Podcasts

How are CBD, Hemp and Marijuana similar, and how are they different; and what is legal?

Our guest unpacked the details regarding CBD, Hemp and Marijuana. What makes them similar, what makes them different and what is legal in Texas and other parts of the United States? Our lively discussion in the KOOP studio included our guests:

Daulton O’Neill, President of Green Light Events and the Hemp Business Exchange.

Leah Lakstins, Founder of Higher Ed Hemp Tours in Austin Texas

Chris Perling, Pharmacist and expert on CBD and other related products at the Pharmacy next door to the KOOP studios.

Sustainability was part of the plan for the SXSW Conference, which was canceled this year because of the threat of the COVID-19 virus. Our guests were part of a panel session that had been scheduled for the SWSW event. The panel participants were to present and discuss opportunities for making conferences and events more sustainable and environmentally sensitive. Our guests in the KOOP studio were:

Cindy Lo, CEO for Red Velvet Events

Kara Wright, Project Manager at the US Business Council for Sustainable Development

Taelor Monroe is the Co-director of the Austin Texas Permaculture Guild. She studied under Caroline Riley, at the Whole Life Learning Center from 2014-2015, where she worked to transform the space into a full functioning permaculture design. She received her permaculture teacher training certificate from Theron Beaudreau in the Fall of 2014. Taelor still helps organize these informational workshops and volunteer events. She previously helped start a Permaculture centered intentional community titled Sacred Roots in San Marcos, TX. She has studied Permaculture design under Theron Beaudreau, Kirby Fry, Caroline Riley and Dick Pierce. Her main focus and drive is to create community and educate others about regenerative permaculture design and practice. Her home base is at Spirit of the Elms, a permaculture community property in South Austin.

Our two topics on Shades of Green are The Nature Conservancy of Texas, and how to recycle your Christmas tree in Austin.

Our guests are:

Laura Huffman, Regional State Director of The Nature Conservancy in Texas. She heads a statewide team of scientists, conservation experts and support staff whose work protects the integrity of Texas’ vast natural resources and most iconic landscapes. Huffman is also chair of the North America Cities Committee, created to support cities as they integrate natural infrastructure into local planning and development initiatives in ways that safeguard people and reduce vulnerability to climate change.

Max Anthony Morales, Environmental Technician (Recycling Coordinator) at Travis County, and Bailey Grimmett, with the Austin Resource Recovery Department of the City of Austin.

It is critical that everyone is counted within the borders of the United States! The 2020 census affects our lives more than we believe and the stakes are high for getting it right. The Census affects US Congressional, City Council, and even local school districts. Our guests help break down how the Census works, why it is important, and how everyone should participate. Our guests are:

John Lawler - Census Program Manager for the City of Austin and Travis County

Maria Milner - Director of Equity and Inclusion, League of Women Voters

Sarah Ortiz Shields - Executive Director, Austin Tech Alliance

Our guest is Austin Texas author and journalist ASHER PRICE who writes about energy and the environment for the Austin American-Statesman. Asher has published three books and we discussed his two latest publications:

His latest is a biography of Earl Campbell – Yards after Contact published in the fall of 2019. About racial divides in East Texas, the University of Texas at Austin, and how Earl Campbell became an icon running back for the Houston Oilers, then on to the N.O. Saints to follow Bum Phillips

Year of the Dunk, a memoir published in 2016 about basketball, cancer and the frontiers of human potential and his yearlong quest to slam-dunk a basketball in a 10-foot high rim!

The Great Texas Wind Rush – about the historic growth of wind power in Texas. Co-authored with Kate Galbraith in 2013. It is the backstory about how the oil-and-gas state became the country's top producer of wind power.

Twenty years ago in 1999 the Texas Legislation set goals for renewable energy. It was historic legislation that involved environmentalists, electric utilities, and the renewable energy industry. It was one of the first states to set hard goals for developing renewables such as wind and solar power. The Bill was known as SB 7 and widely known as the electric utility deregulation bill. It reshuffled the industry from having a defined monopoly to open competition. As part of the bill environmentalist and renewable advocates were able to include the goals for renewables.

Guests:

Mike Sloan, independent energy consultant with Virtus Energy. At the time of the legislation in 1999, Mike was the President of the Texas Wind Coalition, an industry lead group to promote the development of wind in Texas.

Ward Marshall, Senior Director, Business Development, Pattern Development – a wind power developer. Ward was the Vice President of the Texas Wind Coalition in 1999.

Jim Marston, Vice President, Political Affairs with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) in Austin. Jim was involved in the negotiations with legislators, environmental organizations and renewable industry representatives when SB 7 was being written.

For our Shades of Green Halloween show we focused on the important propositions on the November 5 ballot that will affect the State of Texas, Travis County and the City of Austin. These are not "spooky" issues, rather, they are important for our future. Our guests help unpack the details embedded in the propositions and how they will affect our communities. Our guests were:

Emma Pabst, a Fellow at Environment Texas, and Anna Farrell-Sherman, Clean Water Associate also with Environment Texas.

Christy Muse, Chief External Relations Officer, Shield Ranch.

Fred Lewis, Attorney and representing Unconventional Austin.

Karin Ascot and Patrick Van Haren are our guests on Shades of Green. They are cofounders of an initiative to build a master planned community near Austin, Texas. The goal of the initiative is to work with land owners and developers to create a durable community and investments that can survive climate change and create superior value for all. We are very unique in our skill sets with a focus on the long haul, using systems thinking. Nature's success metrics are soil quality, wildfire and drought resilience, nutritional quality of the food and plants. Society's success metrics are affordability of the community, social resilience, health and wellness, number of jobs produced within the Citadel.

The William R. Sinkin Eco Centro, located in San Antonio, Texas strives to cultivate the understanding, process and practice of sustainability. It is operated by San Antonio College and it serves as a demonstration center for organic gardening, composting, sustainable building, low impact development, water conservation, native landscaping, and healthy living. It is a place to meet, learn, network and get inspired about sustainability.

Our guest is Meredith Miller, Director of Eco Centro.