TreeHugger Radio

The TH Interview: Stephanie Meeks of The Nature Conservancy (Part Two)

Thu, 08 May 2008 14:40:05 -0500

It’s not just any old organization that can set a goal like this: protect 10% of every ecosystem type on Earth by 2015, effectively doubling the headway of the conservation movement over the last century. But The Nature Conservancy can. Acting president and CEO Stephanie Meeks chats with TreeHugger Radio about this and other mind-boggling commitments. It's no wonder they own the URL "nature.org." ::TreeHugger Radio

Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download. Click here for part one of our interview.

(Full text below.)

The TH Interview: Stephanie Meeks of The Nature Conservancy (Part One)

Fri, 02 May 2008 12:37:49 -0500

Immersed in the nifty slickness of “environmentalism 2.0” it’s sometimes easy to forget about the patient progress of the groups like The Nature Conservancy. At 56-years old, The Nature Conservancy is a granddaddy eco-org, and was doing its leafy green thing before it was cool. As the acting president and CEO, Stephanie Meeks sits at the front of this ship, navigating through policy, politics, big business, and controversy. ::TreeHugger Radio

Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download.

The TH Interview: Doug Fine—Kiss Your Subaru Goodbye (Part Two)

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:28:01 -0500

The challenge is a rather simple one: set up a life that is local and low-carbon without sacrificing the beloved creature comforts. The kicker is not getting electrocuted, shot, burned, crushed, bitten, or driven insane. Doug Fine has assumed this challenge and actually seems to be doing a bang-up job. He spoke to us from the Funky Butte Ranch, his own low-carbon Neverland. ::TreeHugger Radio

Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download.

You can find part one of our interview here.

Special thanks to Calabash Music for the soundtrack.

Full text after the jump.

The TH Interview: Doug Fine—Kiss Your Subaru Goodbye (Part One)

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:05:55 -0500

“As I watched my Subaru Legacy slide backward toward my new ranch’s studio outbuilding, the thought crossed my mind that if it kept going…at least I would be using less gasoline.” Thus begins what journalist Doug Fine calls his “epic adventure in local living,” an experience chronicled in his new book, “Farewell, My Subaru.” Grease-fuel, solar power, homegrown bananas, chickens, and Natalie (a goat purchased off Craigslist) are just a few of Doug’s companions down on the Funky Butte Ranch. Join us, if you will, as we step into his world. ::TreeHugger Radio

Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download.

Special thanks to Calabash Music for the soundtrack.

Full text after the jump.

The TH Interview: Jarid Manos, the Ghetto Plainsman (Part Two)

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 09:11:19 -0500

People call the Texas plains “flyover country.” Jarid Manos calls this land a coral reef in a sea of grass. In a region that has been ground under America’s boot heel, Manos and his Great Plains Restoration Council have found a rich ecosystem, dangerously close to collapse. Through aggressive conservation, ecosystem rebuilding, and nature education for the youth of inner-cities and Indian reservations, respect is returning to plains. Even the buffalo have returned. ::TreeHugger Radio

Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download.

For part one of our interview, click here. Also check out Jarid Manos’ book, Ghetto Plainsman, and some pics after the jump.
Special thanks to Calabash Music for the soundtrack.

The TH Interview: Jarid Manos, the Ghetto Plainsman (Part One)

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:11:26 -0500

Manos grew up as a "stray dog," without guidance and without boundaries in world where life is only slashed down, never nurtured. In Ghetto Plainsman he traces his wanderings through a world of drugs, crime, prostitution, and depression. But it was all part of a search for a better place, a place he found in the plains of Texas, a ravaged world he has sworn to revive. Jarid Manos is the founder and CEO of Great Plains Restoration Council, an ecological social movement he has crafted as “a living art project.” ::TreeHugger Radio

Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download.

Special thanks to Calabash Music for the soundtrack.

The TH Interview: Jean-Michel Cousteau

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:13:33 -0500

It took three years and 600 underwater hours to film, but Dolphins and Whales 3D: Tribes of the Ocean has reached its stunning, multi-dimensional completion. Here in our interview with the film’s ambassador, ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau explains the painstaking search for these cetaceans, which include some of the world’s largest and most ancient dwellers. TreeHugger was also at the premier in Boston with narrator (and honorary mermaid) Daryl Hannah, as well as the Mantello brothers and Jean-Michel himself. Check out our TH Radio interview with Jean-Michel, one of the great explorers of planet Earth, or "planet ocean," as he would have named it. ::TreeHugger Radio

Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download.

Full text below

The TH Interview: Gary Hirshberg, CE-Yo of Stonyfield Farm (Part Two)

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:11:49 -0500

In part two of our in-depth conversation with the world’s first CE-Yo, Gary Hirshberg says we can still trust organics, but to beware of convenient aphorisms. ::TreeHugger Radio

Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download.

For part one of the interview, click here.

Full text after the jump.

The TH Interview: Fred Krupp & Miriam Horn, authors of Earth: The Sequel

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:30:48 -0500

We marvel daily at the blossoming of new renewable technologies. Their promise of a low-carbon economy gives us optimism, and their downright coolness makes our synapses jittery with excitement. Earth: The Sequel is a deep dive into the most groundbreaking and enticing new modes of harvesting energy. Thin-film solar and flying wind turbines are just the beginning. Authors Fred Krupp (president of Environmental Defense) and Miriam Horn gave TreeHugger an exclusive interview about this new book and its message of hope and prosperity. ::TreeHugger Radio

Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download.

Full text after the jump.

The TH Interview: Gary Hirshberg, CE-Yo of Stonyfield Farm (Part One)

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 11:11:09 -0500

Before Stonyfield Farm was a $325 million company, Gary Hirshberg was milking the cows and trying to get the bills paid. Now, as the largest organic yogurt-maker, he is fulfilling the original mission: make money and save the world. From milk cows to yogurt cups to food miles, Hirshberg has been an innovator and a ground-breaker, going where no business men would dare. Here he speaks with TreeHugger about green business, presidential politics, and the hidden power of camel poo. ::TreeHugger Radio

Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download.

Full text after the jump.

The TH Interview: Edward Mazria, the Man from 2030 (Part Two)

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:51:11 -0500

If you say there’s no silver bullet to kill climate change, architect Ed Mazria says you’re wrong. The bullet is here and Mr. Mazria is challenging the world to lock and load. He’ll also tell you that trees won’t save us (no matter how much you love to hug them), and that the LEED standards aren’t getting us where we need to go. ::TreeHugger Radio

Check out part one of our interview with Ed Mazria here.

Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just listen/right-click to download.

(Thanks to Calabash Music for our soundtrack.)

Full text after the jump.

The TH Interview: Edward Mazria, the Man from 2030 (Part One)

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:11:00 -0500

Architect Edward Mazria was one of the first to draw major attention to the source that emits almost half of all greenhouse gas emissions: our buildings. Architecture 2030 has been his vehicle for communicating a design logic based on stemming the carbon footprint of the built environment, and his widely adopted 2030 Challenge has laid a strategy for rendering those buildings carbon neutral. Mazria was featured on PBS’s e2 series on sustainable design, and his 2010 Imperative is a call to teach ecological literacy to the fledgling designers of the world. ::TreeHugger Radio
Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just listen/right-click to download.

(Thanks to Calabash Music for our soundtrack.)

Full text after the jump.

The TH Interview: Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia (Part Two)

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:11:11 -0500

In part two of our interview with Yvon Chouinard, the maverick businessman talks about politics and the irony of living simply in a consumer society. He also rebuffs his brand’s “Pata-Gucci” reputation and explains why he’s started pouring cheap wine down the toilet. ::TreeHugger Radio

Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just listen/right-click to download. Catch part one here.

Full text after the jump.

The TH Interview: Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia (Part One)

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 13:10:11 -0500

The founder of Patagonia started out when he was little more than a teenager, selling his home-forged climbing hardware to “dirtbagger” mountaineers like himself. Although all he really wanted to do was travel and climb, he had a knack for innovation and invention, and Chouinard Equipment Co. evolved into Patagonia, arguably the most successful outdoor clothing company in history. In his fifty-something years of experimentation, Yvon Chouinard has racked up a list of industry firsts that defies enumeration, yet he describes himself as a reluctant entrepreneur who really just loves to climb, surf, and kayak the wilds of the world, and hopefully save them along the way. ::TreeHugger Radio

Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just listen/right-click to download.

Check out part two here.

Full text after the jump.

The TH Interview: Sheryl Crow

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 09:11:00 -0500

It’s been three years since Sheryl Crow’s last album, and the world has changed a lot in that short time. Crow’s new release, Detours, looks at war, oil, and climate change as hard as it looks at love, heartache, and hope. Sheryl spoke to us from her farm in Tennessee where she’s settled with her young son to live a greener, more peaceful life. She told us about her musical inspirations, her time touring with Laurie David and StopGlobalWarming.org, and even sets the record straight about the infamous one-square-of-toilet-paper remark that had us TreeHuggers scratching our heads.
Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or just click here to listen, right-click to download.

The TH Interview: David Orr (Part Three) Where Hope and Optimism Split

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:04:15 -0500

In the final portion of our three-part interview with David Orr, the environmental polymath bring us to the 30,000-foot view and points to where hope and optimism must go their separate ways. With his closing thoughts, Orr reminds us that true hope means staring down the barrel of a gun.

Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or listen/right-click to download. (Listen to Part One here and Part Two here.)

Full text after the jump.

The TH Interview: David Orr (Part Two) The Carbon Connection

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 09:45:00 -0500

In the second part of our interview, David Orr traces the dirty trail of coal from ravaged Appalachian mountains to the carnage of the Gulf Coast, both of which he knows firsthand. Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or listen/right-click to download. (Listen to Part One here)

TreeHugger: The last time that I saw you, David, was down in New Orleans. Global Green, Brad Pitt, and the neighborhood associations of the Lower Ninth Ward were unveiling a green development. Building green in New Orleans is an idea that’s certainly got traction now. But you’ve spoken about a bigger problem which seems to overshadow these sort of steps. Can you tell me about that?

David Orr: Well, first of all you have to take your hat off to people like Matt Petersen [of Global Green] and Brad Pitt. There are hundreds of people, thousands of people, that are working to rebuild New Orleans. But there's this remorseless working out of large numbers; all of that effort is going to be in vain sooner or later unless we deal with the big issues of rising seas, which is an attribute of climate change, and the mismanagement of the lower Mississippi.

The TH Interview: The Preacher's Son, David Orr (Part One)

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:10:19 -0500

When other people shake hands, David Orr hugs. He’s one of those rare intellectuals. And although he comes from a lineage of preachers, Orr’s ecological conscience is not religious (he didn’t even know that his grandfather presided over Rachel Carson’s christening until reading Silent Spring). As the Chair of the Environmental Studies Program at Oberlin College, Orr lets his focus range from education to ecology to green building and beyond. His sagely presence is friendly and relaxed, unstained by his five books and multiple degrees. In part one of our three-part interview, David Orr paints his views of patriotism, conservatism, something he calls “happy talk,” and why we can’t build ourselves out of the mess we’re in. Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or listen/right-click to download.

The TH Interview: The Home Depot's Green Man, Ron Jarvis (Part 2)

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 10:12:00 -0500

In the second part of our in-depth interview with The Home Depot's green point man, Ron Jarvis speaks about sustainable forestry, transportation's deep footprint, and the evolution of the big box.

Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or listen/right-click to download. Check out part 1 of the Ron Jarvis interview here.

TreeHugger: So, there's obviously a strong impetus here to move toward a more ecologically sensitive way of doing business. Is there a clear picture of what a truly sustainable business of your sort would look like? What would be an archetypal business that could be truly sustainable in the sense that it's not liquidating the assets that future generations will be relying on?

Ron Jarvis: There are two ways that I look at that. There's the utopian dream, where products are manufactured at a very local level from very low impact products and shipped a very short distance to the homeowner. That is the most sustainable market that we can ever find. But today there are a lot of tradeoffs that have to take place.

The TH Interview: The Home Depot's Green Man, Ron Jarvis (Part 1)

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 14:06:00 -0500

The Home Depot is reluctant to call itself a green company—maybe because of the contradictions built into being the country’s second largest retailer—but green has indeed become a guiding light for this 90-billion-dollar corporate behemoth. The company has partnered with BP in California to make home solar a plug-and-play item, has made alliances with universities to advance energy efficiency, and is working hard to peddle its Eco Options line, a series of products screened to meet standards of sustainable forestry, energy efficiency, clean water, and healthy homes. Ron Jarvis is the green man in the orange apron, and he’s at the front lines of this amorphous and very hot topic that is mega-corporate sustainability.
Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or listen/right-click to download.
(For part 2, click here.)

The TH Interview: Andy Ruben & Matt Kissler of Wal-Mart

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 14:51:00 -0500

Amid notable speculation and eyebrow-raising, Andy Ruben, the man leading Wal-Mart's sustainability charge, has stepped aside. Details of what goes on within Wal-Mart's HQ fortress in Bentonville can be scant, but Mr. Ruben was kind enough to speak with us about the change, as was his replacement, Matthew Kissler. As Ruben moves on to private brands at Sam's Club, his replacement brings with him the engineering of Wal-Mart's famous packaging scorecard (which we first mentioned here). In this interview, we spoke to both men about the shuffle, the future of Wal-Mart's sustainability lens, and what car seats and Hamburger Helper have to do with corporate eco-strategy.

You can read this rare exchange below, grab the podcast on iTunes, or click here to listen.

TreeHugger: Andy, the New York Times says that you were "reassigned;" that's sort of the big news here. Can you tell me what the deal is with this?

Andy Ruben: As you know, I've been involved in leading the sustainability efforts at Wal-Mart for the past three years or so. Of the three goals that we have, products is the third goal. Private brands is a dream. I mean, private brands sit on our shelves in the stores and connect to 137 million customers in the U.S. every week. It's a dream opportunity.

The TH Interview: Vijay Vaitheeswaran, author of Zoom (Part 3)

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 16:35:59 -0500

In the third installment of our interview with the author of Zoom: The Global Race to Fuel the Car of the Future, Vijay Vaitheeswaran explains how the White House and Detroit inspired Toyota to create the Prius and dominate the market for efficient vehicles.
Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or listen/right-click to download.

(Click here to listen to part 1, and here to listen to part 2.)

The TH Interview: Vijay Vaitheeswaran, author of Zoom (Part 2)

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 14:38:14 -0500

In part two of our interview with the author of Zoom: The Global Race to Fuel the Car of Future, Vijay Vaitheeswaran explains why hydrogen is not a red herring (and how Who Killed the Electric Car? got it wrong), how infighting is holding back the clean energy revolution, and anticipates the divorce of cars and oil. Zoom is now a finalist in the Financial Times/Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award.

Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or listen/right-click to download.

(Listen to part one here. )

The TH Interview: Vijay Vaitheeswaran, author of Zoom (Part 1)

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 13:25:32 -0500

"Oil is the problem. Cars are the solution," says Vijay Vaitheeswaran. For the past decade, Vijay has written for the Economist magazine, covering energy, transportation, and economy. His newest book is Zoom: The Global Race to Fuel the Car of Future, which he wrote with fellow Economist correspondent Iain Carson. Vijay knows he can’t make everyone happy with what he proposes, but in his eyes the race is already well underway and the revolution is at hand.
Listen to the podcast of this interview via iTunes, or listen/right-click to download.

TreeHugger: In Zoom, you and Iain Carson talk about this “Great Awakening”—capital G capital A. Explain this, what is this Great Awakening?

Vijay Vaitheeswaran: What we call the Great Awakening is really the American body politic waking up to the twin problems caused by the way we use fossil fuels, particularly oil. The twin problems are global warming and oil addiction.

TreeHugger Radio: David Orr and the Science of Hope and Optimism

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 14:00:40 -0500

David Orr is a man of hope. Coming from a long line of preachers, Orr’s gospel is the science and sociology of human survival. Chairing Oberlin’s environmental programs department, Orr’s expertise ranges from the built environment to the educational environment. In our conversation, David shared his views on green design, denial over New Orleans’ true future, and the powerful differences between hope and optimism.

With this interview we bring our weekly TreeHugger Radio segments to a close. We will continue to deliver in-depth interviews that explore climate change, business, art, design, and beyond. You can find Simran Sethi on NBC News, CNBC, The Today Show, and Sundance Channel. Stay tuned to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

TreeHugger Radio: Ecological Debt Day Arrives, Wal-Mart’s Summit, and Green Power in Sim Land

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:51:16 -0500

This week, Al Gore and the IPCC pick up the prize, the UK gives a green light to the world’s largest offshore windfarm, Google goes transit, and SimCity builds in green power. Our own Sami Grover reports back from Wal-Mart headquarters, while Sam’s Club offers up an electric Smart Car. Plus, The Global Footprint Network calculates Ecological Debt Day, and director Mathis Wackernagel explains what it all means. Listen to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

TreeHugger Radio: It’s Green Design Contest Season

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 13:30:28 -0500

This week we recap the events of the Clinton Global Initiative, plus take a look at the plethora of green design competitions that are budding this fall. The city of New York is granting prizes for designers who can envision a hurricane escape plan. Metropolis Magazine’s Next Generation design competition is ramping up for its fifth year, focusing on water. Electrolux’s Design Lab contest is helping appliance users change their habits. And Google and Specialized are cranking out design submissions to their Innovate or Die contest. Listen to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

TreeHugger Radio: Mexico High on Greenhouse Gasses, Bush’s Climate Plan, and the Art of the Superfund Site

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 13:49:04 -0500

This week, president Bush tries to convince the world he’s serious about the fate of the human race, while a new poll finds public satisfaction with climate leadership down in the dumps. With the construction of the world’s highest climate monitoring station, Mexico proudly enters the global warming tracking community, and TreeHugger’s Eliza Barclay is on the scene to speak with key players. Melding toxic waste with interactive art is a delicate science, but Superfund365 has done just that, and artist Brooke Singer discusses her creation. Listen to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

TreeHugger Radio: World PARK(ing) Day, London’s Economics of Cycling, and Cheap Gas Makes you Fat

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 15:30:40 -0500

This week we get the scoop on the radical re-appropriation of the curb called PARK(ing) Day, and we speak with the chairman of Cycling England about the true economic value of bike riding. We also look at a new study that finds a strong bond between cheap gas and poor health, plus get the word from Vermont where a recent greenhouse gas victory was won against the automakers. Listen to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

(TreeHugger Radio is written and produced by Jacob Gordon and hosted by Simran Sethi).

TreeHugger Radio: Greenland’s Bounce-back, Norway’s Organic Prison, and Seattle’s Goats

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:58:09 -0500

This week, Jasmin Malik Chua looks at how Greenland’s melting glaciers are causing bedrock bounce-back, and what this means for earthquakes and volcanoes on the top of the world. Stan Cox tells how the go-go housing boom left America with an extra large serving of McMansions; and how the green home alternative isn’t necessarily any better. In Norway, they’ve got a green prison where inmates recycle and eat organic. And in Seattle, councilman Richard Conlin is about to win a fight that will let his citizens keep miniature goats, and all the sustainable perks that come along with them. Listen to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

(TreeHugger Radio is written and produced by Jacob Gordon and hosted by Simran Sethi).

TreeHugger Radio: Climate Talks Advance Sans US, The Lightning of Climate Change, and Mexico City’s Plan Verde

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 10:25:43 -0500

The expiration of the Kyoto Protocol is still a few years off, but recent talks in Vienna helped lay the groundwork for a major upcoming climate summit in Bali. And as the climate continues to rapidly shift gears, new NOAA research tries to tease out the exact extent of the human impact from other hectic activity like El Nino. The human hand, needless to say, weighs heavy. Also, while most storm studies examine big events like hurricanes, the pioneering work of a NASA scientist is looking at thunderstorms and the new shape they’re taking. And from Mexico City, TreeHugger correspondent Eliza Barclay reports on the mayor’s new green plan and the controversy it has sparked. Listen to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

(TreeHugger Radio is written and produced by Jacob Gordon and hosted by Simran Sethi).

The Best of TreeHugger Radio In-Depth Interivews

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 16:24:01 -0500

At TreeHugger we are so fortunate to speak with some of the most lucid minds of the modern green movement. TreeHugger Radio is not even yet a year old, but we've already had the pleasure of spending time with remarkable thinkers, sharing these radical viewpoints on sustainability and human culture. Here is a look at some of the in-depth interviews we've had the honor to offer on TreeHugger Radio.

Simran Sethi speaks with Paul Hawken about the birth of Blessed Unrest and the spawning of the grass roots.

Mathis Wackernagel, an ecological economist, reframes the modern human paradigm in a radical way.

The founder of Architecture for Humanity, Cameron Sinclair, discusses how green design is a universal imperative. More after the jump.

TreeHugger Radio: The Fight to Keep Climate Science in the White House (Oh Yes, and Giant iPhone Bills)

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:44:32 -0500

This week we speak with a lead attorney from Center for Biological Diversity, one of three groups to sue the White House over its refusal to update critical climate reports. The Secretary of Transportation confidently declares that bicycles aren’t actually a form of transportation. We also hear from our tech correspondent about a new self-fueled technology with the power to turn chicken droppings into bio oil. Also, New York becomes the second state to approve climate impact stickers for new cars. Plus, while the iPhone may be sleek and efficient, there’s nothing sleek about a paper phone bill hundreds of pages long. Pick up TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

(TreeHugger Radio is written and produced by Jacob Gordon and hosted by Simran Sethi).

TreeHugger Radio: Britain Misses the Mark, Reviving the Highlands, and The Blackening of Google

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 15:34:04 -0500

After Britain made exciting commitments to renewable energy, leaked information now reveals that the country can’t even come close to meeting its goal of 20% renewables by 2020. We speak to Richard Hawkins of ZeroCarbonBritain about how the mark was missed. Also, while the Scottish highlands are beautiful, they’re not what they used to be. Now, a maverick millionaire with a dangerous animals permit wants to bring things back to the way they were 2000 years ago. We also chat with TreeHugger correspondant Mark Ontkush about the blackening of Google and what web colors can do for energy savings. Subscribe to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

(TreeHugger Radio is written and produced by Jacob Gordon and narrated by Simran Sethi).

The TH Interview: Vinay Gupta on Opensource Disaster Relief and Pod Ambiance

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 12:48:06 -0500

At first it’s hard to get a handle on what exactly Vinay Gupta does. Well, even after getting to know him it’s still hard to pinpoint. Half Indian, half Scottish, and residing in Iceland, Vinay is an engineer at heart. Whether its software, physical structures, or social structures, the man is a tinkerer at an advanced stage of development. He has developed the self-sufficient Hexayurt, presented mass evacuation strategies to the Red Cross, and worked on policy papers such as Winning the Oil Endgame. Gandhi and Buckminster Fuller are two of Vinay’s heroes. But the real magic is in combining Gandhi’s political thought with Fuller’s engineering, what Gupta calls a “curry and chips phenomenon.” It’s an odd mixture, but it sure seems to be working.

To listen to this interview, click here or right click to download. You can also find TreeHugger's podcast in iTunes.

Vinay and his Hexayurt recently won TreeHugger’s Participate! design contest. Look for the Hexayurt in Black Rock City.

TreeHugger Radio: High-Tech Yurts, Satellite Seals, and The 11th Hour

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 17:28:27 -0500

This week we take a look at the new film The 11th Hour, the local focus of this year’s Farm Aid concert, and some oceanographic temperature-taking done with the help of seals. We also talk to Vinay Gupta, the creator of the Hexayurt, a portable survival structure for refugees. Subscribe to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

The TH Interview: Alyce Santoro

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 16:55:34 -0500

When science jumps the fence into art, definitions get all screwy. Alyce Santoro’s training in biology couldn’t make room for her sense of wonder, so she split. Now, her work ranges from bizarre physical hybrids to elegant recycled textiles. She is the maverick weaver behind Sonic Fabric (a commercially produced musical cloth) and was recently featured in Sundance’s Big Ideas for a Small Planet. Brooklyn couldn’t hold her so she replanted herself in the mountains of West Texas to live sustainably and let her art wander. So what is her work trying to tell us? “It's just about how crazy it is that we're here at all.”

To listen to this interview, click here or right click to download.

TreeHugger: Artistically you've got a really broad palette. Your work takes all different forms: some of this has social commentary, it also draws on scientific sources like string theory and Buckminster Fuller. Are you able to describe the things that you make? Is there a common thread that runs through?

TreeHugger Radio: Super Sucking the Reefs, The Great Dead Zone, and Getting Personal with the Walrus

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:48:30 -0500

As the infamous dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico yawns ever wider, scientists in Hawaii are practicing an experimental method of vacuuming invasive algae off the choking coral. Meanwhile, in Britain, a radical plan to cut emissions makes a case for a carbon neutral nation. We also speak with the directors of Artic Tale about lessons from the North Pole and the question of animal anthropomorphism (click here for the full interview). Subscribe to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. To send us feedback, comments, or to sponsor this show, just fire us an email. ::TreeHugger Radio

TreeHugger Radio: Claiming the Arctic Floor, Sled Dogs on Thin Ice, and the Price of Carbon Cuts

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 14:23:58 -0500

This week is all about climate change and its myriad ripple effects. Melting Arctic ice has opened up an international controversy over deep-sea land rights, and Russia will now make a bold move by planting its flag 14,000 feet below the surface. New research also has found more evidence for human-caused rain and draught abnormalities, while Hungary endures a devastating heat wave and England is wracked by floods. Also, American leaders of big business make a call for action, and the EPA crunches the numbers on the economic price of carbon cuts. Subscribe to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

TreeHugger Radio: Singing Textiles, Talking Plants, and the Deathly Hallows

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 09:05:00 -0500

This week we speak with artist Alyce Santoro about her creation of a special fabric made from recycled audio tape. A musical collage based on the fabric also provides our soundtrack. We also take a look at an artistic experiment that lets houseplants phone their owners and make demands. Research non-profit Environmental Working Group sheds some light on things we probably don’t know about our sunscreen, and TreeHugger Lloyd Alter comments on the greenwashing of Harry Potter number seven. Subscribe to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

(This week’s installment of TreeHugger Radio is written and produced by Jacob Gordon)

TreeHugger Radio: Message in a Bottle

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:07:45 -0500

This week we look at water. San Francisco’s Gavin Newsome has taken a bold step, issuing an executive order draining bottled water from the city budget. Lester Brown summarizes the true impact of a bottle of the wet stuff, while Gigi Kellett of Corporate Accountability explains ‘thinking outside the bottle.’ Also, TreeHugger advertiser Bosch is pushing the envelope of home appliance performance. Brand manager Danyel Tiefenbacher tells us just how much can really be saved. This week’s sounds come courtesy of Circle Back Music (Korby Lenker). Subscribe to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

(TreeHugger Radio is written by Simran Sethi and produced by Jacob Gordon)

TreeHugger Radio: Chris Jordan Runs the Numbers, David de Rothschild ARTiculates, and Bonnaroo Rocks the Green

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 15:32:34 -0500

This week, photographer Chris Jordan speaks with Simran about his art of scale, adventure ecologist David de Rothschild talks about turning the lens on an Ecuadorian oil scandal, and we get a glimpse into the world of the Bonnaroo music festival. Our soundtrack this week comes form DJ Dolores, courtesy of Calabash Music. Subscribe to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

(TreeHugger Radio is written by Simran Sethi and produced by Jacob Gordon)

TreeHugger Radio: Listen to the Bookkeeper

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 11:57:15 -0500

Mathis Wackernagel is the executive director of The Global Footprint Network, an organization that acts like the bookkeeper for the planet’s ecological bounty. Each year, the group calculates the exact day when we have exhausted what the Earth can sustainably offer up for that year. It’s called World Overshoot Day, and last year it came in October (see graphic after the jump). In this extended interview, TreeHugger correspondent Meaghan O’Neill plumbs Mathis’ thoughts on how we can “live satisfying lives within the means of Earth's ecological capacity.” It’s a bit longer than usual, but hang in there. It’s always smart to listen to your bookkeeper. Subscribe to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

(TreeHugger Radio is written by Simran Sethi and produced by Jacob Gordon)

TreeHugger Radio: Sex, Pesticides, and Rock & Roll

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 11:51:28 -0500

This week we speak to Wakarusa music festival director Bret Mosiman about how this mega-venue is taking the green initiative to the main stage. We also report on some chilling research that indicates children born in the spring have lower aptitudes. The reason? It could have everything to do with pesticides. Also, Nike is taking a run at being a carbon neutral business, and we get a taste of next week’s extended interview with Global Footprint director Mathis Wackernagel. This week’s soundtrack comes from the Allenko Brotherhood Ensemble thanks to Calabash Music. Subscribe to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

(TreeHugger Radio is written by Simran Sethi and produced by Jacob Gordon)

Image credit: James Allison

TreeHugger Radio: The Green Collar Economy Flourish in New York, and the Whale Plane Takes to the Skies

Thu, 31 May 2007 12:52:47 -0500

This week, the DOE Fund is giving new meaning to the word recovery. As New York’s only on-demand restaurant waste-oil pickup service, the organization is giving jobs to men trying to get their lives back on track, while turning the city’s grease into biodiesel. We speak with DOE founder George McDonald and with Lester Ross, a man whose path to recovery has helped green New York. We also hear from Patrick Ramge of the International Fund for Animal Welfare and his son Henry, who are flying across the US in a specially outfitted “whale plane” collecting children’s art as the world debates reopening commercial whaling. Our soundtrack comes from Brazilian artist CéU, courtesy of Calabashmusic.com, and this week’s show wraps up with a whale rap performed by Guatemalan elementary school students.
Subscribe to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

(TreeHugger Radio is written by Simran Sethi and produced by Jacob Gordon)

(Images credits: IFAW and The New York Times)

TreeHugger Radio: The Greening of Burning Man

Fri, 25 May 2007 14:49:15 -0500

For one week each year, Black Rock City becomes the tenth largest city in Nevada. The massive fully-interactive arts festival that is Burning Man attracts people from around the world to experience a temporary intentional community in the heat of the desert, and this year’s theme is eco-effectiveness. In this extended interview, Meaghan O’Neill talks with Burning Man’s Environmental Manager Tom Price about green tech on the playa, Burners Without Borders, and Black Rock City as a sustainable microcosm. Subscribe to TreeHugger Radio on iTunes or listen/right click to download. ::TreeHugger Radio

(TreeHugger Radio is written by Simran Sethi and produced by Jacob Gordon. This week's interview conducted by Meaghan O’Neill.)

TreeHugger Radio: The Greening of Burning Man, Rebuilding Kansas & Paul Hawken’s Blessed Unrest

Thu, 17 May 2007 11:39:13 -0500

After a tornado leveled the town of Greensburg, Kansas, architects are pondering how they can rebuild it green from the ground on up. Plus, TreeHugger correspondent Meaghan O’Neill interviews Tom Price, the man entrusted with greening this year’s Burning Man festival (look out for the extended interview soon). We also revisit Paul Hawken after the release of his latest book, Blessed Unrest. Listen to TreeHugger Radio every Friday on Air America’s EcoTalk, here at TreeHugger.com, or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. (listen/right click to download) ::TreeHugger Radio

(TreeHugger Radio is written by Simran Sethi and produced by Jacob Gordon)