Best and Brightest … Genius — Esquire

A once-in-a-lifetime game-changing advance
in our field everyone else will follow
— Marshall Goldsmith

Astrophysicist turned new media whiz — NBC

Passionate … confident … — Forbes

You don't just learn theory from
him, you improve your life.
— Inc.

The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Harvard University, Standford University, Princeton University, MTV, IBM, US Army

My Mission

My mission is to help change American (and global) culture on sustainability and stewardship from expecting deprivation, sacrifice, burden, and chore to expecting rewarding emotions and lifestyles, as I see happen with everyone I lead to act for their intrinsic motivations.

In my case the emotions have been joy, fun, freedom, connection, meaning, and purpose.



Systemic change begins with personal change.

Some of my values. What are yours?
Months living off the grid in Manhattan: 15 (and counting)
Loads of garbage I filled in 2023 so far: 0
Loads of garbage I filled in 2022: 0
Loads filled in 2021: 0
Loads filled in 2020: 0
Loads filled in 2019: 1
Loads filled in 2018: 1
Loads filled in 2017: 1
Days picking up litter: 2,331 and counting
Years not flying: 7 and counting
2023 electric grid use: 0 kilowatt-hours
Annual carbon emissions: about 1 ton
Daily burpees: 216,165 and counting
Resting pulse: 47 bpm

LATEST BLOG POSTS

721: Jim Burke, part 1: The Most Beautiful Street in New York City?

on September 14, 2023 in Podcast

After reading about 34th Avenue in Queens and watching the video linked below, I had to ride to see it. Over a mile of a once congested street was transformed into safer, quieter places people enjoyed, especially kids. There are three schools along the route. The kids can come out and play. I met Jim there, felt inspired to do something similar near me, and invited him to the podcast.[…] Keep reading →

Pictures of recent volunteer deliveries

on September 13, 2023 in Habits

A practice in the volunteering I do is to take a picture of what we deliver and post it to a message board. People thank each other and it makes everyone feel better. It builds community. I haven’t posted many pictures lately. I like just delivering the food and the thanks of the people who receive it. Still, the pictures end up on my phone. I usually delete them since[…] Keep reading →

720: Maya Van Rossum, part 2: You Don’t Have a Right to a Clean Environment. You Have to Work for It.

on September 12, 2023 in Podcast

Do you think government should protect people’s life, liberty, and property? What if it turned out it didn’t, if it said other people could destroy your life, liberty, and property, and would help them do it? That’s what pollution does. A lack of a clean environment means that someone polluted it and hurt you, your children, your loved ones. You don’t have a right to a clean environment if you[…] Keep reading →

“Josh, You Can Grieve Your Loss Too”

on September 11, 2023 in Entrepreneurship, Stories

I’ve posted about my September 11, 2001: We called the company I co-founded Submedia. We filed the patent in 1998. Our first investment came in 1999, enabling us to pay ourselves salaries and hire people to develop prototypes and create partnerships with subway systems. Atlanta’s system signed first, followed by the PATH system connecting New York City and New Jersey. Coca-Cola signed in 2001 as our debut advertiser, beating Nike[…] Keep reading →

This Week’s Selected Media: Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman and Wallenberg: A Hero´s Story

on September 10, 2023 in Tips

This week I listened to and watched: Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman, by Sarah H. Bradford: This 1869 book is in the public domain, so I listened to the Librivox recording. The more I learn of Harriet Tubman, the more I find her inspirational and relevant to sustainability. We need role models of people who had incentive to lay low but acted. As a former slave, she would[…] Keep reading →

719: David Blight, part 1: From Abolitionism to Sustainability

on September 9, 2023 in Podcast

Regular listeners and blog readers know my developing abolitionism as a role model for a sustainability movement. I’ve hosted several top scholars on the history of abolitionism in England and America, as well as the relevant constitutional law. Today’s guest is a top historian and I found our conversation fascinating. He knows the history like an encyclopedia and can analyze it to answer my questions immediately. We talk about anti-slavery[…] Keep reading →

Why so many cars with no mufflers?

on September 8, 2023 in Doof, Education

Another evening in Manhattan, meaning more cars going by without mufflers, or with mufflers modified to make a lot of noise. I remember the trend beginning during the pandemic: I guess people modified their mufflers to make random BANG! BANG! noises. I think the trend started or expanded during the pandemic because police stopped enforcing so many laws then. Why unmuffle cars? I doubt they change the car’s performance. I[…] Keep reading →

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