The Jane Goodall Hopecast

In this bonus episode of the Jane Goodall Hopecast, Dr. Goodall is joined by Emma Lewisham, the co-founder and CEO of her own circular, climate positive and transparent beauty line. Emma believes strongly in responsible sourcing and sustainable packaging and has a zero-tolerance policy for animal testing. In this episode, Emma shares her unique insider perspective on the important changes beginning to occur in the beauty industry and how her brand is leading the charge in regenerative business. She emphasizes that companies must be transparent about how people, other animals, and the planet are treated within their supply chain. Together, she and Jane discuss the transformative power of consumers that are pushing businesses and governments towards innovations that will create the kind of standards of sustainability and ethics we all deserve. Ultimately Emma reminds us that “you can be both commercially viable and a business with purpose” because that is what consumers are looking for today.

In this mailbag episode of the Hopecast, Dr. Goodall is joined by Guy Kawasaki, author, speaker, entrepreneur, chief evangelist of Canva, and the creator of Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People podcast, as they hear from Hopecasters from around the world. Together, they listen to uplifting messages from people of all ages, careers, and backgrounds that are determined to make a positive impact on the world. Reilly, an undergraduate student at Arizona State University, is working hard to make a meaningful impact through her studies and volunteering. She asks Jane how she can make her big ideas and goals more manageable. A young girl from the UK tells Jane that she is learning to recycle and protect the trees because she really wants to make the world a better place. Verena, a 49-year-old from Germany, shares her inspiring journey of committing to a career change, going back to school, and getting her first job at a research institute to promote organic agriculture. Verena encourages people, no matter their age, to be like Jane, “stay hopeful and curious and to follow their hearts... and to find out how they would like to contribute with the change that our planet needs.”

Hey Hopecasters! Submit your own questions and comments for a chance to be included in a future Mailbag episode here.

In this episode of the Hopecast, Dr. Jane Goodall speaks with Jenna Johnson, Head of Patagonia Inc. Through her work at Patagonia, Jenna brings environmental stewardship to the company’s technical innovation. She is also an avid rock climbing and trail sports enthusiast. In this conversation, Jenna recounts how her early experiences rock climbing fostered a connection to nature that has served her throughout her life and career. Her passion for environmentalism closely aligns with Patagonia’s mission to integrate creating clothing and gear to help all people get outdoors and connect with nature, while investing in active work to protect ecosystems. Jane and Jenna discuss Patagonia’s sustainability initiatives and the work they do to support and center marginalized communities to lead on core social and environmental issues. Jane shares that she is inspired by the amount of companies that are realizing the importance of creating supply chains, practices, and frameworks that reduce negative impacts, while also advancing positive initiatives at various scales. Jenna reminds us that working to heal our relationship with the planet is not only imperative but it can also be beneficial for all - including the bottom line. She reflects that “customers are voting with their dollars today and they’re increasingly expecting companies to really contribute to problem solving for some of these greatest challenges that are ahead of us.”

At the End of the Rainbow: Stay to the end of the episode to hear an archival clip in which Dr. Goodall tells the story of the young chimpanzees Pom and Prof, who travel along a forest trail until they encounter a surprising hazard.

This episode of the Hopecast features a conversation between two “one and only” icons: Dr. Jane Goodall and celebrated author, inventor, and environmentalist Margaret Atwood brought together through an interview for Harper’s Bazaar’s March issue and for Women’s History Month. Margaret has written over 50 books of various genres including The Handmaid’s Tale, a renowned dystopian novel that has been adapted into a film and award-winning TV series. She is also a dedicated climate activist and uses her platform to raise environmental awareness, which is where Jane and Margaret find tremendous joint purpose. In this episode, Margaret shares her personal stories about her upbringing, how our childhoods shape us, and the importance of legacy - building one’s own legacy, building upon the legacy of others, and the legacy we create in community. Listen in as Margaret and Jane walk the tightrope between utopian hope and dystopian doom, the challenges facing women worldwide, and the interrelated urgent need to balance environmental and social action. 

At the End of the Rainbow: Stay to the end of the episode to hear an archival clip of Dr. Goodall reminding each and every one of us of our individual power to make a difference for the betterment of the planet.

This special bonus episode of the Jane Goodall Hopecast premiered at On Air Fest 2022. Join Dr. Goodall as she speaks with author, botanist, decorated professor, and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Robin Wall Kimmerer. Dr. Kimmerer is the author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants and the founder of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment, at The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York. In this thoughtful conversation, Jane and Robin consider how much more there is to not only learn about plants, but to learn from them as well. They each share the ways their mothers encouraged their love of nature and their journeys through academia. They express their appreciation for science and the value of viewing the world through an analytical lens, but emphasize the totality of the “ways of knowing,” including millenia of wisdom shared from indigenous cultures. Robin reflects on how she merges her Indigenous knowledge and scientific curiosity to create a more holistic viewpoint. Jane recalls how her own imagination was sparked through stories and a desire to observe, which enabled her to push traditional scientific boundaries. The pair also focus on the urgent need to encourage a reconnection with the natural world through stories, in order to prevent the ills facing our world. As Robin succinctly puts it, “in my own evolution I have gone from scientist to storyteller because it feels like that’s what we need right now.”

In this episode of the Hopecast, Dr. Goodall is joined by the Academy Award winning writer, director, and producer, Adam McKay. Adam McKay’s most recent feature is the Netflix comedy Don’t Look Up, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio. The film is a biting satire ultimately aimed at the capricious and tumultuous state of the world for the last several years. In this lively conversation, Jane and Adam discuss the reasons behind the creation of the film and what Adam sees as the barriers to human action on existential threats. Jane and Adam believe passionately and emphatically that storytelling can have a massive impact on society, by letting people see themselves, while also reflecting a mirror on the best and worst of us. As Jane has said in the past, we must be aware of the facts, but the facts will not induce change. We must connect our hearts with our brains through storytelling. Adam shares that a huge reason for the creation of the film is the belief that comedy is a critical component of this connection as he believes that “when we’re all laughing together, there’s community,” and that we ultimately need to “feel emotion about what we could lose.”

At the End of the Rainbow: Stay to the end of the episode to hear an archival clip of Dr. Goodall discussing the initial resistance she faced from the scientific community in the 1960s and how science, as a peer reviewed process, can evolve new thinking, and did - thanks to Jane.

In this episode of the Hopecast, Dr. Goodall is joined by her good friend Ruth Mendelson, award winning composer, author and humanitarian (Ruth helped create the music for the Hopecast!). They have worked closely throughout their decades long friendship and Jane wrote the foreword for Ruth’s book, The Water Tree Way. Together, they listen to messages from Hopecasters from around the world about the ways Dr. Goodall has inspired them to dream up projects and efforts to help in their communities - proving that sometimes simple steps can make a big, positive footprint for the planet. Isabella, a 14-year-old from Bogotá, Colombia, shares that caring about animals and the environment is her motivation to create change. Louise from the UK reflects on the importance of education and how Dr. Goodall’s tireless persistence keeps her motivated in her activism. Ruth shares her conviction to be a part of the solution and Jane reminds us “how resilient nature is. Give nature a chance, perhaps a bit of help, and nature will come back.”

Hey Hopecasters! Submit your own questions and comments for a chance to be included in a future Mailbag episode here.

In this episode of the Hopecast, Dr. Jane Goodall speaks with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), U.S. politician, attorney, and author. Over the course of his career serving as Mayor of Newark, New Jersey from 2006 to 2013, serving as U.S. Senator from 2013 to present, and running for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 2020 election, Senator Booker has developed, sponsored, collaborated on, and passed legislation supporting LGBTQ+ rights, animal rights, climate action, racial justice, women’s rights, voting rights, food justice and system reform, while also addressing the racial wealth gap and other injustices. In this conversation, Senator Booker shares his experiences living with the community he served in New Jersey, and how elders and mentors he met along the way shaped his ethos around seeing the humanity in each of us. He also shares experiences connecting with those with opposing viewpoints and how these interactions have helped him not only as a politician but as a person. This conversation is filled with stories and moments of empathy and hope from both Jane and Senator Booker that will stick with you well after you’ve finished listening. Senator Booker poignantly sums up why hope is such a critically important tenant to enacting change and ultimately, to the work he does every day: “Hope is the active conviction that despair will never have the last word.”

At the End of the Rainbow: Stay to the end of the episode to listen to a 2016 archival clip of Dr. Goodall from a series of walking interviews in Gombe. Hear her speak about why we must return to a sense of prioritizing future generations and the world we leave behind - a wisdom she feels we have lost.

In this episode of the Hopecast, Dr. Jane Goodall speaks with Paul Polman, business leader, campaigner, and author of Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take. He is also the co-founder and chair of IMAGINE, an organization that strives to build net positive companies that combat climate change, nature loss and global inequality. A leading proponent that business should be a force for good, Paul has been described by the Financial Times as “a standout CEO of the past decade.” In this conversation, Paul shares his journey to business leadership and how growing up in the socially conscious culture of the 1960’s fostered in him a sense of global empathy. From there, Jane and Paul discuss new, environmentally conscious trends in business. Paul sees that corporations hear consumer and staff demands for ethical business practices and understand the necessity of sustainability and social justice. Paul’s work with IMAGINE is to help find ways for these companies to turn those ideas into action internally and within the supply chain. Together, they reflect on the effects of unsustainable production, and globalization, and consider the role of corrupt governments and systems of inequality as perpetuating major problems, like the climate crisis. Finally, they consider the hopeful possibilities, and how to replace environmentally and socially harmful industries while fulfilling the needs of both consumers and laborers. Ultimately, Paul believes in our collective ability to protect our planet and hopes to “bring the heart of humanity back to business.”

At the End of the Rainbow: Stay to the end of the episode to hear a clip of Dr. Goodall discussing the necessity of redefining corporate and governmental relationships with the natural world.

In this episode of the Hopecast, Dr. Jane Goodall is joined by Dr. Lilian Pintea, Vice President of Conservation Science at the Jane Goodall Institute USA. Dr. Pintea has been with JGI for over 17 years and in his current role, he oversees all science activities and functions at JGI, supporting departments and country offices by integrating research, analysis, tools, and technological innovation to support JGI’s mission. In Jane’s words, he’s a “brilliant and innovative scientist with a deep understanding and respect for the people and wildlife he works with.” And, one of her favorite people. In this fireside conversation, Jane and Lilian talk about his journey to becoming a scientist that was shaped by his education from all over the world - from Russia to Romania to the United States to Tanzania. Together, they reminisce on the early days of the Tacare program - JGI’s community-led approach - and reflect on how by sharing technologies like Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) and maps with the communities around chimpanzee habitats, JGI is able to create a common understanding of landscapes, opportunities, and threats. Through these tools, local communities can lead better decision-making for their own lands - for sustainable development and conservation goals alike. Dr. Pintea shares with Jane about the future innovations being developed now that will further the potential of how people and technology can come together to overcome challenges. In one example, the Gombe One Health Hub project partners with Microsoft’s Project Premonition in Gombe to better track and predict zoonotic disease spillover using mosquitoes as vectors. Lilian’s focus on both the technological potentials, tools, and realities of local knowledge advances conservation in innovative ways by “connecting scientists to decision makers.” As Jane always says, “the head and heart need to work in harmony to attain our full potential,” and Dr. Lilian Pintea is proof of that. In 2022, JGI will be partnering with Esri - a leader in geographic information system software, web GIS and geodatabase management applications - to publish a book on Lilian and JGI’s work focusing on this community-led approach called, “Local Voices, Local Choices.” 

At the End of the Rainbow: Stay to the end of the episode to hear Jane recount the way in which Tacare - JGI’s community-led conservation approach - created a true partnership and collaboration with local communities who are the leaders of local conservation decision-making improving the lives of people, other animals, and ecosystems across the chimpanzee range.