Trash Talking with Eco-Warriors | Sustainability, Green Business, Conservation

There are so many different ways to pursue a career. Some people fall into their jobs while others take a more traditional approach. The Earth Institute blends research in physical and social sciences, education and practical solutions to help guide the world towards a path of sustainability. Their initiatives focus on water and climate to urbanization and agriculture. There are a number of different programs that fall under The Earth Institute including Masters programs in Climate and Society as well as Sustainability Science. Natalie Unwin-Kuruneri shares her journey towards her current role as The Associate Director of Education at The Earth Institute and gives advice for those who are thinking of higher education as the path to a green career. -- Join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Instagram. Don't forget to subscribe, review, and share this podcast with other eco-warriors. We read all of your reviews and your positive ratings help us spread the word and spur more eco-warriors to action.

Emilie Wood is the Sustainability Analyst at Impossible Foods. Their flagship product is the Impossible Burger, a burger the looks, tastes, cooks, and bleeds like a regular beef-based hamburger, but it’s made from plants. They launched in 2016 right here in NYC. In her current role, Emilie does everything from analyze the trash that’s created at the company to rooting around in alfalfa fields. Listen in to hear her crazy story about combusting alfalfa and what makes the Impossible Burger bleed. -- Join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Instagram. Don't forget to subscribe, review, and share this podcast with other eco-warriors. We read all of your reviews and your positive ratings help us spread the word and spur more eco-warriors to action.

Vanessa Morrish and Caro Shields went from being burned out at their ad agency jobs to creating a project that helps others learn about climate change in a funny, authentic way. It's called Be An Unfucker and their website features some hilarious ways of explaining sustainability issues and what we can do to help reduce our impact on the planet. The pair focus on weekly tips that focus on "Why It's Fucked' and "Change One Thing." The two have day jobs working on projects like Who Gives a Crap and tell some amazing stories on their imperfect journeys towards sustainability. (Please note that this episode contains explicit language.) -- Resources mentioned in this episode: Who Gives A Crap Veja -- Join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Instagram. Don't forget to subscribe, review, and share this podcast with other eco-warriors. We read all of your reviews and your positive ratings help us spread the word and spur more eco-warriors to action.

Did you see this viral video of an art installation made out of fabric scraps found in an abandoned factory in Southeast Asia. In the video, these renegade artists put together scenes of things you would find in nature, like a tornado, out of clothing scraps that had been abandoned over a decade previously. Along with the infamous waste photographer Von Wong, one of the organizers for the Clothing the Loop project is Laura François, a contributor to the Huffington Post and speaker at TEDx Penang Road. Originally from Canada, Laura believes that creating a positive impact in the fashion industry is directly linked to creating lasting change on human rights and environmental issues. -- Want to meet the movers and shakers in the fashion and food communities of NYC? Then join us for futuristic fashion + sustainable food and drinks. Co-Hosted by Jodie Taylor and featuring eco-fashion by Malaika New York, ADAY, and Taz the Tailor. Get your tickets for Summer Sustainability + Rooftop Summer Drinks on Tuesday, July 31st at Kickstarter HQ (58 Kent St. Greenpoint Brooklyn). Libations and small bites by Proud Pour, Toast Ale, Tito's Vodka, Misfit Juicery, Teapigs, Gotham Greens, Ocean Hugger Foods and Food for All. -- Get into the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Instagram. Don't forget to subscribe, review, and share this podcast with other eco-warriors. We read all of your reviews and your positive ratings help us spread the word and spur more eco-warriors to action.

Tara DePorte is a self-proclaimed expert generalist. She described her typical work week as wading in the Hudson one day to wearing a suit and talking over policy at the UN the next. In 2011, Tara started the Human Impacts Institute as a way to help make the conversation around conservation fun and exciting. She knew that if she wanted to help turn the tide on talking about trash, pollution, and conservation, she had to reach people in a way that mattered. They recently launched a project called The Hub, HII’s membership program. Check it out and consider helping to support this amazing institution and everything they make happen here in NYC. They produce some amazing content and help fund artist work that promote the conversation around climate change. Check out this funny video on their site called Think Like A Kid. -- We're hosting another event! Co-Hosted by Jodie Taylor and featuring eco-fashion by Malaika New York, ADAY, and Taz the Tailor. Join us at Summer Sustainability + Rooftop Summer Drinks on Tuesday, July 31st at Kickstarter HQ (58 Kent St. Greenpoint Brooklyn). Drinks and small bites by Proud Pour, Toast Ale, Tito's Vodka, Misfit Juicery, Teapigs, Gotham Greens, Ocean Hugger Foods and Food for All. Use TRASHY5 for a 20% discount on tickets while they last. -- Join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Instagram. Don't forget to subscribe, review, and share this podcast with other eco-warriors. We read all of your reviews and your positive ratings help us spread the word and spur more eco-warriors to action.

You've probably heard a similar story - someone hates their 9-to-5, they quit, move across the country, find true love and the career of their dreams. This is Desiree Kaplan's story, a staff writer for the online green publication called Green Matters. Desiree, former attorney born on Earth Day, always knew that the environment was important to her, but it was a chance meeting with the founders of Green Matters that led to her successful and amazing career change. -- Resources mentioned in this episode: Green Matters Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson Sustainability initiatives by Richard Branson -- Join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Instagram for more trashy inspiration. Don't forget to subscribe, review, and share this podcast with other eco-warriors. We read all of your reviews and your positive ratings help us spread the word and spur more eco-warriors to action. Enjoy the warm weather and beautiful eco-fashion by Malaika New York, ADAY, and Taz the Tailor at our Summer Sustainability + Rooftop Summer Drinks on Tuesday, July 31st at Kickstarter HQ (58 Kent St. Greenpoint Brooklyn). Drinks and small bites by Proud Pour, Toast Ale, Tito's Vodka, Gotham Greens and Food for All. Use promo code TRASHY5 for a 20% discount for friends, followers + listeners while the early bird tickets! Limited supply.

Imagine you're at a food event sampling different, innovative food products when you passed by a table serving sushi - ahi tuna nigiri and california rolls topped with more tuna. Maybe you've sworn off fish after listening about the dire state of our oceans and plastics found in seafood, but then you noticed the sign stating that this sushi, Ahimi®, is vegan. You politely wolfed down several pieces and, still not convinced that it wasn’t tuna, ask, “What’s it made out of?” Then you get this shocking answer - tomatoes. Not just any tomatoes - de-acidified roma tomatoes that undergo a manual process with soy sauce, water, sugar, and sesame oil creating what essentially tastes, feels, and looks like the popular sushi dish - ahi tuna. Ahi tuna, better known as bluefin tuna, is one of the most endangered fish species on the planet, yet the world continues to gobble it up in exponential numbers. This planet-based version of ahi was created by ACF Certified Master Chef James Corwell at Ocean Hugger Foods. Today’s episode of Trash Talking features Blythe Whitten-Snarr, Director of Administration at Ocean Hugger Foods, a profile company of PlantBased Solutions. A vegan and animal rights proponent, Blythe shares with us the story of Ahimi® and how this innovative food could help change the tide for ocean wildlife. -- Join the conversation on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and try our repurposed coffee body scrub. Don't forget to subscribe, review, and share this podcast with other eco-warriors. We read all of your reviews and your positive ratings help us spread the word and spur more eco-warriors to action.

Robert Pocius had been working in the packaging industry for some time when customers came to him to ask for a solution that would be truly eco-friendly. A chance encounter with a scientist who had combined plastic with organic additives led to a material that broke down into nothing more than water, CO2, and organic biomass. TekPak's packaging can break down in any landfill, fresh and salt water, or regular soil in a matter of a few months. Check out our conversation with Robert as he journied to this innovative product and the possibility of a package free planet. -- Join the conversation on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and try our repurposed coffee body scrub. Don't forget to subscribe, review, and share this podcast with other eco-warriors. We read all of your reviews and your positive ratings help us spread the word and spur more eco-warriors to action.

If you're in the NYC area, you may have already seen Shien-Ru Tsao's image plastered on tall advertisements from the NYC Mayor's Office of Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise Campaign. In fact, there's one right in the Staten Island Ferry terminal. Shien-Ru grew up in a family of entrepreneuers. Her parents, living just outside the Chicago, IL area, owned their own restaurant and still do to this day. When Shien-Ru's family restaurant joined a popular meal service called Grubhub, Shien-Ru was inspired by all of the waste created to start her own business designing packaging that was biodegradable. In this conversation, Shien-Ru tells us aout how she build her business, Commit to Green, with purpose and also givs her advice on pursuing a meaningful career. Resources mentioned in this episode: Illinois Food Scrap Coalition -- Join the conversation on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and try our repurposed coffee body scrub. Don't forget to subscribe, review, and share this podcast with other eco-warriors. We read all of your reviews and your positive ratings help us spread the word and spur more eco-warriors to action.

If you've had the final straw on single-use plastic waste, you'll love FinalStraw, the world's first retractable, portable straw created by Co-Founders Emma Cohen and Miles Pepper. FinalStraw raised $1.8 million dollars on Kickstarter sold their website SuckResponsibly.com. You can’t make this stuff up. Emma Cohen, Co-Founder of FinalStraw, went from being the Sustainability Specialist at Lost Alamos National Laboratory, home of the Manhattan Project, to cleaning up trash on the beach dressed like a mermaid, to the Co-Founder of FinalStraw. -- Resources mentioned in this episode: FinalStraw Plastic Pollution Coalition -- Join the conversation on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and try our repurposed coffee body scrub. Don't forget to subscribe, review, and share this podcast with other eco-warriors. We read all of your reviews and your positive ratings help us spread the word and spur more eco-warriors to action.

Imagine that you’re living your life as a typical consumer, working long hours, eating out at restaurants between your busy on-the-go lifestyle when one day, you total your car in an accident. As she was crying over the loss of her car, Cat Agopcan, Founder of the Do Something Project, decided to make some changes in her life and focus on minimalism rather than things. This is a deep dive into one woman's journey to live a lifestyle that's good for your wallet, your health, and the planet. -- Resources mentioned in this episode: Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson Zero Waste NJ Journey to Zero Waste @zerowastedork @zerowastechica -- Join the conversation on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and try our repurposed coffee body scrub. Don't forget to subscribe, review, and share this podcast with other eco-warriors. We read all of your reviews and your positive ratings help us spread the word and spur more eco-warriors to action.

Whitney Pratt didn’t take the typical path of a Georgetown graduate. Instead of pursuing finance or business, Whitney took a job as a Service Member for FoodCorps, a branch of AmeriCorp that aims to help education youth about healthy food. After that, Whitney stayed in Montana and became the Farm Manager of Purple Frog Gardens, a local organic working farm in Montana. -- Resources mentioned in this episode: The Food Project, Boston The Farmer to Farmer Podcast The Dirty Life Farm Hands Nourish Lentil Underground Purple Frog Gardens on Instagram Hungry Podcast If you’re interested in starting your own farm program or just want to chat to Whitney about the work she’s doing, get in touch with her via email. -- Join the conversation on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and try our repurposed coffee body scrub. Don't forget to subscribe, review, and share this podcast with other eco-warriors. We read all of your reviews and your positive ratings help us spread the word and spur more eco-warriors to action.

Elizabeth Fournier was a young girl when she dealt with the passing of several close family members. Through her grief, Elizabeth spent time in funeral homes and at funerals as a way of coping with her loss. When she began her career in the 90's as a blonde woman who wanted to work in the mortician's office, she faced a number of difficulties. Now, Elizabeth has written the book (literally) on green burials and is affectionately known as The Green Reaper. This is an incredible interesting topic surrounding the idea of how we can become one with nature again when we pass and Elizabeth is a fountain of knowledge around helping families plan a burial that is both economical and ecological. -- Resources mentioned in this episode: Could the Funeral of the Future Help Heal the Environment? - Smithsonian Magazine The Green Reaper -- Check out Elizabeth’s work in The Green Burial Guidebook. Hopefully you won’t need it anytime soon, but for those who are interested in creating a plan for your or a loved one’s passing that is both economical and ecological, you can learn about everything you need in this guide. Join the conversation on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and try our repurposed coffee body scrub. Don't forget to subscribe, review, and share this podcast with other eco-warriors. We read all of your reviews and your positive ratings help us spread the word and spur more eco-warriors to action.

Did you know that mushrooms can grow in the waste that comes from your morning cup of coffee? When Nikhil Arora and his classmate Alejandro Velez heard about this fact, the two were sparked to create a business around growing food from waste. They both quit their six-figure jobs and instead of following the usual path out of college, started a company that sells food grow kits and biodynamic cereal. Listen to Nikhil's story about he took Back to the Roots from growing oyster mushrooms in the basement of their fraternity house to creating some of the best selling products on Amazon and Whole Foods. -- Resources mentioned in this episode: Omnivore’s Dilemma - Michael Pollan Lisa Curtis at Kuli Kuli Foods Peet’s Coffee -- Follow Back to the Roots on Facebook and learn more about the amazing stuff this company is working on. If you want to reach Nikhil Arora directly, email him here. Check out this cool re-cap of their grow event at Whole Foods Oakland co-hosted by Ayesha Curry. Join the conversation on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and try our repurposed coffee body scrub. Don't forget to subscribe, review, and share this podcast with other eco-warriors. We read all of your reviews and your positive ratings help us spread the word and spur more eco-warriors to action.

Imagine if your job was to hang out in one of the US's most treasured pieces of land, Yosemite National Park. Well, for Jodi Bailey and Caitlin Lee-Roney, it is! Jodi is the Program Manager for the Zero Waste Initiative in Yosemite and Caitlin is with the Human-Bear Management Program. They share with us about Yosemite's programs for managing waste in order to decrease negative interactions with humans and wildlife. They also have some amazing tips for minimizing your impact while you travel and visit National and State Parks across the country. -- Resourced mentioned in this episode: Subaru of America Recycle Across America Speaking of Bears by Rachel Mazur -- Join the conversation on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and try our repurposed coffee body scrub. Don't forget to subscribe, review, and share this podcast with other eco-warriors. We read all of your reviews and your positive ratings help us spread the word and spur more eco-warriors to action.