Waste Not WHY Not

Nature N8 calculates his carbon footprint and shops for the cheapest offset. But the retail therapy concludes that carbon offsets are very... off. Treating yourself with carbon offsets is apparently soothing for climate anxiety. (With 2020 vision?)  FOOTNOTE | Carbon Footprint Calculator | The Global Footprint Network | The Gold Standard   Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod. EPISODE CREDIT | Allison Chan, producer, editor | Nate Maynard (@N8May), host | Yu-Chen Lai (@aGuavaEmoji), assistance | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), executive producer | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We take another sip from our earlier episode about straws. Since then, Taiwan has introduced its plastic straw ban. But paper straws are still not the solution to our beverage needs. At the end of the episode, we also have our first listener question!  Nate was interviewed about the plastic straw ban. Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod. View show notes.  EPISODE UPDATE CREDIT | Allison Chan, producer, editor | Nate Maynard (@N8May), host | Yu-Chen Lai (@aGuavaEmoji), assistance | ORIGINAL EPISODE CREDIT | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer | Nate Maynard (@N8May), producer, host | Emily Cardinali (@emilycardinali), editor | Chris Lo, theme song | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two things happened this week: 1/ COP (Conference of the Parties - ie the only time countries meet to negotiate climate agreements) just wrapped up in Spain. 2/ Youth climate activist Greta Thunberg was named TIME Person of the Year. Today, we discuss something in between. Every year at COP, young activists continue to be at the front of the conversation. This episode, we meet a climate activist from Taiwan who’s attendance at a previous COP as a 21-year-old created a diplomatic stir. He also found a very unlikely ally, who also took him to Antarctica. Our youth activist is Liang-Yi Chang (張良伊). He co-founded the Taiwan Youth Climate Coalition in 2008/9. Today, he’s Asian Managing Director for the international environmental organization, 350.org. And this is his story. Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod.  EPISODE CREDIT | Allison Chan, producer, editor | Nate Maynard (@N8May), host | Yu-Chen Lai (@aGuavaEmoji) and Thomas Lee, assistance | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), executive producer | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anyone can say we need radical change to address the climate crisis, but there’s only one Professor Naki (Nebojsa Nakicenovic). He’s even worked with Ban Ki-Moon. Professor Naki is an economist who - for the past 50 years - has been tackling the climate crisis through the lens of technological change and economic development. He’s the former deputy general of IIASA in Vienna (Int’l Institute for Applied Systems Analysis) and was a part of the beginning of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change).  FOOTNOTE | On Nebojsa Nakicenovic (aka Professor Naki): | On UN Millennium Goals    On SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) | On IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change) | On UNFCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change): Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod.  EPISODE CREDIT | Allison Chan, producer, editor | Nate Maynard (@N8May), host | Yu-Chen Lai (@aGuavaEmoji), researcher | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), executive producer, editor | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Held in Taipei on August 31st, we talked with Godfrey Ngai, CFO of Xing Mobility - an electric vehicle battery company going after two thirds of the worlds vehicles. Melody Hsu - co-founder of ViaSweat - an active-wear brand trying to use more sustainable textile made from recycled materials. And Hamoun Karami - founder of Lidbot, a startup that wants to transform the way we think about trash collection.How do you start a “green” company? How do you make it scale? How do you make sure it’s financially and environmentally sustainable? These are some of the questions we covered on WNWN’s first live show! Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod.  EPISODE CREDIT | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer, editor | Nate Maynard (@N8May), producer, host | Chris Lo, theme song | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US and Europe are dumping trash on developing countries, right? China broke recycling, right? Wrong! Since China stopped taking in foreign recyclable waste, people have been freaking out, but, things are a bit more complicated than you think.In this episode, Nature N8 breaks down the top three myths surrounding the global trash trade and charts a way forward to fix our recycling systems. Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod.  EPISODE CREDIT | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer, editor | Nate Maynard (@N8May), producer, host | Chris Lo, theme song | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Climate Week, some call it the most important week of the year, and best of all, Nature N8 was there this time. Each year NGOs, lobbyists, government officials, spies, flock to NYC to call for greater climate action. In this special bonus episode, hear from N8 on what really went down. Subscribe on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/wastenotwhynot) to hear the full episode. Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod.  EPISODE CREDIT | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer, editor | Nate Maynard (@N8May), producer, host | Chris Lo, theme song | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever wonder why recycling was better when you were a kid in America? Well, it was. This episode, a trash wizard named Alex Danovitch joins N8 to talk trash in the US. The steady corporate growth of trash has tracked Alex’s career closely as he co-founded one of only four non-profit waste management facilities in the US. Meanwhile, waste haulers went public, and the US’s actual recycling rate went down, and overseas. Alex and N8 talk about sustainable waste management, challenges with incineration, and how the US can adapt to a new world of recycling. Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod. EPISODE CREDIT | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer, editor | Nate Maynard (@N8May), producer, host | Chris Lo, theme song | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nature N8 goes on “Taiwan Insider” to explain how Taiwan turned a 70% waste collection rate into a 60% recycling rate in less than a generation. Starting with an explanation in 60 seconds of how Taiwan fixed its trash problem, N8 and “Taiwan Insider” host Andrew Ryan then go on to talk about garbage trucks, podcasts, and WNWN itself.       Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod. View show notes.  EPISODE CREDIT | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer, editor | Nate Maynard (@N8May), producer, host | Chris Lo, theme song | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From bio-bags that survive landfills for years to bio-plastics that are actually just polyester, we are awash in confusing disposal messaging. The world is rejecting plastics, but in the quest for an alternative are we actually making things worse? Join Nature N8 and Emily as they sift through “biodegradable” plastics. Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod. View show notes.  EPISODE CREDIT | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer, editor | Nate Maynard (@N8May), producer, host | Chris Lo, theme song | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2014, IKEA was among the founding members of a global campaign to get the world’s most influential businesses to use 100% renewable power. Known as the RE100, today it’s a consortium of 186 (and counting) companies, including H&M, Nestle, Apple, Google, Facebook, Walmart, Coca Cola, Goldman Sachs, and many more. In total, their electricity demand is approximately 200 terawatts hours - just slightly larger than the electricity demand of Thailand.Today, we talk to Sam Kimmins, head of RE100. Sam has 20 years experience leading sustainability projects in the shipping, aviation, food, construction, and NGO sectors. Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod. View show notes. EPISODE CREDIT | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer, editor | Nate Maynard (@N8May), producer, host | Chris Lo, theme song | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scientists have seen our brains shrink from long-term exposure to dirty air. In this episode we think through air pollution in a different way. What’s the newest science saying about the health impact of smog? How is new technology changing this field of study? Do face masks actually work? How do you pick air filters? Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod. View show notes.  EPISODE CREDIT | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer, editor | Nate Maynard (@N8May), producer, host | Chris Lo, theme song | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part 2 of our series on electric vehicles, we focus on light EV and its battery infrastructure. We continue our conversation with Daniel Vickery, head of engineering of batteries and energy systems at Gogoro, the electric scooter company. We nerd out on batteries and how to design better cities, and we go behind the scenes with Daniel and find out how someone can engineer for good. Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod. View show notes.  EPISODE CREDIT | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer, editor | Nate Maynard (@N8May), producer, host | Chris Lo, theme song | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Electric vehicles (EV) have made a comeback since the great EV failures of the 1990's. Today, ten countries and a handful of cities around the world have planned total ban on combustion engines. The hope is that EV's would help reduce air pollution and oil consumption. But are EV’s actually good for the environment? What about our anxieties over their range? The batteries don’t last, right? They’re too expensive, right? We speak to Mark Maynard, an automotive editor of the San Diego Union-Tribune who was among the first test drivers of a pilot EV program, "EV1" by General Motors in the 1990's. We also hear from Daniel Vickery, head of engineering of batteries and energy systems at Gogoro, a Taiwanese electric scooter company. Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod. View show notes. Send questions to [email protected]. Subscribe to “Waste Not a Newsletter" on Substack. EPISODE CREDIT | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer, editor | Nate Maynard (@N8May), producer, host | Chris Lo, theme song | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Plastic straws are everywhere. Governments and corporations are beginning to enact straw bans. That's good, right? But does banning plastic straws really help the worst of plastic pollution? In this episode we look at the real damage from straws, and why the most popular strawlternative is actually worse than plastic. We also hear from a local business in Taipei, Ooh Cha Cha, and its founder Mai Bach on how they phased out plastic straws, and what a national ban on plastic straws may mean for businesses. Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod. View show notes.  EPISODE CREDIT | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer | Nate Maynard (@N8May), producer, host | Emily Cardinali (@emilycardinali), editor | Chris Lo, theme song | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Corals are dying. By 2050 we probably won’t have any corals left in our oceans. But a really cool thing about coral is that it regenerates if we give it the opportunity to. So scientists around the world are trying to figure out how to regrow coral reefs, and some have even turned to 3D printing for coral restoration. But is this possible? Can technology save corals?  This is a podcast about how NOT to save the environment. Hosted by Nature N8 (Nate Maynard), an environmental researcher working on energy, ocean, and waste issues. Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod. View show notes.  EPISODE CREDIT | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer | Nate Maynard (@N8May), producer, host | Emily Cardinali (@emilycardinali), editor | Chris Lo, theme song | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2017, 20-million pounds of litter was collected around the world on International Coastal Cleanup day. Do beach clean ups actually work? And if not, why do we even do beach cleanups? Are we just wasting our time? Should we be doing something else? This is a podcast about how NOT to save the environment. Hosted by Nature N8 (Nate Maynard), an environmental researcher working on energy, ocean, and waste issues. Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod. View show notes.  EPISODE CREDIT | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer | Nate Maynard (@N8May), producer, host | Emily Cardinali (@emilycardinali), editor | Chris Lo, theme song | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For this maiden voyage episode, we give you a sampling of the greatest viral hits of green-wash, to let you know what to expect on this journey into the heart of greenness. This is the first episode of Waste Not Why Not, a podcast about how NOT to save the environment. Support “Waste Not Why Not” on Patreon. Follow us on Twitter @wastenotpod. View show notes. EPISODE CREDIT | Emily Y. Wu (@emilyywu), producer | Nate Maynard (@N8May), producer, host | Emily Cardinali (@emilycardinali), editor | Chris Lo, theme song | a Ghost Island Media production (@ghostislandme) | www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/wastenotwhynotSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.