Waste Not WHY Not

69. Finale: Our last episode (for now) May 06, 2024

One fine day in December 2018, Nate Maynard and Emily Y. Wu met over a coffee in downtown Taipei. The two talked about podcasting and sustainability. By Christmas, Nate, Emily, and Emily (Pearson) had recorded the first episodes of “Waste Not Why Not”.
“Waste Not Why Not” - a sustainability podcast - was the first original show from Ghost Island Media. It debuted on Earth Day in 2019. Since then, it’s been a media partner at the 2020 AAAS Annual Meeting (American Association for the Advancement of Science), a program partner of the American Institute in Taiwan, and received support from Cypress River Advisors.
We remember interviewing incredible guests:
Season One included Daniel Vickery, then-head of engineering of batteries and energy systems at Gogoro (maker of the world’s first nation-wide electric grid for electric vehicles); Sam Kimmins, then-head of RE100 from The Climate Group; Taiwanese youth climate activist Liang-Yi Chang; and Dr. Nebojsa Nakicenovic (IIASA) on radical change.
Season Two included Dr. Jane Lubchenco, former head of NOAA; Professor Stephan Lewandowsky of the University of Bristol on science denial and disinformation; Christine Bader, former head of CSR at Amazon and BP; and Dr. Enric Sala, National Geographic explorer-in-residence.
We visited a food lab (thank you, Mattson in California!), a coral lab (thank you Shashank Keshavmurthy at Academia Sinica in Taiwan!), a batteries R&D center (thank you, Antonio Baclig at Stanford University!), a garage of new electric dirt bikes (you rock, Azizi Tucker!).
In Season Three and Four, we walked about solar energy, climate simulation, sustainable menstrual products, green buildings, COP, and we even did a game show.
Thank you to all our listeners and supporters who rooted for us in the past five years. Waste Not Why Not has come to an end (for now!)
Nate Maynard now continues his podcasting career at NETTING ZEROS, a new project Nate launched with David Green. Here’s the show on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/netting-zeros/id1739098029
Here’s the show on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7uEIMDGgCduymAekSiV7zD
Check them out on Substack: https://nettingzeros.substack.com/about
As for Ghost Island Media, we continue producing podcasts and publishing. Please check out our other shows at www.ghostisland.media
EPISODE CREDIT
Host: Nate Maynard (Nature 8, @N8May), a sustainability consultant working on energy, ocean and waste.
Producer: Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), executive producer and founder of Ghost Island Media.
Audio Packaging by Wayne Tsai
Show logo by Southwicks Graphics
Theme tune by Dac Chang
A Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme)

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

68. Live from COP28, Part 3 Jan 22, 2024

For this final part of our COP28 mini-series, Nature N8 attends his last day at COP28. He chats with Tanmatra Bhanti, Manager of Policy & Partnerships at Rare, and Alfredo M Coro II, Municipal Mayor of the Municipality of Del Carmen, Siargao Islands in the Philippines.
Nature N8 gives his final thoughts at COP. What is it for, who is it for, what's achieved there, and what's greenwashing in today's climate conversations?
This is Waste Not Why Not, a climate podcast from Ghost Island Media. Debuted on Earth Day in 2019, it's hosted by Nature N8 (Nate Maynard), a sustainability consultant working on energy, ocean and waste.
Support us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot
Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod
EPISODE CREDIT
Nate Maynard (@N8May), Host
Gerald Williams, Audio Editing
Show logo by Southwicks Graphics
Theme tune by Dac Chang
A Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme)

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

67. Live from COP28, Part 2 Jan 04, 2024

Nature N8 spends another day at COP28 in Dubai where he continues to go behind the scenes giving his thoughts, explaining some of the cool exhibits, and speaking with participants from Taiwan.
This episode includes interviews from:
Katie Liu, New Taipei City representative
Chia Wei Chao, Research Director at the Taiwan Climate Action Network
Cammie Lu, Mom Loves Taiwan Association
Emmanuel Fromont, Acer’s Corporate Vice President and President of Acer’s EMEA operations.
Stay tuned for part 3 of our COP28 mini-series!
This is Waste Not Why Not, a climate podcast from Ghost Island Media. Debuted on Earth Day in 2019, it's hosted by Nature N8 (Nate Maynard), a sustainability consultant working on energy, ocean and waste.
Support us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot
Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod

EPISODE CREDIT
Nate Maynard (@N8May), Host
Gerald Williams, Audio Editing
Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), Producer
Show logo by Southwicks Graphics
Theme tune by Dac Chang
A Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme)

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

66. Live from COP28, Part 1 Dec 12, 2023

Skip to 4:00 minutes for Nate live from Dubai! Go behind the scenes at COP28 with Nate where he gives his thoughts, what he hopes to see, and what cool stories he can find.
Nature Nate is back! He jump-starts this new season by going to COP 28, what might be the most important climate negotiations ever…or not. Also, listen in to hear some updates about the show and its upcoming season.
This is Waste Not Why Not, a climate podcast from Ghost Island Media. Debuted on Earth Day in 2019, it's hosted by Nature N8 (Nate Maynard), a sustainability consultant working on energy, ocean and waste.
Support us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot
Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod
Hosted by Nate Maynard (@N8May)
Audio Editing by Gerald Williams
Show logo by Southwicks Graphics
Theme tune by Dac Chang
Produced by Emily Y. Wuu (@emilyywu)
A Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme)

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

65. Regrowing Hope with Tony Rinaudo, the “Forest Maker” Apr 17, 2023

Tony Rinaudo is an Australian agronomist widely known as the “forest maker”. He's lived and worked in Africa for decades where he put into a forest restoration practice called Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR).
FMNR has restored 6,000,000 hectares of land and over 200 million trees in Niger, vastly improving the livelihood of millions. Today, Nature N8 and Tony talk about inspiration, life’s purpose, making a difference, and hope.

Resources:
- Read the FMNR manual here to learn more.
- Two books that made a difference in Tony’s life: “I Planted Trees” and “Sahara Conquest” by Richard St. Barbe Baker.

This is Waste Not Why Not, a climate podcast from Ghost Island Media. Debuted on Earth Day in 2019, it's hosted by Nature N8 (Nate Maynard), a sustainability consultant working on energy, ocean, and waste.
Support us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot
Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod
EPISODE CREDIT
Nate Maynard (@N8May), Host
Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), Producer
Gerald Williams, Audio Editing
Show logo by Southwicks Graphics
Theme tune by Dac Chang
A Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme)

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

64. A Vegan Story (by students at Minerva University) Mar 03, 2023

Today’s piece is guest-produced by students at Minerva University - a four-year, US accredited college where the students are on semester-abroads all the time. In Fall 2022, more than a hundred Minerva students spent time in Taiwan. Nate was a mentor to four students who wanted to make a podcast on sustainability. And here’s the result!
A VEGAN STORY - TAIWAN
Despite the recent rise of popularity in veganism, it is true that veganism is associated often with a restrictive, judgemental connotation. However, veganism in Taiwan is proof that veganism does not have to be all or nothing Today, 1 in 7 people in Taiwan live with a vegan or vegetarian diet, with a diverse array of vegan alternatives to choose from. However, despite the abundance of alternatives, not many Taiwanese do not actively identify themselves as vegan or vegetarian. Why may this be the case?
For many, it may seem like the increasing global attention towards sustainability has shifted the options available for keeping a vegan diet, extending the abstinence from all forms of animal products into more and more people’s everyday lives. But veganism is not just a story about sustainability. In Taiwan, veganism is an embedded practice within everyday life that is a combination of politics, religion, sustainability, and more. In this article, we will cover Taiwan’s unique vegan story, created through its unique cultural background. We will delve into the past, present, and future of Taiwan’s veganism, exploring the multifaceted story that has allowed Taiwan to become so vegan.
This episode is written and produced by Stephanie Froebel, Jana Majnova, Seo Kim, and Narandelger Erdenebileg.
Enjoy!
This is Waste Not Why Not, a climate podcast from Ghost Island Media. Debuted on Earth Day in 2019, it's hosted by Nature N8 (Nate Maynard), a sustainability consultant working on energy, ocean, and waste.
Support us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot
Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

63. Lunar New Year updates from Ghost Island Media Jan 23, 2023

Happy lunar new year from all of us at Ghost Island Media! At time of this new years greetings recording, we didn't know yet of the mass shooting in Monterey Park in California that took the lives of 10 people on new years eve, Saturday, January 21, 2023. Our deepest condolences to families affected by the horrific tragedy. Our hearts are with our Asian American community.
We have new shows waiting to announce this spring. Meanwhile, our newest partner is AmCham, the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan, do check out the podcast we're helping to produce. "Executive Sweet":
Search "Executive Sweet" right here where you're listening, or use this link: https://topics.amcham.com.tw/listen/
Happy new year of the rabbit. Hop hop!
Other shows we mentioned in the announcement:
Waste Not Why Not: https://ghostisland.media/en/shows/waste-not-why-not/
The Taiwan Take: https://ghostisland.media/en/shows/taiwan-take/
Metalhead Politics: https://ghostisland.media/en/shows/metalhead-politics/
In French and Mandarin:
Balades Culturelles Franco-Taïwanaises: https://ghostisland.media/en/shows/france-taiwan/
In Mandarin:
Z Green Party: https://ghostisland.media/en/shows/green-party/
In the Weeds 大麻煩不煩: https://ghostisland.media/en/shows/in-the-weeds/
Dos Salidas: https://ghostisland.media/en/shows/dos-salidas/
Five Star Nation: https://ghostisland.media/en/shows/5-star-nation/

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

62. Combating Climate Anxiety with Ocean Mindfulness (Joshua Sam Miller, Sounds Of the Ocean) Dec 21, 2022

Joshua Sam Miller is a musician, a filmmaker, a conservationist, a yogi, and a collector of ocean sounds and peoples. He’s performed at COP as well as at Burning Man.
Today, N8 talks to Joshua about mindfulness, meditation, breathwork, the healing power of ocean sounds, and how something silly now, may end up being something you do for a living later on.
If you liked the music track at 11:44 - 12:15 and 28:07 - 30:07 in this episode, then check out more works from Joshua on Spotify. The track we featured is called “Unity”: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2AWiZLYN8BaYhMJp9lfQ9j?si=xtfUJccVQ8S0iQPGWCIkRA
This is Waste Not Why Not, a climate podcast from Ghost Island Media. Debuted on Earth Day in 2019, it's hosted by Nature N8 (Nate Maynard), a sustainability consultant working on energy, ocean, and waste.
Support us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot
Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod
EPISODE CREDIT
Nate Maynard (@N8May), Host
Gerald Williams, Production Assistant
Teresa Yen, Audio Editing
Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), Producer
Show logo by Southwicks Graphics
Theme tune by Dac Chang
A Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme)

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

61. Dispatch from Energy Taiwan Nov 17, 2022

Last month, Taiwan’s largest green energy event took place in Taipei connecting the domestic renewable energy industries with their international counterparts. So obviously, Nature N8 had to go.
This year, Energy Taiwan had 5 categories: solar, wind, smart storage, emerging power and net zero Taiwan. This year, N8 saw bigger booths, plenty of renewable technologies, and goats. Yes, real goats. There's exciting times ahead for the renewable energy sector in Taiwan.
But there were still some things Nate wanted to see more of at Energy Taiwan. Energy alternatives were rarely featured and Taiwan’s net zero plan could have played a bigger role.
To read more about Taiwan’s Net Zero Targets, click here.
This is Waste Not Why Not, a climate podcast from Ghost Island Media. Debuted on Earth Day in 2019, it's hosted by Nature N8 (Nate Maynard), a sustainability consultant working on energy, ocean and waste.
Support us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot
Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod
EPISODE CREDIT
Nate Maynard (@N8May), Host

Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), Producer & Audio Editing
Gerald Williams, Production Assistant & Audio Editing
Show logo by Southwicks Graphics
Theme tune by Dac Chang
A Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme)

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

60. N8 Take: Everything on Fire Everywhere (But we still have books) Aug 17, 2022

The climate crisis came into full view this summer as countries across Europe experienced record-high temperatures in July. In the UK, a train track caught on fire, and an airport runway melted. In France, they called it a “heat apocalypse.”
But while Europe is trying to deal with 40-47 degree celsius weather, we need to remember that things have been bad for a long time now. In 2016, parts of India reached 51C degrees celsius. The climate crisis affects everyone on this planet, but why do we pay attention only to some countries, and not others?
Most of our infrastructures just weren’t built for this new climate, and the climate policy sphere, we refer to this as adaptation. Adaptation is where countries, companies, institutions adapt to new levels of warming from our warming planet.
We need to ask some important questions as well. How long will these events last? Where will they be? And what do these countries need to do or need to survive them?
Today, N8 has a list of climate resources he recommends:

Bloomberg Green
Volts by David Roberts
Carbon Brief
Professor Jesse Jenkins at Princeton
Professor Kuei-Tien Chou at the Risk Society and Policy Research Center in Taiwan

And here’s more -

And for your friends, colleagues, and families, here’s a digital library from the Waste Not Why Not team and our guests:

https://wastenotwhynot.com/#library

This is Waste Not Why Not, a climate podcast from Ghost Island Media. Debuted on Earth Day in 2019, it's hosted by Nature N8 (Nate Maynard), a sustainability consultant working on energy, ocean and waste.
Support us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot
Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod
EPISODE CREDIT
Nate Maynard (@N8May), Host
Gerald Williams, Research & Editing
Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), Producer & Editing
Show logo by Southwicks Graphics
Theme tune by Dac Chang
A Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme)

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

59. A Game Show! Circular Economy with Double Dribble, REnato Lab, AIT Jul 12, 2022

Double Dribble is a fashion & accessories brand that upcycles basketballs. The founders come from product design, but they’re now trying to design a new system for upcycling sports waste.
Today, we bring you“The Incinerator”- a game show where a circular economy startup goes in front of a panel and gets their ideas burned and turned into better ideas. (Cheat sheet: Circular Economy = Environmental Impact + Business)

Contestant today is Roy Huang, co-founder of Double Dribble, based in Taiwan.
Panelists:
Aining Ouyang, COO of REnato Lab, a circular economy consultancy based in Taiwan. Luke Martin, Cultural Affairs Office at the American Institute in Taiwan, responsible for educational and cultural programming. And Nate Maynard (Nature N8), an environmental consultant focusing on waste, ocean, and energy.
We have a prize for one lucky listener!
That’s right we are giving away a prize, it’s like we are rewarding you for listening to our podcast! Name another podcast that does that! Here is what you do:
Go on Instagram - to Double Dribble’s page at @2doubledribble (https://www.instagram.com/2doubledribble/)
Share the design you want.
Tag Ghost Island Media (@ghostislandme), AIT (@ait_taipei), and Double Dribble (@2doubledribble).

Write “I heard about this on the Waste Not Why Not podcast.”
Good Luck!
This is Waste Not Why Not, a climate podcast from Ghost Island Media. Debuted on Earth Day in 2019, it's hosted by Nature N8 (Nate Maynard), a sustainability consultant working on energy, ocean and waste. Check out our digital library at wastenotwhynot.com/#library
+ Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod
** Today’s episode is sponsored by American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). Check out our full-length bonus video interview about its LEED Silver certified green building in Taipei. WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5PPlzYFa78&list=PLZzATvbhwVo_a0vn1oydVOXDzoccyaECY&index=2 **
EPISODE CREDIT
Host is Nate Maynard (@N8May)
Audio editing by Yu-Chen Lai (@aGuavaEmoji)
Produced by Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu)
Production assistant Gerald Williams
New show logo by Southwicks Graphics
New theme tune by Dac Chang
A Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme)

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

58. Coral Resilience: Shashank Keshavmurthy (Academia Sinica) Jun 27, 2022

The ocean temperature is rising, and that’s killing corals. But scientists are finding out that some corals can resist climate change. So if we wanted to make sure that at least some corals survive in the future, which species should we save?
We are at a coral lab to speak to Shashank Keshavmurthy at the Biodiversity Research Center at Academia Sinica in Taiwan. He’s setting up an experiment to stress test corals in a lab, and trying to figure out how resilient corals can be to temperature changes.
Welcome to Waste Not Why Not, a climate podcast from Ghost Island Media. Debuted on Earth Day in 2019, it's hosted by Nature N8 (Nate Maynard), a sustainability consultant working on energy, ocean and waste.
Check out our digital library at wastenotwhynot.com/#library
Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod

Today’s episode is sponsored by American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). Check out our full-length bonus video interview with AIT on their LEED Silver green building. WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5PPlzYFa78&list=PLZzATvbhwVo_a0vn1oydVOXDzoccyaECY&index=2
EPISODE CREDIT
Host is Nate Maynard (@N8May)
Audio editing by Yu-Chen Lai (@aGuavaEmoji)
Produced by Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu)
Our intern is Gerald Williams
New show logo by Southwicks Graphics
New theme tune by Dac Chang
A Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme)
www.ghostisland.media

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

57. Why care about corals (Ep 3) Jun 13, 2022

A new, knowledge-filled, episode on corals is coming your way, but to prepare you for it, we bring you an old episode to catch you up to speed. Happy World’s Ocean Day!
Corals are dying. By 2050 we probably won’t have any corals left in our oceans. So scientists around the world are trying to figure out how to regrow coral reefs, and some have even turned to 3D printing for coral restoration. But is this possible? Can technology save corals?
View show notes.
Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod.
A Ghost Island Media production
www.ghostisland.media

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

56. Solar Energy Investment 101 with Mark Oei (Kellogg) and Calvin Cheng (PGE Taiwan) May 30, 2022

Solar is - in some places in the world - the cheapest energy, even cheaper than coal and oil with fossil fuel subsidies. Solar is inexpensive, inoffensive, inexpensive. But it wasn’t always this easy. Investing in solar used to be risky business. What happened?
Welcome to class SEI101: Solar Energy Investment.
Today, we speak to Mark Oei, an investor of real estate and clean energy. He’s founding partner at Redwood Coast Capital and a lecturer at the Kellogg School of Management.
We also catch up with Calvin Cheng, co-founder of the solar developer PGE in Taiwan. Cheng tells us it’s much easier to get financing now than ever.
By 2030, 1 in 7 American homes are expected to have solar panels. And by 2050, it’s to become up to 45% of the U.S. electricity supply. Over here in Taiwan, clean energy accounts for just 5% of our energy supply. Taiwan wants to raise that number to 20% by 2030. (Fun fact - Taiwan was an early manufacturer of the world’s solar panels.)
** Today’s episode is sponsored by American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - who has a focus on climate-related initiatives. Check out our full-length bonus video interview with Lee Carnell, facilities manager at AIT who takes care of its new campus, a LEED Silver certified green building. WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5PPlzYFa78&list=PLZzATvbhwVo_a0vn1oydVOXDzoccyaECY&index=2 **
Welcome to Waste Not Why Not, a climate podcast from Ghost Island Media. Debuted on Earth Day in 2019, it's hosted by Nature N8 (Nate Maynard), a sustainability consultant working on energy, ocean and waste. This season, we're onto green buildings, electric vehicles, coral, renewable energy investments, and the circular economy.
https://wastenotwhynot.com

+ Check out our digital library at wastenotwhynot.com/#library
+ Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod
EPISODE CREDIT
Host is Nate Maynard (@N8May)
Audio editing by Yu-Chen Lai (@aGuavaEmoji)
Produced by Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu)
Our intern is Gerald Williams
New show logo by Southwicks Graphics
New theme tune by Dac Chang
A Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme)

www.ghostisland.media

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

55. EV dirt bikes, supercars, space: Azizi Tucker (Graft EV) May 15, 2022

From building dirt bikes to supercars, to something that may or may not be on Mars right now, Azizi Tucker has done it all. Being environmentally conscious has been a theme of his career, but his real focus? It’s been about making better products. But his products have a side effect of massively reducing pollution.
Azizi Tucker is a tinkerer, racer, engineer, and entrepreneur. Tucker raced mountain bikes competitively as a youth in California, worked on secret projects while at NASA, and was one of the first 100 employees at Tesla and had a heavy hand in figuring out its supply chain right here in Asia.
That's when Tucker realized that Taiwan was the perfect place for manufacturing and R&D. Since then, he's co-founded an EV company in Taiwan making electric supercars and solving electrification for the world's commercial and industrial vehicles. He's now founder of Graft EV where he will now make electric recreational vehicles right here in Taiwan. That’s dirt bikes, ATV, maybe your snowmobile in the future.
Today, we find out just how diverse the field of electric vehicles is, and see an example of how Azizi’s continued to learn, and innovate, and make fast breakthroughs.
Graft EV - http://www.graft-ev.com
** Today’s episode is sponsored by American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - who has a focus on climate-related initiatives. Check out our full-length bonus video interview with Lee Carnell, facilities manager at AIT who takes care of its new campus, a LEED Silver certified green building.
WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5PPlzYFa78&list=PLZzATvbhwVo_a0vn1oydVOXDzoccyaECY&index=2 **

+ Check out our digital library at https://wastenotwhynot.com/#library
+ Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod

EPISODE CREDIT

Host is Nate Maynard (@N8May)
Audio editing by Yu-Chen Lai (@aGuavaEmoji)
Produced by Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu)
New show logo by Southwicks Graphics
New theme tune by Dac Chang
A Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme)

www.ghostisland.media

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

54. Green Buildings with Vivian Loftness (CMU), Lee Carnell (AIT) May 02, 2022

What does “good” look like? And what does “wonderful” look like? What does a “wonderful green building” look like? How do they make us happier?

We call up Professor Vivian Loftness, former head of the School of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University, National Board of the US. Green Buildings Council, the American Institute of Architects, and International Living Futures Institute.
We then go see a man who manages a green building. His name is Lee Carnell, facilities manager at American Institute in Taiwan. (A bonus full-length interview with Lee will be on our YouTube soon: https://gimpod.me/wnwn-youtube)
Welcome to a new season at Waste Not Why Not, a climate podcast from Ghost Island Media. Debuted on Earth Day in 2019, it's hosted by Nature N8 (Nate Maynard), a sustainability consultant working on energy, ocean and waste.
Additional links and resources:
+ “Accelerating Decarbonization of the U.S. Energy System,” a report from the National Academy of Sciences to US President Biden on policy blueprint outlining critical near-term actions to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050: https://www.nap.edu/resource/25932/interactive/
+ Professor Loftness co-wrote this Encyclopedia for Sustainable Built Environments: https://link.springer.com/referencework/10.1007/978-1-4614-5828-9
+ Check our digital library at wastenotwhynot.com/#library

** Today’s episode is sponsored by American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - who has a focus on climate-related initiatives. Check out our full-length bonus video interview with Lee Carnell, facilities manager at AIT who takes care of its new campus, a LEED Silver certified green building.

WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5PPlzYFa78&list=PLZzATvbhwVo_a0vn1oydVOXDzoccyaECY&index=2 **
–
Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod.
Send questions to ask@wastenotwhynot.com
EPISODE CREDIT
Host is Nate Maynard (@N8May)
Audio editing by Yu-Chen Lai (@aGuavaEmoji)
Produced by Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu)
New show logo by Southwicks Graphics
New theme tune by DAC
A Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme)
www.ghostisland.media

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

53. One more week Apr 23, 2022

Taiwan's seeing an uptick of COVID the past two weeks. And while that's happening, our new season launch is pushed to May 3. In today's home recording, Nate reflects the past 3 years of the podcast and of his own work.
For our sister shows in our network, search Ghost Island Media.
Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot
Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New season coming on April 22 Apr 18, 2022

As promised, we’ve new episodes coming to you, starting April 22, Earth Day, aka our third anniversary! Get ready for a 5-part mini series with the American Institute in Taiwan.
It’s a really fun mini series. The Waste Not Why Not team visited a green building. I got to test drive an electric dirt bike. We saw a coral being stress tested in a lab. We talk to solar and money people. These are entrepreneurs, researchers, and just generally, doers.
Oh, and also, look out for a new theme tune!

Support the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

52. Circular Economy 101 by Angela (Mandarin episode 循環經濟) Feb 02, 2022

Angela Chao was a rising senior at National Taiwan Univ (NTU) when she made this episode for “In Training 小鬼登島” - a Ghost Island Media program for and by emerging creators / interns. Angela worked on Waste Not Why Not, cares a lot about the environment, and wanted to explain to her friends #circulareconomy. This episode was nominated for a Sustainable and Constructive News Award (2021).
Originally aired as here: https://ghostisland.media/#intern
Writing by: Angela Chao
Production Coordinator: Trevor Liu
Supervising Producer: Yu-Chen Lai
Waste Not Why Not will be back this spring with an exciting collaboration. Stay tuned!
Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon.
Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod.
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EPISODE CREDIT
Nate Maynard (@N8May), host
Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer
A Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme)
www.ghostisland.media

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51. N8 installs solar panels Aug 31, 2021

California is leading the United States into the solar panel revolution. And spoilers: it’s actually quite boring. Or at least, that's what an OG environmentalist would say.

This episode, Nature N8 walks us through the process of installing solar panels on his parents’ roof, in the Californian suburbs. He explains the financial magic of solar, compares it to industrial scale installments, and finds hope in how the once-radical technology has now become ordinary.

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50. N8's back in San Diego Jul 14, 2021

N8's visiting home in San Diego!

Don't worry though, the show's not ending, and he promised he will write us regularly.

For other environmental podcasts, check out the Climactic Collective and the signatories of Podcasters Declare.

For our sister shows in our network, search Ghost Island Media.

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49. Sustainable menstrual products Jul 01, 2021

This week, we bring back Emily Cardinali on the show! She was our very first editor, and she had really wanted to report on sustainable menstrual products. So, after our interview with Isabel Aagard last episode, we reached out to Emily about her own experiences with green tampons.

N8 and Emily discuss the guilt on half of our human population, tips on identifying sustainable products, and the pros and cons of every sort of menstrual product sold on the market.

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48. Isabel Aagaard (LastObject) on Sustainable Design Jun 17, 2021

We don’t all have to be sustainability consultants in order to save the environment. You can keep doing what you’re good at - and apply your expertise to environmental problems. That’s how Isabel stepped into circular design.

Isabel Aagaard is an entrepreneur and product designer. She founded LastObject two years ago in Copenhagen, Denmark, with a mission to eliminate single-use items by creating their reusable alternatives. Her very first product raised 1.2M USD on Kickstarter.

Today, Nature N8 chats with Isabel about how companies measure sustainability, her own successful business model, and toilet paper.

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47. "Taiwan's Green Parties": Dafydd Fell (SOAS University of London) Jun 02, 2021

Today’s show is a cross over with The Taiwan Take.

Taiwan’s next referendum will soon vote on activating the nation’s fourth nuclear plant, as well as constructing a natural gas plant on an algal reef that's critical for Taiwan’s biodiversity. These decisions come as governments around the world are scrambling to meet the demands of the Paris Agreement, and as environmental activists fight for a more sustainable planet.

Green Parties propose an alternative voice in politics to tackle our environmental ruin. All over the world, there are 91 Green Parties that believe in committing our governments to environmental stewardship, through electing green movement leaders into office. In Asia, Taiwan is home to the region’s oldest Green Party, which won a National Assembly seat in 1996 - their very first election campaign.

Our guest today is Professor Dafydd Fell, a political scientist at SOAS University of London, and Director of the Centre of Taiwan Studies. Dafydd Fell is author of the new book: “Taiwan’s Green Parties: Alternative Politics in Taiwan”, published in March 2021 by Routledge.

Subscribe to The Taiwan Take for more Taiwanese perspectives on global issues.

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46. En-ROADS, a climate simulation May 19, 2021

Do you enjoy gaming? Do you enjoy surviving our climate apocalypse? Well, good news! You can enjoy both at the same time!

Last fall, Nature N8 went to a World Climate Simulation event, called En-ROADS, where participants roleplay as different sectors to negotiate for better climate policies. N8 finds out what goes on throughout the simulation, and why this game was created in the first place.

Thank you to Omplexity, TWYCC, and the Hive Taipei for organizing this En-ROADS session. And special shoutout to our Patreon patron Brian for inviting us to the event!

You can play En-ROADS yourself on the Climate Interactive website.

Finally, a quote on hope:

“Hope is not a lottery ticket you can sit on the sofa and clutch, feeling lucky. It is an axe you break down doors with in an emergency. Hope should shove you out the door, because it will take everything you have to steer the future away from endless war, from the annihilation of the earth's treasures and the grinding down of the poor and marginal... To hope is to give yourself to the future - and that commitment to the future is what makes the present inhabitable.” ― Rebecca Solnit, Hope in the Dark

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45. Is Seaspiracy worth seaing? (Not debunking) Apr 21, 2021

Nature N8 is too old and tired to debunk any more bad environmental hogwash baloney. So he’s definitely not debunking Seaspiracy, the new 2021 Netflix documentary that's trending all over social media and press coverages. Nope. Not doing it.

What we WILL do is share an open letter: Podcasters Declare. A group of Climate Podcasters is calling Apple Podcast to add a new category: Climate! This would help podcast listeners like you find more thoughtful discussions on climate change!

Go to PodcastersDECLARE.com to sign the letter, and tell your favorite podcasts to join us today!

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40. Covid-19 is NOT Climate Change Feb 24, 2021

N8’s noticing some viral trends on Twitter, again. This time, media pieces are comparing COVID-19 to Climate Change. (Spoilers: they’re not comparable.)
We also want to share an open letter that our friend Mark from the Climactic podcast is helping organize: Podcasters Declare. A group of Climate Podcasters is calling Apple Podcast to add a new category: Climate! This would greatly help listeners like you find more thoughtful discussions on climate change in other podcasts!
Go to PodcastersDECLARE.com to sign the letter, and tell your favorite podcasts to join us today!
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39. Dr. Jasmine Clark (Georgia State Representative, US) at AAAS 2021 Feb 08, 2021

Representative Dr. Jasmine Clark of Georgia is a microbiologist who organized the March for Science in Atlanta and was part of the following wave of scientists that ran for office in the United States. N8 and Dr. Clark discuss Georgia’s challenges in diversifying its energy portfolio, public transportation and infrastructure, and what it actually means to bring scientific expertise into law-making.
We’re back at the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS) for a second year! Find us on the AAAS 2021 podcast library here: https://virtual.aaas.org/category/waste-not-why-not

Check out Dr. Clark's virtual panel at AAAS here: https://virtual.aaas.org/legislators-in-lab-coats-how-to-run-for-office-and-change-the-world

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38. We dig into e-waste (CEWS, Corporate eWaste Solutions) Jan 27, 2021

Surprise! Nature N8 embarks on yet another field trip—this time to a waste recycling facility. Specifically, an electronic waste facility. If you’re reading this, you’re creating e-waste right now! What are you gonna do with it?!

Corporate eWaste Solutions is a company that disassembles, recycles, and reuses e-waste for other businesses. N8 goes to their facility in Brea to talk with John (Environmental Health & Safety specialist) and Raymond (Business development marketing) about how you should get rid of your old TV, how the poison in your laptop is cleaned before it pollutes our world, and how companies can turn e-waste into e-treasure.

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37. Solar energy is finally the cheapest in history? Dec 30, 2020

*in some cases.

Here’s another short(er) episode where N8 talks about whatever’s in the news!

The International Energy Agency’s annual report just came out, and it finally recognizes the growing trend of solar energy. Solar is now the cheapest source of energy in certain areas of the world! These are incredible developments in spite of the pandemic that disrupted so many renewable plans. N8 dives into the IEA report to look at the numbers, figure out how solar became so cheap, and share some other interesting findings.

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36. Smart windows, happy brains? Piers MacNaughton (View, Inc.) Dec 16, 2020

Nature N8 looks into a smart windows company: View, to chat with Piers MacNaughton. Piers is the Director of Health Strategy at View, a Research Associate at the Harvard School of Public Health, and an expert on how our living space changes our daily performance. He sheds light on how smart windows conserve energy, save money, and also, improve our brains!

Aren’t these windows so insightful? Can we offer you a View in these uncurtain times? (And a shoutout to PicCollage for letting us stay in their apartment in Silicon Valley!)

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35. Will K-pop and anime become carbon neutral? Nov 16, 2020

Nature N8 gives a quick quip about recent news that other Asian countries are going “carbon neutral,” specifically: China, Japan, and South Korea. N8 compares 3 countries in terms of their progress, touches on what comes after carbon neutrality, and suspects that China’s commitment may not be as sincere as it seems.

For more info on the industrial complex that sprung up around carbon neutrality, check out our previous episode: "Shopping for carbon offset".

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34. N8’s taking a break! (from pollution) Sep 18, 2020

N8’s currently AFK on a trip to Taitung!

But don’t worry, we’re still working on episodes while he’s gone, and you can expect more newsletters from Alisha, too! We have exciting things coming to you later this year!

In the meantime, check out our earlier stuff if you haven’t already, google the beautiful views of Taitung, and send us trash memes on Twitter if you miss us. Catch you soon.

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33. Ocean Economics: Jason Scorse (Center for the Blue Economy) Sep 11, 2020

Jobs? In this apocalypse? It’s more likely than you think. It’ll also be more likely if we would just PAY ATTENTION to the ocean. That’s what Dr. Jason Scorse gave Nature N8 as his professor: protecting our seas is good for the economy.

Jason is the Director of the Center for the Blue Economy, and a professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, where N8 did his Master’s! During their conversation, N8 and Jason talk about the U.S. ocean policy, blue jobs, veganism, and how each and every one of us needs to take action in this climate movement.

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32. "Nature of Nature": Dr. Enric Sala (National Geographic explorer-in-residence) Aug 26, 2020

Nature N8 speaks with Dr. Enric Sala about his new book: "The Nature of Nature - Why We Need the Wild", which lays out precisely how we are integrated in this planet’s wondrous and irreplaceable ecosystem. Dr. Enric Sala was a professor at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, now working full time in conservation as a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence. The Nature of Nature synthesizes his decades of research on ecology, and provides an accessible introduction for people who want to learn more about our natural world.

In this conversation, N8 and Dr. Sala talk about hope in marine protected areas, swimming with sharks in California, and the marvelous message of the Church of Plankton.
You’ve heard about this. Bees are dying. And we’re gonna go down with them. But maybe you haven’t heard that life in the ocean is just as crucial for human survival as those on land.

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31. "Two Trees Make a Forest": Jessica J. Lee (author) Aug 04, 2020

"Two Trees Make a Forest" is a mix of nature writing and memoir, that follows the narrator Jessica J. Lee through Taiwan’s landscape and history. Born from an immigrant family that moved across 3 continents within 3 generations, Jessica uses her training in natural history to uncover her connections to Taiwan.

Jessica J. Lee is a British-Canadian-Taiwanese author based in Berlin. In this episode, she chats candidly about her feelings as an outsider/insider, her hikes in Taiwanese mountains, and the subtle politics of ecology and nature writing.
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30. Tiny Batteries: Antonio Baclig (Stanford U) Jul 23, 2020

Renewable energy is the future. But before we get there, we still need to figure out how to store renewable energy properly — and there are a billion ideas trying to do this. This week, Nature N8 talks to Dr. Antonio Baclig about one of the possible solutions: vanadium flow batteries.

Antonio is a postdoc at Stanford University's Department of Materials Science and Engineering, working in The Chueh Group. He discusses the intermittency of green power, smart grids, and the challenges of designing a future battery for 100% renewable energy.

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29. Inside a food lab: Mattson (San Francisco) Jul 08, 2020

Mattson is a food innovation company that creates food for almost all of our favorite grocery stores and restaurants. N8 grabs a bite with Mattson’s food technician Maddison Gurrola and vice president Al Banisch to discuss how they keep sustainability in mind when developing food. They dig in meat alternatives, food packaging, and upcycled byproducts from manufacturing.
Do you ever wonder where food comes from? Well, you should. Nature N8 tours a secret food lab. And it’s actually not that secret. It’s Mattson. Based in Silicon Valley.

A shoutout to PicCollage for letting us stay in their apartment in Silicon Valley!

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EPISODE CREDIT | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer | Nate Maynard (@N8May), host | Yu-Chen Lai (@aGuavaEmoji), editor | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.media | This episode contains the following sound with Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC-BY-3.0): "Censor Beep" by GowlerMusic (http://www.gowlermusic.com/) of Freesound.org

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28. Lydia Zepeda (UW–Madison) on Sustainable Food (Live at AAAS 2020) Jun 09, 2020

Zepeda is a Professor Emeritus of University of Wisconsin-Madison and an expert on food systems. She gives us a taste of everything food-related from food (mis)labeling to delivery services, and how we can make food choices that are healthier for both our bodies and the environment.

This episode was recorded at the AAAS annual meeting in Seattle in February, 2020.

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27. Life after CSR: Christine Bader ("The Life I Want") May 18, 2020

Nature N8 sits down with Christine Bader, former head of CSR for Amazon, and before that, a long-term employee at BP. What is it like working for giant corporations? What is it like holding corporate executives responsible for their impact on society?
We discuss how Christine’s experiences in Indonesia, China, and the U.K. led her to revelations about sustainability and work culture, and where we can begin to think about the life we really want. Now, Christine is the co-founder of The Life I Want, a story-telling project reimagining a future of work that works for all.

FOOTNOTE, books and articles discussed in the episode: Reuters article by Christine: Red Hen, Microsoft and the power of workplace activism (2018) | NYT article by Christine: The Year I Learned to Quit (2018) | Book by Christine: “Evolution of a Corporate Idealist: When Girl Meets Oil” (2014) | NYT op-ed by John Elkington, Going Green (2012) | A book by Wayne Muller: A Life of Being, Having, and Doing Enough (2011)

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26. Cannabis & sustainability: Jeff Chen (UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative) Apr 29, 2020

Nature N8 sits down with Dr. Jeff Chen, a doctor and entrepreneur who specializes in cannabis research and commercialization. We’ve heard that hemp can strengthen concrete, be used in automotive manufacturing, or even make super batteries—but are these just pipes dreams?
Dr. Jeff Chen was the founding director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative. Today, he helps separate fact from fiction and gives a framework to understand the potential environmental impact of fully legalized cannabis. After decades of criminalization, what does the blooming cannabis industry mean for sustainability?

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EPISODE CREDIT | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer, editor | Nate Maynard (@N8May), producer, host | Yu-Chen Lai (@aGuavaEmoji), production assistance, editor | Music licensing MB01WR8IJHWPCOG | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.media

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25. One year anniversary of Waste Not Why Not Apr 22, 2020

It’s our one-year anniversary! Hurray! We were launched last year on Earth Day as a sarcastic podcast fighting against greenwashing. The show has since become so much more.
For this special episode, Nature N8 looks back on his journey with our new production assistant, Yu-Chen. They interview almost everyone who had a hand in creating Waste Not Why Not, and find out what it really means to work on a science podcast.

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24. Dr. Jane Lubchenco (former NOAA) (Live at AAAS 2020) Apr 13, 2020

The Honorable Dr. Jane Lubchenco was the appointed Administrator of NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) from 2009 to 2013 under U.S. President Obama. This episode, Dr. Jane discuss with Nature N8 the responsibility of scientists, her intense four years administering NOAA, and the future of the ocean.
This episode was recorded at the AAAS annual meeting in Seattle on February 15, 2020.

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23. Do ya knowa about NOAA? Apr 06, 2020

At AAAS, N8 and Emily spoke to the Honorable Dr. Jane Lubchenco, former head of NOAA under US President Obama and current Ocean Goddess. But wait! That’s next episode. First, what even is NOAA?!
This week, Nature N8 talks about the US “ocean department”: its Frankenstein birth, its role in the GDP, and how its latest leader weathered through 770 tornados, 70 hurricanes and tropical storms, 6 floods, 3 tsunamis, and a partridge permanently polluted by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Thanks BP.

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22. Stephan Lewandowsky (U. of Bristol) on science denial & disinformation (Live at AAAS 2020) Mar 24, 2020

Nature N8 chats with Professor Stephan Lewandowsky about the psychological nature of science denialism. Professor Lewandowsky is the chair of Cognitive Psychology at the School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol. He has studied people’s belief in conspiracy theories, disinformation surrounding the Iraq War, and public opinion on climate change.
This episode was recorded at the AAAS annual meeting in Seattle on February 15, 2020. We’ve spent the past decades trying to get through to climate skeptics, but WHY exactly are conspiracy theories so credible for some people?

Check out Professor Lewandowsky’s NEW Conspiracy Handbook (2020). His Debunking Handbook (2011) available in 13 languages here!

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21. N8 the science communicator Mar 11, 2020

After many educational chats with science educators, N8 makes an educated guess… Maybe he’s a science educator too! This week on Waste Not Why Not, N8 talks about what he learned from AAAS (the American Association for the Advancement of Science), reflects on his trip back home, and what this all means for his new found purpose in science communication.

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We went to 5 cities in 2 weeks Mar 02, 2020

Nature N8 and producer Emily Y. Wu have just returned from a two-week trip to the U.S. We spoke to a lot of really interesting people and can’t wait to share these episodes with you.
We spoke to the former head of NOAA under US President Obama. A cognitive scientist on the rejection of science. A doctor who founded the first cannabis lab at UCLA. An ex-CSR person who worked at both BP and Amazon. We toured a food lab, a battery lab, a smart-glass lab, an eWaste facility. And many more.

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20. Are we over overpopulation? Feb 17, 2020

It’s common to blame climate change on population growth. Even Dame Jane Goodall recently said so. Nature N8 used to be a population control advocate. He explains why he changed his mind.

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19. Cleaning up The Ocean Cleanup (Irene Hofmeijer - L.O.O.P.) Feb 03, 2020

There’s a $35 million problem in the fight to reduce marine plastics. It’s called “The Ocean Cleanup.” You have seen the video clips: a young hero invents a solution to ocean plastic. But is it that simple?
Nature N8 breaks down the high tech high-seas cleanup device. We also hear from Irene Hofmeijer, founder of a social enterprise in Peru that’s been cleaning up coastlines. They played a key role in banning single-use plastics nationally. An extended interview with Irene Hofmeijer is available on our Patreon: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynot.

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18. Shopping for carbon offset Jan 14, 2020

Nature N8 calculates his carbon footprint and shops for the cheapest offset. But the retail therapy concludes that carbon offsets are very... off. Treating yourself with carbon offsets is apparently soothing for climate anxiety. (With 2020 vision?)

FOOTNOTE | Carbon Footprint Calculator | The Global Footprint Network | The Gold Standard

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17. Plastic straw ban (Ep. 4 Update) Dec 30, 2019

We take another sip from our earlier episode about straws. Since then, Taiwan has introduced its plastic straw ban. But paper straws are still not the solution to our beverage needs. At the end of the episode, we also have our first listener question! Nate was interviewed about the plastic straw ban.

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16. Taiwan's youth climate activist: Liang-Yi Chang (350.org) Dec 16, 2019

Two things happened this week: 1/ COP (Conference of the Parties - ie the only time countries meet to negotiate climate agreements) just wrapped up in Spain. 2/ Youth climate activist Greta Thunberg was named TIME Person of the Year. Today, we discuss something in between.
Every year at COP, young activists continue to be at the front of the conversation. This episode, we meet a climate activist from Taiwan who’s attendance at a previous COP as a 21-year-old created a diplomatic stir. He also found a very unlikely ally, who also took him to Antarctica. Our youth activist is Liang-Yi Chang (張良伊). He co-founded the Taiwan Youth Climate Coalition in 2008/9. Today, he’s Asian Managing Director for the international environmental organization, 350.org. And this is his story.

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15. Radical Change: Nebojsa Nakicenovic (IIASA) Dec 02, 2019

Anyone can say we need radical change to address the climate crisis, but there’s only one Professor Naki (Nebojsa Nakicenovic). He’s even worked with Ban Ki-Moon. Professor Naki is an economist who - for the past 50 years - has been tackling the climate crisis through the lens of technological change and economic development. He’s the former deputy general of IIASA in Vienna (Int’l Institute for Applied Systems Analysis) and was a part of the beginning of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change).

FOOTNOTE | On Nebojsa Nakicenovic (aka Professor Naki): | On UN Millennium Goals On SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) | On IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change) | On UNFCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change):

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14. Fashion, trash, EV conversion (Live in Taipei) Oct 29, 2019

Held in Taipei on August 31st, we talked with Godfrey Ngai, CFO of Xing Mobility - an electric vehicle battery company going after two thirds of the worlds vehicles. Melody Hsu - co-founder of ViaSweat - an active-wear brand trying to use more sustainable textile made from recycled materials. And Hamoun Karami - founder of Lidbot, a startup that wants to transform the way we think about trash collection.
How do you start a “green” company? How do you make it scale? How do you make sure it’s financially and environmentally sustainable? These are some of the questions we covered on WNWN’s first live show!

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13. Garbage Gab 3: Global trash trade Oct 14, 2019

The US and Europe are dumping trash on developing countries, right? China broke recycling, right? Wrong! Since China stopped taking in foreign recyclable waste, people have been freaking out, but, things are a bit more complicated than you think.In this episode, Nature N8 breaks down the top three myths surrounding the global trash trade and charts a way forward to fix our recycling systems.

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12. (Patreon Exclusive) N8’s takes from Climate Week 2019 Oct 07, 2019

Climate Week, some call it the most important week of the year, and best of all, Nature N8 was there this time. Each year NGOs, lobbyists, government officials, spies, flock to NYC to call for greater climate action. In this special bonus episode, hear from N8 on what really went down. Subscribe on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/wastenotwhynot) to hear the full episode.

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11. Garbage Gab 2: How America failed at waste - Alex Danovitch (Nothing Left to Waste) Sep 10, 2019

Ever wonder why recycling was better when you were a kid in America? Well, it was. This episode, a trash wizard named Alex Danovitch joins N8 to talk trash in the US. The steady corporate growth of trash has tracked Alex’s career closely as he co-founded one of only four non-profit waste management facilities in the US.
Meanwhile, waste haulers went public, and the US’s actual recycling rate went down, and overseas. Alex and N8 talk about sustainable waste management, challenges with incineration, and how the US can adapt to a new world of recycling.

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10. Garbage Gab 1: How Taiwan solved waste - Andrew Ryan (Radio Taiwan International) Aug 26, 2019

Nature N8 goes on “Taiwan Insider” to explain how Taiwan turned a 70% waste collection rate into a 60% recycling rate in less than a generation. Starting with an explanation in 60 seconds of how Taiwan fixed its trash problem, N8 and “Taiwan Insider” host Andrew Ryan then go on to talk about garbage trucks, podcasts, and WNWN itself.

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9. Does bio-plastic really biodegrade? Aug 12, 2019

From bio-bags that survive landfills for years to bio-plastics that are actually just polyester, we are awash in confusing disposal messaging. The world is rejecting plastics, but in the quest for an alternative are we actually making things worse? Join Nature N8 and Emily as they sift through “biodegradable” plastics.

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8. 100% Renewable Energy: Sam Kimmins (RE100, The Climate Group) Jul 29, 2019

In 2014, IKEA was among the founding members of a global campaign to get the world’s most influential businesses to use 100% renewable power. Known as the RE100, today it’s a consortium of 186 (and counting) companies, including H&M, Nestle, Apple, Google, Facebook, Walmart, Coca Cola, Goldman Sachs, and many more. In total, their electricity demand is approximately 200 terawatts hours - just slightly larger than the electricity demand of Thailand.
Today, we talk to Sam Kimmins, head of RE100. Sam has 20 years experience leading sustainability projects in the shipping, aviation, food, construction, and NGO sectors.

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7. Air pollution hurts our brains? Jul 15, 2019

Scientists have seen our brains shrink from long-term exposure to dirty air. In this episode we think through air pollution in a different way. What’s the newest science saying about the health impact of smog? How is new technology changing this field of study? Do face masks actually work? How do you pick air filters?

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6. EV Batteries: Daniel Vickery (Gogoro, head of engineering of batteries & energy systems) Jul 01, 2019

In part 2 of our series on electric vehicles, we focus on light EV and its battery infrastructure. We continue our conversation with Daniel Vickery, head of engineering of batteries and energy systems at Gogoro, the electric scooter company. We nerd out on batteries and how to design better cities, and we go behind the scenes with Daniel and find out how someone can engineer for good.

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5. Are EVs environmental? Jun 17, 2019

Electric vehicles (EV) have made a comeback since the great EV failures of the 1990's. Today, ten countries and a handful of cities around the world have planned total ban on combustion engines. The hope is that EV's would help reduce air pollution and oil consumption. But are EV’s actually good for the environment? What about our anxieties over their range? The batteries don’t last, right? They’re too expensive, right?
We speak to Mark Maynard, an automotive editor of the San Diego Union-Tribune who was among the first test drivers of a pilot EV program, "EV1" by General Motors in the 1990's. We also hear from Daniel Vickery, head of engineering of batteries and energy systems at Gogoro, a Taiwanese electric scooter company.

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4. Plastic Straw Bans (& strawlternatives) Jun 04, 2019

Plastic straws are everywhere. Governments and corporations are beginning to enact straw bans. That's good, right? But does banning plastic straws really help the worst of plastic pollution? In this episode we look at the real damage from straws, and why the most popular strawlternative is actually worse than plastic. We also hear from a local business in Taipei, Ooh Cha Cha, and its founder Mai Bach on how they phased out plastic straws, and what a national ban on plastic straws may mean for businesses.

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3. Coral Murder May 20, 2019

Corals are dying. By 2050 we probably won’t have any corals left in our oceans. But a really cool thing about coral is that it regenerates if we give it the opportunity to. So scientists around the world are trying to figure out how to regrow coral reefs, and some have even turned to 3D printing for coral restoration. But is this possible? Can technology save corals? This is a podcast about how NOT to save the environment. Hosted by Nature N8 (Nate Maynard), an environmental researcher working on energy, ocean, and waste issues.

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2. Do beach cleanups clean up? May 05, 2019

In 2017, 20-million pounds of litter was collected around the world on International Coastal Cleanup day. Do beach clean ups actually work? And if not, why do we even do beach cleanups? Are we just wasting our time? Should we be doing something else? This is a podcast about how NOT to save the environment. Hosted by Nature N8 (Nate Maynard), an environmental researcher working on energy, ocean, and waste issues.

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1. Greenwashing (welcome to the show) Apr 09, 2019

For this maiden voyage episode, we give you a sampling of the greatest viral hits of green-wash, to let you know what to expect on this journey into the heart of greenness. This is the first episode of Waste Not Why Not, a podcast about how NOT to save the environment.

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