Michael chats with Concordia University’s Bengi Akbulut about the future of work in a world rethinking growth. They start by discussing Bengi’s Turkish heritage and critics of economic growth in the context of Turkey. Bengi talks about feminist engagement with degrowth including unpaid care labour and the gender distribution of work. They cover Universal Basic Income and Universal Basic Servies' role in redefining work. Lastly, Bengi touches on work-time reduction, work as identity and what you ...
May 12, 2023•34 min•Season 8Ep. 2
Michael chats with the University of Vigo’s Mario Pansera about innovation's role in rethinking growth. They discuss his Post-Growth Innovation Lab's work, including their Prospera project. Mario talks about the myth of neutral technology and our social organization around technology. He also touches on ownership, class structure, the commons, and justice dimensions. Lastly, he offers advice on what you can do to have an impact. Post-Growth Innovation Lab El Tallar del Postcrecimiento (podast) T...
May 05, 2023•41 min•Season 8Ep. 1
Growth - especially the green kind - is always good, right? But to actually solve the climate crisis perhaps we need to rethink our reverence for the gospel of growth. Starting Friday, May 5, over six weeks Michael explores degrowth and post-growth with experts from around the world. What do our work, education, money and life look like when we prioritize people and the planet over endless growth?
Apr 28, 2023•2 min
In this new segment, Michael explores the little everyday choices we make to lower our environmental impact. He talks to the University of Michigan's Shelie Miller about reusable kitchenware including straws, cutlery, coffee cups and sandwich bags to see if they're always more environmentally friendly than the single-use versions.
Mar 16, 2023•21 min
In this special edition of Planet-saving superstar, Michael takes a road trip to New Myrnam School east of Edmonton Alberta to see the sustainable building projects they have been working on over the last 6 years. From solar-powered golf carts to an off-grid Tiny House bus conversion, New Myrnam School is preparing their youth to be leaders in our low-carbon future. Michael chatted with staff, students, and parents to learn how these projects have benefited the school and the community. New Myrn...
Feb 10, 2023•29 min
Michael briefly sat down with Kathleen Sheppard from Environment Lethbridge to reminisce about the inaugural episode, and chat about what Environment Lethbridge is up to now. Kathleen also offers advice on how to start talking about climate change with friends or family. In Over My Head Website Climate Cafe
Jan 18, 2023•9 min
Michael speaks with the University of Oxford’s Sacha Altay all about misinformation and mistrust. Sacha covers why miscommunication happens, the challenge of conveying scientific information, and the importance of trust. He touches on the role of media, the challenge of changing our own opinions, and irrationality. They discuss online versus offline communication, beliefs, and what you can do to have an impact. In Over My Head Website Sacha Altay's Website...
Dec 16, 2022•37 min•Season 7Ep. 6
Michael speaks with the University of Groningen’s Linda Steg all about emotions. They discuss the connection between emotion and pro-environmental behaviour. She covers the role of identity and groups in predicting emotional reactions. Linda highlights how our biases factor in, and the influence of media. She stresses the importance of values and exposes some of our misperceptions about environmental psychology. Lastly, Linda offers advice on what you can do to have an impact. In Over My Head We...
Dec 16, 2022•33 min•Season 7Ep. 5
Michael speaks with the University of Victoria’s Robert Gifford to discuss the Dragons of Inaction. Robert explains what these psychological dragons are and how his work started. They make their way through the lair, exploring the seven genera of dragons including limited cognition, social comparison, sunk cost, and ideology. Robert offers solutions to slay your dragons and what you can do to have an impact. In Over My Head Website Robert Gifford's Website...
Dec 16, 2022•23 min•Season 7Ep. 4
Michael speaks with the College of Wooster’s Susan Clayton all about our mental health and climate change. They discuss climate anxiety, including who is most affected, its connection to inaction, and the role of media. Susan touches on climate change denial and the importance of identity and attachment to place. She highlights the connection to nature and well-being, as well as the value of social interactions, and human connection. Lastly, she offers advice on what you can do to have an impact...
Dec 16, 2022•28 min•Season 7Ep. 3
Michael speaks with Chris Bryant all about changing the culture when it comes to cultured meat. Chris covers what cultured meat is, and how people feel about it. They discuss the social barriers to accepting meat alternatives. Chris breaks down the psychological barriers as well, examining the diffusion of innovations, status quo, habit, cognitive dissonance, framing and more. They also tackle the role of media, identity, social norms and regulation. Lastly, Chris offers advice on what you can d...
Dec 16, 2022•30 min•Season 7Ep. 2
Michael talks with the University of Colorado Boulder’s Beth Osnes about how comedy motivates climate action. Beth describes her art and gets into the history of comedy in theatre through the ages. She takes us to her climate communication class, sharing her students' experiences doing stand-up and sketch comedy. Beth highlights effective types of comedy to convey climate information, including good-natured comedy. She talks about her musical Shine and the importance of telling authentic stories...
Dec 16, 2022•39 min•Season 7Ep. 1
Michael talks with experts from around the world about environmental psychology. From confirmation bias to cognitive dissonance, they'll be thinking deeply about all the ways our cognition hinders or helps climate change.
Dec 15, 2022•2 min
Michael chats with Alison Gu, who at the age of 24 became a Councillor for the city of Burnaby British Columbia. Alison talks about her journey into politics, and some of the important climate-related work she is doing. She also offers advice for anyone considering a political career.
Nov 12, 2022•19 min
Michael speaks with Steven Gonzalez about the human side of The Cloud. They cover the environmental impact of The Cloud and why it is so energy-hungry. Steven takes us on a journey to places like Printer's Row in Chicago, or Chandler, Arizona where the noise or water pollution from data centres is affecting these communities. He puts us in the shoes of the people running our data centres, and the demands it places on them. Steven eloquently describes the social and cultural aspects surrounding T...
Oct 14, 2022•33 min•Season 6Ep. 6
Michael speaks with Henrik Saetra about the role of Artificial Intelligence as it relates to the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. They discuss how AI can influence climate action, the double-edged nature of AI, Big Tech, and social inequality. Henrik touches on AI and the shifting of power, data colonialism, privacy as a public good, and AI ethics. They discuss the role of human imperfection in our digital life and abstaining from certain AI. Lastly, Henrik offers advice on what you can do...
Oct 14, 2022•37 min•Season 6Ep. 5
Michael speaks with Tilman Santarius about making our world greener through digitalization. They focus on his latest book Smart Green World? Making Digitalization Work for Sustainability. Tilman explains the problem of add-on consumption of digitalization, rebound effects, radical digitalization and digital sufficiency. Michael and Tilman discuss the importance of getting sustainable apps out of the niche and into the mainstream. They cover decentralization, digital governance, and raising aware...
Oct 14, 2022•34 min•Season 6Ep. 4
Michael speaks with Ugo Vallauri, co-founder of The Restart Project, a UK-based charity that inspires and supports people to repair their digital devices. Ugo talks about what it's like to attend one of their restart parties and the exciting growth of the organization over the last decade. They discuss the environmental impact of the smartphone, and the importance of extending the life of our devices. Lastly, Ugo highlights the Right to Repair campaign, what you can do to make your devices last ...
Oct 14, 2022•23 min•Season 6Ep. 3
Michael speaks with Dr. Kelly Widdicks all about video streaming and our demand for data. She explains the findings of her study looking at household data demand in the UK and discusses media-multitasking, digital sufficiency, and streaming music through YouTube. She stresses the importance of putting pressure on data providers and explains the larger impact of ICT. They discuss efficiency and consumption, rebound effects, and what you can to do have an impact. In Over My Head Website Streaming,...
Oct 14, 2022•20 min•Season 6Ep. 2
Michael speaks with Dr. Anne Goodchild all about making urban freight more sustainable. Dr. Goodchild describes the journey your package takes from ordering to arriving, and what items are typically moving around a city. She stresses the importance of consolidated delivery, and what might erode this. Dr. Goodchild discusses some of her sustainable pilot projects focusing on the final 50 feet, including a locker program, and e-cargo bikes. She also shares some of her findings on drone delivery re...
Oct 14, 2022•32 min•Season 6Ep. 1
Michael connects virtually with experts from around the world to talk about our digital life. He's going to try and figure out how all our clicks, comments, and constant connectivity affect the climate crisis, and what we can do about it.
Oct 12, 2022•2 min
One topic Michael couldn't fit into his conversations around money was the carbon footprint of money itself. So in this bonus episode, he sits down with Ravi Shankar Chaturvedi, Co-founder and Director of Research at Digital Planet to chat about the carbon footprint of cash. They discuss the life-cycle of cash, and how it compares to other transactions such as cryptocurrency. They touch on the need to study the environmental impact of other types of digital payment and what you can do to make a ...
Sep 20, 2022•14 min
Michael chats with Megan Takeda-Tully, Founder and CEO of Suppli, a Toronto-based reusable takeout container company. Megan talks about the logistics around implementing this zero-waste solution, the journey to making her idea a reality, and the committed community Suppli has built around sustainable takeout. In Over My Head Website Suppli Website
Aug 23, 2022•12 min
Michael talks with ShareAction's Senior Campaigns Manager, Michael Kind, all about the power of investments to save the planet. Michael breaks down how financial institutions work, and where your money goes. He explains investments, and divestments, and makes a case for having shares in fossil fuel companies. He covers the importance of pensions, the limits of growth in the investing world, and why co-filing a resolution is the most exciting way to get involved in environmental change. Lastly, M...
Jul 03, 2022•29 min•Season 5Ep. 6
Michael chats with Michael SW Lee, Director of The International Centre for Anti-Consumption Research all about anti-consumption. They cover what it means to be an anti-consumer, the anti-consumption cycle, voluntary simplification, and the relationship between environmentalism and wellbeing. Michael touches on the role of anti-consumption and marketing and the effectiveness of boycotting. Lastly, Dr. Lee gives some advice on how to consume less in your life. International Centre for Anti-Consum...
Jul 03, 2022•25 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Michael chats with David Font Vivanco all about the relationship between efficiency and consumption, known as rebound effects. They discuss how this applies to our lives when it comes to money and beyond. Michael and David talk about the connection between wealth and efficiency, and the importance of reducing our footprint. They cover the impact of our money - whether we save it, invest or just make less of it. Lastly, David offers advice on how to be mindful of rebound effects and to effectivel...
Jul 03, 2022•22 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Michael talks with Anja Kollmuss all about buying carbon offsets. Anja explains what they are, and how they work. She covers challenges with offset programs such as double counting. They discuss the effectiveness of offsets for renewable energy implementation, industrial projects, and tree planting programs. Lastly, Anja illustrates the importance of personal behaviour, political, and economic change, as well as money management when addressing the climate crisis. In Over My Head Website...
Jul 03, 2022•20 min•Season 5Ep. 3
Michael Talks with J.B. MacKinnon all about his new book, The Day The World Stops Shopping. They discuss what the world looks like when we slow our spending and drastically reduce our consumption - including how our products change and how we ourselves change. J.B. talks about conspicuous versus inconspicuous consumption, voluntary simplicity, and how the economy fairs in a lower-consuming world. They touch on why taking the long view matters in business, and J.B. gives advice on how you can sta...
Jul 03, 2022•25 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Michael chats with the Forethought Foundation's John G. Halstead, all about Effective Altruism and the impact of donating to environmental causes. John talks about one core tenant of Effective Altruism - pledging to give 10% of your income for life to charity. They discuss earning to give versus direct work. John touches on donating carefully, and the ethics of offsetting your emissions. He covers some rules of thumb when donating, tradeoffs, and doing good from an impartial point of view. Lastl...
Jul 03, 2022•22 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Michael talks with experts from around the world all about money, and how we can use it to address the climate crisis.
Jul 01, 2022•2 min
