Kiss That World Podcast | Sustainability + Conservation + Environmentalism

Osiris Doumbé has always been a nature fan. Though his favorite animal has changed from a lion when he was young now chimps and giraffes; one thing was always clear- he was going to work with African wildlife. Specifically, wildlife in Cameroon, where his father was from. He grew up in France with a French mother and a Cameroonian father who wanted to impart knowledge, pride, and reverence for Africa in his kids. And though Osiris spent time identifying birds at his grandparent’s farm in France, his heart was already in Africa. With 2 organizations, 2 master’s degrees, a book and now a research and lecture position at the Bristol Zoo studying and protecting Nigeria-Cameroon chimps and Kordofan giraffes.

Dan Ross grew up in a small fishing town on the East Coast of Australia. He described it to me as the best place to grow up, a surfers dream there are tons of different types of waves close by. Dan also grew up around pro surfers. His stepdad and brother both made a living surfing so there was never a doubt in his mind that he could do the same. And he did. Surfing has become a profession for Dan and has taken him all around the world. In between the waves he's also become an environmental activist. Since 2011 he has been officially a Surf Ambassador for Patagonia and takes the companies do no harm philosophies into his own life.

How much do you think about what you throw out? Chances are if you are an avid listener, it's more than the average bear. This weeks guest Evan Steinbrink wants to start his own waste management company in Ohio. Evan was inspired by some classes in high school and college to really start thinking about his personal environmental impact.    Sponsers: Pelacase.com Use code KISSTHATWORLD for 15% off at checkout

Here at Kiss That World, I am always trying to learn more from environmental experts in order to truly live sustainably. Let me take a step back and say that my definition of sustainability is the act of designing systems and products in a way that reduces/eliminates waste,  the solutions should be scalable, in harmony with nature and people (ethical) and won't knowingly cause problems for future generations. A lot of the time words get tossed around so much they can lose their meaning so just to clarify, that's what it means to me. So on my journey to eliminate my own waste, learn from experts and to truly align my lifestyle with my values (making sure words, thoughts and actions line up) there have been some bumps on the road. And there continue to be bumps on the road. I am a human, I procrastinate, I make mistakes and sometimes I just plain go against all the things I said I was going to do. So in the light of the approaching (read:impending) New Years, and the ubiquitous onslaught of goal setting and self-improvement posts that are no doubt coming, here is a list of all the things I personally struggle to do sustainably, and some I have flat out given up on. This episode is sponsored by https://pelacase.com/ Use the code KISSTHATWORLD at checkout for 15% off

Meghann reflects on how she got to a year in podcasting, and answers some guest questions at the end. Some other topics I get into on this episode are the events of my life in the last 10 years including; immigration, competetive swimming, marriage, divorce, reuniting with my biological parents, working at a tropical fish store, as an organic farmer, my time at the zoo and a little about my childhood. Tessa Bain Wants to know: Do I have a twin? How do you get your skin so glowy? Have I ever eaten bark to be closer to nature? I have seen (felt) you pee in the ocean, can you talk about the environmental impacts of peeing in the ocean? Mel Eiser wants to know: What are the 5 things I've learned    K8o Jones of Food Hero's Podcast Wants to know: How do you find your guests?  What are my best tips for climate change warriors based on one year of podcasting? Eve at Rewanted Bags: If you had a slogan or mantra what would it be?  This episode is brought to you by https://pelacase.com/

Carter Brooks is a climate artist, philosopher, and philosopher of climate art. And how does one become a philosopher of climate art? For Carter the journey started with math, he was a whiz in high school and even wrote his own program for solitaire. He went to Yale for his undergrad and worked for several years before being struck by the immediacy and enormity of the climate crisis and went back to school for his masters. He knew this problem could not be solved in his lifetime, and after grieving reevaluated everything that he thought was important.

Benjamin Jo Vandenwymelenberg was born and raised in Wright, WI. He created a thin wood phone case and his friends thought it was cool. Ben incorporated WOODCHUCK USA and found the vision “putting nature back to people’s lives, and jobs back to America”. He plants a tree for every product sold and has his sights on 10 Million trees, an impact on every continent and eventually, a tree on Mars with Elon Musk

LaDonna is a passionate, outspoken and energetic advocate for environmental racism, health and injustice. She knows the fight is as important as it is difficult. But for LaDonna, this work chose her in the most personal way possible. She had lived in a beautiful neighborhood for over 10 years with her two children. The neighborhood was called Midway Village and it was made up of low income townhomes. Her parents have Black and Native American roots and had always told her that getting her hands in the soil was important- the soil would save her. They were the ones who first dug into the earth and planted a small garden. They found some interesting creatures there; giant worms full of black liquid and two headed frogs but didn’t dwell on it.

Dr. Phil Watts is an aeronautical engineer, environmental engineer, inventor, entrepreneur and most importantly a father. Phil grew up in Canada and spent his time building things, exploring the outdoors and (I’m assuming as a fellow Canadian) eating poutine and Timbits. For his doctorate, he moved from the seasonality of Montreal to the steady climate of LA. For Phil, a life well spent is one that involves doing things that help the planet but also doing things that bring you joy.

Sunny Yang lives by the motto "when you're comfortable, it's time to change." She knows that growth doesn't happen by settling into a routine. This is partially from her childhood, her parents always pushed her to learn quickly. Like the time they moved from Taiwan to Toronto when she was 7 and enrolled her into school not knowing any English. This attitude has helped Sunny take a semester at sea, get a masters in Finance in Switzerland, learn to surf and most recently start a sustainable surf program in the Maldives. It's the first of it's kind, completely dedicated to having a positive impact and spreading the joys of surfing from island to island.

To say Kaméa Chayne is a go-getter is an understatement. She's an author, a Duke certified health coach and currently runs kameachayne.com,  consciousfashion.co, produces Green Dreamer Podcast, she's creating an eco-friendly planner and she has a roll in helping to run the Ethical Writers and Creatives. Oh, and she's currently taking time away from a permanent address to travel. She's always had a multifaceted view of life. Perhaps this healthy curiosity was developed through travel- to date she's been to 45 countries.

Palm oil is a complicated issue. The supply chain itself is very complicated and crosses several borders. The products made from palm oil are touched by many hands before they reach the shelves. And it will reach the shelves, in the US palm oil is in about 50% of packaged goods. That's why the RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) is so damn impressive. They are tackling the certification process with board members from every step of the supply chain and beyond. And they are doing it with urgency because it is urgent.

Sara Rickards has a Permaculture Design Certification, Bachelors in Biomedical Science, a Masters in Environmental Engineering and she's also a street wizard. Sara has an uncanny ability to see patterns that other people can't. She attributes this superpower to her dyslexia that, despite her multiple degrees, made school work more difficult for her.   But in real life, she uses the non-linear thought patterns to disrupt systems including the education sector, construction and soon the economy. Sara is a real human full of sparkle. She has the same enthusiasm as JVN (from Queer Eye, DUH) and the same life purpose as Oprah- to unlock human potential. In short, Sara teaches what she lives- the simple art of giving a fuck.  

Rob Greenfield thinks differently than the average bear. He dreams up big, challenging and exciting projects that push him forward as an individual and often push sustainability issues into the spotlight. He doesn’t force the conversation but naturally lets curiosity bring people to him. And seeing a man walk around NYC in a 75-pound trash suit does make people curious. But he wasn’t always this way. He wasn’t born altruistic or free from the concern of what others think. Instead, he's dedicated years to fighting food insecurity and social norms. And because of that, is a greater inspiration to every one of us. www.robgreenfield.tv  

There are some people in this world that cannot be extinguished. They have a spark that’s lit from within.  Katie Lee was one of those people and her spark was ignited by a rafting trip on the Colorado River through a place that is now drowned under the man-made reservoir Lake Powell. Katie lived many lives in her 98 years, she was a Hollywood starlet, singer, mother, activist and river woman. She loved the desert fiercely and started each day with her favorite old English word- Fuck. This is the story of Kick-Ass Katie Lee- the Great Dame of Dam Busting, and as Burl Ives said- “The greatest Cowboy singer there ever was.” And the story of America’s obsession with dams and why they are ruining the veins of the earth- it’s free-flowing rivers. The story of a Smart-Mouthed Starlet Turned Activist Katie Lee and That Damned Dam.

Florijn De Graaf wants to revolutionize neighborhoods. Imagine living in an affordable, modern home with no bills to pay. Now imagine if you need more energy, or your solar panels produce too much you can simply share it with your neighbor. Imagine walking through your beautiful neighborhood green with edible plants and fruit trees grown with recycled water from your shower. And after you eat your very locally grown food you take your bike on the 5-minute ride to the train station to commute to work.   Sponsor: Plaine Products Show Notes

If you've been keeping up with KTW, you already know that Americans waste 1/4 of the groceries they buy. This trend doesn't just start and stop with adults- kids are wasteful too. I myself have fallen guilty to throwing away perfectly edible, nutritious parts of my packed lunch. I knew I would have to answer some questions about why I didn't finish my apple or sandwich and it seemed easier to toss it, unfinished. Of course, now I know that even though apples grow on trees, they cost money and resources to grow, ship and eat. That came with education. So what if we could start by creating a culture of sustainability in our public schools? Where kids are educated about environmental issues and take pride in participating. That's exactly what this weeks expert, Mrs. Janis Duncan did. Mrs. Duncan, as her students know her, is a 4th-grade teacher at Meiners Oaks Elementary. Janis partnered up with Lori Hamor of Food For Thought, a local nonprofit aiming to improve nutrition and food awareness in the Ojai Valley. For the last decade, the two have been revolutionizing the way school kids think about their food and the environment. They are using both the Green Ribbon School standards and the Environmental Education Initiative Curriculum.

Plastic has been getting a lot of attention in the sustainable community. Because, unlike climate change, accumulating plastics is something we can touch, feel and see. There are no nuances to argue, with videos of scuba divers surrounded by floating bags... It's clear that plastic is harming our environment. Unlike other materials, plastic never biodegrades. But how did we get here, in this plastic filled world? When did we know we'd made a mistake? From it's surprising past saving elephants to its uncertain future, here's a brief history of everyone's fav hardened dead dinosaur. Sponsor: Plaine Products Show Notes

What a time to be alive. As an immigrant, and an empathetic human I have a lot of feelings about being an American citizen right now. It's challenging to balance the pride I feel as a new citizen with the disgrace around how we are treating others. Instead of wallowing in disappointment I am taking what I've learned from the interviews conducted here to celebrate with pride.

The AIDS Lifecycle is a 7-day, 545-mile bike ride from San Francisco to LA with 2400 (+) bikers plus volunteer roadies, medical staff, chiropractic and massage therapists.  Each participant needs biking gear for each day, shower gear, camp clothes, sunscreen and required safety/maintenance gear for their bike. Going into this ride I wanted to be as zero waste as possible. I broke up my efforts into main categories, there are ways I can improve next time. I  am proud of the efforts I made, and like any big event actually producing zero waste is damn near impossible, but there is room for improvement!  Show Notes Kiss That World Sponser Plaine Products  

After seeing his students take jobs supporting companies he didn't agree Dr. Omar Clay took the chance to pivot. Dr. Clay lives in Baja Mexico and is the founder of Science for the People. An organization that aims to help teach people without potable water sources how to set up, maintain and use simple water purification techniques. He was disturbed that 1 in 6 children were dying globally because of the lack of potable water. A problem that we have the resources and technology to fix, but most of the energy in this sector is invested in new technologies. For people with little or no access to education, the internet, and other resources the simple solutions developed centuries ago are not easily available.

Dr. Jennifer Adler grew up loving the ocean. She lived in Massachusetts and took up competitive sailing when she was little. Her parents also got her a pink snorkeling mask, which was a staple of her summer's exploring the creatures in Sand Dollar Cove. Today she's armed with a Ph.D. and a camera as she sets out to connect citizens and science. She uses her photography to help communicate water issues and connect people to the world around them. Jennifer Adler Photography

It's easy to feel overwhelmed, upset and incredulous at the rhetoric around climate change. 3 friends took these feelings and turned them into a project to help better the planet. They are planting trees as a global statement. Their project is Trump Forest and it's powered by ignorance. Trump Forest

In her role at the Center for Biological Diversity, Lori Ann directs a team of intrepid scientists and lawyers who focus on toxic issues like EPA’s deeply flawed pesticide regulatory system. They spend their days fighting for clean air and water and against destructive projects like factory farms and new highways, on behalf of all creatures, including humans. They closely monitor the actions of the Trump administration, and file lawsuits when the government violates the law. No Administration is perfect, but this one has kept Lori Ann and her team incredibly busy. The Center for Biological Diversity has filed 70 lawsuits against the Trump administration, averaging over one lawsuit per week since Trump took office. https://twitter.com/loriannburd?lang=en http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/  

Adnan's father Ibrahim lived in Saudi Arabia, where desertification is rampant.  A solution was needed to help plants grow with less water, less often. To that end, he developed a polymer (a chemical compound made of repeating components) that holds 115 x it's own weight in water. There are other polymers that can hold a lot of water but most of them are sodium based and can be harmful to the soil if it’s already salinated. Their polymer, called SolidWater, is biodegradable. It breaks down into things plants can use as food- Potassium, Nitrogen, CO2, and Water. Now Adnan and Sebastiaan are working tirelessly to make Ibrahim's dream a reality.

Rachel Carson was a writer, environmentalist, marine scientist and a cat person. She was in part responsible for the formation of the EPA- America's Environmental Protection Agency, Earth Day, The Environmental Species Act and the Clean Water Act. As if that wasn't enough she's also credited with a catalyzing the modern environmental movement. And unfortunately, also the counter-movement. She did all this through her book Silent Spring.

Alice Ojeda created Authentic House to help connect local citizens to local services they can trust for all their home improvement needs. Alice interviews experts on interior design, landscaping and architects for big jobs. Authentic House covers all your sustainable living upgrades. www.authentichouse.co.uk

Chloé is the mastermind behind Conscious by Chloé the slow living, zero waste and fashion blog based in Portland. She's actually the first person I met in real life from the Ethical Writers and Creatives . I was in the area and we met at a coffee shop near her house to have a chat and a drink- for here in a mug. That was over a year ago now and we finally were able to reconnect and talk about the environment on the record.   Chloé was born and raised in France and took off to Switzerland as soon as she was old enough. From there she moved across the pond to Costa Mesa, CA before consciously choosing to settle with her hubby in Portland.

Gibbons are arboreal apes from Southeast Asia. That means they live on the trees and spend a majority of their time brachiating (swinging by their arms) through the forest. They have one mate at a time, and most species sing coordinated duets with their partners. They are intelligent, curious, and endangered due to habitat loss and the wildlife trade. Gabriella Skollar (Gabi) is from Hungary, and she is the director of the Gibbon Conservation Center (GCC) in Santa Clarita. She is in charge of keeping the center's 39 individuals happy, healthy and sometimes breeding. In addition to her duties as the director, Gabi is fighting the wildlife trade daily through outreach, education and reporting illegal activity brought to her attention sometimes through social media. gibboncenter.org

We all have to eat. But we don't have to continue the pattern of wasting 1/4 of what we buy. Alison Mountford wants us to stop wasting food + stick it to the man. Her website Ends and Stems provides comprehensive meal planning, grocery lists, and kitchen tips to help every family save money and eat their food.

They say opposites attract but the founding fathers of Bureo have a lot in common... Likes: surfing, skateboarding, engineering degrees, travel, Australia, their home on the East Coast of the States.... Dislikes: ocean plastics, wilting away in a stuffy corporate job. After graduating as engineers all three of the Bureo founders Ben Kneppers, Kevin Ahearn and David Stover found themselves hunting for waves in Australia. They hit it off because of the aforementioned similarities and decided to start a company. A company that first tackled the problem of ocean plastic, then created a product that they would actually use.

Calling all adventurers, explorers, + ocean lovers: this one is for you. Andrea Marshall has lived a lifetime of adventure- submerged. She has been a part of exploratory missions, pioneering research and is the champion of manta conservation.

This week we are talking with Kiss That World fangirl and Zero Waste Beginner Brittany Morgan. Brit talks about her wins and lessons learned on her quest to become more environmentally friendly. She hones in on which episodes inspired her the most and why you should take out your compost regularly...

Today's expert is Clementina Oliveras, founder of Wander.io. A hotel booking company that partners with Vitamin Angels to provide 5 children under 5 a years supply of vitamins. 

Today's expert is Francesca Willow of the Sustainable Living and Social Justice blog Ethical Unicorn. We get into why Social Justice is an Environmental issue, what cultural appropriation is and how to avoid it. 

Mo Wise is a true California girl. She was even on an episode of Laguna Beach (she worked in a surf shop that the reality stars frequented). Mo is laid back and often has salty hair from a day spent in the ocean and dirt under her nails from working in her favorite place- the great outdoors. But don't be fooled by her laid-back attitude and friendly personality, Mo is a serious scientist. She got her undergrad from UC Santa Barbara in Aquatic Science, and after testing the job market for two years she knew her passions lay in fieldwork. (Although gardening in Kauai, HI was a pretty close second). So Mo made the decision to go back to school and last year graduated with her Masters in Marine Science.

Lindsey McCoy started Plaine Products with her sister Alison Webster. After living and working in the Bahamas for 10 years, Lindsey just couldn't ignore the impact single-use plastics have on our environment. After reducing single-use plastics in her own life she found herself stuck in the bathroom. So Plaine Products- a refillable bath and body product subscription service was born.   Links Plaine Products Plaine Insta Plaine Facebook Plaine YouTube  Plaine Twitter Plaine Pinterest Package Free Shop Lauren Singer of Trash is for Tossers Kathryn Kellog of Going Zero Waste Natalie of Sustainably Chic

  Carrie Woods loves plants (what's in a name, right?!). Her love affair with the outdoors started at a time before cell phones and internet. A time when parents could cut their kids loose on the neighborhood and expect them back at dinner and that was ok, normal and encouraged. It hadn't occurred to Carrie, who now has a career in academia, to go to College until she saw the film Medicine Man*. But from then on her dreams were in the rainforest canopy. *In the episode we mistakenly refer to the Medicine Man as the Rain Man movie- OOPS! Links Professor Carrie Woods La Selva Biological Research Center Medicine Man University of Guelph Clemson Crimson Norway Maple NSF Grants Allelopathic Biochemicals Epiphytes Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech Last Child in the Woods Nature Deficit Disorder Eco-Log Boreal Forrest Church Forrest Ethiopia Spirit Animal Spirit Plant

  Celia Ristow wants you to know you belong in the zero waste community- even if you can't give up everything packaged. Continuing the conversation we started last week, Celia another Zero Waste veteran takes a more behind the scenes inclusive approach on her blog Litterless. She focuses less on counting trash and more on empowering baby steps. Celia also talks a lot about travel and dining out- two very enjoyable but tricky things to do zero waste. Links Litterless Litterless Insta Litterless Twitter Litterless Facebook Litterless Pinterest Zero Waste Chicago Article about no Jar and soba noodles Article about Second Hand Shopping Compost Options City Guides Bea Johnson Appalachian Trail Chasing Coral Kishu Filter  

Kathryn Kellogg grew up in a conservative Baptist military family bouncing around the south between Arkansas and Texas. She is a musical theater buff and now the Martha Stewart of Zero Waste. After a health scare in college she started paying more attention to the products and chemicals she was using on her body and in her home. In 2015 she committed to living a zero-waste lifestyle and is now one of the leaders with tips on everything from food, beauty diy, personal lubricant and cleaning products.

Amer is, among many things, a relentless optimist. He believes we are at the beginning of a big shift to a cleaner, more sustainable, world where companies take responsibility and consumers demand change. Where projects, buildings, and cities are designed to be better for people and the environment. It's a world I would like to live in so I sure hope he's right.

The Refill Shoppe was founded in 2010 by Michelle Stevens. They offer bulk bath, beauty and cleaning products to do away with the single-use bottles that seem inherent to the industry. And if that wasn't enough, each product is scent customizable. With thousands of scent combinations available and as much or as little as you want it's not only good for the environment but an incredibly fun place to shop.  

In this episode, we explore the wild and wonderful world of animal poop.... I mean zookeeping! Rachel Winkler is a mammal keeper at the Santa Barbara zoo and is on the Giraffe/Gorilla/Meerkat line which means she helps take care of a herd of 4.5 giraffes, a troupe of 2 western lowland gorillas, and a mob of meerkats 8 deep. Rachel talks about how she became a zookeeper even though her early career dreams were more in line with NASA, and the best way to become a zoo employee.  

Master Talia spent the last 8 years of her life studying the black-backed land crab. Her research focused on the processes behind molting- when the crustaceans shed their exoskeleton and replace it with a new one. Her crab-loving journey began with a happy accident in her undergrad. We talk about what it means to love an animal that isn't traditionally hailed as cute or cuddly. Plus her adventures on over 350 diving expeditions, what it means to be a scientific creative and the wonders of fermentation.

Alex Nash is one-half of the wife-husband dream team behind Yuhme, the first negative carbon footprint water bottle with a purpose. (Coincidentally her hubbs is also named Alex Nash!) We talk about how environmentalism runs in the family. How athletics plays into their business model (Alexandra was a Division 1 Swimmer and Alexander played high-level rugby). How having children helps keep her on schedule and of course, all about plastic. Find more at yuhme.se & Their partners waterforgood.com

Meghann interviews real-life environmental hero's on a quest to figure out what it looks like to save the world. Or at least live a more sustainable life day to day. Kiss That World started out as a blog following Meghann's efforts to reduce her footprint. As quickly as she started reducing, she realized just how many factors are involved in being sustainable. Instead of getting tangled in the eco-friendly web she is setting out to learn from the masters. Each episode contains actionable tidbits that we can all implement right now to help the planet, polar bears and ourselves thrive for years to come.