Breaking Down: Collapse

Sam Baker is the co-founder and CEO of WriggleBrew, a regenerative agriculture company turning earthworms and microbes into high-performance organic fertilizers. With a background in chemistry and economics and a passion for sustainability, Sam is pioneering new ways to transform waste—like plastics and food scraps—into living soil solutions. His work bridges science, entrepreneurship, and environmental stewardship, and recently earned national recognition through innovation awards and public-private partnerships.https://www.wrigglebrew.comhttps://www.facebook.com/PRAGWriggleBrew/https://www.instagram.com/wrigglebrew/Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After speaking with Dr. Brahney a couple of weeks ago, I felt it was time to touch again on the health impacts of microplastics and what the state of the research is.Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I was able to link up with Dr. Rob Meade to discuss his recent research on wet bulb temperatures. Taken from his bio on his Harvard profile: "Robert D. Meade, PhD, MPH completed his doctoral degree in thermal physiology at the Human and Environmental Physiology Research Unit of the University of Ottawa. He also holds a Masters in Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Rob's research has been aimed at improving scientific understanding of the physiological impacts of extreme heat in vulnerable groups. He also designed and executed the first daylong laboratory based heat wave simulation trials to evaluate the efficacy of personal cooling strategies including cooling centers, foot immersion, and electric fans. His work has been published in leading scientific journals including JAMA and the Lancet Planetary Health. In 2024, Rob joined the Harvard School of Public Health and the Salata Institute South Asia cluster to apply his unique training in thermal physiology and public health to the development and evaluation of community led heat adaptation strategies in South Asia."Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I had the privilege this week of speaking with Dr. Janice Brahney, who is credited as being one of the first researchers to discover the severity of microplastic proliferation in the environment. From her website: "As an environmental biogeochemist, I work at the intersection of the ecological and geological sciences. I combine field, analytical laboratory, and quantitative modeling methods to establish fluxes, transformations, and the fate of elements and compounds in the environment. These techniques are a powerful means to determine the complex drivers of environmental change, quantify the ecological impacts of land use, and determine the mechanisms underpinning ecosystem processes. The three main themes in my research are 1) vectors of material transport to aquatic ecosystems, 2) climate change effects in mountain environments, and 3) the cause, mitigation, and effect of water quality impairment. I am driven to conduct research that tests fundamental theories but also has societal relevance and can be translated into management action."Enjoy the interview!Janice Brahney | Logan River Observatory | USUJanice Brahney WebsitePlease join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode contains the audio from an interview I was invited to do with the amazing Sarah Wilson for her Substack. She was gracious enough to allow me to share the audio with you all here as well!Bio:Sarah Wilson is a multi-New York Times and Amazon bestselling author, social philosopher, international keynote speaker, minimalist and philanthropist. She edited Cosmopolitan magazine Australia at 29, founded the global I Quit Sugar movement, hosted the most-watched TV series in the nation’s history – Masterchef Australia – and wrote the bestseller First, We Make the Beast Beautiful, which Mark Manson described as “the best book on living with anxiety that I’ve ever read.”Her most recent book, This One Wild and Precious Life, won the US Gold Nautilus Prize, and she has ranked in the top 200 most influential authors in the world (two years in a row).Sarah leads dynamic, global conversations about modern philosophy, creativity, existential risk and climate change via her keynote speaking, Wild podcast, and her Substack and social communities (of 550,000 subscribers).She lives nomadically, but is based between Paris and Sydney, is a compulsive hiker and adventurer.Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We know by now that collapse is happening and will continue - but who's fault is it? And is there any point in laying blame? Who should be held accountable, and how?Please join us on Patreon for weekly bonus content and to join our Discord community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dive into a provocative exploration of Curtis Yarvin's vision for a Trump-led power grab and its implications for democracy. The conversation spans from the allure of corporate autocracy to the radical reimagining of governance in the face of societal collapse. Discover the dynamics of a potential monarchical shift and the influence of tech moguls like Elon Musk. The podcast also scrutinizes the intertwining of media, politics, and the erosion of journalistic integrity, all while addressing the changing geopolitical landscape and the importance of community connections.

Delve into the unsettling motivations behind the breakdown of democracy in the U.S. as tech billionaires emerge with ambitious plans. Explore the fine line between conspiracy theories and openly shared agendas of the elite, revealing how some narratives are just smoke and mirrors. The influence of these techno-billionaires raises questions about the future of democracy and the risk of authoritarianism creeping in. It’s a call to stay aware of the shifting political landscape and the alarming visions for governance that may lie ahead.

The podcast dives into the misconception that technology alone can save society from collapse. It critiques the overly optimistic view of technological advancements, revealing their hidden drawbacks. Environmental concerns are explored, highlighting diminishing returns and ecological costs. The discussion covers the paradox of efficiency, showing how tech improvements can lead to increased resource consumption. Nuclear fusion's potential for unlimited energy is examined, alongside its sustainability challenges. Overall, it tackles the complex relationship between technology and ecological balance.

The discussion navigates the multifaceted nature of societal collapse and its uneven impact across demographics. Inflation and wealth inequality are examined as exacerbated by global crises. The hosts explore government responses, revealing a trend of temporary fixes that erode public trust. There's insight into the interplay of infrastructure and governance amidst societal breakdown. Additionally, the impact of declining birth rates on economic sustainability is explored, alongside potential grassroots organizational shifts in times of crisis.