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: 25 (and counting)
Loads of garbage I filled in 2024 so far: 0
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: 2,613 and counting
Years not flying: 8 and counting
2024 grid electric grid use at home: 0 kilowatt-hours
Annual carbon emissions: about 1 ton
Daily burpees: 231,205 and counting
Resting pulse: 47 bpm

LATEST BLOG POSTS

Addiction in Greenwich Village, Early Summer 2024

on July 8, 2024 in Addiction

Here is the greatest sign of addiction I commonly see, a disposable plastic cup from Starbucks, being thrown away, sweat still forming on the plastic from the ice not yet melted. Someone paid for oil to be extracted and ice formed in 90F (32.5C) weather just to throw it all away. Below are more addicts, although these ones are mostly only hurting themselves. Starbucks customers hurt humanity (and wildlife) more,[…] Keep reading →

This Week’s Selected Media, July 7, 2024: Not Just Bikes and Strong Towns course, Stolen Focus

on July 7, 2024 in Tips

This week I finished: The joint course in urban planning between the video series Not Just Bikes (hosted by podcast guest Jason Slaughter) and Strong Towns: I can’t recommend Not Just Bikes or Strong Towns enough. If you live in an American city, know and act on these resources. The course comprised nine videos (I think I counted right) plus dozens of articles. They repeated a fair amount, but you’ll[…] Keep reading →

A Visual Representation of the Spodek Method in Venn Diagrams

on July 6, 2024 in Leadership, Nature, Visualization

I can’t think of a message I received from environmentalists that suggested I would enjoy the experience of trying to live more sustainably. Every message from every source, including the most ardent environmentalists, told me living more sustainably meant giving something up. We had to worsen our lives to possibly help someone far away or in the future. A definite loss here and now for a possible gain sometime somewhere[…] Keep reading →

764: Erica Frank, part 2: “No Hairshirt At All.” Instead: Abundance

on July 5, 2024 in Podcast

I rarely get to talk to people who expect living more sustainably to be joyful and rewarding from personal experience, not just hoping for the best. I enjoyed sharing that perspective with Erica last time, I invited her back with no specific agenda. This episode presents conversation between two people who have left mainstream culture and are living more how many people agree we should, but hold themselves back. So[…] Keep reading →

Our culture: spring trash. Homeless don’t cause it as much as executives, elected officials, shareholders, and rich people

on July 4, 2024 in Addiction, Nature, Visualization

Litter isn’t a result of too little sanitation. It’s too much production and people still buying it. I’ve meant to post these pictures since I took them in the spring. I took them on a regular day. If you think cities mean more garbage, our per-capita environmental impact is less than Americans who live outside cities. If you think this garbage and treatment of public property is disgusting, as I[…] Keep reading →

Happy Independence Day, America. Let’s return to protecting life, liberty, and property and stop being imperialist

on July 4, 2024 in Blog

The number one topic of my book is freedom and liberty. In my view, science, technology, market reforms, and legislation follow from freedom and liberty. Without freedom and liberty, you can’t have the other things, but without them you can still have freedom and liberty. Pollution destroys life, liberty, and property. Our Constitution was built on a premise that a role of government is to protect life, liberty, and property.[…] Keep reading →

Invited on the field at Yankee Stadium with my family (thank you Brent Suter!)

on July 3, 2024 in Blog

Podcast guest Brent Suter plays for his hometown team the Cincinnati Reds and the Reds played the Yankees last night in Yankee Stadium. Brent and I have recorded three episodes so far. We’ve kept in touch since recording too. I asked him if I could see him at the game. He arranged for me and some family members to meet him on the field at Yankee Stadium for batting practice[…] Keep reading →

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