A friend commented that public transportation should be free. I texted back “I concur.” I’ve considered the issue from many angles before. There are many pros and cons and I’ve concluded the benefits outweigh the costs. Many agree. “Around 100 cities in the world offer free public transit, the vast majority of them in Europe, especially France and Poland,” according to the New York Times’ piece Should Public Transit Be[…] Keep reading →

I received this email this morning from the Director of Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership and Frances Hesselbein Leadership Forum at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs: Dear Friends, It is with great sadness that I write to inform you of the passing of Frances Hesselbein, our mentor, friend, and the namesake of the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Forum. Frances was an inspiration to all of us,[…] Keep reading →

I’d say I was getting bored of posting about zero kilowatt-hour electric bill except that pollution kills and we can all pollute less. I’m not polluting less for fun, though it improves my life, but to help people like you see it’s possible so you can try. Are you trying? If so, email me and tell me. I’d love to support you or just hear about it. For others, if[…] Keep reading →

Following up on my noticing that the “logic” that concludes Malthus was wrong would also conclude Columbus was wrong about being able to sail west from Europe to reach Asia. That he missed two continents and an ocean doesn’t change that you can sail west from Europe to reach Asia. It’s just farther than he expected, and you have to go around the tip of South America. Likewise, Malthus missing[…] Keep reading →

A guest who listens to the podcast and lives in Norway mentioned while we recorded that he was renovating his kitchen, which meant his family had to go without a fridge for ten days. He said knowing about me not using my fridge for over a year gave him perspective to handle the situation easily. He also remarked on how it was cold outside and it didn’t make sense to[…] Keep reading →

People interviewing me consistently ask “what can one person do?” If people are in the mainstream mindset, giving them instruction will more likely reinforce their current state. That is, if they think stopping polluting activities will make no difference or risk reverting to the Stone Age, then suggesting they plant more trees or avoid straws will seem pointless and make you look foolish in their eyes. I suggest starting with[…] Keep reading →

Seth Godin was one of my first podcast guests and I interviewed him at his home north of the city. He also endorsed my book Leadership Step by Step. He has huge followings who love his work. I know because at his home, I saw the huge piles of handwritten thank-you notes he received, all opened, all clearly read. He recently put out the word to his community that the[…] Keep reading →

Let’s get one thing out of the way. Everyone claims to want to help poor people, poor countries, the sick, children, old people, and other vulnerable populations. Everyone claims to want to help everyone live longer, healthier lives. Nobody claims to want to hurt the vulnerable. After you hear enough heavy polluters say it, you recognize it as empty rhetoric to make themselves feel better and disarm opponents. The question[…] Keep reading →

If you think pollution, pushing people off their land, and putting homo sapiens at risk of global collapse is some abstract future risk, I invite you to take your head out of the sand. People are dying by the millions annually from pollution today. Fossil fuel companies pay militias to enslave, rape, and kill people for oil. I prefer not to look away, nor to limit my imagination to thinking[…] Keep reading →