Green Sense Radio

Plastic waste paving roads/Minnesota Experimental City

The British company MacRebur takes plastic waste that would end up in landfills and uses it in paving roads. They say it makes for stronger, leaner and greener roads. And, we’re joined by MacRebur CEO Toby McCartney on Green Sense.  

Seeing how people in the past looked toward the future can help us here in the present day.  A new documentary about the Minnesota Experimental City project, 10-bilion-dollar “city of tomorrow” that being planned in the 1960s. It would produce minimal waste and pollution and offer the new technology and would be an answer to the urban blight and threat of over population.  It’s a fascinating story of big ideas and big personalities. We’re joined by Chad Freidrichs, director of the film “The Experimental City.”  

Four-door sedans going away/Coal economics helps sustainability

Four-door sedans are as American as apple pie and baseball. And, the company that did more than anyone else when it comes to American automobile manufacturing will soon be phasing them out. Here to tell us more about this big bombshell of an announcement from Ford is Consumer Guide Automotive publisher Tom Appel.

Coal power generation in recent years saw an incredible drop not because of laws and regulations but instead because of the availability of other sources.  It’s something covered in the research by Dr. Harrison Fell, professor of resource economics with North Carolina University.  

Museum of Water/Alternative energy and health

There’s a lot of talk when it comes to water issues around the world. The challenge is to get people excited and inspired about important issues like water and that’s one of the aims of the Museum of Water, a traveling exhibit that started five years ago, curated by Amy Sharrocks.   

Using cleaner sources of energy isn’t just good in the long term because of its less likely to contribute to climate change, but there’s a connection to alternative sources of energy with long-term health of human beings. To tell us more about his ongoing research is Geoscientist Scott Montgomery with the University of Washington’s Jackson School of International Studies. 

Food waste solutions/Insects as sustainable animal feed

A new report on food waste continues to show the shocking reality of the problem: Americans waste 915 pounds of food per person every year. The report also finds that the largest share of food loss and waste in North America, occurs at the consumer level. To help us understand some solutions to the problem, we’re joined by David Donaldson with the Commission for Environmental Cooperation which came out with the report.   

Insects could be a sustainable, protein-rich food source  for humans. Because it doesn’t sound appetizing to many, the biggest challenge seems to be getting humans to want to eat bugs!   But what about getting the animals we eat to eat insects?  That’s what they do at Enterra located in British Columbia, Canada. We’re joined by Victoria Leung who’s in charge of marketing & operations.  

 
 

Carbon XPRIZE finalists/Liability and autonomous cars

A 20-million-dollar prize to innovators coming up with ways to solve humanity’s grand challenges is being split 10 ways among the  Carbon XPRIZE finalists who were just announced.  Joining us with a look at the winners is Dr. Marcius Extavour, XPRIZE senior director of Energy and Resources.  

 
Autonomous cars continue to make headlines. While offering reduced accidents, reduced fuel usage, not to mention the ability to allow the driver to kick back and at let the car do much of the driving,  it still leaves unanswered legal questions. Attorney Art Harrington of the law firm Godfrey & Kahn in Milwaukee is part of an upcoming autonomous car symposium which examines these issues. 

Earth Day 2018/Plastic in plastic water bottles

Earth Day weekend will be celebrated by nearly a billion people worldwide. We speak with Earth Day Network President Kathleen Rogers about this year's Earth Day theme, and how to best live up to it: reducing plastic pollution.  

Drinking from a plastic water bottle likely means sipping microplastic particles with just about every mouthful.  This is from a new study from the nonprofit journalism organization Orb Media and State University of New York at Fredonia.   We're joined by Professor of Chemistry Sherri Mason on the possible health hazards involved.  

Monarch butterflies in jeopardy/Cities going solar

The monarch butterfly population has declined more than 80 percent in the past 20 years. And, the latest numbers aren’t very encouraging.  What does the monarch population tell us about the state of food safety, what could it mean if we lose this species, and what can we do to make sure the monarch population becomes healthy again.  Bill Freese is Science Policy Analyst with the Center for Food Safety. 

Cities continue to be the driving force when it comes to more sustainable ways to generate energy. But for solar energy, there’s great untapped potential for cities. A new report from Environment America provides the Top 10 Ways for Cities to Go Solar. Emma Searson’s part of the Go Solar Campaign with Environment America.   

Green tech. expert Michael Kanellos/Chicago Auto Show

 He’s always an insightful and enthusiastic contributor to Green Sense when it comes to green technology. We’re joined  by Michael Kanellos, Industry Champion for water at OSIsoft to talk about the latest green tech, including ways to reduce water loss via leaks in our aging infrastructure. 

 
The auto industry does its best to break up winter doldrums with some of its major auto shows in the US happening around the time those of us in colder climates are feeling the cabin fever set in. Consumer Guide Automotive publisher Tom Appel recently wrapped up a visit to the Chicago Auto Show and has a look at the green cars on display.  

Solar tariff and U.S. jobs/Detroit Auto Show

President Trump recently announced a 30-percent tariff on imported solar cells and panels. What does this mean for the industry in the US and elsewhere? We’re joined by Dan Whitten with the Solar Energy Industries Association, the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry.

Back from the Detroit Auto Show with a look at green car technology, we’re joined by Consumer Guide Automotive publisher Tom Appel.

South Africa tap water crisis/Autonomous trucks

In the past on Green Sense we’ve talked about the possibility of future conflicts over water supply. That future could now be here as “day zero” could arrive in the coming months in Capetown, South Africa where municipal water supplies could dry up completely. We're joined by Capetown native and South African journalist Udo Carlese.

Transport history was recently made during the first commercial “last-mile” delivery made on public streets in a fully self-driving van. We’ve talked about autonomous cars potentially revolutionizing transport, but also trucks could have just as significant an impact, if not more. John O’Dell writes for Trucks.com and is editor of TheGreenCarGuy.com and has been following the development of autonomous vehicles.