Rebecca Westbrook Toker

Host

Selling Green: Marketing Environmentalism

Aug 10, 2013·31 visitors

Aaron Meyers

Cohost

Stage· 281 messages

Aug 10, 2013

Aaron returned from Peace Corps to earn a Master's in Green Business and land a job with the EPA. Tonight, he Tawks to us about the flawed assumptions that many business operate under that keep them from making better environmental choices. He also offers talking points for anti-corporate tree-huggers like me to use when trying to talk to regular folks about why "Green" matters. And, he's a funny, sharp guy - you'll love hearing what he has to say!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 12:59 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“So how soon until NYC is underwater? Because I should probably move before then.”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:00 AM

Are you there, Good Buddy?

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:00 AM

★ Spotlighted from Blake Ian

“Jersey City.... Lots of space, pet friendly and a great view of the NYC apocalypse!”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:00 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“Definitely smart to have a disaster plan Jordan. lol. :)”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:00 AM

Welcome, Audience!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:00 AM

I'm so glad that you're all here!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:01 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“Hi Rebecca! Excited to hear the tawk tonight! :)”

Aaron Meyers · 1:02 AM

uuuh mic check 1,2,1,2?

Aaron Meyers · 1:02 AM

okay, working.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:02 AM

Rachel, there are probably going to be common threads that tie this and your Tawk last night together.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:02 AM

Yay!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:03 AM

May I present to you Aaron Meyers, formerly known as the Solar Ambassador of Pittsburg.

Aaron Meyers · 1:03 AM

so to answer jordans question real quick, you probably have 50 to 100 years before new York starts seeing significant flooding, but under 50 before theres enough economic and social impact to effect everyone

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:03 AM

Oooh, starting out with Doomsday. That's always a good portent. :P

Aaron Meyers · 1:04 AM

5 feet of water level rise gets a significant portion of new York, at 1 foot we start to see a lot of small nations completely under water, which is, difficult

Aaron Meyers · 1:04 AM

so, yes, solar ambassador of pittsburgh

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:04 AM

Hi, Lucy. :)

Aaron Meyers · 1:04 AM

not a place known for its sun lit vistas

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:04 AM

Hee, hee.

Aaron Meyers · 1:05 AM

im guessing I should go over a few credentials first becky?

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:05 AM

Yep.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:05 AM

That as my first question. Who are you?

Aaron Meyers · 1:05 AM

ill try to keep that part brief..

Aaron Meyers · 1:05 AM

graduated from the university of florida in marketing

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:05 AM

(My W key is sticking tonight. Forgive my typos!)

Aaron Meyers · 1:05 AM

became a business development volunteer in the peace corps, where I met becky

Aaron Meyers · 1:06 AM

my projects were helping to establish the importation of low cost computers, establishing organic practices at a coffee co-op, and teaching at their national version of a GED program

Aaron Meyers · 1:06 AM

amongst other things

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:07 AM

And the worms!

Aaron Meyers · 1:07 AM

from there, I received an mba in sustainability from Duquesne, in pittsburgh

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:07 AM

The worms was the best part!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:07 AM

The worms were?

Aaron Meyers · 1:07 AM

helped write the allgheny county green house gas action plan

Aaron Meyers · 1:07 AM

became solar ambassador, and now I work for the EPA

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:08 AM

A PC success story, for sure. (PC is Peace Corps)

Aaron Meyers · 1:08 AM

helping design training modules for data tools, and keeping a massive registry of facilities in one piece

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:08 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“That's amazing! What exactly is a Solar Ambassador?”

Aaron Meyers · 1:08 AM

on that note, I'll get to questions soon, but as a consequence of working at the EPA I need a short disclaimer

Aaron Meyers · 1:09 AM

anything I say here is strictly my own opinion not that of the agency, any facts I state are only my understanding of the facts, not the agency's

Aaron Meyers · 1:09 AM

(its true, but they make us say that)

Aaron Meyers · 1:09 AM

now, on with the show

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:09 AM

As a starting point, tell Rachel about Solar Ambassador.

Aaron Meyers · 1:10 AM

so, Rachel. a solar ambassador was a position they created from a grant

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:10 AM

Ha ha, Lucy.

Aaron Meyers · 1:10 AM

the position was to oversee the installation of solar panels on city buildings, and to speak to housing associations so they could decide if they want to go solar

Aaron Meyers · 1:11 AM

lol Jordan I wish

Aaron Meyers · 1:11 AM

the pay back on solar panels or solar thermal varies greatly state to state

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:11 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“oh interesting! Sounds like a great job and cause :)”

Aaron Meyers · 1:12 AM

if you get curious, there is a good site www.solar-estimate.org

Aaron Meyers · 1:12 AM

it has a calculator that lets you estimate the cost of equipment and how long you need the equipment to cover that cost

Aaron Meyers · 1:12 AM

it also takes into account state incentives

Aaron Meyers · 1:12 AM

tax breaks etc

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:13 AM

Nice! Does it work for, say, personal residences?

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:13 AM

★ Spotlighted from Lucy Dyer

“we have grants for solar energy over here in the UK..altho saying that i think they are about to cut it right down”

Aaron Meyers · 1:13 AM

it differs, on the average if your home is standing for at least 10 years, itll probably work out

Aaron Meyers · 1:13 AM

there are two important factors, your financing, and SRECS

Aaron Meyers · 1:13 AM

that's solar renewable energy credits

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:14 AM

So, maybe not a good investment for Gulf Coast properties, but anywhere else it makes sense...

Aaron Meyers · 1:14 AM

with creative financing it can still work

Aaron Meyers · 1:14 AM

some companies will lease you panels, and if your credit is good enough, the cost of the lease can be less than the utility bill savings

Aaron Meyers · 1:15 AM

under that model you don't save as much money, but you save immediately

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:15 AM

Any company names or websites?

Aaron Meyers · 1:15 AM

you can find most of them with that site I gave earlier, they differ a lot from state to state

Aaron Meyers · 1:15 AM

people aren't doing it mostly because of marketing

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:16 AM

How's that?

Aaron Meyers · 1:16 AM

environmentalism in general has a politics problem on both sides of the aisle

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:16 AM

Ah, ha! And now we've arrived at what you'd really like to explain to us.

Aaron Meyers · 1:17 AM

in the case of solar, people are used to the low effort solution, regular grid electricity

Aaron Meyers · 1:17 AM

and to do a not easy solution you have to go educate yourself

Aaron Meyers · 1:17 AM

there is an incentive program Rachel, ill cover that next

Aaron Meyers · 1:17 AM

now, most of the educational resources are tainted by politics

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:18 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“Shouldn't there be an incentive program set up by the EPA or the government? Shouldn't they be backing these renewable resources over oil?”

Aaron Meyers · 1:18 AM

conservatives sites, tend to put on the blinders

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:18 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“especially considering all the climate change EVIDENCE”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:18 AM

★ Spotlighted from Lucy Dyer

“how many people actualy KNOW abotu all this solar energy stuff? they dont advertise it very well do they?”

Aaron Meyers · 1:18 AM

you can't get more from them than drill baby drill, and anything "green" is tainted by liberalism

Aaron Meyers · 1:18 AM

and very few people do Lucy, at least not well

Aaron Meyers · 1:18 AM

now the liberal educational resources tend to do something different but just as damaging

Aaron Meyers · 1:19 AM

they chase fads

Aaron Meyers · 1:19 AM

go for headlines

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:19 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“i saw a cartoon once and it said why haven't we switched to solar power? because we can't own the sun. greed.”

Aaron Meyers · 1:19 AM

in most cases you get more bang for your buck financially and environmentally by first looking at insulation especially around the windows

Aaron Meyers · 1:19 AM

but no one advertises that because its not sexy

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:20 AM

Or expensive...

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:20 AM

★ Spotlighted from Lucy Dyer

“greed = money...which is why people dont know about it and why they wont advertise about it”

Aaron Meyers · 1:20 AM

solar panels are more expensive in most cases

Aaron Meyers · 1:20 AM

but lets also not look at this with rose tinted glasses, solar panels have serious issues

Aaron Meyers · 1:21 AM

they aren't entirely environmental

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:21 AM

Yet.

Aaron Meyers · 1:21 AM

when you look at gigawatt per square foot of land, solar panels are one of the least efficient ways to get power

Aaron Meyers · 1:21 AM

they also create ewaste

Aaron Meyers · 1:21 AM

and they still require several minerals that we are mining away almost as fast as we are extracting oil

Aaron Meyers · 1:22 AM

wind power has issues with waste, and wildlife and its just not fit for several large segments of the globe

Aaron Meyers · 1:22 AM

hi Jaime! (quick shoutout to my little sister)

Aaron Meyers · 1:23 AM

ewaste is electronic waste

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:23 AM

what is ewaste?

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:23 AM

What waste is associated with wind?

Aaron Meyers · 1:23 AM

which is a concern because it has heavy metals, which if it is exposed to people creates genetic problems

Aaron Meyers · 1:23 AM

like mercury

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:24 AM

Nice...

Aaron Meyers · 1:24 AM

there is also a significant portion of energy that's lost on the grid, when traveling through wires

Aaron Meyers · 1:24 AM

so the real truth is, there is no "best" energy, its all specific to where you live

Aaron Meyers · 1:25 AM

they are, solar panels are improving yearly

Aaron Meyers · 1:25 AM

but its a slow increase

Aaron Meyers · 1:25 AM

wind power comes up with innovative designs regularly

Aaron Meyers · 1:25 AM

but the grid issue still exists

Aaron Meyers · 1:25 AM

which is a more difficult issue, but there are things being done there

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:25 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“so if solar and wind power generators are flawed are they creating more efficient and less wasteful versions now? Or is there something better?”

Aaron Meyers · 1:26 AM

Germany is extremely solar, and generally one of the more environmentally sound countries out there

Aaron Meyers · 1:26 AM

which is also a marketing triumph because they get a lot of snow

Aaron Meyers · 1:26 AM

which, fun fact, actually isn't bad for solar panels

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:26 AM

That is impressive. They're also HUGE, which is an obstacle to overcome in itself.

Aaron Meyers · 1:26 AM

sun light reflects off snow and actually increases the energy you receive

Aaron Meyers · 1:27 AM

I was able to visit Germany during my mba program and the best thing I witnessed is actually much more basic and fundamental though

Aaron Meyers · 1:28 AM

they created a law that makes the companies that manufacture goods, responsible for the waste after purchase

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:28 AM

Bam!

Aaron Meyers · 1:28 AM

think about that for a second and what it means

Aaron Meyers · 1:29 AM

it means less packaging

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:29 AM

Then there's an incentive for minimizing aste and making better choices!

Aaron Meyers · 1:29 AM

which means less overly full landfills

Aaron Meyers · 1:29 AM

it means that companies create more take back programs

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:29 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“we need that here!”

Aaron Meyers · 1:29 AM

design for re use

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:30 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“do you think that lack of funding for more innovative technology is a problem? I'm thinking of all these cheaper inventions people have been coming up with only to have it stopped from mass production because it won't make "enough money" for business”

Aaron Meyers · 1:30 AM

cradle to cradle design

Aaron Meyers · 1:30 AM

good question rachel

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:30 AM

that is awesome

Aaron Meyers · 1:30 AM

I don't think there is a lack of funding for innovation, I think there is a lack of coordination

Aaron Meyers · 1:30 AM

and there is a massive scale issue

Aaron Meyers · 1:31 AM

environmental problems don't tend to be small, and they usually address things that are huge

Aaron Meyers · 1:31 AM

things that are already established, and huge to replace

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:31 AM

Like coal-fired power plants.

Aaron Meyers · 1:32 AM

its roughly the equivlant of trying to teach people that cars are better than horses, before roads are even built

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:32 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“and multifaceted.. we are not a world that likes to deal with the complex .. it seems”

Aaron Meyers · 1:32 AM

let me give you and example

Aaron Meyers · 1:32 AM

you can find more details about this on youtube, its called the solar roadway

Aaron Meyers · 1:33 AM

tesla was working on wireless energy, but I don't understand it enough to know if its clean

Aaron Meyers · 1:33 AM

the solar roadway is acknowledging a few facts

Aaron Meyers · 1:33 AM

one, we now have the technology to produce glass that is roughly the consistency and durability of a paved road

Aaron Meyers · 1:33 AM

and clear enough to put a solar panel under it

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:34 AM

What? No way! But...what are the implications? How much energy input?

Aaron Meyers · 1:34 AM

and the network of roads, is roughly what you would need for power grid

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:34 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“cool”

Aaron Meyers · 1:35 AM

well the energy input is almost at maximum because the technology is controlled enough that you can heat a panel to clear of snow should any panels get coverec\

Aaron Meyers · 1:35 AM

covered

Aaron Meyers · 1:35 AM

the rest is just getting city workers to clear away debris

Aaron Meyers · 1:36 AM

and to top it all off the quality of the glass is such that it would need replacing so less often than roads, that its a cheaper road system over the lifetime of the road

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:36 AM

But, I mean, for manufacturing the glass. Glass is VERY heat-intensive and therefore fossil-fuel-intensive

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:36 AM

to produce.

Aaron Meyers · 1:36 AM

or solar intensive once you have enough roadway to run the machinary

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:37 AM

But I can see the push-back - it would require BIG changeout of equipment and training of personnel.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:37 AM

On a anational scale.

Aaron Meyers · 1:37 AM

the real pushback is the intial cost

Aaron Meyers · 1:37 AM

its just too big

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:37 AM

Yes.

Aaron Meyers · 1:37 AM

the project has received funding from department of energy

Aaron Meyers · 1:37 AM

and it now has the interest of mcdonalds and Wal-Mart for their parking lots

Aaron Meyers · 1:37 AM

but the initial cost even scares them

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:37 AM

That's HUGE!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:38 AM

I can see that.

Aaron Meyers · 1:38 AM

if you want to hear more about that project and others, go to youtube and look up a move called YERT

Aaron Meyers · 1:38 AM

your environmental road trip

Aaron Meyers · 1:38 AM

its an indie move about two guys who traveled around the US interviewing green businesses in every state

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:38 AM

Nice!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:39 AM

Can I bring in a question/issue from Rachel here?

Aaron Meyers · 1:39 AM

yes

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:39 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“I am always so shocked by how LITTLE scientific evident our government uses in any of its day to day dealings. And this climate change issue takes the cake... and instead of trying to promote more green living they are just creating contingency plans”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:39 AM

What do you say to that?

Aaron Meyers · 1:39 AM

well that speaks to politics tainting education

Aaron Meyers · 1:40 AM

you have to remember that the agency's that are suited to be scientific are usually enforcement agencys

Aaron Meyers · 1:40 AM

like the EPA

Aaron Meyers · 1:40 AM

but as an enforcement agency, they have to follow the law

Aaron Meyers · 1:40 AM

which was created politically

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:40 AM

And deal with the funding allotments they have...

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:41 AM

which are also political.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:41 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“the cost scares walmart? what? they just don't want to give money... I don't believe we don't have the money to fund this people just don't want to give up their money.”

Aaron Meyers · 1:41 AM

and often even after seeing the evidence there is a lot of disagreement about what to do

Aaron Meyers · 1:41 AM

even amongst people who in that case believe in climate change

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:41 AM

So then how do you break from a political limbo?

Aaron Meyers · 1:41 AM

personally, I don't think it matters if climate change is real or not, you should still do the same thing

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:42 AM

How's that?

Aaron Meyers · 1:42 AM

i think the cost does scare wal mart Rachel, because if they were able to afford it, theyd make a killing

Aaron Meyers · 1:42 AM

wal mart isn't evil they want to make money

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:42 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“how can science and logic NOT be an integral part of our government.. that's scary to me. And exactly the EPA even gets overridden when they have scientific FACT on their side”

Aaron Meyers · 1:42 AM

okay so heres a good example of how education should work, and addresses breaking the political limbo that Jaime is referring to

Aaron Meyers · 1:43 AM

what causes green house gas?

Aaron Meyers · 1:43 AM

energy, which is done through manufactured processes

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:43 AM

and CAFOs.

Aaron Meyers · 1:43 AM

you burn stuff, to go places or make things

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:44 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“co2 emissions? (i feel like I am back in science class)”

Aaron Meyers · 1:44 AM

the resources to go places, and make stuff is capital

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:44 AM

Aha!

Aaron Meyers · 1:45 AM

businesses and people a like aught not to want to spend capital

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:45 AM

But it's almost always left out of the equation!

Aaron Meyers · 1:45 AM

so the climate doesn't matter, the question is do you believe in spending less?

Aaron Meyers · 1:45 AM

most people will say yes

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:45 AM

Yes, yes, yes!

Aaron Meyers · 1:46 AM

well its almost always left out of the equation because traditional economics treats natural resources like its a waste product

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:46 AM

I was reading Wendell Berry the other day, and he talked about failing to take into account the cost of production aside from capital.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:46 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“we are used to quite a high energy standard of living in the u.s.”

Aaron Meyers · 1:47 AM

we are, which brings us to the real environmental thing you can do

Aaron Meyers · 1:47 AM

its not solar panels, or buying a "green thing"

Aaron Meyers · 1:47 AM

its living simply

Aaron Meyers · 1:47 AM

being efficient with purchases

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:47 AM

Amen to that, brother. : ]

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:47 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“we have always been so wasteful and some how that is the ideal now... what a thing to teach the future generations. :/”

Aaron Meyers · 1:48 AM

Rachel there is a good economics paper and book i want to recommend to you specifically

Aaron Meyers · 1:48 AM

http://neweconomy.net/buddhist-economics

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:48 AM

A DO I need this? sort of thing?

Aaron Meyers · 1:48 AM

Becky you've read it

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:49 AM

Rachel, you'll love it! He gave that to me in Honduras and my mind was blown!

Aaron Meyers · 1:49 AM

the paper is Buddhist economics, and the book is small is beautifal

Aaron Meyers · 1:49 AM

(my spelling is horrible)

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:49 AM

Oh well - my W key doesn't work. ;)

Aaron Meyers · 1:49 AM

both are written by EF shumacher, a contemporary of john maynard keynes

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:49 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“being broke has helped me with that.. I can live on next to nothing.. which I see as good. :)”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:49 AM

PC did that for us, I can tell you!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:50 AM

And Aaron followed that up with grad school!

Aaron Meyers · 1:50 AM

well shumacher sort of made it up

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:50 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“awesome thanks! I'll check it out! :)”

Aaron Meyers · 1:50 AM

the concept is this

Aaron Meyers · 1:50 AM

work is hard, right?

Aaron Meyers · 1:50 AM

its toil

Aaron Meyers · 1:50 AM

if that's the case, why do we measure consumption, that comes from more work, as the health of an economy

Aaron Meyers · 1:51 AM

the "true health" should be the most satisfaction we can receive, that comes from the least amount of consumption

Aaron Meyers · 1:51 AM

which comes from more toil

Aaron Meyers · 1:52 AM

i mean think of how messed up our gross national product actually is in what it measures

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:52 AM

Instead of Gross National Happiness, it's GDP.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:52 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“yes exactly!”

Aaron Meyers · 1:53 AM

under the GDP the more cancer causing toxins we churn out, or the more cop killer bullets we make, the better off the economy is

Aaron Meyers · 1:53 AM

yet, is anyone actually happier?

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:54 AM

Oooh. That is a stark summary.

Aaron Meyers · 1:54 AM

so the question is, why are we giving the economy credit for bad things?

Aaron Meyers · 1:54 AM

it makes no sense

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:55 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“I think that's what happens when we let money rule our world...”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:55 AM

So, without my even asking, you've given us a directive.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:55 AM

We have an answer, something we can all do NOW.

Aaron Meyers · 1:56 AM

the directive is simply, think about the most happy you can be, with things that come from the least effort

Aaron Meyers · 1:56 AM

to be investigative specifically about where you are, because most of these things are specific to where people are

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:56 AM

Like ind vs solar, local food, etc.

Aaron Meyers · 1:57 AM

and truthfully there is work done everyday that shows you wouldn't even have to sacrifice that much if at all

Aaron Meyers · 1:57 AM

I'll finish this up with one more resource, and another idea

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:57 AM

Yes, please!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 1:57 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“I love that life philosophy haha :)”

Aaron Meyers · 1:57 AM

there is a man called William McDonough, he has a design firm, that is actually starting to do work with a lot of major companies

Aaron Meyers · 1:58 AM

most notably Nike

Aaron Meyers · 1:58 AM

(one of the most green companies i have ever seen)

Aaron Meyers · 1:58 AM

his idea is called cradle to cradle

Aaron Meyers · 1:58 AM

its the idea, that every component, of a thing, aught to be an input of the next thing

Aaron Meyers · 1:59 AM

so you get effort to make this one item, but you've also made small bits of the next 20 items

Aaron Meyers · 1:59 AM

and 20 after that

Aaron Meyers · 1:59 AM

and so on

Aaron Meyers · 1:59 AM

so the effort to satisfaction payoff is huge

Aaron Meyers · 1:59 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoRjz8iTVoo

Aaron Meyers · 1:59 AM

this is where he explains the concept

Aaron Meyers · 2:00 AM

Nike, is now on track to have within 20 years, a significant share of their goods, actually reused in other projects

Aaron Meyers · 2:00 AM

one shoe for example, has tread that is broken up and nike then uses that rubber to make basketball courts

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:01 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“awesome this is the kind of research needed most.”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:01 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rick Rosner

“I'm just a tad late.”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:01 AM

That's okay, Rick - glad to see you!

Aaron Meyers · 2:01 AM

so we are at an hour

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:01 AM

It seems incredible this hasn't been thought of way sooner. All that waste can always be reused somewhere else.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:01 AM

Yes, we are. And it's been an incredible hour!

Aaron Meyers · 2:01 AM

any parting words or questions?

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:02 AM

I'd like to thank you for taking the time to do this - and audience members, thank you, too!

Aaron Meyers · 2:02 AM

i will say this, if you need advice look at your local resources, and also don't be afraid to call your government, they pay people to talk to citizens

Aaron Meyers · 2:02 AM

make them earn their paycheck

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:03 AM

If you guys are interested, maybe we can come back to this - I feel like we've barely scratched the surface!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:03 AM

Do you have a source for guys like you, who do green business evaluations?

Aaron Meyers · 2:03 AM

I'll recoordinate with becky, we had a few more in mind

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:03 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“yes great tawk! thanks rebecca and aaron! I learned alot! :)”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:04 AM

@Rachel; It is a bit disheartening but what's great is that there are people, such as all of us tonight, beginning to raise awaerness and "be the change" so to speak.

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:04 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“@Jaime exactly goes to show how wasteful and thoughtless we really are until it things get so bad we are forced to change it... :/ even with something as huge as our own environment”

Aaron Meyers · 2:04 AM

and if there are any issues youd like to bring up on environmentalism, just stay in touch, we'll address it soon

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:05 AM

Awesome, Aaron! I'll get the next date/time nailed down with you and audience, you'll be the second to know!

Aaron Meyers · 2:05 AM

lol thanks!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:05 AM

Good night, everyone! Thanks again and LIVE SIMPLY until next time!

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:15 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“night thanks again rebecca and aaron! :)”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:15 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachel McDonnell

“yes another tawk would be great! thanks! :)”

Rebecca Westbrook Toker · 2:51 AM

★ Spotlighted from Jordan Birnbaum

“that was awesome -I want to hear about more future projects like these”

Forum · 107

Forum· 107 comments

31 visitors

Tawkers AdminAug 10, 2013, 12:48 AM

Welcome to the Forum! To get involved, click “Who is Here” and “Listen” to others in the Tawk. And don’t forget to “Like” comments you want the Hosts to see. They only see comments that get enough likes to become “Overheard”

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 12:52 AM★ Spotlighted

So how soon until NYC is underwater? Because I should probably move before then.

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 12:55 AM★ Spotlighted

Definitely smart to have a disaster plan Jordan. lol. :)

Blake IanAug 10, 2013, 12:58 AM★ Spotlighted

Jersey City.... Lots of space, pet friendly and a great view of the NYC apocalypse!

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 12:59 AM

I love this part

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:01 AM★ Spotlighted

Hi Rebecca! Excited to hear the tawk tonight! :)

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:02 AM

awesome! :)

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:03 AM

After reading Aaron's bio, I'm expecting most of his responses in Haiku

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:03 AM

will I have to pay a broker's fee?

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:03 AM

*hands out the refreshments* EVENING!!!

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:04 AM

Lucy in the sky with diamonds

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:04 AM

you sweet talker you,JB :-)

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:04 AM

*waves* hey rebecca!!!

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:06 AM

we all have typos,rebecca. i am SO bad at it lol

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:06 AM

soon to be the Underwater University of Florida

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:06 AM

i want what Bill Hicks wanted...Arizona Bay :-) but then i 'm biased

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:07 AM

organic coffee? 2 of my favorite things.

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:07 AM

"i like my men like i like my coffee....in a cup"...erm..

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:08 AM★ Spotlighted

That's amazing! What exactly is a Solar Ambassador?

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:08 AM

haha @ Lucy

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:08 AM

I thought it was his DJ name

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:09 AM

and it was going so well...

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:09 AM

haha @ Jordan.. oh he's playin the turntables? I gotcha lol! :)

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:10 AM

do you get diplomatic immunity?

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:11 AM

only if he had a flag of his country on his car...or bike. aint that how diplomatic immunity works?

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:11 AM★ Spotlighted

oh interesting! Sounds like a great job and cause :)

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:11 AM

all you need is a flag? I can make a flag. lol

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:12 AM

seriously tho - was there a lot of resistance?

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:12 AM★ Spotlighted

we have grants for solar energy over here in the UK..altho saying that i think they are about to cut it right down

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:14 AM

its all about fracking and oil and what makes the earth go all crappy....but you know,as long as it makes money who cares

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:15 AM

why arent more people doing it?

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:15 AM

oh then this happened over here in the UK :-) http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/plans-for-33-acre-leeds-solar-farm-given-the-green-light-1-5877548

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:16 AM★ Spotlighted

how many people actualy KNOW abotu all this solar energy stuff? they dont advertise it very well do they?

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:16 AM★ Spotlighted

Shouldn't there be an incentive program set up by the EPA or the government? Shouldn't they be backing these renewable resources over oil?

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:17 AM★ Spotlighted

especially considering all the climate change EVIDENCE

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:17 AM

oil doesnt bring in as much money as solar energy

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:17 AM

ooops that should be solar doenst bring in as much money as solar

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:18 AM

ill shut up..

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:18 AM

*goes into corner*

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:18 AM★ Spotlighted

i saw a cartoon once and it said why haven't we switched to solar power? because we can't own the sun. greed.

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:19 AM★ Spotlighted

greed = money...which is why people dont know about it and why they wont advertise about it

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:20 AM

So both the left and right are obstructing the education? Why am I not surprised...

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:20 AM★ Spotlighted

I am always so shocked by how LITTLE scientific evident our government uses in any of its day to day dealings. And this climate change issue takes the cake... and instead of trying to promote more green living they are just creating contingency plans

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:21 AM

what about wind power?

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:21 AM

Humanity is a short-term thinking, reactive-not-proactive specieis. Bummer.

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:22 AM

@Jordan You'd think we'd learn from history.. no wonder then that all we do is fight to maintain our false realities :/

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:23 AM

sup Jaime

Lucy DyerAug 10, 2013, 1:24 AM

JB,they want to earn a quick buck..fuck what happens to the rest of us and the world

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:24 AM★ Spotlighted

so if solar and wind power generators are flawed are they creating more efficient and less wasteful versions now? Or is there something better?

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:25 AM

Isn't Germany totally solar?

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:27 AM★ Spotlighted

do you think that lack of funding for more innovative technology is a problem? I'm thinking of all these cheaper inventions people have been coming up with only to have it stopped from mass production because it won't make "enough money" for business

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:29 AM★ Spotlighted

we need that here!

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:31 AM★ Spotlighted

and multifaceted.. we are not a world that likes to deal with the complex .. it seems

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:32 AM

Didn't Nikola Tesla discover a source of clean energy? Any reason we can't use that?

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:33 AM

who can we call about that Tesla thing?

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:34 AM

that's cool!

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:34 AM★ Spotlighted

cool

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:35 AM

of course, doing that would mean creating jobs, so that's a show stopper right there...

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:36 AM

creating a few jobs.. ;)

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:36 AM

Jordan we are on the same wavelength tonight.. get out of my head! lol :)

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:37 AM

but it's lovely in there

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:37 AM

hahaha great minds think a like I guess :)

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:39 AM★ Spotlighted

the cost scares walmart? what? they just don't want to give money... I don't believe we don't have the money to fund this people just don't want to give up their money.

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:40 AM

well how do we get soime science into the policy agencies?!

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:41 AM★ Spotlighted

how can science and logic NOT be an integral part of our government.. that's scary to me. And exactly the EPA even gets overridden when they have scientific FACT on their side

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:43 AM

cow farts

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:43 AM★ Spotlighted

co2 emissions? (i feel like I am back in science class)

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:46 AM

How has the movie "Gasland 2" impacted the scene? Even the EPA specifically?

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:46 AM★ Spotlighted

we are used to quite a high energy standard of living in the u.s.

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:47 AM★ Spotlighted

we have always been so wasteful and some how that is the ideal now... what a thing to teach the future generations. :/

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:48 AM★ Spotlighted

being broke has helped me with that.. I can live on next to nothing.. which I see as good. :)

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:48 AM

sure

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:49 AM★ Spotlighted

awesome thanks! I'll check it out! :)

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:49 AM

I didn't know buddhists even had economics!

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:50 AM

yeah work sucks I'd rather be living lol

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:51 AM

oh interesting...

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:51 AM★ Spotlighted

yes exactly!

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:52 AM

I guess it's the idea that if we didn't work we'd kill each other because there'd be nothing else to do.

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:52 AM

Yeah -the GNP is totally gross!

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:52 AM

haha @Jordan reminding me of my thought that they believe we are all children.. like what? that's what you think about the masses? please.

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:53 AM

and we're using up all our water, to boot!

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:53 AM★ Spotlighted

I think that's what happens when we let money rule our world...

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:54 AM

you're right, man

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:56 AM

Why don't people realize that we allow things to happen passively or not and we are the only ones who can change it?

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:56 AM★ Spotlighted

I love that life philosophy haha :)

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 1:57 AM

holy moly, it's been an hour?

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 1:58 AM

it always goes so fast

Rick RosnerAug 10, 2013, 1:59 AM★ Spotlighted

I'm just a tad late.

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 2:00 AM

I have some research to do...

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 2:00 AM★ Spotlighted

awesome this is the kind of research needed most.

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 2:01 AM

that's almost as coolo as the glass roads thing

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 2:01 AM

I want them to build those simply because I MUST see it now. :)

Rick RosnerAug 10, 2013, 2:01 AM

You can see me? I better take off the wet suit and roller skates.

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 2:02 AM★ Spotlighted

that was awesome -I want to hear about more future projects like these

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 2:02 AM★ Spotlighted

@Jaime exactly goes to show how wasteful and thoughtless we really are until it things get so bad we are forced to change it... :/ even with something as huge as our own environment

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 2:03 AM

Thanks R&A!

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 2:03 AM★ Spotlighted

yes great tawk! thanks rebecca and aaron! I learned alot! :)

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 2:04 AM

@Jaime exactly just got to keep talking about it and getting others to know the facts

Jordan BirnbaumAug 10, 2013, 2:04 AM

Glass roads!!!!!!

Rick RosnerAug 10, 2013, 2:04 AM

I've been meaning to ask you, Rachel - why is your head sideways?

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 2:05 AM

haha @ Rick I don't know lol just my picture haha I hate taking pictures lol

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 2:05 AM

it is a somber experience haha!

Rick RosnerAug 10, 2013, 2:05 AM

You look cute, but off balance.

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 2:05 AM★ Spotlighted

yes another tawk would be great! thanks! :)

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 2:06 AM

Well I AM off balance alot lol

Rachel McDonnellAug 10, 2013, 2:06 AM★ Spotlighted

night thanks again rebecca and aaron! :)

jeffry cepedaJun 12, 2014, 7:20 PM