This Sustainable Life

Most people will find my conversation with Rob unexpected, but talking with someone with his experience and views has long been one of my goals. People keep associating the environment with the political left, but everyone wants clean air, land, and water.Regular listeners know Rob from my appearing in a video episode, A Different Look At Climate Change, at Magamedia.org---MAGA as in Trump's Make America Great Again. Rob supports Trump enthusiastically. In New York City, identifying oneself out of the mainstream reads of a heartfelt deliberate decision.I dislike what I see as the left's coopting the environment as a wedge issue. I don't see trying to beat the right as working. I also don't see combining the environment with things the right dislikes as effective, especially given Trump winning the last presidential election and his environmental views and actions.If you think the quote I started this episode with of Rob describing the effect of Al Gore's personal behavior on the right is unfair or irrelevant, I suggest that you're missing that leadership means understanding what motivates those you want to lead. To learn their beliefs and views.For context, I recommend listening to my episode describing how we met, episode 266: Thoughts in my MAGA interview, and my appearance in his show.It's a long conversation, but if you value people you wouldn't expect to communicate learning and sharing with each other, you'll love this episode. Rob shared a lot of conservatives' motivations around the environment. He also shared some personal environmental values and is acting on them---not because I told him facts, figures, doom, gloom, or to think of the children or other ways I hear people frankly as I see it bludgeoning others to comply.I can't wait to keep talking more and to hear his results. Actually, I can't wait to collaborate more if we can. Partly I want to keep learning perspectives I don't know, as much as everyone I know who works on the environment hates Trump.I hope this conversation starts a collaboration to help conservatives enjoy acting on the environment, to share their actions from joy notcoercion. I hope to help make environmental action and legislation as non-partisan as traffic.My appearance on MagaMedia.org, A Different Look At Climate ChangeMy post about appearing on Magamedia.orgRob's Twitter page Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nearly everyone treats acting on the environment as a burden or chore---especially would-be leaders who don't do what they say others should. They lead people to inaction.Effective leaders don't discourage. I find role models to inspire me.Vince Lombardi tops many people's lists of all-time top coaches. The NFL named the Superbowl trophy after him. His teams dominated the game.He shared the core of his ethos in a short essay, What It Takes to Be Number 1. It is an ethos of integrity, of finding your best and living your best. Acting on the environment in this time of crisis brought out my best and continues to. I am acting to bring out the best in you and everyone. I haven't accomplished what Lombardi has, so I'm sharing his message and applying it to acting on the environment.I won't tell anyone to stop spreading facts, figures, doom, gloom, and coercion, but I think they'll get more results sharing something more like Lombardi did.I believe it will be more effective. It will be a lot more fun too.The obituary that prompted this post: Willie Wood, Hall of Fame defensive back for Vince Lombardi’s Packers, dies at 83My post applying the I Have a Dream speech's ethos: I Have an Environmental DreamMy post applying Shakespeare's Henry V's St Crispin's day speech's ethos: We few, we happy few, we band of brothersHere's his essay:What it takes to be number oneBy Vince LombardiWinning is not a sometime thing; it’s an all the time thing. You don’t win once in a while; you don’t do things right once in a while; you do them right all of the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game, and that’s first place. I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay, and I don’t ever want to finish second again. There is a second place bowl game, but it is a game for losers played by losers. It is and always has been an American zeal to be first in anything we do, and to win, and to win, and to win.Every time a football player goes to ply his trade he’s got to play from the ground up – from the soles of his feet right up to his head. Every inch of him has to play. Some guys play with their heads. That’s O.K. You’ve got to be smart to be number one in any business. But more importantly, you’ve got to play with your heart, with every fiber of your body. If you’re lucky enough to find a guy with a lot of head and a lot of heart, he’s never going to come off the field second.Running a football team is no different than running any other kind of organization – an army, a political party or a business. The principles are the same. The object is to win – to beat the other guy. Maybe that sounds hard or cruel. I don’t think it is.It is a reality of life that men are competitive and the most competitive games draw the most competitive men. That’s why they are there – to compete. The object is to win fairly, squarely, by the rules – but to win.And in truth, I’ve never known a man worth his salt who in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn’t appreciate the grind, the discipline. There is something in good men that really yearns for discipline and the harsh reality of head to head combat.I don’t say these things because I believe in the ‘brute’ nature of men or that men must be brutalized to be combative. I believe in God, and I believe in human decency. But I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour — his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear — is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David's TED talk has over 2 million views. I recommend watching it to learn about his project, Plastic Bank, though he describes it in our conversation.Regular listeners know my views on importance of reduction first. I wanted to know if Plastic Bank's putting a value on plastic, increasing demand. His TED talk talks about turning off the valve if you're flooding, but maybe he's just moving the water around, not shutting the valve.But you'll hear in our conversation that he clearly states his goal is to stop virgin plastic production.David is leading, working with people, beliefs, goals---what I believe is where we should work.Most people tell me what they can't do on the environment, how others have to change, why they shouldn't change.David shares the opposite---how to live how you want in every way.David's TED talk, The Surprising Solution to Ocean PlasticPlastic Bank Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We'll hear about Paul's experiences with eating out, eating at movie theaters, using prepared food, and his changing views on waste that came from experience. Involving his wife too.You'll also hear me several times feel at the edge of my seat, which I attribute to his story-telling and story-telling-teaching. I asked him if he created that effect on purpose or by accident, and we'll get to hear his answer.Paul's site, Lead With a Story Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Click here for the video of this episodeIf you're like most people, you want to act on the environment. You want to make sure you make a difference and fear wasting your time or doing pointless work.I felt that way before I started the path that led to this podcast. Taking initiative overcame it. I wrote my book, Initiative, on taking initiative based on the course I've taught at corporations and NYU to stellar student reviews and videos.If you want to make a difference on something you care about to help a community and people you care about, the exercises in this book are the best way I know.Today's episode is a conversation with Dan Zehner, who did the exercises. Yes, I'm promoting the book, but to help empower this community. I didn't record it intending to post here, but found it so relevant to a world where one of the most common responses involves the phrase "but what I do doesn't matter" that I decided to share it here.Initiative teaches anyone to create more of what you love, get closer to your family and loved ones if you want, create community, develop social and emotional skills, connect with the top people in the world in your area.Went from below middle manager to realizing his dreams, spending more time with his family, wasting less time on uninteresting things, and going into business with one of the top people in the world to serve people and a community he cares about.He felt he had no other choice. He didn't see opportunities he now considers obvious. His world turned from scarcity and lonely struggle to abundance and progress with friends.Questions Dan answersWhat if IDon't have time?Don't have money?Have too many ideas?Have too few ideas?Can't focus?Don't want to start a company?Don't like to take risks?Don't know anyone who can help me?What if my husband/wife/family is my priority?What about all the problems in the world I should work on?How is Initiative's process different than all the other resources out there on entrepreneurship?What's wrong with other methods?What's the experience like?Where can I learn more details?Click here for the video of this episodeDan Zehner's blog Anthem of the AdventurerHis video of adventure. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People often ask me why I don't live in the country.Here are the notes I read from for this post:They say you could live in natureThis is a fundamental misunderstanding about my goals and read of situationAbout people, not CO2 or plasticNew Zealand documentary home restorerNot about me getting away from problemsPattern: Mess -> get away -> others follow -> colony -> town -> cityNot interested in contributing to the pattern that created situationGoal is to solve problem, including happiness, not help myself, certainly not at others' expense Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nadya indulged me in taking this podcast in new directions after listeners said they'd like to hear more unscripted conversation for a more human conversation.Before starting recording, we talked about the difference between celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising and the 50th anniversary of walking on the moon. You'll hear that we spoke and got along swimmingly for a while.Then we began misunderstanding each other for about half the conversation, talking past each other. It wasn't my intent, but conversations like it happen all the time. Sometimes I'm in them, others I hear others get stuck in them.I don't know if you'll find it entertaining, tragic, or what. It was certainly frustrating in the moment, but Nadya and I were doing this not to annoy but to understand.By the end, we didn't wrap everything up, but I think we came out okay. Before posting I asked if she was okay with it and she responded with an enthusiastic yet.So by popular demand, you get to hear how conversations on the environment often go, even after years of practice, even between people who overwhelmingly agree with each other.I think she genuinely meant it about recognizing the process of coming to understanding, which she differentiates from agreement, necessitates the kind of conversation we had. I'm realizing I have to speak accurately every time, though I recognize that even then, people misunderstand each other.In any case, amid our talk about mines and litter, she took her challenge seriously and didn't give up on it. On the contrary, she added to it, and, as I heard, it augmented the rest of her life.Nadya's home page Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who doesn't love food? Vanessa also loves whole, fresh vegetables and fruit. If you haven't seen the movie The Game Changers, about athletes who love vegan food and still compete at the highest levels, well you don't need to because Vanessa is living it.Changing diet and changing environmental habits have a lot in common. Vanessa found the joy, community, and connections in food that I did, and she won a bodybuilding competition. We also talk about environmental action. Still fun.Vanessa and my second conversation might look long, but I suggest it's worth it. She's shares herself personally and openly, so I chose to let it go long.She shared what many people go through---the internal resistance and reasons not to act, for example, and who doesn't know about making excuses not to act? You'll also hear her say why to act on diet, so you can hear about habit change on both sides from the same person.Her openness helped me to where I think I'm opening up and speaking more naturally.Her challenge worked in some ways but not others. This podcast isn't designed to say it's easy, only to share their experiences.I think many would envy her results. She's not superhuman. On the contrary, she's every bit as human as anyone. What she did most of us can. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The notes I read from for this episode:People don't want to do small things. They want to do things that matter.Stop telling people small things they can do except as part of everything. Find things that you care about, that you notice.And stop measuring against a global problem. Ask yourself if you care. Do you care when you see litter in your neighborhood, then pick itup. If you care, you'll get something out of it.If you care about sea level rise, do something big to act on it. For your values. Who cares if you aren't fixing the world's problems all by yourself. If you're improving your life, you'll enjoy doing it anyway.What does it do to you to know you're hurting others but still doing it anyway, no matter how much you can say doing different doesn't make a difference. What are you here for, to give up? To do what you think others shouldn't because they are too? Believe it or not, if you want to make a big, measurable difference, whatever you do will achieve it fastest and most effectively.In a world where billions are craving someone to follow, several of you who act soon will become leaders of your communities, companies,neighborhoods, and countries.Do you want a raise at work? Show you can take and fulfill responsibility. Show your values and live by them so they know you.Hiding what you care about and blaming others won't get you promoted. Listen to my guests who started companies, reached leadership positions in places like Apple, Google, and the Federal Government by taking responsibility and acting on the environment.They are the future. Be the future. Stop pussyfooting around with straws and excuses that the plane was going to fly anyway.The posts I mentioned:275: Go big273: We few, we happy few, we band of brothers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You probably know the value of stories---though it's probably bigger than you think. You probably could improve your storytelling. Even if you're improving, I bet you're focusing on less-important parts of the craft.Paul Smith teaches storytelling, but as you'll hear, storytelling to lead people is different than just engaging or entertaining them. You'll hear tips and techniques to help you in every part of your life stories matter.Developing yourself as a storyteller to lead others is different than to engage. Not that there isn't great value in it, but if you want to lead, you'll learn from Paul how and where to focus. I say this as someone who has worked on parts that aren't as valuable as what he talks about.On the environment, Paul showed the pattern many do at first---they play down their knowledge and experience, but when they talk about it more, caring and passion emerge, as when he talked about China and LA.Then the more he talked about it, the more emerged.Paul Smith's page with links to his videos and books Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.