by Mitch Ratcliffe
Earth911's Mitch Ratcliffe interviews activists, authors, entrepreneurs and changemakers working to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, post-carbon society. You have more power to improve the world than you know! Listen in to get started saving the planet!
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🇺🇲
Publishing Since
4/16/2018
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April 21, 2025
In the race to address climate change, technology often steals the spotlight—solar breakthroughs, <a href="https://earth911.com/podcast/earth911-podcast-talking-carbon-capture-investments-with-rick-parnell/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon capture</a>, electrification, and AI. None of it scales without the right leadership. Green progress <a href="https://earth911.com/podcast/earth911-podcast-the-rise-of-the-activist-leader-in-business/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">depends on the people</a> who can fund, integrate, and lead technology-driven organizations to success. Meet Colin Smith and Kahlil Dumas, co-founders of <a href="https://www.execnow.co/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Execnow</a>, an executive placement firm focused on building leadership teams that can <a href="https://earth911.com/business-policy/setting-a-sustainability-vision-for-your-company/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scale climate innovation</a>. They connect mission-driven companies—from emerging startups to established companies—with leaders who can grow sustainable operations and adapt to fast-changing markets.<br /><br />Execnow often places fractional executives, giving companies flexible access to high-levelIt'sent. It's a model that aligns with the pace and complexity of climate tech and helps growing firms stay lean as they grow. Colin and Kahlil's work spans cleantech, regenerative agriculture, biotech, and AI industries, which are being <a href="https://earth911.com/podcast/earth911-podcast-rare-orgs-brett-jenks-ties-global-climate-impacts-to-everyday-decisions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">transformed by leaders</a> who can execute and achieve impact. We explore what makes an effective climate leader, how founders can attract the right talent, and why treating people with dignity is more than a personal preference—it's essential to competing in a global, interconnected market. At a moment when the government is erasing climate language from websites and regulatory systems, Execnow is helping companies double down—not pull back—on building the leadership that can navigate uncertainty and drive lasting change. You can learn more about their work at <a href="https://www.execnow.co" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">execnow.co</a>
April 14, 2025
In today’s media environment, disinformation and distraction are pervasive. The most troubling issue may not be misinformation but the critical information that is systematically ignored or underreported. Andy Lee Roth, Editor-at-Large of <a href="https://www.projectcensored.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Project Censored</a>, returns to Sustainability In Your Ear to discuss the top censored stories of 2023–2024, with a special focus on environmental reporting. Project Censored has tracked and amplified suppressed stories since 1976, drawing attention to the topics that corporate media tends to ignore. Roth highlights how the U.S. is witnessing explicit <a href="https://earth911.com/inspire/earth911-inspiration-stop-the-white-house-climate-censorship/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">censorship of climate-related information</a> alongside the <a href="https://earth911.com/podcast/earth911-podcast-tim-montague-talks-clean-power-hour-and-economic-competitiveness/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">erosion of regulatory frameworks</a> and cutting federal support for scientific research. Media campaigns are designed to resist change and maintain the status quo, even at the expense of future generations.<br /><br />In 2024, most of Project Censored’s top stories involve environmental issues, signaling a critical moment in our media landscape. From the <a href="https://www.projectcensored.org/natural-gas-industry-hid-risks-gas-stoves/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health risks associated with gas stoves</a> to the underreported <a href="https://www.projectcensored.org/climate-debt-traps-vulnerable-nations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">impacts of climate debt</a>, from <a href="https://www.projectcensored.org/net-zero-promises-zero-credibility/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">greenwashed net-zero pledges</a> to <a href="https://www.projectcensored.org/children-water-scarcity-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">global</a> and <a href="https://www.projectcensored.org/saltwater-intrusion-threatens-freshwater/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">domestic</a> challenges in water security, vital environmental and climate issues often go unreported. The stories are not lacking in evidence, they are under-reported due to the incentives of media ownership and the influence of advertisers. Roth argues that people can practice media literacy to unpack the incomplete narratives that dominate the media to better understand the world around them. Ultimately, he believes that change lies in the hands of an informed and engaged public. Citizens are the ultimate arbiters of policy, values, and future direction—and it’s through independent journalism that society learns and debates a more sustainable and just future. You can learn more about Project Liberty and the Under-Reported Stories of the Year at <a href="https://www.projectcensored.org/andy-lee-roth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">projectcensored.org</a>.<ul><li>Subscribe to Sustainability In Your Ear on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/earth911-com-sustainability-in-your-ear/id1384301001?mt=2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">iTunes</a></li><li>Follow Sustainability In Your Ear on <a href="https://www.spreaker.com/user/earth911" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Spreaker</a>, <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/966-Earth911com-Sustain-29715785/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">iHeartRadio</a>, or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOEAu3yE_OGPAQR9o8o9XeA/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">YouTube</a></li></ul>
April 7, 2025
Josh Dorfman—known for his <a href="https://amzn.to/4iZeKM0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Lazy Environmentalist book series</a>—visites to share his latest efforts to make sustainability seamless, smart, and scalable. From hosting eco-living shows to launching climate tech ventures, Dorfman’s mission: make sustainable choices attractive and accessible. In the 1990s, while working in China, Dorfman saw the country’s shift from bicycles to cars and realized the environmental cost of global development. That insight set him on a path to shift consumer culture toward greener living. “People don’t respond to guilt,” he said. “They respond to practical, self-interested solutions that make their lives better.” Dorfman now leads two new initiatives: <a href="https://www.plantdmaterials.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Plantd</a> and <a href="https://getsuper.cool/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Supercool</a>. By blending smart storytelling with practical solutions, Dorfman shows how sustainability can be not just necessary—but undeniably cool.<br /><br />Plantd is a carbon-negative building materials startup using ultra-fast-growing grass to produce high-performance panels that outperform and underprice traditional plywood. Backed by former SpaceX engineers, Plantd’s electric, zero-smokestack production line locks atmospheric carbon into walls, floors, and roofs—without cutting down trees. Their work has caught serious attention: DR Horton, the largest U.S. homebuilder, recently placed an order for 10 million panels. The Supercool podcast and newsletter spotlight climate innovation that resonates across political lines. Dorfman’s storytelling targets the middle ground—where sustainability aligns with health, economics, and lifestyle. Episodes feature stories like upcycled e-bike marketplaces, AI-optimized HVAC systems, and green retrofits of federal buildings. “We already have the technology to solve climate change,” Dorfman said. “What we need is faster adoption—and that comes from telling the right stories.” You can learn more about Plantd's carbon-negative building materials at <a href="https://www.plantdmaterials.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.plantdmaterials.com/</a> and tune into the Supercool podcast at <a href="https://getsuper.cool/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://getsuper.cool/</a>
Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
CNN
Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett
TED
NPR
The New York Times
New York Times Opinion
The New York Times
David Roberts
The New York Times
Critical Frequency
Persephonica and Global Optimism
The Moth
Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
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