#sustainability
93 episodes · Page 2 of 4
#3580: The Fish That Changed Israel's Coastline
From psychedelic bream to invading rabbitfish — a tour of Israel's underwater world and the dinner plate.
#3536: Flat-Pack Houses vs 3D-Printed Homes: Which Works Now?
Flat-pack, 3D-printed, or moved on a truck? Which alternative housing approach actually works today?
#3510: Why Your Home Isn't Using Industrial Storage Standards
What if moving house meant clicking modules out and back in, done by lunch? The case for a DIN standard home.
#3456: How to Spot Clothes That Actually Last
Fabric weight, fiber length, and stitching density — the three signs a garment is built to survive.
#3455: The Rectangle Treaty: Inside Euro Box Standards
Can industrial plastic storage ever be sustainable? A deep dive into the VDA 4500 standard, material trade-offs, and the rectangle treaty.
#3430: Urban Farming: Soil, Community, and Real Livelihoods
What does an urban farmer's life actually look like? Not the glossy renders—the real dirt and daily work.
#3429: IKEA's Hidden Waste: When Storage Bins Don't Fit
IKEA changes product dimensions every nine days. The environmental cost of those missing millimeters? Nobody's measuring it.
#3324: How Companies Actually Measure Their Carbon Emissions
Spreadsheets, supplier calls, and accounting choices that can change your reported emissions by 10x.
#3277: The Store That Stocks Nothing That Breaks
Can a store succeed by selling only things that last forever? The economics of durability vs. disposable culture.
#3244: What the Fading American Dream Actually Measures
Absolute mobility fell from 90% to 50% in four decades. Here's how economists actually measure it.
#3243: Are We Modern Serfs? Land, Rent & Feudalism
How land ownership patterns mirror medieval feudalism—and what Henry George proposed to fix it.
#3234: Who Should Sponsor This Podcast? Open-Book Economics
We open the books on our AI-generated podcast: $200/month costs, 180K plays, zero sponsors. Who should we pitch?
#3106: How to Choose the Right Fineliner Pen
Line weight matters more than you think. A guide to fineliners for architects, sketchers, and writers.
#3089: How Climate Consensus Actually Formed
The surprising journey from skepticism to scientific certainty — and what the data says about summer 2026.
#3065: Why Orange Markers Outlast Yellow and White
Orange markers last 5-7x longer outdoors than yellow. The secret is in the crystal structure of the pigment.
#2998: The Rat-Free Island: South Georgia's Wild Comeback
From industrial whaling to the largest rat eradication ever attempted — the incredible story of South Georgia's transformation.
#2992: The Three Lives of Za'atar: Plant, Spice, Identity
A wild herb became a global spice blend. Now overharvesting threatens the hillsides where it grew for millennia.
#2978: Wine from the Desert and the Latitude of Greenland
How 80 countries now make wine — including desert vineyards and farms near the Arctic Circle.
#2963: The Forgotten Grains That Could Feed a Hungry World
Millet, sorghum, and teff feed half a billion people. So why don't we grow more of them?
#2950: Barley Beyond Soup: A Grain Guide
Pearl, pot, hulled, hulless — why barley labels matter for nutrition, cooking, and flavor.
#2928: Barley Bread & Pizza: Grinding Your Own Grain at Home
Can you make 100% barley pizza? Yes—but expect a cracker crust, not Neapolitan. Here's how.
#2910: The Quiet Chemistry of Xylene-Free Markers
What’s really in your permanent marker? The hidden chemical revolution happening on the hardware store shelf.
#2898: The Bean That Built the Ancient Levant
How the fava bean went from ancient staple to menu afterthought — and why its revival is failing.
#2881: Nuclear's Surprising Role in Clean Energy
Nuclear provides 9% of global electricity but 25% of carbon-free power. Here's how safety has changed since Chernobyl.