The SustainUW Podcast
Episodes
Sustainability Conversations across the Big Ten: University of Minnesota Twin Cities
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In the fourth episode of the SustainUW Podcast's new miniseries, Sustainability Conversations across the Big Ten, hosts Ren Nickel and Nate Dan...
Sustainability Conversations across the Big Ten: University of Washington
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In the third episode of the SustainUW Podcast's new miniseries, Sustainability Conversations across the Big Ten, hosts Ren Nickel and Nate Danc...
Sustainability Conversations across the Big Ten: Rutgers University
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the second episode of the SustainUW Podcast's new miniseries, Sustainability Conversations across the Big Ten, hosts John Ernst and Ren Nickel ...
Sustainability Conversations across the Big Ten: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the first episode of the SustainUW Podcast's new miniseries, Sustainability Conversations across the Big Ten, the team meets with Morgan Hartma...
The (Hidden) Impacts of AI with Clean Wisconsin's Amy Barrilleaux
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join Brynne, Audrey, and Clean Wisconsin Communications Director Amy Barrilleaux for a conversation about the environmental, ethical, and social consi...
A Conversation with John Francis a.k.a. "Planetwalker"
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Enjoy an inspiring, illuminating, and at times emotional conversation with legendary activist and UW—Madison alumnus Dr. John Francis. SustainUW hos...
Earth Fest Recap: What Comes After Earth Day?
19 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode, SustainUW and Edge Effects collaborate to discuss the history of Earth Day in the United States, bring a glimpse of Earth Fes...
Lake Mendota on Ice: Perspectives on a Shifting Climate
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does climate change look like in Madison, and how do the impacts alter our shared experience of this place we call home? Perhaps the best venue t...
Student Perspectives on Current Events and the Implications for Sustainability in the U.S.
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A lot has been happening to sustainability initiatives in the U.S. these past few months, and you probably have plenty of questions, concerns, and ide...
Exploring Agrivoltaics at UW–Madison
05 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Office of Sustainability interns Aiden Culver, Audrey Davies, and Giann Abang are excited to bring you an episode in which they learn about the grow...
Finding Climate Optimism with Dan Utech, EPA Chief of Staff
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us as we sit down with the EPA Chief of Staff, Dan Utech, to discuss climate optimism as it relates to the past, present, and future of environme...
Protecting Our Great Outdoors: Insights from a Conservation Warden
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dive into conservation stewardship in Wisconsin with hosts Kylie Schedler and Rory Tevlin, as they sit down with John Sinclair, a dedicated Conservati...
"The Key to Humanity's Success": Grasslands and Sustainable Grazing
09 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join host Kylie Schedler as she talks with UW–Madison professor and Grassland 2.0 member Randy Jackson, and graduate student Jessica Mehre, to break...
Choosing Hope: Jon Foley on Science-Backed Climate Solutions
10 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the face of climate change, the future for our planet can look bleak. But Project Drawdown Executive Director Jon Foley stays hopeful by focusing o...
A WALL-E Reality? Two UW–Madison Experts on AI and Sustainability
29 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The 2008 film Wall-E explores the connection between technology, artificial intelligence, and sustainability. With the continued rise of AI, we wanted...
From Seeds to Students: Embracing Organic Agriculture for a Nourishing Future
08 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Curious about what defines organic food and how it impacts our planet, nutrition, and well-being? In this episode of the SustainUW Podcast, host Rory ...
A Visit to the Great Midwest Crane Festival
28 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today, sandhill cranes are a common sight–and sound!–in Madison and throughout the state of Wisconsin. This wasn’t always the case: by the 1930s...
Becoming Resolute: The Second Annual UW–Madison Sustainability Writing Awards
16 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the SustainUW Podcast, host Kylie Schedler speaks with the three winners of the second annual UW–Madison Sustainability Writing A...
Wisconsin’s Renewable Future: Spotlighting the State Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Wisconsin Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy (OSCE) was founded in 2019 by Executive Order 38. The OSCE focuses on implementing and promoti...
Driving Change: RENEW Wisconsin and the EPA Clean Bus Program
18 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
RENEW Wisconsin is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering a resilient, thriving Wisconsin by championing the progress of renewable energy thr...
PFAS Pollution: Exploring Sources and Solutions with Dr. Onur Apul
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, better known as PFAS, are a growing area of concern for waterways in Madison and across the nation. These chemica...
Rethinking consumption: Dr. Weslynne Ashton on food systems and circular economy
20 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Industrial engineering, sustainable food, and social equity: these may sound like unrelated topics, but Dr. Weslynne Ashton of the Illinois Institute ...
Hazy, Hot, and Hazardous: Looking Back on a Challenging Summer with Dr. Tracey Holloway
03 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This summer, the weather dominated: wildfires, hazardous air quality, and extreme heat affected people across the country. In this episode, we try to ...
From UW to a Sustainability Nonprofit: Sustain Dane's Lorenza Zebell
27 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Finding one's path to a sustainability-related career can be daunting, and there are many different ways to apply sustainability to different fiel...
Barbie!
28 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Greta Gerwig's blockbuster sensation, "Barbie," has been the talk of the town since well before its release. Having grossed over $1.3 bi...
Sustainable Move-In at UW–Madison
23 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Malorie Garbe, the Sustainability Coordinator for University Housing, and assistant Anna Silverman join hosts Brynne Hill and Bailey Tomsich to delve ...
Green Screens: "Don't Look Up"
21 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The 2021 film “Don’t Look Up”, directed by Adam McKay and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, and Jonah Hill, is a dark...
The Office of Sustainability Turns Eleven
16 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The University of Wisconsin–Madison has a long history of producing prominent environmental figures like Aldo Leopold and wide-ranging sustainabilit...
Striving Towards a Zero Waste Campus
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Waste: it's one of the most visible, even popular, issues in sustainability. After all, everyone can reduce, reuse, and recycle, right? Achieving...
Bugs, Bugs, Bugs!
16 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Care for some crickets on your pizza? 80 percent of the world’s countries regularly consume insects, so maybe it’s time to find out what you’re ...
Exploring Organic Agriculture at Home and Abroad
25 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What does the future of agriculture hold for us? From the increasing interest in organic farming versus conventional practices, to hydroponics and urb...
Making Energy Visible: Problems and Solutions to Climate Change with Dr. John Perkins
14 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We all use energy, but many of us don't think about where it comes from or how to ensure it's not only clean, but reliable and plentiful. Chan...
Facing Eco-Anxiety with Dekila Chungyalpa
20 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is eco-anxiety? How do our various lived experiences influence how eco-anxiety presents itself? Can we harness eco-anxiety to make a positive dif...
The UW–Madison Sustainability Writing Awards
10 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The UW–Madison Sustainability Writing Awards are intended to inspire conversations about how writing can bring together people with different experi...
Thrifting, Fast Fashion, and Sustainable Shopping
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When you shop for clothing, do you consider the sustainability of your choices or the brands you wear? Do you love thrifting or do you buy the newest ...
Indigenous Knowledge, Environmental Stewardship, and Campus Belonging
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is it like to be an indigenous student on the UW–Madison campus? How do the histories and practices of the Native Nations of Wisconsin inform o...
Clashing Climate Actions: Reckoning with West Virginia vs. EPA and the Inflation Reduction Act
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
2022 was characterized by momentous climate change news in the United States: in the early summer, the Supreme Court dealt a blow to the EPA's ability...
Plastics, climate change, and big life decisions with Dr. Barbara Hendrie
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Barbara Hendrie is the Regional Director for the UN Environment Programme's North America Office and has built over two decades of experience in s...
Green Paths: Lori Peppard, Second Harvest Foodbank
18 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In our latest episode of the Green Paths series, host Eliza Lindley speaks with Lori Peppard, who is a service area representative at Second Harvest F...
Wicked Problems: Food Systems and Sustainable Diets
15 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What makes for a sustainable food system? How do we balance our personal and cultural food habits with our impact on the planet and each other? And wh...
Hot Topics: Wolf Hunting in Wisconsin
01 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Gray wolves elicit conflicting reactions in American culture, from awe and reverence to fear and hatred. They are also a hot topic lately, as differen...
Green Paths: Tim Lindstrom, Office of Sustainability Intern Program Manager
13 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In our first episode of the Green Paths series, host Eliza Lindley speaks with Dr. Tim Lindstrom, who is the intern program manager for the UW–Madis...
Wicked Problems: Single-Use Plastics
15 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Plastic: it's everywhere, it's incredibly useful, and it offers certain accessibility advantages--but it's a huge sustainability issue. In our first e...
New Series, New Hosts: Introducing Season Two
27 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome back to The SustainUW Podcast, hosted by student interns at the UW–Madison Office of Sustainability! For our second season, we're delighted ...
Adventures in Fermentation (bonus episode)
27 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Host Marina Minic takes listeners on a delightfully zany yet informative trip through her adventures with fermentation, from cheese to yogurt to kombu...
Earth Day Activism (bonus episode)
02 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We all know that Earth Day commemorates our planet and offers people an opportunity to dedicate themselves to living more sustainable lives. But what'...
Farmers, Markets, and Justice
26 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What is the history of farmers markets and how can they be used as a tool for justice? What is direct trade and how does it differ from Fair Trade? In...
A Conversation with Carolyn Finney
11 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this rich and wide-ranging conversation, storyteller, cultural geographer, and "accidental environmentalist" Carolyn Finney speaks with hosts Hanna...
Student Athlete Leaders for Sustainability, ft. Claire Carlson (bonus episode)
14 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With 23 teams and 900 athletes, the Wisconsin Badgers are a huge part of the UW–Madison experience. But that big athletics enterprise also means a l...
Greenwashing and St. Patty's Day (bonus episode)
22 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Not everyone celebrates St. Patty's day, but it's hard not to notice the green color suddenly washing over many of our cities and towns. In Chicago, t...
American Indian Activism (ft. Kasey Keeler)
24 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What were you taught in grade school or high school about American Indians? For many of us, the Native Nations in the United States were historicized,...
Valentine's Day—Yay or Nay? (bonus episode)
13 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to Valentine's Day, are you a heart-flutterer or an eye-roller? Would you prefer chocolate and roses or an "emo party" with friends? Hos...
Local Food Systems (ft. Molly DeVore and Chris Brockel)
21 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What does food access and food security look like in Dane County, Wisconsin? What sort of organizations and nonprofits grow and distribute food to tho...
Gatekeeping the Great Outdoors (ft. Sheamus Johnson and Midy Aponte)
22 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What figures and ideas have shaped the way we understand the "great outdoors" in the United States? And how have established narratives about the grea...
Low-Waste Holidays (bonus episode)
16 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Savannah Holt and Marina Minic share ideas on how to make the holiday season more sustainable. According to Use Less Waste, people in the USA pr...
Voting in Wisconsin (bonus episode)
16 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Description: In this bonus episode, hosts Marina Minic and Cassie Sanford dive into the world of voting in Wisconsin in 2020. They talk about w...
Sustain-a-Bash and University Housing sustainability, ft. Malorie Garbe (bonus episode)
01 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this bonus episode, hosts Natalie Tinsen and Brooke Bowser speak with the new Sustainability Coordinator for University Housing, Malorie Garbe, abo...
What is Sustainability? (ft. special guest Missy Nergard)
01 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sustainability is a contemporary buzzword, but what does it really mean? How are environmental, social, and economic sustainability interrelated? And ...
The SustainUW Podcast Trailer (Season One)
28 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What's the SustainUW Podcast all about? Have a listen to our trailer and then subscribe!