Sustainable Planet

Having laid out the fundamentals of Steady State and Degrowth, Part II of this segment explores why critics of the capitalist system advocate that these approaches are necessary both to achieve a sustainable planet and improve quality of life for people. Jorden and Kimberly consider where we see evidence of governments and communities applying Steady State and Degrowth approaches, with the hope of countering the ills of a broken system. Key Topics Jorden and Kimberly discuss include: How Jorden missed the fact that there is a thriving degrowth community lurking in his own backyard Why Congestion Charges promote sustainability without devolving into communism How local movements—from community gardens to ecovillages—challenge the underlying principles of capitalism Why the Fair Trade movement might be the best global-scale example of sustainability advocacy policy at work How one international agreement managed to revitalize a dying elephant population Recommended Resources Steady State’s organization page and more about Steady State The origins of Decroissance and more about Degrowth Community Land Trusts The Fair Trade Story video The Global Ecovillage Network and a list of ecovillages Kimberly’s Substack newsletter post

Economists and governments have long equated ‘development’ with ‘economic development’, ignoring the implications of pure economic pursuit. Now facing climate change and planetary resource exhaustion, Jorden and Kimberly consider how Steady State and Degrowth advocates strive to put ‘sustainable’ into ‘development’. Key Topics Jorden and Kimberly discuss include: Why Jorden hates Degrowth Why Kimberly hates the GDP measure How Steady State and Degrowth differ Why Degrowth isn’t communism, but a Japanese philosopher pushing to combine the two What kind of growth the GN and GS countries need Just how many varieties of Cheez-Its and Oreos we need What has come to define ‘the good life’ and why we should rethink it Recommended Resources Steady State’s organization page and more about Steady State The origins of Decroissance and more about Degrowth The World Economic Forum on Degrowth Kohei Saito’s ‘Degrowth Communism’ Kimberly’s Substack newsletter post

Part II of Circular Economy focuses on the ‘lifecycle’ of products, with the intention of minimizing resource use and waste. From major industry sectors to small companies, Jorden and Kimberly consider businesses serving as role models, along with a variety of ways governments, IGOs, NGOs, and MNCs can strive to implement circular economy production. Key Topics Jorden and Kimberly discuss include: Just how far we’re moving in the wrong direction when it comes circularity What Celestial Seasonings and Unilever, companies small and large, have to offer Why IKEA still deserves criticism, but at least they’re one of the more conscientious Why ‘small wins’ may be the ultimate path to sustainability Recommended Resources Deloitte’s extensive 2024 Circularity Gap Report Some industry examples of working toward a circular economy The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an early and avid advocate for circular economy  Bloomberg’s BNEF rankings for brand owners and plastics producers Check out Kimberly's interview with Akshat Rathi, author of Climate Capitalism, for more on Unilever's sustainability commitment Kimberly’s Substack newsletter post

Following up on landfills, planned obsolescence, and the right to repair, a circular economy offers a world where thoughtfully designed goods and their packaging result in practically no waste. Requiring a system overhaul unlikely to happen, in Part I of this segment on regenerative economy, Jorden and Kimberly focus on what we can take away from the challenges of shifting to a circular economy.   Key Topics Jorden and Kimberly discuss include: Just how many Rs we should be practicing How a circular economy is like an inverted pyramid connected to an inverted Q Why pursuing a circular economy is like replacing the entire hull of a ship at sea Why the world needs to reuse a whole lot more than the measly current 9% How waste streams around the world keep the system in stasis Why integrating a circular economy is unlikely to happen, but worth pursuing Recommended Resources About a circular economy, with visuals! About Germany’s Green Dot system and the Eurostat data The WEF details of a circular economy The ambitious 10 R’s of a circular economy The 7 pillars of the circular economy Kimberly’s Substack newsletter post

The first segment of our episode focused on how and why manufacturers intentionally design products into obsolescence. From hobbyists to environmentalists, a rising movement fights for the right to repair and modify their purchases, extending the life of their belongings. In Part II, Jorden and Kimberly consider how, despite corporate resistance, RTR advocates persist with community initiatives and a push for government intervention. Key Topics Jorden and Kimberly discuss include: Why "smart" appliances should be dumber How the increasing shortage of skilled repair labor benefits MNCs Why MNCs hate iFixit How community initiatives promote repair culture Why ‘you fix it’ equals ‘you break it’ for warranties How the economic pressures and unexpected free time of COVID renewed interest in DIY repairs Just how big the gap is between consumer needs and manufacturer support Recommended Resources About RTR  Stats on the lack of skilled labor for repair work Just how long Sweden’s been ahead in the RTR game The EU’s RTR Directive The US on RTR Interesting findings revealing the surprising costs of RTR Kimberly’s Substack newsletter post

Ever wondered why your grandparents' furniture is still standing while your furniture barely makes it through one move? In the capitalist competition to grow, corporations prioritize profits over durability. Following their episodes on landfills, Jorden and Kimberly consider why so much stuff ends up in the waste management stream. Part I begins the story in the 1920s, when lightbulb companies realized they were potentially sitting on a goldmine if they only made a few tweaks, starting the corporate trend of planned obsolescence. Key Topics Jorden and Kimberly discuss include: How one lightbulb made us believe we were being duped Why every industry does it, everyone knows they do, but they still get away with it Why no one is spared in the pursuit of obsolescence, even Henry Ford How many varieties of one product do we really need Whether it’s possible to enumerate how many strategies MNCs use to gain an edge How planned obsolescence fits right in with our disposable culture Why profit-driven design beats quality manufacturing almost every day, but some companies have bucked the trend and live to tell about it Recommended Resources About Planned Obsolescence  Practices in the computer industry that widely apply The environmental impact of planned obsolescence Your New $3,000 Couch Might Be Garbage in Three Years. This Is Why. Kimberly’s Substack newsletter post

Out of sight, out of mind is the way developed countries deal with the mountains of waste produced daily. But what happens after the trash can is emptied at the curb? In Part II of Landfills, Jorden and Kimberly dig into the many layers of landfill management and what happens when the site is filled to capacity. Key Topics Jorden and Kimberly discuss include: What invisible environmental threats lurk beneath our feet Why leachate is a dirty word The stark contrast between waste management capabilities in developed and developing countries Just how many protective layers make up a landfill How to power garbage trucks from captured methane emissions What to do with a retired landfill Recommended Resources The anatomy of a landfill Groundwater contamination and management   What to do with a retired landfill Or turn it into a solar farm   Kimberly’s Substack newsletter post

The statistics are shocking: Humans produce over 2 billion tons of waste annually, with a projected 45% increase in municipal waste over the next 25 years. Yet surprisingly, only 13% of urban waste is converted into energy, while 80% of landfill contents could potentially be recycled or composted. In Part 1 of Landfills, Jorden and Kimberly consider the sophisticated management of modern landfills. Key Topics Jorden and Kimberly discuss include: The profitable side of waste management Innovative waste-to-energy technologies Successful municipal initiatives making a difference Cultural differences in waste handling between North America and Europe How landfills can power vehicles Recommended Resources An armchair landfill visit video The EPA’s Municipal Solid Waste requirements The UN’s Municipal Solid Waste report The EPA’s waste data The UNEP’s waste report Criticisms of Waste-to-Energy conversion Kimberly’s Substack newsletter post

Explore where government, corporate, and organization interests clash and align over fish production. And don’t forget the little people: Millions of consumers depend on small-scale fisheries for jobs and food. Wade into Part II of aquaculture with Jorden and Kimberly to consider the challenges of sustainably producing seafood, whether it’s farmed or wild-caught. Key Topics Jorden and Kimberly discuss include: Why multiple sustainability standards and labels add to the complexities How competition between NGOs hampers presenting a united front How corporations like Cargill and Mowi dominate the aquaculture industry Why small-scale fisheries are integral to the equation How Global South countries attempt to balance economic growth with sustainable aquatic farming Recommended Resources The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Guide to how and where to find sustainability-sourced seafood  WorldFish Center    The Global Salmon Initiative The Aquaculture Stewardship Council    The FAO’s 2024 Report on the aquaculture industry Global aquaculture production statistics Kimberly’s Substack newsletter post

Not long after agriculture was domesticated, aquaculture emerged. This multi-billion-dollar industry is expanding to meet growing demand. Dominated by Asian countries, aquaculture production threatens Blue Carbon Zones from Chile to Egypt, Australia to Mexico. In Part I of this episode, Jorden and Kimberly consider how aquaculture is a threat to the planet, but can be the key to sustainable freshwater and saltwater food production.   Key Topics Jorden and Kimberly discuss include: How to save a fishing industry from total collapse Why not all farmed fish is spawned equally How a Japanese university beat the odds on tuna ranching Why the sustainability issues aquaculture faces aren’t far from those for agriculture Why aquaculture might be the best way to promote ocean and freshwater conservation Recommended Resources The FAO’s 2024 Report on the aquaculture industry Global aquaculture production statistics Africa’s aquaculture leader, interestingly, in a 2025 Foreign Service Report by the US Dept. of Agriculture Kimberly’s Substack newsletter post

The first segment on Mangroves focused on the vital role of mangroves, why they’re often overlooked, and the main contributing factors jeopardizing this ecosystem. In Part II, Jorden and Kimberly discuss who’s working to protect—and in some cases revitalize mangroves, by delving into the challenges that abound in protecting Blue Carbon zones. To succeed, corporate and grassroots sustainability initiatives need to be bolstered by robust intergovernmental standards. Key Topics Jorden and Kimberly discuss include: Why mangroves should be featured on every NGO’s annual freebie calendar Whether carbon trading is a valuable market instrument or just enables more polluting Why the UN’s Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) has a huge stake in mangrove conservation Indonesia’s realization that 8 million acres of mangroves is worth a lot more alive than deforested Why corporations are investing in mangrove conservation—and it’s not just for a philanthropy tax write-off Which came first: The Blue Man Group or the Blue Carbon Group? Recommended Resources All things carbon trading and mangroves From the Blue Carbon Group to Global Mangrove Alliance to the Mangrove Action Project, plenty of NGOs work to conserve and educate Just how endowed Indonesia is with mangroves and what they’re doing about it Kimberly’s Substack newsletter post

Celebrating the One Year Anniversary of the podcast, Jorden and Kimberly turn their attention to the amazing, yet underappreciated mangroves forests.  Remarkable coastal ecosystems that can capture 5 times more CO2 than rainforests, mangroves provide a powerful defense against climate change and coastal erosion in over 120 countries. Changing up the format, Sustainable Planet will drop weekly, covering topics in two parts. Part I focuses on the vital role of mangroves, why they’re often overlooked, and the main contributing factors jeopardizing this ecosystem. Key Topics Jorden and Kimberly discuss include: Why rainforests get all the glamour while mangroves do the heavier lifting Just how many amazing attributes this marine ecosystem has What the biggest threats to mangrove conservation are How much more money mangrove conservation reaps than deforestation (to the tune of $80,000 per hectare!) How mangroves affect everyone’s well-being—no matter how long it takes to reach the beach Recommended Resources NOAA’s CoastalBlue Carbon assessment and conservation How mangrove conservation in Acapulco would have mitigated the effects of Hurricane Otis Mangrove deforestation in Southeast Asia For those new to carbon trading, a summary and an entire Sustainable Planet episode on the Cap & Trade System by your favorite podcasters Kimberly’s Substack newsletter post Episode Transcript Kimberly Welcome to our celebratory one -year anniversary episode of Sustainable Planet. I'm political scientist Kimberly Weir and my co -host is Jordan Dye, a guy who knows an awful lot about sustainability issues. With Earth Day approaching, hopefully sustainability is on more people's minds. Anyone paying attention knows we should save the rainforests. But what about mangroves, an even more vital ecosystem? But Jordan, I bet you've heard about mangroves long before I even suggested this topic.   Jorden I got really excited when you suggested this topic, Kimberly. And I have a little bit of a long and random story into this, so bear with me. But my discovery of mangroves started a long time ago with Bjorn Lumberg and his obsession with the idea of building dikes everywhere to protect from coastal erosion and rising sea levels. It was an easy solution. And I was young enough that I was like, well, it sounds reasonable. Like, why are we not doing this then? And it was the start of a fundamental lesson for me in climate change, which is if somebody is saying there's a super simple, reasonable way to fix this massive problem, then everyone has already looked into it because no one is passing up the super simple solutions. And I often think of a quote from Alexis de Tocqueville in Democracy in America, a false but clear and precise idea always has more power in the world than one which is true and complex. And I think that can be used in so much, but especially here. The funny thing is, as I looked into dykes and found out that they couldn't be built around a lot of small developing islands because of either coastline features or cost, and that they just don't work in a lot of places, it led me to find out that we already had something that worked, mangroves. And a lot of our discussion around that is going to be around we don't need to engineer a new crazy solution. We need to protect and enhance the natural solution that's doing it so well.   Kimberly Yeah, instead of destroying it. The thing is, is it mangroves? This is a topic that I regularly introduced to my classes when I was teaching introduction to international relations, because it's multifaceted, right? It's an environmental issue, but it's got economic implications. It's got human rights implications. It's got environment. Also, it's like, you know, like health implications. Yeah, I was gonna say world health implications and also even security implications, right? So across the board, it hit on all of these international general issues. And I would start out oftentimes the class by using this. And for the longest time, one or two people would raise their hands to say they knew what mangroves were before we started talking about them in class, like almost out of classes of 45 students. As time has gone on I've seen a little bit more like of an increase in the number of people who are familiar with them. But generally speaking, still, it was quite a minority. And so my joke was always, you know, like they're the less sexy thing. When you think about what's going to make the calendar for the environmental cause, is it going to be the, you know, multicolored, awesome looking frogs or birds? Or is it going to be the bland looking, unless you know what you're looking at, mangroves, mangrove forests?   Jorden No, exactly. And I think that even amongst a lot of people I know, you know, other ecosystems such as you mentioned forests already, but even wetlands tend to get a lot more focus and people know about them. And I think it reflects a weird view because, I mean, mangroves are found in 121 of the 195 countries globally. They are pervasive. I mean, their distribution is concentrated, right? I mean, 40 % of all global mangroves are found in just four countries, Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria, and Mexico. It's surprising there's dispersion and how most countries have an example of them, but people have no idea about them in their own ecosystems.   Kimberly Well, and it's their tropical and subtropical forests. So a lot of times they're not really in, we don't see them nearly as prevalent in global north countries. It's the global south countries, developing countries, emerging economies, but the continent of Australia has got a lot of mangroves too, right? So you sort of see that, but mostly the attention is just, we hadn't gotten a lot of attention because for example, in the United States, where a lot of the mangroves were, was Florida. And they were all ripped out because people wanted long stretches of sandy beaches. They didn't want mosquitoes, right? All of those things that the reasons why the mangroves are there are all of the problems Florida is having now in terms of beach erosion and having to try to shore up during tropical storms because they've lost that natural barrier protection. And also just the biodiversity that was just off in the process of this. And so when it comes to these tropical and subtropical forests, another thing that goes along with them is the fact that they also protect the seaweed and the sea grasses and the salty marshes that are in the same brackish areas, which are also really great because these are carbon sinks. These are blue carbon areas. And these are so important. We talk about, everybody hears about. Blue zones for supposedly that these are the healthiest people in the world where these are in fact blue zones, legitimate blue zones. These blue carbons, areas that are carbon sinks that capture and sequester basically and store more CO2 than rainforest do. And that's what really started to get people's attention in my classes was that they had no idea that these trap three to five times more CO2 emissions than rainforest do. They'll reinforce get all the attention.   Jorden And I think this is actually where you see it reflected in the scientific literature over the last 15 years. Mangroves have a lot of attention in the scientific literature because of their recognized importance. It hasn't translated to the broader public. And on the carbon point, I want to put this in context for people. So I was trying to find different comparisons. And I think the best one was in a single square mile of mangroves, they remove and sequester roughly the same emission as 90 ,000 cars. So when we and I want to put this in context for, you know, North American audience. So when you're looking at Florida and the destruction there, this is even finding out. So I was like, oh, there's 800 square miles of mangroves still left in Florida, very dispersed and fractured and being lost. And seeing how much of that is what was there even a decade ago is sad. But let's looking at that 800 square miles that you have the capacity to annually remove and store the equivalent of 72 million cars. which is roughly 25 % of America's total commercial and personal vehicle fleet in what is just remaining. So like the actual carbon impact of these areas is just massive. And I really like 25 % of all personal and commercial and passenger vehicles. I don't think that there's very few other natural processes that are in concentrated areas that I can point to that have that level of impact.   Kimberly And that's the thing is that. The rainforests got a lot of attention, and rightly so, because they are also really important. And they were being deforested, cut down at a breakneck speed rate for the hardwoods that they harvest and all of the other. There are an awful lot of renewable resources in rainforests. And as countries were sort of persuaded, and that was why, you know, 1994, that's why the UNEP had its sustainable development. meeting in Rio de Janeiro was to draw attention to that, to say, hey, we need to have more attention because Brazil's rainforest, one of the biggest places with rainforest was just being cut down at really high rate. And that was actually turned around and doing really well for a while. And then when Bolsonaro came in, he reversed everything. But now that Lulu's back in power again, like that's been reversed again. So it's hopeful again.   Jorden It's hopeful, but I think it really drives to how short -term politics can have massive long -term consequences on some of these issues, right?   Kimberly Yes, for certain.   Jorden You mentioned biodiversity. And one of the things that I thought is the coolest about these, and I got really excited when we were going to talk about it, is that just by their nature, like the mangroves themselves represent one of the most interesting forms of biodiversity on the planet because they are all specialized

Some people have to think about it on a daily basis. The more fortune only think about it when a pipe bursts, there’s a drought warning, during a natural disaster, or if a contamination story hits the news. The reality is that freshwater supplies are dwindling, affecting everyone regardless of their personal situation. Jorden and Kimberly discuss the biggest threats, types of freshwater, the viability of alternative sources of potable water, the true cost of clean water, and who’s working to improve water security for the planet. Key Topics Jorden and Kimberly discuss include: Some mind-blowing stats about water availability, usage, pollution, and fresh drinking water Whether Fiji should export its freshwater Why not all freshwater needs to be potable to be usable What accounts for the biggest ‘water footprint’ trades How most of the world’s freshwater is used Why tap water in developed countries is invariably safer to drink than bottled water How at-risk countries cope with potable water shortages Just how sustainable alternative water solutions actually are Recommended Resources Extensive UN 2018 review on water pollution from agriculture The UN’s Report on Freshwater Issues All about the UN World Water Forum Why WASH is worth supporting US EPA Water Funding 2024 Report A telling water scarcity map Kimberly’s Substack newsletter post

The 5-Year Anniversary of the Coronavirus lockdown prompted consideration of the single-use disposable packaging situation. Convenience for the consumer and lower costs for the manufacturer backed us into an ecological hole. Focusing on the food industry, Jorden and Kimberly discuss the shift from a much more sustainable system of reuse to one of discard. From Kraft Singles and Lunchables, fast food and junk food, coffee runs and booze bombs, consumers are spoiled by modern conveniences. But the trade-off for eating on the run is heaps and tons of petroleum-based, disposable packaging. Despite the shocking statistics for single-use wrappers and containers, cups and lids, straws and stirrers, convenience is king. A variety of innovative biobased packaging solutions offer hope, but require supply chain changes that may prove too unappealing to MNCs without government dictates. Key Topics Jorden and Kimberly discuss include: How we became a ‘throw-away’ culture Why convenience dictates packaging Why the only sustainable way forward is to integrate alternative packaging Why integrating alternative packaging is an uphill battle, despite the multitude of benefits of biobased packaging What fast-food companies are doing to reduce single-use packaging Yet more ways that travel is a nightmare for the environment What we can do to reduce our dependence without giving up convenience Recommended Resources Susan Freinkel’s Plastic: A Toxic Love Story- Dated, but still worth the read A little history of disposables and a longer one Some fast food company packaging waste reduction strategies Kimberly’s Substack newsletter post

The results of a media search would have anyone believe that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are the worst things ever created, science experiments designing crops that destroy human health and the planet. Instead, the global food system is far more complex than the claim that conventionally-grown crops (a.k.a. GMOs) are Frankenfoods and organic crops will save the day. Key Topics Jorden and Kimberly discuss include: How the methods farmers have used since the domestication of agriculture morphed into GMO production How corporations gave genetically modified crops a bad name Which claims about organic farming are overblown or legitimate Whether to believe nutritional claims about organic produce Why Asians have the Green Revolution to thank for development Why monocropping is rotten, even if the crops are organic Why organic crops will never be able to feed the global population How the race to the bottom is the biggest enemy of the global food system Recommended Resources The Mayo Clinic’s take on organics Are Organic Foods Really More Nutritious? The USDA’s attempt to standardize organic certification Why farmers choose GMO crops A bit dated, but systematic policy review of GMOs A video on bioengineering of food Kimberly’s Substack newsletter post