The ‘complimentary’ bag is such an ingrained part of the shopping experience that most people don’t think about alternatives besides ‘Will it be paper or plastic today?'. Though more supermarket customers are confronted with the notion that they should be responsible for their own reusable shopping bags, lacking government regulations, the majority of people opt for single-use plastic bags to transport their purchases from shop to home. Jorden and Kimberly consider how we became mindlessly addicted to a product whose use time lasts approximately 12 minutes and how long this dependence will continue. Key Topics Why the close-ended option of ‘paper’ or ‘plastic’ sets us up for environmental failure Why retailers stick with single-use bags Why governments are our best bet for ridding the world of–specifically plastic—shopping bags, though the U.S. might be the last hold-out thanks to the power of lobbyists Why banning plastic bags won’t solve the bag dilemma and paper bags are even worse How to redeem ourselves for the piles of bags we’ve sent to the landfill Check out Kimberly's newsletter next week for her follow-up post on this episode Recommended Resources History of the Plastic Shopping Bag The Global Ban on Plastic Bags (with a map!) The World Counts says they draw from reliable data sources, though the 1,000-year estimate seems a bit exaggerated

Since the inception of Sustainable Planet, Kimberly has wanted to include a segment about people pursuing sustainability in their daily lives, such as through the careers they choose. Kimberly’s first guest on ‘On the Ground’ is Greg Pipkins. He and his wife Jamie started Kept House, an estate sales company, after being their own first customers. Since their first sale in 2020, Kept House’s approach to liquidation has been driven by their passion to help people and keep as much out of landfills as possible when emptying a home. Joe and Kimberly discuss: That an estate sale is more than just a giant yard sale What inspired Greg and Jamie to take an eco-friendly business approach That hiring a dumpster is not the only option The variety of strategies to ensure that everything that can be reused gets reused The challenges of sustainably clearing out a house For more about what happens on the other end, check out Kimberly’s next post about thrifting in her Sustainable Planet newsletter Resources Check out Kept House This wasn’t the article mentioned in the interview, but covers many of the same points

Businesses have long been using subscriptions as a strategy to keep customers coming back with regularity. Amazon latched onto this notion to compete with its brick-and-mortar competitors, launching its Subscribe & Save program in 2007. Jorden and Kimberly consider how a home delivery business model sustainably stacks up against in-store shopping. Key Topics Jorden and Kimberly discuss include: What newspapers, milkmen, and fruit have in common To what extent Subscribe & Save can be ‘Set and Forget’ and a whole lot of other considerations about using this service How the packaging and transportation makes or breaks it The blessing and curse of Subscribe & Save for small businesses To buy (and possibly return?) or not to buy: The innovative technologies that help customers better decide How market-based incentives can encourage corporate sustainability practices and induce ‘coercive memetics’ in industry Whether Amazon’s business model beats the brick-and-mortar stores on the sustainability bottom line Recommended Resources MIT’s Real Estate Innovation Lab 2021 report Amazon’s 2024 Sustainability Report For anyone who isn’t aware of the history of the ice industry in the U.S., it’s quite fascinating (to nerds like Kimberly, anyway) It wasn’t Subscribe & Save, but it was the first Internet sale ever recorded

Using sand at a pace far faster than nature can replace it, booming demand for the world’s second most traded commodity has sent us borrowing into the future while sand mafias, pirates, and counterfeiters want to cash in on this lucrative business. Jorden Dye joins Kimberly as her new co-host to discuss the many uses for sand, the problems caused by extraction, and how to decarbonize the cement industry. Key Topics The many ways in which we’re surrounded by sand How the demand for concrete and computer chips is depleting the Earth’s sand reserves Where there’s demand, someone will find a way to meet it How to prepare for trivia night by learning the difference between construction and silica sands Where in the world sand comes from and where it’s going Identifying sustainable strategies for the world’s voracious sand consumption More on sand next week in Kimberly’s Substack follow-up post, Building Islands from the Sand Recommended Resources World Economic Forum 2023 Report The NYT article Jorden mentioned in the episode: "How to Steal a River" India’s sand mafias All about concrete recycling Decarbonizing cement

Joe joins Kimberly to talk about the difficulties corporations, governments, and consumers face in the capitalist system (that has yet to find a viable competitor). Since consumers are driven by status, corporations are beholden to stakeholders, and governments are inextricably tied to both, meaningful progress toward climate change goals is a long game. The question is whether we’ll be around long enough to win. Joe and Kimberly discuss: How ‘three pillars’ seek to balance the capitalist system How ‘dead nature’ jeopardizes ‘live nature’ Why less expensive electric vehicles (EV) from China imported in developed countries undermine the democratic foundations necessary to pursue green policies How natural capital is at risk, despite the World Bank’s Comprehensive Wealth Accounting system’s emphasis on sustainable economic development policies How corporations are caught between satisfying consumers and shareholders while pursuing eco-friendly policies Why market-based solutions will not save nature, though ESG funds are more than just a publicity stunt Subscribe to Joe’sRandom Thoughts newsletter on LinkedIn Subscribe to Kimberly’s Sustainable Planet newsletter, as well!

Blowing up in the media in 2021, climate anxiety gained attention from mental health professionals over the last few decades as people’s concerns about climate change increased. Numerous studies have found rising environmental distress among people around the world, but also indicate that increased awareness is more likely to prompt action. Michael and Kimberly consider the underlying factors that propel personal action, government policy, and technological developments, and what combination of these variables might lead to achieving climate goals to reduce the planet’s growing temperatures. Key Topics Why Glenn Albrecht coined the term solastalgia that came to be known as climate anxiety What various factors led to increased concerns of eco-anxiety Whether climate anxiety is a real disorder or a fabrication of the media Who’s most affected by climate change Whose actions will have the biggest impact on curbing climate change How time factors into what individuals can sanely do to make a difference Why individuals are only part—but an important part—of the equation Follow up on Friday with Kimberly’s Substack follow-up post on extreme weather and climate anxiety Recommended Resources Lots of studies: Albrecht, Yale, China, The Lancet, global concerns Growing media attention to climate anxiety

Hurricane Beryl just battered its way through the Caribbean, the most powerful recorded in the Atlantic this early in the season. Extreme weather caused by climate change is worsening, evidenced by stronger and more frequent natural disasters. From thunderstorms to typhoons, dust storms to wildfires, insurance premiums for homes and businesses in high-risk areas are skyrocketing. In some cases, the government's ‘insurer of last resort’ option is the only policy available to homeowners as insurance companies refuse to renew policies. Yet some of the most high-risk locations are the very same that attract people, demonstrated by burgeoning population growth in Florida and Texas. Michael and Kimberly consider the implications of the damage done by storms and where responsibility lies. Key Topics Why the most attractive places are more expensive than housing prices let on What happens when insurance companies refuse to grant policies What prompted the National Flood Insurance Program to devise Risk Rating 2.0 How often governments should provide relief for people living in high-risk areas The double-whammy of living in wildfire zones: forest fires and flooding Whether technology can mitigate the effects of climate change soon enough Follow up on Friday with Kimberly’s Substack post on extreme weather Recommended Resources NOAA’s Hurricane Fast Facts NOAA’s map for 2024 For dataheads (like Michael) lots of insurance-weather numbers For a good summary summary of weather-related insurance issues For mapheads (like Kimberly) who need to know why the cities ranked as they did, note that the insurance cost list on the map isn’t exclusively due to weather-related coverage- it’s also due to auto insurance rates, as evidenced by Detroit (3) (highest rates in the U.S.), Tulsa (4), and Kansas City, KS (8), which, forgivably, might mistakenly be thought the result of tornados.

Worldwide, countries struggle to provide affordable housing, not to mention expanding the market in a way that doesn’t undermine climate change goals. Global North cities in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia have relied on urban sprawl to appease the demand for more—and bigger—houses. Plagued by the poor air quality, forest fires, and water shortages that coincide with urban sprawl, this approach is not sustainable. The Global South lacks the necessary economic dependability to provide sufficient housing in overcrowded cities. But Michael and Kimberly consider the steps governments are taking and technological developments providing businesses and consumers with more sustainable options. Key Topics Michael and Kimberly discuss include: Why the “World’s Most Liveable Cities” tend to be the least affordable How big is big enough for two people The chasm between housing demand and supply How double-sized homes mean double-length commutes The A-to-Z list of how urban sprawl contributes to climate change Strategies that offer affordable—and maybe even more sustainable—housing Why this sustainability issue seems more manageable than most others More information in Kimberly's Substack post (available Friday)   Recommended Resources Bigger Houses, Smaller Families Harvard’s The State of the Nation’s Housing Report for 2024 The True Cost of Sprawl How Sustainable, Liveable, and Resilient Housing Can Help Us Adapt to a Changing Future Ditch the Bulbs!

Mexico couldn’t ask for a better cash crop. Referred to as oro verde by farmers and orchard owners in Michoacan (and more recently Jalisco), their standard of living has improved considerably with a global rise in the popularity of avocados. The birth of ‘superfoods’, the, now ubiquitous, ‘avocado toast’ brunch staple, and the love of guacamole are responsible for the huge economic boon for not only Mexico, but also Kenya, which serves the European market. Demand for avocados is also partly due to Chipotle’s popularity. Practically doubling its number over the last decade, closing in on 3,800 restaurants, the chain continues to spread across North America and Europe. But this economic blessing comes at a cost. Cartels quickly moved in to control the Mexican avocado trade, relying on violence to keep people in line. Growers resort to illegal deforestation while overtaxing local water supplies to increase production. The government, meanwhile, faces the precarious situation of dealing with mafia violence without diminishing the huge economic gains reaped by this cash cow. Lovers of avocados, Michael and Kimberly weigh in on the ethical trade-off of the benefits to farmers and Mexico’s economy versus sustainability issues for human welfare and the environment. Key Topics How a Mexican staple food turned to gold, and the impact of its success on the locals The amazing avocado tree How Mexican avocados broke into the US market The challenges the Mexican government faces as the world’s biggest avocado producer Why the probability that the very avocado you’re eating was illegally grown Chipotle’s dilemma of countering its carbon footprint Why you might want to try Michael’s smoothie recipe (below), but also this fake guacamole one Recommended Resources Check out Kimberly’s Substack post on the challenges of dining out (available Friday) Avocados in Africa You decide: Chipotle’s ESG goals Farmer protests The greener alternative? Ecovados Not so green when it comes to the environment Useful link of fast facts about avocados (note that some of the data does vary from other sources we cited)

Rob and Kaihan join Kimberly to talk about their new book, Proximity: How Coming Breakthroughs in Just-in-Time Transform Business, Society, and Daily Life. Highlighting the failures that laid the foundation for the success stories of how to attain P = 0, Rob and Kaihan offer ways to bring consumers and producers closer together while achieving greater sustainability in the process. Innovations as diverse as specialty lab-grown meats, 3D-printed inoculations, and virtual reality implants show how much more immersed we are in a world of on-demand, proximate goods and services than we might realize. Rob, Kaihan, and Kimberly spend time considering: If Covid-19 was the catalyst or just another building block toward digital adoption Whether proximity technologies are going to put most of us out of work Whether increased demand for minerals will be just as exploitative an industry as the fossil fuel it’s likely to replace Whether we colonize Mars because it’s one more planet humans can (irresponsibly) exploit How both developing and developed countries can benefit from the leapfrogging proximity technologies The possibility that AI takes over the world, justifying the fears of Campaign to Stop Killer Robots Ways businesses can integrate proximity into their strategies For more on her thoughts about Proximity, check out Kimberly’s Substack post Follow Rob Wolcott on X, LinkedIn, and his website Follow Kaihan Krippendorff on X, LinkedIn, and his website