What does it mean to be a Small Planet Hero? In this pilot, co-hosts Kai Chan (professor and Canada Research Chair at UBC) and Clare Price (UBC graduate student in soundscapes and urban transformation) pull back the curtain on the vision behind the podcast.

They dive into the origins of the show’s name, the idea of our “small planet,” and why being a hero isn’t about capes or perfection- it’s about purpose, power, and finding our unique place in driving systems change.

This season, you’ll hear from a range of impactful figures, some of whom are household names and others whose work tends to happen behind the scenes, but whose stories are just as transformative. Together, these voices help us imagine and build a better small planet for everyone.

Links to things we talked about:

Kai’s idea of Critical Ingredients

Ayana Elizabeth Johnson Climate Action Venn Diagram

Kai’s TEDxSurrey Talk: Special Agents, Rubik’s Cubes, and How to Solve the Climate Crisis

Disney’s “It’s A Small World”

False Creek Friends