In this episode of Climate InnoPod, we welcome Joseph Kao, a material scientist, seasoned R&D expert, and eco-preneur, to discuss the pressing issue of EV battery waste. The rapid expansion of clean energy brings unprecedented battery production and waste. With 95% of retired batteries ending up in landfills and only 3% recycled, it threatens material supply chains, the environment, and public health as toxic materials degrade into harmful substances that can enter the food chain and impact health.

Joseph shares how his project focuses on diagnosing battery health to enable second-life applications, bridging critical gaps in recycling and reuse infrastructure. Reflecting on his journey from roles at Dow, Meta, and Apple to the Stanford impact community, he draws inspiration from his grandmother’s wisdom, "your waste is someone else’s treasure," to champion innovative solutions for the battery waste crisis.

Check out more resources:

Article | Replacing the “Take-Make-Waste” Model with Sustainable Supply Chains (link)

Event | Stanford All About No Waste - Trash Talk Series (link)

Book | 3 books about waste for your reading list (link)

- Total Garbage: How We Can Fix Our Waste and Heal Our World

- Wasteland: The Secret World of Waste and the Urgent Search for a Cleaner Futur

- Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale

In this episode, we featured Samia Rafa, an architect turned WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) development professional. Initially focusing on architectural solutions for marginalized communities, Rafa transitioned to WaterAid Bangladesh, where she co-founded WaterWomen to amplify young women's voices in the water and climate sectors. She shared her journey and projects, notably the 'Pink Toilet' initiative, which addresses inadequate sanitation facilities for women in Dhaka.

Rafa highlights the severe WASH challenges in Bangladesh, particularly for women who are responsible for fetching water for their households, facing harassment, and lacking clean water, toilets, and hygiene during menstruation. These problems are exacerbated by climate change, with floods in the south and droughts in the north worsening the situation. Through WaterWomen, Rafa focuses on capacity building and youth engagement, advocating for gender-responsive solutions and the need for women in decision-making roles.

She has been working tirelessly to develop solutions and advocate for the rights to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. Recently, as part of WaterAid’s VoteWater campaign, Rafa wrote and delivered at 10 Downing street a letter to the UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer to call for urgent actions towards the global water crisis. She also wrote and delivered a letter to Development Minister Anneliese Dodds MP about how the water crisis is affecting climate-vulnerable countries such as Bangladesh, and how it is disproportionately impacting women and girls. 

Check out more resources:

WaterAid Bangladesh

City and town-wide assessments of female-friendly public and community toilets

In this episode, we explore the journey of Ryan, a former newspaper journalist who transitioned to urban planning. Originally from Santa Fe, New Mexico, Ryan covered environmental and political issues in Texas and Colorado before shifting her focus to urban planning. Her transition was influenced by her reporting on climate crises, notably Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Witnessing the rebuilding in flood-prone areas underscored the impacts of planning decisions on community resilience and fueled her desire to influence urban development directly.

Her work in scenario planning involves engaging communities to envision and strategize for future challenges, ensuring inclusivity and local relevance. She highlights the challenges of public participation in planning, emphasizing the need for innovative engagement methods to include diverse voices. Notably, technology plays a role in this effort, offering tools for virtual collaboration, but accessibility remains a key issue, especially in underserved areas.

Check out more resources recommended by Ryan:

Resilient Communities and Watersheds: Exploratory Scenario Planning

Sowing Seeds: How Scenario Planning Can Help Agricultural Communities Plan for a Resilient Future

Agriculture & Water in the West: A Community Takes Charge

Welcome aboard! Zeyu and Ellen here, your guides into the heart of climate innovation. We're here to shake up your perspectives on innovation and climate change, urging you to see them as deeply intertwined forces. Every episode spotlights trailblazers reshaping sustainability efforts, offering tangible solutions one step at a time.

Subscribe to our Email list here for opportunities to engage further. Stay informed, stay inspired at Climate InnoPod.