Episodes
June 28, 2021
479: Martin Puris, part 1: What's Wrong With America?
Martin is a legend. How many people craft phrases that become part of everyday language like “The Ultimate Driving Machine," "The Antidote For Civilization,” and “The Tightest Ship In The Shipping Business”? He comes from a …
June 26, 2021
478: Forrest Galante, part 1: Saving Zanzibar Leopards and Other Not Yet Extinct Species
Most of you probably know Forrest for his television shows. He combines the most intriguing parts of being a biologist, an adventurer, and a television star. His passion for each is infectious. Most of all, he loves wildlife…
June 24, 2021
477: Mechai Viravaidya: My #1 Top Role Model in the World
I consider Mechai Viravaidya my top role model for sustainability leadership. As I described in a recent episode, We Can Dance Around Environmental Problems All We Want. We Eventually Reach Overpopulation and Overconsumption…
June 23, 2021
476: Tom Murphy, part 3: The Science Book of the Decade
When I read Tom's book on sustainability, Energy and Human Ambitions on a Finite Planet , I couldn't believe the book didn't exist already. I consider it the science book of the decade so invited him back. He shares about hi…
June 16, 2021
475: We Can Dance Around Environmental Problems All We Want. We Eventually Reach Overpopulation and Overconsumption
Have you ever tasted an heirloom tomato so delicious it was almost a religious experience? I used to think people who complained about supermarket tomatoes sounded full of themselves. How different can they taste? Then I tas…
June 16, 2021
474: Frederick Lane, part 2: Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Motivation
Frederick was a great sport in allowing me to explore working on a patterns that happens sometimes but that I had let slide before. We started talking about nature, then his commitment. About halfway through I noticed that h…
June 13, 2021
473: James Suzman: What We Can Learn From 300,000 Years of Human History
Longtime readers of my blog know how much James Suzman's first book influenced my thinking and views of possessions, community, ownership, modernity, and a range of similar topics. A top question I've asked anyone who might …
June 11, 2021
472: Big City Andrew, part 1: Traditional Conservative values and stewardship
Andrew co-hosted me on MAGAMedia with past guest Rob Harper, so we've spoken there several times, but this conversation is our first one-on-one. We start by talking about our meeting and how talking to each other means talki…
June 10, 2021
471: 12 Sustainability Leadership Lessons Unplugging My Fridge for 6.5 Months Taught Me
Isn’t a refrigerator essential? Isn’t life with them better ? I thought so. I’ll quote my mom from my podcast to illustrate where I came from: I grew up where it was easily ninety degrees every single day. In fact, where I w…
June 6, 2021
470: Sustainable Activities: I'm learning singing (my mortifying "before" recording)
The average American watches 5 hours of TV per day. Many fly or drive around for fun. If we want to pollute less, will we lose the ability to enjoy ourselves? I've written before how Vincent Stanley 's commitment to turn off…
June 2, 2021
469: The Science Book of the Decade: Energy and Human Ambitions on a Finite Planet, by Tom Murphy
I didn’t think of how small my building’s elevators were when I bought a sofa after moving into my current apartment. It didn’t fit. The deliverymen tried to bring it up the stairs too. They made the first landing, but could…
June 2, 2021
468: Alexandra Paul, part 2: How to Reduce Something (Wasteful) You Enjoy, to Improve Your Life
Alexandra's commitment illustrates a result I keep finding. People who have acted to live sustainably the most already find new ways to act more than people who haven't. People who haven't done much, or acted for extrinsic r…
June 2, 2021
467: Frederick Lane, part 1: The Rise of the Digital Mob
A topic making among the most headlines these days are digital mobs and their justice reacting to what people say. I've touched on it somewhat in this podcast and on my blog and I feel the risk teaching at NYU, which has kep…
May 29, 2021
466: Shaun Donovan: New York City Mayoral Candidate
Shaun Donovan is running for Mayor of New York City. Technically not a national or global position, but in practice it is. Many call it the second hardest job in America. Most New York City mayors affect the nation and world…
May 27, 2021
465: Markus Pukonen, part 1: Around the World With No Motors
My friend bought a sailboat, I mentioned to him my goal of sailing off North America, he told me about this guy posting weekly videos of circumnavigating the planet without using motors. I watched a bunch of videos. I had to…
May 22, 2021
464: Resilience: Six months with the fridge unplugged
Here are the notes I read from for this episode: 6 months with fridge unplugged Mom's advice, her fridge 2 articles: Vietnam and power grid safety Extreme? Extreme fun 200,000 years "Heirloom tomatoes" used to be "tomatoes" …
May 20, 2021
463: Brad Hoylman, part 1: From New York Senator to Manhattan Borough President
Brad isn't just a longtime elected legislator, he's also a neighbor who represents me. Most campaigning politicians speak in talking points. Maybe for being neighbors, maybe just out of his personality, I heard him opening u…
May 19, 2021
462: Bill Ryerson, part 3: The biggest impact you can make
Heartwarming is the best word to describe Bill's experience that I can think of. In today's episode, Bill and I start by talking about the incomparably larger impact of having fewer kids, especially in a country that pollute…
May 16, 2021
461: 24 Hours With No Electrical Power (After)
My notes I read from: What I did: Kathryn Garcia in Washington Square Park Farmers market (compost, oregano) Ride to Brooklyn Grain de Sail sail boat Visit with friend Calisthenics by candlelight Wake up, no clock Think, ref…
May 15, 2021
460: 24 Hours With No Electrical Power (Before)
Here are the notes I read from for this post: --- I posted the other day an exercise to think about going twenty-four hours without using electrical power. To clarify, that exercise was to think about it. I don’t think many …
May 15, 2021
459: Jonathan Hardesty, part 3: How to Continue a Sustainability Podcast
Jonathan and I have a good rapport. We joke around. I love his expressiveness as an artist. I think he values stewardship more than he's behaved so far in life, so I hear him enjoying aligning his behavior with his values. I…
May 12, 2021
458: The Spodek Method: How to Lead Someone to Act Joyfully Sustainably
I’ve taught a half-dozen people the technique I use in this podcast---the hosts of the other branches of the This Sustainable Life podcast. They started calling it The Spodek Method, so now I do too. It's enabled me to reach…
May 12, 2021
457: Jon Levy, part 1: The Art and Science of Cultivating Influence
Jon is famous for bringing people together and creating community, see the New York Times article on him below. He invited me to a few of his events before the pandemic and they lived up to the reputation. His latest book, Y…
May 7, 2021
456: Jonathan Hardesty, part 2: How to Start a Sustainability Podcast
This episode is really two. Remember that he started art late in life, so the first two-thirds talks about art. Also his experience with his kids and family picking up trash. You'll enjoy hearing his and his family's joy doi…