Green Sense Radio

Chris Higgins on controlled environment agriculture during COVID

We’ve been affected by major shut-downs and ‘stay-at-home’ orders for going on two months now.  I’m RC and this is GS where we bring you eco-innovations and dig into the important environmental issues affecting our lives. Our longtime correspondent Chris Higgins of UrbanAg news joins us to talk about indoor farming and food distribution in recent times.

Green Automotive News with Tom Appel of Consumer Guide Automotive

With shelter-in-place keeping us off the roads, it doesn’t mean there isn’t news regarding the automotive industry, specifically green automotive news. For that, we’re joined by Tom Appel, publisher of Consumer Guide Automotive.

The grid and renewable energy during the pandemic

Whether we planned it or not, our energy use has radically shifted in the last couple of months with ‘shelter in place’ and ‘stay at home’ practices around the world. 

The Rocky Mountain Institute’s mission is to transform global energy use to create a clean, prosperous, and secure low-carbon future. Mark Dyson is a senior associate with RMI's electricity practice and has a look at how grid improvements have helped during the pandemic. 

Improving diets, improving the planet

A growing body of research shows that shifting what we eat could improve the health of the population and the planet. However, the US government has declined to incorporate this evidence into federal food policies.
A new policy brief looks for key actions and recommendations for federal agencies and policymakers to help protect public health and food security for generations to come. Sarah Reinhardt of the Union of Concerned Scientists is the author of the study.

Energy use during COVID-19

Our energy consumption during the cornonavirus pandemic is down - but what does this mean long term?  James Conca writes about science for Forbes and recently took at look at the long long-term energy outlook. He’s a  Senior Scientist UFA Ventures and specializes in energy-related research.

Mitchell Joachim of Terreform One

The COVID-19 pandemic is creating an ever-changing situation as we are learning how to deal with the virus and the impact to the economy. We will get through it, and hopefully society will be better because of it. Someone who’s spent a lot of time envisioning what the future might look like is Mitchell Joachim of Terreform One, an architecture group for smart city design, ecological planning and art. He was selected by Rolling Stone for “being one of The 100 People Who Are Changing America.’ 

Green Automotive News with Tom Appel of Consumer Guide Automotive

With driving habits changing during the coronavirus pandemic, it will no doubt have an effect on the automotive industry - including the development of EVs, the need for self-driving cars, and the price of fuel.  Tom Appel, Consumer Guide Automotive publisher provides his insight. 

Pracitcal Futurist Michael Rogers on life after COVID-19

We'll examine how the coronavirus pandemic is going to shape our lives ahead when it comes to how we work, travel and socialize. Practical Futurist Michael Rogers for 20 years has provided a powerful catalyst for organizations to create a vision for the future and the will to innovate.  

 

Food safety during coronavirus

As the coronavirus touches nearly every aspect of life in nearly every part of the world, how we raise food is coming into question. Our longtime correspondent Chris Higgins of Urban Ag news joins us to talk about indoor farming when facing a pandemic. 

Activism via innovation with Extinction Rebellion

Activism, using vigorous campaigning to bring about social change, has been a key element for many important movements - voting rights, workers rights, civil rights and the environmental movement.  The way we approach activism has also been going through some changes and one group leading the way is Extinction Rebellion, or XR. It’s committed to non-violent direct action, recognizing that periods of great social change have been launched when ordinary people reached out to the levers of power and (peacefully) pushed. 

David O’Donnell works with the Chicago chapter of Extinction Rebellion.