Sustainability In Your Ear

In a conversation sure to fire controversy, author and Foundation for Climate Restoration founder Peter Feikowsky expresses optimism that the world could reach net-zero emissions and begin to drawdown atmospheric CO2 and methane levels within a decade. In a wide-ranging discussion with host Mitch Ratcliffe, Peter introduces several carbon capture technologies, low-carbon concrete, and natural carbon sinks that can contribute to removing anthropogenic CO2. He explains them in a new book, Climate Restoration: The Only Future That Will Sustain the Human Race. For example, using an inexpensive approach to remove methane, which warms the planet almost 28 times faster than CO2, called Enhanced Atmospheric Methane Oxidation (EAMO), he argues we can reduce warming to 2005 levels. Ocean iron fertilization (OIF), which stimulates phytoplankton growth, could be harnessed to pull much of the excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but faces extensive criticism from environmentlists. These approaches require billions, not trillions of dollars, he argues.His optimism extends to the energy industry, which he says could turn over and adopt renewable fuels by 2030 based on adoption of electric vehicles and urgent public concern about extreme weeather, drought and sea level rise. The job of reversing climate change begins when society acheives net-zero emissions, at that point we will have only stopped fueling the fire. We need to remove a trillion tons of CO2 emitted by humans over the past 240 years in order to cool the planet.  Peter shares suggestions about what every one can do to contribute to lower emissions. Having smaller families is key, but even writing letters to the editor, voting and sharing information and ideas with family and friends can make a difference. We also discuss how climate pessimism shares some features of the pre-Y2K doomsaying. This interview has something for everyone and probably will elicit strong reaction. You can learn more about Peter at https://www.peterfiekowsky.com/ and his book, Climate Restoration: The Only Future That Will Sustain The Human Race, is available on Amazon and at Powell's Books.

Kenneth Foard McCallion, an environmental attorney who successfully litigated cases involving the Exxon Valdez and Bhopal Gas disasters, discusses the consequences of the recent Supreme Court decision in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency. In a 6-3 decision in West Virginia v EPA, the conservative justices decided the agency cannot create comprehensive policies to reduce global warming. McCallion argues that the Supreme Court has “dealt a body blow to this country’s climate change policies.” The irony is that the Court claims it is returning power to the states and people when 68% of Americans surveyed by Pew Research Center in 2019 said they believe government should be acting to “reduce the effect of global climate change.” Even 39% of Republicans who responded to that survey agree the government is not doing enough. Congress has relied on experts in agencies like the EPA to formulate policies in response to rapidly changing scientific insight into the environment because legislation takes too long to develop. Now, the Court has undercut that authority.

Pradeep Elankumaran, cofounder and CEO of Farmstead, explains how the company set out to build a sustainable grocery delivery company focused on eliminating food waste. Where retail grocery stores report wastage of between 30 percent and 40 percent of the food they stock, Farmstead uses local batching of deliveries to cut its waste to less than 5 percent. The service is currently available in the San Francisco Bay Area and offers pickup and recycling of cold packs and delivery packaging. Learn more about Farmstead at https://www.farmsteadapp.com/

Charles Jolley, CEO of URB-E, want to disrupt the local delivery infrastructure. URB-E is building a local container delivery network using ebikes and collapsible containers that are pedaled around cities and neighborhoods. The company says a single delivery person can pull up to 800 pounds of stuff, which is sufficient to replace an internal combustion delivery van. URB-E has launched in New York and Los Angeles, where riders can earn between $18 and $24 an hour, with paid time off. The company’s mission is “to be the global leader in foldable, emission-free transportation solutions.”The last mile in the supply chain, between a distribution center and a retail location or your home, has been the focus of innovation over the past century, starting when United Parcel Service was founded in Seattle using bikes. The evolution of on-demand delivery, however, became enmeshed with fossil fuel-powered cars and vans, and we’re still paying the price. What could last mile deliveries look like in a post-carbon society? It may resemble the founding of UPS, but with logistics and electric bike technology taking the place of pedal power. You can learn more about URB-E at https://www.urb-e.com/

Kimberly Shank, cofounder and CEO of Novi, introduces the Novi Connect sustainable personal care and beauty products ingredients and packaging marketplace. The service lets product and packaging designers research and validate the sustainability and environmental impact of the ingredients and packaging materials they use. For example, Novi provides the ability to enter a set of ingredients for a new make-up product and check that their formula meets environmental standards and qualify for retailer and general sustainability certifications. Novi reporting includes sourcing information, so that product designers can understand where products came from and how they were made. This kind of tool is essential to helping product manufacturers change their designs to reduce environmental and social impacts, and it could reshape the products you buy.You can learn more about Novi at https://www.noviconnect.com/

Christian Schiller, cofounder of cirplus, talks about the company's digital marketplace for circular plastics. Think of it as Match.com or Tinder for European plastics recyclers, including companies that collect post-consumer materials and those that sell processed recycled plastic for use in new products. Cirplus connects sellers with buyers and collects fees for speeding the transaction along. Sellers save on marketing costs and can establish ongoing relationships that support their business growth with just a few clicks. cirplus is working now to launch its U.S. marketplace. Christian also discusses the prospects for bioplastics and emerging plastic recycling technologies, including molecular recycling, which will purportedly make plastic recyclable many more times than today.The plastics industry desperately needs to step up its recycling — less than 6% of the approximately 370 million tons of plastic produced each year is recycled today. Recycling is all about economics, and making it profitable depends on gaining reliable access to supplies of recyclable materials as well as customers who are ready to buy the processed material. Christian previously helped to build BlaBlaCar, where we was the first employee at the online transportation market that connects drivers and bus operators to riders. Digital technology, as we often hear from our guests, creates efficiencies that make previously difficult markets come to life. You can learn more about cirplus at https://www.cirplus.com/

Author Eve Darian-Smith discusses her new book, Global Burning: Rising Antidemocracy and the Climate Crisis, which describes and analyzes the environmental policies of authoritarian governments, including the Trump and Bolsanaro administrations in the U.S. and Brazil, as well as Australia’s recently deposed Prime Minister, Scott Morrison. She is chair of the Department of Global and International Studies at the University of California, Irvine. Eve has documented the growing crisis for democratic nations as authoritarian leaders blend anti-environmentalist populism with increasingly aggressive approaches to governing. Climate change is a global problem that nationalists and populists resist actively. With the United States headed into a contentious mid-term election season, we wanted to discuss what voters should be on the watch for when choosing candidates they expect to represent them in global negotiations in response to climate change. You can find Global Burning: Rising Antidemocracy and the Climate Crisis at Amazon (https://amzn.to/39QBgZ0), Audible (https://amzn.to/39OR26R), and Powell's Books (https://www.powells.com/book/global-burning-rising-antidemocracy-the-climate-crisis-9781503631083).

Frank Zambrelli, Executive Director of Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business Responsible Business Coalition, discusses the school's recommendations for sustainability and transparency in the fashion industry. He explains findings in Accenture's recently released a report, Scaling ESG Solutions in Fashion, which identified seven areas of focus required for sustainable changes to the fashion industry. They include industry-wide adoption of transparent emissions reductions goals of 50% by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2040, use of renewable energy in manufacturing, elimination of the use of restricted chemicals, and fair labor practices across every step of the fashion supply chain in order to turn the industry into a sustainable one.Fashion may make us look and feel good but it does no favors for the planet, accounting for up to 8% of global greenhouse gas emission annually and providing many examples of egregious treatment of labor in low-income countries. Frank also explains the intentions behind New York Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand's Fashion Accountability and Building Real Institutional Change Act, or FABRIC Act, which the U.S. Senate is currently considering. It would require moving fashion production back to the U.S. under better environmental and labor standards than other countries enforce. You can learn more about Fordham University's Gabelli School of Business at https://www.fordham.edu/gabelli-school-of-business/

Nick Zamanov, business director at San Jose-based Cyber Switching, a maker of electric vehicle charging technology, joins Mitch Ratcliffe to discuss choosing the right EV and how to grow electric vehicle charging capacity. The company launched in 1994 and has developed charging solutions for offices, local governments, apartment buildings, universities and other charger installations. Nick also recently contributed an article at Earth911, Considerations To Help You Confidently Switch to an EV, a guide to the concerns shoppers have about buying and using EVs.The price of EV charging already compares favorably to fueling up with gas. According to American Automobile Association estimates, which made its analysis when gas cost $4.25 a gallon, electric driving costs a third of the price as gasoline driving over the same distance. Nick provides an optimistic but pragmatic view into the potential to replace internal combustion personal and commercial vehicles with a robust EV charging infrastucture. You can find out more about Cyber Switching at https://cyberswitching.com/

Douglas Heske, founder and CEO of Newday Impact Investing explains how to invest for positive environmental outcomes during a bear market. He recommends treating deflated stock prices as an opportunity to add sustainable companies to a portfolio, and shares details about his firm's new Ocean Health ETF (NYSE: AHOY), which focuses on companies that prevent ocean plastic pollution, encourage sustainable fishing practices, and that help restore marine environments. Newday Impact Investing will also donate 5% of its Ocean Health ETF revenue to EarthEcho International, a youth-focused non-profit founded by Philippe and Alexandra Cousteau.