Podcasts
Insightful and engaging conversation on leadership, innovation, and careers, focused on energy, the green economy and social impact.
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Women’s History – Joan Wages, National Women’s History Museum
One hundred and five years ago, on March 3, 1913, women marched for the right to vote, turning the tides of history. It took another 7+ years for women to gain suffrage with the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. How did we get here? Today, to...
Gov’t Technologies for Private Sector, Grants – Marti Elder, TechLink Centers
"There's no harm in asking." Joan Michelson on Green Connections Radio Thousands of technologies invented by the brilliant talent in the U.S. Defense Department is available for the private sector to license, including cool new energy innovations. You can bring...
Food Packaging, Waste – Haley Lowry, Global Sustainability Director, Dow Chemical
"By some estimates, nearly half of the food grown, processed and transported in the U.S. goes to waste." Feeding America While so much food is wasted, over 13% of the population is going hungry in the U.S., including 13 million children and 5 million senior citizens,...
Men & Women & Innovation – Joanne Lipman, Fmr WSJ, Gannett Top Executive
"Men, perfectly good guys, really don't know what the issues are, who we as women are unintentionally demonizing, and who, if we brought them into the conversation could be part of the solution." Joanne Lipman on Green Connections Radio Diversity is a business and...
Fabric Waste to New Fashion – Stephanie Benedetto of Queen of Raw
“If we continue at the current pace of textile production, by 2025, two-thirds of the entire world’s population is going to face shortages of fresh water and be exposed to toxic chemicals from textile dyeing.” Stephanie Benedetto on Green Connections Radio. Look around you. Everything you set your eyes on came from raw materials of some kind. Your clothing, the chair or seat you’re sitting on, the desk you’re sitting at. Natural resources were used to make it anew. What if it was made from materials already in the marketplace instead? Enter today’s guest, Stephanie Benedetto, CEO and Co-Founder of Queen of Raw. Listen to this fascinating discussion with Green Connections Radio host Joan Michelson about transforming apparel industry waste into new clothing you see in stores and online.
Focusing Amidst Chaos – Kasia Reterska, McPherson Strategies
"People are more committed to and loyal to brand than they are to the politicians...because the brands are in their homes, they touch and feel them every day." Kasia Reterska, McPherson Strategies We seem to live in two, chaotic parallel universes. One one hand, the...
Environmental Health Risks & Innovation – Dr. Maria Freire, President, the Foundation of the National Institutes of Health
“The potential disastrous health effects” of climate change include an “increase (in the) rates of allergies, asthma, heart disease and cancer, among other illnesses.”The Scientific American, 2017How do we innovate our way through the risks to public health from climate change? Listen to the remarkable Dr. Maria Freire, President of the Foundation of the NIH (National Institutes of Health) with Green Connections Radio host Joan Michelson to find out!
Fabric Scraps to Good Use – Jessica Schreiber, Fabscrap
The clothing manufacturing process generates about 15 million tons of waste per year, according to the EPA, and 85 percent of apparel we buy ends up in landfill. What can we do about this? Meet a creative entrepreneur who saw a marketplace gap and formed...
2018 Energy Trends to Watch – Christa Marshall, Greenwire, E&E News
The Trump administration is unabashedly pro-fossil fuels and anti-clean energy, yet the Energy Dept. has historically invested heavily in clean energy technologies and incentives, including regulations and in trade policies. In addition, many top Energy Dept. roles are still vacant. What’s going on?
What should we watch to find out how we’ll fuel our energy-dependent economy and what companies should prepare for? Listen to top energy reporter Christa Marshall of Greenwire and E & E News share her insights on these issues to Green Connections Radio host Joan Michelson in this enlightening conversation.
Making Clothing Sustainable – Karla Magruder, Fabrikology
"Sustainability is so big and it's so hard for apparel companies, just getting into it and understanding what to do." Karla Magruder on Green Connections Radio How do you make fabric from recycled plastic? Listen to this fascinating interview with Karla Magruder, CEO...
Facebook’s Energy Use – Bill Weihl, Sustainability Guru, Facebook
We use Facebook every day, multiple times a day - along with 2 billion other people! - so, have you ever thought about how much energy it takes to power all those servers and buildings? How much CO2 it emits? And, waste its 17,000+ employees create around the globe?...
Women in STEM, Innovation – Laura Sherbin, Culture@Work, formerly at Center for Talent Innovation
“Women, in particular, are bringing a different problem-solving toolkit to the table…and innovative potential.” Dr. Laura Sherbin on Green Connections Radio podcast. As the nation takes a fresh look at women in the workplace, hear from one of the experts in this enlightening interview with Green Connections Radio host Joan Michelson. Dr. Laura Sherbin is Managing Director of Culture@Work, and was a C-level executive at the Center for Talent Innovation when this interview was conducted.
Professional Eco-Vets – with Erica Courtney of 2020Vets
“How is what you're doing affecting your community?" Erica Courtney on Green Connections Radio Applying lessons learned doing logistics as a combat officer in the U.S. Army, Erica Courtney is helping companies reduce their energy and water use to also become more...
Brand Citizenship – with Anne Bahr Thompson, Branding Guru, Author “Do Good”
“It’s all about the doing, not the claiming,” Anne Bahr Thompson on Green Connections Radio
What do you expect from the companies you buy from? A new ground-breaking study says we consumers care if companies “do good” and we buy accordingly. So, how do we leverage it? What does it mean for consumers and businesses? Listen to the study’s author, branding guru Anne Bahr Thompson, author of a new book expanding on the research called “Do Good: Embracing Brand Citizenship to Fuel both Purpose and Profit, and a former top executive at Interbrand global communications firm. In this fascinating conversation with Green Connections Radio host Joan Michelson, also a communications expert, they dive into the study’s findings and discuss…
Brand Purpose – with Billee Howard, Brandthropologie & Centiment
“People are really making decisions more about who a brand is and why they’re doing something, as opposed to just what it is they are offering because that is largely commodified by options and price point.” Billee Howard on Green Connections Radio
You’re doing strategic planning, but are you looking at your brand anew too?
Maybe you should, says Billee Howard, master brand storyteller, and CEO of Brandthropolgie. She’s also Chief Strategy Officer of Centiment, an IBM Watson company leveraging artificial intelligence to help brands connect on an emotional level, the author of, We-Commerce: How to Create, Collaborate and Succeed in the Sharing Economy, and the former EVP of worldwide marketing communications firm Weber Shandwick.
Going to the movies? A Story About “The Post” You Don’t Hear About
Are you seeing the movie "The Post" this season? Here's something you aren't hearing about.... Movies and television productions are one of the most wasteful businesses on the planet. But clever entrepreneurs are doing something about it - and Steven Spielberg took...
Recycle Holiday Debris – Melissa Walsh-Ennis, Recycling Reinvented
While you're cleaning up from opening holiday gifts and feeding family, remember that every piece of plastic can take 500 years to decompose in landfills - and can end up in the fish you eat too, as it threatens marine life. Every piece of packaging and wrapping...
Innovating Energy Storage – Praveen Kathpal, AES Energy Storage
"Everywhere we go in the utility industry, utilities, regulators, stakeholders...there's broad recognition that...the way utilities do business has to change." Praveen Kathpal on Green Connections Radio Every time there's a natural disaster, huge swaths of people lose...
Food Security this Season – w Amy Bachman, DC Central Kitchen
“We find value in taking what’s been pushed to the side, whether that’s food or people…” DC Central Kitchen CEO Mike Curtin* Look around you. Imagine that one of every six of the people you see is actually struggling to have enough food. This is the case in...
Awareness to Action – w Nathalie Udo, Sustainability Expert, Co-Author of Organizationsl Survival
“From awareness, we get more actions,” Nathalie Udo on Green Connections Radio As you develop your 2018 plans, whether you’re a sustainability role or not, it needs to be integrated you’re your plans – and actions. Each business or organization or school or home is...
Holiday – Year-End Finances – w Michelle Singletary, Washington Post Personal Finance Expert
“It’s how you think about the money thing” that drives your spending and saving habits. Money. We need it, struggle to manage it and don’t know who to listen to for advice. Everyone seems to be telling us what to do – “On sale, Buy now!” “Save for retirement!” “Low interest rate!” What’s a money-smart person to do? Green Connections Radio went to one of the masters of personal finance to find out: Michelle Singletary, personal finance columnist for the Washington Post and author of several books on the topic.
Gifts! Clean Energy Toys, Robotics – w Steve Aarons, Child’s Play Toys
What makes this holiday season different? Buy a toy that’s fun while also being mentally stimulating and educational. These are a great way to teach kids to take care of the environment – and show them cool career options too. What about assembling a wind turbine or...
Making Recycled Paper – Michele Bartolini, Rolland Paper
"Never give up and be confident in what you know." Michele Bartolini on Green Connections Radio All of us humans use a lot of paper. Look at all the paper on your desk and in your printer. During the year-end holidays, we especially use a lot of paper - wrapping...
Year-End Business Planning – Katie Krimitsos, Biz Women Rock
Year's end is a great time to review the year's accomplishments, set the coming year's goals and plan for achieving them. We can notice what resonated most with our markets and trends on the horizon. Listen to business strategy coach and Facebook marketing whiz Katie...
Making News – Jen Boynton, TriplePundit Media
Do you wonder how the news is made? Whether to trust it? Do you have a great story to tell and want to know how? Find out here. Listen to Jen Boynton, Editor-in-Chief of TriplePundit Media tell Green Connections Radio host Joan Michelson how they create news that...
Gifts to Wildlife – Kara Reeve, National Wildlife Federation
Does your end-of-year contribution budget include wildlife or the environment? With the Trump administration reversing wildlife and environmental protections, it's vital for each of us to do our part to help shore up our co-inhabitants of the animal species and to...
Career-HR Planning – Rita Trehan, HR Guru, Former HR head of Honeywell, AES Energy Global
What's your career or hiring plan for 2018? Listen to remarkable -- and candid -- HR guru Rita Trehan on Green Connections Radio in this enlightening and entertaining interview with GCR host Joan Michelson. You'll want to take notes on how to boost your "career...
Gifts with Values – Jules Pieri, The Grommet
Are you looking for different gifts this year, those that match your values, are creative, and made by "real people" not mass produced? Then, prepare to take notes as you listen to Jules Pieri, Founder & CEO of the creative gift site The Grommet on Green...
Transforming Fashion – Amina Razvi, Sustainable Apparel Coalition
“Can you produce something that is both beautiful and sustainable? We’re getting to the point where those two things should be one and the same.”
Amina Razvi on Green Connections Radio. Do you want to buy clothing that is made sustainably? Listen to Amina Razvi, V.P. of Membership of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition with Joan Michelson on Green Connections Radio for tips.
Engaging People in Sustainability – Tracy Schario, Communications Executive
The eco-conscious market is three times more involved and engaged than the average market.
Tracy Schario on Green Connections Radio. The private sector has already moved forward and is focused on “selling” their sustainability initiatives to their stakeholders. How? What does it take to convincingly communicate about sustainability, inspiring engagement to drive results? Listen to communications executive Tracy Schario, former head of communications at Pew Clean Energy in this lively conversation with Green Connections Radio host Joan Michelson.
Warning Lights Flashing – Michele Wucker, “The Gray Rhino” Author
Why do we miss potentially dangerous trends, “a series of warnings and visible evidence”? It might be climate change, water scarcity, an infrastructure that is falling apart beneath our feet, terrorist threats, or an approaching business competitor or trend we had ignored, for example. How do we train ourselves to seepotential dangers we’re missing early enough to address them? Listen to author and global business strategy leader Michele Wucker with Green Connections Radio.
Jeans from Wood? – Tricia Carey, Lenzing Fibers
"It's about how the customer will feel." Tricia Carey About 85% of our clothing ends up in a landfill. Ugh! How do we reduce this environmental hazard -- and still wear great clothes? Listen to this fascinating conversation with Tricia Carey of Lenzing Fabrics about...
Clean Energy Policy Today – Lisa Jacobson, Business Council for Sustainable Energy
Conventional thinking in the face of the proposed Trump administration's cuts and regulatory rollbacks is that clean energy support in Washington is on life support. Not so fast.... Listen to Lisa Jacobson, President of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy...
Preparing Cities – Katharine Burgess, Director of Urban Resilience, Urban Land Institute
The recent string of disasters is a stark reminder to include resilience in our budgets, from cities to companies and organizations. Our homes, businesses, schools and local economies cannot afford to be ill-prepared, as we saw in Puerto Rico for example with Hurricane Maria’s devastation. How to do it? Listen to Katharine Burgess, Director of Urban Resilience at the Urban Land Institute, for best practices in this critical conversation with Green Connections Radio host Joan Michelson. You may want to forward this podcast to your mayor, Congressperson or City Manager – and take notes!
Hydrogen Energy Storage – Dr. Kathy Ayers, Proton OnSite
The big issue with renewable energy is that it's not always available. What if it could be? What if you had an intermediate source that could store the solar power, for example, indefinitely, so that you can convert it back into electrons to power the grid or your...
Eco-Bedding? – Eileen Mockus, Coyuchi
Are you shopping for new bedding for your college kids or yourself? Before you do, listen to my interview with Coyuchi CEO Eileen Mockus about eco-bedding -- and you might never shop for bedding the same way again! Coyuchi has been manufacturing organic cotton...
Eco-Battery Technologies – Shirley Meng, U.C. San Diego, Sustainable Power & Energy Center
Imagine if a substance so common and inexpensive that it’s in your kitchen cabinet could hold the secret to the next revolution in battery technologies! That’s the truly ground-breaking work that Dr. Shirley Meng is leading at the Laboratory for Energy Storage and Conversion at U.C. San Diego and as the Founding Director of its Sustainable Power and Energy Center.This brilliant woman is innovating batteries for the 21st century – and they aren’t all lithium ion – for the grid, electric vehicles and those small alkaline batteries in your flashlight or portable emergency radio. These breakthroughs expand renewable energy. Listen to GCR Host Joan Michelson’s fascinating conversation with Shirley.
Power Standards – Karen Bartleson, IEEE
We tend to take standards for granted, and want "our" technology to be special and proprietary, but standards are critical so systems can work together. Listen to Green Connections Radio host Joan Michelson's intriguing conversation with Karen Bartleson, President of...
Inventing New Batteries – Esther Takeuchi, Inventors Hall of Fame & Stony Brook
Anyone you know of who has a pacemaker, literally owes their life to Dr. Esther Takeuchi of Stony Brook University and Brookhaven National Lab. She invented the pacemaker battery and is in the Inventors’ Hall of Fame as a result. This remarkable woman is now innovating batteries for the 21st century – for everything from cars to the electric grid — to enable greater expansion of renewable energies by addressing the storage-intermittency issues. Listen to GCR Host Joan Michelson’s fascinating conversation with Esther new battery technologies.
Best Big Data – Allison Sagraves, Big Data Guru, TED Talk
“We need to question the assumptions in our methodology…and figure out how we’re going to use all this data to solve problems.” Allison Sagraves on Green Connections Radio The 21st century economy is based on Big Data, especially when it comes to the new...
– David, CEO EdgeStudio.com
About Joan Bryna Michelson
Joan Bryna Michelson, MBA is an award-winning business and communications leader, public speaker and host of the acclaimed podcast series, Green Connections Radio™... Read More