Sustainability Unplugged
Our goal is to empower sustainable choices in ourselves and everyone listening.
Episodes
60 episodes
Climate Talk 101: Listening, Values, and Real-World Impact
Talking about climate change doesn’t have to feel awkward, overwhelming, or argumentative. In this episode of Sustainability Unplugged, we break down how to have more effective, values-driven conversations about climate change—especial...
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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56:03
Climate-Positive Chocolate: A Conversation with Alter Eco
In this episode, we sit down with the CEO of Alter Eco Foods — the climate-committed chocolate company leading the charge on dynamic agroforestry, fair-trade supply chains, and plastic-free packaging. We dig into how Alter Eco is reinvent...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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44:23
Bah Humbug to Holiday Waste
This week, we’re deep in the holiday season and unpacking all things gift-giving—the good, the wasteful, and the wonderfully creative. We walk through simple swaps, mindful mindset shifts, and tons of low-impact ideas to help you choose gift...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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1:07:36
Good News Only
It’s our favorite episode of the year — the Annual Good Things Roundup — where we celebrate the wins, wonders, and wildly hopeful moments happening across the planet. From renewable energy surpassing coal for the first time in history and the U...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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33:19
Pumpernickel Pepperoni: A Vegan Adventure for the Planet
Come along as we explore the environmental impact of going vegan, from carbon emissions and water use to the surprising footprint behind foods like avocados and mushrooms.We also share our real-life experiences trying vegan dis...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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1:00:16
A Chat with Open Wardrobe’s Julia Dietmar
This week on Sustainability Unplugged, we dive into the world of sustainable fashion with Julia Dittmer, co-founder and CEO of Open Wardrobe — an AI-powered platform redefining how we use what’s already in our closets.Julia sha...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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53:52
Earth’s First Environmentalists: Indigenous Wisdom for a Changing Climate
This week, we honor Indigenous Peoples Day and Native American Heritage Month by exploring how Indigenous communities have long led the way in sustainable living. From “good fire” forest management and Zuni waffle gardens to seed stewardship an...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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47:16
The Scary Truth: Medical Waste
It’s spooky season — and this year, we’re talking about something scarier than ghosts or goblins: medical waste. From used needles and old bandages to expired meds and hospital gowns, the healthcare industry produces m...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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53:15
The Power of Trees: Cooling Cities and Fighting Climate Change
What’s the connection between solar panels, tree shade, and climate change? In this episode of Sustainability Unplugged, we explore the surprising role of tree cover in cooling our cities, reducing energy use, and fighting climate chan...
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Season 2
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Episode 51
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50:55
The Wild Energy Grid
October is Energy Awareness Month, and what better way to celebrate than by pulling back the curtain on the system that powers our lives—the U.S. energy grid. From your morning coffee to your late-night Netflix binge, ...
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Season 2
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Episode 50
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1:02:34
Greener on Game Day: Tailgating Without the Trash
Football season means tailgates, grilling, and lots of fun — but it can also mean mountains of waste. In this episode of Sustainability Unplugged, we break down how to keep the tailgate traditions you love while minimizing your environ...
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Season 2
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Episode 49
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34:23
A Song for the Earth
What if poetry could help us see the Earth — and ourselves — in a new way? This week, we sit down with author Shannon Jade to talk about her powerful new book, A Song for the Earth. Through poetry and story, Shannon takes us on a journey...
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Season 2
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Episode 48
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55:53
The Sustainable School Supply List
Back-to-school season doesn’t have to mean wasteful shopping sprees and mountains of plastic packaging. In this episode, we explore practical ways families, students, and teachers can make eco-friendly swaps—from reusing last year’s supplies to...
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Season 2
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Episode 47
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43:24
Small Jar, Big Impact: Zero Waste Week 2025
We’re kicking off Season 2 with a challenge: Could you fit a week’s worth of trash into a single jar? Every September, people around the world take part in Zero Waste Week, a grassroots campaign started in 2008 by Rachelle Strauss after ...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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38:19
One Year Greener
It’s a wrap on Season 1! In this special milestone episode, we reflect on what a full year of podcasting has meant to us — from the personal changes we’ve made, to the hilarious moments that made us laugh-cry while editing. We’re diving into ou...
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Season 1
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Episode 45
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53:29
Climate Change Unhinged
We’re melting down—literally and figuratively. In this slightly unhinged episode, we dive into the chaos that is climate change. From ancient volcanoes and woolly mammoths to carbon and fast fashion, we unpack how huma...
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Season 1
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Episode 44
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46:42
Peas, Love and Urban Farming
In this episode, we dig into our experience on the Urban Farm Tour, hosted by Cultivate KC, where we visited five inspiring local farms, gardens, and co-ops that are changing the way Kansas City grows, eats, and connects. From buzzing bees t...
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Season 1
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Episode 43
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57:21
Lettuce Be Local
This week, we’re digging into the world of local food systems—because it turns out eating strawberries from down the road might be more revolutionary than you think. From farmers markets to rooftop farms, we’re exploring what it really means to...
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Season 1
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Episode 42
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39:47
The Fast Food Footprint
Fast food might be quick and cheap, but it comes with a heaping side of packaging waste. In this episode, we unwrap the environmental impact of fast food packaging—from the millions of tons of waste created by global giants like McDonald's to t...
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Season 1
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Episode 41
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55:09
Death at 40
Death comes for us all—but what happens after we go is surprisingly full of choices. In this episode, we dig (pun fully intended) into the many ways people exit this earthly realm, from the conventional to the composta...
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Season 1
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Episode 40
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56:40
Trash Talk
In this episode, we dive deep into our trash—literally. Inspired (we think?) by one of the many podcasts we listen to, we spent a full week tracking everything we threw away. From donut bags and mac & cheese pouches to mystery pillow pie...
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Season 1
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Episode 39
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46:17
Built to Fail
Are today’s appliances and electronics built to last—or to fail? In this episode, we break down the trend of shrinking lifespans in products like refrigerators, washing machines, and even cell phones. From the solid, steel-built machines of the...
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Season 1
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Episode 38
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33:14
Eco-Capitalism: Climate Solution or Corporate Mirage?
Is capitalism the villain or the unexpected hero of the climate story? In this episode, we unpack the complicated world of eco-capitalism — also known as environmental or green capitalism — where companies commodify climate action and ...
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Season 1
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Episode 37
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48:07