This Sustainable Life

247: Balancing jobs and junk

18 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

People resist environmental projects to protect jobs, even to keep producing products that pollute.My absurd proposal to balance jobs with junk: put f...

246: The Emotions Around Environmental Action

17 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What emotions do you associate with environmental action?I find people associate shame and guilt with it. I find these emotions lead people to suppres...

245: Tia Nelson, part 1: Earth Day

16 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

One of my main goals for this podcast is to bring people who love acting on one's environmental values, seeing stewardship not as an obligation but as...

244: Lessons from extinction

12 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Learning that humans only recently developed the concept of extinction. Much of the West, for example, believed in a Great Chain of Being, spontaneous...

243: Confusing distinct modes of acting

11 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Tired of people saying what you do doesn't matter? Or personal action in general?They're confusing different types of action. In this recording I dist...

242: Florida Mayors Jerry Demings and Buddy Dyer, part 1: United States government officials acting

10 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I talk a lot about the lack of leadership in the area of the environment. Many people talk about change but don't lead it. Many others judge but don't...

241: Lt. General Paul Van Riper USMC, part 1: Thoughtful strategy before technology

06 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Why a military general? Isn't the US military one of the greatest polluters on the planet?My goal is to bring effective leadership to the environment ...

240: Fred Krupp, part 1: Helping where it will help most

31 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The loudest voices these days seem to come from protesters because they design their actions for attention. They aren't necessarily the most effective...

239: The Enemy

30 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Here are the notes I read this episode from:I see human population decreasing the Earth's ability to sustain life and human society.I have a goal of i...

238: The Worst Problem in the World and the Environment

29 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Here are the notes I read from for this episode. I've talked about what I call The Worst Problem in the World for about ten years, so I'm used to it a...

237: Leadership versus Management, Systems and the Environment

27 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The notes I wrote and read from for this episode:Leadership means changing beliefs and goals. If you're doing anything else, you're following and perp...

236: My environmental role models

23 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Here is the text I read from for this post:My environmental role modelsWhy my role models? Because people keep saying what I do is inaccessible. That ...

235: Creepiness, disgust, and the environment

22 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

People littering is creepy, like a tick or other parasite. It gets under my skin. I don't like it, but if I want to help people stop their parasitical...

234: A shift, not a crisis

19 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Here are the notes I read from to make this episode, sometimes diverging from them.Why I don't call our environmental situation a crisis. People think...

233: Future Generations and Us

18 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I've been sharing the sentiment of how people today seem to think of our times versus how people from other times would see now. I expect they'd view ...

232: Michael Werner, part 2: Leading Google by bike

14 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Since recording this episode, Michael has become Google's Lead for Circular Economy.Michael took on a challenge many people consider: biking to work f...

231: How are you justifying your polluting behavior?

14 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When we pollute, we think we act for the reasons in our minds that justify that behavior, but those reasons generally come after we choose, motivated ...

230: Brad P, part 2: Change your habits, change your life

12 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Brad identified the problem of people acting or not as our emotions and behavior, which many forces contribute to. We also talk about media and scient...

229: How might future generations view us?

11 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I believe many people believe we live in an age of wonder and that people from any other time would envy us.I believe future generations will not look...

228: Kicking puppies praiseworthy?

11 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

People keep describing my environmental actions as praiseworthy. I think they do it to make it seem harder and less accessible to do themselves what t...

227: Economists don't know what they're talking about on growth

10 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A few words on growth and how people misunderstand it, especially economists.I start by talking about my window garden cherry tomato plants and how th...

226: Brad P, part 1: Dating coaching, leadership, and the environment

07 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode with guest Brad P, a dating coach and guru---well, former, since he's moved on, as he'll share---partly reveal a major part of my soci...

225: My role model: Jonas Salk and the polio vaccine

01 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Polio terrorized the world. People died and became paralyzed and there were no defenses to it.Science understood it and eventually Jonas Salk found a ...

224: Clarifying my strategy

30 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

People commonly misunderstand the goals of this podcast. I tried in this episode to clear up two common misunderstandings:They mistakenly believe my g...

223: Adam Quiney, part 2: Do the Thing

25 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is two thoughtful, intelligent people sharing environmental thoughts. I think the thoughts we share are what a lot of people think but do...

222: Why Eat Insects?

22 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Between insects, kelp, vertical farming, lab-grown meat, and other clever options, why didn't we think of them before?Because we had better options!Fe...

221: Climate March Reflections

21 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Here are the notes I work from for this episode:From climate marchWent 3 times:Before lunch to participate in organizing group, went to Foley Square. ...

220: Michelle Tillis Lederman, part 2: Making it habitual makes it easy

18 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Not often do I hear something in a podcast conversation that's a new habit I'm going to try. This conversation with Michelle led to two. I recommend t...

219: Regretful decisions

17 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I share thoughts in today's episode I didn't have the heart to share with family on their way to vacationing in France.In my lifetime I've seen the wo...

218: To Those Who Say They Can't Stop Polluting

16 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A friend told me the other day that while I could reduce flying, business people couldn't. It's not so easy for them, actually impossible.Did he forge...

217: Adam Quiney, part 1: Leadership for the Smartest Person in the Room

14 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Adam studies brilliant people and leadership. There are many leadership coaches and researchers. If you like me and my way of doing things, which is g...

216: Brandon Voss, part 2: Negotiate Like Your Environment Depends On It

10 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We start talking about how to learn---you have to practice. This is one of the most important things to get, not just in learning but in life. Too man...

215: Jeremy Ryan Slate, part 2: How long have you gone without a phone?

04 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When was the last time you went without a cell phone for more than a few hours? Jeremy went longer than he expected, but as chance favors the prepared...

214: Are we smarter than bugs?

02 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Bugs will infest a plant until they kill it, then when it dies, they die. It's happening to the fig tree and cherry tomato plants in my windowsill gar...

213: Joy from disgust

02 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I don't like my world being full of junk "food," litter, and pollution, but if it is, I'd rather see it for what it is and feel a disgust that motivat...

212: The Amazon Burning and Us

01 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What's the difference between burning rain forests for someone's livelihood and family in the Amazon and paying for people to drill oil that we squand...

211: Michael Werner, part 1: Dream job results from environmental leadership

28 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Not everyone gets his or her dream job. Michael Werner did, on sustainable product design at Google and Apple. Since our conversation he's become Goog...

210: How many children should I have?

22 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

How many kids should you have?I've heard people justify how many kids they should have for various reasons.I think of how decisions happen. We tend to...

209: Laura Coe, part 2: Practice changing habits

19 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Laura and I explore the feelings and emotions around our environmental behavior, specifically that we don't like, like throwing away food. I predict y...

208: Caspar Craven, part 1.5: Back on Track

16 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Remember how enthusiastic Caspar sounded at the end of the first episode?He made doing his commitment sound so easy. Well, sometimes it is, but not al...

207: My Sad Fig Tragedy

14 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

People tell me they prefer personal stories and stories of humility, not just success.Well, this morning I messed up my fig tree. I'm still learning a...

206: Jeremy Ryan Slate, part 1: Leadership: Doing What Others Don't, But Want To

07 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is about doing what others don't, but want to.We recorded it nearly 2 years ago when I was still getting into my groove. We start ta...

205: Notes to a Future President

05 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. is ramping up its Presidential campaigns. The environment is an issue for many reasons. At first you'd think because of global warming, plast...

204: Michelle Tillis Lederman, part 1: The Connector's Advantage

03 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I've known Michelle longer than almost any guest. I met her in business school, which would mean 2005 or 6.She may be the friendliest guest of the sho...

203: Hunter Lovins, part 1: A Finer Future

02 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A friend introduced me to Hunter and I met her in person a day she was teaching in Bard's MBA program.We start with Limits to Growth, the 30-year upda...

202: How We Choose

30 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I hear a lot of people's reasons for not flying, for using single-use plastic, for leaving the air conditioner on when they're not home. I know them n...

201: James Altucher, part 1: More Curious and Adventurous Than Almost Anyone

19 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

James is fascinating and, I believe, fascinated. He interviewed me as much as I did him.The recording starts mid-conversation since we were just talki...

200: Caspar Craven, part 1: Sailing to the head of the corporation

12 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Caspar leads a fulfilling life and helps people do the same.What's his expertise? How has he found purpose more than others? Why do corporations book ...

199: Be Fruitful and Multiply: What Does It Mean? What Can It Mean?

10 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I've learned in leading that you can lead people best when you meet them where they are. That means speaking their language and understanding their pe...

198: Brandon Voss, part 1: Negotiate Like Your Life Depends On It

09 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Brandon loves negotiation and teaching it. He learned from the top in the field and practices it apparently 24/7. We start our conversation by coverin...

197: Polarization, communication, and education

07 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Everybody talks about political polarization, the communication messes this nation and world are in, and how people who disagree can't talk to each ot...

196: Seth Shelden, part 1: Nuclear Weapons, the Environment, and the Nobel Prize

07 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When I studied physics and spent time in universities, I met a lot of Nobel laureates. Physics is Nobel heavy so Columbia physics connected me to 3. O...

195: How it feels to live more sustainably than mainstream

05 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

People ask me if I worry or lose sleep from my environmental habits in a world where most people pollute profligately and unnecessarily.In this post I...

194: Tom Murphy, part 2: Author of one of the best sites on the internet

02 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Tom's Do The Math blog is one of the best site on internet. If you measure a site by how much it can improv...

193: Tim Smit, part 2: Spirituality and Passion from the Earth

01 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

From our first conversation you know Tim's history as a musician and founder of the Eden Project. This time you'll hear the passion of a man who loves...

192: Laura Coe, part 1: Emotional Obesity and Environmental Obesity

27 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Laura and I go back a few years, from being on her podcast.We talk about her concept of emotional obesity: a parallel between physical health and emot...

191: Mark Metry, part 2: Farmers markets

22 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Mark and my second conversation it about happiness, pleasure, meaning, and purpose, though it sounds like it's about personal growth, food, and enviro...

190: McKinsey's 3-Time Global Managing Director Dominic Barton: It's fundamentally about people

21 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Outside the MBA world, not everyone knows McKinsey. Within it, and at the upper echelons of business and government, McKinsey advises some of the larg...

189: Nadya Zhexembayeva, part 1: Sustainability is not enough

18 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Nadya and I mostly talk about business and sustainability. She describes what she saw growing up in the dissolution of Kazakhstan, where she saw the o...

188: Steve Sikra, part 1: Passion at Proctor and Gamble

16 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Proctor and Gamble produces a lot of plastic and waste, which makes them very interesting to me. An old me would protest. The leader me sees the oppor...

187: Mark Metry, part 1: To grow, put yourself out there

10 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Mark seeks transitions---what most people avoid, certainly around leadership and the environment---and loves them. He shares them with the world. List...

186: D-Day and the Environment

05 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Tomorrow is the 75th anniversary of D-Day.This post is about being a part of something greater than yourself, than all of us, benefiting us all, and b...

Ilissa Miller

05 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As founder and CEO of iMiller Public Relations (iMPR), Ilissa Miller brings nearly two decades of experience in sales, marketing and product developme...

Sammy Courtright

04 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Sammy is a cofounder of Fitspot Wellness -- a fully managed solution for companies and properties, bringing on-site and digital workplace wellness pro...

Jezzibell Gilmore

04 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jezzibell is a co-founder and SVP of Business Development of PacketFabric. From their web site:PacketFabric redefines how companies build and use netw...

JV Bharatan

04 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In his words, JV Bharathan cares about every single human being on the planet and celebrates the greatness of being human.He is an accidental author. ...

185: Michael Greger, M.D. FACLM: Nutrition and the Environment

04 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I subscribe to almost no newsletters or video channels, but I subscribe to Dr. Greger's Nutritionfacts.org. More than subscribing, I promote it. Watch...

Aaron Price

04 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Aaron is the president & CEO of the NJ Tech Council and founder of Propelify---the Propelify Innovation Festival.Propelify empowers the community ...

Ani Manian

03 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I felt a special bond with Ani before interviewing him. He introduced himself telling me that he read my Inc article What a Year Without Flying Taught...

Shana Yadid

03 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Shana is the founder, CEO, and Lead Trainer at Yadid’it! Dog Training, the Executive Director at Yadid'it! Sustainable Dog Rescue and an ABCDT (Anim...

184: Jonas Koffler, part 1: It's going to take all of us (plus a hippopotamus)

25 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

You might not guess from the beginning of our conversation that we'd talk about almost being attacked by a hippopotamus in Botswana, with crocodiles, ...

183: Reusing and recycling are tactical. Reducing is strategic.

23 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I finally saw how to see reducing versus reusing and recycling. The distinction is subtle until you get it. Then you see that missing it leads people ...

182: Dov Baron, part 3: What is your car worth?

20 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When last we heard from Dov, about a year ago, he had limited driving his James Bond Jaguar, enjoyed the experience beyond expectation, and said he wa...

181: The Time I Met Mark Cuban

20 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

My book, Initiative, launches in two days.In it I start by describing how Shark Tank, other media, and other parts of our culture that claim to promot...

180: The Difference Between Me and Nearly Everyone I Know Acting on the Environment

13 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine someone said too much stress and proposed giving someone with stress shoulder rubs or body massages. I bet a lot of people would say, "I'm str...

179: Initiative, the book: Highlights from an interview

10 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This is a podcast about leadership. Initiative is a major part of leadership. If you want to lead environmentally, you need to initiate because the wo...

178: What parenthood teaches us about environmental action

06 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We're living in a world of people who are judging parenting from the view of a partier, which makes sense when you don't have a child -- something to ...

177: The best advice on making habits last

05 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The challenge for habits isn't starting them. It's not stopping them.I've started many. Actually, I've probably started fewer than most. I've stopped ...

176: The folly of chasing efficiency

03 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Silicon Valley, governments, and lots of people are pushing for efficiency. I do too, but only after changing systemic beliefs and goals.The greatest ...

175: Jack Buffington, part 1: What can we do about plastic?

30 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Plastic is everywhere -- the oceans, landfills, and for 93% of us, our bloodstreams.Everyone promotes recycling, but it's not happening anywhere near ...

174: Chase Amante, part 1B: Chase on the Environment

28 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In this part of the conversation, Chase and I spoke about the environment.He's very thoughtful about it, though hasn't acted on it, for reasons he elo...

173: Chase Amante, part 1A: How to start and run a business giving men dating advice

28 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Chase runs GirlsChase, one of the most trafficked sites for dating coaching, which recently celebrated 10 years in business.It sets itself apart from ...

172: If anything, I'm a maximalist

24 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When many people enter my apartment for the first time say something about it being minimalist. I feel like I have a lot of stuff because I have many ...

171: The "best kept secret in environmental leadership"

21 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I love watching Dr. Michael Gregor's videos on nutrition.A common theme of his videos is how medical school barely teach doctors nutrition and exercis...

170: Colonel Mark Read, part 2: His Family's Best Christmas Ever

19 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A lot of people say, "Josh, easy for you to act on the environment. You don't have kids."First, I could point to former guest Bea Johnson, who with he...

169: Srini Rao: Surfing and Creativity

18 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Srini has run his podcast over 10 years, written several books, hundreds of articles, interviewing hundreds of researchers, entrepreneurs, artists, me...

168: Sir Ken Robinson: Wisdom on the intersection of education, leadership, and the environment

16 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As a professor of leadership, host of this podcast, and constant student of acting by my environmental values, I live and work in the intersection of ...

167: Amy Aussieker, part 1: Can we transform an American City?

13 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Business, based growth, loves the ideas of a circular economy and recycling because both promotes more, but may keep us on track to unsustainability, ...

166: Anand Giridharadas: Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World

11 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

With some guests I have a hard time finding a quote to start the episode with. With Anand, I had the opposite -- at least half of what he said wowed m...

165: Colonel Mark Read, part 1: Environmental Engineering at West Point

11 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I met Colonel Read through Colonel Everett Spain, who has also been a guest of the podcast.Two myths about the military have unraveled in me as a resu...

164: Anna Tunnicliffe Tobias, part 1: Olympic gold and Crossfit Fittest on Earth

09 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Anna is down to earth for anyone, let alone a gold medalist and Crossfit champion.Watch her videos to see the contrast with what she does, her abiliti...

163: Kevin Kruse, part 1: Great Leaders Have No Rules

04 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin and I have been friends since we both wrote for Inc, and before I appeared on his podcast, which always opens a conversation.It's two guys talki...

162: Bob Langert: McDonald's former head of Corporate Social Responsibility

02 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

I got an email that Bob Langert, McDonald's former head of Corporate Social Responsibility, wrote a book on his experience in over two decades at the ...

161: Katie Pettibone, part 1: Americas Cups, 81-foot waves, and protecting the oceans

29 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Katie continues the line of world class sailing champions who have translated their athletic success to leadership in their sport, business, and beyon...

160: Sean O'Connor, part 2: Replacing coffee cups with human connection

23 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is about a simple experiment anyone can do. It costs nothing and takes no extra time or other resource besides carrying a mug with you.Ev...

159: Chris Schembra: Expressing Gratitude

20 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Do you feel gratitude toward people who have helped you?Do you express that gratitude more than enough, not enough, or about right?You're probably fam...

158: Dee Caffari, part 1: Turning the Tide on Plastic

20 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For context for today's guest, those who know I'm avoiding flying might also know I'm learning to sail to explore off North America. When considering ...

157: Tom Szaky, part 1: TerraCycle's new initiative: Loop

19 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Szaky has been working on waste since his undergrad days at Princeton in 2001. Then I suddenly heard about him from many sources in the past few m...

156: Pale Blue Dot Today

16 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

If you've never heard Carl Sagan's spoken essay Pale Blue Dot, you'll get to hear it in today's episode. It still chokes me up.Here is an Earthrise im...

155: Margot Machol Bisnow, part 1: Raising an Entrepreneur

15 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A few months ago I attended the Summit. It was expensive, so I wasn't sure I'd get the value out of it that I paid.As it came together for me, I met t...