Earthlings 2.0 Podcast

Nuclear power - the question we come to as a society time and time again. Do we keep it? Get rid of it? Build more? Do the benefits outweigh the challenges, costs, and risks? To tackle these questions and more are hosts Lisa Ann and Christian speak with three experts in the field of nuclear energy, Dr. Jessica Lovering of the Good Energy Collective, MV Ramana of the University of British Columbia, and Chris Vlahoplus formerly of Scott Maddan's energy practice.Dr. Jessica Lovering is co-founder and co-executive director of the Good Energies Collective. MV Ramana is a physicist and a professor at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, University of British Columbia. Chris Vlahoplus is a former management consultant to the energy industry, specifically in the area of nuclear.About the show: The Earthlings Podcast explores the technology and social challenges and opportunities facing us in the 21st century, and what knowledge we have to make the best decisions for tomorrow. Co-host Lisa Ann Pinkerton is a former award-winning NPR and PBS environmental science reporter, now providing startups with public relations support at Technica Communications and leading Women in Cleantech & Sustainability. Co-Host Christian Roseland is a self-described energy wonk, analyst, and founding editor of PV Magazine USA.  Talking Points:Understanding microreactors and small modular reactors (SMRs) and the promise for near-term mass commercial deploymentThe challenges with mass-producing new nuclear technologyThe aftermath of the nuclear renaissance When and if we should shift our funding to renewable energyKeeping current plants versus building new plantsClean versus low carbon nuclear energyThe prospect of phasing out nuclear energyResources/Links:OKLOMV Ramana at the University of British ColumbiaThe Good Energy CollectiveScott Madden - Nuclear Power Generation

The metaverse, vertical farming, robots, autonomous vehicles, and space all have one thing in common - the Consumer Electronics Show. Lisa Ann attended CES this year in Las Vegas and brought back some of the most interesting and innovative ideas brought up at the show. There are some fascinating and amazing things to look forward to in the near and far future including innovative tech. Many countries and companies were represented at the show, so there was something for everyone. While there weren’t any flying cars just yet, there were plenty of other forms of technology represented. Science fiction in the past is no longer fiction, or in the past. Some of those things will be available in the near future! Lisa Ann talked with a number of representatives from various companies to show us what we can look forward to.Oleg Dre is the CEO and founder of Manna (an interactive 3D media production platform). John Roth is the Vice President of Business Development at Sierra Space. Dan Park was the representative from N.thing. Nicholas Duprey is the United States representative from Moon Bikes.Talking Points:The 2022 Consumer Electronics Show in Las VegasThe future of the metaverse and virtual realityFunctional uses for the metaverseVirtual reality sicknessSpace and space travel in the future zero gravity manufacturingVertical farming and farming in zero gravityRobotics and autonomous vehiclesRobotic restaurants and servers to help with increased sanitation Transportation in the futureResources/Links: Manna App Seenetic SN Corp Nthing Reencleus StorantMoon Bikes The Earthlings podcast is about all of the decisions that we’ll have to make to ensure that the future we have is one we want to live in. Hosts Lisa Ann Pinkerton (former award-winning NPR and PBS environmental science reporter) and Christian Roselund (founding editor of PV Magazine USA) take a close look at our relationships with technology, science, the planet, and each other. Today we’re focusing on future technology.  

Will cryptocurrency be the future of money? What does that mean for society?Welcome to the Earthlings podcast, where we’ll talk about all of the decisions that we’ll have to make to ensure that the future we have is one we want to live in. Hosts Lisa Ann Pinkerton (former award-winning NPR and PBS environmental science reporter) and Christian Roseland (founding editor of PV Magazine USA) take a close look at our relationships with technology, science, the planet, and each other. Today’s focus is on the opportunities facing us in the 21st century.Will cryptocurrency be the future of currency? And what does that mean for investors and what does that mean for us? What about the energy used in mining cryptocurrency? What does it even mean to “mine” crypto? There are so many questions around cryptocurrency. To many people, it is still a huge confusing concept. The aim of today’s episode is to decrypt these myths, stereotypes, and defog the haze around cryptocurrency. Lisa Ann and Christian bring three expert guests together in order to talk about the use, the security, and the mining of crypto. They also help to define the buzzwords and tackle some of the misconceptions. Alejandra Argueta is the owner of Requisite, and he's been a crypto enthusiast since 2017. Laura Shin is the senior editor at Forbes. She also runs the Unchained Podcast and she's the author of the The Cryptopians: Idealism, Greed, Lies, and the Making of the First Big Cryptocurrency Craze. John Paul Barrick is the CEO at the MiningStore.Talking Points:How people are using crypto right nowSone currencies to researchDecentralized finance and how coins interact with itWhat are NFTs and how are they different from cryptocurrenciesThe security of cryptocurrencyThe benefits (to the user) in cryptoHow cryptocurrency is like being your own bankWhy cryptocurrency has been the currency of choice for ransomwareHow other countries are utilizing cryptocurrencyThe future trends in cryptocurrency and miningMining cryptocurrency and the energy neededWhat is blockchain?Resources/Links:ForbesUnchained PodcastThe Cryptopians: Idealism, Greed, Lies, and the Making of the First Big Cryptocurrency CrazeMiningStore

The oil and gas industry is powerful but not invulnerable, and faces an existential threat. In this episode, we talk with a leading energy writer about the future of global oil markets, and what this means for all of us. Welcome to the Earthlings podcast, where we talk about the big issues facing humanity in the early 21st century. In today’s episode, hosts Lisa Ann Pinkerton and Christian Roselund interview Gregor Macdonald, the author of Oil Fall. Gregor cuts through the noise of short-term market fluctuations to talk about the big trends that are shaping global demand for oil, what the coming plateau of demand means, and what we can do to cut fossil fuel use now. About Our Guest:Gregor Macdonald is a freelance journalist who covers cities, climate, and energy—as well as a former oil trader. His work has appeared in Nature, The Economist Intelligence Unit, The Harvard Business Review, Next City, Atlantic Media’s Route Fifty, The Petroleum Economist, PV Magazine, and Talking Points Memo.Talking Points:The factors underlying the future of global oil demandWhat it means for both the climate and the oil industry oil demand to “plateau” versus fallingHow electric vehicles make a long-term fall in oil demand inevitableWhat cities can do now to reduce oil demand and prevent the worst effects of climate changeWhat the oil industry does and does not control around policyWhy plastics and other non-fuel applications will not save the oil industryWhy the United States and other developed countries can and should invest in infrastructure Resources/Links:Oil FallThe Gregor Letter

EVs are taking over the car market. And in this show, we look at what this means for you as a driver or passenger. We speak with an editor who has been covering EVs for decades, an entrepreneur working in EV charging, and a new Tesla owner to get the ins, outs, and rapid acceleration of driving an EV.Welcome to the Earthlings podcast, where we’ll talk about all of the decisions that we’ll have to make to ensure that the future we have is one we want to live in. In today’s episode, hosts Lisa Ann Pinkerton (former award-winning NPR and PBS environmental science reporter) and Christian Roselund (founding editor of PV Magazine USA) dive into the EV world. They’re talking about charging issues, the history and future of motor vehicles, and the current status of EVs. What is it like owning an EV right now? What does the future hold?These questions and more are answered by charging industry expert Kamaele Terry, current EV owner John FItzgeral Weaver, and EV industry expert Charles Morris. They’ll help clear the air–the air pollution–around the transportation industry right now by defining some of those EV buzzwords, talking about the issues around EV charging stations, and what it’s going to take in order to make EVs more attainable for everyone.Kamaele Terry is the founder and CEO of ChargerHelp!, and she's also a board member who leads the LA chapter for Women in CleanTech and Sustainability. Charles Morris is the senior editor at Charged Electric Vehicles Magazine. He's also the author of the book, Tesla: How Elon Musk and Company Made Electric Cars Cool, and Remade the Automotive and Energy Industries. John Fitzgerald Weaver is a solar developer who is known online as “The Commercial Solar Guy.”Talking Points:The expiration date of internal combustion engines (ICE) vehiclesWhat is considered an electric vehicle (EV)?Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) versus other types of EVsWho will be buying EVs in the near future?Countries who have banned ICE vehiclesWhat is holding back the EV push in the USWhat it is like to own an EVRegenerative braking and why it’s better than the brake pedalAutopilot and full self-driving (FSD) in a Tesla Charging issues with EVs and how they are being resolvedResources/Links:ChargerHelp!Women in CleanTech and SustainabilityEV MagazineCharged Electric Vehicles MagazineTesla: How Elon Musk and Company Made Electric Cars Cool, and Remade the Automotive and Energy Industries by Charles Morris

What we can know, what we can't, and what is possible in the future of energy.Welcome to the first episode of the Earthlings podcast, where we’ll talk about all of the decisions that we’ll have to make to ensure that the future we have is one we want to live in. Hosts Lisa Ann Pinkerton (former award-winning NPR and PBS environmental science reporter) and Christian Roseland (founding editor of PV Magazine USA) take a close look at our relationships with technology, science, the planet, and each other. Today’s focus is an in depth look at our relationships with energy. What do we know? What can’t we know? What can we do to have a stable, livable climate so we can all have a prosperous future? The inaugural guests on today’s episode are Jenny Chase, Rick O’Connell, and Anna Ebers Broughel. Jenny is head of solar analysis at Bloomberg New Energy Finance. She is also the author of the book, Solar Finance Without the Jargon. Rick is the executive director of GridLab. Rick and GridLab did a report with the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley. Anna works for the US Department of Energy as a statistician and as an energy economist at Terra Tech. All three of our guests bring their unique perspectives on the different aspects of energy predictions.Talking Points:IPCC Report and what it means for usHow short-term forecasting influences the growth of renewable energyThe difference between forecasting a prediction and a modelJenny’s outlook for climate change versus the IPCC models and forecastsWhy analysts are so conservative and what they have to deal withWhy GridLab chose 90% by 2035 instead of 100% by 2050Rick’s thoughts on how high penetrations like the 70% modeled are going to work on nation-sized gridsCan the market push for 90% by 2035 or will it need to be aided by policy as well?Scenario planning for Anna’s report for the Government of EstoniaDifferent regions of the world will have different scenariosChange isn’t linearWhat we can do as individualsResources/Links:Solar Finance Without the Jargon, by Jenny ChaseIPCC ReportGridLabTechnica Communications Women in Cleantech & Sustainability