AWESome EarthKind

Dirty, unhealthy, and unsustainable energy for our electricity, heating, cooling, and transportation threatens our planet and the lives of everyone we love and know. Once a week - every Monday, we bring in leading environmental activists, entrepreneurs, experts, and everyday people who are transforming homes, workplaces & communities into clean energy power centers that save money and create a healthy, prosperous, just & sustainable planet. The AWESome EarthKind podcast inspires and empowers you with the knowledge of how the Forces of Nature (Air, Water, Earth, Sun, and YOU) – can make the world a better place, and save you money. The fear isn’t that we are powerless, but that we are powerful beyond measure. Find out more at www.AWESomeEarthKind.com.

HV Communities Lead on Climate Action 07/03/2024

HV Communities Lead on Climate Action We just had an amazing conversation on the Earth Kind podcast with Paige Ruane and Vanessa Bertozzi from Partners for Climate Action, Hudson Valley. They shared insights on their work supporting local communities in addressing the climate crisis and improving ecosystems in the Hudson River Valley watershed. Did you know they've given out over $3 million in grants since starting? Their impact is truly inspiring! Paige and Vanessa believe that the overlapping ecological crises are best addressed by the communities that are closest to them by using approaches that honor the uniqueness of each place. Partners for Climate Action (PCA) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2019 with a mission to catalyze bioregional climate action. They believe in addressing ecological crises at the local level, honoring the uniqueness of each community. PCA focuses on moving various forms of capital to where they can have the most impact, aiming to catalyze local action effectively. Their core work involves providing funding, knowledge, tools, and connections to support grantees in achieving success. PCA's priority areas include ecological restoration, emphasizing the establishment of community forests and native habitat cultivation, as well as the decarbonization of existing building stock in underserved communities within the region. By prioritizing these initiatives, PCA aims to empower communities to take action on climate change at the local level, recognizing the importance of grassroots efforts in creating meaningful change. About the Founders: Paige Ruane is a co-founder of Partners for Climate Action, where she co-developed the Local Champions program and the Building DecarbonizationGrants program. She is a member of her Climate Smart Communities Task Forcein Austerlitz, NY where she contributed to the achievement of bronze certification. Paige has worked as a psychotherapist and documentary film and radio writer/producer. Vanessa Bertozzi works as a consultant for Partners for Climate Action, where she co-developed the Local Champions program and the Building Decarbonization Grants program. Vanessa is an elected official on the Board of Trustees for the Village of Rhinebeck, NY, where she led her Climate Smart Community Task Force to bronze certification. As a consultant, Vanessa has worked for The New York Times and clean energy companies. Previously, she worked at Etsy.com for over a decade. If you're looking for ways to get involved in climate action, this episode is a must-listen. What You’ll Learn From This Episode Funding and Support for Local Communities: Partners for Climate Action provides funding and support to local communities addressing the climate crisis and improving ecosystems in the Hudson Valley watershed. Programs Overview: The podcast discusses the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) and the Climate Smart Communities program, highlighting their goals and actions. Grant Programs: Details about the building decarbonization grant program and ecological restoration grants are shared, emphasizing the impact on reducing carbon emissions and restoring ecosystems. Community Engagement: The importance of community involvement, volunteerism, and collaboration in addressing climate change is highlighted, along with the role of local champions and organizations. Upcoming Events and Initiatives: Information about upcoming webinars, field trips, and grant opportunities, such as the pollinator action guide and forest health projects, is provided for listeners to engage with. …and many more “Think locally. Act locally.” - Vanessa and Paige, PCA Founders Resources: PCA Awards Twenty Building Decarbonization Grants Connect with Climate Action HV Instagram @climateactionhv Be a Climate Action HV Supporter/ Donate: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/32010207

The Future of Sustainable Healthcare Products: A Conversation with Cabinet Health's Co-Founder Russell Gong 05/28/2024

The Future of Sustainable Healthcare Products: A Conversation with Cabinet Health's Co-Founder Russell Gong From plastic medicine bottles to sustainable healthcare products, learn how Cabinet Health is making a difference. In this episode, we chat with Russell Gong, co-founder of Cabinet Health, about their mission to eliminate single-use plastic medicine bottles in the healthcare industry. Tune in for an inspiring conversation! Russ shares his journey from recognizing the plastic medicine problem to founding a sustainable healthcare company. Learn how Cabinet Health is innovating to make a positive impact on the environment and healthcare industry. From appearing on Shark Tank to envisioning a future with circularity and refillability in healthcare packaging, Russ discusses the exciting possibilities ahead. Discover more about Russ's impactful story and the future of sustainable healthcare in this episode. Russ's story is a compelling reminder of the power of innovation and entrepreneurship in tackling some of the world's most pressing issues. His work with Cabinet Health not only addresses environmental concerns but also paves the way for a healthier planet. It's inspiring to see how businesses can lead change and make a significant impact on both industry standards and global sustainability. Today’s awesome Earth Podcast is sponsored by . Earthkind Energy brings over 30 years of expertise in creating clean energy projects that reduce energy costs, provide outstanding returns on investments, lower carbon footprints, and leave a proud legacy for our children and all future generations. . Topics Covered: Journey of Russell Gong: Learn about Russ Gong, co-founder and President of Cabinet Health, and how the company is tackling the issue of plastic waste in healthcare. Problem of Plastic in Healthcare: Delve into the environmental impact of single-use plastic in the healthcare industry. Impact of Microplastics: Discover the effects of microplastics on human health and the environment. Experience on Shark Tank: Learn about the behind-the-scenes experience of appearing on the TV show Shark Tank and the lessons learned. Vision for Sustainable Healthcare Packaging: Understand the future vision for sustainable healthcare packaging and the potential transformation of the healthcare industry towards circularity and refillability. And many more… "The best packaging is no packaging, right? - Russell Gong Resources Mentioned: Connect with Russell Gong Website: Linkedin: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/31510632

Zero-Carbon Industry: Transformative Technologies and Policies to Achieve Sustainable Prosperity - with Jeffrey Rissman 04/16/2024

Zero-Carbon Industry: Transformative Technologies and Policies to Achieve Sustainable Prosperity - with Jeffrey Rissman The entire world is transitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy sources for our electricity, heating, cooling and transportation. Technologies such as energy efficient light bulbs and appliances, solar and wind powered electricity, air and ground source heat pumps, and electric vehicles are transforming our lives. Communities, schools, and workplaces are adopting zero-carbon technologies that will also reduce costs and improve our health and safety. But did you know that the industrial sector is responsible for one third of global greenhouse gas emissions and that industry is projected to become America's biggest emission source by 2035. For climate action to succeed, we need to develop sustainable industrial practices. How can we revolutionize America's biggest emitters, the iron, steel, chemicals, and cement industries? In today's episode, we meet Jeffrey Rissman. The Senior Director of Industry at Energy Innovation, Jeffrey focuses on technologies and policies that combat the rise in greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial sector. Jeffrey has a new book, Zero-Carbon Industry: Transformative Technologies and Policies to Achieve Sustainable Prosperity, and it's now on sale worldwide. In Zero-Carbon Industry, Jeffrey unpacks the complex challenges presented by climate change and offers clear actionable insights on how we can revamp the industrial world's heaviest emitters using cutting edge technologies and intelligent policies. Cited in the Wall Street Journal, LA Times, Fast Company, Forbes, and elsewhere, his work shows how we can reshape our entire industrial landscape. Today's awesome Earth Podcast is sponsored by . Earthkind Energy brings over 30 years of expertise in creating clean energy projects that reduce energy costs, provide outstanding returns on investments, lower carbon footprints, and leave a proud legacy for our children and all future generations. www.earthkindenergy.com. Now let's hear Jeffrey Rissman tell us how Zero-Carbon Industry provides a roadmap to how smart investments in technology, people, and the planet can lead our transformative journey to a carbon-neutral industrial sector. Topics Covered in this episode: Learn about the importance of decarbonizing the industrial sector. Find out about technologies and policies for achieving sustainable prosperity in the industrial sector. Learn about the concept of zero-carbon industry and how it can be achieved. Find out about the role of heat pumps in decarbonizing industrial heating processes. Learn about the various technologies available for delivering heat in industrial processes. And more… “One thing I realized is that the industrial sector is very important. It's producing a lot of the emissions that humans are adding to the atmosphere, but it gets a lot less attention than the other sectors. “ - Jeffrey Rissman Connect with Jeffrey Rissman: Zero-Carbon Industry: Transformative Technologies and Policies to Achieve Sustainable Prosperity (Center on Global Energy Policy Series) book: 20% Off the Book when you sign-up through this mailing list sign-up: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/30828573

Durable Change Only Happens at the Speed of Trust - with Erik Wohlgemuth, Future500 03/05/2024

Durable Change Only Happens at the Speed of Trust - with Erik Wohlgemuth, Future500 Quantum Quote: "We build too many walls, and not enough bridges." - Isaac Newton We live in an incredibly polarized world. Every day, we witness the widespread, massive distrust of almost everything and everyone. How can we overcome the escalating anger and mistrust that pervades close to every aspect of our society? Well, in today's episode, we meet Erik Wohlgemuth of Future 500 (www.future500.org) with over two decades of experience in stakeholder engagement and corporate sustainability. Erik is trusted by diverse leaders across industries, sectors, and political persuasions. Erik is an expert in humanizing opponents through compassionate diplomacy. He is adept at depolarizing relations between businesses, activists, philanthropists, and investment leaders, so that they can find common ground and explore solutions to the social and environmental challenges that threaten our very civilization. Erik earned his MBA from the Yale School of Management and his Master's in Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment. Beyond Future 500, Erik serves as a board member for Pacific Forest Trust, and as a West Coast Advisory Board member for the Yale School of Management. Erik is also a fellow chapter director for Environmental Entrepreneurs or E2, the national, nonpartisan nonprofit organization of over 10,000 business people who are advocating for policies that are good for the economy and the environment. Now let's hear Erik tell us how future 500 is depolarizing relations to effect durable change that happens at the speed of trust. Today's AWESome Earth Kind podcast is sponsored by EarthKind Energy Consulting. EarthKind Energy brings over 30 years of expertise in creating clean energy projects that reduce energy costs, provide outstanding returns on investment, lower carbon footprints, and leave a proud legacy for our children and all future generations. You can visit EarthKindEnergy.com to discover how EarthKind Energy Consulting partners with developers, builders, communities, government entities, and nonprofit organizations to create new revenue sources, reduce energy and operation costs, and lower carbon footprints with energy efficiency, solar, air and ground source (geothermal) heat pumps, electric vehicles, and EV charging stations. Challenges: Erik faced challenges related to building trust between corporations and civil society leaders. ● He struggled with finding the courage to follow a less beaten path in his career. ● Erik works to navigate the polarization in plaguing this country and the world. ● He encountered challenges related to corporate political responsibility and bridging the gap between different perspectives on issues like clean energy. ● Erik also faced difficulties dealing with the slow pace of change and the frustration of idealistic younger generations. ● He experienced setbacks in projects where trust and collaboration were not established effectively. ● Erik is dealing with the complexities of permit reform and regulatory systems hindering progress in various projects and the hard work of operationalizing environmental justice principles within a big oil and gas company. Lessons: Building trust and collaboration between different stakeholders is essential for effecting positive change. Humanization and finding common ground, even with polarized opposites, can lead to collaboration and progress. Permit reform and operationalizing environmental justice are two key areas for addressing current challenges in the energy and environmental sectors. Supernova 1: "Humanization leads to trust. Trust leads to collaboration." - Erik Wohlgemuth Supernova 2: “Humanize, think about people that may be your polarized opposite, and figure out a way to find common ground with them." - Erik Wohlgemuth Aha Moment: "A critical moment was walking into a business school admissions office and picking up a flier that changed my life." - Erik Wohlgemuth Most Energized About: “One area we're focusing on as a team is permit reform in the United States. You're seeing our regulatory system right now being used by both the right and the left to block all sorts of potential projects to help us decarbonize the energy system. I think at some point we have to figure out a way through this so we can start to get some stuff done." - Erik Wohlgemuth Parting Advice: "I encourage everybody when they're out in their day, going to events, going to a corporate meeting or whatever organization they work in to figure out ways to bring in different ideas. Who's not in the room who you should speak up for so you get those ideas out into the ether? And that can change people's minds." - Erik Wohlgemuth Connect with Our Guest: ● Website: ● X: @future500 ● LinkedIn: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/30236988

Robison’s Evolution - from Fossils to Clean Energy – with Dan Singer 10/02/2023

Robison’s Evolution - from Fossils to Clean Energy – with Dan Singer Quantum Quote: “It is not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled or how the doer of deeds might have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred with sweat and dust and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, if he wins, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” - Theodore Roosevelt To make the transition to a sustainable civilization, we need new business models. The future belongs to clean tech startups AND traditional energy companies who evolve and lead the transition. The Robison family business was founded over 100 years ago to deliver coal. Then Robison moved to deliver oil, then natural gas and electricity. Now - under this generation’s leadership, the traditional fossil fuel company is transitioning to clean biofuels, heat pumps, and geothermal energy. Robison aims to provide the most affordable and clean products and services to help their customers make the choice that fits their unique situation. With a 100 year commitment to their customers, Robison aims to deliver the best service, better health, and a greener future now - and for the generations to come! Dan Singer is the CEO and President of Robison. Since his arrival in 1996, Robison has expanded its services to include natural gas supply and service, electricity supply, air conditioning, plumbing, duct cleaning, heat pumps, geothermal installations, and servicing, as well as indoor air quality solutions. We’d like to hear from you! Please help us understand how AWESomeEarthKind can help you achieve your clean energy goals. SuperNova #1. Make sure that you're working with a company that not only knows how to install the equipment, but knows how to service and maintain it. SuperNova #2. The pro of doing it now is the amount of incentive and assistance that is available to people to do. This is a train that's moving. Eventually, everyone is going to have to make the transition. So why not do it now, when there are a lot of incentives available. SuperNova #3. The technology we're talking about, even geothermal, isn't new technology. This isn't experimental. So it's not like you got to wait and see what's going to happen-- it works! It's here. While there will always be improvements, the technology is proven, reliable, and affordable TODAY. Dan’s AHA! Moment came when he started to become curious about ways that we can help our customers lower their carbon footprint and be more efficient, especially at times when fuel oil and gas prices are so volatile. Best Advice He’s Ever Received: Don't stop taking risks. Personal Habit that Contributes to Success: I try as hard as I can, at least once a week, to have a genuine conversation with somebody I've never spoken to before, and just learn from them. Who are they? What makes them tick? Internet Resource: Book Recommendation: Magic Wand: If everybody would take a little bit more time to understand others, rather than trying to convince others. I think that will make us a little bit better. Just listen a little bit. Listen instead of talk. Most Energized About Today: I think the pace of change is fascinating. We're doing things now leading to keeping people comfortable in their homes. Connect: Website: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn: Facebook: Youtube: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/28197614

University Sustainability with UB Chief Sustainability Officer Ryan McPherson 09/11/2023

University Sustainability with UB Chief Sustainability Officer Ryan McPherson Quantum Quote: "The peacemaker taught us about the seven generations. He said, when you sit in Council for the welfare of the people, you must not think of yourself or your family, not even of your generation. He said, make your decisions on behalf of the seven generations coming, so that they may enjoy what you have today." - Oren Lyons "It's not the critic who counts; nor the man or woman who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs, who comes up short again and again. Because there is no effort without error, and shortcoming." - Theodore Roosevelt The world can feel very overwhelming– from fast-paced modernization to the constant production of greenhouse gases. However, hope is still within our reach as we try to change our habits, influence future generations, and save our environment. Changing habits, switching to organic foods, and saving the earth one initiative at a time can lower the damages of our consumption. However, these aren’t enough. To achieve sustainable change, we need a constant effort to educate and empower every individual - especially at educational institutions… Learn with us today about the changes that the State University of New York at Buffalo (University at Buffalo, or UB) are making to lead by example, empower our youth, and create a greener future for everyone! As UB’s inaugural chief sustainability officer since 2011, Ryan McPherson works to create a culture of innovative and collaborative sustainability at UB and implement strategies to help position the university as a sustainability leader in the community, state, and nation, as well as across all institutions of higher education. As part of the university’s climate action plan, Ryan has been setting 10 key strategies to implement within the next decade. Ryan has also worked to integrate the Sustainable Development Goals across campus and New York as part of the broader effort to create the next generation of change agents that can build the future we seek. SuperNova #1. We all have to be in the arena. Whether you are currently succeeding or failing is not necessarily the point - you need to be in the game. We have a lot of things to do right now, and we need everyone in the arena working to really advance things. SuperNova #2. Realize that sustainability is not the goal. Sustainability is a strategy to achieve existing goals. SuperNova #3. We can talk as much as we want about hope and all the possibilities that are out there, etc. But there is a ticking clock that is in front of us. And every day, every hour that we delay, is a consequence that happens on the backside of that timebomb. Worst Career Moment: The one that really stands out is that we went through a couple of years worth of really evaluating, working, putting out bids, analyzing, really reducing risk all for a lot of on-site and our off-site solar, and had a really great bid come in. The forecast savings was a couple million dollars a year, for 20 years, under a locked purchase power agreement, a long-term contract. One of the great things about New York is we have some awesome goals, and some really good investment and funding. But one of the big challenges is we have a lot of regulation in the state. And so, the procurement and regulatory framework to get approval of certain things works at a different speed than the market. And so, we lost that opportunity. Best Advice He’s Ever Received: I think sometimes in order to go fast, you need to go slow. Sometimes thinking through things a little bit more than just reacting actually gets you further ahead and has more impact. Personal Habit that Contributes to Success: I don't know if it contributes to my success, but it helps prepare me. I love trail running.. Sustainability work is about the long game. So pacing yourself, but also learning how to digest the pain on the trail, definitely helps in the professional world as well. Internet Resource: by the Harvard T.H. Chance School C-Change Book Recommendation: Podcast Recommendation: Magic Wand: I'd go back 30 years ago and have everyone's mind changed about the importance of acting on climate. Most Energized About Today: I am most energized and really empowered by where I work, I get to see 30,000 students every day. Not all of them, but they are amazing! That inspiration they give me, the innovation and the creativity and you know, they're realistic. They're dealing with the same challenges. But the sense of urgency and determination that I see on an issue like climate and equity is nothing short of energizing, for me, to be around that. Next Step: I really think our building electrification efforts are both energizing me and keeping me up at night because it is so big. But that work is one that we're really focused on. Our mobility work is also transitioning the entire fleet over. That is no small objective either. Parting Advice: I do truly believe that at the end of the day, we all, within our self-interest, want to and need to get to this place. And so for me, at the core of that, is trying to speak in a language that is not your language, that is someone else's language. How can you then bring some of those different pieces of climate action, meet people where they are, and really try to have them see a different angle within their world? Connect: Website: Website: Instagram: Youtube: Twitter: Twitter: Facebook: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/27995655

Saving the Climate with Sustainable & Profitable Ocean Wave Energy - with Jan G. Skjoldhammer, NoviWave 05/22/2023

Saving the Climate with Sustainable & Profitable Ocean Wave Energy - with Jan G. Skjoldhammer, NoviWave Quantum Quote: “Save the climate with profitable wave power.” – Jan G. Skjoldhammer Each and every year, uwe are burning more fossil fuels, ruining our children’s futures and all of our lives. What we’ve been missing is a more cost-effective and climate-saving solution that’s been around since the very beginning of time. Wave power—about three times more stable than wind—has the potential to provide energy equal to all the electric consumption of everyone in the world right now! Jan’s message is that wave power alone could provide most of our energy needs. Help propel the future of energy solutions and help save the climate with profitable wave power; It may be the missing link we’ve all been looking for. Jan G. Skjoldhammer is the Founder and CEO of Novige AB- or NoviWavi - a wave energy developer that uses ocean waves to generate electricity. Jan has been an officer, captain, instructor and display pilot with a well-developed technical side, having built a race car in his youth, among many other projects. He is a natural-born entrepreneur with a tireless ambition and an environmental awareness that has led him to make a significant positive impact on the world and mitigate climate change. Skjoldhammer's entrepreneurial endeavor in property development laid the monetary foundation of NoviOcean in 2016, with early retirement from his long-time career at SAS Airlines. Today, Jan leads a team of like-minded individuals who also strive towards saving the climate with profitable and renewable wave energy technology. Today’s podcast is sponsored by EarthKind Energy Consulting (www.EarthKindEnergy.com) Email [email protected] for a free 20 minute consultation to discuss your energy cost pains - and how solar, heat pumps, and electric vehicles may provide you with the means to save money while improving the environment and leaving a proud legacy for your children. SuperNova #1. Wave power’s potential globally is estimated to be about the same as humanity’s current electrical consumption, about. 29,000 terawatt hours per year. For the US, about 66% of the total consumption in the US can be provided by wave power. SuperNova #2. Wave energy generators are low on the horizon, hardly visible, don't make any disturbing sounds, and do not harm any animal life, birds or sea life; SuperNova #3. Wave power is about three times more stable than wind power. But combining wave power with solar and/or wind energy can provide five times the power and meet all our energy needs, eliminating our dependence on fossil fuels. Combining wave power with solar and wind provides the missing link for energy. Connect: ⦁ Website: ⦁ Email: [email protected] ⦁ LinkedIn: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/26903691

Climate-Smart Agriculture: How Eco-Friendly Farming can Protect You & Mother Earth - with Sara Waldner 03/23/2023

Climate-Smart Agriculture: How Eco-Friendly Farming can Protect You & Mother Earth - with Sara Waldner Quantum Quote: “Save our soil in the hopes that the soil might just save us.” - Woody Harrelson We all have to eat - but agriculture is something we often don’t think about And, even when we do, we don’t think much about how it affects our environment. But climate smart grants, carbon credits, and goals to become “net zero” have now made agriculture a hot topic in the mainstream media over recent years. Sustainable agriculture provides a fast and direct path to the eco-friendly changes we want, and climate smart farming can create more resilient crops and healthier food. But… did you know that smart farming practices can also play an important role in solving the climate crisis by taking carbon out of the air and sequestering it into the soil? There are a plethora of contributions you can make, programs you can educate yourself on, and a change of lifestyle you can invest in. Switching to a climate-smart and organic agriculture provides benefits that have the ability to positively influence numerous environmental factors - and support the farmers who bring us our daily sustenance. To be protected by Mother Earth, we must first love and take care of her through smart actions and eco-friendly changes. One of our first steps is in agriculture. Dive in and learn more about climate-smart agriculture and the power, protection, and strength it brings - not only to the environment, but to you as well. While Sara Waldner didn’t grow up on a farm, she’s been passionate about promoting the benefits of modern agriculture and educating others about the challenges that farmers face to feed our growing world for over a decade. Her advocacy began in high school with her involvement in FFA, the largest student-led organization in the country that prepares members for leadership and careers in the science, business, and technology of agriculture. We’d like to hear from you! Please help us understand how AWESomeEarthKind can help you achieve your clean energy goals. SuperNova #1. The most successful stories of farmers implementing these types of climate-smart practices on their farm often came from having a peer-to-peer connection with someone, whether that was through a different mentorship group,a program, a one-on-one connection that they already had, or attending different events and seminars that some of the soil conservation or soil health advocacy groups put on. SuperNova #2. Farmers are business people first and foremost. And they need to be able to have the flexibility to adjust and refine practices on their operation as needed throughout the transition. SuperNova #3. Rather than just focusing on soil health or carbon sequestered, it's important also realize the many additional benefits that come with these practices, like improved biodiversity and soil nutrients, and improved water retention and quality. Erosion prevention increases yields over time because of the benefits of soil health. Because our soils are more resilient, you'll be better suited to face the extreme weather events that we are all too familiar with these days. The upcoming US Farm Bill this year is our best opportunity to create climate smart policies and support sustainable agriculture. Tell the Federal Government how you feel about farm health and the upcoming Farm Bill: Connect: LinkedIn: ACT Now: Rural Investment to Protect our Environment (R1PE100)- Policy Platform: Today’s podcast is sponsored by EarthKind Energy Consulting. Find out how you can save money while reducing your carbon footprint with clean energy technologies by going to . /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/26315616

Organic Batteries to Power IoT using Electricity from Paper and Enzymes - with BeFC’s Marie Berthuel and Jules Hammond 01/24/2023

Organic Batteries to Power IoT using Electricity from Paper and Enzymes - with BeFC’s Marie Berthuel and Jules Hammond Quantum Quote: “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” –Jules Hammond “To learn to succeed, you must first learn to fail.” –Michael Jordan Batteries may be just shrugged off as something small - but did you know that 15 billion batteries end up in landfill or are incinerated every year? The power of science and technology is now creating a change in how we produce batteries - using only paper and enzymes. Today’s podcast explains this new sustainable energy solution and how it will pave the way for a cleaner and brighter future, with a reduction in toxic waste - one sustainable battery at a time. Marie Berthuel is a doctor in electrochemistry. She is the Product Manager and Co-Founder of BeFC. Jules Hammond has a Ph.D. in electronics and has had two previous startups in the United Kingdom. After he returned to his birth city of Grenoble in the Alps, he Co-Founded and is the CEO of BeFC. Sign up for a to discover how easy it is to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account. In “, you’ll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including: How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies) Why building owners everywhere are making the switch The secrets to securing utility incentives, tax credits and grants to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system and much more… If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home. We’d like to hear from you! Please help us understand how EarthKind Energy Consulting and the AWESomeEarthKind podcast can help you achieve your clean energy goals. SuperNova #1. BeFC technology uses paper & enzymes to produce a few milliwatts of electricity per square centimeter and power a microcontroller that can energize sensors. Then it can even send the data wirelessly. SuperNova #2. Every year, around 15 billion primary batteries - 97% of miniature batteries - end up either in landfills or are burned in incinerators. These miniature batteries are intrinsically complicated, expensive and unecological to first collect, then process, then recycle. It takes large amounts of time, effort, and money to recover value from these miniature batteries, which is why they end up polluting our planet. SuperNova #3. The BeFC solution is more than 96% recyclable, and it’s what we call "disposable." Further down the line, all BeFC products will be totally recyclable and degradable. The in-house studies have proven compostability, biodegradability in liquid, as well as, in solution, and non-fetal toxicity. SuperNova #4. Most batteries store energy using reactive metals. Often these metals can be quite exotic, including cobalt in lithium batteries. BeFC's technology is based on enzymes that are industrialized now at the multi-ton scale in large, three-story fermenters. It means costs are decreasing and, because they’re bio-source materials, the costs will continue to go down. SuperNova #5. Using multiple enzymes to strip or remove electrons from the glucose molecule can achieve higher energy densities. In 20 to 40 years time, there's a huge opportunity to extract all of the energy from the glucose molecule and fully oxidize it. At that point, organic batteries can power cell phones and other devices. Connect: Website: Email: EarthKindEnergyConsulting.com /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/25712565

Why Homeowners & HVAC Contractors are Switching to Geothermal - with Emily Ostrander, ClimateMaster 12/19/2022

Why Homeowners & HVAC Contractors are Switching to Geothermal - with Emily Ostrander, ClimateMaster Geothermal heating and cooling systems are no longer new in the market. Contractors and homeowners are recognizing that cash and tax incentives reduce both upfront investments and monthly operating costs - while creating quiet, sustainable and & more comfortable indoor air environments. Truth be told, some geothermal systems have a price tag that at first appears to be a lot more than a conventional system. But with a 30% federal tax credit, additional local tax credits and utility rebates, that number can make a geothermal HVAC system cost only slightly more than a conventional system to install - with 70% savings in monthly heating, cooling and hot water expenses for the homeowners, and larger profit margins for HVAC contractors. To top that, geothermal systems also benefit the environment because of the reduced emissions from fossil fuels into the air! Truly, geothermal heating and cooling systems are the most efficient system available in the market - not only for the immediate and long run financial savings, but also for the reduced maintenance costs and hassles. Join us today as we discuss why both homeowners’ and contractors should make the switch from traditional HVAC to geothermal systems. Emily Ostrander is ’s Northeastern regional sales manager. has been in the geothermal heating and cooling industry since the 1950s, and for more than 50 years, they have been continually developing and producing the industry’s most innovative and energy efficient heating and cooling systems. Presently, they are operating a 510,000 square foot cutting-edge plant in Oklahoma City that sustains over 600 American jobs and supports more than 1,200 independent dealers. “Geothermal heat pumps are the most efficient on the market…what that does for you is it first off eliminates your heating fuel source and instead runs on electricity. So, you might have some higher amounts of electrical costs where you didn't before, but it offsets the cost of the fuel by far. It makes it more efficient, reduces operating costs, gives you a great system that is more consistent and comfortable - and also reduces the carbon footprint.” – Emily Ostrander Key Takeaways: “Geothermal systems use the ground temperature underneath to heat and cool your home. So, how this makes it the most efficient system out there is the fact that – and let's just say for winter, you are trying to heat your home, and we're able to use that constant temperature of around 55 degrees to heat the home versus an air source.” – Emily Ostrander “Geothermal systems, yes, they do require a little bit more time to install, but not as much time as everybody thinks it's going to be.” – Emily Ostrander “HVAC Contractors - TheTrilogy System is $48,000 because that's what you're invoicing to the customer. That's not what the customer pays due to all the rebates and tax incentives, but that's what is being invoiced. And you can make a higher profit margin on a geothermal system than traditional systems. So, what does that do? For spending an extra day on a jobsite, you could walk away with $14 to $15,000. In my mind, I think an extra ten grand in your pocket is something that every contractor would love to see for a day's work.” – Emily Ostrander Connect: Website: LinkedIn: Email: Phone: 330-414-5444 Resources Mentioned: Climate Master: NY Well Drillers: Topics Covered: 04:58 – Introducing this episode’s guest, Emily Ostrander 05:19 – What geothermal heating and cooling system is about and how it works 07:37 – The types of loops you can choose from depending on the type of your property 09:56 – The benefits of geothermal heating and cooling system compared to the traditional fossil fuel, oil, propane, and natural gas systems 11:55 – Why geothermal heating and cooling system is the most efficient in the market 13:40 – The things you need to do and look at if you want to be a contractor of geothermal systems 18:35 – Discussion about ’s 22:42 - Discussion about ’s GeoDesigner, a software that compares operating cost differences between different systems 25:34 – How and where homeowners could find drillers 27:08 – The incentives that help reduce upfront costs for the installation of geothermal systems 31:27 – The approximate out-of-pocket costs and net costs of installing ’s 33:23 – Why geothermal system is more cost-efficient than other heating and cooling systems in the long run 36:17 – Why you’d want to get into geothermal systems, as a contractor 39:41 – Geothermal systems benefit the homeowners, the contractors, and the environment as well 40:39 – Connect with and Emily Sign up for a to discover how easy it is to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account. In “, you’ll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including: How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies) Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system and much more… If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, go to and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home. /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/25367481

A Cheaper, Warmer, Cooler, & Cleaner Way to Heat and Cool our Buildings - New York’s Effort to Provide High-Efficiency Clean Heating & Cooling Systems, with Donovan Gordon,NYSERDA 12/03/2022

A Cheaper, Warmer, Cooler, & Cleaner Way to Heat and Cool our Buildings - New York’s Effort to Provide High-Efficiency Clean Heating & Cooling Systems, with Donovan Gordon,NYSERDA Quantum Quote: “Passion and commitment. You got to be passionate about what you do and committed to accomplish what you’re passionate about. That’s how I live my life.” – Donovan Gordon How can we save money and help create a better future by transitioning from heating our buildings with fossil fuels to heating and cooling with clean and renewable resources? When we say that we’re going to heat and cool our buildings from the earth, more often than not, people scratch their heads and question how it’s possible to get 72 degrees from dirt. By running pipes into the ground and transferring the “heat beneath our feet” into our homes and other buildings, we can capture the constant temperature of the earth and use that ~50 degrees as the starting temperature to heat or cool. Then, using the same type of heat pump technologies as today’s refrigerators and air conditioners to cool or heat. When we maximize the use of geothermal pipes, we improve comfort and reduce energy costs for almost seven generations. Imagine investing in a heating & cooling system that ensures that your kids and grandkids will have a safe, clean, efficient, and lost-cost heating, cooling and hot water system. Not only are you saving money, but you’re also being part of creating a sustainable world. One-third of New York State’s carbon emissions come from the heating systems of our buildings. Join us as we bring all the levers that we have to reach our carbon reduction goals of 40% by 2030 and 85% by 2050. Donovan Gordon is the Director of Renewable Heating & Cooling at New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA). He leads New York State’s efforts to develop markets that support clean, high-efficiency, renewable thermal systems, while conceptualizing, driving and implementing a portfolio of products to encourage and enable customers and partners to invest in low-carbon clean heating and cooling systems and with advancing New York’s progress toward self-sustained markets. Donovan has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from St. Francis College, and a Master in Business Administration from NYU, Stern School of Business. He is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accredited Green Associate, and an International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA) accredited Geothermal Installer. Sign up for a to discover how easy is it to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account. In “, you’ll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including: How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies) Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system and much more… If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home. We’d like to hear from you! Please help us understand how AWESomeEarthKind can help you achieve your clean energy goals – and you’ll automatically be entered into a Sweepstakes for a Free LED Light Fixture: SuperNova #1. It works; this thing works. In geothermal, it’s nothing new. Once you go down five to 10 feet, the temperature stays constant. It’s a technology that is not a technology per se in that we’re not inventing some gadget; we’re just tapping into a natural resource that’s there for the long haul and using it… We really need to do some education, but also, we need to reach a critical mass where it becomes common… We need to show the value to the homeowner of installing these types of technologies for their comfort, but also for the return and value that they can bring to their home. SuperNova #2. Take a look at this because geothermal is going to be around. People need to heat their buildings. And again, with climate change, they're going to need to cool their buildings as well, too. Right now, it's separated. You heat with fossil fuels in furnaces; you cool it with air conditioning that uses electricity. Now, this is an all-in-one system that provides heating, cooling, and domestic hot water. Every home needs one. Be part of that shift. You’re helping your own future; this is for you. SuperNova #3. For anyone looking to install it, if you can, I would highly recommend that you do home energy efficiency, maintain your envelope insulation to reduce your thermal load, thereby reducing the size of the system that you need to put in. And if your load is lower, you use less energy and carbon. Because electricity is still going to be a while before it is 100% renewable, that also reduces the carbon footprint. Less is more in this case. Efficiency is the name of the game. Efficient buildings and efficient appliances, meaning heat pumps. Most Energized About Today: “That I'm the guy leading up for New York State. I'm humbled and honored that I'm in this position, and I'm going to give it my all. Again, I'm passionate and committed.” – Donovan Gordon Connect: LinkedIn: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/25208982

How Sustainable Investing Can Help Solve Climate Change with Zach Stein, Carbon Collective 08/29/2022

How Sustainable Investing Can Help Solve Climate Change with Zach Stein, Carbon Collective Quantum Quote: “You can't climb a mountain if it's smooth." -Andre Iguodala Investing is one of the primary ways to secure a better financial future for you and your family. But, did you know that where we bank and how our investments are managed can greatly impact our carbon footprints? Our finances, including our retirement funds, are not charity. Ensuring that these are properly invested is a must. Carbon Collective provides the opportunity to ensure that our investments not only build a better future for us, but also for our planet. As part of its mission, we have the power to create a zero-carbon society by forcing major corporations to transition and decarbonize faster through your investments. Make the right choice. Invest with impact. Save our planet. Zach Stein is the co-founder of Carbon Collective, the first investment advisory firm focused solely on solving climate change. Zach’s entrepreneurial journey began with his hands on the ground, well, more accurately, in poop. He founded Urban Worm, a Bay Area worm composting farm that took free waste products– horse manure and apple pulp– and turned them into premium compost that sold for $20 a gallon. This urban agriculture base led Zach into the world of indoor farming, raising leafy vegetables and fish in controlled environments. He teamed up with James Regulinski to launch Osmo Systems, an innovative sensor/monitoring platform that would enable first indoor farmers and then the broader world of fish and shrimp farming to detect key aspects of their water quality for 1/10th the cost. They raised over $4m from top-tier VCs to commercialise the tech. Now, Zach and James are scaling Carbon Collective and rapidly expanding their offerings, team, and member base. Sign up for a to discover how easy it is to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account. In “, you’ll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including: How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies) Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system and much more… If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, go to and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home. SuperNova #1. So often, when it comes to climate change, individuals get stuck in a loop of "I'm terrified, emotionally. And I don't know what to do. I see these lists, and it's like you have to do everything." How should we prioritise that? What we found to be a really helpful framework is focusing on the big things, like the gears of your life that run in the background, focus where it's a weighty decision to make a change, but once you make it, you're done, and you just get to go on living your life. One simple example is where you keep your money. SuperNova #2. Remove the really big rocks first. And then you can kind of take a breath and re-establish. SuperNova #3. If you don't have effective teamwork, then you aren't going to be successful, or it's very hard to be successful. Invest in the team, and put that front and center. AHA! Moment: I'll share like, from fairly early on, we ended up doing 120 interviews with folks to try and understand where their climate anxiety took them and where they got blocked. This was before we knew that Carbon Collective was going to be an investing company. We set up all these elaborate demos to try to walk people through a simulation of what it could be. In our first interview, this guy says, "Hey, this was fine, but you really should read this book called the "Mom Test". We're like, "What's the Mom Test?" It is the best book I've ever read for people who are looking to see if a particular product should exist. It teaches you how to interview, where you go, and how to dig for past behaviors. When you dig for the why of their behavior, you see where people got blocked. Best Advice He’s Ever Received: “Learn. So long as you're learning you're on the right path.” -Zach Stein Personal Habit that Contributes to Success: “Making sure I get good sleep, which has been really hard with a five-month-old.” -Zach Stein Internet Resource: Magic Wand: “I think I would re-establish our deep human connection to nature and that we're a part of it. I think that if that happened across the world, so many of our environmental problems, in addition to climate change, we would just feel so much of the pain that is happening that we wouldn't need to do anything to solve it. It would just happen.” -Zach Stein WTF Moment: “I lived through the orange day in San Francisco in the Bay Area. This was during fire season. I, at the time, was waking up with the sun at seven am. There was a skylight right above my bed. It was so dark- I woke up at 10 am. It was the weirdest day I've ever been in. My wife, and I had recently bought a home in the Bay Area and we looked at each other and were like, "Did we make a huge mistake?" -Zach Stein Most Energized About Today: “Honestly, I'm really energized about my kid. He's in such a cute phase. Whenever I see him, he smiles at me. It's incredible!” -Zach Stein Parting Advice: “So long as you're learning, you're on the right path. And just trust that that's going to take you there.” -Zach Stein Connect: Website: Email: Project Drawdown: Project Drawdown’s Climate Solutions at Work: As You Sow: International Energy Agency: Renewing America: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/24193629

The Best Thing You Can Do is Power Your Life with Solar with Bill Nussey, Freeing Energy 07/18/2022

The Best Thing You Can Do is Power Your Life with Solar with Bill Nussey, Freeing Energy Quantum Quotes: “Going solar saves a bunch of money. No matter what your politics and ideologies are - saving money is pretty universal.” - Bill Nussey We’ve become so used to having fuel-powered sources get us through our day that most people find it hard to embrace solar’s potential to change not only our life, but also the planet’s. For years, we’ve depended on fuels that require taking something out of the ground, refining and burning it, which, with all the waste, then inevitably led to the current state of life on Earth. But now that solar and batteries are here, we’ve found not only the cheapest, but also the most sustainable power source! As a product of technology - not a fuel - solar allows us to save money, energy, and our children’s future. However, even when people are aware that the numbers show that solar is getting cheaper day by day, many are still choosing not to embrace the new reality. Join us today and be enlightened. Be fuel-free and become one of the heroes of free energy! Bill Nussey is a career tech CEO with several exits, including an IPO. His companies have created thousands of jobs and billions in shareholder value. Along the way, he worked at Greylock as a venture capitalist, and - after selling his marketing tech company to IBM - was promoted to VP Corp Strategy to help lead IBM’s global strategy for their CEO and SVPs. In 2017, he jumped into clean energy. It started with a which grew into 100+ articles, then became the ranked renewable energy and a book called , which has hit Amazon’s #1 new release in three categories. The targets investors and innovators and uncovers a trillion-dollar disruption in the renewable energy industry that few people see coming. – Sign up for a to discover how easy is it to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account. In “, you’ll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including: How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies) Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system and much more… If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home. We’d like to hear from you! Please help us understand how AWESomeEarthKind can help you achieve your clean energy goals, and enter a Sweepstakes to win a FREE LED Light Fixture. – SuperNova #1. Get educated. When you want to convince somebody who's not inclined to listen to the urgency of climate change, as a business person, I say fall back to the business side, because the numbers are much harder to debate. We can debate whether solar is going to offset some gigatons of carbon, and what that's going to do to the future of the health of the planet. But the fact is, solar is going to save a bunch of money. No matter what your politics and ideologies are, saving money is pretty universal. And the good news is that clean energy is now the cheapest source of energy. SuperNova #2. As a newbie, the thing that I'm getting my head around is that for a century, energy, electricity, hydrocarbons, fossil fuels, everything - were all essentially fuel-based business models. What you had to do is take something out of the ground, refine it, ship it, burn it, then sometimes you had to clean up the waste. (Normally, you just threw it in a pond behind the power plant. But, there was waste. ) The thing that's so cool, that’s changing, is that solar and batteries are technologies; they're not fuels. And this is so profound in terms of the impact it's going to have on the transition. What people really don't get their head around is that in another ten years, solar is going to be so cheap. I think we'll see every home and every building have solar and batteries in it. Not because they're environmentalists, not because there are subsidies; it's going to be because it's the cheapest way to generate electricity and it's the most reliable, sustainable, and independent. I think it's just inevitable. SuperNova #3. It’s really simple. If you have a roof and you have the good fortune to have a little bit of money, then go put solar on your roof. If you don't have those options, get community solar. The best thing you can do is power your life with solar. That has a much larger reduction in carbon footprint than, say, going vegan, which you should do too, if that's what you want to do. And the other thing is, if you have the means, drive an electric car instead of a petrol-powered car. That's a very large benefit, especially if you drive a lot. Worst Career Moment: “I bet everything to get into clean energy. I had a really good career, had been successful in the traditional tech industry, and most people thought I was crazy to get out of that industry. It's a lucrative industry and people knew who I was in there. The question was, why in the world would you get into an industry where nobody knows who you are to write a book that nobody cares about, to make a business that may or may not work in the future? A couple of years into it, as I was trying to put my entrepreneurial lens towards what can I do in the clean energy space, I got pretty depressed, because everything I saw really ran into the need for policy change, which is very difficult and slow, and everything required us to work through electric utilities. That was a pretty low moment for me, when I thought I had made the biggest mistake of my career. But then I said I'm going to give myself 90 days to see if there's some other angle here, some way where entrepreneurs can participate, where people want to innovate and move quickly. And that's when I stumbled into the notion of local energy.” – Bill Nussey Best Advice He’s Ever Received: “Follow the road less traveled. I think it's incredibly easy to fall into the things you're supposed to do and be the person that everyone thinks you’re supposed to be. And every time in my life, in my career, when I was supposed to do X, Y or Z, not because I was a rebel, but because I just had a different vision for myself, I did something different.” – Bill Nussey Most Energized About Today: “I have two - the first is that I take crazy big notes and I use digital tools to keep track of them and source every article. I find that that creates a continuity and ability to accomplish goals that very few things do. And then - always have three things. Every day of your life say - what are the three things I want to get done for the next year or the next six months, and always have those written down. I write them down on my wall. Having constant reminders at the beginning and end of the day - what are the three things I'm working towards that really matter? Always have three things; three goals” – Bill Nussey Internet Resource: Book Recommendation: Magic Wand: “If I could have one thing that I would change in the world, I would help everybody be a little more wary of convenient answers. You just have to put your skeptic hat on and take a second look. For the industry, if I could wave a magic wand, I would wish that batteries costs in 2023 would be what they'll cost in 2030. If that's too much to ask, then I wish that people would have conviction in 2023 about what they'll actually cost in 2030, and they would make entirely different decisions.” – Bill Nussey Most Energized About Today: “I think the most exciting thing that I look at in the industry is the Ford F150 Lightning, the EV-powered version of the most popular vehicle sold in the United States. Ford took the most popular car in the history of the world, and they made it incredibly attractive to everybody.” – Bill Nussey Next Thing: “I've been working on a small startup. I spend a few hours a week on something called Solar Inventions - it's the work of one of the Soneva scientists. One of the guys that invented most of those products is a business partner of mine, and we've created and are now attempting to commercialize a new architecture for silicon solar that has some benefits that makes it better and cheaper.” – Bill Nussey Parting Advice: “Look at the numbers. They're on your side now. They weren't on your side ten years ago. Ten years ago, it was sacrifice and green premium and all the kinds of things that required. Now, the numbers are on your side. You know it. I know it. But this is just not baked into the dialogs every single day about how we get to clean energy. Focus on the numbers. They’re there. Being cheaper is the biggest reason to get 100% of humanity on board with this transition.” – Bill Nussey Connect: Website: LinkedIn: or Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: Email: or /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/23771267

Solar - The Largest Energy Source on the Planet with United Solar Energy Supporters Dr. Richard Perez and Eva Hoskin 05/30/2022

Solar - The Largest Energy Source on the Planet with United Solar Energy Supporters Dr. Richard Perez and Eva Hoskin Quantum Quote: “Look at the numbers. Always look at the bottom line-- the numbers. Because that's the best way to back up what you say.” – Richard Perez "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever had.” – Margaret Mead Saving Earth and attaining sustainability isn’t too late if we know where to rightly invest our time and money. Switching to solar is the most cost effective and impactful way to create the clean, sustainable future we all desire. As technology advances create a more comfortable way of life, we often turn a blind eye to all things natural. But the Forces of Nature are orders of magnitude greater than any man-made power, and the greatest source of energy on the planet is The Sun. The AWESome powers of the air, water, earth, and sun can provide all our energy needs. But - how do we get there? Join us today to hear Dr. Richard Perez discuss his studies in how much power we can tap into from clean energy sources; how those resources are orders of magnitude greater than coal, oil, gas, and nuclear; and how the “out of the box” solution to our energy dilemma is to overbuild solar and waste a third of the solar output. By building more solar than we need during peak times - and throwing out the extra - we can generate enough energy to carry us through the nights and winters. Dr. Richard Perez leads solar energy research at U. Albany’s ASRC. He has served multiple terms on the board of the American Solar Energy Society and as associate editor of Solar Energy Journal. He has produced over 250 journal articles, conference papers, books & chapters. He holds patents on energy storage, and load management and leads an International Energy Agency Activity on renewable firm power generation. Eva Hoskin started with the United Solar Energy Supporters (USES) in late 2020 as an intern which budded into a long-term role, eventually leading to her becoming the Executive Director. In addition to working for USES, she is actively organising communities in New York and Pennsylvania to educate them about utility-scale solar projects. – Sign up for a to discover how easy is it to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account. In “, you’ll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including: How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies) Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system and much more… If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, go to and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home. – SuperNova #1. The reason why we did the energy study initially - and still - is to dispel common misconceptions about solar energy being a small niche energy source, when, indeed, it's the largest resource by orders of magnitude. SuperNova #2. We project there is more solar available for deployments than the finite resource by a factor of 100. Over the next 30 years, you could generate 100 times more solar energy than you could from any of the finite resources. SuperNova #3. There are three ways to overcome the intermittency issue. The first is to use storage. Energy storage is getting cheaper. The second is to couple solar with other renewables that have another output, like the wind in New York. The wind tends to blow more when the sun doesn't, and vice versa. There is more wind in winter when there's less sun. There is more wind at night generally. So, there is a good balance between the two. And the third one is out of the box. The solution, in fact, entails wasting roughly a third of the solar outputs-- throwing it out. Best Advice He’s Ever Received: "Don't fight. If you have winds against you, don't go against it. Try to find a way where it blows your way. And you can make it happen that way. So go with the flow and shape the flow." – Richard Perez "One of the things I've learned from Dr. Perez, since working with him, that really is one of the biggest takeaways for me is just how little of the land is needed to generate all the solar energy we need. Less than 2% of farmland would need to be used. And the efficiency of panels is getting so much better every year." – Eva Hoskin Most Energized About Today: “It's looking at PV growth over time. Almost since I started in the business, solar has been growing at 20%, 25% every year. It’s been growing at a constant rate that, by definition, is an exponential. And one of the very important things about exponential is that you don't even notice they are there until you start noticing them. And when you start noticing them, then they blow up ‘exponentially’." – Richard Perez “I'm most energized that USES' new solar film series is almost complete. We are very much looking forward to sharing that with the public. It's going to be three 60-second films, highlighting the economic benefits that communities can get through hosting a solar project. Super excited to get that out there and start creating more.” – Eva Hoskin Parting Advice: “Follow the sun.” – Richard Perez Connect: Email: Email: Website: United Solar Energy Supporters: USES Solar Film Series: Website: American Solar Energy Society: Website: International Solar Energy Society: Facebook: LinkedIn: LinkedIn: Instagram: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/23265500

Earth Day 52st Anniversary - with Earth Day Founder, Denis Hayes (Special Re-Release) 04/22/2022

Earth Day 52st Anniversary - with Earth Day Founder, Denis Hayes (Special Re-Release) Quantum Quote: “If it has been done, it must be possible.” – Kenneth Boulding April 22, 2021 is the 51st Anniversary of Earth Day - the most widely-observed non-religious holiday in the world. Over 1 BILLION people participate in Earth Day events in virtually every nation on Earth. events educate and mobilize on local, state, national, and global environmental issues. The 2020s HAS to be the turning point for humanity’s transition to clean energy and a sustainable future. 90% of our carbon emissions come from burning fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas) for our electricity, heating, cooling and transportation. The Good News is that the Forces of Nature provide 1,000 times the energy we need. The Better News is that we have the technology to channel that clean energy and meet all our needs. And the BEST news is that we can save money doing it. This week AWESome EarthKind will re-run our interview with Denis Hayes, the first Earth Day coordinator - who then led the way to make Earth Day an international event. Denis also did the ground-breaking work that created the first 6 story Net Energy Positive building - despite developers saying it was an impossible dream. Dive into the world of Earth Day’s Denis Hayes and realize that we can overcome the seemingly impossible challenges that confront humanity today. Denis Hayes is a Stanford University graduate and has been a silicon-valley lawyer, a Stanford Professor of Engineering, and the director of the National Renewable Energy Lab. He currently works as the President of the , where he developed the first 52,000 sq ft six-story building to be Net Energy Positive. The building creates more energy than it uses, and energy is not an expense - but a profit center! And the building was built in Seattle – the city with the least amount of sunlight in the United States. Denis was named as The Newsmaker of the Day by the New York Times, by Time Magazine, and was also listed as One of the 100 Most Influential Americans in the 20th century by Look Magazine. Denis became the national coordinator of the first Earth Day in 1970 after he dropped out of Harvard. That Earth Day mobilized millions of Americans and generated the momentum that led to the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the creation of The Environmental Protection Agency. Listen to this episode as Denis shares insights into Earth Day, the “Sea of Energy” that surrounds us, the building that World Architecture Magazine called “The Greenest Office Building in the World”, the reality that we can overcome what seems impossible, and his hope for the future. Sign up for a to discover how easy it is to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account. In “, you’ll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including: How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies) Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system and much more… If you tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home We’d like to hear from you! Please help us understand how AWESomeEarthKind can help you achieve your clean energy goals – and you’ll automatically be entered into a Sweepstakes for a Free LED Light Fixture: SuperNova #1. “If it has been done, it must be possible.” While everyone said it was impossible, Denis developed the first six-story 52,000 sq ft building to be Net Energy Positive – it creates more energy than it uses. SuperNova #2. Most of the energy we need to do are simple – become super-efficient and let the forces of nature provide our power. SuperNova #3. We live in a SEA OF ENERGY. If it wasn’t for the sun, it would be hundreds of degrees below zero. The furnace just tops it up. SuperNova #4. Utility scale “Solar On Demand” (Solar with batteries) is now the lowest cost power in the US. Worst Clean Energy Moment: During the Arab Oil Embargo, Denis promoted that we do for solar energy what NASA and the Defense Department did for computer chips – buy in bulk and drive down prices. There was good and bad news. Aha! Moment: “Energy is the capacity to do work.” Drying clothes outside takes as much energy as in the dryer, but we don’t pay for the sun and air to dry our clothes. Best Advice He’s Ever Received: When you hit the wall with a complex problem – take a break. Go into nature, do something else. When you come back, you’ll have the answer. Personal Habit that Contributes to Success: Pessimism provides no survival advantage – it only leads to giving up. There is always hope – even in the face of incredible challenges (like Churchill in England during WWII). Internet Resources: , The , and the . WTF or F: Siberia in winter without a coat. Most Energized About Today: The Green New Deal (now called “ called the American Jobs Plan”). The $3 Trillion Cares Act was passed with only a few weeks' debate to avoid economic catastrophe. We CAN come together and decide that we are going to make the transition to a super efficient, renewable energy powered civilization. Parting Advice: Even when everything is stacked against you – never give up. /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/18687455

NYS Clean Heat Program - Accelerating the Clean Energy Transition - with Nicole Williams, NYSEG-RGE 04/18/2022

NYS Clean Heat Program - Accelerating the Clean Energy Transition - with Nicole Williams, NYSEG-RGE Quantum Quote: "It always seems impossible until it's done." - Nelson Mandela Using clean energy is 75% to 400% more efficient than fossil fuels to power our electricity, heating, cooling, transportation, and many more systems. That's why state governments and utilities are doing their best to help and encourage everyone to switch to sustainable energy sources that are good for the environment and the consumer. Where can we find programs and resources to help us use clean energy sources, especially for air and ground source heat pumps? How can we support using best practices and standards to install these sustainable technologies? We will uncover all that and more with our guest in this next episode. As a Conservation and Load Management Program Manager, Nicole manages the New York State (NYS) Clean Heat Program for NYSEG and RG&E, subsidiary companies of AVANGRID. Nicole is also a member of the NYS Clean Heat Joint Management Committee, composed of NYS utilities and NYSERDA. With over 17 years of service in the energy industry, Nicole has held a variety of roles from Energy Specialist to Supervisor of Low-Income Programs and Customer Advocacy. Outside of AVANGRID, Nicole enjoys spending time with her family, whether cooking a big meal or hosting a gathering at her home. She also enjoys shopping at farmers' markets all over NY and PA, volunteering, and supporting local businesses. geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account. In “, you’ll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including: How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies) Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system and much more… If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to and register now for this FREE special web series that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home. We’d like to hear from you! Please help us understand how AWESomeEarthKind can help you achieve your clean energy goals – and you’ll automatically be entered into a Sweepstakes for a Free LED Light Fixture: Supernova#1: This past fall, NYSEG started injecting renewable natural gas derived from organic animal waste into our customers' natural gas delivery system in Western New York. The NYSEG appliance recycling program was recognized by the EPA for year over year program growth in 2021. NYSEG customers have recycled 2,615 Full-Size refrigerators, 556 standalone freezers, and 302 room air conditioners. Removing these inefficient appliances from the electric system is the equivalent of taking 687 gasoline-powered vehicles off the road. Supernova#2: Often, consumers will believe that you have to have a large yard to fit a ground source heat pump. That's not always the case; there are vertical ground source heat pumps and there are also community geothermal units that can serve an entire development. So there are geothermal options out there for space-constrained units and various building types. Don't rule it out if you don't have that big yard to install your typical horizontal ground source heat pump. There are other technologies. Supernova#3: Beneficial electrification is where we're converting from fossil fuel sources to electricity. It's 75% to 400% more efficient than fossil fuels. Program Resources: , Most Energized About Today: "It's not necessarily just today. It's today and beyond. I'm really excited to see the innovation that's out there how heat pumps are being used to overcome building challenges and technology challenges. It's removing greenhouse gasses and how we can incorporate the technology going forward." - Nicole Williams Parting Advice: "We all love to research before we purchase anything, and there are so many valuable web pages out there and communications filled with tons of information regarding heat pumps and beneficial electrification; that's very important to do and compare your options. But when in doubt, consult with a professional in the industry. This program is here to develop best practices on how these installations occur and work with our industry partners in providing those practices throughout their installation." - Nicole Williams Connect: Website: Twitter: Facebook: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/22820912

Transitioning Towards a High Tech Future: Treating Our Own Water and Making It Reusable - With Riggs Eckelberry, Originclear 04/04/2022

Transitioning Towards a High Tech Future: Treating Our Own Water and Making It Reusable - With Riggs Eckelberry, Originclear Quantum Quote: “There is but one true need, and that is human relations.” (translated to English) – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (author of “The Little Prince”) An earth- and user-friendly water system is one of the major issues facing the world today. The water shortage and sewage concerns are getting more serious every day, with droughts plaguing the western U.S. while floods regularly overflow sewage systems in the east. Around the world, these issues are even more intense. Did you know that even with the government and big water companies cleaning most of our water, 80% of all sewage in the world is not treated at all, and the problem of waste water is getting worse? Lack of funds equates to lack of infrastructure. OriginClear (OCLN) and their Water on Demand™ strategies address wastewater infrastructure issues with disruptive technology and innovative financing. Water purification for beer brewing can allow the reuse of 50% of their waste water for wash downs and other purposes. Treating our own water and making it reusable with “water as a service” is a win-win for everyone. Take a step towards saving humanity’s future as we work towards an environment of smart energy, water, and everything else - and where we think about how even water can be reused! Riggs Eckelberry is the CEO of . A happy tech executive, in 2005, he helped take a security software company public as its president. He then became CEO of a small public company treating industrial water before deeply diving into the water crisis, devoting his time to sustainable water: a huge, but slow-moving trillion-dollar global market. Riggs is uniquely qualified to ride the wave of do-it-yourself water treatment that is transforming the water industry and combating the water crisis. Sign up for a to discover how easy it is to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account. In “, you’ll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including: How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies) Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system and much more… If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home. Does your organization have a clean energy plan to move toward sustainability? Watch this video and discover how to create one: SuperNova #1. The real problem is the water that's made dirty. People don't realize that municipalities have been starved of funds ever since the 1970s. So when the Biden ministration did this multi-trillion dollar infrastructure bill, they only did $55 billion for the one industry, so we concluded that the centralized government infrastructure is not happening. One of the solutions is to reduce the load at the center, and do it at the margins where the water is made dirty. Let’s fix it at the edges. The solution is to take care of it yourself. SuperNova #2. In third world countries’ cities, they have humans cleaning the sewers, and many of them are dying from the gasses. There's literally no infrastructure. The solution there is not to try and spend more billions on central systems. Incentivize people, industries, and large housing developments to have their own water treatment over time. SuperNova #3. Before you jump into an entrepreneurial thing, do some apprenticing. Learn the space, get involved at some level with whatever's going on in a sector, and have a sense of what your capital is going to be – your capital roadmap – because you're never gonna have enough money. That's just the fact of it. Riggs’/OriginClear’s Next Step: “What’s great about this capital fund is we’ve raised that symbolic million since November 1, and we are going to keep going with that, Assets are what’s needed to get you on the NASDAQ. We are done being a penny stock company. It’s become over-regulated. We intend to get on the NASDAQ. And now, we expect to have really good access to inexpensive capital. We’re going to be the big player on the block. We think we have a great future.” – Riggs Eckelberry Parting Advice: “I believe that high tech is coming to everything. What I like is the integration of high tech lessons and disruptive lessons to even very conventional spaces, like water. We think that there's going to be so much high tech implementation for every day industries that you would be very mistaken to think that you could just bump along and use a paper Rolodex and do your thing. That's over. It's gonna be all about high tech.” – Riggs Eckelberry Connect: Website: LinkedIn: Facebook: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/22666826

Urban Equitable Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure 02/28/2022

Urban Equitable Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Quantum Quote: “I don't care that they stole my idea, I care that they don't have any of their own.” - Tesla If you live in a single family home - you can do all of your electric vehicle charging with a regular electric socket in your garage. But in urban areas, most people live in apartments and multifamily buildings. How do we create the opportunity to own - and charge - an electric car for everyone? Across the country, ordinances and laws are being passed to promote EV charging. Today, we focus on the leadership of Illinois, where the state passed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act and the City of Chicago adopted the EV Readiness Ordinance. Across the US and world, people are creating infrastructure that will provide easy access to charge EVs, and significant incentives are coming for people to shift, save more now, and invest for the future. Let's learn more with these three EV advocates guests: Neda Deylami is an EV advocate and attorney from Chicago. She has worked on clean energy legislative campaigns at the city, state, and regional levels, and she aims to make clean transportation accessible, affordable, and feasible for all. Samantha Bingham is the Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition coordinator, one of 75 US Department of Energy designated coalitions serving local communities across the country. Sam has coordinated numerous ride and drive events for both fleet professionals and the general public to learn more about electric vehicles. The goal of CACC is to reduce petroleum use in the transportation sector and to improve the health of our communities through improved air quality and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Vanessa Perkins founded the Chicago-focused Community Charging Initiative to help mitigate EV charging deserts, promote EV awareness and usage, and support community-owned EV charging installations. Through a research fellowship with Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2.org), Vanessa engaged Chicago neighborhoods to determine how to leverage existing infrastructure and the sharing economy to fill public EV charging gaps. A grant-funded pilot of Community Chargers was launched this year in Chicago's northwest, southwest, and south side neighborhoods, all of which are owned and operated by community host partners. Today’s AWESome EarthKind podcast is being brought to you by EarthKind Energy Consulting. EarthKind is a clean energy consulting company with over 3 decades of experience in creating clean energy transformations that reduce an organization’s energy costs, provide outstanding financial returns, and create positive environmental impacts. Schedule a free consultation at www.EarthKindEnergy.com to discover how your organization can move toward zero carbon solutions - and save money with clean electricity, heating & cooling, and EV transportation. Today’s podcast is co-sponsored by EarthKind Energy and the Ampion-Clearpoint Community Solar program. Community solar is a way for everyone to enjoy a solar experience and save money on our electric bill, just through the simple act of subscribing. With the Ampion/ClearPoint Community Solar subscription, there’s no need to build your own solar system. Sign up and in just 30 days, you will see community solar credits reduce your utility bill. If you have Central Hudson as your electric utility – check out the special Community Solar opportunity on . With no sign up fees, nor any cancellation penalties, Central Hudson’s customers can now participate in a community solar program that provides a positive environmental benefit and saves $100 – $150 per year. Community solar is giving everyone the opportunity to help create momentum towards sustaining life on our planet. Pay 10% less on your electricity bill – just by signing a piece of paper. Learn more by going to . Check “Yes” when asked if there is an agent or salesperson helping you and type in “EarthKind”. AND - if you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to and register now for a FREE webinar seriest that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home. Challenges: "In 2018 and 2019, Clean Cities, with the support of stakeholders, was able to hold an electric vehicle ride and drive at the Chicago Auto Show. And we thought we were going to have thousands of people test drive EVs, and found out that it was tough to pull people aside and engage them on electric vehicles and get them to test drive." - Samantha Bingham Lessons: "Drill deeper into what preconceived perception do they have about electrification? Not just assume their gearheads and EVs are just not going to work out for them. With more infrastructure, over 90% of our trips are 40 miles or less, that's well within the range of even a lower mileage EV. The mission is never accomplished; we keep needing to engage more and more groups about the benefits of electric vehicles and why infrastructure is important, why they should host chargers, why individuals should purchase or look into converting to electric vehicles." - Samantha Bingham Supernova#1: "I was at those auto show events volunteering. One of the best ways to get people to come was, I asked them if they liked paying for gas – that got their attention. When I do one-on-one presentations in different communities, one of my favorite tidbits is talking about the efficiency between gas engines and electric motors. Because gas engines are really not efficient. And I love telling people that when they buy $40 worth of gas, $8 of it is actually moving the car, and $32 it's just being set on fire." - Neda Deylami Supernova#2: “There are a lot of really exciting policies t that are going to help solve some of those issues with charging deserts. Illinois just passed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, and Chicago adopted the EV Readiness Ordinance. Hopefully, we'll see that across other municipalities. And then I've been working on a small project where we are building privately owned level two charging stations that can be owned by the host on a small commercial site in the neighborhood and rented out to the general public. It's a way to almost Airbnb a charger.” Supernova#3: I wrote a bill on the state level that is being considered right now. That would include new and renovated buildings that would recommend requirements for parking spaces dependent on the number of parking spaces and how many of those spaces are EV ready. There are different suggestions based on whether that parking space will be ready for a charger to be installed versus how much extra installation will be required, like having an outlet there or not. But basically, the circuits and the wiring capacity is there in the building such that later on, when more people have EVs and want to charge their vehicles at home or work; we're not going to be having to dig up concrete and spend 10s of 1000s of dollars, which is what the most expensive part of retrofitting right now is. We can save those costs and invest in it now and not have to spend more later. Aha moment: "If you've never ridden an electric car, go do it! They're really fun. The first time when we actually started test driving them was a 2016 Nissan Leaf. Boy, Is that easier to drive; more fun to drive! People were like, oh, Tesla's are so fun! But all EVs are fun! You accelerate in seconds. They're quiet." - Vanessa Perkins "We had a project with some wheelchair accessible compressed natural gas taxis about a decade ago and actually heard from a gentleman who is confined to a wheelchair. He came into O'Hare with his wife, who was attending a conference. They were picked up in a wheelchair-accessible CNG vehicle, and they were both ecstatic about the green option for wheelchair vehicle mobility. The gentleman felt so great about having access to a green vehicle that while his wife was at the conference, he traveled all across the city in a clean vehicle that was able to transport him safely and cleanly." - Samantha Bingham Most Energized About: "I'm just excited about the fact that EVs are also mobile batteries. My family is always going through power shut-offs in California from the fires. My aunts are very into the idea and are looking into getting an EV that can also work as a backup battery for their house." - Vanessa Perkins "A lot of the benefits we can get from EVs that we're noticing now, like… the grid becoming more renewable, stabilization of the grid, and lowering prices for everyone, regardless of if you own an EV or not. I think a lot about Texas during that ice storm. And also passing my bill." - Neda Deylami "I am super energized about leadership here in Illinois on electric transportation; we have activities going on at the statewide level and the local level that are just all hands on deck supporting the electrification of everything from light-duty passenger vehicles, to mitigating diesel emissions through electric trucks and buses." - Samantha Bingham Parting Advice: “Get your butt in the seat of an EV. It'll change your life.” - Samantha Bingham "Listen to the people who have frontline experiences with the environmental issues that you're trying to advocate for." - Neda Deylami "Invest in Illinois for what we're doing with electric transportation and beneficial electrification in general." - Vanessa Perkins Connect: Neda Deylami: Website: Samantha Birmingham: Website: LinkedIn: Facebook: Twitter: Vanessa Perkins: Website: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/22278221

Sell Every Megawatt: Sustainable Computing with Renewable Energy - with John Belizaire, Soluna 01/31/2022

Sell Every Megawatt: Sustainable Computing with Renewable Energy - with John Belizaire, Soluna Quantum Quote: “An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.” – Edward de Bono There is exponential growth in new clean energy production, with numerous companies creating solar & wind power plants across the globe. Clean energy is now the least cost source of new electricity virtually everywhere on Earth, and renewable energy was 87% of all new electric power plants in the US in 2021. Unfortunately, a lot of that energy doesn’t reach the grid due to a mismatch of consumer demand with nature’s power. Clean energy growth is exponential - and so is the increase in the world’s information consumption and processing needs. Enter Soluna Computing. Soluna was founded to bring flexible data centers that are powered by clean energy - maximizing the value of solar & wind plants when they aren’t being used for general electric capacity. As Soluna CEO John Blizaire says “the renewable energy industry needs more flexibility; the computing industry needs more green power. It’s a perfect match”. Join us today as we see how information technology and renewable energy can be combined and dive into the potential to make renewable energy the world’s superpower resource for the information age. John Belizaire is the CEO of Soluna Computing Inc. He is on a mission to reimagine the renewable energy grid to make renewable energy more efficient and environmentally friendly. Soluna is currently focused on some of the biggest unsolved problems for the economics of renewable energy: sustainable computing, sustainable data center spaces, and wasted energy. Since his days of selling floppy discs in high school, John has had an entrepreneurial spirit and interest in technology. He was a recipient of the Intel Scholarship Program and he went on to receive a computer science and engineering degree from Cornell University. When he was 28 years old, he sold his first start-up company for $150 million. He is a versatile CEO and serial entrepreneur who has successfully founded and scaled several more multi-million dollar technology companies. Today, he is CEO of Soluna, a company helping to shape the future of renewable energy development. His expertise as both a highly effective business leader and technology strategist has led his new venture to operational success by steering complex initiatives from concept to funding, launch, and growth. Today’s podcast is being brought to you by EarthKind Energy and the Ampion-Clearpoint Community Solar program. Community solar is a way for everyone to participate and enjoy a solar experience and save money on your bill, just through the simple act of subscribing! If you have Central Hudson as your electric utility – check out this special Community Solar opportunity. With no sign-up fees, nor any cancellation penalties or any other fees, Central Hudson’s customers can now participate in a community solar program that provides a positive environmental benefit and saves $100 – $150 per year, With the Ampion/ClearPoint Community Solar subscription, there’s no need to build your own solar system. Sign up and in just 30 days, you will see community solar credits reduce your utility bill. By paying 10% less on our electricity bills – just by signing a piece of paper - community solar is giving everyone the opportunity to help create momentum towards sustaining the planet and the 8 billion humans alive today – and for our children’s future. Learn more by going to . Check “Yes” when asked if there is an agent or salesperson helping you and type in “EarthKind”. SuperNova #1. Most people want more green power but they don’t understand the challenges with getting it. I don’t think people understand the challenge with renewables. The grid has this very structured way in which to build that infrastructure, and at the heart of it is this concept of dispatchability. With renewables, Mother Nature is deciding dispatchability, and most people don’t know that. This creates the wasted energy issue. SuperNova #2. There’s a lot of renewable energy that’s being built, but what most people don’t realize is that up to one-third of that green energy never actually makes it to the grid. That’s because the grid here in the US - and just about everywhere - suffers from an architecture problem. It was originally designed to synchronize the production of the power to the consumption of the power. But as we start to change those power plants and replace them with intermittent green power resources that are really controlled by Mother Nature, that synchronization no longer exists. SuperNova #3. Most people don’t know how powerful storytelling is, and they aren’t very good at storytelling. But stories are at the heart of how you get action, and how you turn ideas into execution. You have to get people to buy into a vision of the future that they can all believe. Then, they can see a path to creating that vision of the future. Worst Career Moment: “We were developing a power plant. To develop a power plant, you have to be on the ground. You’ve got to be meeting with the government officials and you’ve got to have local interaction with the local communities. In March 2020, that was totally shut down. We had to sit down and really think about what our business is going to be. We hunkered down. We made time to really think broadly and laterally. One of the things we’re able to do was to get this big renewable energy agency to talk to us over the phone. In cracking that code to deliver them a firm set of power, firm price, firm delivery, the computing was actually the answer.” – John Belizaire Most Energized About Today: “Today, I’m most energized about building our team. We’ve been attracting some fantastic people from different industries - from the renewable energy industry to financial expertise. We’re forming new partnerships with some of the largest infrastructure companies in the world.” – John Belizaire Parting Advice: “Keep pushing. No matter what happens, just keep pushing. Never stop. That’s how you get to success.” – John Belizaire Connect: Website: LinkedIn: Twitter: @; @ We have a climate change problem, and if we don’t do something drastically different – bring some new ideas and put those ideas into action – we’re in big trouble. /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/21957119

2022 - New Hope for the New Year 01/03/2022

2022 - New Hope for the New Year Happy New Year, Awesome People! Welcome to 2022! The turning of the year provides the opportunity to stop, see where we are, remember the lessons of where we’ve come from, and determine our intentions and goals for the future. In the first AWESome EarthKind episode over a year ago, we interviewed Denis Hayes, the original organizer of Earth Day who then led the movement that made Earth Day the most widely celebrated secular holiday in the world, involving over 1 Billion human beings. In that interview, Denis spoke about how there is Always Hope. He recounts several turning points in history where the future was dark and bleak – and yet, despite the odds, people held onto hope and snatched victory out of the jaws of impending defeat. While today there is much to be rightly concerned about – there are also brilliant starbursts of light that ignite hope and show us a path forward. Here are some excerpts from the Good News Network () and various other sources: Despite a few national governments continuing to keep their coal and oil projects afloat, market demand and private entrepreneurship is driving what can only be described as a revolution in renewable energy. These latest achievements were basically unbelievable when global climate change was first being discussed as a serious threat. But today, each successive development of renewable energy generation, clean heating & cooling, and electric cars, makes new achievements cheaper and easier to scale. Solar for the Developing World A half-million people living in 3 of the Northern Congo cities are going to be supplied with reliable renewable energy by a trio of United Kingdom, French, and Spanish solar power companies. Citizens from that region suffer from the lowest rates of reliable electricity in the world. The solar power plants with battery storage will now resolve this problem. In West Africa, 2 Senegalese cities available to them in the coming months as a variety of institutions offer government financing for sustainable energy. Senegal is a heavy net energy-importer, placing enormous financial burdens on people for the importatino of coal and oil. In Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest economies, the will equip 500,000 homes with solar panels, generating electricity for 25 million Nigerians. Solar on Demand – the least expensive energy source on the planet The United States National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) reports that solar and storage costs have fallen dramatically over . The price of residential solar was reported down from $7.53/W in 2010 to $2.65/W in 2021,; utility-scale solar was $5.66/W a decade ago to $0.89/W today. That was driven in large part by higher module efficiency and lower module cost. The combination of low-cost solar farms and lithium-ion batteries has produced a dynamic new hybrid resource capable of providing energy from the sun after dark and reshaping America's power mix in the 2020s. The spread of these hybrid facilities has been fueled largely by plummeting solar-plus-storage prices, which have begun undercutting conventional fossil-fueled generation. Levelized solar energy prices - Adjusted for inflation over the estimated 30-year lives of the projects - are in the 2 to 3 cents per kwh range, according to a recent report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Just a few years ago, solar-plus-storage prices were more than triple today's going rates. Today, solar and battery storage provide the lowest cost energy on the planet. Last year, 3/4s of all new electric generation capacity in the world was built with solar. The windiest on record 2021 was the single best year on record for wind turbine manufacturers with 93 new gigawatts (BILLION watts) being added—a 53% increase since 2020. The summary states: “Through technology innovations and economies of scale, the global wind power market has nearly quadrupled in size over the past decade and established itself as one of the most cost-competitive and resilient power sources across the world.” “Today, there is now 743 GW of wind power capacity worldwide, helping to avoid over 1.1 billion tons of CO2 globally—equivalent to the annual carbon emissions of South America.” HOT ELECTRIC CARS Data assembled back in March from Germany’s largest automotive industry review produced a startling statistic - 1 in 5 cars made in Germany can be plugged in. The Schmidt Automotive Research Center that 74,000 of the 374,000 cars that left German assembly lines were either electric or hybrid electric vehicles. On the demand side, things are just as rosy. Germany is the fourth largest auto market in the world, and grew from a 4% national market share in December 2019, to a whopping 26% market share just 12 months later. This is just in the background of a global surge in EV purchasing during 2020, when most markets were suffering from COVID-related issues. Bloomberg New Energy Fund “expects that EVs will make up 20-30% of sales in the United States, European Union and China by 2025, based on "proposed and confirmed rules" in those markets. President Joe Biden has set a goal for in the United States to be electric vehicles by 2030. And New York and others have banned the sale of gas cars by 2035. 2021 is estimated to be "yet another record year for EV sales globally," with 5.6 million sold. That is 83% higher than 2020 and a 168% increase over 2019 sales. And global momentum towards zero-emissions vehicles (ZEV) has "accelerated significantly," Bloomberg said. EVs will "capture a higher share of passenger vehicle sales, sooner than previously expected." The green new pension Since its green shoots 50 years ago, acceptance of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) considerations in institutional investing – especially at pension funds – has evolved with distinct shifts in investor preferences. As the holders of the largest state-controlled pension fund on Earth, the South Korean monetary authorities in May that the $771 billion National Pension Fund will cease all investments related to coal power both at home and abroad. The fund also announced that they would revamp guidelines for investment strategies to ensure a more sustainable pattern emerges in the future. Worldwide, ESG (Environmental Social & Governance) assets surpassed $35 trillion in 2020 - up from $30.6 trillion in 2018 and $22.8 trillion in 2016 reaching a third of current total global assets under management, according to the Global Sustainable Investment Association. ExxonMobil – long known for its anti-climate change positions - used to have bragging rights as the world's most valuable public company with $500 Billion of market valuation. Now, America's largest oil company is in steady decline. It’s been kicked out of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and has less than half of its peak market value. Adios, coal: Spain hits 50% renewable milestone Back in mid-May, the Spanish legislature it would be phasing out all oil, coal, and gas production by 2042, and that all carbon-emitting vehicle sales would be banned by 2040. In the short term, the Spanish lawmakers want 74% of the national energy consumption to be entirely renewable by the end of the decade. They are quite close to that goal already, as the month of May saw demand fulfilled by green energy. Romania also joined the effort, alerting the EU that through its National Recovery and Resilience Plan the country would by 2032, at which time it plans to have installed 34% renewable electricity to take over the baton. G7, the world’s seven largest developed economies, coal financing by the end of the year. Now that Japan is also on board, that leaves the African, India, and China as the last remaining holdouts. In the US, 22 states now have carbon-free energy goals: Arizona 100% carbon-free electricity by 2070 Adopted by order of the Arizona Commerce Commission in May 2021, extending and expanding the existing state RPS. Docket number . California 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045 2018 legislation () extended and expanded the existing state RPS. State agencies are required to submit implementation plans by January 1, 2021. Also in 2018, Gov. Jerry Brown’s set a goal of statewide carbon neutrality by no later than 2045, with net negative GHG emissions thereafter. Colorado 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050 for Xcel Energy A 2019 law () codified a pledge previously made by Xcel, whose service territory covers approximately 60% of the state’s load. It is mandatory “so long as it is technically and economically feasible.” Connecticut 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040 Governor Ned Lamont’s 2019 Executive Order () set a 2040 goal for carbon-free electricity and asked the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to develop a decarbonization plan for the power sector, in line with previous legislation to cut economy-wide carbon emissions by 80% below 2001 levels by 2050. District of Columbia 100% renewable energy by 2032 through the RPS The Clean Energy DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2018 () amended the existing RPS to mandate 100% renewable electricity by the year 2032. Hawaii 100% renewable energy by 2045 through the RPS 2015 legislation () made Hawaii the first state to set a 100% RPS for the electricity sector. Illinois 100% clean energy by 2050 2021 legislation () established a goal of 100% clean energy by 2050, with interim targets of 40% by 2030 and 50% by 2040. Louisiana Net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 Governor John Bel Edwards’ 2020 Executive Order () established a Climate Initiatives Task Force to develop a roadmap and make recommendations. Maine 100% clean energy by 2050 2019 legislation () increased Maine’s RPS to 80% by 2030, and set a goal of 100% by 2050. Also sets an economy-wide goal of 80% cuts to greenhouse gases by 2050. Massachusetts Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 In 2020, the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs set a 2050 net-zero GHG emissions goal under the authority of 2008 legislation. The same goal was then included in a March 2021 climate action law (). A decarbonization roadmap was released at the end of 2020. Michigan Economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2050 Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s order in 2020 () set a goal “to achieve economy-wide carbon neutrality no later than 2050.” It directed the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to develop a plan by the end of 2021. Nebraska Net-zero carbon emissions from generation resources by 2050 for Nebraska Public Power District and Omaha Public Power District; 2040 for Lincoln Electric System Nebraska is the only state served solely by publicly owned utilities. As of December 2021, the three public utilities that serve the vast majority of customers have all adopted 100% clean energy goals. Nevada 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050 2019 legislation () raised the RPS to 50% by 2030, and set a goal of a net-zero emission power sector by 2050. New Jersey 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050 Governor Phil Murphy’s in 2018 set a carbon free goal for the power sector and directed the BPU to develop an Energy Master Plan, which was released in 2020. New Mexico 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045 2019 legislation () requires a zero-carbon power supply by 2050, with at least 80% from renewables. New York 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040 2019 legislation () requires zero-emissions electricity by 2040 and sets a goal of cutting all state GHGs 85% by 2050. A Climate Action Council will develop a plan. North Carolina Carbon neutrality in the electricity sector by 2050 2021 legislation () requires the North Carolina Utilities Commission to “take all reasonable steps” to achieve a 70% reduction in CO2 emissions from electric generating facilities in the state by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. Oregon Greenhouse gas emissions reduced 100 percent below baseline emissions by 2040 2021 legislation () requires investor-owned utilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the electricity they sell to 80 percent below baseline emissions levels by 2030, 90 percent below baseline emissions levels by 2035, and 100 percent below baseline emissions levels by 2040. Puerto Rico 100% renewable energy for electricity by 2050 2019 legislation (), the Public Energy Policy Law of Puerto Rico, set a timeline for reaching 100% renewable electricity by the year 2050. Rhode Island 100% renewable energy electricity by 2030 Governor Gina Raimondo’s 2020 Executive Order () requires the Office of Energy Resources to “conduct economic and energy market analysis and develop viable policy and programmatic pathways” to meet 100% of statewide electricity deliveries with renewables by 2030. Virginia 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045 for Dominion Energy and 2050 for Appalachian Power Company The 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act ( and ) requires zero-carbon utilities by 2050 at the latest. Washington 100% zero-emissions electricity by 2045 2019’s Clean Energy Transformation Act () applies to all utilities. The state Commerce Department started a rulemaking process in August 2019. Utilities must file implementation plans by January 2022. Wisconsin 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050 Governor Tony Evers’ Executive Order () in 2019 directed a new Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy to “achieve a goal” of all carbon-free power by 2050. Natural Gas Moratoriums & Heat Pumps Dozens of cities, including San Francisco, Berkeley and San Jose in California; Cambridge, Mass.; and Seattle, Oregon in new buildings as a way to combat climate change. In Westchester NY, there has been a moratorium on new natural gas hookups since 2018. And on December 15th, 2021 - New York City banned natural gas hookups for new buildings starting in 2027. Previously, Geothermal or ground source heat pumps were growing at a rate of 7% per year. Since geothermal is the most efficient form of heating and cooling – with 500% efficiencies from using the stored heat in the ground beneath our feet – it is expected that the growth in both air and ground source heat pumps will soon reach double digits. Green oil All is not business-as-usual in the boardrooms of some of the world’s largest petroleum producers. In a landmark court decision, a judge in the Netherlands to cut emissions by 45% after 17,000 people brought a lawsuit that Shell’s large greenhouse gas footprint merits a significant investment in CO2-slashing as a debt to society. Elsewhere in Europe, the Italian oil company Eni became the first European oil company to launch a corporate bond that is linked to sustainability. The €1 billion 7-year bond is linked to two key performance indicators: “Increasing renewable installed capacity to 5GW by the end of 2025; and cutting the net carbon footprint of its upstream business by 50% by 2024,” Lastly, Engine No.1, a shareholder group of ExxonMobil, managed to get two of their candidates elected to the American company’s board on the argument that the company’s long-term business strategy didn’t take into account all of the value loss potential from climate change, both from shareholders jumping ship, and potential damages from extreme weather events. BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager with $8.6 trillion in private capital, ensured the Engine No.1 candidates got the positions by utilizing their vote as large shareholders. 100% Clean Energy On April 29th, 2021 over 29 million people in California got 95% of their power from renewable energy— and were contributing virtually nothing towards climate change as far as their electricity needs were concerned. California follows another major population center, South Australia, . “It sends chills down my spine. It’s amazing,” said Elliot Mainzer, president and CEO of the California Independent System Operator, which runs the state’s main power grid. “These types of transitions aren’t always pretty. But we’re getting a lot of renewable generation online, making a real dent in the state’s carbon emissions,” Mainzer recently urged the state to construct another 10,000 megawatts of renewables, an equivalent of one-eighth of the entire state baseload power, in order to cover the gaps in the grid. Covering gaps in renewables is important for two reasons. The first is that electricity is the only resource that must be consumed as soon as it’s produced. That means projections of demand must always be just about perfect. The second reason is that renewables most often have no form of storage, and the electricity they generate goes into the grid immediately upon production. To help navigate around these natural flaws in renewable energy, California has been a key leader in in the west to share surplus power across state lines, creating a more robust grid, removing more need for fossil fuels, and taking advantage of other states’ resources. For example, California is much sunnier than Wyoming, but Wyoming has the most consistent wind power of any state. Utility companies in each place can exchange their baseload power with the strengths of the other and reduce fossil fuel input and increase grid stability. This is the best method for protecting against blackouts and drops in supply due to changing weather until cost-effective and scalable storage technology become widely implemented. A Clean Economy = Healthier Communities Scientists at UC Berkeley are hailing the state’s diesel engine standards for drastically dropping the amount of diesel particulate matter in the air, and reducing the cardiopulmonary deaths attributable to poor air quality. If you never saw the pictures of the city of Los Angeles before the Clean Air Act, they look like something out of the movie Escape from L.A But encouraging shifts away from high-sulfur fuels, and replacing diesel ships with electric ones, has gradually scaled the horror show back. “Our analysis of mobile source DPM (diesel particulate matter) emissions suggests that many California sector-based policies have been highly effective,” write the authors of the paper published in . They found that from 1990 to 2014, the amount of DPM in the California skies fell by 78%, while cardiopulmonary and cancer deaths linked to diesel pollution dropped by 82%. These are just some of the many positive actions that have been happening around the country and globe. Obviously, there still much to be concerned about. As I record this podcast, I have one son in Boulder Colorado whose former home community was destroyed by the recent wildfires. Only 1 mile away from his current home, 100 mph winds created a blast furnace of destruction for thousands of homes. Thankfully, the massive snowfall has now contained that catastrophe. But my other son and his family were pummeled by 11 feet of snow on the way to their holiday vacation in Lake Tahoe. Don’t Look Up If you haven’t seen the new comedy film “Don’t Look Up” – it’s worth watching. While the insanity of ignoring science is pretty funny – the reality is that we can’t allow ourselves to continue to be distracted by day-to-day petty politics and our ridiculous obsession with social media. We all need to join together, find a way to overcome our differences, and remember that our children’s future is the one... /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/21658382

Community Solar for All Central Hudson Electricity Customers – with Angelo Chambrone, Clear Point Energy 12/20/2021

Community Solar for All Central Hudson Electricity Customers – with Angelo Chambrone, Clear Point Energy Quantum Quote: “I’ve got a peaceful, easy feeling…” – The Eagles Did you know that - if you rent, or can’t install solar panels at home for whatever reason - there is now a way for you to still gain the environmental benefits of solar - and save yourself 10% on your electric bill? Do you know that with community solar, you can now enjoy the benefits of living a solar life - without actually having solar equipment in your house? Community solar is a way for everyone to participate and enjoy a solar experience and save money on your bill, just through the simple act of subscribing! With no cancellation penalties or fees, Central Hudson’s customers can now participate in a community solar program that provides a positive environmental benefit and saves you $100 - $150 per year, With the Ampion/ClearPoint Community Solar subscription, there’s no need to build your own solar system. Sign up and in just 30 days, you will witness community solar credits reduce your utility bill. By paying 10% less on our electricity bills - just by signing a piece of paper, community solar is giving everyone the opportunity to help create momentum towards sustaining the planet and the 8 billion humans alive today - and the future for our children & all the generations to come. Learn more and join us: Simply click this link: . Please check “Yes” when asked if there is an agent or salesperson helping you and type in “Earthkind”. Angelo Chambrone leads Clear Point Energy, an energy consulting firm based in Syracuse, New York. He has over thirty (30) years of energy sector experience. His firm provides strategic and technical consulting services to retail energy suppliers, consumers, commercial enterprises, and institutional customers on a national basis. His firm’s specialty is renewable energy, electricity, and natural gas. Sign up for a to discover how easy it is to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account. In “, you’ll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including: How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies) Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system and much more… If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to and register now for this FREE special web series that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home. We’d like to hear from you! Please help us understand how AWESomeEarthKind can help you achieve your clean energy goals – and you’ll automatically be entered into a Sweepstakes for a Free LED Light Fixture: SuperNova #1. Regardless of the situation that you're dealing with, whether it's consumer or commercial driven, bring some value to the table – information that they haven't heard before. Find that and bring that to the table. The last thing someone needs is someone coming, calling them, and talking to them about the same things that everyone else is. SuperNova #2. Renewable energy is a win-win for everybody. It is good and helps the environment; it’s a natural progression and evolution of our technology. At the same time, it helps people and companies save money.. SuperNova #3. There isn't enough capacity for everyone to participate at the moment. If you have a chance to participate, it's good to jump on it because of the fact that it's limited. When you have an opportunity - grab it. Aha Moment: “We’ve had aha moments with some of our very large clients. We’ve shown them how to use community solar as an overall hedge against rising prices. You really need to understand the strategy to use community solar, to not think in boxes. It’s one thing to do community solar because it'll save money, but it’s important to consider the overall picture of how it all fits together. While this can be complex, once the customer understands that, that's kind of an aha moment that I'm not sure even homeowners realize like when we talked about the savings. Community solar is a natural protector against rising prices, because the higher the prices rise, the more credits you get.” – Angelo Chambrone Best Advice He’s Ever Received: “I had a boss mentor. He said, when you're contemplating a decision that you're about to make or something you're going to participate in, think about if you read it in the newspaper, would you be pleased or would you be disappointed? And if the answer is pleased, then it's probably a good decision. And the reverse is true, obviously. That’s a really practical way to think about lots of things in life. Would you want to read about it in the newspaper? Would you be proud? If so, it's probably a good thing. If not, you might want to stay away from it.” – Angelo Chambrone Personal Habit that Contributes to Success: “I'm a closet musician, a guitar player, because I don't play professionally. I take some time in my day, even if it's a couple of hours, to go play. It clears my mind, gets me back into life, whether it's supporting family or career stuff. Whatever that is for someone else – whether it's meditating for a while or going for a quick walk, I think you really got to cleanse your brain a little.” – Angelo Chambrone Internet Resource: ; Magic Wand: “I would ask everyone in the world to just take a minute and listen to the person they're talking to before passing any kind of judgments. Far too many times, people just don't give that a chance. It doesn't matter what your political views are. Just be civil to each other.” – Angelo Chambrone Most Energized About Today: “The sunshine! In Central New York, we get so very little of it. Today it's just an unbelievable blue sky. I’m really excited when I can do something outside.” – Angelo Chambrone Next Step: “Get more developers on board to spread the word in more utility territories in New York and other states, and find easier and easier ways to bring the parties together, to bring the consumers – so they have a good experience – and the developers together. That's what's next fo me” – Angelo Chambrone Parting Advice: “It's always important to listen and be transparent.” – Angelo Chambrone Connect: Website: Email: [email protected] Website: Write “EarthKind” when asked who referred you. LinkedIn: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/21540323

Achieve Greater Success Becoming a Geothermal HVAC Contractor 12/13/2021

Achieve Greater Success Becoming a Geothermal HVAC Contractor Heating and cooling concerns about 1/3 of all greenhouse gas emissions. With the convergence of advanced clean energy technologies, the chance of being fossil fuel free now appears! In New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, more commonly known as the Climate Act, the most aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals have been turned into law. Did you know that it not only aims to achieve 40% reduction by 2030 and 85% by 2050, but also envisions giving 35% of all benefits to communities that have been most disadvantaged by climate pollution? We have been successfully moving towards our 2025 goals, and now, through NYS Clean Heat, we can take another step forward with heat pumps! The entire world is heading down this road. Why not do it today and be ahead of the game? Anyone who gets into this program now is on the cutting edge, ahead of everyone else. With numerous incentives, this is undoubtedly what contractors (existing or new) need to grow in the geothermal space. Check this episode as we engage in a conversation with people who can help you increase your profit, lower your competition, and make a positive impact with geothermal installations! Featured Speakers: Wendy MacPherson is the Assistant Director of Clean Heating and Cooling for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Wendy leads New York State’s efforts to develop markets that support renewable, high-efficiency, and clean thermal systems, including air-source, ground-source and water-source heat pumps. She is charged with conceptualizing & driving strategies to advance building electrification within New York State. Steve Coulter is the Clean Heat Program Manager at Con Edison. In coordination with the statewide New York State Clean Heat Program, Steve implements Con Edison’s heat pump incentive offerings - helping utility customers save energy and money with clean heating and cooling. Steve recently worked with Con Edison’s Non-Wires Solutions team where he developed customer-sided solutions to reduce electric peak demand on constrained areas of the distribution grid as alternatives to traditional utility capital projects. Prior to his work at Con Edison, Steve has been passionately engaged in a range of clean energy initiatives in previous roles at Southern California Edison and the Los Angeles Business Council Institute. Mike Seidenberg is the Owner of Eco Energy in Rochester, New York. 14 years ago, Mike left his job as a Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning technician to start his own HVAC company and specialize in geothermal heat pumps. Maggie Seidenberg is a BPI Building Analyst & Owner of Energyvana LLC. Growing up around the HVAC industry under the wing of her Dad, Maggie was never a stranger to the changing tides of energy efficiency. After intending to study Biochemistry as a possible energy source, she saw that the very root of energy efficiency lies within the user. Her goal and success is helping New York State homeowners make a lasting impact that promotes a greener future – and a greener pocket! Moderator: Ron Kamen is the CEO of EarthKind Energy Consulting in Rhinebeck, New York. For decades, he’s been catalyzing exponential change in sustainable energy adoption with governments, non-profits, and businesses through his expertise in the field. Ron hosts the AWESome EarthKind podcast and helps empower people to make clean energy transitions to reduce their carbon footprint and save money. In this episode, Wendy, Steve, Mike, and Maggie join forces as they talk about the process on how a contractor can achieve greater success by becoming a Geothermal HVAC Contractor. Here, they discuss the Climate Act, the NYS Clean Heat Program Incentives, and answers questions with regards to geothermal installations and its benefit to you and the earth. Valuable Resource: Please read Section 4 of the the to learn about the Participating Contractor requirements and how to enroll. Visit the NYS Clean Heat Contractor Enrollment Page for more information and application documents: Call (844) 212-7823 for enrollment related inquiries. Topics Covered: 03:14 – Ron introduces himself and this web class’ speakers: Wendy MacPherson, Steve Coulter, Mike Seidenberg, and Maggie Seidenberg. 08:40 – Wendy discusses New York State’s climate goals. Here, she highlights the Climate Act and the NYS Clean Heat alongside the reason behind the need to focus on heating and cooling. 14:59 – Steve starts by introducing himself then proceeds to talk about the NYS Clean Heat Program Incentives, the opportunities, and the how-to’s of enrollment. 26:50 – Father and daughter Mike and Maggie talk about their company and how their process keeps clients motivated in this transitioning movement towards a clean and green space. 31:24 – Maggie explains how helpful the manual is in seeing and understanding what your house actually needs. Moreover, they discuss the advantage they put forward as they help train customers into effectively knowing how to approach their own geothermal space. 36:19 – What are the certifications contractors need to plan about and have in order to be able to roll a product? Are there any upstate opportunities when you do the geothermal cycle? 39:37 – Mike shares what they do with hot water then proceeds to talk about the equipments geothermal installers need to make their practice successful. 42:40 – How long does it take for them to close a deal and finish the installation process? What is the difference between geothermal and air source heat pumps? What are the benefits? 45:36 – Are there any additional license requirements imposed by the State? What are the challenges in insurance? What are the terms of warranties? Are there maintenance contracts? 49:41 – Steve mentions the biggest incentive out there as people transition more into heat pump water heaters. Wendy talks about the best way to have that state support in trainings and the participation process a contractor needs to go through in order to apply. 54:28 – Contractors are too busy with traditional business. They cannot expand their business with this limited work force. How could this be accomplished? 56:14 – As we continue transitioning, we’ll later on need to change codes. What is Wendy’s take on this? 58:40 – A quick summarization of the speakers’ stated points in today’s web class. Valuable SuperNovas: “There is no way New York State is going to meet these decarbonization goals with the current workforce installing heat pumps at the current pace. We need public and private sectors working together to drive this significant change. We need you to install heat pumps. We need you to be a part of the electrification revolution.” – Wendy MacPherson “How do I become a successful geothermal contractor? Become a NYS Clean Heat Participating Contractor.” – Steve Coulter “It is a good environment to sell on because you’re showing them that you care not only about their project but [also] their home, their comfort, everything that makes it up. It’s like a full body investment in a house.” – Maggie Seidenberg “I’m pessimistic. I believe that everything is going to break someday, so it’s nice to have two sources of heat, which makes the customers happy when it does break.” – Mike Seidenberg “There is nothing that is more important right now than building electrification.” – Wendy MacPherson Connect: Wendy MacPherson: [email protected] Steve Coulter: [email protected] Mike Seidenberg: [email protected] Maggie Seidenberg: [email protected] Ron Kamen: [email protected] /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/21463571

Viable Future: Improving Accessibility to Sustainability - with Emily Eckert,GoViably 11/29/2021

Viable Future: Improving Accessibility to Sustainability - with Emily Eckert,GoViably Quantum Quote: “We are running the most dangerous experiment in history right now, which is to see how much carbon dioxide the atmosphere can handle before there is an environmental catastrophe.” – Elon Musk As we get more individually committed to making our homes and this planet a healthier and more sustainable place to live in, slowly, we’re starting to make the transition that we need in the first quarters of 2021. Over 88% of all new electricity generation in the United States came from the construction of new solar, wind, and other renewable energy power plants. That 88% is because clean energy technologies tap into the forces of nature, and now provide the lowest total cost of ownership! However, as we continue to pursue the positive impact we’ve been making these past few months, we also have to realize that despite everything, our efforts are just not enough. Did you know that according to scientists’ calculations, the amount of greenhouse gases we’ve got in the environment now has the same impact every day as though we’re exploding 500,000 nuclear weapons every day, 365 days a year? That’s how much energy is being captured in the atmosphere from the greenhouse gases we’ve all created! There’s no room for failure. We need to increase our impact now. There are people and companies who are getting better at their game of greenwashing. We don’t want to spend our hard-earned money on products that aren’t actually produced in a sustainable manner. Join us as we interview Emily Eckert, the CEO of GoViably. Emily Eckert is a woman with a vision. With a degree in Global Economies, Human Rights, and the Environment, she was made to lead. As the Founder and CEO, Emily brings a lifetime of environmental passion and commitment to the role. She also brings empathy, sensitivity, determination, and authenticity – traits born from her experiences as an adoptee, woman, and person of colour. The obstacles she has overcome have equipped her to face challenges and thrive. She became the leader of a company poised to transform business in ways that will help save this planet. Sign up for a to discover how easy is it to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account. In “, you’ll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including: • How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies) • Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch • The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system and much more… If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home. We’d like to hear from you! Please help us understand how AWESomeEarthKind can help you achieve your clean energy goals – and you’ll automatically be entered into a Sweepstakes for a Free LED Light Fixture: SuperNova #1. There is a lot of rebates and incentives that are out there to help both businesses and residential customers, and I don’t think they’re looking at them. More utilities are getting on that bandwagon. More utilities might be having some requirement to offer something like that. So if your heating system dies at home, reach out and find out if your utility has any support. SuperNova #2. We need to have more conversations about this. It’s in the news all the time, but there’s no comparison to having a genuine conversation with somebody that you know and learning about their perspective and sharing yours and saying how you can support each other. We’ve reached this point where there’s a lot of independent living and thinking, but in the end, we’re one society and one planet – our home. We’re all in this planet together. Let’s work altogether and support each other. Instead of saying “shame on you for not doing this or that”, we need to say “I understand that that’s how you’ve been taught, but have you ever thought about these ideas?” Giving suggestions and general conversations are really important. SuperNova #3. Every one of us has an impact. It’s up to us whether that impact is negative or positive. Oftentimes, we don’t think about the impacts that we don’t see. Let’s think beyond what we can see even though it seems like our decisions and actions don’t make a difference; they really do, because people are observing what we’re doing all the time. They may not tell us and we may not know, but just when you don’t think somebody’s paying attention, somebody’s paying attention. Whether it’s friends, family, co-workers, they don’t need to say they’re paying attention, but they’re seeing your actions – they’re seeing what you’re doing. Aha Moment: “I was about 17 years old. At the time, I lived in Mystic Connecticut and I worked in an aquarium as an exhibit educator. Although I’m not a huge fan of those types of institutions now, for me, it made a positive impact education-wise. I remember, as an exhibit educator, I would have my preset spiel about whatever animal that I was talking about to the visitors, and then this particular day, I was talking about the beluga whales. We have three beluga whales there. I remember finishing that spiel and then thinking to myself, so I’m standing here talking about the conservation of animals, but then I go home and I eat them. And that was my light bulb moment. If I love animals so much, why am I eating them? And after that, I started doing more research about the industry in general, which then also sparked research about climate change and carbon and off I went from there.” – Emily Eckert Best Advice She’s Ever Received: “Keep smiling.” – Emily Eckert Personal Habit that Contributes to Success: “Routines. I have a nightly routine because sleep is really important to me. I like to be clear headed and I’m not if I don’t get enough sleep. So sleep and a nightly routine is a habit that I believe keeps me going.” – Emily Eckert Internet Resource: Book Recommendation: Magic Wand: “Less fear. There’s a connection between the lack of cooperation and fear. The more fearful people are, the less likely they are to cooperate. And so if we have less fear and more love, I think that we would cooperate together and drive these solutions and these actions together more.” – Emily Eckert WTF or F: “I’ll pick the first one, although I did not personally experience it at the time, but I experienced the after effects. My dad lives in Massachusetts, and this must have been about 10 years ago. They had a tornado go through their town. Luckily, my father lived on the outside of town when the tornado went right through the town, and at one point, my boyfriend and I went to help volunteer to clean up some of the homes because there were some homes that were just levelled and I had never experienced seeing that devastation firsthand until that point. I didn’t even have words to describe it. There was one woman that came in – we were going to help start clearing out the debris – and she didn’t want us to touch anything. This was within a few days of it happening. So you could still see and it was palpable that she was still in shock. There was still a lack of full grasp of what had happened and just not even wanting anything to be touched because she’s still processing what’s happened. And we’re seeing – we as in the world – is seeing more extreme weather patterns these days. Saw hurricanes and tornadoes. We still see in specific pockets, but we see them more often. There’s more often than I will see a tornado warning in the New England area. But still, that devastation is, I mean a flood can cause that same devastation where you just can’t rebuild the house that you already had there. You need to start completely from scratch. You can’t renovate it. So to me, that was my experience of this is what nature is really capable of.” – Emily Eckert Most Energized About Today: “I’m most energized that it was actually sunny. We’re in November and it’s sunny and beautiful.” – Emily Eckert Next Step: “We’re continuing to create a scoring system for our sustainability certification. But actually, what’s very exciting and I’d like to share it today is that we are going to be posting a one-day sustainability event – The Viable Future Event – on March 3, which is a Thursday and it will be a virtual event, but the goal there will be that every attendee or participant will walk away with concrete action steps. So we have talking about getting away from green washing and showing that transparency and helping people realize what tools and resources are out there. I invite everybody to keep an eye on our website and we will be announcing more about the events. But I’m very excited because I want to make it a fun, engaging event. I know people are tired of these Zoom workshops where somebody talks at them for an hour, so we’re going to strategize and make it much more engaging instead of having the speakers talk for 60 minutes while everybody else is off their videos and sleeping.” – Emily Eckert Parting Advice: “Don’t be afraid to try something new. Instead, be grateful that we actually live in a time where most of us – at least in our country – have the ability to try something new and have something new to even try in the first place.” – Emily Eckert Connect: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: Instagram: Facebook: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/21307394

E2 National Webinar: A Climate Conference (COP26) Conversation with E2 Members in Glasgow, Scotland 11/15/2021

E2 National Webinar: A Climate Conference (COP26) Conversation with E2 Members in Glasgow, Scotland People are continuously working to help sustain this planet’s life, and it is indeed great to have dialogues where concerns are shared and solutions are created and promoted. Sadly, because some countries (especially the US) withdrew their commitments after pledging critically needed action, the climate movement – especially the Build Back Better Act – is moving slow... We have all the evidence we need to take action. What’s stopping you from standing up and moving forward? We can’t just wait and see what happens. We have to monitor and discuss what’s happening right now! There is nothing we can’t do if we put our souls and minds into it. COP26 is this year’s crucial UN Climate Change Conference, which was hosted by the UK in Glasgow, Scotland, from 31 October until 12 November. The talks were organised under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), an international treaty agreed at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 in order to tackle global warming and deal with its effects. It came into force in 1994. COP stands for “conference of the parties”, and is a summit where the 197 signatories to the UNFCCC – 196 countries and the EU – come together to make decisions on how to implement the treaty. This is the first COP since , held in Madrid in 2019. The 26th UNFCCC conference, COP26 was originally due to take place in November 2020, but because of the coronavirus pandemic. Featured E2 Panelist: Chris Bentley is Clean Energy Activist, CEO of in Louisville, Colorado. Marilyn Waite is the Climate and Clean Energy Finance Program Officer of the in France, formerly in California. Laura Berland-Shane is the Vice President of in Santa Monica, California. Moderator: Ron Kamen is the CEO of EarthKind Energy Consulting in Rhinebeck, New York. In this episode, Chris, Marilyn, and Laura engage in a discussion with regards to what has been happening in the movement towards saving the Earth. Here, they answer questions from the webinar attendees which concern what we can do next in order to save the planet and its people from complete destruction. The most immediate climate issue that’s on the table RIGHT NOW is passing the Build Back Better Act – the largest piece of climate legislation that’s ever been proposed in the history of our country. That single bill will put us on track to meet – and even exceed – our goals, which is hugely important and necessary if we want life on this planet to continue. Multiply your climate impact by a factor of 1,000 with #CodeRedClimate & CodeRedCongress.com () Topics Covered: 01:57 – Webinar speakers introduce themselves before proceeding to shortly talk about what they do in relation to clean energy 04:35 – E2 members’ perspectives on the current situation of the Earth in Glasgow – the good happenings, what drives those events, and also the things that hinder further progress 14:33 – Laura, Marilyn, and Chris share their sentiments about having people calling out the ‘elites’ in the middle of this crisis, alongside the things we need to do in order to be able to move and take a step forward 21:04 – Is anybody talking about annual CO2 reduction emissions that can be tracked by the country as progress goes? 26:10 – Can the private sector and companies like IKEA and others in combination scale their efforts to have a meaningful fraction of what the nations need to do but are failing to do? 32:40 – Do you think the ESG community is making a significant impact in making things change? 36:08 – Are the attendees connected to fossil fuel interest? Is there any transparency on that front? 38:46 – Are the speakers aware of other trade associations that are also setting carbon reduction targets? 41:47 – Is there talk about the importance of the Build Back Better Act in the congress for the US to show commitment to the climate change action? Are other countries questioning the USA's commitment because of the congress being slow to pass this package? 45:11 – Is the philanthropic sector shifting away in regards to investments for the climate or are they more committed than ever? 48:27 – Does everyone have to buy carbon offsets to fly to the conference? 52:02 – A youth’s perspective on everything that’s going on in this movement. 54:34 – Where, when and how is environmental justice in equity integrated into the pledges with real solutions that will have equitable outcomes in climate justice for everybody? 56:33 – One major positive thing that can come out of this and what we should do next Valuable SuperNovas: “I think we need two things going forward. One is no more fossil fuel badges, and [two] we need to make sure that every delegation – especially of the rich countries – has a youth delegate.” – Marilyn Waite “If we're going to continue having these international dialogues – I suppose are all about action – then we do need to see some really big changes in how this is done, who's at the table, whose voices are actually heard, because being just on the outside doesn't work.” – Marilyn Waite “The youth can step out further and louder.” – Chris Bentley “Only think about the next five years. What do you want to do for the next five years? Because five years from now, it’s going to be completely different – new technologies, new opportunities. Where can you have the most impact?” – Chris Bentley “We need everyone to be engaged and take action. There isn’t anyone that cannot do anything.” – Marilyn Waite “We’ve got to really monitor this by the minute. We can’t just sit around and get back together in five years and see how we’ve progressed.” – Laura Berland-Shane Connect with E2: Website: Facebook: Twitter: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/21155402

Climate Risk is Business Risk - a Business Executives Presentation - Ron Kamen, EarthKind Energy Consulting 11/08/2021

Climate Risk is Business Risk - a Business Executives Presentation - Ron Kamen, EarthKind Energy Consulting Quantum Quote: “Take advantage of clean energy incentives today – or pay climate penalties in the near future”. We have reached the tipping point. Humanity’s Greenhouse gas emissions are fueling extreme weather events that are becoming more intense, costly, deadly, and frequent. Did you know that our greenhouse gas emissions are trapping the same amount of energy in our atmosphere as 500,000 nuclear explosions EVERY day, 365 days a year? In 2019, the U.S. saw an average of one $1 Billion extreme weather catastrophe every month. In 2020 – Billion Dollar weather events increased to an average of 2 a month! And in 2021, Ida became the 5th most costly hurricane in US history, causing over $60 Billion of economic impact. In Glasgow, Scotland, virtually every country in the world is participating in the “Conference of the Parties,” or COP. Their mission is to create and enforce goals that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide and stabilize our climate. Did you know that in 2019 New York State passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, or CLCPA? Right now, there is $5 Billion of incentives to move everyone to clean electricity, heating, cooling, and transportation. But soon the cash incentives will be followed by changes in building codes and then penalties for not achieving greenhouse gas reduction goals. Starting in 2024 in New York City, any building owner with more than 25,000 square feet of space that does not meet the goals will start paying penalties of ~50c per sqft Per Year – and those penalties will increase. The time is NOW to move to clean energy. Take advantage of the cash and tax incentives today – or pay the price in penalties tomorrow. And - if you want to create MORE real change TODAY – pick up the phone and multiply your climate impact by a factor of 1,000 with #CodeRedClimate & CodeRedCongress.com. Last week, Congress passed a $1 trillion to rebuild the nation’s deteriorating roads, bridges, and water supplies. This is the in more than a decade, touching nearly every facet of the American economy, and includes funding for the modernization of the nation’s power grid and broadband. In the Senate, the 69 to 30 vote was uncommonly bipartisan. But in the House – partisan bickering again nearly put self-interest ahead of the national good. Now the Build Back Better bill – which would fund the largest climate action in history and help ensure the very survival of everyone on the planet – is at risk. The best part of the Build Back Better bill in Congress is not only that it creates millions of jobs and a stronger and healthier clean energy economy & environment - But it will be paid for by taking back just part of the $7 Trillion in Tax breaks that the last administration gave their billionaire friends. Today’s podcast is being sponsored by the Power of the Earth with Comfort by ClimateMaster. ClimateMaster is a 50-year-old United States manufacturer of Geothermal Heating, Cooling & Hot Water systems. Heating and cooling is responsible for over one-third of our greenhouse gases, and is the majority energy cost in our homes and other buildings. if you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to and download one of the FREE special web events that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home. EarthKind Energy Consulting: Ron’s LinkedIn: New York Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act (CLCPA): Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2): Build Back Better Bill: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/21083612

Envisioning a Future Free From Plastic Pollution - with Andrea Fox, Podcast Host Age of Plastic Podcast 11/01/2021

Envisioning a Future Free From Plastic Pollution - with Andrea Fox, Podcast Host Age of Plastic Podcast Quantum Quote: “If you can’t love yourself, how the hell are you going to love anyone else?” – Ru Paul Isn’t it a bit ironic that we – human beings – don’t really prefer plastic jewelry and other “fake” possessions - but it’s been years and we’re still living with plastics? Don’t we know that plastics are all fake? That’s why it’s such an insult when someone is called “plastic”. The most easily seen environmental issue on this planet is the continuous use of plastics. Virtually all plastics come from fossil fuels, and end up in landfills, or in the oceans and everywhere else… We all have the power to choose what we bring inside our homes. And there are a lot of ways to recycle plastics into something more sustainable - for both our lives, and the planet’s. Before you buy any product, ask yourself: What is it made of? Who made it? How long are you going to use it? What are you going to do once it comes to the end of its life? Considering these things whenever we purchase products might sound exhausting, but in reality, aside from saving money, it also takes us a step closer towards sustaining life on Earth. Listen to this episode with Andrea Fox and check the Age of Plastic Podcast for more insights. Andrea Fox is the host of the Age of Plastic Podcast – an environmental podcast with tips on how to live plastic free! Host Andrea Fox tackles big ethical issues in the hope of overcoming the climate change overwhelm and the guilt from our use of single-use plastics. Sign up for a to discover how easy it is to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account. In “, you’ll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including: How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies) Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system and much more… If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home. The most immediate climate issue that’s on the table RIGHT NOW is passing the Build Back Better Act – the largest piece of climate legislation that’s ever been proposed in the history of our country. That single bill will put us on track to meet – and even exceed – our goals, which is hugely important and necessary if we want life on this planet to continue. Multiply your climate impact by a factor of 1,000 with #CodeRedClimate & CodeRedCongress.com () SuperNova #1. There are ways you can live life more sustainably. There are so many things you are able to do without even lifting a finger to be more sustainable and to live in a slightly more waste-free, plastic-free life. SuperNova #2. Everyone is capable of doing a certain amount of research, and every small step is getting us to a better, more sustainable planet for everyone. SuperNova #3. There is no one solution. It has to be a little bit of everything. Worst Career Moment: “In terms of not being the most energy efficient I could have been and maybe not considering the climate. There was one year where my husband and I probably went on a trip every single month, and a few of those were long haul trips. Looking back, that was a heavy carbon footprint year. That was definitely a time where I look back and go, ‘I'm gonna offset my carbon footprint.’ Please don't buy stuff that people don't need. There's a lot of stuff in the landfill that I wish I didn't buy.” – Andrea Fox Aha Moment: “AirCarbon is very exciting. Plastic alternatives really are exciting in terms of decarbonizing the economy. I also think is a great example. She used to be the CEO of Good Energy here in the UK, and now she works on energy research and renewables. Realizing that there can be some green washing around your energy provider, but even just saying ‘I want a renewable energy provider’ is a message to the energy market. I think everyone is capable of doing a certain amount of research, and every small step is getting us to a better, more sustainable planet for everyone.” – Andrea Fox Best Advice She’s Ever Received: “Done is better than perfect. Don't let perfection ruin just creating and starting something.” – Andrea Fox Personal Habit that Contributes to Success: “The Pomodoro Method where if you're really struggling to start something, just set a timer for 20 minutes and concentrate on it for 20 minutes. Normally, by the time you've done that, you're on a roll and you've already made a big start.” – Andrea Fox Internet Resource: Book Recommendation: ; ; and Magic Wand: “I would ban virgin plastic and fossil fuel extraction. Whether we do that with an out and out ban or whether that's tax incentives or disincentives, I would love to see us using the plastic that we have already created and turning that into plastic products and really using our recycling, because so little of our recycling actually is turned back into new products. I think that would definitely speed up the move to more renewable energy sources, more renewable energy jobs, and ending this endless cycle of fossil fuel plastic that we're stuck with at the moment.” – Andrea Fox WTF or F: “We've had some extreme weather in London recently which has seen the tube flooding. I remember someone on a podcast saying we need to think about the climate for the next generation. Why not just be selfish and think about the climate for yourself? And he was like, I love skiing. I'm not going to get to do that in a rapidly warming Earth and I was like, I love skiing. So yeah, I suppose my extreme weather would be - let's keep the temperatures as they are so I can continue to skate, please.” – Andrea Fox Most Energized About Today: “I'm most energized about social connections and connecting to nature. I'm looking forward to seeing my family very soon. I'm looking forward to seeing some friends later on this year. And to get out in nature. I'm asking everyone who's listening to the Age of Plastic podcast this season to listen to the podcast when you're outside and tag me on your post on social media to encourage me to get outside. Because I need to do it more. I think we all feel energized by that, don't we?” – Andrea Fox Next Step: “I love supporting petitions from my guests on the podcast and campaigns, and stopping the oil field is one at the moment. Putting pressure on the Prime Minister here in the UK to not to open up the extra oil field and prioritize renewables. But I want to sort of work on my own magic wand. Maybe the Age of Plastic podcast could ban virgin plastic in the UK. Who knows? But I want to focus on one doing something like that with the community we built around the podcast.” – Andrea Fox Parting Advice: “It's okay to fail. No one really knows what they're doing, frankly. So just try and start it and they will come.” – Andrea Fox Connect: Email: Podcast: Instagram: Instagram: Twitter: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/21006086

Hot Water Reimagined: Redesigning Water Heaters for a Greener and Sustainable Future - with John Hynds, Torii Industries 10/25/2021

Hot Water Reimagined: Redesigning Water Heaters for a Greener and Sustainable Future - with John Hynds, Torii Industries Quantum Quote: “Rule #1: do the right thing. Rule #2: do the best you can in the time you have. Rule #3: treat other people the way you want to be treated.” – Lou Holtz Heating hot water is 15-20% of the average family’s energy consumption, costing $400 to $800 a year or more. Most people face hindrances in having an energy efficient water heater because of their high initial cost of installation, warranties, and replacements. With new hot water heaters coming out next year with Torii, you can finally have a highly energy-efficient water heater that will also be reused and recycled. A highly efficient induction coil will heat Torii’s graphite foam core to 500 degrees Fahrenheit in just three seconds, using two to three times less energy than the average hot water heater, and providing a LOT of energy and financial cost savings. Torii is creating a subscription water heating service that will cover 100% of your installation, maintenance, and replacement costs. And, their advanced technology will let you know what’s going on with your water pressure, temperature, inflow, and usage through an app or web interface filled with all the sensors and information you’ll ever need. Their technology will also allow the water heater to talk to the grid and reduce energy usage during peak demand periods- providing a way for you to create additional cost savings. About 80% of 5000 water heaters wind up in landfills every day. Because water heaters have metals that do not easily decompose, this is a terrifying contribution to Earth's shortening life span. Don’t you want to join Torii as they reuse and recycle water heaters and not allow toxic metals to ruin the planet we live in? Check out this interview with Torii Industries’ Co-Founder / COO – John Hynds. John Hynds was born in Long Island, New York, and raised in Clearwater, Florida. He has lived and worked in twenty countries. Upon graduating high school, John entered the United States Marine Corps. After the Marines, John followed his passion for technology and for 30 years has been involved in high tech. John completed the 2020 Acton School of Business, Austin, TX. Following another of his passions, John opened one of the first low carbohydrate food stores in the country, the LoCarb Outlet, learning firsthand what it’s like to build a business from scratch. John has served in senior leadership roles in sales and engineering organizations, in startups, and in multinationals. John created two patents, one personally and one professionally. Along his career journey, John has donated his time and leadership to organizations that directly serve the poor. Helping co-found , John has the unique ability to visualize the future, speak to that vision, and most importantly, create practical steps to achieving goals. As COO at Torii Industries, John enhances business strategies and helps steer the company through the ever-changing energy technology landscape. Sign up for a to discover how easy it is to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account. In “, you’ll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including: How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies) Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system and much more… If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home. The most immediate climate issue that's on the table RIGHT NOW is passing the Build Back Better Act - the largest piece of climate legislation that's ever been proposed in the history of our country. That single bill will put us on track to meet - and even exceed - our goals, which is hugely important and necessary if we want life on this planet to continue. Multiply your climate impact by a factor of 1,000 with #CodeRedClimate & CodeRedCongress.com () SuperNova #1. Don’t be afraid to bring your ideas to the table and present and defend them, but then listen to the counterpoints – to the arguments – and get int0 the discussion. There’s a phrase I love; “Prefer clarity to agreement.” When you’re clear, there’s no resistance to the message. When you’re trying to understand, there’s no resistance. It allows you to take things differently and deeper. Then you can actually change your mind. If everybody just brings their ideas in order to be clear, that’s fantastic. I think that has really helped navigate different barriers and ways to get around them. SuperNova #2. Don’t ever have a firm plan. Start out with something, go for it 100%, but learn along the way and make the appropriate changes. SuperNova #3. “Water is at its most dense just before it freezes, not when it freezes like other things. It actually becomes less dense when it's frozen - that's why ice floats. Had ice not been that way, this planet would be a chunk of ice; it all would have frozen from the bottom up. We wouldn't be here if water didn't act this way, and it's the only thing in the universe that does.” Aha Moment: “A standard water heater is 240V on a 30/40/50A circuit. A few months ago, our Engineer was running the prototype with a tuned induction coil and they were able to run our system at 120V on a 15A standard house current. So we were there!” – John Hynds Best Advice He’s Ever Received: “Before I went in the Marine Corps, my cousin looked at me and said ‘You know, don't let them change you. You have a great sense of humor. It's something really important in life.’ I never thought I would remember him saying that, but I realized how important that is to just be you, no matter where you are.” – John Hynds Personal Habit that Contributes to Success: “Tell the truth. On the flip side of that is I really expect that from other people. It's a very debilitating thing when folks aren't truthful. So I try to keep that foremost in front of me and expect that from other folks.” – John Hynds Internet Resource: Book Recommendation: Magic Wand: “That everyone would be able to understand other people's perspectives. I've travelled a lot in about 20 different countries. I think the biggest thing is to understand other people - or at least have a perception of walking in their shoes.” – John Hynds WTF or F: “I love weather. Growing up in Florida, when I would hear there's a tornado watch, I would shimmy up our TV antenna – which they used to have back in the day on a house – and sit up there with my binoculars, sometimes in the pouring rain. The very first time I saw a waterspout forming over Tampa Bay – maybe not even 15 miles from the house – and watched this funnel cloud come down. As soon as it touched the water, the funnel on the whole sky turned black. The enormity of the power of that event hit me. A tornado is not a swirling wind; it’s enormously destructive. The amount of power just watching that happen blew me away. I was probably 12 or 13 years old.” – John Hynds Most Energized About Today: “Torii Industries.. I really think we can start a big change for people. We are starting with water heaters and we are going to expand in the home and do what we can to help optimize other appliances. There's a lot of room for growth. I'm excited about the technology, the energy, and creating a business model that I think is fair. It's going to help the end user save money over time. It's going to help the plumbers be engaged with that end user and become a partner. Being part of Torii, we can help facilitate that.” – John Hynds Next Step: “Currently, we've got prototypes built and we're tuning and tweaking those. When we get what we believe is our final prototype,, we’ll be going to get UL and Green certifications. By this time next year, we should be shipping product. We're currently in our seed funding round right now, talking to investors to move the company along, and it's going pretty well.” – John Hynds Parting Advice: “Never stop learning. Never stop growing. Things don't always work out the way you want, but keep trying and moving forward”. – John Hynds Connect: Website: LinkedIn: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/20925938

Model Net Zero Clean Energy Home - Joanne Coons, Retired School Teacher 10/18/2021

Model Net Zero Clean Energy Home - Joanne Coons, Retired School Teacher Quantum Quote: “Our energy answer comes up every morning.” – Joanne Coons “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” – Confucius Even when more and more people are waking up to the fact that we need to make this transition work towards becoming a clean energy Earth in the next few years, there are still people who don’t think it’s possible or it’s too hard and costly for them to take part in. Did you know that going off fossil fuels and anything gas-related is actually much more comfortable and safer for you, the kids, and your family as a whole? If we’ll just take 100 square miles – which is nothing in terms of its massive territory – and transform those wasted lands into clean energy producers, it could power all the energy needed by the whole country! Someone out there is living a life without owning anything that is fueled by gas, and believe it or not, she’s living an incredibly cozy life! Yes, it isn’t easy. Yes, it won’t happen overnight. There might even be times when you’ll have thoughts of giving up and just going back to business as usual. However, if you’ll just continue to work at it and wait a bit longer, you might be surprised big time! It’s definitely doable. We just have to decide that we want to do it and make it happen. In every little thing that we do, we are walking towards the change that drives us nearer to our goals. Be into energy and be able to save your own energy as well. Keep advocating even when you’re not sure if someone’s listening. Someday, they will. Lead by example. Joanne Coons is a retired High School teacher and currently an Adjunct Professor teaching PV theory, design, installation and maintenance at Hudson Valley Community College’s TEC-SMART northern campus. Joanne currently resides in Clifton Park, NY where she spends her everyday life with her husband, going all clean energy with nothing in their home that is powered by gas and/or fossil fuels. Since childhood, Joanne has always had an appreciation for energy. In her perspective, education is the key to change. That's why she’s trying to create opportunities to educate people about the science and their actions that produce carbon. Sign up for a to discover how easy it is to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account. In “, you’ll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including: How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies) Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system and much more… If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home. We’d like to hear from you! Please help us understand how AWESomeEarthKind can help you achieve your clean energy goals – and you’ll automatically be entered into a Sweepstakes for a Free LED Light Fixture: SuperNova #1. I guess the one thing that gets you from point A to B is to just start with one thing. People look at our lives and living lifestyle and think it is too expensive or too hard to achieve. We started with one step and then when we could we took the next step so what you see is an accumulation of 20 years worth of steps. As time goes on, you are saving money by reducing your energy expenses and you have more money to achieve the next step. SuperNova #2. Start with reducing energy use. The best way to save energy is not to use it. SuperNova #3. The more you vote with your dollar, the more that this transition will occur. Aha Moment: “In regard to renewables, there was a professor, Dr. Richard Perez. I saw his peer-reviewed scientific study and I really respect him. He studies how much renewable energy it would take to completely be 100% renewable. He puts it into language in a way that he relates to common things that we understand. So, he suggests to be more local and have a grid so that we have balance. He also thinks that if we overbuild solar and wind to certain extent to maintain the intermittency, we should have enough electricity, and he has statistics to back it up. His data looks really solid. His ideas look solid. And I think that’s a really cool idea. I thought, we want to do this, and his works shows that we can.” – Joanne Coons (Visit and watch minute 20:20 to see how much land it would take to power NYS.) Best Advice She’s Ever Received: “Sleep on something before I act.” – Joanne Coons Personal Habit that Contributes to Success: “I do try to take care of myself so I can take care of others. There’s something called HALT – hungry, angry, lonely, tired. If you’re any one of those four things, you’re not gonna function to your best. Try to keep those things in check.” – Joanne Coons Internet Resource: Book Recommendation: Magic Wand: “More appreciation for each other in what they do and what people do for each other. We take each other for granted so I think that will make the world a better place. Being careful about things – that’s all.” – Joanne Coons Most Energized About Today: “Every little step that we take to get closer to our clean energy goals is really a good step. Every time I have class, my students share something that is so amazing… The world’s gonna be okay down the road because we have these students coming down. I do see youth as being really our future and they’ve got what it takes. I do believe in them.” – Joanne Coons Parting Advice: “Keep on keeping on.” – Joe Dirt Connect: Email: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/20846963

Turning Carbon into Concrete - Brent Constantz, Ph.D. – Blue Planet 10/11/2021

Turning Carbon into Concrete - Brent Constantz, Ph.D. – Blue Planet Quantum Quote: “The key to mitigating CO2 and affecting climate change lies in governments’ abilities to use their procurement power to procure carbon sequestered materials at grand scales. If we follow that mechanism, we could mitigate climate in a significant way, billions of tons.” – Brent Constantz, Ph.D. The crucial necessity of solving the climate crisis goes beyond everything else we’re dealing with today. Every year, fossil fuels and industry emit 40 Gigatons (40 thousand million tons) of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere globally.. All climate modelers think we can put maybe another 500 gigatons into the atmosphere before things really get crazy. Sounds like a lot? It's just a little over 10 years Did you know that concrete is the most marketed material in the world other than water? And that there’s about 50 gigatons of sand and gravel mined and incorporated in asphalt, primarily in concrete, every year? Concrete is actually one of the very few places where we can store massive amounts of CO2. Limestone – the most common type of rock to be mined and transported for concrete – is actually made up of CO3 (carbonate) and calcium. So… humanity currently uses 50 GTs of concrete a year. If we can capture part of the 40 GTs of CO2 that would have entered the atmosphere, mineralize it (just as nature does with biomineralization via organisms) and put that into our concrete - we can solve a huge portion of our climate crisis. Mineralization of CO2 is the most permanent form of sequestration of CO2 that’s possible right now. Listen to this episode as we talk about biomineralization with Brent Constantz. Brent Constantz, Ph.D. is a Fullbright Scholar and the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Planet Systems Corporation, a serial entrepreneur with expertise in biomineralization. Over the past 25 years, Dr. Constantz as founder and CEO led three medical device companies to advance mineralization technologies for orthopedic bone cements. Dr. Constantz founded Calera to address global climate concerns with aspirations to permanently sequester gigaton quantities of carbon dioxide in the form of carbonate minerals. Blue Planet is the next generation product using carbonate materials. Download a to discover how easy it is to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account. In “, you’ll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including: How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies) Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system and much more… If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home. Today’s AWESome EarthKind podcast is co-sponsored by EarthKind Energy Consulting – a clean energy consulting company with 3 decades of experience in creating clean energy transformations that reduce energy costs, provide outstanding financial returns, and create positive environmental impacts. Go to to find out how you can reduce your energy costs and lower your carbon footprint. The most immediate climate issue that's on the table right now is passing the Build Back Better Act. It is the largest piece of climate legislation that's ever been proposed in the history of our country. That single bill will put us on track to meeting and even exceeding our goals, which is hugely important and necessary if we want life on this planet to continue. Multiply your climate impact by a factor of 1,000 with #CodeRedClimate & CodeRedCongress.com () SuperNova #1. Where do you think all the carbon is? When we talk about carbon as opposed to carbon dioxide, there’s about 750 gigatons of carbon in the atmosphere, and the atmosphere is an 85,000 ft. thick enveloped gas around the Earth. In the whole biosphere, there’s about 5000 giga tons, then in the hydrosphere, there’s about 38,000 to 40,000 giga tons of carbons. In the lithosphere (buried in the earth), there’s about 55 million gigatons and it turns out most of it is actually limestone that makes up ~10% of the Earth’s crust. SuperNova #2. We all are in favor of carbon legislation. But the fact is that most countries are never gonna have a carbon price. Since a lot of the ways to remove CO2 are dependent on some sort of government subsidy, we need solutions that work in poor countries as well as in rich countries. SuperNova #3. It’s really important that people think about things quantitatively when we make policies on the side of what we’re gonna do. I think it’s really easy to miss the forest for the trees and do really cool things thinking that they’re gonna impact climate change, but until you actually look at the numbers and really see what impact they’re gonna have, you don’t really know. Best Advice He’s Ever Received: “Be patient.” Personal Habit that Contributes to Success: “I spend at least an hour in the morning thinking, usually in the hot tub with a good cup of coffee.” Internet Resource: Book Recommendation: Magic Wand: “It would be education.” Most Energized About Today: “Blue Planet.” Next Step: “Go global.” Connect: Website: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/20774471

CodeRed Climate & Live Music with Tanner Watt, REVERB 10/04/2021

CodeRed Climate & Live Music with Tanner Watt, REVERB Quantum Quote: “The Nelson family rules: (1) Don’t be an asshole; (2) Don’t be an asshole; and (3) Don’t be a damn asshole.” – Willie Nelson What action are you taking to keep this world a place where we can continue to live? No matter how small or how big your position, you can produce ripple effects that benefit our kids’ and our grandkids’ future! Join artists Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, Dead & Company, Maroon 5, Shawn Mendes & many others in using your platform to encourage people to take a step towards a livable Earth. In this year’s Met Gala, singer-songwriter made a deal with one of the oldest fashion houses that if she wore their dress to the Met Gala, they would never use fur in their designs again. And guess what? They agreed! Get up now and take a step towards positive change. Grab your phone and let your Congressional Representatives know that you want the Build Back Better Act approved. It’s good that we’re recycling. It’s good that we’re each doing something. However, what we're facing is not going to be solved by you and I recycling alone. About 100 companies in the world are responsible for more than half of the carbon in the atmosphere. Our financial industry continues to invest Billions and Trillions of dollars in the industries that are destroying our planet. Without changing those systems, there's no way that we're going to get where we need to be. If we think we can make Mars a livable planet - we can make Earth a livable planet again! It’s our kids’ and our grandkids’ future. We’re at a critical tipping point in Earth history - take action and turn the tide!. Before coming to REVERB, Tanner Watt worked in both the alternative fuels and music industries. Tanner's adventures started by working for Willie Nelson and Family and then growing into a leadership role at The Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance, a non-profit organization founded by Willie, Daryl Hannah and Kelly King. With this unique experience, along with degrees in Photography and Public Relations, Tanner brings a unique skill set to the REVERB team. Tanner loves making friends and finding positive solutions. These passions have made him a valuable member of the REVERB team for nearly 10 years. In his role as Director of Partnership, Tanner creates long lasting relationships with artists, events and more as well as finding creative ways to raise funds and engage the music community around important causes. In Tanner's time with the organization he has developed a host of successful programs including #ROCKNREFILL a partnership with Nalgene USA centered around reusables and reducing single-use waste at events and REVERB's Farm To Stage and Farm To Family campaigns. These programs (to date) have eliminated over 4M single-use plastic bottles, raised over $3M for non-profit causes, and supported more than 4000 family farms. Demand Climate Action: #CodeRedClimate SuperNova #1. If you can afford to build a rocket ship for fun, you can afford to pay a little more to make this country what it needs to be for our kids and our grandkids. SuperNova #2. There’s so much we can do back stage to reduce impact and touch and feel the good work that we’re doing, but there’s even more – exponentially more - value in what we do when it comes to educating and inspiring music fans to take action in their own lives or to get involved in their community and be a part of taking real action on the climate crisis. SuperNova #3. The most immediate issue that's on the table right now is passing the Build Back Better Act. It is the largest piece of climate legislation that's ever been proposed in the history of our country. That single bill will put us on track to meeting and even exceeding our goals, which is hugely important. It's actually necessary if we want life on this planet to continue the way we're used to or somewhat used to. That’s the biggest issue that people can take action on. Registering to vote and getting out and being part of the conversation and understanding the leaders that we're electing and where they stand on these issues – that's crucially important, too. Aha Moment: “When I was in college, I was an angry kid, like a rage against machines. I had a lot of this anger at authority energy and didn’t know what to do with it. The Universe brought me to Hawaii. My wife and I got to find a job and I started doing computer work at a local Apple reseller. Through that, I randomly met a bunch of people and ended up starting to work with Willie Nelson’s family. That was the biggest moment for me. That was a huge eye-opener for me. Just to see the power of people in celebrity positions who use that position for something positive, that was a huge inspiration for me, and beyond that, to be able to see such a diverse group of people supporting what we believe in. That’s what made me do what I’m doing today.” – Tanner Watt Best Advice He’s Ever Received: “Just smile and nod. When somebody’s saying that you know is wrong, in many cases, it’s just better to smile and nod than to engage.” – Tanner Watt Personal Habit that Contributes to Success: “I try to be a good listener and I also to never be afraid to talk. When I’ve got something to say, I tend to say it. For good or for bad, I don’t have the best filter. For me, to stay true to me and say it like it is. Most of the time, people appreciate it.” – Tanner Watt Internet Resource: Book Recommendation: Magic Wand: “If I could change one thing for every person in the world, I think it would be to open their hearts and their ears. Just to give people a little bit more empathy or a little bit more understanding when it comes to trying to see things through other people’s eyes. That would go a really long way.” – Tanner Watt WTF or F: “I grew up in California. I lived in the bay area during the big quake. That was a crazy experience as a child, something that’s eye-opening to see that as a kid. I thought that was like a once in my lifetime sort of event, then growing up to see it happen so many more times in so many other places with hurricanes, tzunamis, wildfires & other extreme weather events - those were even more eye-opening experiences.” – Tanner Watt Most Energized About Today: “It’s the next generation – the younger generation. I’ve never seen more intelligent, more active, more excited young people than I have in the last few years. I feel like things will get better because the people who are demanding it are becoming more powerful; and hopefully over time, that’s really gonna create change.” – Tanner Watt Next Steps: “We’ve got tours on the road, getting ready to host huge tours next year. Really looking forward to the music industry really opening up again.” – Tanner Watt Parting Advice: “Keep an open mind. Listen a lot. Talk when you have to. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind. Just get up and do something. Be a part of change. There’s so much to be done. We can all find ways to get involved.” – Tanner Watt Connect: Email: Website: Facebook: Twitter: Instagram: Sign up for a to discover how easy it is to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account. In “, you’ll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including: How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies) Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system and much more… If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home. We’d like to hear from you! Please help us understand how AWESome EarthKind can help you achieve your clean energy goals – and you’ll automatically be entered into a Sweepstakes for a Free LED Light Fixture: /episode/index/show/awesomeearthkind/id/20694047

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