Podcasts about society institute

In episode 40 of the Anthrozoology Podcast we continue our conversation with, Dr. Irina Frazin discusses the challenges faced by NGOs in Romania, including difficulties in building trust and networks, and the complexities of legal obligations for cat microchipping and the issue of ear tipping for sterilised cats. Irina shares her experience with a severely injured cat who transforms from a non-social cat to a loving companion. She also addresses the problem of community cat abandonment and the need for better support networks for companion animal guardians. The conversation touches on the historical association of cats with the feminine and the evolution of the "crazy cat lady" trope. Please subscribe to get notified about our next podcast! Follow us on Twitter: @TheAnthrozoopod Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anthrozoopod/ Follow us on TikTok @anthrozoology_ To access audio versions please our official Website: ⁠https://anthrozoopod.wixsite.com/anthrozoopod⁠ PodCrew Dr.Kris Hill ⁠https://academiccatlady.com/ ⁠ Dr. Michelle Szydlowski ms835@exeter.ac.uk www.internationalelephants.org@intl_elephants Sarah Oxley Heaney PhD Candidate, University of Exeter sh750@exeter.ac.uk ​ ⁠www.kissingsharks.com/⁠ Podlet Guest Dr Irina Frasin irina.anthrozoology@gmail.com ⁠https://anthrozoology.acadiasi.org/en/home/⁠ References Frasin, I “Of Cats and Women: A Cultural History of a Relationship” in Anthrozoology Studies: Animal Life and Human Culture, I. Frasin, G. Bodi, S. Bulei, C. Dinu Vasiliu, Eds. (Presa Universitară Clujeană, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 2022), pp. 158–182. ⁠http://www.editura.ubbcluj.ro/bd/ebooks/pdf/3343.pdf⁠ Frasin I. “Cat Sanctuary. Co-existence with community cats” in Anthrozoology studies. Non-Human Animals in Open Societies, I. Frasin, G. Bodi, S. Bulei, C. Dinu Vasiliu Eds. (Presa Universitară Clujeană, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 2023) pp. 112 -146. ⁠http://www.editura.ubbcluj.ro/bd/ebooks/pdf/3839.pdf⁠ Frasin I. “Portraits for community cats - the story of a more-than-human relationship” Multispecies Communities and Narratives, I. Frasin, G. Bodi, S. Bulei, C. Dinu Vasiliu Eds. (Presa Universitară Clujeană, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 2024) pp. 161-184. ⁠http://www.editura.ubbcluj.ro/bd/ebooks/pdf/4365.pdf⁠ Frasin I. “Co-existence with community cats” Colloquium Series by Animals and Society Institute ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb2hHVZg-_I&list=PL3vTRlNA7pSmLDrnXV83_C5YuhT5YPam4&index=2

In the second edition to the ME Outlook 2025, Rasha Fityan Saleem, Executive Director of the Politics and Society Institute in Jordan, discusses key developments shaping the Middle East this year, with a focus on Jordan's evolving role in the region. From the aftermath of the Assad regime's fall in Syria to ongoing regional conflicts, she underscores how Amman can position itself as a stabilising force in a rapidly changing landscape.

From Barbie to Dove and Dasani to Sephora, brands are constantly shifting to reflect their markets and make their customers feel seen. Emory University's Goizueta Business School Professor Omar Rodríguez-Vilá joins to discuss the power of brand inclusivity, how to serve the needs of historically underrecognized communities, and what sets inclusive brands apart. We'll also talk about integrating diversity and inclusion into marketing strategies, ensuring these efforts foster long-lasting connections rather than fleeting trends.  Omar serves as a professor in the practice of marketing at Goizueta. He has 13 awards for teaching excellence, including six as Core Professor of the Year, and most recently, the Provost Excellence in Teaching Award. He has also shared his wealth of experience and expertise in leading media outlets, including the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Ad Age.  The Basics: What Defines an Inclusive Brand? Omar begins by defining inclusive brands as those intentionally attuned to the needs of historically underrecognized communities. He explains how companies should first determine the role of inclusion by assessing the diversity of their customer base and identifying any whom they are not serving well.   He uses the story of Gillette vs. Bevel in the razor industry as a way to highlight how a singular focus on innovation—specifically, increasing the number of razor blades - led to suboptimal outcomes and the underserving of Gillette's consumers with wavy hair.  He also highlights best practices in building inclusive brands, using Dove and Barbie as leading examples.    The Beauty of Inclusivity Practices Omar encourages companies and managers to conduct an assessment to calculate their "inclusion maturity score" and discuss what changes are needed to be more inclusive in serving diverse customer segments. He discusses BRIDGE IMAX, the industry-first framework for operationalizing inclusion and driving growth. He explains how Sephora, whose score was “off the charts”, reflects their inclusive practices across stores, products, culture, and community engagement. His findings suggest that both diversity and inclusion increase engagement, with inclusion having a significantly stronger effect.  Understanding the Inclusion Opportunity Omar focuses on the importance of understanding the size of the "inclusion market" - the opportunity to serve diverse customer segments that may be underrepresented in a company's current customer base. Datasets are a critical piece of the puzzle in order to make a stronger business case for investing in inclusive practices.  Approaching Inclusion Effectively The framework for success in inclusivity is seen through understanding the market. Omar suggests understanding the composition of your customer base and identifying underserved groups. This will allow the brand to serve the market by creating innovative products and services to meet these needs. Lastly, Omar encourages listeners to show up authentically in the market.  Transformational Potential While embracing diversity and inclusion requires effort, the potential benefits are vast and impactful. Omar encourages brands to explore how these principles can reshape their market approach, potentially redefining their competitive position in the market.  Omar emphasizes that embedding diversity and inclusion into your market strategy isn't just a trend—it's a transformative effort akin to adopting new technologies. Companies that integrate these principles effectively are poised to gain a competitive edge by better resonating with and serving diverse markets.  Diversity and inclusion are not just moral imperatives but also clear business advantages. Customers view diversity as fundamental, influencing brand loyalty and differentiation in profound ways.  For those inspired to learn more, visit Goizueta's Business & Society Institute for additional resources and information on the intersection of business with inclusive economies, racial justice and climate.  For more insights to equip you with the tools and perspectives to excel in your career, subscribe to the Goizueta Effect podcast.  You can also read more about Omar Rodríguez-Vilá's work at Serving Markets: Inclusive Brands Stand to Benefit - EmoryBusiness.com How Inclusive Brands Fuel Growth (hbr.org)  

Climate change is real and it's worsening. Goizueta Business School's Wes Longhofer and Cameron Bard join to discuss the business imperative for carbon neutrality – and how human creativity, technological progress, and a strong commitment to a sustainable future can drive us toward net zero. There's no escaping it – climate change is real and it's worsening. 2023 was by far the warmest year on record, and 2024 is predicted to be even hotter, marking 10 years of consecutive increases. Last year, ocean warming broke records, Arctic sea ice dropped to a record low, and climate-related disasters caused damages exceeding $92 billion dollars.  Wes Longhofer and Cameron Bard of Emory University's Goizueta Business School join to discuss the role that business can and should play in helping our society transition to carbon-free sources of energy. We unpack the need for truly innovative large-scale ideas and investments, opportunities within developed and developing countries, global threats, and the challenge of pursuing clean energy initiatives while also respecting other environmental and social justice concerns.    Wes Longhofer is an associate professor of organization and management and the executive academic director of the Business & Society Institute at Goizueta. His research on climate change and energy systems has been featured in the Washington Post and Nature. He also serves on Emory's Climate Research Initiative Task Force, as well as Emory's Sustainability Visioning Committee.  Cameron Bard is a student in Goizueta's Full-time MBA program. He serves as the President of the Goizueta Energy and CleanTech Association and is a Social Enterprise Fellow focusing on climate and sustainability. Post-graduation, he will work for Boston Consulting Group. Outside of class, he volunteers for the Georgia CleanTech Innovation Hub.  Understanding Climate Change Climate change is defined as the long-term alteration of temperature and weather patterns on Earth. Highlighting the pivotal role of human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, in these environmental shifts, the conversation points to the direct consequences we're facing: increasingly frequent and severe climate shocks that disrupt the natural balance of our planet.  The Energy Trilemma This trilemma refers to the complex challenge of balancing three critical aspects of energy policy: environmental sustainability, energy equity (affordability), and energy security. It underscores the difficulty of ensuring that future energy sources are not only carbon-free and sustainable to combat climate change but also affordable for communities worldwide and secure from the threats posed by geopolitical tensions and bad actors. In addition, it highlights the interplay between these dimensions in transitioning to a sustainable energy future, emphasizing the need for innovative solutions that address all three aspects simultaneously. Historical Context and Infrastructure Let's look back at monumental projects like the massive hydroelectric dams constructed during the New Deal era, the creation of the interstate highway system in the 1950s, and the achievement of putting a man on the moon. These examples serve to illustrate the ambition and scale of past infrastructural endeavors, providing a benchmark for current efforts to transition to clean energy. However, there were several challenges these projects faced, such as the protests against the interstate highway system due to its impact on neighborhoods and local ecosystems, and the failure of certain dams and nuclear plants because of resistance from affected communities. The discussion suggests a path forward that respects local interests, protects the environment, and shares benefits equitably, aiming for a more thoughtful and comprehensive approach to developing modern sustainable infrastructure. Innovation and FOAK Projects The focus shifts to the importance of innovative ideas and first-of-a-kind (FOAK) projects in spearheading the energy transition. The deployment of advanced nuclear reactors and large-scale battery storage systems showcase how these FOAK projects are pivotal in overcoming the inherent challenges of reliability and storage faced by renewable energy sources, thereby accelerating the path towards a sustainable energy landscape.  The Pursuit of Clean Energy, While Respecting Other Environmental and Social Justice Concerns Specific instances, such as the opposition to the Lithium Americas mine at Thacker Pass in Nevada, illustrate how NIMBYism ("Not In My Backyard") and BANANA ("Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything") mentalities create significant roadblocks to essential renewable energy projects. Additional protests against the construction of wind farms and solar panels are discussed, where local communities' concerns over environmental and aesthetic impacts lead to delays or cancellations. These examples underscore the complex task of balancing the need for clean energy development with respecting local community values and environmental conservation. The conversation highlights the importance of engaging stakeholders early with transparent, inclusive decision-making processes to ensure energy equity and foster broader acceptance of renewable energy initiatives. Role of Businesses Towards Net Zero by 2050 The role of businesses in reaching net zero emissions by 2050 is crucial. By embracing sustainable practices, innovative finance, and investments in clean energy, companies contribute significantly to climate change mitigation and set standards for ethical business conduct. Despite the challenges lying ahead on the path to net zero, a quiet optimism persists, supported by our belief in human creativity, technological progress, and a strong commitment to a sustainable future. It's a significant challenge, yet achievable with the business sector leading the way towards the goal of a net-zero world by 2050, demonstrating the essential balance between economic development and environmental care.  For those inspired to learn more, visit Goizueta's Business & Society Institute for additional resources and information on the intersection of business with climate change, racial justice and inclusive economies. For more insights to equip you with the tools and perspectives to excel in your career, subscribe to the Goizueta Effect podcast.  This episode of the Goizueta Effect was co-created in partnership with MBA students and ClimateCAP delegates Sam Haber, Marco Zgliczynski, and Shweta Agrawal. 

Welcome to a special mini-episode of the anthrozoology podcast. Today we are discussing interventions developed for the treatment of juvenile and adult animal abusers. Our guest is Dr. Ken Shapiro, the founder of the Animals and Society Institute, and a clinical psychologist focused on the assessment and treatment of juveniles and adults who abuse animals. Trigger warning, this episode discusses animal neglect and abuse, and may be troubling to some listeners. Please subscribe to get notified about our next podcast! Follow us on Twitter: @TheAnthrozoopod Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anthrozoopod/ Follow us on TikTok @anthrozoology_ To access audio versions please our official Website: https://anthrozoopod.wixsite.com/anthrozoopod Podlet Guest Kenneth Shapiro is a cofounder and President of the board of the Animals & Society Institute. He is a founding editor of Society & Animals: Journal of Human-Animal Studies, and a co-editor and a cofounder of Journal for Applied Animal Welfare Science and the editor of the Brill Human-Animal Studies book series. His most recent book is The Assessment and Treatment of Children who Abuse Animals: The AniCare® Approach. ​PodCrew Dr. Kris Hill PhD Candidate, University of Exeter kh458@exeter.ac.uk https://katzenlife.wordpress.com/ Dr. Michelle Szydlowski ms835@exeter.ac.uk www.internationalelephants.org @intl_elephants Sarah Oxley Heaney PhD Student, University of Exeter sh750@exeter.ac.uk ​hwww.kissingsharks.com/ References The AniCare Approach: https://ndaa.org/resource/the-anicare-approach-for-treating-animal-abusers/ Animals & Society Institute: https://www.animalsandsociety.org/ Ascione, F. R., and Shapiro, K. (2009) People and animals, kindness and cruelty: Research directions and policy implications. Journal of Social Issues 65(3): 569–587. B.A.R.K. https://socialwork.nyu.edu/a-silver-education/continuing-education/conferences-and-events/bark-diversion-program.html Desomond's Law: https://libguides.law.uconn.edu/c.php?g=923213&p=6653929 Shapiro, K. (2016). The Identification, Assessment, and Treatment of Adults Who Abuse Animals: The AniCare Approach. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-27362-4

Today we are starting a new recurrent theme on the podcast, focused on the history, definition, and future of the field of anthrozoology. These episodes will be interspersed among our other content throughout the upcoming year.  ​ We are honored to welcome our podcast guest, Dr. Ken Shapiro. Dr. Shapiro is a clinical psychologist, focused on the assessment and treatment of juveniles and adults who abuse animals. He is also the founder of the Animals and Society Institute, a founding editor of Society and Animals journal and the Brill Human-animal Studies book series, and the co-founding editor of the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science   Please subscribe to get notified about our next podcast!   Follow us on Twitter: @TheAnthrozoopod Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anthrozoopod/ Follow us on TikTok @anthrozoology_ To access audio versions please our official Website: https://anthrozoopod.wixsite.com/anthrozoopod ​   PodCrew   Dr. Kris Hill PhD Candidate, University of Exeter kh458@exeter.ac.uk https://katzenlife.wordpress.com/   Dr. Michelle Szydlowski ms835@exeter.ac.uk www.internationalelephants.org @intl_elephants   Sarah Oxley Heaney PhD Candidate, University of Exeter sh750@exeter.ac.uk ​hwww.kissingsharks.com/ ​ Podlet Guest:  ​ Dr Ken Shapiro, https://www.linkedin.com/in/animalsandsociety/   Through expert interviews, personal insights, and research findings, "The Anthrozoology Podcast" seeks to foster a deeper understanding of our relationships with animals and inspire meaningful conversations about our place in the natural world. Subscribe to "The Anthrozoology Podcast" on your preferred podcast platform and join us on this enlightening journey as we explore the intricacies of anthropomorphism and its impact on our perception of the morethanhuman-animal kingdom.   References:  ​ Alger, J. M., & Alger, S. F. (1997). Beyond Mead: Symbolic Interaction between Humans and Felines. Society & Animals, 5(1), 65-81. https://doi.org/10.1163/156853097X00222   Animals & Society Institute: https://www.animalsandsociety.org/    DeMello, M., & Shapiro, K. (2010). The State of Human-Animal Studies. Society & Animals, 18(3), 307-318. https://doi.org/10.1163/156853010X510807   Outdoor Cats. Special Issue in Society & AnimalsVolume 30 (2022): Issue 7 (Dec 2022). https://brill.com/view/journals/soan/30/7/soan.30.issue-7.xml   Shapiro, Ken. Defining HAS: Naming the Field by Ken Shapiro. Video: https://www.animalsandsociety.org/resources/resources-for-scholars/defining-human-animal-studies-an-asi-video-project/naming-field-ken-shapiro/    Shapiro, K. (2002). The State of Human-Animal Studies: Solid, at the Margin!. Society & Animals, 10(4), 331-337. https://doi.org/10.1163/156853002320936773   Shapiro, K. (2020). Human-Animal Studies: Remembering the Past, Celebrating the Present, Troubling the Future. Society & Animals, 28(7), 797-833. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685306-BJA10029   Singer, Peter (1975). Animal Liberation. https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/29380  Wilkie, R. (2015). Academic “Dirty Work”: Mapping Scholarly Labor in a Tainted Mixed-Species Field. Society & Animals, 23(3), 211-230. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685306-12341312 ​

Dive into the fascinating world of micro-businesses and explore their remarkable impact on local economies and communities. Discover how these micro-businesses drive innovation, create employment opportunities, racial equity, and contribute to the overall economic landscape. Our guests Brian Goebel, Managing Director of The Business & Society Institute at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and Mercedes Uzuegbunam, Heart Mercedes Founder share their insights into the stories and strategies behind microbusiness. Join us as we discuss the impact of these small but mighty enterprises, rethink intentionality in our shopping behaviors, and gain a deeper understanding of why small business is truly big. The Importance of MicrobusinessesBrian Goebel discusses how microbusinesses go beyond economic contributions to influence communities. They tailor products and services to the specific needs of their communities, creating a unique and personalized experience. They add cultural richness to communities. Despite their small size individually, their collective impact is significant. They play a crucial role in creating jobs, both directly and indirectly, and contribute to building wealth within communities. Professor Peter Roberts has additional research on microbusiness impact. Additionally, the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) Bigger Than You Think Report provides helpful insights.  Start:ME: Supporting MicrobusinessesBrian discusses Start:ME, a micro-business accelerator program, operating in underserved communities across metro Atlanta that has served nearly 400 micro-businesses over the last 10 years. The program focuses on supporting businesses to start, grow, and thrive. Follow @StartMeATL on Instagram. Brian and Mercedes also share more about the work of other entrepreneur support organizations in Atlanta including Goodie Nation, Village Micro Fund, The Village Market, Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, and Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative (WEI).Journey to Heart MercedesMercedes Uzuegbunam, Start:ME alum and coordinator discusses her journey to launch Heart Mercedes, a statement jewelry line for the whole family. She discusses how it evolved organically, driven by her passion for art and a desire to give back to the community. She shares how Start:ME played a crucial role in her transition from artist to a business owner and her decision to support other entrepreneurs.  Mercedes emphasizes the importance of authenticity in her brand and how her values show up in her business. She engages the community in “random acts of kindness” such as organizing pop-up art classes in schools, contributing to creative expression in children and enhancing community well-being. Follow @HeartMercedes on Instagram.Addressing Poverty and Racial Equity Brian sheds light on how micro-businesses play a role in providing pathways for families to exit poverty, however he cautions that poverty is a systemic issue that entrepreneurship alone cannot solve. Micro-businesses contribute significantly to household income and offer flexibility to entrepreneurs, enabling them to leverage their passions and skills. In reference to economic equity, Brian highlights the racial wealth gap and emphasizes the need for intentional support, ensuring entrepreneurs from underserved communities have access to knowledge, networks, and capital. He also advocates for policy considerations as crucial aspects in creating an equitable environment. Brian highlights several thought leaders and organizations doing great work in the Atlanta area on this topic and references the Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative (AWBI) along with the Partnership for Southern Equity (PSE) as a great starting point to understand the dynamics of Atlanta.Reference: The Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative (AWBI)  Building a Beloved Economy Spending with IntentionMercedes and Brian highlight the significance of researching where to spend your money, aligning your choices with personal values, and the impact that can create. The idea of "Shop Small, Shop Local" is more than a slogan; it's about investing in the community, creating personal connections, and leaving a positive impact. Mercedes emphasizes the value of leaving a positive legacy through intentional and supportive actions. Brian also underlines the role that companies can play in driving impact through intentional procurement initiatives. Taking ActionBrian concludes by inviting listeners to get involved by making mindful choices regarding where they shop and how they invest their time. He invites listeners to support micro-businesses through purchases from the Start:ME shopping guide and volunteering as a Start:ME business mentor. He highlights several organizations working towards economic equity and encourages individuals to get informed about challenges and take collective action for a better, more prosperous community.  Thank you to our guests, Brian Goebel and Mercedes Uzuegbunam, for sharing their insights and experiences. Join us in supporting micro-businesses and making intentional choices that positively impact our communities.

Quick trigger warning: This episode does talk a bit about a dog attack. It doesn't get graphic and the dog who got attacked survives. But a dog attack is discussed, so be ready for it. Everyone loves dog parks, right? Well, not quite. There's one very important group that doesn't often love dog parks: DOGS. And it makes sense, right? Dog parks are often kind of the wild west, which can create situations that make dogs scared or nervous. And even if the dogs aren't scared or nervous, energy runs high at dog parks. When you have that combination – nervous dogs and lots of energy – it's a recipe for not-so-great things. On the pod with Bill is Julie Iovine. She's a lapsed journalist who's now studying to be a dog trainer and is on the board of the Animals & Society Institute. She recently wrote a piece for the New York Times about why she's not a fan of dog parks and how her thinking about dog parks evolved over time. She and Bill had a great conversation about dog parks and dog play. Dog parks are one of Bill's favorite topics, so this is the first in a two-part series on dog parks. So make sure you check out the next episode in a couple weeks, too! DON'T FORGET: Bill wants to answer YOUR training and behavior questions on the pod. And they want to play your lovely voices asking those questions. You've got two options: Use your audio recording app of choice to record yourself asking a training or behavior question and email it to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@bigwagschicago.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Bill will then play it on the pod and answer it. You can actually jump on a recording session with Bill and you'll go over your question together. That'll let Bill ask you follow-up questions and really dig deep into the issue. If that's the route you want to go, shoot Bill a quick email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@bigwagschicago.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Big Wags Chicago is online at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bigwagschicago.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You can also find Big Wags on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠BlueSky⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ under the handle @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@bigwagschicago.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Will Spain shift to the right? Its Socialist Prime Minister faces serious challenges in early elections as his party has lost in regional polls. Will Pedro Sanchez be able to maintain power? And how's this being watched in the rest of Europe? Join host Sohail Rahman Guests: Jose Maria Beneyto - President at the Governance and Society Institute. Emily Schultheis - Former Fellow at the Institute of Current World Affairs Pablo Calderon Martinez -  Associate Professor in Politics and International Relations at Northeastern University.

Last year alone, 10 climate-related disasters displaced millions of people with damages exceeding $3B. The time to act is now. Goizueta's Wes Longhofer and Danni Dong join to discuss the role of business and innovation in a climate-smart world.  The past eight years have been the warmest on record, with sea levels are rising twice as fast as they were three decades ago. Often, when we think of innovation we think too narrowly - new technologies, products, or services. However, in tackling a problem as pervasive and complex as climate change, our approach in the business world needs to be broader, more holistic. We'll talk today about the three pillars of business innovation in a climate-smart world: technology, business models, and education.  Wesley Longhofer is an associate professor of organization and management and the Executive Academic Director of Goizueta's Business & Society Institute. His work on climate change has been funded by the National Science Foundation and featured in the Washington Post and Nature. His most recent co-authored book, Super Polluters: Targeting the World's Largest Sites of Climate Disrupting Emissions, was published by Columbia University Press in 2020. Wes is also a member of the recently launched Emory Climate Research Initiative. Danni Dong is a dual degree graduate student at Emory pursuing her MBA and MSPH at Goizueta Business School and Rollins School of Public Health. Danni is a passionate activist working to tackle climate challenge through public private partnerships. She has worked with several governmental agencies including the Atlanta Housing Authority, Environmental Protection Agency, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Danni recently attended the United Nations Climate Conference in Egypt as a student ambassador with Emory Climate Talks. This episode of the Goizueta Effect podcast was co-created in partnership with Goizueta MBA students and ClimateCAP delegates including Danni Dong, Nikhil Mathur, Jimmy John, and Peter Danis.  A delegation of 11 MBA students from Goizueta Business School recently attended the ClimateCAP Global Summit. Along with hundreds of leading students and professionals from across the nation, they explored the enormous influence and responsibility business leaders hold in driving toward a climate-smart world. Want more insights? Check out #GoizuetaClimateSmart.   What is the Circular Economy? The concept of a circular economy came about as an alternative to the traditional “take-make-waste” model. The circular economy involves designing products and systems that are efficient, durable, and easy to repair, refurbish, or recycle.   Companies like Patagonia and FairPhone have successfully implemented circular strategies, incorporating buyback programs, refurbished goods, and modular products that can be partially upgraded to lengthen their useful life. These strategies not only benefit the planet, but also create customer loyalty and competitive advantage.   First It Was Shareholder vs. Stakeholder Capitalism. Now There Are “Multi-Stakeholders”? A newer way of thinking has come about recently, focusing on the importance of the multi-stakeholder approach in business. Central to this concept is considering the interests of all parties affected by a company's actions, including employees, customers, suppliers, communities, and the environment. Communities are demanding that companies create more value for society than they extract, and the environment is also considered a stakeholder due to the impact of climate change on businesses.   By considering multi-stakeholders, the true cost of climate change is clearer. From recent flooding in Pakistan to the longest recorded drought in Eastern Africa, it is apparent that the environment is a key stakeholder that needs to be considered. Natural disasters triggered by climate change have resulted in $3 trillion worth of economic losses between 2010 and 2020. Companies must take a multi-stakeholder approach to mitigate these risks and account for the impact of their operations.   How Can Innovation Combat Climate Change? Green hydrogen is a promising alternative fuel option for companies looking to reduce their carbon footprint. Companies like Siemens Energy and NextEra Energy are investing heavily in green hydrogen technologies to reach zero emissions without offsets. Widespread adoption of green hydrogen is seen as necessary to compete with natural gas.  Likewise, how we move goods around the planet is an area that can be reconsidered to benefit the planet. Following the pandemic and the realization of fragile supply chains, there is now a shift in the US to reign in supply chains and bring them nearshore or even back onshore. This prompted the passage of the CHIPS Act which focuses on semiconductor manufacturing, but also spurred other industries to consider bringing operations closer to home. Such a shift from offshoring to onshoring could significantly decrease emissions from maritime and aviation shipping, which together currently accounts for more than 20% of global emissions.  What Role Does the Government Play? The government is a key player in addressing the climate crisis. The government provides a regulatory mechanism to enforce climate disclosures and spur private investment through setting ambitious policy goals.   The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was cited as an example of such policy, providing $370 billion in investments to address the climate crisis through new projects and initiatives, including clean energy tax credits, block grants for environmental justice, and boosting domestic manufacturing of solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries. This is aligned with the “mission economy” concept by economist Mariana Mazzucato, in which the government sets ambitious policy goals to coordinate public and private partnerships.  From a reporting standpoint, both the SEC and the EU are considering new ESG reporting requirements. The proposed SEC rule would require publicly traded companies to disclose their carbon emissions and how climate risks are affecting their businesses, while the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive would require EU companies (and any US company with EU business) to report on a broader range of ESG topics.   How Does Social Justice Overlap with Climate? Climate justice refers to solutions that address the disproportionate costs that vulnerable populations face due to climate change. This includes recognizing how climate change impacts inequities tied to gender, race, class, nation, and ethnicity and ensuring that any low-carbon economy is inclusive. The framework for climate justice in business includes embedding human rights in the supply chain, sharing the burdens and benefits from an energy transition fairly, being transparent and accountable in climate commitments, co-designing climate solutions with an inclusion lens, and investing in developing climate-smart education and skills in the entire supply chain.  Patagonia in particular has directly funded organizations working on climate justice, democracy, biodiversity, and the environmental challenges impacting indigenous communities. They have also advocated for policy changes and produced films that call attention to indigenous environmental struggles around the world. Additionally, its founder, Yvon Choiunard, gave away all non-voting stock in the $3 billion company to a collective that will use all non-reinvested profits to fight climate change.   Beyond technological improvements and reduction of greenhouse gases, it is importance to recognize that renewable energy solutions may bring their own costs, such as disruptions to indigenous communities. Businesses need to adopt a justice perspective that includes empathy for the real pain that climate change has caused for many communities around the world.  One emerging framework is the “people-centered approach” to corporate sustainability. In this framework, carbon is just one part of the story. It's important to consider the health impacts of climate change and air pollution, particularly PM2.5, which is responsible for chronic asthma and cancer.   Corporate sustainability is not just about decarbonization; business leaders must consider how their actions impact people on a systemic level when addressing social justice concerns. Healthy populations are the cornerstone of thriving economies.  Can Innovation Save Us? When it comes to addressing the climate crisis, technological innovation is often touted as a key solution. But is it really as straightforward as just developing and scaling up new technologies? What are the limitations and risks associated with relying on technological breakthroughs? Since the beginning of human existence, innovation and our ability to adapt have been critical components of our survival and progress. However, as we face the urgent challenge of climate change, it is becoming increasingly clear that innovation alone may not be enough to address the scale of this problem.   Take Electric vehicles. When first introduced, electric vehicles (EVs) were touted as the golden ticket to zero emissions in the transportation sector. The reality is more complicated. Putting aside the environmental impact of mining rare earth materials, electric vehicles require more electricity to manufacture. And of course, they rely on electricity to run, but where is that electricity coming from? Fossil fuels still account for 60% of the electricity generated in the US. Many life cycle analyses have shown that EVs are only a greener alternative to internal combustion vehicles if the vehicle is produced and driven in an area that offers clean electricity. That's to say, the effectiveness of green technology hinges upon a decarbonized grid.  Currently, 73% of global Greenhouse gas emissions come from the energy sector, which also means there is enormous potential for change. Scaling existing technology around solar, wind, and hydropower, while simultaneously phasing out coal fired powerplants is key. Widespread rollout of real-time dynamic pricing for electricity is also a way to encourage low-carbon behavior while reducing operating costs. With the traditional block pricing, prices remain constant irrespective of demand. Real time pricing encourages people to use power when renewable energy is available and conserve when it's not. Utility companies could potentially see improvements in efficiency due to a decrease in the required capacity to fulfill demand. Doesn't All This Investment in Sustainability Hinder Growth?  There is a common misconception that sustainable business practices hinder growth, but evidence shows it can actually drive growth. From a bottom-line standpoint too, sustainable practices often involve implementing energy-efficient processes, leading to cost reductions and more profit.   Companies with strong sustainability performance can attract more investment and secure better financing terms, allowing them to access cheap capital while growing their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) offerings. Take the examples of Walmart's Project Gigaton, which led to almost $1 billion in annual cost savings, and Alphabet's $5.75 billion sustainability bond issuance with record low coupon rates.  A recent McKinsey report estimates that climate-oriented equity transactions in private markets increased more than 2.5 times from 2019 to 2022, to about $196 billion, whereas the overall private-market equity market declined by 24% over the same period. In addition, a 2015 review of more than 2,000 empirical studies of ESG and financial performance found that the vast majority had a positive relationship. Green business can be good business.   What Role Do Business Schools Play in Innovation and Transition? It's important for business schools to embed a deeper understanding of climate science and climate awareness into their curriculum. This involves going beyond simply offering a class in climate science to reimagining business education itself to address climate change.   Initiatives like Business Schools for Climate Leadership introduce concepts like circular economies, carbon markets, carbon reporting, and climate strategy into the existing core curriculum. Additionally, Longhofer argues that the climate crisis could be a moonshot for business schools to address declining enrollments and changes in the market, while also resolving long-standing tensions about the purpose of business.  What Do Employers Need to Know About Climate-Focused MBAs? Climate change is becoming increasingly important for business students and the business world, and employers need to be ready.   While some students believe in dismantling the system, most are willing to create systemic change from within. Employers are changing too, and companies need to be transparent in their climate commitments to engage new talent in setting and meeting those commitments.   Some employers have already embraced it. The CEO of BCG recently made a public statement calling for climate activists to join the firm, and Longhofer recalls that he's lost count of the number of alums who have reached out in the past two years because they are put on ESG-related projects much sooner than they anticipated.   Especially because of the new reporting requirements, ESG is here to stay. Employers need to take notice.   To learn more about Goizueta Business School and how principled leaders are driving positive change in business and society, visit www.goizueta.emory.edu.

Guest: Daryl Swanepoel Daryl Swanepoel is The Chief Executive Officer of The Inclusive Society Institute and he joins John to explain the legal opinion that the Electoral Amendment Bill passed by the National Assembly does not pass constitutional muster.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A cyber-attack has never been qualified as an armed attack, but cyber operations will continue to be used to assist military goals, as we are witnessing in Ukraine. Applying cyber defence measures to defend critical digital assets, both military or civilian, should be an important part of any effective response strategy. But what does constitute an armed attack in cyberspace? Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar, Director of the Digital Society Institute at ESMT Berlin and previously Ambassador for Cyber Diplomacy and Director General for the Cyber Diplomacy Department at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, acknowledges the answer varies depending on a country's dependency on digital technologies, it's cyber resilience and robustness of key infrastructures, and its cyber defence and offense posture. Heli talks to Ronan about her background, when a cyber attack could be defined as an armed attack, the Estonian cyber attack in 2007, how to respond to cyber attacks and more. More about Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar: Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar has been the Director of the Digital Society Institute at the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin since January 2022. From 2018 to 2021, she served as Ambassador for Cyber Diplomacy and Director General for the Cyber Diplomacy Department at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she led the efforts to promote international law and cyber norms during Estonia's tenure on the United Nations Security Council. From 2012 to 2018, Heli worked as a Head of Cyber Policy Coordination at the European External Action Service, where she coordinated EU external relations on cyber issues and co-led preparations of European Cyber Security Strategies. She set up EU strategic level cyber dialogues with the United States, India, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, and China as well as international organizations. She also kicked off EU global cyber capacity building programs and steered the development of the EU Cyber Diplomacy Toolbox to bolster European response to malicious cyber activities. In 2011, she was assigned to the NATO International Staff to prepare the NATO Cyber Defence Policy. Heli has been working on cyber and tech policies since 2007 when she led the development of the first whole-of-government Estonian Cyber Security Strategy.

Despite huge hurdles, we are seeing traction in the climate space. In his 2020 letter regarding corporate governance, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink turned heads when he asserted that “climate risk is investment risk”. In 2021, money held in ESG and other sustainability focused funds rose globally by 53% to $2.7 trillion. This past March, the SEC proposed new requirements for publicly traded companies to report detailed information on greenhouse-gas emissions and risks related to climate change.Suffice it to say, climate change is and should be front and center as a key business issue for a diverse set of stakeholders across all sectors including leaders, investors, and regulators.Brian Goebel and Sonia Sharma joined The Goizueta Effect Podcast to discuss climate change and business, including the enormous influence and responsibility business holds in driving toward a climate-smart world.Brian is the Managing Director of Goizueta's Business & Society Institute. Through the Institute, students, faculty, staff, and partners focus on addressing complex challenges confronting people, the planet, and the business community through academic discovery and purposeful action.Sonia is a second-year MBA student at Goizueta Business School. She's also a Social Enterprise Student Fellow and future consultant at McKinsey. She recently attended the ClimateCAP Global MBA Summit, along with hundreds of leading students across the nation to dig in on these issues.This episode of the Goizueta Effect was co-created in partnership with MBA students and ClimateCAP delegates Sonia Sharma, Vaishali Nijampatnam, Margot Merwin, and Carlos Vazquez.  Defining the Climate Issue  Climate Change  In 1992, the UN held a framework convention on climate change. The UN determined that climate change is attributable directly or indirectly to human activity and that human activity has altered the composition of the global atmosphere. In addition to natural climate variability, human activity has accelerated the change by adding more carbon and impacting the environment.  Sustainability  In order to promote sustainability, we must ask ourselves, “how do we integrate our future generation into our decision today?” In 1987, the UN defined sustainability as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.  ESG ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) is a set of metrics that helps investors and organizations prioritize making a positive impact on the planet and its people in addition to generating profits. Environmental metrics help corporations refine their practices that affect the environment. For example, companies have begun examining how their supply chains and carbon footprint impact the environment. Social metrics involve serving the community of which the corporation is a part. How much does the corporation support the people in their community, especially with regard to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Lastly, governance metrics involve how the company, its board, key directors, and employees make decisions and how to hold themselves accountable.  Climate Justice Should Be Front & Center   Dr. Adrian Hollis is a senior climate justice and health scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists. She explains that minority communities are harmed “worst and first” when it comes to the impact of climate change both globally and here in the United States. To promote climate justice, we must shift beyond a business mentality that only considers decarbonization and shift to a system that recognizes and challenges the disproportionate effects the climate crisis has on diverse communities.Too often, companies claim to care about climate change, yet they are only involved in greenwashing. Greenwashing is a form of deception: it's when companies spend time, money, and resources marketing their products, aims, and policies as environmentally conscious, but in reality, they are not doing anything to minimize their environmental impact. For example, Starbucks released straw-less lids in 2018 but the lid contained more plastic than the old lid and straw combined. Greenwashing reflects a broader accountability challenge for companies and governments. For more examples of corporate greenwashing click here.On the positive side, 20% of the world's 2,000 largest publicly-listed companies have announced commitments to reach net zero emissions in the coming years. Keeping companies transparent and accountable is the key for tracking their progress toward environmental goals.Climate-Conscious Decisions Drive Growth Climate-conscious business can be broken down into four different areas: growth opportunities, justice issues, leadership imperatives, and accountability challenges.MBA Edge, a resource developed by Duke University, provides an insightful report called, “Climate Change in Business-What Every MBA Student Needs To Know Today.” The facts in this report speak to how climate-conscious business decisions can promote growth. The report notes that 225 of the world's 500 biggest companies estimated that climate-related opportunities represent a financial impact totaling over $2.1 trillion across all industries.For example, General Motors has been a successful company for many years, but recently began losing revenue. Now, GM is reinventing itself with electric vehicles (EVs) and different forms of mobility. GM is committing by investing billions in EVs and planning to go all-electric by 2035.Further, Inland Empire Energy Center in California, a fossil fuel power plant, is being demolished years ahead of schedule because it cannot compete economically with electricity generated from wind and solar. In fact, in the last decade, wind energy prices have fallen 70%, and solar has fallen about 90% on average in the United States. Globally, the cost of solar has also fallen 99% in 40 years. Now, solar is a cost competitive option and is leading the renewable energy field.  New MBA Graduates and the Potential for Meaningful Change  There are many ways that new graduates can move the needle. While in the past, specific environmentally-focused roles were siloed or did not exist, now climate work is embedded across all core functions, as well as management. Companies that commit to driving positive climate change stand to benefit as many students are looking for companies that match their values.   Goizueta's Business & Society Institute  Goizueta's Business & Society Institute asks tough and important questions and engages in in-depth research on topics including climate, equity, economic empowerment, policy, and management practice. While research is a large part of the institute, developing Goizueta students is also fundamental to its mission. The Institute develops current students by preparing them to become change-makers in their industries and helping them create meaningful networks.  To learn more about Goizueta Business School and how principled leaders are driving positive change in business and society, visit goizueta.emory.edu.  

Kenneth Shapiro is cofounder and President of the Board of Animals and Society Institute. He is the founding editor of Society and Animals: Journal of Human-Animal Studies; the Brill Human-Animal Studies Book Series, and founding coeditor of Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science. He earned his BA from Harvard University in American Studies and his PhD in Clinical and Personality Psychology from Duke University. He has published papers in Human-Animal Studies on vegetarianism, animal advocates, animal-centered literary criticism, critiques of lab animal-based research, inter-species qualitative methods, ontological vulnerability of captive animals, the state of the field, and psychological assessment and treatment of animal abuse. He has published three books on animal-related issues: Animal models of human psychology (1998), The assessment and treatment of children who abuse animals: The AniCare Child approach (2014) and The identification, assessment, and treatment of adults who abuse animals: The AniCare approach (2016), both published by Springer. He lives in the small town of Washington Grove, MD, where he has established and oversees a bluebird trail (currently 16 nest boxes), works a pollinator rich mini-meadow, and cooks vegan cuisine. https://www.animalsandsociety.org Ken.shapiro@animalsandsociety.org Sign up for 10% off of Shrink Rap Radio CE credits at the Zur Institute  

Peter Roberts, Professor of Organization & M anagement at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, was founding academic director of Social Enterprise @ Goizueta. He joined The Goizueta Effect Podcast to explore the vast inequities between growers and retailers/roasters, how historical movements like colonialism and slavery have shaped the origins of this industry, and what role climate change and the pandemic are playing today. He also delves into how consumers, roasters, and retailers can work together to balance the scales. Peter also serves as the academic director of specialty coffee programs for The Roberto C. Goizueta Business & Society Institute.His research focuses on how the behavior and performance of organizations evolve over time. His current projects focus on social entrepreneurs and accelerators, microbusiness development, and the global specialty coffee industry. He has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Bloomberg, Food and Wine, and Salon. The Magnitude of the Coffee Industry By the Numbers  In 2019, roughly two-thirds of American adults drank coffee every day.  Over the past 30 years, the specialty coffee market has expanded exponentially and now accounts for up to 40% of all coffee consumed.   In 2020, the coffee market was valued at more than $102 billion.   With 25 million families around the world responsible for growing coffee, the economic and social impacts of this industry are broad and deep.   Evolution of the Coffee Industry The global coffee industry has always been characterized by stark contrasts. Retailers, roasters, and importers often do very well financially, while those who grow coffee struggle to break even.  This is not a new phenomenon. The coffee industry only exists because of colonialism and slavery. Originally, coffee was not grown in Central and South America, but when Europe and the United States started consuming inordinate amounts of coffee, coffee plants and people were brought from Africa.  In the late 1800s, formal slave owning and colonialism went out of fashion. At this point, global markets kicked in, and coffee became a lucrative way for middlemen, such as roasters and sellers, to maintain low coffee grain prices.  Major brands like Folgers and Maxwell House dominated the first wave of coffee consumption, then Peet's and Starbucks and Caribous set up a second wave of coffee. Recently, the third wave of coffee has become popular, which is the movement focusing on small, micro lot-oriented, and direct-trade roasters.  While coffee has often been lucrative for retailers and roasters, most coffee producers in the world are not able to cover the cost of production. From Bean to Cup Consumers often assume that all the magic happens in a coffee shop. However, the people that work on coffee farms, or in beneficios, pour a lot of skill, talent, work, and time into the production of coffee. Before coffee is roasted, it's a bean. Before that, it's a cherry. And prior to this, it's on shrubs. Before the beans are ready to be harvested, the grower cares for the plant for at least three to four years. Often, at least 25 sets of hands play a role in shaping a single pound of coffee.  Coffee growers handle much of the heavy lifting and shoulder much of the risk. However, the payoff is not even. On the retail end, $15-$20 is a reasonable per-pound price for specialty coffee, but the median price that coffee growers receive is just $2.60.   Specialty Coffee Production Exchange grade coffee or commercial/commodity coffee has fairly low standards for quality, which allows for many defects. However, specialty coffee must secure a grade of at least 81, which involves cupping and scrutinizing all of its elements. This product cannot feature green beans that would change its flavor profile. The coffee has to be picked, processed, and sorted multiple times. The world of specialty coffee involves high quality expectations. All of that extra work needs to be paid for. The Effect of Climate Change on Coffee Growing Coffee production is impacted by many external forces, including climate change. In the next 20 years, 60-70 percent of the land that currently grows coffee may become ill-suited for cultivation.  For instance, in Nicaragua just a decade ago, coffee farmers set their watches by when the weather changed from wet to dry to determine when it was time to pick coffee. Now, the weather is variable, which makes it difficult for farmers to grow. Economic and social mobility proves difficult for coffee farmers who don't have hefty savings. If we don't start valuing the work that goes into coffee, paying the people that do the work, accounting for some of the investment and risk, we may not have enough coffee to satisfy demand in 10 or 20 years. Rural communities are oriented around growing and selling coffee, so their economy is built around their core industry. Farmers who are looking ahead to an unsure future can invest in climate change adaptation, using concepts such as shade-grown coffee, which shifts conventional agriculture back to growing coffee in forests. Organizations such as The Nature Conservancy are exploring coffee growing as a form of reforestation. If we can figure out how to pay farmers for growing excellent coffee the right way, there is a built-in incentive for people to reforest, contributing to both adaptation and mitigation of climate change. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Buying Patterns, Growers, and the Coffee Industry The initial shock of the COVID-19 pandemic hit the coffee industry as hard as the general public. The industry had several concerns: If people go back to drinking coffee at home, then would they stop drinking better-produced or specialty coffee? What happens to local retailers and coffee shops? What price would consumers be able to pay? Like many products, the industry also faces multiple supply chain issues. For instance, without shipping containers for coffee coming from certain suppliers, coffee can't reach consumers quickly and its quality decreases. Industry leaders also worry about workers' and farmers' health and safety as they grow the coffee.  However, “the new normal” did introduce a few silver linings such as subscription services. As people missed specialty coffee, producers realized that people would be willing to spend more to have better coffee to brew at home. Therefore, subscription services and online sales of the specialty shops did fairly well during the pandemic. Nonetheless, the industry is still uncertain about how the specialty coffee industry will settle down over the next few years.  Coffee Movements Create a More Equitable System Many movements over the years including fair trade and direct trade have helped drive progress in the coffee industry, but they have introduced challenges as well. Today, organizations like Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, and Smithsonian's Bird Friendly certifications are working in the right direction. The unbalanced marketplace always puts downward pressure on prices including what the farmer gets, so the next step in the world of specialty coffee is getting consumers to pay for it. What we need is a larger share of what we spend on coffee to continue to flow back to coffee-producing countries and growers. How You Can Engage in Conscious Consumerism When addressing the issue of disparity in the coffee industry head on, the majority of the onus is not on the consumer.  Consumers have actually been paying dramatically more for coffee over the last 30 years, but the benchmarking New York C-price is lower now than it was 30 years ago. So even though consumers have been paying more for the things that producers do, we haven't figured out how to enable and empower producers to recognize their value and effectively negotiate better prices. That being said, it's important for more people to get more excited about paying more money for coffee. When looking at the wine industry, consumers are willing to spend a lot of money for a glass of wine in a restaurant or a bottle of wine in a bottle shop, and the same needs to happen for coffee. Consumers need to appreciate quality coffee and good farm stories.  While the consumer problem is being addressed, the producer problem is not. We, as consumers, expect that if you pay more, the money goes back to producers in the appropriate ratios, and the farmer gets paid. However, in the 1940s, producing countries took home about 40 percent of what consumers paid for coffee; now, it's less than 10 percent further evidence that the problem lies with empowering the producers. Educating Growers and Buyers – The Specialty Coffee Transaction Guide  The challenge in the coffee industry is that the only green price that people track is the New York C-price. The pricing for specialty coffee is still following a very low and volatile commodity C-price, but it needs better reference prices. That's where the Specialty Coffee Transaction Guide comes in. Through a partnership between Goizueta Business School and more than 80 roasters, importers, exporters, and cooperatives, the group has developed a low, medium, and average price for different kinds of coffee. The guide allows specialty coffee producers and buyers to have a critical reference point for transactions.  It also allows policymakers and advocates to determine whether coffee prices are even covering the cost of production, then use that information to drive necessary change.  In addition, many retail and roasting organizations are pledging to be more transparent and make market information widely available. For example, Onyx Coffee tells consumers everything about the producer, including what they paid for their coffee.  Goizueta's Grounds for Empowerment Program The mission of Goizueta's Grounds for Empowerment program is to provide women specialty coffee growers the business know-how, market connections, and investment funds that will allow their farms to reach full economic potential. With the help of a diverse group of advisors, including Goizueta leaders and students, farmers participate in a series of workshops and gain unique perspectives on topics like storytelling, social media, cost of production, and relationship management. Producers are also empowered with information to recognize the value of their coffees and make plans to secure prices consistent with these valuations. Participants leave with a stronger vision for the future of their farms, and with plans and connections to achieve more prosperous and sustainable businesses. To learn more about Goizueta Business School and how principled leaders are driving positive change in business and society, visit www.goizueta.emory.edu.  

Amelia Miazad, faculty director of the Business in Society Institute at UC Berkeley, joins the Business Scholarship Podcast to discuss her article Prosocial Antitrust. Miazad argues that antitrust agencies should become more accommodating to collaboration between competitors in areas of systemic risk, like climate change and environmental protection. Such collaborations could be especially compelling, Miazad explains, if the negative externalities they mitigate are greater than any reductions in consumer welfare. This episode is hosted by Andrew Jennings, assistant professor at Brooklyn Law School.

Wes Longhofer, Executive Academic Director at The Roberto C. Goizueta Business & Society Institute, joined The Goizueta Effect Podcast to discuss business and the critical role it plays in driving societal change.  His work has been funded by the National Science Foundation and featured in the Washington Post, American Sociological Review, and American Journal of Sociology. Most recently, Longhofer co-authored Super Polluters: Tackling the World’s Largest Sites of Climate-Disrupting Emissions. The Role of Business in Driving Societal Change  Business and capitalism are tremendous engines of prosperity and innovation. Organizations provide much-needed jobs and countless goods and services that undoubtedly make our lives better.  We're also living in an incredibly challenging time. Climate is in crisis. There's mounting inequality. Political polarization seems to be at a peak. Not to mention an ongoing pandemic that's shown us the power of business to urgently create a vaccine, but also raises important questions about the equitable distribution of it.  Recognizing the role of business in driving positive social change begins with acknowledging that there is no business without society. Too often, we think of markets as existing outside of people and the society that comprises them, but no market can exist without a society that sets the rules of the road, without a government that sets up things like property rights, or without an environment that provides natural resources that, if exploited, will threaten the ability of the market to function. If we start by recognizing that business exists in society and that markets are designed for and in the interest of people, then, we can begin to think about how to reimagine business. This view will help us as we work to redesign markets to serve both more of society and the natural world. It's about recognizing business not just as economic actors, but as civic and environmental actors as well.  Stakeholder Capitalism Stakeholder capitalism is messy. Primary stakeholders of a firm include employees, customers, investors, the firm itself, and the community in which the firm is located. That only scratches the surface. There's also government, the media, social movements, competitors, and the earth itself. So how do you make sense of this and which stakeholders matter the most? The classic professorial answer…it depends.  The History of Corporate Responsibility  Throughout history, there is a constant push and pull between business and society - from the expansion of the railroads, to the growth of U.S. steel, to the creation of the automobile. In the post-World War Two period, there was this idea that companies would provide jobs, not just for a few years, but for an entire career. They would provide opportunities for mobility over the life course. They would give you pensions. They would employ not just you, but a lot of your friends. A handful of large corporations really shaped and defined not just business in America, but civic life as well.  As the years progressed, the U.S. began to see momentous social movements and transformative public policy that raised awareness of things like civil rights and environmental degradation. Investors began to look at the old way of companies and decided they were not very profitable. In the late 1970s and 1980s, investors decided it might be better to break up those companies. They identified managers as a problem because companies were trying to do too much. Organizational scholars called this the garbage can theory of decision-making - you throw a bunch of strategies at the wall with ill-defined goals. Some said, "Well, maybe managers should just focus on maximizing profit rather than getting involved in all these other distractions." Very quickly, the idea of the company started to change. Employees started to spend less time at any one company, ownership became more centralized, companies began to invest more in financial markets and less on their own assets and R&D, and managers were compensated for maximizing profit. Companies began to view societal issues, like pollution, as externalities. Purpose-Driven Organizations Today  Today, a number of organizations are embracing purpose as part of their culture and their brand.  Patagonia's the obvious one that comes to mind. They have a deep commitment to sustainability in their supply chain. They work with industry partners to establish certifications that help verify that sustainability. They use their platform to take bold social and political stances that are aligned with their mission. In doing so, they make it easier for competitors to also be more sustainable. Another example of a company with purpose embedded throughout the company is Ben & Jerry's. They took, perhaps, one of the boldest stances on racial justice last summer by outlining specific steps that need to be taken to dismantle white supremacy. Chris Miller is their activism manager, which is not a position that you oftentimes see in a company's org chart. He previously worked at Greenpeace. Chris has described how the marketing department of Ben & Jerry’s gives him greater reach than an NGO ever could. How Social Movements Drive Organizations Accountability is key. It's one thing for a company to make a statement on a social issue, but many movements now want to know if these organizations really mean it. Are they putting resources toward that issue? Are they thinking about their own biases and practices that may have played a role in creating the very problem that these movements are concerned about?  How Purpose Impacts Purchasing Behavior A recent Nielsen report shows that 43% of consumers would prefer to spend more on products and services that support worthwhile causes. Millennials seem particularly interested in this idea, but aren't the ones actually buying these products. Instead, research suggests most sales are driven by older women. Despite the availability of options, a number of obstacles get in the way of shopping your values. A big challenge is a lack of information. There's a lot of greenwashing or just bad marketing that misstates the environmental benefit of a product. Habit comes into play as well, particularly for cheap products. There's also research that suggests that when we make a moral decision on our purchasing, we're more likely to offset that decision by doing something immoral later. The classic study shows that shoppers who take their own grocery bags to the grocery store are more likely to fill it with junk food. The issue of identity and social class represents another complication tied to purchasing with purpose. Sustainable products are usually more expensive and they're not available to everyone. 

A sociologist from the Midwest, Longhofer is co-lead on the exciting, newly formed Roberto C. Goizueta Business and Society Institute. What's the goal? To transform business to solve the problems of inequality and climate change through cutting edge programming and principled leadership. We're going to talk to Dr. Longhofer about these incredibly ambitious goals - - and maybe he'll tell us how it was to have the Dalai Lama teach one of his classes. Yes – the Dalia Lama is a Presidential Scholar at Emory University, and he visits Atlanta frequently. We'll try to get him on the podcast on his next visit. This is a fascinating topic to explore and important to understand now. I'm Ryan Millsap, and the is The Blackhall Studios Podcast.

Jeff Sebo is Clinical Assoc. Prof. of Environmental Studies, Affiliated Professor of Bioethics, Medical Ethics, & Philosophy, & Director of the Animal Studies M.A. Program at New York University. He is on the executive committee at the NYU Center for Environmental & Animal Protection & the advisory board for the Animals in Context series at NYU Press. He is a board member at Animal Charity Evaluators, a board member at Minding Animals International, an Exec. Cttee. member at the Animals & Society Institute, and a Senior Fellow at Sentient Media. Full show notes are here https://sentientism.info/change-is-possible-but-hard-jeff-sebo-author-activist-academic-new-sentientist-conversation In these Sentientist Conversations we talk about the two most important questions: “what’s real?” & “what matters?” Sentientism is “evidence, commitment & compassion for all sentient beings.” The audio will also be on our Podcast – subscribe on Apple here & most other platforms via Anchor. We discuss: Jeff’s background in moral & political philosophy & his shift to focus on animal & environmental ethics Multi-disciplinary approaches Using academia to drive real change Growing up in a Christian household & connecting with religious community (e.g. leading youth groups) Considering going into ministry College at Texas Christian University (liberal arts focus, but many conservative Christian students) Facing a wave of challenges to religious beliefs & having a major faith crisis “I never really believed the Christian stuff in the first place as much as I thought I did… in fact, I was just invested in the community.” A reactionary atheism phase: “God is dead, life is absurd!” Re-constructing a more generous interpretation of religious & scientific beliefs Deep humility re: the fundamental nature of reality The limits to empirical testing. There might be truths beyond those limits “Use evidence & reason to study what we can but recognise that they will not be able to grasp everything of interest in the world” And much more... Follow Jeff at @jeffrsebo​ & find him at jeffsebo.net​ Sentientism is “Evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings.” More at https://sentientism.info/​​​​. Join our “wall” ​using this simple form. Everyone interested, Sentientist or not, is welcome in our groups. Our biggest (~90 countries so far) is here on FaceBook. ​​ Thanks to Graham for his post-prod work. Follow him: @cgbessellieu.

In this episode, we are joined by Margo DeMello (PhD, Cultural Anthropology, UC Davis), Assistant Professor at Carroll College in the Anthrozoology Program. Margo has also been an adjunct professor in the Canisius College Anthrozoology program, she directed the Human-Animal Studies program at the Animals & Society Institute for 15 years, and she is the immediate past president of House Rabbit Society. She has published over a dozen books, most within the field of human-animal studies and body studies, and dozens of articles and book chapters.To introduce us to her work and field, Margo explains the field of anthrozoology, the study of human-animal relationships, and what goes into pursuing a degree. She describes it as a lens through which we can look at other species in a way that challenges anthropocentrism and recognises that humans and animals have always been interlinked.After working with the Animals & Society Institute for 15 years, Margo shares the main focuses of the organisation: exploring the question of violence in human-animal relationships, helping students and faculty to find and build the field, and using the field's literature to shape policy about animals. Additionally, Margo tells us about another important organisation in her life, the House Rabbit Society, and how their work helped transform rabbits from a somewhat third class pet kept outside with limited medical care and companionship to being widely considered worthy of respect and compassion.Margo has written many books on animals, and shares insights with us from several of her works. Her textbook, Animals & Society, was written to ensure the field was sustainable and had the resources it needed to succeed and grow. Why Animals Matter, written together with Erin E. Wiliams, is an overview of the issues facing animals and the main areas where humans and animals coexist, covering animals in entertainment, hunting and relationships with wildlife, meat consumption, and pets. Speaking for Animals questions who has the right to advocate for who, and what the implications are for everyone else.Lastly, Margo tells us a bit about her book Mourning Animals that examines who gets to be mourned, how it is done with respect to cultural practices, and who doesn't get to be mourned. in the animal care field death is unfortunately encountered regularly as the years go by and there isn't always space for feelings of grief when we lose animals. Luckily, the field is shifting, and many beautiful rituals are emerging to help not only humans but the animals left behind to mourn their loved ones. Speaking to animal care professionals, Margo recommends reaching out to others when mourning an animal and having people to talk to who care about you and also care about animals so you can honestly express how you're feeling.For more info on Anthrozoology:Society & Animals AnthrozoösExeter's PhD

The Animals & Society Institute created Human-Animal Relationship Awareness week, celebrated annually during the second full week in November, to honor relationships between human and other animals. ... Throughout the week we focus on a number of important issues relevant to the human-animal relationship.But what kinda animal relationship ship we do have in nagpur ?listen to the podcast for more...Follow Rj Saurabh :-Twitter :- https://twitter.com/iamrjsaurabhInstagram :-  https://www.instagram.com/iam_rjsaurabh/Facebook :- https://www.facebook.com/iamRjSaurabh/Follow Vishal Dhawas :-Facebook :- https://www.facebook.com/vishal.dhawasInstagram :- https://www.instagram.com/vishaldhawas93/ 

What does uber tell us about work, labor management, and mobility in the post-financial crisis world? Uber’s success has been tied to its cultural resonance and on its ability to tell convincing stories about itself to drivers, passengers, and governments about what it is, who drivers are, and why they are driving. Uberland: How Algorithms are Rewriting the Rules of Work (University of California Press, 2018) goes beyond the stories of share prices and corporate intrigue to examine what work looks like and what it means for Uber drivers. The book examines the intersection of two central cultural phenomena:  fundamental shifts in what it means to be employed and the technology ideology of Silicon Valley. It does so by detailing the tension between the freedom and flexibility that Uber promises and the realities of invasive algorithmic management. It’s a well-argued and timely book – the conversation was recorded the week that California passed a bill closing some of the loopholes that have given rise to the gig economy. Alex Rosenblat is journalist, ethnographer, and research lead at the Data & Society Institute in New York. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, the Harvard Business Review, The Atlantic, Slate, Fast Company, MIT Technology Review, WIRED, New Scientist, and The Guardian as well as the International Journal of Communication and the Columbia Law Review. Jacob Doherty is a lecturer in anthropology of development at the University of Edinburgh and, most recently, the co-editor Labor Laid Waste, a special issue of International Labor and Working Class History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lisa Lunghofer has served as a consultant to animal-related programs throughout the country. Examples of her work include designing an innovative education initiative, based on a public health model, to prevent animal cruelty in Philadelphia; writing grant proposals for programs that promote the human-animal bond; conducting strategic planning with animal and child welfare organizations; evaluating the effects of shelter dogs on veterans diagnosed from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; and directing the Animal and Society Institute’s animal abuse prevention program. 

In this episode I'm in Cape Town and talk to Jacques Rousseau from the Free Society Institute.We talk about his long journey becoming a humanist. From being a non-believer as a child, finding faith in his late teens, experiencing a culture chock in his early twenties, being a devout atheist before becoming a humanist.Free Society Institute: https://www.fsi.org.za/Support Babelfish on: https://babelfish.10er.dk/or https://www.patreon.com/babelfish Find Babelfish on Facebook: www.facebook.com/babelfishthepodcast/Follow me in Instagram: kirstinekaernFollow my blog: kaern.dkSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/babelfish)

In this episode I'm in Cape Town and talk to Greg Andreas from the Free Society Institute.We talk about the Jesus narrative, humanism and being a clergy in the methodist church without believing in God.Free Society Institute: https://www.fsi.org.za/Support Babelfish on: https://babelfish.10er.dk/ or https://www.patreon.com/babelfish Find Babelfish on Facebook: www.facebook.com/babelfishthepodcast/ Follow me in Instagram: kirstinekaern Follow my blog: kaern.dkSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/babelfish)

The Saturday Edition Chapter 1 Uber shows us that technology is political – not neutral GUEST: Alex Rosenblat TITLE: Author of Uberland: How Algorithms Are Rewriting the Rules of Work and a researcher at the Data & Society Institute? Chapter 2 West Coast LEAF released a report about why women often do not report sexual assault through the criminal justice system – in women's own voices. GUEST: Alana Prochuk TITLE: Manger of Public Education, West Coast Leaf Chapter 3 B.C. government promises 53 child care locations that cost parents $200 per month or less GUEST: Sharon Gregson TITLE: Advocate for the $10aDay Child Care Plan

Steve chats with Bonnie Tijerina about patron and data privacy, her passion for librarianship, creating conferences, and her work with the Data & Society Institute, Library Consulting Network, SXSW, and the Awesome Foundation. Bonnie Tijerina is currently a researcher at the Data & Society Institute and a Lecturer at University of Wisconsin, Madison’s iSchool. She is founder of ER&L (Electronic … Continue reading 124: Bonnie Tijerina

Japanese Rabbits (Part 1) Interview with Yudai Tanabe Rabbit Island:   When I think about Japan and rabbits the first thing that comes to mind for me is the video's of Rabbit Island.  As islands that are occupied by wild animals go, Okunoshima, better known as Usaga Jima or Rabbit Island, is probably the cutest.  Ōkunoshima (大久野島?) is a small island located in the Inland Sea of Japan in the city of Takehara, Hiroshima Prefecture.   It is accessible by ferry from Tadanoumi and Ōmishima.  There are campsites, walking trails and places of historical interest on the island.  It is often called Usagi Shima (うさぎ島?, "Rabbit Island") because of the numerous feral rabbits that roam the island; they are rather tame and will approach humans.  Situated in the East Sea/Inland Sea of Japan, the small island is occupied by hundreds of wild rabbits that roam the forests and paths, chase tourists, appear in viral videos and just generally lounge around.  They also provide a much needed counterbalance to the island's otherwise dark history – as the production site for Japan's chemical weapons during the second world war. Of course, Japan being the birthplace of kawaii – the distinct cultural appreciation of all things cute – the bounding herds of friendly rabbits are a much bigger attraction than the Poison Gas Museum.   The source of the rabbits remains a mystery, it may be that the origins of the island's fluffy residents is intertwined with its history as manufacturer of chemical weapons.  The ruins of the gas manufacturing plant are still standing today.  The island was a cultivated area until the Russo-Japanese War when ten forts were built to protect it.  Three fishing families lived on the island.  In 1925, the Imperial Japanese Army Institute of Science and Technology initiated a secret program to develop chemical weapons, based on extensive research that showed that chemical weapons were being produced throughout the United States and Europe.  Japan was a signatory on the 1925 Geneva Protocol which banned the use of chemical warfare.  Although the development and storage of chemical weapons were not banned, Japan went to great lengths to ensure the secrecy of construction of the chemical munitions plant begun in 1929, even going so far as to remove records of the island from some maps. The plant was built over the period of 1927 to 1929, and was home to a chemical weapon facility that produced over six kilotons of mustard gas and tear gas.  Between 1929-1945, the Japanese army secretly produced over 6,000 tons of poison gas on Okunoshima, which was removed from maps of the area and chosen because of its discreet location and distance from civilian populations.  At the time, an unfortunate colony of rabbits was brought to the island in order to test the effects of the poison.  Ōkunoshima played a key role during World War II as a poison gas factory for much of the chemical warfare that was carried out in China.  The island was chosen for its isolation, conducive to security, and because it was far enough from Tokyo and other areas in case of disaster.  Under the jurisdiction of the Japanese military, the local fish preservation processor was converted into a toxic gas reactor.  Residents and potential employees were not told what the plant was manufacturing and everything was kept secret; working conditions were harsh and many suffered from toxic-exposure related illnesses.  With the end of the war, documents concerning the plant were burned and Allied Occupation Forces disposed of the gas either by dumping, burning, or burying it, and people were told to be silent about the project.  Several decades later, victims from the plant were given government aid for treatment.  In 1988 the Ōkunoshima Poison Gas Museum was opened. While some claim the rabbits that live there now are relatives of the test bunnies that were freed by the workers at the end of the war, others are less convinced; it has been reported that all the rabbits were killed when the factory ceased production.  The other theory is that eight rabbits were brought to the island by schoolchildren in 1971, where they bred (presumably like rabbits) until they reached their current population, which is potentially in the thousands.  With the island being a predator-free zone – dogs and cats are banned – if the number of rabbits hasn't hit the thousands yet, it's inevitable it will do soon. The island now has a hotel"Kyukamura Ohkunoshima National Park Resort of Japan", a six-hole golf course and a small camping ground.  Visitors are able to swim in the clean water surrounding the island, regardless of the tide, and enjoy a day trip.  Visitors can eat lunch at Rabbit restaurant or cafe, take a hot spring bath and rental bicycles. According to Murakami, the former director of the poison gas museum, the current rabbits have nothing to do with those that were involved with chemical weapon tests.  Hunting these creatures is forbidden, and dogs and cats may not be taken onto the island.  The ruins of the old forts and the gas factory can be found all over the island; entry is prohibited as it is too dangerous.  Since it is part of the Inland Sea National Park system of Japan, there is a resource center and across the way is the museum.  In 2015, the BBC presented a short television series called Pets - Wild at Heart, which featured the behaviours of pets, including the rabbits on the island. The series depicted various tourists coming to feed the rabbits. Poison Gas Museum The Poison Gas Museum opened in 1988 to educate people about the island's role in World War II.  Opened in 1988, the museum "was established in order to alert as many people as possible to the dreadful truths about poison gas." Only two rooms large, the small building provides a basic overview of the construction of the plant, working conditions and the effects of poison gas on humans.  Families of workers who suffered the aftereffects of the harsh working conditions donated numerous artifacts to help tell the story of the workers' plight when handling the gas with poor safety equipment that often leaked.  The second room shows how poison gas affects the human body through the lungs, eyes, skin, and heart. Images of victims from Iraq and Iran add to the message of the museum.  As expressed by the curator Murakami Hatsuichi to The New York Times, “My hope is that people will see the museum in Hiroshima City and also this one, so they will learn that we [Japanese] were both victims and aggressors in the war. I hope people will realize both facets and recognize the importance of peace.".  In the museum one can pick up a guide to the numerous remains of the forts from the Second Sino-Japanese War and the poison gas factory.  Most of the buildings are run-down and condemned, but recognizable.  The museum is aimed mainly at the Japanese people, but English translations are provided on the overall summary for each section. Other buildings and structures The island is connected by Chūshi Powerline Crossing, the tallest powerline in Japan.  The best way of accessing the island from the mainland is to take the Sanyō Shinkansen train to Mihara Station (only the Kodama stops there); at Mihara, catch the Kure Line local train to Tadanoumi, from there walk to the terminal and catch a ferry.  Now the island, a short ferry ride from the mainland, is a popular tourist resort with a small golf course, camping grounds and beautiful beaches. Tours are also given of the now derelict poison gas facilities, while ruins of military outposts are dotted around the island. In some ways the allure of the bunnies is similar to that of Japan's and, more recently, England's cat cafes.  Most apartments in Japan forbid pets, so an opportunity to enjoy the company of a furry friend is a welcome one.  Visitors to Okunoshima can buy food for the remarkably tame rabbits, who became an online hit when this video of a woman being chased by a "stampede" of rabbits was posted online.  The videos from Japan’s Ōkunoshima Island are undeniably cute: excited tourists laughing and screaming in joy as dozens of fuzzy, semi-wild rabbits swarm over them, looking for a bite of food.  But those viral videos, which have inspired thousands of people to visit the so-called Rabbit Island over the past two years, hold a dark secret.  The rabbits are dying.   The very thing that inspires people to come to the island—the YouTube videos that have been watched by millions—is creating an unsustainable situation that puts Ōkunoshima’s wildlife and ecosystem at risk.  The rabbit population, which was apparently stable for many years, has exploded since the first YouTube video appeared in 2014. “It’s amazing how many tourists we interviewed came to the island just because of the video,” said Margo DeMello, program director for the Animals and Society Institute, an Ann Arbor, Michigan–based nonprofit.  The tourists often come bearing food, and that’s creating an unsustainable population boom.  “There are now about 1,000 rabbits on this two-mile island,” DeMello said. “They’ve destroyed the ecosystem.”  As a result of the lack of vegetation and the inappropriate food that tourists provide for the animals, the rabbits suffer from a variety of health problems and now have a life expectancy of just two years, DeMello and her fellow researchers found.  The findings were presented on Wednesday at the World Lagomorph Conference in Turlock, California.  Although the resort’s website contains warnings not to pick up the rabbits or feed them snacks, DeMello said most tourists ignore the cautionary instructions.  Tourists’ photos from the island posted online are proof of that.  The tourists, she said, often come bearing cabbage, one of the cheapest vegetables in Japan and a big part of the Japanese diet.  Cabbage is a bad food choice for rabbits, as it causes dangerous and potentially deadly bloat. It is also low in fiber, something rabbits require for what DeMello called their “very particular digestive system.  The supplemental food—which the rabbits now rely on because there’s so little natural vegetation left to eat—also comes irregularly, especially when cold or rainy weather or school schedules keep tourists off the island.  “Rabbits need to eat all the time and consistently,” DeMello said.  “Now they get huge amounts of food on some days and no food on other days.  They’re not like other animals that can adapt to that.”  The situation on Rabbit Island is far from unique. Experts warn that social networking—from YouTube videos to posting selfies taken with wildlife—all too often inspires behavior that is unhealthy for animals.  Adam Roberts, chief executive of Born Free USA, expressed concern that “seemingly benign social media” can lead to poor behavior by humans that is detrimental to animals.   “Social media can glorify the cruel consumption of animals, which leads people to buy animals, including from irresponsible breeders, and even wild animals, which should remain in the wild,” he said.  “Tourists should avoid feeding wild animals when it is not regulated,” said Laëtitia Maréchal, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom and lead author of the study.  “It not only presents potential risks for animal welfare but also for the tourists themselves, as they might be injured or risk potential disease transmission.”  Even official warnings don’t appear to stop the behavior, she said. “As people often believe that feeding animals is an act of kindness, they seem surprised or skeptical that this behavior can potentially harm the welfare of the animals involved.”  On Rabbit Island, DeMello and her fellow researchers found that the rabbits are fighting over even the least nutritious food provided by tourists.  “Of the 728 rabbits that we counted on the island, 28 percent had visible injuries or illnesses,” she reported.  The percentage grew to 50 percent in the areas of the island closest to humans. “The more humans interfered, the sicker and more injured the rabbits appeared to be,” she said.  Because the rabbits are officially considered wild animals, the national park and resort take no active role in their care.  “We as a hotel do nothing that might impact the wild nature of these animals, such as feeding or veterinary treatment,” Christoph Huelson of the Kyukamura Hotels sales department said in an email.  DeMello said she and others worry that word about the condition of the animals could lead to tourism restrictions or even to some of the rabbits being killed off.  Instead, she hopes her research will inspire some change that will benefit the animals.  “I would like to see a dialogue between the government, the hotel, and some of the local people who care about the rabbits,” she said.  Until then, she said, talking about the issues raised by social media might create some change in time to let the rabbits recover from the effects of the wrong kind of publicity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%8Ckunoshima https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/jun/02/rabbit-island-okunoshima-japan-holiday-resort-bunnies http://www.takepart.com/article/2016/07/14/viral-videos-are-destroying-japans-super-cute-rabbit-island In my research I found Another Rabbit Island!!!! AMAMI-OSHIMA https://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/spn/kagoshima/map_plus_info/locations.html By air from Tokyo: 2:20h; from Kagoshima: 50 min. Amami-Oshima: Mangrove Among the special natural attractions of Amami-Oshima are a species of black rabbit, dense virgin forests, and mangroves. The mangrove forest can be explored by canoe, and sea-kayaking is also popular. The beauty of the coral reef can be viewed by means of a glass-bottomed boat. The island has examples of traditional "taka-kura", which are storehouses built on stilts. While they may seem typical of a south-sea island culture, they were originally used not only in the islands but throughout Japan to store rice. The island has a centuries-old tradition of manufacturing pongee silk fabric, which is known for its fineness of pattern and pleasant feel on the skin. Agricultural products include sugarcane, sweet potatoes, pineapple, papaya, and bananas. Now I am going to cover the Amami rabbit The Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi; Amami: [ʔosaɡi]), or Amamino kuro usagi (アマミノクロウサギ 奄美野黒兔?, lit. "Amami wild black rabbit"), also known as the Ryukyu rabbit, is a primitive, dark-furred rabbit which is only found in Amami Ōshima and Toku-no-Shima, two small islands between southern Kyūshū and Okinawa in Kagoshima Prefecture (but actually closer to Okinawa) in Japan.  Often called a living fossil, the Amami rabbit is a living remnant of ancient rabbits that once lived on the Asian mainland, where they died out, remaining only on the two small islands where they survive today. With its small ears and eyes and its dense dark fur, it looks very different from a typical rabbit or hare. It lives in or on the edge of old-growth forests, away from human activity. Although the rabbit has been declared as a Japanese National Monument, its existence is not widely known, even amongst the people of Japan. The species is protected from hunting, but populations have decreased in the last few decades due to extensive habitat loss and predation by introduced carnivores. This ancient species looks very different from a typical rabbit or hare. It has retained several primitive characteristics, such as small eyes and ears and a long snout. The rabbit’s distinctive fur is dense and woolly, and is dark-brown in colour, fading to reddish-brown on the sides and underbelly. Its body is heavily built with short limbs that end in unusually long curved claws.  The Amami Rabbit has a body length between 42 and 51 cms (16.5 - 20 inches), a tail length between 1 and 3.5 cms (0.4 - 1.4 inches) and they weigh between 2 and 3 kgs (4.4 - 6.6 lbs).  They are a distinctive rabbit with a bulky body and dark brown fur. They have a pointed nose, small eyes and short ears.  The Amami rabbit has short hind legs and feet, a somewhat bulky body, and rather large and curved claws used for digging and sometimes climbing. Its ears are also significantly smaller than those of other rabbits or hares.  The pelage (the fur, hair, or wool of a mammal) is thick, wooly and dark brown on top and becomes more reddish-brown on the sides.  The eyes are also small compared to more common rabbits and hares. The average weight is 2.5–2.8 kg. The only species in its genus, the Amami rabbit is one of the most primitive lagomorphs in the world. It is so different from other rabbits and hares that it is considered to belong to an early branch of the main rabbit-hare evolutionary tree.  Its ancestors are believed to have diverged from other leporids between 10 and 20 million years ago, about half as long ago as ancestral rabbits separated from pikas. Behavior Predominantly solitary and nocturnal. Individuals spend their days sleeping in a den, usually an underground tunnel or a space between rocks and trees.  At night the rabbits forage for food amongst the forest undergrowth.  They eat a variety of plants and fruits depending on the season, with Japanese pampas grass forming the bulk of the diet in the summer months, and acorns during the winter.  The rabbit breeds twice a year, producing two or three young which are raised in a safe den. This species of forest-dweller reproduces once in late March–May and once in September–December, having one or two young each time.  The mother visits the den at night to nurse her young. When she leaves she carefully seals the den with dirt and plant material to protect them against predators.  They are also noted for making calling noises, which sound something like the call of a pika.  Amami Rabbits communicate with each other using clicking sounds and calling noises, which is unusual among rabbit species. Distribution and habitat The ideal habitat for these rabbits is in an area between mature and young forests. They use the dense mature forests as protection and for the presence of acorns for their diets. More common in secondary forests close to mature forests than in those further from mature forests, indicating that a mosaic of mature and young forests is the most suitable habitat type for this species. Population surveys carried out between 1985 and 1990 indicate that the rabbits are most common in secondary forests, 10 to 40 years after clear-felling.  The species is not found in cultivated or residential areas.  They also use the high density of perennial grasses and herbaceous ground cover in the young forests for their diets during different times of the year.  Therefore, the best habitat for them to live in is where they have easy access to both young and mature forests with no obstructions between the two forest types. The species is only known to occur on the islands of Amami (820 km²) and Tokuno (248 km²) in the Ryukyu Archipelago, southwest of Japan. The distribution has been estimated to be around 370 km² on Amami and 33 km² on Tokuno Island. Some populations are completely isolated and thought to be very small. The population has been estimated to be between 3,000 and 5,000, of which the majority are found on the island of Amami.  There are believed to be fewer than 500 individuals remaining on the island of Tokuno.  Using fecal pellet counts and resident surveys, the number of rabbits is estimated at 2000–4800 left on Amami Island and 120–300 left on Tokuno Island. Population Trend In spite of an increase in the area of young forests due to continuous cutting, surveys have indicated a significant decline in the distribution and abundance of the species over the past 20 years.  In particular, populations of Amami rabbit have decreased in the central part of the island, where mongoose numbers have rapidly increased in recent years. Threats The rabbits initially became endangered as a result of hunting for meat and oriental medicine.  Before 1921, hunting and trapping were another cause of decline in population numbers.  In 1921, Japan declared the Amami rabbit a "natural monument" which prevented it from being hunted.  Then in 1963, it was changed to a "special natural monument" which prevented it from being trapped as well.  Even with Japan giving the species full legal protection, it is still under threat from predation by stray dogs, feral cats and other animals introduced by humans.  In particular, Java mongooses Herpestes javanicus have killed large numbers of Amami rabbits, following their introduction in 1979 to control the population of venomous habu pit vipers Trimeresurus flavoviridis.  Unfortunately, the mongooses devastated populations of the islands’ native small mammals instead. In the last few decades, habitat loss due to extensive logging operations has also been a major contributor to the rabbits’ decline.  Less than 1% of the forests on Amami Island have been protected from development activities such as logging resort development and road construction. The total area of mature forest in 2000 was estimated to be about 40% of that in 1970, accounting for about 9.1% of the forest area on the island.  Young secondary forests, resulting from complete clearance of mature forests, now cover much of the island. However, rabbits are less common in areas of secondary forest far from mature forest patches. Conservation Underway The species has been declared as a Japanese National Monument, and as such receives protection from hunting and capture. Some animals are further protected in national reserves such as the Amami Gunto Quasi-National Park.  A number of population surveys (consisting of rabbit pellet counts and community interviews) have been carried out over the past two decades.  These surveys have yielded important data on the population and conservation status of the species, and have confirmed the negative effect mongooses are having on rabbit populations. The results of these studies have led to recent culls of this alien invasive predator by the federal and local government. Conservation Proposed A combination of habitat restoration and predator control initiatives are required to mitigate the threats to the Amami rabbit.  Careful habitat management is needed to maintain a mosaic of mature oak forests and young second-growth so that the rabbit can obtain food throughout the year.  Such mosaics are still fairly abundant in the central and the southern parts of Amami Island.  The primary conservation measure in such areas would be to limit forest road construction.  This measure would restrict the logging of more mature forests, help prevent the further expansion of predators into the forest, and ensure that local rabbit populations do not become isolated.  Increased habitat protection would be beneficial in the southern part of Amami Island, where the population density of rabbits is still quite high.  Populations of predators (feral cats and dogs and introduced mongooses) should be controlled, particularly in areas of important habitat. Long-term research and monitoring programmes are also required to continue to assess the conservation and management needs of the species  A small area of the Amami Island has the Amami Gunto Quasi-National Park that further protects the population. Some attempt at habitat restoration has been made, but the Amami rabbit needs a mosaic of mature and young forest in close proximity, and when a young forest is regrown nowhere near a mature forest, this rabbit is not likely to inhabit it.  Research and population monitoring also is underway to try to keep the numbers from declining, even if they can not be increased. The Lagomorph Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources proposed a plan of conservation in 1990. The Amami Wildlife Conservation Center of the Ministry of the Environment was established in 1999. It restarted a mongoose eradication program in 2005 and designated the Amami rabbit as endangered in 2004 for Japan. Japan really loves its cats.  This makes managing stray overpopulation in ecologically vulnerable areas a challenge, at least if you believe it should be done in a way that doesn’t involve cruelty to animals.  Other nations, take a horrific and merciless approach with “culling” that often uses brutal tactics such as trapping and mass poisoning, even though these methods often have unintended consequences.  For Japan, these options were a nonstarter when looking at how to protect the fragile Amami rabbits of Tokunoshima island, so the nation devised a better solution: a mass spay/neuter program.   2,200 cats have been altered already, with around 1,000 to go — shows that it’s possible to control a very large population of strays effectively, and to the benefit of all parties involved. There is some more good news for the Amami Rabbit.  As of last month in Tokyo, on Jan. 18 (Jiji Press)—Tokyo will recommend soon that islands in the Amami-Ryūkyū region in southwestern Japan be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018, Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide said.  The government will make its official decision on the matter as early as this week, Suga told a press conference.  Set to be recommended as World Heritage sites are the northern part of the main island of Okinawa Prefecture and Iriomote Island, also in Okinawa, as well the islands of Amami Oshima and Tokunoshima in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan.  An urgent task in the region is the protection of endangered native species such as the Okinawa rail, known as “Yanbaru Kuina,” and the Amami rabbit, or “Amami no Kuro Usagi,” as well as the preservation of subtropical laurel forests. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amami_rabbit http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=44 http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/japan-saves-native-rabbits-by-neutering-thousands-of-cats http://www.nippon.com/en/genre/politics/l10103/ http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/rabbits_hares_pikas/amami_rabbit.html Why the Rabbit is a Bird: For those of you who study Japanese, you might have come across this curious feature of the language. When counting rabbit/hares the word WA ( 羽) is used ( in Japanese different counting words are used for different things). The odd thing is that this is the counting word used for counting BIRDS! ICHI WA, NI WA – one bird, two birds.   Some explain  this by saying that is because rabbits/hares jump ( like flying) and their ears look like feathers ( and also because their meat tasted like chicken!). The real reason, however, is more interesting. Since the adoption of Buddhism, the eating of the meat of four-legged animals has been frowned upon ( though not anymore!). In fact, during the Edo Period, the Tokugawa Family officially banned the eating of such animals. The trouble was, that the Tokugawa`s in fact loved eating RABBIT. In fact it was a regualr feature of their New Year`s Dishes ( O-Sechi). How did they get around the law that they themselves promulgated and enforced? Easy. They called hares BIRDS ! Case closed! By the way, besides eating the meat, the Japanese also used the fur, to make brushes for calligraphy. Such brushes were long considered to be The highest quality. http://blog.alientimes.org/2011/01/for-the-year-of-the-rabbit-some-musings-on-rabbits-and-hares-in-japanese-culture-and-history/ Back when nights were pitch dark, people would be very imaginative when looking at the brightly shining full moon in the night skies. People in different countries see different things when looking at moon patterns, such as a standing lion, a crab with one large claw, or the profile of a man or woman. The Japanese say that "a rabbit is pounding mochi. In Japanese folklore there are rabbits living the moon which keep busy making mochi.  Mochi is a sticky rice snack. http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/cultural/kie/moon/kie_moon_06.html The venerable legend of "The White Rabbit of Inaba," and the fable of "The Tortoise and the Hare" are proof that Japanese have been interested in rabbits through the ages. The fact that these creatures are so prolific has made them an appropriate symbol of wealth. Perhaps the first linkage of hoppers and the moon came from India, where one legend tells of a rabbit that cannot bear to see people starve and jumps into the fire so they can have food.  As a reward for this self-sacrifice, the god Indra is said to have taken the rabbit to the moon. The story then traveled to China. There, the rabbit has become a pharmacist, mixing medicines with mortar and pestle. The tale then passed to Japan, where the rabbit is pounding mochi rice cakes, instead of pulverizing medicinal herbs.  All over the world, people have likened the shadows on the moon to all sorts of things, but the Japanese have always been infatuated with the idea of the rabbit pounding mochi. This can be seen at traditional confectionary shops throughout the nation, where people stand in line to buy cakes with a rabbit motif for the autumn moon-viewing season. He was said to descend to Earth around the time of the three-day moon, and return home when the moon was full.  Some artwork includes images of a rabbit or hare stands gazing wistfully at the moon,  In the midst of a field of wild autumn grasses, as if longing to return home. Now for a Japanese story: The Rabbit in the Moon (A Japanese Tale) http://www.uexpress.com/tell-me-a-story/1996/8/1/the-rabbit-in-the-moon-a Every night the Old Man in the Moon looks down on Earth to see how his animals and people are doing. He smiles to see them resting after a hard day's work. He winks at sleeping children. He hovers over rivers and lakes, lighting the waves and the shore. Then he sails on to other lands. One night long ago, the Old Man lingered in the sky over a forest in Japan. The animals below seemed to him to live in peace and harmony. Suddenly he spotted a monkey, a fox and a rabbit who were living side by side. The Old Man began to wonder about these animals that he knew only by sight. After a while he began to long to know them better. "Which of these friends is the kindest creature?" he asked himself as he watched the rabbit dash across the fields. "I wonder which is most generous?" he said softly as he watched the monkey swing from a tree. "I wonder what they are truly like," he said as he watched the fox paw at the forest floor to make his bed. "I need to know more about my creatures." The Old Man floated a while longer, but finally his curiosity got the best of him. "I must go and see for myself," he said, and because the Old Man in the Moon is a magical creature, he was able to transform himself into a poor beggar. In this disguise he floated down to Earth. He walked through the forest until he came to the clearing where the monkey, fox and rabbit lived. When the creatures saw him, they looked up at him with bright shining eyes. "Good day, sir," the rabbit said. "How do you do?" "Welcome to our forest," said the monkey, and the fox bowed low. "Oh, friends," the Old Man said, leaning heavily on his walking stick, "I am not doing well. I am old and poor, and I am very hungry. Do you think you could help me?" "Of course we'll help," the monkey chattered. "We always help our friends," the fox agreed. "We'll fetch some food for you," the rabbit added, and without a moment's hesitation, the three ran off, each one in search of food to offer the poor beggar. The Old Man sat down and leaned against a tree. Looking up into his sky, he smiled. "These are good animals," he said to himself, "and I am curious to see who is most generous." Before long the monkey returned, carrying an armload of fruit. "Here you are," the monkey said. "The bananas and berries are delicious. And take these oranges too, and these pears. I hope you will enjoy my gift," and he lay his fruit before the beggar. "Thank you, my friend. You are kind," the beggar said, and before he had finished speaking, the fox raced into the clearing. He carried a fat, fresh fish between his teeth, and this he laid before the beggar. Again he bowed. "My friend," the fox said, "I offer you a fresh fish to ease your hunger. I hope this will satisfy you." "You also are kind," said the Old Man. "I never knew how kind the forest animals were." "Of course we are kind," the monkey said proudly. "And we are skilled at finding food," the fox added. Now all three sat waiting for the rabbit to return. Meanwhile, the rabbit dashed this way and that through the forest, but no matter how he tried, he could not find food for the beggar. At long last he returned to the clearing. "Friend," the monkey cried, "you have returned!" "I have," the rabbit said sadly, "but I must ask you to do me a favor, dear friends. Please, Brother Monkey, will you gather firewood for me? And Brother Fox, with this firewood will you build a big fire?" The monkey and the fox ran off at once to do as their friend asked, and the beggar sat quietly by, watching in wonder. When the fire was blazing, the rabbit turned to the beggar. "I have nothing to offer you but myself," he said. "I am going to jump into the fire, and when I am roasted, please feast upon me. I cannot bear to see you go hungry." Rabbit bent his knees, preparing to jump into the fire. The beggar at once threw away his stick and cast off his cloak. He stood straight and tall and proud, and the animals, seeing this strange transformation, began to shake with fear. "Don’t be afraid," the Old Man said. "You see, Rabbit, I am more than a beggar, and I have seen that you are more than generous. Your kindness is beyond price, but you must understand, I wish you no harm. I do not want you to sacrifice yourself for my comfort. I will take you home with me, where I can watch over you and make sure you are never harmed." The Old Man in the Moon lifted the rabbit into his arms and carried him up to the moon. The monkey and the fox watched in amazement, but they were grateful, for they wished their friend no harm. If you look carefully at the moon when it is full and bright, you will see the rabbit living there in peace, resting in the Old Man's arms, helping him to watch over us all. Plant of the week: Raspberry Word of the week: Impress

Patti Breitman is director of the Marin Vegetarian Education Group and a co-founder of Dharma Voices for Animals. She is on the advisory council of the Animals & Society Institute, an effective not for profit organization that brings science and knowledge together with ethics and compassion. She has been a vegan since 1986 and has been teaching cooking classes for 15 years. Patti is the co-author of How To Say No Without Feeling Guilty and with Carol J. Adams of How To Eat Like a Vegetarian, Even If You Never Want to Be One. Find out more about Patti at: www.nevertoolatetogovegan.com