The notes I read from for this episode: I asked many questions on the last episode. The core ones were “why aren’t we switching to renewables and not polluting faster?” I know we can’t switch overnight, but what sets the pace? Do we know if the limits will go away, like we just need to build more factories, or maybe they won’t, like what led us to retract from supersonic[…] Keep reading →

My notes I read from: Why do we still pollute, part 1: the questions Does the following sound familiar? We use a lot of energy, but we’ll electrify everything and power them with wind and solar. Yes, we need to build a lot, but prices are cheaper than ever for renewable power and batteries. They fell faster than anyone expected and will keep falling. More solar energy hits the Earth[…] Keep reading →

My notes I read from: Why do we still pollute, part 1: the questions Does the following sound familiar? We use a lot of energy, but we’ll electrify everything and power them with wind and solar. Yes, we need to build a lot, but prices are cheaper than ever for renewable power and batteries. They fell faster than anyone expected and will keep falling. More solar energy hits the Earth[…] Keep reading →

Some parts of a world I predict we’ll see as we grow more sustainable: We’ll live closer to our close families. We’ll feel less craving. Marketers won’t try to sell us stuff all the time. Billboards will disappear. We’ll play sports in person more than watching them on TV, without athletes flying all over. We’ll write, paint, and participate in civic activities more. We’ll eat to full every meal from[…] Keep reading →

Sustainability: If You’re Not Patagonia . . . You’re Exxon Today’s top talent won’t work for you, buy from you, or tell their friends about you. Instead, they’ll attack you. I have a way forward. If you have or want customers, employees, shareholders, or media attention, sustainability matters, especially to top talent, especially talent younger than 35. They were born into a dumpster fire of an environment. Damn right, they’re[…] Keep reading →

I haven’t posted a great business idea in a while, but I got one. Context: you probably heard how supermarket chains in the U.S. discard produce that doesn’t fall within their constraints of size, color, not being bruised, and so on. After shopping at farmers markets enough, grocery store produce looks plastic and fake. It lacks flavor. You’ve probably also heard of companies that buy the rejected produce and use[…] Keep reading →

Can we grow enough forests and use enough regenerative agriculture to sequester enough carbon to undo global warming? To answer this question you have to understand the two carbon cycles. I’m simplifying, but you can think of two different cycles of carbon. One is the regular life cycle of carbon-based life forms. When something lives, it contains carbon, including trees, humans, and everything living in dirt and the oceans. When[…] Keep reading →