Green Sense Radio

Drive Electric Earthday/Not Coralated

As we recently talked about, we’re marking into the 49th annual Earth Day. But this year is also a first for ‘Drive Electric Earth Day’ which is  a national campaign to share information about EVs. We’re joined by Plug In America executive director Joel Levin.

Visual art can often bring attention to causes and issues not only in what they display, but how they’re constructed. Currently at the Moody Center for the Arts at Rice University, students are combatting plastic waste by creating sculpture inspired by coral reefs. We’re joined by Jones College senior Alex Rovner who co-created the piece called ‘Not Coralated.’

Renewable natural gas/Indoor farming update

Zero-carbon renewable energy gas sounds like the fuel of the future. But, Clean Energy Fuels recently announced that it’ll be available in about six years. We’re joined by Ashley White, Director & Head of Corporate Sustainability for Clean Energy Fuels

Hydroponic vegetable production, vertical farming, urban agriculture continues to be an area of focus as we work to figure out how to feed the world while using less energy and resources.Hort Americas works brings technically advanced, cost effective products to the greenhousegrowers across north America and also has its finger on the pulse of the indoor growing news.General Manager Chris Higgins joins us.

Benevity Corporate Goodness Awards/South Africa water crisis

Corporations in the private sector are doing more to help improve the world and, thanks to B Corps like Benevity, which is a global leader in social responsibility and employee engagement software, recently announced its winners of its 2019 Corporate Goodness Awards. We’re joined Sona Khosla,VP of marketing for Benevity.   

A year ago at this time, the city of Cape Town, South Africa was looking like it could run out of water within a few months. The crisis was averted  - but that doesn’t mean it won’t necessarily be avoided in the future. We’re joined by journalist Udo Carlse from South Africa.  

 

Battery recycling in the U.S./Water management during drought-flood cycles

How to best recycle batteries is a challenge we need to overcome in the U.S. but there has been some significant progress. The group Call2Recycle says more than seven million pounds of batteries were diverted from landfills and recycled last year. To help us understand more about recycling batteries, we’re joined by CEO and President Carl Smith.

As climate change intensifies, things like extreme drought followed by extremely heavy rainfall will become more commonplace. That’s what’s being experienced right now in parts of California. Many suburban and urban communities aren’t adapted for these more intense swings between wet and dry. But the Pacific Institute, a global water think tank, has been looking at how specific areas like the Santa Ana River watershed area can better manage the land to deal with it. We’re joined by the Pacific Institute’s Director of Research, Heather Cooley

Colorado River conservation/Styrofoam ban alternatives

The Colorado River, which runs 1400 miles, with a watershed that encompasses parts of seven U.S. and two Mexican states, could be into a water shortage by next year. But a new report by Business for Water Stewardship provides hope that businesses can cut their water use while still growing the economy. Molly Mugglestone is the Business for Water Stewardship’s Director of Communications & Colorado Policy.

Styrofoam is a difficult to recycle substance leading many cities to ban it. But that may not be the answer. Brian Isom, research manager with Growth Opportunity co-authored a report on what could be some more effective alternatives than outright bans.

Vessel Works/2018 green car year-in-review

Reducing the waste we create from everyday things like drinks we purchase on-the-go is an important way for us to become a more sustainable society. Even better is when someone figures out how to make money at it.  Vessel Works is changing the game when it comes to beverages on the go and we’re joined by co-founder and CEO Dagny Tucker. 

 We are wrapping up 2018 and looking back at the year in sustainability. One area is automotive transportation and our resident expert is Tom Appel, publisher of Consumer Guide Automotive.  

Kroger Zero Waste, Zero Hunger/Impossible Burger

There have been numerous changes in the food retail business in the last few years and far more ways to go grocery shopping than there ever have been before. The grocery store chain Kroger, which is the 2nd largest general retailer in the country, has also been putting some of its focus on helping people in need with some innovative programs of its own. We’re joined by Eric Halverson, Manager of Corporate Affairs for the Kroger Company's Central Division.  

 

From weekend barbecues, to ballgames to ‘Taco Tuesday,’ eating meet goes hand-in-hand with American life. But when we consider the environmental impact of eating meat, we might consider giving it up - or at least eating less of it.  Impossible Foods produces ‘meat made from plants,’ which does sound impossible indeed. To explain more about it we’re talking with Rebekah Moses, Senior Manager of Impact Strategy for Impossible Foods.

Biomimicry innovations/Green automotive news

Biomimicry, which is an approach to innovation by emulating nature is the hot area when it comes to innovation. The idea is to create products, processes, and policies well-adapted to life on earth over the long haul. The Biomimicry Institute supports innovators who are working in this way and we’re joined by Megan Schuknecht, the institute’s Director of Design Challenges.  

Tom Appel, publisher of Consumer Guide Automotive joins us for Green Automotive News on some of the challenges of connected cars. 

 

Solar desalination/Turning waste water into revenue

Many underdeveloped parts of the world are surrounded by water but in order for the people who live there to survive, it has to be trucked in over great distances. Desalination has not been feasible until now, thanks to an innovative way to involve solar power. Jose Alfaro’s with the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability and has been testing this out in Mexico. 

Waste water doesn’t need to be seen as ‘waste’ but rather as a way to make money.   There are 16 thousand wastewater plants in the US and Dr. Kelvin Okamoto, who heads up Gen3Bio transforms algae from waste water into revenue.  

Archi's acres/Renewable energy battery at Western Mich. Univ.

The idea of soldiers turning their swords into plowshares goes back to the Book of Isaiah in the Bible but it’s being lived out in new ways today as the numbers of U.S. veterans transitions back into society back home goes up along with agriculture technology. Karen Archipley co-founded Archi’s Acres which trains military vets to become organic farmers. You can view the 30-min. documentary about Archi's Acrens here. 

 

In an era where new developments in solar, wind and other renewable energy sources need to be the focus, American consumers are spending a billion dollars a year to bail out coal-fired power plants.  Not only is the coal-fired power damaging to the environment, but it’s more expensive. Still, several utilities have been selling people power from their own coal-fired plants instead of from cheaper sources on the grid. This is all according to a new study by the Union of Concerned Scientists and we’re joined by Senior Energy Analyst Joe Daniel.