The Squirrel News Podcast

Feb 13 2024 5

The Squirrel News Podcast artwork

A German Journalist and a Jewish Comic discuss the latest and greatest solution based news stories from around the world. A podcast about the amazing, wildly creative things people are doing to solve our biggest social problems today – from goats helping to fight wildfires to prisons without wardens and guns. Hosts: Ed Crasnick, Jonathan Widder Tags: solutions, society, sustainability, social innovation, solutions journalism, constructive journalism.

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#35: Personal notes on current events and the past

Feb 13 2024 55 mins

In this episode, Ed and Jonathan, a Jew in LA and Jonathan a German in Berlin, reflect on current political events and their personal relation and experience with it: The rise of the far-right AfD in Germany, mass protests against it, and how Germany deals with the past in general; and on the other hand, the possible comeback of Donald Trump, racism and antisemitism in US history.

#34: MDMA and social change

Sep 28 2023 48 mins

Can psychedelics like MDMA drive positive social change? Journalist Rachel Nuwer wrote a book on "MDMA and the Quest for Connection in a Fractured World", and in one chapter she describes how taking the drug in a scientific study seems to have helped a former white nationalist leader change his extremist beliefs. In this episode, Rachel explains how this could be possible, how MDMA

#33: Why toilets are a key to progress

May 25 2023 31 mins

When thinking about global development, toilets are not the first thing that comes to mind. But facilitating access to toilets for everyone has surprising benefits for health, nutrition, safety, education and the economy. In this episode, Sarika Saluja, General Manager of the World Toilet Organisation, explains why universal access to toilets is more important than we'd think, why

#32: The benefits of the four-day work week

Mar 30 2023 35 mins

A popular saying goes: “nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come,” and the four-day work week (without any salary cuts) seems to be exactly such an idea. More and more companies around the globe are introducing it. In the UK, the world's largest trial so far has just ended with positive outcomes regarding health, productivity, revenues, job satisfaction and mor

#31: The 'Solar Punks': Bringing power to the people

Mar 17 2023 34 mins

What can citizens do to contribute to halt global warming? Dan Edelstyn and Hilary Powell set out their plan to turn their London street into a community solar power station. In this episode, Dan tells us why they use art and filmmaking to promote their project, how they crowdfunded the necessary money and how the couple is inspiring more and more neighbourhoods and public institut

#30: Zero-interest loans for Black homebuyers

Feb 23 2023 31 mins

Classical reparations may be a good idea, but financially such one-off payments are not very sustainable. That's why a congregation from the Bay Area came up with another idea and introduced a zero-interest loan programme for Black homebuyers. In our new episode, Susan Russell from the Black Wealth Builders Fund explains to us how it works and how it can drive change in the future.

#29: 'You can't be what you can't see': How to connect low-income kids with nature

Nov 24 2022 42 mins

Not long ago, nature was our natural environment. Nowadays, more and more children grow up in cities without much contact to trees, hills, meadows and animals. For kids from low-income families it can be even more difficult to spend time outside their towns. And sometimes transport poverty can even prevent necessary hospital visits. San Francisco based non-profit Yoots has taken up

#28: How to tackle food poverty with the tools of a modern start-up

Nov 10 2022 35 mins

Millions of American families depend on food banks, but why until recently has nobody come up with a better solution? Dion Dawson realised that something is wrong with food banks when he had to wait in the rain with his family for hours only to obtain expiring fruits and some unlabeled can goods. Today he's the founder of Dion's Chicago Dream, a non-profit that delivers free health

#27: Walking clubs for better mental health

Oct 12 2022 31 mins

After having dealt with anxieties for years, Scott Oughton-Johnson created a walking group for men with similar issues. Now more and more of such groups are starting in the UK. In our new episode, Scott tells use why the idea works so well and how it could develop in the future. Hosted by Ed Crasnick and Jonathan Widder; edited by Maris Keller. Links The people making a difference:

#26: Humor for Humanity

Sep 15 2022 45 mins

Can humour help solve social problems? Comedian Jimmy Tingle thinks it can. With his project "Humor for Humanity" he aims to raise spirits, funds and awareness for non-profits and social causes. In our new episode, Jimmy explains to us how that works and shares impressing anecdotes on the President of Moldova and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Hosted by Ed Crasnick and Jonathan Widder; e