The Green Collar Pod

What does it look like to make sustainability the easy choice? In this episode of Green Collar, we sit down with Emily McGarvey, Director of Sustainability at Room & Board, to explore how she turned a career in retail and merchandising into a mission-driven role shaping the future of sustainable furniture.

Emily shares her journey from Target’s corporate sustainability team to entrepreneurship and ultimately leading sustainability at Room & Board, including the mentors and career moments that helped her find her path. We dive into sustainable furniture design, renewable and recycled materials, circularity, and how Room & Board’s B Corp certification reflects its commitment to people and the planet.

Resources and books mentioned in this episode:

• Arizona State University’s sustainability courses
• Cradle to Cradle by William McDonough
• The Big Pivot by Andrew Winston
• The Conservative Environmentalist by Benji Backer
• The Conservatives, a short film

Send us Fan Mail

How do you turn a love of math, creativity, and sustainability into a career designing greener buildings? In this episode, Josephine Wendroth shares her unconventional journey into MEP engineering, what sustainable building design actually looks like day to day, and the certifications and organizations she recommends for anyone looking to break into the field.

Resources mentioned: 

1. FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) - the first step towards obtaining a PE license 
2. PE (Professional Engineer) - necessary license to stamp drawings in the design world 
3. CEM (Certified Energy Manager) - a certification for those who want to dive deeper into energy management 
4. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) - a certification for sustainability-minded individuals 
5. ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) - a professional organization for those who are HVAC/mechanical-minded 
6. Educational social media content - try to tailor your algorithm to things that will help you learn, rather than things that let you turn your mind off

Send us Fan Mail

Aparna and Kiersten had the opportunity to be guests on the NYAM Podcast & GrowFRWD hosted by Meteorologist Alesha Ray! 

To see more of Alesha's awesome content, check her out on instagram at:
@nyampodcast
@growfrwd
@AleshaRay_The_Meteorologist

And on LinkedIn here.

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Laurie Beth Nix of the Association of Energy Engineers shares how a career in communications led her to sustainability, energy efficiency, and authentic marketing. From storytelling and greenwashing to career pivots and the power of community, Laurie Beth explores how anyone can use their skills and personal stories to help create a more sustainable future.

Here are the resources mentioned during this episode: 

1. Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) - check this out for local chapters and certifications like the Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and Energy Efficiency Professional (EEP). 
2. Full of Energy Podcast
3. AEE World - a conference put on by AEE
4. Utilizing Google alerts to stay up to date on the latest news in your industry 
5. MODEX - where Laurie Beth's electric forklift marketing campaign received conference-wide acclaim! 

Send us Fan Mail

Hello one and all, and happy summer! For this episode, we wanted to share some resources and news bits we found to be interesting, and encourage everyone to find ways to incorporate sustainability into their summer. 

Listen in (or should we say "keep watching" since this is our first video episode?) for a litter themed contest and please share your thoughts in the comments! We'd love to hear from you. 

Resources/articles mentioned: 

1. Aparna's stories
   1. Plas-Stick
      1. Times of India article
      2. Good News Network article
   2. Plastic Free July
   3. Climate Week
2. Kiersten's stories
   1. Reusable moving boxes 
   2. Earth Overshoot Day
   3. Litterati
      1. Instagram profile
      2. TED talk from the founder

Send us Fan Mail

Hello listeners, and happy start to the summer! Today, we're mixing things up and sharing a conversation we had on ChipChat with Tez and Chip in April, 2026. We talk current events, dad jokes, and our edicts to create Chipchatistan. 

Let us know what you think in the comments, and please check out ChipChat wherever you get your podcasts! 

Send us Fan Mail

Looking to break into climate, sustainability, or real estate decarbonization? In this episode, Brady Mills shares the certifications, frameworks, books, newsletters, and industry organizations that shaped his two-decade career at the intersection of engineering, climate risk, and commercial real estate. 

We pulled together every resource he mentioned, from CRREM and GRESB to communication books and professional certifications, so you can keep learning long after the episode ends.

Resources (groups, certifications, terms, frameworks) mentioned: 

• Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) 
• Certified Energy manager (CEM)
• Professional Engineer (PE)
• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
• Title 24 - CA building energy code 
• Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor (CRREM)
• Greenhouse Gas Protocol 
• Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB)
• Building Performance Standards (BPS)

Books mentioned: 

• Nonviolent Communication - Marshall Rosenberg 
• How Can I Get Through To You? - Terrence Real 

Send us Fan Mail

We are joined by Eric Corey Freed, who has a bio so extensive that we broke it down into bullets! He is: 

• An award-winning architect, 
  • In 2012, he was named one of the 25 "Best Green Architecture Firms" in the US, and one of the "Top 10 Most Influential Green Architects." In 2017, he was named one of Build's American Architecture Top 25. He’s one of the 2021 Environment + Energy Leaders and in 2024, he was named the Net Zero Trailblazer for Innovation. He holds a prestigious LEED Fellow award from the US Green Building Council. 
• An author and global speaker
  • 12 books, including "Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies” and "Circular Economy for Dummies." His new book, “Frictionless: Overcoming the Drags that Shutdown Innovation” will be released in 2026.
  • His work has been featured in: Time, Newsweek, Metropolis, Dwell, Fast Company, Forbes, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal; and on-air in: Fox News, HGTV, The Sundance Channel and PBS. 
• Current Principal and Director of Sustainability for CannonDesign
• His past roles include: Founding Principal of organicARCHITECT, a visionary design leader in biophilic and regenerative design, Vice President of the International Living Future Institute, and Chief Community Officer of EcoDistricts.
• He serves on the board of Design Museum Everywhere, whose mission is to “bring the transformative power of design to all.” 

Eric shared:

•  How mentorship shaped his career 
•  Why sustainability messaging often fails 
•  The future of mass timber, AI, synthetic biology, and bio-based materials 
•  What keeps innovation from happening 
•  Why climate change is fundamentally a public health issue 
•  How humor and storytelling help change minds 

The conversation also dives into affordable housing, healthcare design, systems thinking, and how to create lasting influence through speaking, teaching, writing, and design.

Organizations & Events Mentioned:

• International Living Future Institute (ILFI) 
  • Living Future Conference
• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) 
  • Greenbuild Conference 
• CannonDesign
• XPRIZE

 Innovative Construction + Materials Companies

• Prometheus Materials
• BioTwin
• Glavel

Books

• Green Building and Remodeling For Dummies by Eric Corey Freed
• Circular Economy For Dummies by Eric Corey Freed, coauthor
• Frictionless: Overcoming the Drags That Shut Down Innovation (forthcoming 2026) by Eric Corey Freed
• Cradle to Cradle
• Ecotopia
• The Ministry for the Future

Send us Fan Mail

Sandra is the co-founder of Good On You, the platform helping millions of shoppers instantly understand the sustainability of fashion and beauty brands. Since 2015, her team has rated over 7,000 brands, making it easier for us and many others to shop with our values.

We chat about her journey from banking to building a global sustainability startup, the realities of fast (and ultra-fast) fashion, and how consumer choices can drive meaningful industry change. Sandra also shares insights on navigating overwhelm in sustainability, the power of thoughtful decision-making, and why communication is key to creating impact. We hope you enjoy! 

Resources and terms mentioned: 

• Good On You
• ThredUp
• Poshmark
• Ultra-fast fashion 
• Fast fashion
• Fashion Sleuth Influencer
• Buyerarchy

As podcasting goes, we had a few tech hiccups towards the end of the episode. Good thing we take notes while recording! Here are some resources Sandra mentioned that were not included on the final episode: 

• The True Cost - film 
• Elizabeth Cline - investigative journalist 
• Over Dressed - Elizabeth Cline - book
• The Conscious Closet - Elizabeth Cline - book
• Sarah Kent - Business of Fashion 

Send us Fan Mail

To celebrate the upcoming Earth day and more than a year of podcasting, Green Collar presents a special episode! 

In this special role-reversal, the hosts become the hosted when a dear friend, Max Kriegsfeld, takes over the mic to interview us. What follows? A candid, occasionally chaotic, fun (and funny?) chat. The vibe is joining three pals for coffee to chat about a passion project.

We span from childhood recycling squads (global edition 🌍), career considerations that almost included actuarial science and culinary school, to our hottest takes on the public transit, reusable water bottle hierarchies, and a few greenwashing myths that deserve to be thrown out (composted!) immediately.

Resources Mentioned:

🌱 Organizations, Professional Groups, & Frameworks

• Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF) 
• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) 
• Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) 
• American Institute of Architects (AIA) 
  • Architecture 2030
• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
• Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) 

🎓 Certifications & Credentials

• LEED Green Associate
• Certified Energy Manager
• LEED Certification
• WELL Certification
• TRUE Certification

📱 Other things to Check Out

• Climate Action Now
• Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)'s iconic social media
•  Plant-based plastic from Japan that dissolves in saltwater  
•  Legislation to standardize “sell by / use by” labels to reduce food waste

Send us Fan Mail