The Green Collar Pod – Details, episodes & analysis

Featuring Justin Den Herder, who is not only a structural engineer from TY Lin, but also a professor of Structural Poetics at Cooper Union, and a poet! 

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn. 

Terms mentioned:

• Adaptive reuse - "In architecture, adaptive reuse (also called building reuse) refers to the repurposing of an existing structure for new use." 
• Mass timber - "Mass timber is a new category of wood product that can revolutionize how America builds. It is comprised of multiple solid wood panels nailed or glued together, which provide exceptional strength and stability."
• Circularity - "Circularity is the economic concept of reusing or regenerating products and resources throughout the value chain to reduce waste. It is the foundational idea behind the circular economy."

Resources:

• Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest by Suzanne Simard
• Designing the Forest and Other Mass Timber Futures by Lindsey Wikstrom 
• Migration: New & Selected Poems by W.S. Merwin 
• Pilot Projects
• Cities4Forests
• Design for Freedom by Grace Farms

Fact Checks:

Justin mentions that 66% of the of the world's population will live in urban centers by 2050 but wasn't sure - he was pretty close! According to the UN, "55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to increase to 68% by 2050." 

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There's so much buzz around Episode 9 of Green Collar! We have a fun conversation with Natalie here about the importance of pollinators, recognition days like Bee Day and No Mow May, and even get some insight on how Natalie BEE-came an expert in her field! (Hint: it might be from watching a classic movie about bees). 

Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn. 

Resources:

1. The Bee Movie - available on Apple TV, YouTube TV, Google Play, and Amazon Video
2. National Bee Day
3. No Mow May

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Green Collar Pod will officially begin releasing episodes in Jan of 2025. For now, we will keep working and you can work on getting excited to go green!

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Featuring Dr. Kiran Mohanraj, a serendipitous sustainability pal made by chance on a flight.

He is a pavement engineer who breaks down myths about zero-emission vehicles, pavement-vehicle interaction, and what true sustainability really means—plus drops some solid dad jokes along the way. 

Connect with Kiran on LinkedIn.

Terms mentioned:

• Heat Island Effect

Resources:

• Energy and Civilization: A History by Vaclav Smil
• APLCA and the LCA Certified Professional

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Featuring Veni Mittal, a dear friend and proud volunteer for Etna Community Organization. 

We'll talk about how to revitalize vacant parking lots, how to create community centers from scratch, and how to empower yourself and others to make grassroots change.  

Terms mentioned: 

• Energy burden

Resources mentioned:

1. Environmental Welfare Society 
2. Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh
3. BPI Certification Program
4. Etna Community Organization 
5. Evolve EA's website with EcoDistricts
6. EcoDistricts (Just Communities) certification 

Individuals mentioned: 

• Megan Tuñón
• Robert Tuñón
• Mary Ellen Ramage

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Featuring Fulya Kocak, one of the first ever LEED accredited professionals a sustainability educator, author, and entrepreneur.

Join us as we chat about ESG, mentorship, navigating periods where "green jobs" aren't plentiful, and anticipating industry trends.

Terms mentioned: 

• Green premiums

Resources mentioned:

1. Fulya's LinkedIn Learning Courses - Note: not all courses on the LinkedIn learning platform are available for free. If you are a student, check with your university, many offer access to the full LinkedIn learning catalogue. Professionals, be sure to ask your employer as they also offer this benefit.

Companies and Projects:

• Case study on the EPA Headquarters project mentioned
• NAREIT

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Featuring Gretchen Carey from Republic Services

Join us as we chat about all things community engagement, education, and recycling! 

Terms mentioned: 

• Right sizing your waste collection/containers

Resources mentioned:

1. Mass Recycle - podcast
2. Mass Recycle - handbook
3. TRUE Waste Advisor - certification via USGBC

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Featuring Christina Cuellar Nelson from CxAlloy.  

Join us as we chat about all things commissioning, conferences, and smart buildings! 

Terms mentioned: 

• Base load
• Islanding

Resources mentioned:

1. Kiss the Ground - movie
2. Start with Why by Simon Sinek - book 
3. Last Energy's Small Modular Reactors 
4. Data Center Dynamics - newsletter
5. Uptime Institute - newsletter

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Featuring Sophie Martin from Page.  

Join us as we chat about all things building science, from the LEED rating system to how to design a sustainable building from its inception. 

Resources mentioned:

1. The Building Science Podcast - podcast 
2. Cowspiracy - documentary 
3. Seaspiracy - documentary (on Netflix, need subscription)
4. Dark Waters - film
5. All We Can Save edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson - book of essays and poetry

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Featuring Alejandra Menchaca  from AIRLIT studio. 

Join us as we chat about mentorship, entrepreneurship, and how to be "sneakily" sustainable in the workplace.   

Resources mentioned:
1. Healthy Buildings by Joe Allen and John D Macomber - book

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