Perspectives on Sustainable Development
Environmental justice and climate change are driving decarbonization across industrial sectors and throughout everyday life. There are many nuanced issues that planners will face as they try to sustainably reshape our world. This podcast will focus on climate and EJ but also bring on associated experts to speak about how these issues affect their fields. From city planning, economic development, transportation, education, national security, mental health, manufacturing, supply chain...we should all be considering how climate and EJ considerations will affect our decision paradigms. Join me every two weeks as we discuss critical issues with thought leaders who know them best. Logo credit and general assistance: Uzziah Davis
Episodes
There's a common fallacy out there that public policy that is protective of public health is likely bad for bottom lines. That could not be further from the truth. Sound policy is protective but in a sustainable way that also promotes economic growth.
For this episode, who better to talk about taking on complex policy development, than two people who have done it at the highest levels? Sandra Whitehead is an expe...
It feels appropriate that this episode is posting in the middle of a heat wave in much of the United States, with four straight days of heat index readings at or above 110F. While we were planning for the episode a glacier in Europe gave way, burying the town of Blatten, Switzerland. Our world is warming, and that has many difficult implications. With all the changes of the last six months, we had many options for epi...
I almost decided to name this episode, "so this is why we can't have nice things." On our last episode, Doug Houseman and Mark Jacobson showed us what's possible albeit challenging from a technical perspective. This episode Eric Beightel (Federal Strategy Director, Environmental Science Associates) and Josh Kaplowitz (Senior Counsel, Troutman Pepper Locke LLP) walk us through grid decarbonization a...
For a project to be sustainable it must factor in the economic, social, and environmental impacts of its scope before its built, in order to minimize any detrimental impacts and maximize benefits. But backing up another step, for a project to be built at all, it must first have a handle on associated logistical constraints and how they factor into timelines and budgeting.
My two guests this week are energy experts who...
In 2018 the US processed roughly 292.4 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW), or 4.9 pounds/person per day, which equates to an increase of 93% from 1980. Of that amount, 69 million tons were recycled and 25 million composted. In 2021 the US recycled 58.6 million tons of metals, iron, steel. These figures have only increased over the last few years, and project continued increases in coming years due to populati...
I start every EJ or climate talk that I give with a photo of my children. They are the reason why I am so passionate about all of this, they are why I do this work. The same can be said for many of those in environmental advocacy; over time it becomes a family affair, and we often see children joining efforts that their parents have worked on for decades. On the episode this week, I tell a story of late last year, I w...
Climate change impacts are mounting across the world, and it has been difficult to watch. From cloud bursts, to drought, to stronger hurricanes, and longer heat waves, the economic and public health impacts are mounting and costing us all a lot more. The 2025 California wildfires alone are estimated to have cost $250B.
How do insurance companies factor in climate change? How do they incur rising associated costs? How d...
This week Chris was joined by James May (Distinguished Professor of Law, Washburn University) and Dana Johnson (Chief Movement Advisor, Strategic Movement Collective, LLC). The topic for this episode is environmental justice and dignity rights. Taping this made us think of the golden rule, you know the one that most of us learn around Kindergarten, "treat others as you want to be treated". Policy choices ove...
Season 2!!!
As with last year, we are starting this season on climate change. There is no bigger issue that we discuss on these podcasts. The risks are real, the costs of impacts mounting, and our time for action is dwindling to avert surpassing tipping points that will do irrevocable harm. This is not a political issue, and it does not have to be a subjective one. Objectively look at what the modeling is telling you ...
Yes, we did a 90 minute Season finale. You will thank me later.
I dedicated this episode to my mom, Lois Whitehead, who sadly passed away earlier this year from leukemia. During her professional career, for a time, she worked for a nonprofit in Trenton, NJ that addressed food insecurity issues and helped people get back on their feet. She taught me a great deal in 41 years, but this issue stands out as it was...
No matter what your climate goals look like, where your project is located, or who is in office at the time, your project will not happen if the financing is not in order. Projects have to make money, and have to usually incur levels of risk through development. Whether a clean energy startup or billion dollar offshore wind developer, there is great opportunity right now, but also great risk, and fluctuations in suppl...
One of the topics that I have been asked about most over the last few years from community members is how they can get their own community air monitoring. Many are concerned over possible contamination in their air, and want to see improvements. As we often say, their lived experiences are the ultimate screening tool. They know if there's a problem. There is a direct link between air contamination and health impa...
Anyone who has listened to past episodes likely knows that I am an offshore wind (OSW) energy advocate. I am a renewable energy advocate, and I am an advocate for smart answers to complex problems.
There is no better example than the need to urgently modernize our transmission systems. My guests for this week, are Theodore Paradise (Energy Partner at K & L Gates) and Dane Pehrman (Director of Strategy &am...
Environmental Justice communities are diverse collections of perspectives, concerns, and drivers. No two are identical, but there are some common themes that most share. Love of their culture, protection of their communities and children, and concern that our planning systems have not historically taken their views into equal account when making decisions that would affect the community. Community leaders are the EJ e...
For this episode Chris was joined by Rebecca Karp (CEO and Founder) and Ali-Sutherland Brown (Principal) from Karp Strategies.
Chris recalls, "I first met Rebecca through the offshore wind space a few years ago when we were both presenting at the International Partnering Forum (IPF) event in Atlantic City, NJ. I was immediately struck by her expertise, her ability to connect with local communities, and ...
For this episode Chris was joined by Sarah Henderson (Scientific Director, British Columbia Centers for Disease Control) and Christine Wiedinmyer (Associate Director of Science at Cires at the University of Colorado Boulder). Chris went heavy on the graphics and visuals during his intro this time because wildfire is such a visceral issue. Annual acreage burned is rising each year, insurance costs are a huge problem th...
For this episode, Chris was joined by two colleagues to continue a discussion that the three of them started over breakfast in Minneapolis earlier this year. Michael Jung, Government Affairs & Public Policy at Modern Hydrogen, and Madeline Urbish, Orsted Head of Public Affairs for the Americas Region, both live these issues every day. Our climate is changing, impacts are stacking up, the cost of business is rising...
The Supreme Court in the US (SCOTUS) ended their last term with an absolute flurry of important environmental cases that focused on the role of administrative law in managing these issues. I nearly became an environmental layer eons ago before I went into consulting. I work with them often and was fortunate this episode to sit down with two of the best, J. Michael Showalter (Partner, ArentFox Schiff) and Tanya Nesbitt...
ESG is a hot button issue for some, but executives see it as a risk mitigation and environmental stewardship question. Cut back all of the noise and fundamental questions remain on how climate change impacts will affect business and its relationship with local communities.
Few are more well-versed in these issues than Matthew Sekol (Microsoft) and Christine Uri (ESG for In-House Counsel). Chris was thrilled ...
For this episode Chris was joined by Department of Energy expert Kelly Crawford and Dr. Tony Reames (University of Michigan and formerly of DOE). Kelly and Tony are pretty much as good as it gets on energy justice topics, and their decades of experience and passion for the issues shine through in this episode.
We discuss new DOE programs, climate adaptation and mitigation, and energy disparities between EJ ar...
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