Appliance Power! – Paul Hines, Packetized Energy & Univ. of Vermont, ARPA-E

ARPA-E, the innovation arm of the Department of Energy plays a pivotal role in nurturing promising new energy-related technologies that will improve our lives and reduce our costs and carbon footprints, including through increased use of renewable energy sources. A fundamental challenge to increasing the use of renewable energy is the intermittency issue – the… Continue reading Appliance Power! – Paul Hines, Packetized Energy & Univ. of Vermont, ARPA-E

Climate Science Data – Katharine Jacobs, Univ. of Arizona & Nat. Climate Assessment

“Our infrastructure was designed for the climate we had and not the climate we now have.” Kathy Jacobs Extreme weather, hurricanes, droughts and floods all affect us personally every single day either in our ability to go to work or school or the prices we pay for food. Is this “a normal cycle” of climate… Continue reading Climate Science Data – Katharine Jacobs, Univ. of Arizona & Nat. Climate Assessment

Environmental Journalism – Soledad O’Brien, Hearst TV & Former CNN Anchor

Hearst Television's "Matter of Fact" anchor Soledad O'Brien. Photo: Jay Mallin

“People have competing interests…(so) move beyond lazy labeling…a reporter’s job is to provide context…undergirded by data and statistics….Be a little fearless.” The Dakota Access Pipeline fight, hurricanes, droughts, earthquakes… the BP Oil Spill, the potential cuts to the EPA budget and rollback of the Clean Water and Clean Air Acts…Journalists rush to cover these stories as they break in the moment, but what’s missing? Listen to Green Connections Radio host Joan Michelson’s insightful conversation with renowned journalist Soledad O’Brien, formerly of CNN and MSNBC and now Founder and CEO of Starfish Media Group, an award-winning production company, and host of “Matter of Fact” syndicated on network television via Hearst TV.

“Broad Influence” – Ashley Milne-Tyte, “Marketplace” on NPR

We’ve taken the proverbial three steps forward and two steps back recently, when it comes to women’s advancement. Women have made great strides in the private sector, including being CEO of four top Fortune 500 STEM-related companies: Ginny Rometty at IBM, Mary Barra at General Motors, Marillyn Hewson at Lockheed Martin, and Ursula Burns at Xerox. Yet, most women are still stuck in middle management quicksand and looking for answers on how to advance their careers. It’s about managing our choices big and small, and managing moments, time and priorities.

Movies, Environment – Marilyn Weiner, Screenscope Inc.

“Find another way.” We all know the power of movies to move us. EMMY-winning documentary filmmaker – and co-executive producer of the masterful documentary “Dispatches From the Gulf” about the scientific impact of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill – Marilyn Weiner talks with Green Connections Radio host Joan Michelson about the ups and downs… Continue reading Movies, Environment – Marilyn Weiner, Screenscope Inc.

Movies Made Sustainably – Emellie O’Brien, Earth Angel

Think about your favorite movies this Oscar season… Now think about what it took to produce it: energy for lighting, water and food for the crew, paper for the scripts, wood and other materials for the sets, cars and vans to transport people, maybe cars and buildings that get blown up…. All of that produces a lot of waste and uses a lot of energy and water, and puts CO2 into the air. Listen to Green Connections Radio host Joan Michelson’s fascinating conversation with Emellie O’Brien, Founder and President of Earth Angel, an award-winning company focused on reducing the carbon footprint of movies and television shows. (I wonder what the carbon footprint is of the Oscars!)

Energy Storage – Dr. Kimberly McGrath, Maxwell Technologies

“Energy storage enables us to have energy and power when and where we need it.” The linchpin in the new energy revolution is storage – to “enable us to have energy and power when and where we need it,” as Dr. McGrath put it.  It’s a time of rapid innovation in energy and storage, though,… Continue reading Energy Storage – Dr. Kimberly McGrath, Maxwell Technologies

Success Mindset – Steve Sapato, Business Coach, Author, Speaker

One thing the 2016 election showed us is how much we are not communicating, how much we are not hearing each other. Communication is a two-way street, but how do we know what the other person is hearing or cares about? Listen to Green Connections Radio host Joan Michelson’s interview with business coach Steve Sapato… Continue reading Success Mindset – Steve Sapato, Business Coach, Author, Speaker

Taking Electric Cars Mainstream

Fundamental to the success of combating global climate change and reducing dependence on oil is changing each person’s behavior. This includes moving a critical mass of people from traditional gas-powered vehicles to eco-friendly electric vehicles. This means we need to create high demand for electric cars. We will always need electricity for our refrigerators, computers,… Continue reading Taking Electric Cars Mainstream

Electric Vehicles: If they build it, will we come?

Will the mass market drive electric cars? Joan Bryna Michelson looks at the evidence To break our dependence on gas-powered vehicles as soon as possible, electric vehicles are the leading alternative. “Electrification is a part of every automaker’s long term strategy, which is a good indication that it’s not a question of if, but rather… Continue reading Electric Vehicles: If they build it, will we come?