Smart People Podcast

Scott Sklar - Clean & renewable energy expert, Founder and President of The Stella Group, co-author of Consumer Guide to Solar Energy and The Forbidden Fuel. Until this episode, I must admit, I never thought much about what happens when I plug something into the wall. Even if you don't turn the thing on, it still accounts for nearly 10% of our total energy usage - it's called vampire power!  I didn't think about all of the blinking lights in my room at night, or the TV that drones on in the background.  But as I learned, the energy used to power all of these devices is extremely costly, both in terms of my energy bill as well as the safety and stability of our environment.  For example, did you know that 90% of the water used in the world goes towards growing food and making energy, with the majority going towards energy production?  I never knew that we used so much water just making energy.  With water being our most important and soon-to-be scarce resource, we have to find energy that is more sustainable. And there is more to it than that.  When we drill for oil we disrupt the environment, when we frack we flush harmful chemicals into the earth, and when we try to use nuclear energy....well...can you say Chernobyl? We must find a way to utilize more efficient, renewable, clean energy.  Luckily for us, we have brilliant people such as Scott Sklar, working on exactly that. Scott Sklar is an expert in the field of clean and renewable energy. He is the Founder and President of The Stella Group, a strategic technology optimization and policy firm advancing the utilization of clean, distributed energy applications.  Scott is the co-author of Consumer Guide to Solar Energy and The Forbidden Fuel. He Chairs the Steering Committee of the Sustainable Energy Coalition and sits on the Boards of Directors of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, and The Solar Foundation.  He is also an Adjunct Professor at The George Washington University.  Scott lives in a solar home and has a zero-energy office building in Arlington, Virginia. -- This episode is brought to you by Squarespace – the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to create your own website. For a free trial and 10% off, go to Squarespace.com and use offer code smart11. Easy – Everything is drag and drop. You can use drag and drop to add content from your desktop, and even rearrange elements of content within a page. 24/7 support – Squarespace has an amazing 24/7 support team in New York City. They do live chat during the week, and have extremely fast email support throughout the day and night. Design Focused – Squarespace really cares about design. All their templates are extremely clean, and allow your content to be the focus of your website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Tetrick - A social entrepreneur who is solving our industrial farming problem one egg at a time! Josh is the CEO of Hampton Creek Foods, an amazing company that is creating better for you egg-like products using plant based ingredients.  These products are more healthful, sustainable, and humane - it's a win, win, win! Did you know that humans consume over 1 TRILLION eggs per year? How is that even possible? We have 7 billion people on the planet, which means that the average person eats over 140 eggs per year.  I know - I was shocked when I learned that too.  Sure, many people enjoy a nice omelet or scrambled egg every once in a while, but no way we can be eating that many eggs right? But when you think about it, eggs are in everything! They are in mayonnaise and cakes, ice cream and pasta, soups and bread....and pretty much anything else you can think of! As you can imagine, this "egg dependency" really creates a problem and places a heavy burden on chicken farmers.  To keep up with demand, farmers have to use inhumane and unsafe methods to meet their egg requirement.  The hens spends their life stuff into tiny cages, unable to spread their wings, covered in their own feces, stuffed with antibiotics, never seeing the light of day.  And in the end, the thing we are eating EVERY DAY is merely a product of that crowded, dirty, diseased hens ovulation cycle.  There HAS to be a better way. This is the problem that Josh Tetrick saw, and he decided he could fix it. Josh is the CEO of Hampton Creek Foods (HCF).  HCF has set out to lower the number of eggs consumed in the world by creating a plant based egg alternative.  Although at first this idea sounds far out there - in reality it's no more crazy then our unbelievable reliance on eggs.  In fact, I would make the argument that it's more normal for us to eat plants than it is to eat eggs in the first place.  Tune in this week to learn more about how HCF is using modern science to substitute plants for eggs in everything from mayonnaise to cookie dough and more.  For a fantastic visual demonstration of what Hampton Creek Foods is creating, be sure to see Josh's amazing TedX talk below. Josh has been involved with a variety of social causes that include a United Nations initiative in Kenya and teaching street children in multiple African countries as a Fulbright Scholar.  He earned his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his JD from the University of Michigan Law School. Interested in episodes on health and nutrition? We recommend Episode #1, #8, #61, #84,and #91! Twitter info: @joshtetrick @hcfoods -- This episode is brought to you by Terminology. Terminology is an app for anyone who loves words. A Universal app for iPad and iPhone, Terminology is part dictionary, part thesaurus, and part research tool.  Built from the ground up for iOS 7. Concise definitions and deep word relationships, like more and less specific words. Extensible through custom actions that let you easily browse your search on Wikipedia, Google or almost any other website. Store favorites and word history, with Dropbox backup. Universal iPad & iPhone app with iCloud sync. $2.99 on the App Store. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alivia Tagliaferri - Author of 'Beyond the Wall: The Journey Home', producer and director of the documentary film, Beyond the Wall: Homeless Zone. As we discussed in episode 76, war is a part of life.  Always has been, always will be.  In fact, in that episode, we even discussed how sometimes, war is seemingly justified - a necessary evil.  But regardless of your personal stance, or the stance of anyone else, we can no longer deny the lasting effect that war has on the human psyche.  Only within the past few decades have we began to understand the after effects of war and, more specifically, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). So this week, Jon and I decided to open up a painful subject, to learn more about what happens to soldiers after they return from duty. However, as you probably know, we usually go straight to the academic when discussing any topic - especially one involving the brain.  But this week, we decided to go a slightly different route.  We wanted to hear from someone who could explain our soldiers journey in a way that we could feel the emotion.  We wanted to get a glimpse of what these brave men and women go through - so we enlisted the services of a masterful story teller, Alivia Tagliaferri. Alivia is the author of Beyond the Wall: The Journey Home (November, 2009). Formerly titled 'Still the Monkey, What Happens to Warriors after War,'. Tagliaferri's debut novel is receiving recognition from the veteran, military and mental health communities for its stirring and non-biased portrayal of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the long-range affects this mind injury has on the psyche of self and family. She is the producer and director of Beyond the Wall: Homeless Zone, a short documentary exploring the issue of homelessness among veterans. It was co-produced by Nancy E. Mantelli, a film and video educator. The film first premiered at the Woodrow Wilson Center in November 2008, and again at the 2010 GI FILM FESTIVAL.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Linden, PhD - Neurobiologist, Author of The Compass of Pleasure: How Our Brains Make Fatty Foods, Orgasm, Exercise, Marijuana, Generosity, Vodka, Learning and Gambling Feel So Good, and professor at Johns Hopkins. Ask and you shall receive! The data is in from the Smart People Podcast survey (which is open for anyone to still take, we would appreciate it!) and you all voted psychology and the brain to be the most interesting subject. So - we did what we do best and went out to find the smartest, most interesting, articulate "brain guy" we could. And believe us, he does not disappoint. Join us to learn about how our memory works, what makes us individuals, why we love certain experiences, and more.  It's an all out mind bender! Our guest is David J. Linden, PhD.  David is a professor of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University and the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Neurophysiology.  His most recent book is The Compass of Pleasure and prior to that he wrote The Accidental Mind. His website hilariously warns everyone that he does not want to be confused with the Psychiatrist David E. Linden - because that guy was a total jerk.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rosalind Wiseman - Author of Masterminds and Wingmen and Queen Bees & Wannabes, which is the book that was used as the basis for the movie Mean Girls.  Rosalind Wiseman is an internationally recognized expert on children, teens, parenting, bullying, social justice, and ethical leadership. The teenage years bring about a wide array of changes and challenges that make them some of the most difficult years in a persons entire life.  Experiences that occur in this stage of maturation can shape a person forever, for better or for worse.  These challenges have continued to gain main stream media attention recently as the topic of bullying has been brought to the forefront.  However, bullying is merely one part of the larger puzzle that comprises the confusing life of a teenager.  For any parent out there who is trying to connect with their child, for any sibling who wants to help out their brother or sister, or for any young person that feels like there are too many questions to be answered, this weeks episode provides some amazing insight on the crazy world of growing up. Episodes like this one are exactly the reason why Jon and I started this podcast.  I don't know how we came across Rosalind, but all I can say is I'm glad we did.  Conversations such as this expand our knowledge of the world and the way people grow and mature. Pass this along to a friend who might need this advice, a parent who is struggling, or a young person who is confused.  If even one person finds a little bit of solace in the information covered in this episode, we will feel as if we have truly made a difference. Over the past 2 decades, Rosalind has spent her life helping parents understand their kids, and helping kids understand themselves! Most famously the author of Queen Bees and Wannabes—the groundbreaking, fully revised edition of her best-selling book that was the basis for the movie Mean Girls—Rosalind Wiseman is an internationally recognized expert on children, teens, parenting, bullying, social justice, and ethical leadership. Her latest book, Masterminds & Wingmen serves the other side of the same coin - as Rosalind discusses the life of boys growing up. National media regularly depends on Wiseman as the expert on ethical leadership, media literacy, and bullying prevention. She is a consultant for Cartoon Network’s Speak Up, Stop Bullying Campaign and has been profiled in The New York Times, People, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and USA Today. Wiseman is a frequent guest on The Today Show, Anderson Cooper 360, CNN, Good Morning America, and NPR affiliates throughout the country. She also serves as an advisor to the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. -- This episode is brought to you by LearnVest - Get free money tips, tools and advice to help you make progress on your money. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alexis Ohanian- Author of Without Their Permission: How the 21st Century Will Be Made, Not Managed, co-founder of Reddit, internet entrepreneur, and advisor to Hipmunk and Breadpig. While Chris and I were in our dorm room playing FIFA 2001 on the Playstation2, Alexis Ohanian and his roommate, Steve Huffman, sat in their dorm room a mere 60 miles away working on a website that is now a cultural phenomenon known as Reddit. While Reddit is often called the "front page of the Internet," or an easy way to waste an entire work day, it is known for its open nature and diverse user base. After leaving Reddit, Alexis continued his entrepreneurial path and helped launch the travel search website, Hipmunk, and an "uncorporation" named Breadpig. Breadpig is a site that allows for the making and selling of "geek" merchandise, with the proceeds being given to charity. Alexis seems to always be at the forefront of the Internet and he became an Internet activist speaking out against Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Senate's Protect IP Act (PIPA). In his new book titled Without Their Permission: How the 21st Century Will Be Made, Not Managed, Alexis shares his stories, ideas, and tips for young entrepreneurs who are looking to "make the world suck less." -- This episode is brought to you by Squarespace – the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to create your own website. For a free trial and 10% off, go to Squarespace.com and use offer code smart10. Easy – Everything is drag and drop. You can use drag and drop to add content from your desktop, and even rearrange elements of content within a page. 24/7 support – Squarespace has an amazing 24/7 support team in New York City. They do live chat during the week, and have extremely fast email support throughout the day and night. Design Focused – Squarespace really cares about design. All their templates are extremely clean, and allow your content to be the focus of your website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonathan Poneman - Co-Founder of Sub Pop Records, first to sign Nirvana and Soundgarden. Good bands can be found in any local watering hole.  Great bands are much harder to find even with the digital music era.  But the best bands, the bands that change the way we listen to music, the bands that define a generation - well they are truly a magical find.  And perhaps no band better defines the grunge rock genre of the 90's than Nirvana.  However, if it weren't for this week's guest, Jonathan Poneman, the grunge era may have never heard the melodic, angst ridden voice of the late Kurt Cobain. As you will hear in this episode, Jonathan grew up with the same hopes and dreams that many kids have - he wanted to be a rock star.  However, in his own words Jonathan said, "I lacked the requisite good looks and the talent, so I knew I had to make my living elsewhere within the music industry." Lucky for us, he is apparently very good at discovering and popularizing great music.  When he was handed a cassette from a friend titled "Kurt Cobain", he popped it in his ears and was instantly engrossed.  Jonathan pushed hard and got Kurt signed, eventually the band became known as Nirvana. Join us this week and get the inside look on the Seattle music scene and what it was like to hang out with Kurt Cobain, the Smashing Pumpkins, and Soundgarden.  Jonathan Poneman is a true innovator in the music industry. Sub Pop Records, the label that he co-founded with Bruce Pavitt, has been the launching ground for some of the best bands in the past three decades. Check out the Nirvana song that made Poneman a believer! As Poneman mentions in the interview, this is one of the best artists you have never heard! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel Roberts – Author of Zoom: Surprising Ways to Supercharge Your Career and the leading journalist for Fortune Magazine’s extremely popular “40 under 40” list. Although my 18 year old self would never admit it, there is of course plenty we can learn from those that come before us.  It is for exactly this reason that... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Barry Nalebuff – Mission in a Bottle: The Honest Guide to Doing Business Differently — and Succeeding, Co-Founder of Honest Tea, Harvard Professor, Entrepreneur, expert on game theory, negotiation and business strategy. So picture this – While teaching at Harvard University, Professor Barry Nalebuff is running his class through a case study comparing Pepsi and... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christopher Schroeder – Startup Rising – The Entrepreneurial Revolution Remaking the Middle East – author, co-founder of healthcentral.com and CEO of Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive. Upon interviewing our guest this week, I had a minor revelation.  Jon and I are sitting in our air conditioned, loft studio with our dogs lazily laying about our feet.  The air... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices