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In this podcast series Michael Lake, President and CEO of Leading Cities, speaks with a variety of thought leaders from visionary companies providing actionable solutions to major issues plaguing cities today. These issues range from air pollution to cyber-attacks to infectious disease and more. Michael dives into the inspiration behind each company and how they see themselves evolving in the coming years. This series will equip you with a plethora of valuable knowledge, and if nothing else, enjoy Michael’s amazing Boston accent.
91 Episodes
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On December 5th, 1933, the 21st amendment of The U.S. Constitution was ratified, effectively ending Prohibition in the United States. 90 years later, alcohol has become a well-studied substance with universally accepted quantities for what constitutes a single drink. But recently, there’s been a new player in town. Cannabis. Across the United States, widespread legalization of marijuana has hurtled our country into uncharted territory. In 2018, more than 12 million Americans admitted to drivi...
In the time it took you to brush your teeth this morning, there were over 900 calls placed to 911 emergency services in the United States alone. But would you believe that out of these 900 calls made, almost 300 of them were either non-emergencies or complete butt dials? Unfortunately, within the past couple years, the coronavirus pandemic has spurred an increase in call volume to emergency services, while simultaneously introducing a myriad of understaffing issues. In fact, 77% of public-saf...
When was the last time you had a meal? Maybe it was a quick granola bar before work, or possibly you’re eating some lunch right now. Whatever the case may be, I bet you didn’t realize that you were consuming a resource that, in about 40 years, will be as precious as gold. It has been estimated that, in order to keep up with the current population growth, humans will need to produce more food in the next 40 years than in the previous 10,000 years combined. But here’s the kicker. If we increase...
Just a few decades ago, the concept of unmanned aerial vehicles, or, as you may know them: drones, was a reality confined only to science fiction films and comic books. In fact, if you told someone just 30 years ago that there are over 900,000 drones registered in the United States, with over half of them being used for recreational use, they’d probably look at you like you were crazy. But the truth is, unmanned aerial vehicles are quickly becoming a close companion to the concept of smart ci...
When it comes to our plumbing, we usually take an out-of-sight, out-of-mind approach. Once we don’t see it anymore, we don’t think about it anymore - but for the waste that we put in our drains and plumbing systems, the initial flush is only the beginning of its journey. After flowing through mazes of pipes below our cities, waste ends up at a sewage treatment site, where tanks and aerators process the waste into byproducts. But want to hear a dirty little secret? These byproducts can contain...
Potholes: the modern car driver’s worst enemy. How many times have YOU hit a pothole just a little too hard, eyes darting to the dashboard, hoping and praying that you don’t see that flat tire light blink on? In the U.S alone, there are reportedly 220 million flat tires that happen every year on our roadways, posing a risk to the driver and everyone around them. Flat tires aren’t the only threat: heartbreakingly, traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for both Australians and Americ...
The first ever solar panel cell was created more than eighty years ago: and like many other innovations, it was created by pure accident. Yet since then, those signature rectangular structures can be spotted on the roofs of houses and buildings all over the world. In fact, the number of US solar panel installations is 23 times higher today than in 2014. While this is a clear win for environmental sustainability, it remains near impossible to measure and manage one’s clean energy consumption w...
A recent study in Texas found that, in local governmental elections, the first name listed on the ballot earns an average of ten percentage points more than the last name on the ballot. This is no coincidence, as it turns out that many voters simply chose a random name if they’re unfamiliar with a particular election. With an average of only 19% of eligible voters casting a vote in their local elections at all, municipal governments rely that much more heavily on those who do vote. It has bec...
Is your office building suffering from a cold? As strange as this sounds, Sick Building Syndrome is a serious and legitimate problem that can be found in buildings, like your very own corporate office. The culprit of this sickness? Tiny, invisible, airborne pathogens. These tiny villains cause infections, illnesses, and overall reduced productivity in the office. It’s not just your office that’s in danger though. In the hotel industry, a tiny bacteria called Legionella is commonly detected in...
With more carbon dioxide in our atmosphere than at any time in human history, and sea levels rising faster than ever before, it is clear our world is facing a global climate crisis. Despite our urgency, did you know that over two thirds of businesses have reported having no plan for sustainability? With small businesses comprising over 99% of all businesses in both the US and UK, their participation is critical in making a significant environmental impact. Corporate social responsibilit...
Did you know that over 80% of Chinese medicine products suffer from severe quality control issues? with the Hong Kong market for Chinese medicines accounting for over 3.7 billion US dollars, we are in desperate need of a solution to standardize the Chinese pharmaceutical industrySupport the Show.
More than 10% of the world’s population goes to bed undernourished every single day. Unfortunately, with the threat of a complete climate crisis on our horizon, it is that same group of people who are at the highest risk of starvation.Support the Show.
Did you know, for example, that 92% of the world's largest lower-middle income cities don’t have mapped public transit routes? And with over two billion people within these cities relying entirely on public transport, we desperately require a solution that will empower those in emerging-market cities to safely, confidently, and more accurately navigate their streets.Support the Show.
As the sun dips and the city’s streets are plunged into darkness, you can almost always count on the glow of street lights to provide a sense of safety until your final destination. Yet with over 230 million street lights around the world in use every single night, the total energy consumption certainly adds up. In fact, roughly 40% of a city’s total energy costs can be traced back to its street lights. For this reason, street lights have become the entry point for smart city technology adopt...
Despite this massive number, less than 20 percent of the waste will be properly recycled. This is partially due to the complexity of the modern waste system, with material being moved locally, nationally and internationally with no true structure or transparency.Support the Show.
Did you know that more than half of all public buses in the world don’t have space for a single wheelchair? For those with disabilities, transportation can become a daunting task, as even a short distance to travel can present a myriad of obstacles to the destinationSupport the Show.
A recent study found that 89% of people would be encouraged to purchase an electric vehicle if they could access a parking space with a charger. However, as of right now, public charging in many cities is unreliable and inconvenient, and is in desperate need of transformation.Support the Show.
In 2021 alone, housefires and wildfires accounted for 1.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. We are in desperate need of technology that can more accurately identify and extinguish fires before it is too lateSupport the Show.
In 2019 alone, 3.5 billion gallons of fuel were wasted due to traffic congestion in the US, leading to more than 36 million tons of excess greenhouse gasses. We now must ask ourselves how existing road infrastructure can be more efficiently used to avoid traffic congestion.Support the Show.
The concept of urban forestry has become increasingly paramount, in fact, just one mature tree can sequester 22 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Today we present a solution to support the built greenery of our cities.Support the Show.
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