Topic: Culture

[ Episode #51 // Culture of Dying ]

The globally dominant culture is suffering from an economic, ecological and social crisis that has deeper roots than failing budgets and environmental degradation. Do we have a role to play if our culture is headed towards its eventual death? Though our economic system has trained us to be needy, can we approach these challenges as if we were needed?

In Extraenvironmentalist #51 we speak with Stephen Jenkinson about our cultural difficulty with death. Stephen draws on lessons learned from decades of working with death to describe how we can frame our civilization's trajectory. We ask how to find sanity in a time of alienation and if we can be a human in difficult circumstances. Stephen describes the distinct jobs given to us as our family members die. Also, John Michael Greer joins us briefly to talk about the death of Western culture.

You can stream Griefwalker, the film made about Stephen's work.

// Music (in order of appearance)

Van She - Don't Fear the Reaper via The Fader
Kaki King - Bowen Island via KCRW
Trails and Ways - Animal (Miike Snow Cover) via IndieShuffle
Elle Goulding - Anything Could Happen (Blood Diamonds Remix) via Salacious Sound
Crystal Fighters - At Home (Passion Pit Remix) via Fist In the Air

// Extended Clips (in order of appearance)

[Break] - 40m
John Michael Greer speaks on death

// Production Credits
Kevin via Sustainable Guidance Youtube Channel

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[ Episode #48 // Urban Minds ]

Human populations have lived a rural lifestyle through most of history, depending on agriculture or hunting and gathering. As abundant oil reserves fueled the rise of modern civilization, urban life grew along with it. In 1800 only 3% of the world's population lived in cities, in 1900 that number reached 14% which increased to 30% in 1950. The majority of our species became urban in 2008 as more than half of humans are now living in cities. Because of petroleum powered agriculture we've supplanted increasingly more humans from food production into other activities. With the exhaustion of our biosphere and the end of cheap oil can we draw on examples from cities of the past to shape the human population centers of the future? Will lessons before economic growth provide a context for life after growth?

In Extraenvironmentalist #48 we speak with archaeologist Paul Sinclair about the Urban Mind project. Paul discusses a new field of archaeological research that is discovering the role of urban gardening throughout history and during wartime in ancient cities. We ask Paul about the role of cities in shaping the way humans think and he tells us how he survived a food crisis in Mozambique. After discussing a world before economic growth, Donnie Maclurcan of the Post Growth Institute tells us how we can start building a post-growth world [1h 14m]. Donnie describes the benefits of asset mapping your community and why you should participate in Free Money Day on September 15th. Last of all, John Michael Greer joins us [1h 58m] to answer listener questions and to talk about David Korowicz's FEASTA study, Trade Off: A Study in Global Systemic Collapse which details how a cascading collapse could lead to rapid end for the global supply chain.


// Music (in order of appearance)
Agnes Obel - Katie Cruel (Feltman & Badutski Remix) via Et Musique Pour Tous
Stevie Wonder - Living for the City (Reflex Stems Revision) via Bandcamp
The Vaccines - The Winner Takes It All (Abba Cover)
via The Pop Sucker
Visitor - Coming Home (Lifelike Remix) via Harder Blogger Faster
Abba - Money, Money (Sebastian Sas Remode) via Soundcloud
Neil Young - Old Man (Sound Remedy Remix) via Et Musique Pour Tous

// Extended Clips (in order of appearance)
[Break] - 32m
Bill Rees speaking at the Vancouver Urban Forum
Ed Glaeser speaking at the Vancouver Urban Forum

[End]
Peter Victor at the Montreal Degrowth Conference

// Production Credits
Kevin M. via Sustainable Guidance Youtube Channel

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[ Episode #44 // Evolving Innovation ]

Our understanding of innovation has been shaped by decades of growth in the rate by which we can extract environmental resources. Now that conventional oil reserves are no longer flowing as readily, what does this do to how our modern civilization thinks about innovation? Do the innovations of the future involve faster processors and further advances is silicon materials or will it encompass something entirely different? Can we achieve sustainability through innovating?

In Extraenvironmentalist #44 we discuss the archeology of innovation with Sander van der Leeuw to learn how our complex societies have shifted short-term risks to long-term risks through the application of technologies. Sander explains how our complex societies developed and describes why our previous models of innovation may not address issues of sustainability. We ask if the genius factor can have a role in developing the breakthroughs necessary to preserve our species or if we'll need to look for other models of development. Then, we travel to Salt Spring Island, BC to meet Amy and Larry who innovated in low-energy models of living by living off the grid for fourteen years in California.


// Music (in order of appearance)
C2C - Mack the Knife (Tribute to Louis Armstrong)  via Soundcloud
The Mynabirds - Body of Work via Stereogum
Santigold - The Keepers via Pretty Much Amazing
Hacienda - Don't Turn Out the Lights via The Eargazm
I Am Oak - On Trees and Birds and Fire via Soundcloud
Clams Casino - Swervin (Remix) via Stereogum
Phaeleh - Orchid via Soundcloud
Arcade Fire - Sprawl II (Damian Taylor Remix) via Soundcloud
C2C - Down the Road via Soundcloud

// Extended Clips (in order of appearance)
[Break]
Sander van der Leeuw

[End]
Nipun Metha - Designing for Generosity

// Production Credits
Production Assistance  | Kevin at the Sustainable Guidance Youtube Channel
Cover art via creative commons license

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[ Episode #42 // Green Illusions ]

We've imagined for several decades that in an ideal energy future we'll have solar panels on every building and wind turbines accompanying the corn on rural farmland. Yet, is our energy context ready for photovoltaic modules and wind generated electricity? Who doesn't love the idea of harvesting solar energy that would just hit the planet whether we use it or not? Will renewable energy technologies replace our oil infrastructure or will environmentalists need to tackle many other issues before we should even start talking about renewable energy?

In Extraenvironmentalist #42 we hear from Ozzie Zehner about his new book Green Illusions which discusses the ecological impacts of manufacturing a renewable energy future. Ozzie tells us about his research into the stories of renewable energy technologies such as solar photovoltaics and wind turbines. Are solar panels on a rapidly decreasing cost curve? Do wind turbines reduce carbon emissions of electricity generation? We also ask Ozzie what environmentalists should advocate for if they aren't pushing for renewable energy.


 

// Music (in order of appearance)
Princeton - Grand Rapids (RAC Remix)  via RAC Soundcloud Page
Elliot Yamin - Let's Get to What's Real via ThatEricAlper Soundcloud Page
Joe Bataan - Es Tu Costa (It's Your Thing) via Funky16Corners
Bodies of Water - Like a Stranger via Icarus & Occident
Dolly Parton - House of The Rising Sun (Apollo Zero's Dolly House of Remix) via Apollo Zero

// Extended Clips (in order of appearance)
[1st Break] - 34m
Obama on Renewable Energy
Rep. Inslee floor statement on American optimism and renewable energy jobs
Mark Jacobson - Renewable Energy is Now
Alan Grais on Renewable Energy from the Montreal Degrowth Conference on an upcoming Vimeo video
Windfall Trailer
T. Boone Pickens
Obama on Winning the Future - Renewable Energy

[2nd Break] - 1h05m
Juliet Schor on working less from the Montreal Degrowth Conference

[End]
Jiddu Krishnamurti on Technology

//Production Credits
Production Assistance  | Kevin at the Sustainable Guidance Youtube Channel

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