Climify

This is a special three-part series for season four that you suggested to our listeners! We’ve entitled it “Changing the System - Back to School.” All of our guests and organizations in this special series want to impact climate in the classroom or through the school itself (think renewable energy!) We hope you enjoy this bonus series as it came from you – our listeners!

In this third episode of our Back to School series of Climify, Eric welcomes Stevie Bales and Zoë Edington as they discuss the New Wave Research Project, a Climate Designers initiative aimed at integrating climate awareness into design education. They share insights from their research on students' engagement with climate issues, the systemic challenges faced by design educators, and their vision for an inclusive, action-oriented climate design curriculum.

This is a special three-part series for season four that you suggested to our listeners! We’ve entitled it “Changing the System - Back to School.” All of our guests and organizations in this special series want to impact climate in the classroom or through the school itself (think renewable energy!) We hope you enjoy this bonus series as it came from you – our listeners!

In this second episode of the series, Eric Benson welcomes Tish Tablan from Generation 180 to discuss how to “be the spark” to help install solar on your school. Tish shares her journey into sustainability, inspired by William McDonough, and her work at Generation 180 promoting clean energy solutions. They delve into the organization's programs like 'Electrify Our Schools,' which aims to help schools save and then reinvest their money in addition to teach sustainability by integrating solar energy. The conversation highlights successful solar case studies, the impact of school-based solar projects, and ways community members can advocate for solar energy in their local schools.

This is a special three-part series for season four that you suggested to our listeners! We’ve entitled it “Changing the System - Back to School.” All of our guests and organizations in this special series want to impact climate in the classroom or through the school itself (think renewable energy!) We hope you enjoy this bonus series as it came from you – our listeners!

In this first episode of the series, Eric talks with representatives from College to Climate, an organization founded by students and recent graduates that aims to empower young people to pursue careers in climate tech.

Co-founders Jessica Harrington and Larson Burack and designer Kevin Lu discuss their roles in the organization, its mission, and the impact of their inspiring work. They detail the importance of forming a climate community, the value of mentorship in climate fields, and the growing opportunities in climate tech. In addition, they share their favorite success stories from College to Climate and future plans for expanding their reach to create more climate-related job opportunities for the next generation of young leaders.

In this episode of Cimiify, Eric welcomes Thais Mantovani, co-founder of Eco-Universidade, to discuss her journey from a career in marketing to becoming a regenerative strategist and educator. The episode delves into the impact of globalization on local cultures, emphasizing the need for localized solutions and education to foster systemic change. Mantovani shares insights from her holistic science studies at Schumacher College, her work with indigenous communities, and the importance of embracing diverse worldviews and education for sustainable transformation.

After the interview, design researcher Jacqui Himmel joins Eric to unpack the episode providing the most important calls to action from the discussion that you can implement today!

In this episode of Cimiify, Eric welcomes Scott Boylston the graduate coordinator of the Design for Sustainability program at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Scott shares his expertise on systems thinking, the importance of community engagement in design, and highlights various impactful projects, including Repurpose Savannah. The discussion underscores the role of education in fostering environmental and social justice, providing a rich resource for designers aiming to effect long-term systemic change.

After the interview, design researcher Bhavna Bhavanishankar joins Eric to unpack the episode providing the most important calls to action from the discussion that you can implement today!

In this episode of Cimiify, Eric welcomes Michelle Moore, a distinguished climate policy expert and former federal environmental executive under the Obama administration. Michelle shares insights from her journey growing up in rural Georgia to impactful roles in national climate policy, including reducing the government's energy bill by $11 billion. The episode delves into her motivations rooted in community and faith, her work with the non-profit Groundswell to promote community power and clean energy projects in underserved areas, and the importance of values-based system change. Michelle's philosophy of 'doing well by doing good' and her latest book, Rural Renaissance, are highlighted. The conversation also explores actionable steps individuals can take to support climate justice and policy changes.

After the interview, design researcher Jacqui Himmel joins Eric to unpack the episode providing the most important calls to action from the discussion that you can implement today!

The guests in our commercial series, are experts focused on how our collective system is organized. We’re not talking about which produce to pick at the grocery store – although these lifestyle choices are critical. Our guests in this second series play pivotal roles in the organization of our society, disrupting the economy at the institutional level and changing how products are imagined and created.

In this episode of Climify, Eric welcomes Dr. Tanya Beer, a seasoned stage designer and senior lecturer at Queensland College of Art and Design, Griffith University (Australia), to discuss her innovative approach to sustainable stage design. Tanya shares her journey into sustainable stage design, the creation of the term 'Ecoscenography,' and her pioneering project, the Living Stage, which combines horticulture, community engagement, and performance. The episode also highlights educational strategies to promote sustainability in design and the importance of questioning the environmental impact of one's work and passions.

After the interview, design researcher Jacqui Himmel joins Eric to unpack the episode providing the most important calls to action from the discussion that you can implement today!

The guests in our commercial series, are experts focused on how our collective system is organized. We’re not talking about which produce to pick at the grocery store – although these lifestyle choices are critical. Our guests in this second series play pivotal roles in the organization of our society, disrupting the economy at the institutional level and changing how products are imagined and created.

In this episode, Eric talks with Lynnette Widder, an architect and professor at Columbia University, about changing the system through the built environment. They explore the impacts of energy efficiency, the power of community resilience, and define environmental justice. Lynette emphasizes the importance of incremental changes and how reuse and refurbishment are two overlooked concepts in architecture.

After the interview, design researcher Jacqui Himmel joins Eric to unpack the episode providing the most important calls to action from the discussion that you can implement today!

The guests in our commercial series, are experts focused on how our collective system is organized. We’re not talking about which produce to pick at the grocery store – although these lifestyle choices are critical. Our guests in this second series play pivotal roles in the organization of our society, disrupting the economy at the institutional level and changing how products are imagined and created.

In this episode, Heike Petersen shares with Eric her multicultural global journey in creating her cradle-to-cradle sustainable, biodegradable, and hypoallergenic yoga fitness brand, Wellicious. The discussion sheds light on the challenges of the fashion supply chain emphasizing the importance of understanding sustainable certifications, consumer behavior, greenwashing, and the important shift we all must take towards slow fashion.

After the interview, design researcher Bhavna Bhavanishankar joins Eric to unpack the episode providing the most important calls to action from the discussion that you can implement today!

The guests in our commercial series, are experts focused on how our collective system is organized. We’re not talking about which produce to pick at the grocery store – although these lifestyle choices are critical. Our guests in this second series play pivotal roles in the organization of our society, disrupting the economy at the institutional level and changing how products are imagined and created.

In this episode, Leyla Acaroglu shares with Eric the importance of systems thinking and circularity for designers, along with the generational and cultural challenges of implementing it in the workplace. She also gives us her sage advice on how to create change through design, and how her Unschool can help us all disrupt the status quo to change the system.

After the interview, design researcher Bhavna Bhavanishankar joins Eric to unpack the episode providing the most important calls to action from the discussion that you can implement today!