Shags Shagrin shares how he came to create a fully-functioning online community platform for several hundred senior adults who were about to lose an existing platform that brought them together during COVID protocols.

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Podcast and Zoom Host: ⁠⁠Rushton Hurley⁠⁠

Podcast Producer: ⁠⁠Elton Sherwin⁠⁠

Audio edited and enhanced with: ⁠⁠Descript Studio Sound ⁠⁠ 

#PositiveChange #Inspiration #Rotary

The League to Save Lake Tahoe, in collaboration with ECO-CLEAN Solutions, have introduced an innovative new technology to address beach litter, targeting the most difficult to detect, hard to remove, and potentially harmful litter: tiny bits of plastic that have the potential to become harmful microplastics and other debris.

The BEBOT has been recognized by the TRPA as an important Environmental Improvement Project for addressing impacts from recreation and plastics in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The BEBOT is a solar- and battery-powered, beach-cleaning robot. BEBOT sifts and captures small debris from beach sand to a depth of four inches, without damaging flora and fauna or generating emissions. The robot is capable of cleaning up to 3,000 square meters in an hour. The BEBOT pilot project launched in 2022, and the results proved the importance of trash mitigation on our beaches to help curtail the trash and microplastic issues in the Tahoe Basin.

JB Harris has been working in environmental sustainability and technology for 5 years, with a focus on developing and deploying innovative techniques and technologies to mitigate the impacts of aquatic invasive species and hazardous debris removal. His primary role is leadership, strategic partnerships and executive oversight.

JT Chevallier’s role in this project is supporting all aspects of project management, strategic development, public/private funding procurement, permitting and operational execution.

His role as the current Economic Development Director for Alpine County, California has positioned him well to take projects through the public approval and funding process. He has been working in environmental technology and sustainability for over 10 years.

https://www.eco-cleansolutions.com

https://www.instagram.com/ecoclean_solutions/

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Audio edited and enhanced with: ⁠⁠Descript Studio Sound ⁠⁠ 

#PositiveChange #Inspiration #Rotary

Presentation title: Technology's Impact on the Future of Environmental Sustainability

The Chicago Eco House and Southside Blooms transforms vacant lots into sustainable urban flower farms, turning blight into economic opportunities for majority-Black inner-city communities.

Local youth are trained as florists and farmers through our workforce development program.

Why flowers? The floral industry generates $35 billion a year. 80% of flowers sold in the USA come from out of the country. Chicago has unused assets in blighted, vacant lots. Youth are unemployed and underemployed - they’re bored. The problems we are facing need systemic solutions, and this program ties together nature, economy, hope, faith, community, and good old-fashioned American progress, all while developing the inherent creativity of young people.

Our speaker is Quilen Blackwell, the president and co-founder of Southside Blooms and Chicago Eco House, a 501(c)3 nonprofit in Chicago with the mission of using sustainability to alleviate poverty on the southside of the city.

Quilen’s background in renewable energy and community organizing is well suited to his role as president of Southside Blooms and Chicago Eco House. His organizing credentials include work abroad as a volunteer in the United States Peace Corps organizing rural farmers in Thailand, as well as helping working-class residents of suburban Milwaukee attain affordable housing domestically.

He later worked in the biofuels industry where he procured feedstock such as used cooking oil and soybean oil for biodiesel production.

Quilen holds a bachelor’s degree with comprehensive honors from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and holds a master’s degree in environmental policy from the University of Denver.

To learn More:

https://southsideblooms.com

https://chicagoecohouse.org

https://instagram.com/southsideblooms

https://www.instagram.com/chicagoeco/

https://facebook.com/southsideblooms

https://facebook.com/chicagoecohouse

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Podcast Producer: ⁠⁠Elton Sherwin⁠⁠

Audio edited and enhanced with: ⁠⁠Descript Studio Sound ⁠⁠ 

#PositiveChange #Inspiration #Rotary

# minority

# underprivileged

# economic development

Erin Smith, a Paul Harris Fellow, who lives in Kenya and sometimes Florida, is a trailblazer in both the corporate and environmental sectors.

Erin is the CEO and owner of Ocean Sole, which is transforming ocean debris into awe-inspiring art, and championing environmental causes coupled with creating opportunities in Kenya's coastal communities.

Her career spans continents and industries, from high-tech to fintech. Gaining her education at George Mason, Georgetown, UVA and Pennsylvania, she now works to make a difference in people's lives and for our oceans.

She has appeared on CNN and the Oprah Winfrey Show, sharing stories which blend inspiration, innovation, and impact.
Her presentation today, "What the Flip Flop?," explores the mystery of millions of flip flops littering shores from Kenya to Malaysia.

Ocean Sole works to transform this challenge into an opportunity. They not only clear beaches and upcycle 1.5 million flip flops annually, but also champion marine conservation, empower women, and craft stunning art. You'll learn the journey of these flip flops, the threats they pose to our oceans, and the work Ocean Sole engages in to creatively address this global issue, offering paths for everyone to make a difference.

This presentation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/yIAeu-pwbcU

To learn more, go to:

https://oceansole.com

The 60-second video about Ocean Sole:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZV9J62Z2Vk

Or watch this more detailed Business Insider Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK-BHZs7GxE
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• Website: ⁠⁠Rotary.cool⁠
• Meetings’ ⁠⁠Video Archive⁠⁠
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⁠⁠More about Rotary International:⁠⁠

• Website: ⁠⁠www.Rotary.org⁠⁠
• Find a ⁠⁠local Rotary club⁠⁠ 
• Find an ⁠⁠online Rotary Club⁠⁠

Podcast and Zoom Host: ⁠⁠Rushton Hurley⁠⁠

Podcast Producer: ⁠⁠Elton Sherwin⁠⁠

Audio edited and enhanced with: ⁠⁠Descript Studio Sound ⁠⁠ 

#PositiveChange #Inspiration #Rotary

This week's speaker, Tina Fernandez Steckler, will present an overview of HERS Breast Cancer Foundation, this presentation includes HERS Breast Cancer Foundation history, mission, programs and services, outreach, needs, fundraising efforts, and community impact.

A Fremont resident since 1991, Tina has volunteered and worked for nonprofits since the early 2000s. Tina joined HERS in 2017 as Executive Director where her responsibilities include both organization management, development, and marketing communications.

A co-founder of the Tri-City Nonprofit Coalition, Tina is a past participant in the Fremont Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program and the Tri-Valley Nonprofit Alliance Executive Roundtable.

A graduate of CSUEB with a B.A. in English Literature, Tina also has a Paralegal Certificate from St. Mary's College. She was formerly a member (2018-2023) of the Niles Rotary Club (Fremont).

She has been married to Craig Steckler since 2017 and has two children and one granddaughter.

To learn more, go to:

https://hersbreastcancerfoundation.org

Or watch this video:

https://vimeo.com/335481384

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hersbreastcancerfoundation

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hers_bcfoundation/

Twitter (X): https://vimeo.com/335481384

LinkedIn: https://vimeo.com/335481384

Email: [email protected]

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Podcast and Zoom Host: ⁠⁠Rushton Hurley⁠⁠

Podcast Producer: ⁠⁠Elton Sherwin⁠⁠

Audio edited and enhanced with: ⁠⁠Descript Studio Sound ⁠⁠ 

#PositiveChange #Inspiration #Rotary

AdventHealth (formerly Florida Hospital) engages in global mission work because, at its heart, it is our mission: "Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ." Through their Global Missions and Sharing Smiles departments, they deliver healing and hope through quality healthcare, education and training.

We partner with host country healthcare providers and Rotary clubs to build a sustainable legacy.

Our speaker, Ruth E. Bowling, has a B.A. in Business Administration, and is currently pursuing a Masters of Healthcare Administration at AdventHealth University. A former insurance agent with Brown & Brown, Ruth has been privileged since 2013 to represent AdventHealth Foundation (formerly Florida Hospital Foundation) as a Development Officer.

AdventHealth partners with Rotary Clubs to provide hope and healing to children around the world.

Ruth is an honorary member of four Rotary Clubs in District 6980, and has been made a multiple Paul Harris Fellow.

She is married, has two daughters, and four grandchildren. Ruth has made over one hundred presentations to Rotary clubs in Florida, and never tires of reminding Rotarians how they are changing the world, one child at a time.

To learn more, go to:

https://www.adventhealth.com/sharing-smiles

To contact Ruth, email:

[email protected]

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Audio edited and enhanced with: ⁠⁠Descript Studio Sound ⁠⁠ 

#PositiveChange #Inspiration #Rotary

In this talk our speaker will present an overview of the global 4-day week movement, which aims to shorten working hours without cutting salaries or productivity.

You will learn how companies, nonprofits, and governments have made the transition, as well as what challenges they've faced and benefits they've enjoyed.

Alex will conclude by talking about strategies for making the case for a 4-day week in your own workplace.

Alex Soojung-Kim Pang is director of research and programs at 4 Day Week Global, a nonprofit promoting the 4-day workweek. His books (Work Less, Do More: Designing the Four Day Week (Penguin, 2023); Shorter: Work Better, Smarter and Less - Here’s How (Public Affairs, 2020); Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less (Basic Books, 2016); and The Distraction Addiction (Little Brown , 2013)) show how companies and individuals can build digital-age lives and workplaces that integrate focus, creativity, and rest.

Alex has worked at the Institute for the Future and Strategic Business Insights, and during his academic career was affiliated with Stanford University, UC Berkeley, Microsoft Research Cambridge, and Oxford University. Alex received a Ph.D. in history and sociology of science from the University of Pennsylvania.

To learn more, go to:

4 Day Week Global's website: http://www.4dayweek.com

Alex' website: https://www.strategy.rest

Alex' book, SHORTER: WORK BETTER, SMARTER AND LESS- HERE'S HOW: https://amzn.to/3ZELfWP

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Podcast Producer: ⁠⁠Elton Sherwin⁠⁠

Audio edited and enhanced with: ⁠⁠Descript Studio Sound ⁠⁠ 

#PositiveChange #Inspiration #Rotary

This week's speaker, Camilla Johns, is Head of Development at the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, a charity not-for-profit that preserve's six historic sites in Antarctica. This includes Port Lockroy, the southernmost public post office in the world which is surrounded by a vocal gentoo penguin colony.

Each of the six sites has an amazing history and story, and the Trust works to protect the buildings and share Antarctica's amazing past with everyone at home.

Imagine painting your garden shed, but doing so 10,000 miles away on a rocky outcrop in biting Antarctic winds. Each year, for the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust team, this is a reality as they work to protect and conserve historic science bases frozen in time in Antarctica. These six sites are modest wooden huts surrounded by penguins, but each holds a story of discovery, courage and survival.

Camilla has worked in the not-for-profit sector for over 15 years for different causes ranging from national parks to symphony orchestras. She has a lifelong interest in exploration and Antarctica, and first visited the continent this year to see their work in action.

To learn more, go to:

https://www.ukaht.org/

Or listen to their podcast series:

https://tinyurl.com/ukahtpodcast

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Podcast Producer: ⁠⁠Elton Sherwin⁠⁠

Audio edited and enhanced with: ⁠⁠Descript Studio Sound ⁠⁠ 

#PositiveChange #Inspiration #Rotary

Two billion people globally suffer from malnutrition, aka hidden hunger, hitting Africa the hardest. Many lack access to healthy food, relying on starchy flour for every meal. This poor diet, lacking vital nutrients, tragically leads to 8,000 preventable child deaths daily.

While developed nations enjoy fortified foods like cereal, milk, and salt, two billion people worldwide lack this basic human right. In parts of East Africa, as many as 95% of the population depend on small rural flour mills for their food source to survive.

Sanku enables local flour mills throughout East Africa to produce fortified flour, currently reaching approximately six million people with healthier meals everyday. Adding life-saving nutrients to food means children can fight disease, grow up healthy and educated, and live productive lives. By preventing health problems before they occur, Sanku's solution may have more sustained impact at scale on the lives of people living in rural sub-Saharan Africa than any current health intervention today.

Our speaker, Felix Brooks-church, strongly believes that access to nutritious food should be a right, and not a privilege, and has dedicated his life to developing a technology and business model capable of providing the basic human right to better nutrition to the millions of children and adults excluded by status-quo efforts.

Felix co-founded the social enterprise called Sanku in 2013 with the mission to end malnutrition by guaranteeing that every meal, for every mother and child, contains life-saving nutrients, forever.

For the last seventeen years, Felix has lived in the Global South, refining micronutrient delivery systems and developed economic models for sustaining food fortification at scale for small mills throughout East Africa. He led all aspects of product development and engineering for the award-winning Sanku Dosifier technology, and designed the innovative business model that will ultimately sustain Sanku's operations at scale with minimal external investment.

Felix has grown the organization from a two-man start-up to over 100 East African employees, passionately dedicated to ensuring close to six million people now have access to nutritious food every day. Sanku's big bet vision is to end malnutrition for 100 million people by 2030.

To learn more, go to:

https://projecthealthychildren.org/

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Audio edited and enhanced with: ⁠⁠Descript Studio Sound ⁠⁠ 

#PositiveChange #Inspiration #Rotary

Cellular agriculture, or the cultivation of seafood and meat directly from cells, has emerged as a promising approach to offset the unsustainable practices and deleterious effects of our food system.

Unlike plant-based approaches to recreate flavors, textures, and nutrition, cellular agriculture involves growing animal cells into familiar cuts of seafood in brewery-type systems, without the need for farming, fishing, or animal slaughter. The history, underlying technologies, and challenges for the field will be explored, in addition to its potential impact on the future of food.

Our speaker, Aryé Elfenbein, co-founded Wildtype, a company dedicated to creating a clean, accessible seafood future. Wildtype has developed brewery-like systems to grow cuts of seafood directly from cells, without the need for fishing or farming. Aryé earned an MD and PhD at Dartmouth and Kyoto University, and completed his clinical training in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at Yale.

Prior to co-founding Wildtype, Aryé completed a fellowship in cardiovascular regenerative medicine at The Gladstone Institutes / UCSF.

A classically-trained cardiologist and musician, Aryé continues to practice critical care medicine and piano when he’s away from Wildtype.

To learn more, go to:

https://new-harvest.org/what-is-cellular-agriculture/

https://gfi.org

https://wildtypefoods.com

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Audio edited and enhanced with: ⁠⁠Descript Studio Sound ⁠⁠ 

#PositiveChange

#Inspiration

#Rotary