This Sustainable Life

"What I do doesn't matter," say many environmentalists as they order steak or buy tickets to fly some place. That's the addiction speaking.I recently heard Alan Mulally speak on how he led turning Ford around from losing tens of billions of dollars to number one in many categories creating joy, teamwork, and fun despite challenging work.Before being CEO of Ford, he led Boeing, among the two greatest promoters of pollution in the world. Nonetheless, because he leads, which I distinguish from telling people facts and numbers, protesting, or cajoling, coercing, or convincing, I contend that he would be more effective than nearly any environmentalist I know of.I consider him one of my top role models because I see his methods among the most effective in results.In this episode I highlight a passage from a recent talk he gave that addresses "what I do doesn't matter" from a leadership perspective. Though he's talking about Ford executives running the company into near bankruptcy, it applies to all of us lowering Earth's ability to sustain life.Alan's original talk I quoted him from Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In one of the highlights (lowlights?) of our second conversation, Sam shares that fentanyl users don't like its experience as much as heroin's. On the contrary, it's worse. It pops them out faster from the euphoria, which makes them want to take more. It's a worse experience that addicts them more.Their suppliers don't care about the experience. They care that it sells more, which makes them more money. It's cheap to make, so they make huge amounts and flood the market, not caring about the waste that they consider someone else's problem (as if a crumbling society didn't hurt them too) nor the health of their customers, as long as they keep returning. They will, doing whatever it takes to get the money, laying waste to society and their lives.I could have just described any number of addictions: sugar, fat, doof in general, gambling, social media, flying, etc. I would have also described our society, increasingly built around supplying products and services that addict, resulting from our valuing innovation, technological efficiency, and such.Sam and I approach addiction from several views. He shares the inside views he's seen and assembled in his latest book The Least of Us and his earlier Dreamland of America's addiction problem. As we discuss, though he focuses on what many of us consider the most extreme substance-based addictions, their poignancy comes from their relevance to increasingly more of our lives and culture. We are addicted to Facebook, Amazon Prime, Netflix, McDonald's, H&M, Delta, Starbucks, and so on.Unless we acknowledge our problem, for starters, and act.Sam's page, with links to his books, videos, news pieces, and more Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lauren's unusual knack for attracting a refined mix of brilliance and emotional unavailability created a storied dating life from 2010-2019 which included actors, pick-up artists, doctors without borders (or was it boundaries?), CIA agents (who shouldn't have confessed that), astrophysicists, and Daniel J. Jones, author of the 2014 CIA Torture Report, who was portrayed by Adam Driver in The Report (2019), among others.Approaching 600 episodes and a few years into a personal podcast, I'm bringing Lauren on partly as a fascinating person, partly to share more about my past, like my episodes with my mom, whom Lauren met, or the Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll series. Lauren and I dated during the time I was coaching (mostly) men dating and attraction skills. Lauren knew all about that. We learned and grew together. We've kept in touch in the decade since. In this episode we share about the experience.You can hear both Lauren's fascinating experience in psychology, philosophy, and more as well as a view of my growth from protective geek to more open dare-I-say leader. Lauren describes both better than I could, so I recommend listening. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Derek is looking to flip a district that has been moving more Democratic through demographic shifts and redistricting. Can he pull it off?He reached out to me partly to share and explore environmental and sustainability issues. After we cover more of his background, he shared the environmental situation of a potentially stunningly beautiful region, including Joshua Tree and Death Valley, but exurban growth threatens it.Many people claim the environment should not be political. Can politicians act on sustainability coming from one party and attract people from another party? I chose to act outside politics because I saw cultural change as the main issue and the people I saw in history who changed culture started without holding office: Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Henry David Thoreau. Derek wants to do it through politics. In today's situation, I see an uphill battle.He shared some of his views and plans. He also responded strongly to the Spodek Method. Listen to hear his commitment. I predict the experience will lead his views and plans to evolve. I believe he'll consider those changes improvements.I can't believe all politicians aren't using sustainability as a winning platform. I mean, I can because they haven't tried to live sustainably so don't know it brings joy, fun, freedom, community, connection, meaning, and purpose, not the deprivation and sacrifice people expect.Note to politicians: be a guest on this podcast to learn to act on sustainability through authentic, intrinsic motivation and you will learn how to make sustainability a winning issue.Derek's campaign page Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You'll hear why Sam's books win so many awards: he deeply, personally explores fascinating, critical, current topics, then tells rich, detailed stories that get to their heart. He cares about the people he writes about and our tragic era as you the listener and reader.Meth and fentanyl, you can look in any small town, rural area, or big city---that is, everywhere---to see them sweeping and devastating the United States. Sam shares first his background and interest in learning where it comes from historically and geographically, why it takes root, and what people are doing to stop them.Regular listeners to this podcast and my blog readers know I cover addiction a lot. I focus on it partly because it permeates my neighborhood and twenty-first century culture, not just the illegal addictions like meth, fentanyl, crack, opiates, cocaine, and the list goes on. Also the legal ones that kill the most people, like sugar, fat, and behaviors that burn fossil fuels. But mainly because our loss of self-control amid unawareness and denial are causing our environmental problems.Our community and environmental problems that Sam describes are the physical manifestation of our values, implemented by our behaviors. Addiction changes our values from community-based, compassion, and other forms of altruism to neediness and selfishness.I think you'll find this episode fascinating.Sam's home page Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scott emailed me that he didn't explore wilderness meaninglessly listening to birds as much as he committed. From experience, I know some guests overcommit or for some reason don't complete their commitment. I asked him to share anyway, describing how I'm looking to share actual experiences. I don't want to imply it's easy for everyone. He magnanimously agreed to share. Nobody is perfect, but not everyone is strong enough to share, especially publicly.He described how he's felt spiritual giving up in life before and this time fit the pattern. He did some of what he committed to but let it slide, even though it seemed easy. This time felt disappointing. We spoke more and he found something he may try instead.His sharing openly his experience, not feel-good platitudes or instructions for others to follow, is a main reason why I like bringing experienced leaders on the podcast. If you've thought of acting (I hope so) but haven't, or didn't finish, Scott's experience will help start you so you stick with it.It's not easy to start, though my experience tells me that acting enough leads your actions to become a part of your identity. Then it becomes effortless, requiring no willpower. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My first week's assignment to my leadership classes at NYU for years has been to watch Geoff's conversation with Charlie Rose. Geoff got his MBA at NYU, but somehow I took years to connect with him. He was delighted to be a guest.I assign Geoff's work because he communicates a message that you can become an expert and how to do it better than anyone. He speaks simply, eloquently, citing research, telling stories, and encouraging. In our conversation he explains and clarifies the meaning of deliberate practice. It's exactly what I want my students to learn before my class since it shows what will help them learn to lead in practice (not just reading and writing).In our conversation, Geoff shares his work, clarifying for me some parts I needed clarifying, motivating me more. He also sounded intrigued by the Spodek Method motivating sharing his environmental values and acting on them. You'll hear two people who act and write on leadership discussing the method and how it works. I can't wait to hear his results.Geoff's home page, with links to his books, many videos, audio recordings, and written pieces Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I decided to avoid putting screens on while I ate for a month. I expected to enjoy my food more, to find the euphoria I often feel from fresh, healthy food. I was surprised to find more the feeling of wanting to open a screen: a silky, seductive feeling that said, "It's good to turn on the screen. It's bad not to watch. You'll waste time if you don't put the screen on." The feeling came from inside.I've felt that feeling before, but I felt more conscious of it this time. I wasn't selling-family-heirlooms-to-fuel-the-habit level addicted, but I felt the feelings enough to explore them. I share them in this episode, and how we've built our society and culture around profiting from creating those feelings in doof, social media, travel, online shopping, and increasing parts of modern life. It's sickening.The challenge arose in training Conrad Ruiz, the newest host of the This Sustainable Life podcast family. He hasn't posted his first episode yet. I'll announce it on my blog. He led me through the Spodek Method as part of his training. Normally the first time someone practices, we don't record, but this experience affected me to where I wanted to share my experience. Regular blog readers know my interest in understanding addiction since I see most of our continuing behaviors that pollute, that we know are killing others, is addiction most people would consciously say they aren't but they are.It's hard enough to stop someone addicted from their habit when they don't want to or if they don't think they're addicted. How about 330 million people, or 7.9 billion, who don't even realize they're doing anything in the realm of addiction? Few people think their watching TV or flying is an addiction. Few see using the cell phone as something worth avoiding, even as they use it five hours or more a day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This conversation was one of the most fascinating I've had. I couldn't have had it when I was younger. Michael and I are learning each other's world view regarding population, our innate drives, how we create or deplete resources, and related topics.We both agree we want many humans prospering. Our world views differ in what creates the resources we need to live: more humans to create the resources or fewer humans to keep from depleting them. As a result, we each see the strategy the other promotes as grave threats to the mission we agree on: human flourishing.What makes the conversation fascinating and one I couldn't have had before is that we aren't arguing or fighting. We're listening and learning.We start by talking about habits, discipline, virtue, and aligning priorities. I think you'll like this fifth installment of our conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I hope you know Climate Town. Watch a bunch of episodes if you haven't. This Sustainable Life listeners and hosts talk about the show. It's funny and fun, yet intelligent and informative. On top of the content, I watch the backgrounds, which often take place where I live in lower Manhattan and where I went to school, at Columbia, where Rollie went to.So I contacted him and his team. We spoke. Within minutes I could tell why Climate Town is so funny. He and his team are funny. Immediately, I could tell I could learn from them.Here he is. We talk about his and his shows' origins and goals. I always thought he was a scientist making humor. He's a humorist taking on science, but not just a little. Enough to go to graduate school for it. That's serious commitment to his craft. (I think he cares more about the environment than he says, but you can judge for yourself).You'll hear commonalities and differences between us. For example, how to influence others and especially population. I describe the Spodek Method with him. You'll hear his commitment and some anticipation of conflict or synthesis in our next episode.Plus, he's funny throughout. This episode isn't as funny and incisive as a typical Climate Town episode, but more of that than one of my normal episode, since Rollie brings it.Climate TownSweatpantsJames Burk's "The Greatest Shot in Television" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.