The sustainably.eco Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of the Sustainably.eco podcast, host Ben Skene speaks with Jessica Jennings, Production Consultant, Environmental Services at the Ontario Film Commission / Ontario Creates, and lead of the Ontario Green Screen program. With over two decades of experience across film, television, and sustainability, Jessica shares how the industry is evolving to reduce its environmental footprint.

They discuss the role of Ontario Green Screen in supporting sustainable production practices across the province, from reducing on-set waste to embracing circular approaches that rethink traditional filmmaking processes. Jessica offers insight into the real challenges productions face when implementing sustainability measures, along with practical solutions that are helping teams of all sizes make meaningful progress.

The conversation also highlights the importance of engaging emerging filmmakers and building sustainability into the creative process from the start. Jessica emphasizes the power of education, collaboration, and industry-wide commitment in driving long-term change.

Learn more about Ontario Green Screen and access resources for sustainable production at www.ontariogreenscreen.ca
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About the guest:

Jessica Jennings is a seasoned producer, production manager, and sustainability leader with more than 22 years of experience across scripted, factual, and documentary filmmaking. She currently serves as Production Consultant, Environmental Services at the Ontario Film Commission / Ontario Creates, where she leads the Ontario Green Screen (OGS) program—an initiative that provides tools, training, and resources to help Ontario’s production industry adopt sustainable best practices.

An environmentalist and impact producer, Jessica has worked as a sustainability consultant with Green Spark Group, supporting clients such as Disney and NHK. She has also played a key role in advancing industry dialogue as Production Manager of the Sustainable Production Forum in Toronto. Passionate about storytelling that drives change, her credits include work on environmental films such as Revolution and Sharkwater: Extinction, the CSA-winning documentary Toxic Beauty, and the CSA-nominated Meat the Future. She has also implemented sustainable practices on major productions, including MasterChef Canada and multiple feature films.

In this episode of the Sustainably.eco podcast, host Ben Skene speaks with Morgan Lehtinen, the executive director of Reaction Hub (RXN Hub), about the intersection of chemistry and sustainability in Kingston. They discuss the role of Reaction Hub in supporting the commercialization of sustainable technologies, the importance of water treatment innovations, and the historical significance of their location. Morgan shares insights on building a community of innovators, trends in clean tech, and the challenges of scaling sustainable technologies. The conversation highlights the importance of collaboration, municipal support, and balancing local and global impact in the pursuit of sustainability.

About the guest: 

Morgan Lehtinen, PhD is an accomplished researcher, entrepreneur, ecosystem builder, educator and innovation consultant with 10+ years mobilizing chemical technologies in university and entrepreneurial ecosystems. As Executive Director of RXN HUB, Morgan leads a national coalition of start-up supporters to provide a first-of-its-kind near-net-zero facility and support system in Kingston; offering a home for cleantech ventures to pilot, demonstrate and manufacture their chemical technologies in service of a cleaner tomorrow.

About the host: 

Originally from Ottawa, Ben Skene moved to Kingston in August after graduating from Carleton University with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Humanities. He is passionate about digital storytelling and exploring how media can connect communities to sustainability and place.

We recently spoke to Adam Molson from the Daniels Corporation about the launch of their Circular Economy Hub: a dedicated space for residents to donate, repair or exchange unwanted or damaged items to reduce the waste in our landfills. We also spoke with Tim Weber, a co-founder of Diverso Energy a company that offers Geothermal Solutions for multi-family, office, retail and institutional buildings.

This episode is sponsored by Phase 2 of Sustainable Kingston's Electric Vehicle Campaign. 

We recently spoke to Dr. Patricia Collins, Nico Koenig and Roger Healy about School Streets: a project that closes streets adjacent to schools to through traffic. The program is the product of a university-community partnership that seeks to promote children’s health and well-being and is part of a project funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research called Levelling the Playing Fields.  

We also spoke with Adan Amer and Adeola Aegbeyemi, who are the authors of a youth-led plan to reduce Hamilton, Ontario’s dependence on fossil fuels. We spoke to them about their Community Fossil Free Plan released by Environment Hamilton.

This episode is sponsored by the 2023 Commuter Challenge. 

 This month we're sharing an edited version of our EV Q+A event. This was an online presentation from Sustainable Kingston featuring Cara Clairman, CEO of Plug N Drive and François Lefèvre, Senior Manager of Market Intelligence and Corporate Planning at Nissan Canada.  Answering questions from participants and moderator Geoff Hendry, Cara, and Francois provide invaluable insight into what's new in the world of electric vehicles.

This episode is sponsored by Kingston's Project Drawdown Webinar, taking place on Wednesday, May 3 and available after the event on Sustainable Kingston's Youtube channel. 

This month is all about Sustainable Fashion.  We recently spoke with Jesse Whale, stylist, wardrobe consultant, and owner of ClosettCandyy a consignment store in Kingston, Ontario. We also chatted with Stephanie Sarka, owner of 1 Atelier,  an independent luxury brand born in New York City that uses regenerative agriculture, vegetable tanning, and on-demand production to produce sustainable handbags.

This episode is sponsored by the Kingston Community Climate Action Fund. 

This month we spoke to Carissa MacLennan of the Toy Exchange Club, a premium wooden toy rental subscription service for children aged 0-3 years that reduce waste and clutter.   We also spoke with Dr. Bertrand Malsch of the Smith School of Business at Queen's University about environmental, social, and governance reporting and the practice of tying these metrics to executive compensation.

This episode is sponsored by The Kingston Community Climate Action Fund. 

*We apologize for some of the audio quality as experienced some recording difficulties and there are some scratchy moments in some of the interviews.  

This month we spoke with actor, author, and comedian Ali Hassan (CBC's Canada Reads) about his role as returning host of the 2023 Kingston Climate Change Symposium, his new book ("Is There Bacon in Heaven?"), and his upcoming live tour ("Does This Taste Funny?").  We also had a great conversation with Jackie Ryan, founder of Planting Seeds of Hope. We discussed the unique philosophy of the organization, its impact on the children who participate and incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing into nature-based programs for children.

This episode is sponsored by the Kingston Climate Change Symposium. 

This month we spoke to director, writer, and producer Victoria Lean about her new documentary "The Climate Baby Dilemma." The program, which airs on CBC on November 25th at 9:00 pm and on CBC Gem, explores the difficult questions that surround having and raising children during the climate crisis. We also spoke with author Conor Kerr whose first novel "Avenue of Champions" was longlisted for the 2022 Giller Prize. We had a great conversation about Edmonton, Indigenous youth, and authentic storytelling. 

This episode is sponsored by the 2023 Kingston Climate Change Symposium. 

This month we speak with Cheryl Ng from the University of British Columbia's Cool Hood Champs program and Julie Salter-Keane from the City of Kingston about their Neighbourhood Climate Action Champions initiative.  We also spoke with Janette Haase, author of From Seed to Table: A Practical Guide to Eating and Growing Green, about improving access to local food.

This episode is sponsored by Sustainable Kingston's Energy Services.