Episodes
Dec. 15, 2019
263: My Google Talk: How to start a podcast on the environment
I posted a few Clips from my speaking at Google to my blog. They didn't video record the whole event, but I did get the audio, so today's episode is my talk there on how to start a podcast on the environment. For better or w…
Dec. 14, 2019
262: Unstable for a phase change
People talk about leadership causing ripple effects and hope that environmental action may lead to ripples. I see the potential for more. People like acting on their environmental values when they do. They just don't like be…
Dec. 13, 2019
261: We have failed, but it's not over. Are you giving all you've got?
My perspective on personal action continues to evolve. In conversation with someone at an event this evening, I started realizing the meaning in asking what each of us can do and the meaninglessness of asking hypothetical qu…
Dec. 11, 2019
260: Creating the Muhammad Ali of the Environment
I started this podcast with the goal of creating a Mandela of the environment---a role I considered essential but saw no one remotely approaching it. Lately I've seen the opening for an easier but more effective role---a Muh…
Dec. 10, 2019
259: Caspar Craven, part 2: with his wife and son
After resetting during conversation 1.5, Caspar returns with his son and wife---Columbus and Nicola---for a touching proper second episode. The three of them approached the challenge as a family, though you'll hear how Colum…
Dec. 9, 2019
258: The World Without Us, by Alan Weisman
After recording three episodes ( 248, 250, and 251 ) on Alan Weisman's Countdown , I read his earlier book, The World Without Us , which I found equally tremendous. In it, he considers what would happen to the Earth if human…
Dec. 5, 2019
257: Larry Yatch, part 1: Navy SEAL Officer precision leadership
Do you want to reach your potential? Do you want to get past seeing your properties as limitations? Larry shares going from being what he is and we all are -- regular people -- to living his dream. An elite dream. My biggest…
Dec. 4, 2019
256: Why Personal Action Matters
Why bother not flying if you're one person out of billions? Aren't you just missing out and suffering without meaningfully changing anything? These questions flummoxed me for a while. The longer I act, the more I realize the…
Dec. 2, 2019
255: Joshua Becker, Becoming Minimalist
I've recorded a few posts about how what many people call minimalism is really more maximal . From the outside it looks like minimizing stuff.d People who practice it, as I see it, don't focus on stuff. Getting rid of it is …
Nov. 30, 2019
254: Accidents of birth: communicating despite differences
Following up episode 253, I address race, sex, sexual preference and other difference people use as excuses to stop listening or understanding over. Here are my notes I worked from: Podcast: Race, sex, sexual preference. I m…
Nov. 29, 2019
253: My greatest triumphs, my greatest shames
Here are my notes that I read from for this post: My greatest triumphs, my greatest shames. When I share personal stuff people always write how they like it. I think it's less important than learning the joys of stewardship …
Nov. 26, 2019
252: Tia Nelson, part 2: A lifetime of Earth Days
Tia has been active on the environment for a long time, working with government, non profits, as an individual, and since birth deeply connected with federal and state government. And of course Earth Day from the start. We c…
Nov. 23, 2019
251: Let's make overpopulation only a finance issue
Here are my notes that I read from for this episode. New comment from reading Countdown by Alan Weisman Overpopulation is major issue. Challenges are culture, religion, lack of education, lack of birth control He presented r…
Nov. 22, 2019
250: Why talk about birthrate and population so much?
Readers and listeners have commented on my writing and posting lately about population and birth rates. Why do I talk about them? Isn't America below replacement level? I recently finished reading Countdown by Alan Weisman, …
Nov. 20, 2019
249: Florida Mayors Jerry Demings and Buddy Dyer, part 2: Humility and Action from U.S. officials
Since our first episode, I've been talking about these mayors choosing to pick up garbage. I believe that a man never stands so tall as when he bends down to pick up another person's garbage. How many U.S. politicians can yo…
Nov. 19, 2019
248: Countdown, a book I recommend by Alan Weisman
I just finished an eye-opening book, Countdown , by Alan Weisman. It covers population. Weisman traveled to and reported on about a dozen places' views and practices on population and family planning. In this episode, I read…
Nov. 18, 2019
247: Balancing jobs and junk
People resist environmental projects to protect jobs, even to keep producing products that pollute. My absurd proposal to balance jobs with junk: put factories next to landfills. Despite it being absurd, the proposal would c…
Nov. 17, 2019
246: The Emotions Around Environmental Action
What emotions do you associate with environmental action? I find people associate shame and guilt with it. I find these emotions lead people to suppress the emotions and hide the behavior leading to it. I propose reacting to…
Nov. 16, 2019
245: Tia Nelson, part 1: Earth Day
One of my main goals for this podcast is to bring people who love acting on one's environmental values, seeing stewardship not as an obligation but as being a part of something greater than yourself, than any of us, benefiti…
Nov. 12, 2019
244: Lessons from extinction
Learning that humans only recently developed the concept of extinction. Much of the West, for example, believed in a Great Chain of Being, spontaneous generation, and a biblical flood. That perspective suggests that many pas…
Nov. 11, 2019
243: Confusing distinct modes of acting
Tired of people saying what you do doesn't matter? Or personal action in general? They're confusing different types of action. In this recording I distinguish three of them so you can feel comfortable acting by your values w…
Nov. 10, 2019
242: Florida Mayors Jerry Demings and Buddy Dyer, part 1: United States government officials acting
I talk a lot about the lack of leadership in the area of the environment. Many people talk about change but don't lead it. Many others judge but don't support, which leads people to hold back on trying. Well, the mayors of O…
Nov. 6, 2019
241: Lt. General Paul Van Riper USMC, part 1: Thoughtful strategy before technology
Why a military general? Isn't the US military one of the greatest polluters on the planet? My goal is to bring effective leadership to the environment and your life because spreading facts, figures, doom, and gloom isn't doi…
Oct. 31, 2019
240: Fred Krupp, part 1: Helping where it will help most
The loudest voices these days seem to come from protesters because they design their actions for attention. They aren't necessarily the most effective. Many of us are outraged. Our emotions become intense. Emotional intensit…