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: 45 (and counting)
Loads of garbage I filled in 2025 so far: 0
Loads filled in 2024: 0
Loads filled in 2023: 0
Loads 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: 3,236 and counting
Years not flying: 10 (119 months) and counting
2024-25 grid electric grid use at home: 0 kilowatt-hours
Annual carbon emissions: about 1 ton
Daily burpees: 264,431 and counting
Resting pulse: 38 bpm

LATEST BLOG POSTS

The social cost of gratuitous plunder and destruction of life, liberty, and property.

on July 30, 2025 in Freedom

This restaurant is called American Bar although, with the government permitting this violation of its role to protect people’s life, liberty, and property, it’s violating the original intent of America’s founders. How? See how the sliding doors are wide open? Also, see the vents on the white wall facing the wide open window? Those vents are blasting air conditioning into the outdoors. Why should anyone care if they pollute and[…] Keep reading →

830: Jo Nemeth, part 2: Nature improves time with loved ones

on July 29, 2025 in Podcast

We jumped in to talking about her Spodek Method commitment. She lives in a suburban area. There’s a place near her that borders on bush, which I guess is Australian for undeveloped land. This spot with a bench designed for experiencing nature has been a short walk away from her for a long time, yet until now she never experienced it. Even this time, she put off acting on the[…] Keep reading →

I love recognition for my work and friendships that others pay for, like going on the field for batting practice

on July 28, 2025 in Stories

In my clubbing days over a quarter-century ago, I used to have to work to meet people to get into cool clubs and VIP rooms. I went for the music and dancing, but New York City clubs are like status sorting machines. At first I didn’t know many people, but over the years I met and befriended club owners, DJs, staff, and friends of all these people. They could bring[…] Keep reading →

This week’s selected media, July 27, 2025: Cool Food

on July 27, 2025 in Tips

This week I finished: Cool Food: Erasing Your Carbon Footprint One Bite at a Time, by Robert Downey Jr. and Thomas Kostigen: I listened to this book for a book club. I found it painful to listen to. It’s nice to eat foods that pollute less so I won’t argue with it, but it distracts from the problem: our culture lost values that kept humanity safe, secure, healthy, and living[…] Keep reading →

I love a good leadership or entrepreneurial challenge, but few others seem to

on July 26, 2025 in Education, Entrepreneurship, HandsOnPracticalExperience, Leadership

Why do my students give me reviews like: “This was the best course I ever took at NYU. There is no substitute for doing the exercises. Thinking I understand a concept and actually trying to execute the concept was difficult. Only in working through the exercises was I able to be aware of what I am currently doing. With these exercises, I now have a roadmap for how to be[…] Keep reading →

I love learning about the Enlightendigenous origins of liberty, freedom, equality, and democracy in America

on July 25, 2025 in Education, Freedom, Leadership

I’ve written before about my functional new word Enlightendigenous. In that post I shared what I learned about the evidence for the philosophy and practice of indigenous people in North America influencing and inspiring Europeans into what became called the Enlightenment. Europe at the time had little to no democracy or social mobility. Your status at birth—that is, the status of your parents—determined your place and role for life with[…] Keep reading →

I love where I live but it’s being destroyed, part 3a: More drugs

on July 24, 2025 in Addiction, Doof

Following up a recent post I love where I live. How it’s being destroyed, part 3: Drugs, here are a few more pictures and videos of addicts in my neighborhood. To clarify, I’m not going out of my way or looking for these images. As a New Yorker, I’m usually in a hurry. Most scenes like the ones below I pass by without taking pictures or videos. These images are[…] Keep reading →

829: Adam Galinsky, part 1: Do you love being inspired? He wrote the book on it.

on July 23, 2025 in Podcast

Adam teaches leadership at Columbia Business School, where I learned there were classes in leadership, which changed the direction of my life. Regular listeners know I consider leadership the most important missing element in sustainability. To change the environmental effects we’re barreling into, we have to change the causes, which are our behavior, which result from culture. Changing culture requires leadership, not just management. Effective leadership inspires. Adam’s latest book[…] Keep reading →

I love learning about nature from hands-on practical experience in helping people

on July 22, 2025 in Fitness, HandsOnPracticalExperience, Nature

If you don’t know my apartment, this picture and why it makes me feel so joyful and free will take some explanation. You’re seeing the space below my window, which faces nearly due south. For the past two months, the sun hasn’t shone directly into my apartment. On the solstice one month ago it rose almost exactly to the left, went overhead, and set to the right. Now, a month[…] Keep reading →

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