This Sustainable Life

Why do I think about the United States Constitution when my pressure cooker finishes cooking? Or when I leave a room?The U.S. Constitution guides my environmental behavior and has since I learned it in elementary school.Today is U.S. Constitution Day since today in 1787 the delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the document in Philadelphia and that's why today I'm sharing why I love the document, live by it, and think about it daily---specifically Article VI, paragraph 2, which I read and talk about in today's post. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neither the environment nor your life responds to your awareness. They respond to your behavior.People who speak the truth say, "I'm telling the truth." People who lie say the same thing.People who are aware say they are aware. People who are unaware say the same thing too. Only we're all unaware of what we're unaware of. Saying we're aware only reveals our ignorance of our unawareness. That's pride.If you want to improve the environment or your life, claiming awareness may sound like progress and may get you social approval, but in more cases it stops people from acting.What works? Humility. Viewing action as skills that you develop and practice. How do you develop skills? Practice, practice, practice.The results? Greatness, authenticity, genuine self-expression, and all the other results of mastery, even from environmental skills.Want results? Avoid seeing awareness as a goal. Act. Do. Develop skills. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Going car-free is beautifulDaniel got rid of a car! He chose to from Texas!And he thanks me for inspiring him.Would you think losing a car would cripple your life? Listen on to hear how it brought him joy and happiness. Yes, that's right. Getting rid of what Americans associate with freedom and independence brought him more freedom and independence.Daniel discusses enjoying not having a car. Being able to ride his bike everywhere has changed his perspectives in ways he couldn't have predicted. We also discuss the challenges including the weather and if curses me during these times of struggle. You’ll also hear how Daniel uses my book to teach peer leaders in his mastermind groups on perspective and leadership.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Geoffrey West's work beautifully and elegantly ties biology to how we interact with our environment. Amazingly, his unique views lead to the same conclusions as mine, though coming from totally unrelated directions.You've never seen work like his.If you love nature and science, you'll love Geoffrey's approach. You'll see life and death in new ways.I hope you'll also catch my enthusiasm for his view and a chemistry in our conversation, which I see stemming from the passion and view of the world physicists have that drew me to the field and that tell us new, important things.I kept the conversation mostly intact since if you like nature, you'll appreciate his views. If so, I urge you to stick through to the end, where his views converge with mine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alisa shares what happens behind the scenes to everyone, including world-ranked coaches and speakers.Listening to a podcast with leadership in the title means you've probably read many gurus' books and watched their videos, which are all edited and produced to make them look perfect.We know they aren't perfect.Alisa is humble, open, and generous enough to share what few top leaders do.I bet you'll find her reactions very similar to yours, but I bet also with key differences. Those differences in how she handles not meeting her expectations are what put her on those world rankings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben Feder is a high level executive who realized he was losing the things that were important to him due to his pursuit of success -- until then defined by others' values. We talk about him taking a year sabbatical with his whole family in Africa, Asia, and Bali, and how it transformed his life and his family.I share how much I’m enjoying his book and how even though he wrote it for his family, its being personal makes it more universal. If you've thought about an extended retreat, Ben's insight and experience will help you with your vision. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I met Jonathan at the World Science Festival and recorded a podcast interview of him that changed my approach to leadership—in principle and in practice. I seek more opposing views. I listen more. I look to learn their intent and the beliefs and values motivating that intent. I challenge myself more.As he colorfully said to me:We are going through an extraordinary time in which social media and other recent changes are turning us all into self-righteous jerks.Our combined jerkitude threatens to destroy society.We all have to turn it down, be more humble. We don't know the truth. We don't have privileged access to the truth and we have to give each other the benefit of the doubt.The links Jonathan mentioned:Resources on environmental action based on The Righteous MindFeinberg & Willer (2012). The Moral Roots of Environmental Attitudes. Psychological Science. Shows that messages that speak to conservatives’ morals narrow partisan gap on environment. See essay summarizing the research here.Kidwell, Farmer, & Hardesty (2013), Getting Liberals and Conservatives to Go Green: Political Ideology and Congruent Appeals. Journal of Consumer Research. Shows that messages framed using the right moral foundations can appeal to conservatives or liberals, on recycling.Day, Fiske et al. (2014). Shifting Liberal and Conservative Attitudes Using Moral Foundations Theory. PSPB.Wolsko, Ariceaga, & Seiden (2016). Red, white, and blue enough to be green: Effects of moral framing on climate change attitudes and conservation behaviors. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. From the abstract: “While liberals did not generally differ across conditions, conservatives shifted substantially in the pro-environmental direction after exposure to a binding moral frame, in which protecting the natural environment was portrayed as a matter of obeying authority, defending the purity of nature, and demonstrating one’s patriotism to the United States.”John Stuart Mill's On Liberty (edited and illustrated by Jonathan and collaborators) at Heterodox AcademyYourMorals.org, where you can explore your morality Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happier NowNataly starts by sharing her personal story of her family escaping Russia to America, navigating life with immigrant parents. She shares some vulnerable and raw experiences. Even so, she shares feeling blessed to be living in Detroit projects. Listen for why.She talks about taking many wrong turns, decades chasing happiness through achievements and success, trying to hide from feelings of pain, sadness, or stress. She hit a wall, but eventually discovered happiness here and now, not always having to strive, is the key.Nataly shares her 5 core happier skills that you can implement now. They're free on her page, with videos, and comprehensively in her book Happier Now. When talking about her challenge we talk about making it fun for her family. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I met Andrew Revkin through the World Science Festival this year, then recorded at my visited me in my New York apartment. I wish I could have brought you the whole conversation. You get the highlights.We covered global warming, pollution, history, relevant people, and why he is hopeful, even seeing the challenges he sees from the vantage point of National Geographic and the New York Times.Andrew shares the decades work he’s done on these issues. He reinforces the importance of action, not just talking,He takes the challenge seriously, even -- gasp -- flying less, which most people consider impossible. Want to expand your horizons? Listen to hear how a guy who has already done a lot takes on doing more -- to improve his life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People seem impressed when people don't pollute. They say, "That's so good of you!"If not polluting is good, doesn't that mean polluting is normal?I don't think we should see not polluting as special.Let's view it as normal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.