Planetary Conversations

This episode is Warren's conversation with Cheri Davidson and Kristy Guthrie. Cheri is the Manager of Communications and Marketing for the City of Kawartha Lakes, Ontario. She has teamed up with Kristy, founder of MuniciPAL AI, to bring artificial intelligence to City services making it easier for citizens to access local government services online. This is the first use of AI in this way in Canada. As a bonus, there may be a discussion about horses as well! Listen in to find out.

This week Warren's guest is Julian Branch, an award-winning journalist who spent many years in the business as a national correspondent with The Canadian Press. Following his time in journalism, Julian embarked on a second career in strategic communications, where he served as the Director of Communications for 3 provincial premiers. In his retirement Julian has pursued an issue few people know. Asbestos-cement fabricated water pipes deliver water to millions of people around the world including in Canada. Research shows the pipes have reached the end of their lives and are shedding fibres into the water. While the hazards of inhaling asbestos are well documented, there is still a debate regarding the hazards of ingested asbestos. Warren and Julian will discuss this issue and highlight the urgent actions that need to be taken for the health of every person impacted by asbestos contamination of our water.

In this show Warren's guests are Salmon Arm residents Kathy DeMille, Jenae Pedersen RN, and Adele Preto MD (Rtd.). These ladies are all associated with the Shuswap Hospice Society and will talk with Warren about the history and value of palliative and hospice care in our area, and around the world. From the valiant work of clinical staff and volunteers in providing palliative and hospice care, to the challenges in finding resources and facilities to support our community, this conversation will offer insight into the world of end of life care and providing for loved ones through their final days.

In this episode Warren's guest is Economist Mark Anielski, author of The Economics of Happiness and developer of the integrated five-capitals accounting model for measuring and accounting for conditions of well-being in communities, businesses and nations. Mark and Warren will talk about Mark's journey into economics, the role of spirituality in human thriving, and his work to integrate concepts of well-being into our standard economic models.

This week Warren's guest is Andrea Copland, Digital Librarian at the Planetary Health Alliance and Librarian at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Warren and Andrea will talk about her work to assist the Planetary Health Alliance to communicate the organization's research mission to the planetary health and global community. She is also a musician who uses her skills as an information professional to help the planet AND find new ways that music can be a vehicle for change and connection.

On this show Warren's guest is Mike Boudreau, Engineer, businessman, Rotarian, member of PeaceBuilders.world and leader of the Peace and Pizza program in Salmon Arm. Warren and Mike talk about Mike's journey from Engineer to peace builder and to the practice of Buddhism. Mike's story is one of personal evolution and change, and finding ways to be at peace with one's self, and to bring peace to the world.

On this show Warren's guest is Darcia Narvaez, Professor of Psychology Emerita at the University of Notre Dam. Darcia has written extensively on issues of character, moral development, and human flourishing. She studies the effects of early life experience on sociality, morality and thriving. She hosts the website EvolvedNest.org which emphasizes the importance of nestedness for all ages in order to maintain wellbeing and compassionate morality.

This episode includes Warren's conversation with Susan Blacklin, the author of Water Confidential - Witnessing Justice Denied. In her book she shares stories of the fifteen years during which she observed the challenges in obtaining safe drinking water for Canadians in rural and First Nations communities. Her late ex-husband, Dr. Hans Peterson, developed a biological water treatment process for First Nations. She shares the indifference of Government and sometimes outright discrimination toward First Nations as they attempted to make safe drinking water a reality for their communities.

Susan's new book is Water Justice - What You Don't Know Can Kill You. It will be released on World Water Day, March 22, 2026.

Listen in on Warren's conversation with Luke Kemp, Ph.D. author of Goliath's Curse. Luke is a research associate at the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk at the University of Cambridge. He has a background in human geography, international relations and economics, all of which he tutored or lectured in at the Australian National University. Luke is the author of the widely acclaimed book Goliath's Curse. Published in 2025, the book is a historical study of the collapse of human societies from the Bronze Age to the Modern era.

In this episode Warren talks with Guy LaChapelle about the World Values Survey. Guy is a tenured professor of Political Science at Concordia University in Montreal Canada. He was the Secretary General of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) from 2000-2020 and organized 10 World Congress around the world for the International Political Science Association. Guy will talk about the origins of the World Values Survey, some of the key aspects of the survey scope and content, and how the survey results are open access for all researchers and organizations around the world.