Heroes of the 21st Century

Behind the Episodes

Behind the Episode: U.S. EPA’s P3 Student Design Competition

The U.S. EPA’s P3 Student Design Competition is a terrific chance for college students & their professors to get funding for research projects related to sustainability & climate change (“P3” stands for “People, Prosperity & Planet”). If you missed the February 1, 2023 deadline mentioned in the comic, not to worry! The program is in …

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Behind the Episode: Sending Some Video Game Mojo to the Delegates at COP15

Delegates to the COP15 Biodiversity conference have convened in December 2022 to (hopefully) take action on global measures to protect earth’s biodiversity.  Success requires that enough delegates truly feel the urgency of the situation, and act accordingly. In thinking about this challenge, I remembered reading about research that suggests that video games have the power to …

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Behind the Episode: Biomimicry – Look it Up!

Biomimicry is an absolutely fascinating field in which scientists, engineers, architects, urban planners and many others look to nature for cues on how to do things better.  The basic idea is this:  The traditional ways in which we humans make the things we need (fuels, rubbers, plastics, dyes, glues, structural materials, etc…) require tons of …

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Behind the Episode: Invoking the Power of Outcomes-Based Financing

Traditional methods of paying for infrastructure & other projects at the state, city, regional and national levels often discourage leaders from trying new solutions.  And so we miss out on innovations that can help advance sustainability, and tame climate change. Outcomes-Based Financing (also known as Social Impact Investing) flips this dynamic. It harnesses the power …

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Behind the Episode: “The Progress Illusion” by Jon D. Erickson

Traditional economic theories have long pretended that the human economy exists in a world of unending expanse. That the availability of natural resources has no limit. That the natural world can absorb as many of the “externalities” (pollution & waste) as we need it to.  But, of course, this is not the case.  We exist …

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Behind the Episode: Closing the Loop on Fast Fashion

Getting to a place where fashion / clothing industries are more sustainable — and contribute less to climate change — is a complex undertaking. But from where we sit, that means there are many ways you might use your talents to help achieve this goal.  Design, production, logistics, chemistry, engineering, sales, marketing… the opportunities to …

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Behind the Episode: Ripples of Impact from Climate Education

This episode is based on the inspiring story of Shiva Rajbhandari, a young man in Boise, Idaho. This Q&A from a Teen Vogue interview with Rajbhandari captures the arc of his climate interest rather wonderfully: TV: Where did your own activism and political career start? SR: I first got involved as a climate activist. I …

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Behind the Episode: Keeping People Honest on Methane Emissions

Satellites that can pinpoint the sources of methane and other greenhouse gases are proving to be game-changers in the fight to reduce those pollutants.  With this detection, polluters can be held to account by consumers, treaty enforcement agencies, and other important stakeholders.   A few of the organizations that are leading the way in deploying …

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