Go Green Radio

As the temperature plummets, homeowners will crank up the heat to keep warm and toasty - quickly burning through money and energy. In fact, home heating uses more energy and costs more money than any other system in your home, typically making up nearly half of your utility bill. So, what is the best way to keep the cold out, the heat in, and your energy bill low? Tune in as we talk with Tom Carney, Fujitsu General America and 30-year HVAC professional, who will educate us on the various home heating options available today and tips on how to choose the one that’s best for you and your family.

Globally, 1.2 billion people do not have access to clean water. Another 2.7 billion lose access to clean water for at least one month a year. The world’s water problems are getting worse, not better. But teams of scientists working to reverse the trends are nearing breakthroughs and raising hope that water borne disease, poisons buried in sediment, deadly floods, erosion, and environmental stress on water sources will be mitigated and/or diminished. On Wednesday, November 2nd UN Secretary General Ban-Ki-moon awarded eight leading researchers the 7th Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water in recognition of innovations and inventions they have developed to address the world’s urgent water problems. Today we will speak with four of the award winners: Dr. Shafiqul Islam from Tufts University; Dr. Gary Parker of the University of Illinois; Dr. Peter Webster of the Georgia Institute of Technology; and Dr. Dr. Tissa H. Illangasekare of the Colorado School of Mines.

Sustainable Minds® has just launched a catalog of products that meet the most rigorous environmental and material health reporting standards in the building industry. The catalog is free to building professionals – architects, engineers, and construction – who would otherwise spend hundreds of hours searching for products that qualify for LEED v4, Green Globes, the Well Building Standard and the Living Building Challenge. For manufacturers who have made the commitment to product transparency, the Transparency Catalog™ provides a way to market their products, and presents their information in a simple, standardized and consistent way. Tune in as we talk with Sustainable Minds® CEO, Terry Swack, about how this new catalog will transform the green, healthy building movement, and how it could affect everyday people in their offices, homes and schools.

October is National Energy Awareness Month! Studies show that seventy-four percent of Americans support efforts to protect the environment: hence, the personal-finance website WalletHub conducted an in-depth analysis of 2016's Greenest Cities in America. To determine which cities promote an environmentally friendly lifestyle, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 100 largest cities across 20 key indicators of sustainability, ranging from 'greenhouse-gas emissions per capita' to 'number of smart-energy policies and initiatives.' Today we will talk with analyst, Jill Gonzalez, who will discuss the criteria and results of the report on America’s Greenest Cities.

The loss of the grid would not have been a threat 100 years ago because the population of the country was only about 76 million people. At that time, the production of food was not yet dependent on electrical power, and few homes were entirely electric. Today the population of the United States is about 325 million people, and we rely on a reliable source of electrical power for food production, clean drinking water, sanitation, medical care, and so much more. Today we will talk with Benjamin Dancer, author of a new book, Patriarch Run, and member of the Colorado EMP Task Force on National and Homeland Security. We will discuss some of the vulnerabilities of our modern power grid, and how renewable energy sources and distributed generation could help strengthen the resilience of our grid.

Bad food laws are handcuffing America’s most sustainable farmers, producers, sellers, and consumers, while rewarding those whose practices are contributing to the food industry’s biggest problems, according to food lawyer and scholar Baylen J. Linnekin, author of Biting the Hands that Feed Us: How Fewer, Smarter Laws Would Make Our Food System More Sustainable. Linnekin acknowledges the importance of laws that keep people—and the environment—safe. He offers policy recommendations for some well-intentioned but misguided food laws—like the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. Others—like farm subsidies and rigid standards of identity—he proposes eliminating altogether. Tune in as we talk to Linnekin about sensible public policy that will improve food safety, eliminate waste, and address hunger.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, commercial buildings have high energy needs and can put great strain on the nation's power grids during peak periods. Developing more efficient buildings helps ensure a steady supply of affordable power and significantly lowers operating costs for businesses, schools, hospitals, and more. Creating an energy efficient building begins with monitoring and managing the building’s energy consumption. Today we will talk with the CEO of InTech Energy, Ashish Goel, and his team about their new cloud-based affordable energy management system.

Offering insights and guidance from prominent academics and journalists, The Good Crisis: How Population Stabilization Can Foster a Healthy U.S. Economy -Population Connection: 2016- takes on one of today’s most pressing challenges: keeping our aging population healthy, productive, and prepared for today’s technologically-focused jobs. At the same time, today’s youth must be prepared for productive futures through education, skills training, and delayed parenthood. Dispelling anxieties about the impact of slowing population growth on Social Security, commerce, and society, this collection of essays presents innovative and practical solutions to issues from labor shortages to fossil fuel dependence. Backed by extensive research and real-world examples, The Good Crisis presents a path to a more productive, sustainable world. Tune in as we talk with John Seager, one of the book’s authors and President and CEO of Population Connection.

The modern day Edisons have done their job. We need not wait any longer. We are poised to wake up to a world running completely on renewable energy. Waiting any longer is like saying we shouldn’t have used the personal computer in 1985 until the smartphone was invented. In their new book, “All-Electric America,” authors S. DAVID FREEMAN, former utility CEO, and LEAH Y PARKS, a journalist in the electricity industry, explain how making the transition to an all-electric, all renewable society by the year 2050 is necessary, practical, and achievable. An energy infrastructure powered by the sun and wind and running on electricity, for all our energy needs, will be reliable, cleaner, safer, and CHEAPER. It will be superior to the system we have today and will lead to a better future.

For those who eat animal products, there is a growing demand for assurances that the animals are treated humanely. Packaging for products like eggs, milk, cheese and meat are replete with phrases like, 'free range,' 'cage free,' and 'pasture fed.' But consumers who do their homework soon learn that those phrases may not mean what we envision, and may not ensure that the animals producing our food are well cared for. Today we’ll be joined by Andrew Gunther of the Animal Welfare Approved -AWA- certification program, whose food labeling standards have been named by Consumer Reports as the only 'highly meaningful' food label for farm animal welfare, outdoor access and sustainability. AWA is an independent, nonprofit farm certification program--and one of the nation's Top 5 fastest growing food label claims. We will also be joined by Sarah Hoffman, founder of Green Dirt Farm, MO who will give us the farmer’s perspective on what it means to enact and maintain the standards of AWA.

Today we’ll be joined by Hip Hop Caucus President and CEO Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. to discuss his work for climate justice and a new partnership with the 100 percent Campaign to support access to clean, affordable energy for all. Rev. Yearwood is known as one of the most influential people in Hip Hop political life. He works tirelessly to encourage the Hip Hop generation to utilize its political and social voice. A national leader and pacemaker within the green movement, Rev. Yearwood has been successfully bridging the gap between communities of color and environmental issue advocacy for the past four years. With a diverse set of celebrity allies, Rev Yearwood raises awareness and action in communities that are often overlooked by traditional environmental campaigns.

Steve Jurovics’ new book HOSPITABLE PLANET: FAITH, ACTION, AND CLIMATE CHANGE provides a biblically-based case for climate change as a religious/spiritual issue as well as an environmental one; discusses 10 measures to mitigate it, and advocates an environmental rights movement, akin to the civil rights movement, to push for change. Steve holds BS and MS degrees from Columbia University and a PhD in Engineering from the University of Southern California. He has had about 20 technical papers published over the years and given numerous presentations at professional conferences. Aspects of climate change mitigation have been the focus of his engineering work for more than two decades. The increasing severity of environmental problems led him, out of spiritual curiosity, to research the environmental teachings in the Bible. Tune in as with talk with Steve about his new book!

Recently, the CDC released new guidelines in the fight to prevent Legionnaires' disease. With recent outbreaks of Legionnaire's throughout the country in Flint, Michigan and Bronx, NY, the maintenance of a building's water system is more important than ever. The guidelines are a huge step forward to help building owners control Legionella bacteria once it has entered their buildings from the public water supply and help prevent uncontrollable deaths from the disease. Today we will speak with Tonya Winders, President and CEO of the Allergy & Asthma Network, the leading nonprofit patient education and advocacy organization for people with asthma, allergies and related conditions. We will discuss what Legionnaires' disease is; why the Allergy & Asthma Network supports the new guidelines; how Legionnaires' disease can cause asthma and respiratory problems; and the importance of being aware of the disease to prevent hundreds of deaths each year.

GreenerBuilder 2016 gathered hundreds of Northern California trade professionals to learn about key trends in the green building market; to hear what owners and developers are looking for; and to make important connections with fellow industry leaders. The daylong conference trained attendees to be at the forefront of greening the built environment. The event was held in the Net Zero Energy Center in San Leandro, CA where the IBEW, Local Union 595 and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) create a world-class learning environment for apprentices to gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology and electrical systems. On today’s episode we will talk with Peter Rumsey, internationally renowned leader in Net Zero Energy building design; Bob Wallace, President of Energy ETC, whose company designed the energy management systems for the event venue; Byron Benton, training director at the Net Zero Energy Center; and Brenden McEneaney, Director of USGBC Nor Cal.

Ted Koppel’s new book, “Lights Out,” he asserts that a major cyberattack on America’s power grid is not only possible but likely, that it would be devastating, and that the United States is shockingly unprepared. Koppel warns that a well-designed attack on just one of the nation’s three electric power grids could cripple much of our infrastructure, and the federal government, while well prepared for natural disasters, has no plan for the aftermath of an attack on the power grid. On today’s episode of Go Green Radio, we’ll talk with Scott Aaronson, the Managing Director for Cyber and Physical Security for the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), and discuss what the electric power industry is doing to protect the nation’s power grid.

The world is alive with animals that we virtually never glimpse with our own eyes. Many of the most fascinating and significant wildlife discoveries in recent years have been made thanks to the explosion of non-invasive, motion-sensitive cameras, known as camera traps. Not only do camera traps provide stunning images of endangered species, they've revolutionized the field of wildlife science, and elevated our understanding of the animals in our own backyards. Candid Creatures: How Camera Traps Reveal the Mysteries of is a new book by zoologist Roland Kays that tells the stories of the scientific discoveries that camera traps have enabled, such as the discovery of new species, and living proof of species thought to be extinct. With more than 600 remarkable photographs from researchers all over the globe, Candid Creatures is the first major book to reveal the secret lives of animals through this new technology. Tune in as we talk with Roland about his new book!

Oceanside, CA is on the Road to Zero Waste with a goal is of reaching a 75-90% diversion/recycling rate by 2020. The Green Oceanside campaign was established to educate residents, businesses and visitors about how to be better stewards of the earth and to implement programs that protect and conserve natural resources. Through collaboration and partnerships between City departments, local businesses, community groups, schools and residents, the Green Oceanside campaign provides an avenue for the public to learn how to actively protect the environment through community involvement and engagement. The Green Oceanside team strongly supports and encourages educational outreach for youth and believes this is ultimately the best way to reach Oceanside households. On today’s episode, we’ll speak with three Oceanside community leaders about the City of Oceanside's Zero Waste Schools Program and their goal to inspire students, staff, and parents to reduce their waste and recycle more.

Imagine your business making a big impact solving problems like hunger, poverty, war, violence, and catastrophic climate change while making a healthy profit. A new book by Shel Horowitz and Jay Conrad Levinson, Guerrilla Marketing to Heal the World, shows dozens of practical examples of successful companies doing well by doing good---from solopreneurs to Fortune 100 global corporations. Learn how to: create projects (and products) that accomplish social change, profitability, and cost reduction all at once; green your company in ways that save money and make money; gain enormous positive reputation as a visionary company worth supporting; expand successfully into totally new markets through strategic thinking, powerful partnerships, and commitment to core principles; turn marketing from a cost to a revenue stream; and embrace abundance and transformation---and stop worrying about market share.

Can we build a green economy and fight pollution at the same time? Is energy policy also social policy? Through the stories of workers and entrepreneurs in the U.S. and China, Catching the Sun explores the global race to lead the clean energy future. Over the course of a solar jobs training program, Catching the Sun follows the hope and heartbreak of unemployed American workers seeking jobs in the solar industry. With countries like China investing in innovative technologies and capitalizing on this trillion-dollar opportunity, Catching the Sun tells the story of the global energy transition from the perspective of workers and entrepreneurs building solutions to income inequality and climate change with their own hands. Their successes and failures speak to one of the biggest questions of our time: will the U.S. actually be able to build a clean energy economy? Tune in as we talk with the film’s director, Shalini Kantayya.

Frederic C. Rich – one of the world’s leading corporate lawyers who is at the same time a prominent environmental leader - has written a book which diagnoses why the American environmental movement has stalled. He argues that in order to move forward, Republicans must reclaim their forgotten pro-environment heritage and Green must learn to again appeal to conservatives. Tune in as we talk to Mr. Rich about how his ideas could play out, given the unique Presidential primary season we are experiencing.