In My Ears
A few of my favorite podcast episodes
On Being with Krista Tippett:
23 March 2023
Janine Benyus
Biomimicry, an Operating Manual for Earthlings
There is a quiet, redemptive story of our time in this conversation — a radical way of approaching the gravest of our problems by attending to how original vitality functions. Biomimicry takes the natural world as mentor and teacher — for, as Janine Benyus puts it, “we are surrounded by geniuses.” Nature solves problems and performs what appear to us as miracles in every second, all around: running on sunlight, fitting form to function, recycling everything, relentlessly “creating conditions conducive to life.” Janine launched this way of seeing and imagining as a field with her 1997 book, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. Today she teaches and consults with all kinds of projects and organizations, including major corporations, as you’ll hear.
Welcome to this unfolding parallel universe in our midst, which might just shift the way you see almost everything about our possible futures.
There's something about the sound of walking along a pebble beach. The sound will transfix you...allow yourself to be transported with this 4 minute walking meditation. Brought to you by Audio Love, a newsletter that brings together sound and word.
Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness
12 July 2023
Last week, Earth hit record-high temperatures—three times. We’re feeling the heat of climate change, literally, and it’s f*cking scary. To help us handle this moment, we’re re-releasing an episode from our archives, with Dekila Chungyalpa. She joins Jonathan to discuss how she confronts climate change disinterest and skepticism, and why she’s bringing the sacred back into science.
Dekila Chungyalpa is the founder and director of the Loka Initiative, a capacity building and outreach platform at the University of Wisconsin – Madison for faith leaders and culture keepers of Indigenous traditions who work on environmental and climate issues. She received the prestigious Yale McCluskey Award in 2014 for her work and moved to the Yale School of Environmental Studies as an associate research scientist, where she researched, lectured and designed the prototype for what is now the Loka Initiative. Dekila is originally from the Himalayan state of Sikkim in India and is of Bhutia origin.
Factually! With Adam Conover
19 November 2019
The Extraordinary History of the Disability Rights Movement with Judy Heumann
Disability rights activist, Judy Heumann, joins Adam this week to discuss the mentality shift and history of disability rights and the Americans with Disabilities Act, acts of protest and the Ugly Laws.
Adam Ruins Everything:
26th April 2017
Episode 25: Bud Hammes on Why Talking About Death Is Life-Changing
Bud Hammes joins us on today’s episode to discuss his work with advanced care planning – the idea that as we get older, we should have discussions with our doctors and our loved ones on how we want to end our lives. Having such systems in place not only gives us control over our deaths but it also clarifies our final wishes for our family and friends.
Bud is one of the foremost thought leaders on advanced care planning. In his hometown of La Crosse, Wisconsin alone, some 96 percent of people who die there have some sort of advance directive. On the episode, Adam and Bud discuss what constitutes a ‘good death’, the potential misuses of these planning processes, and its success in La Crosse and cities across the country.
Take that new year energy and boost your accountability, activism, emotional health and career goals with advice from some very wise women. Featuring Sabrina Hersi Issa, Sister District co-founder Lyzz Schwegler, friend of the podcast Virgie Tovar, and Shondaland's Jenn Romolini.
This episode completely changed how I think about goal setting and financial planning. I set aside a "monthly 1-on-1" with myself on the first Monday of the month to check in. Sabrina set an excellent framework!