Creating a Cooler World

Mallory McDuff has been living on campus at Warren Wilson College for over 20 years. She is a professor who teaches environmental education at the college, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina. Living and teaching at the college, and raising two daughters, has given her some unique opportunities to connect with young adults, understand their thoughts a

Bill Von Novak is helping to put electric vehicle batteries in the Matrix. No, he’s not creating an electric version of the popular Toyota hatchback, as cool as that would be. Think Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus, not, “I can’t believe how much stuff fits in this little car!”Bill earned an electrical engineering degree from MIT and has a few decades of experience working with p

Laura Kits is a singer, songwriter, painter, freelance consultant and business writer. She is a climate activist and spokesperson in a movement called Extinction Rebellion.Extinction rebellion has grown from a small group of people to a competent, powerful and fun social movement with hundreds of local groups in almost sixty countries. They are a diverse group united by a deep conc

At one end of the Lakewood Shopping Center in Durham, North Carolina, a nonprofit organization called The Scrap Exchange is doing its part to promote a circular economy. The Scrap Exchange’s mission is to reduce waste and promote creative reuse.When exactly is the last time that you threw something in the trash? How many things do you throw away each week? It’s not surprising i

Janna Starr works as a Project Coordinator at U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) where she has also served as a Certification Program Specialist supporting the LEED Volume Program. Before joining USGBC she managed green events in New York City and was the Facilities & Events Manager and Sustainability Officer at the North Carolina Botanical Garden.In this episode we talk w

How are scientists using AI to support research and conservation work? If you want hear from someone who is well versed in that field—someone who also understands how we can utilize cutting-edge technology while respecting traditional human knowledge and skills—you’ll enjoy our conversation with Zoë Jewell.Zoë is co-founder of WildTrack, a nonprofit wildlife research organi

Does this week’s episode artwork depict an epic comic book battle between our hero, Venus Flytrap, and the rampaging Emerald Ash Borer?Why yes, yes it does.Will Venus Flytrap thwart Ash Borer’s plans to take over the world? And what does any of this have to do with zombie crepe myrtles?These topics came up randomly in our conversation with Ben Heuser, our guest for this week’

Can you imagine making a 100-day, 1,000-mile journey in a 16-foot sailing kayak? Will Freund doesn't need to imagine it. Will made that journey up the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway from Miami, Florida to Norfolk, Virginia. He made the trip to talk with people in coastal communities and hear their thoughts about climate change. Will shared the story of his adventure in a docume

In this episode we share an update about the state of the podcast, a look at what's ahead, and a special invitation for you. What does all that have to do with "diving in?" Listen and find out!(Episode artwork includes an image by Oliver Sjöström from Pixabay.)Get out of your comfort Zone. Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/

What makes an ecotour company succeed? How can any business stand out in a crowded sea of competitors?James La Barrie grew up on the Caribbean island of Antigua. In this episode, James describes how a trip to South Carolina inspired his parents to found Antigua Paddles, a successful ecotour company which they operated for almost 20 years.On a very small island with 103 competitors,