New here? Get started with our fan favorite episodes at podcast.importantnotimportant.com.

Important, Not Important Book Club:

https://bookshop.org/shop/importantnotimportant

Links:

adyn’s website
Sign up for Early Access to Adyn's Birth Control Test and get free shipping (and the chance to get other rewards)
Adyn on Twitter
Adyn on Instagram
Elizabeth Ruzzo on LinkedIn
Elizabeth Ruzzo on Twitter

Connect with us:

Subscribe to our newsletter at newsletter.importantnotimportant.com
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ImportantNotImp
Follow Quinn: twitter.com/quinnemmett
Like and share us on Facebook: facebook.com/ImportantNotImportant
Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com
Artwork by Amrit Pal

Important, Not Important is produced by Crate Media

123. Snapchat Runs for Office Oct 25, 2021

Show notes

In Episode #123, Quinn gets a masterclass on Snapchat AND running for office with RFS co-founder, returning guest, and our favorite human alive, Amanda Litman!

Amanda’s helped thousands of progressive young people run and get elected to office across the country. Now, she’s here to tell us how Snapchat can further save democracy, thanks to its fancy new partnership with her org.

Snap it! (I don’t know if that’s what the kids say -- I’m so sorry)

Have feedback or questions? Tweet us, or send a message to questions@importantnotimportant.com

Links:

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