The Way Forward Regenerative Conversations

#27: A World Drowning in Waste-Innovation in Recycling: A Conversation with Tom Szaky

There is a growing problem in our approach to waste in this country and the world. Our global consumption has increased, leading to a significant rise in waste production and the materials we are using are often less desirable for recyclers due to their declining economic value. This trend has led to a decrease in recycling.
Tom Szaky a pioneering entrepreneur and environmental thought leader is best known as the founder and CEO of TerraCycle, a global recycling company that specializes in handling difficult-to-recycle materials. Born in Hungary and raised in Canada, Tom developed an early passion for sustainability, which led him to create TerraCycle while still a student at Princeton University. Under his leadership, TerraCycle has expanded into over 20 countries and has become a prominent name in eco-friendly waste management, with innovative programs like the Loop platform that promotes reusable packaging. Tom is also a prolific author, contributing his insights and experiences to several books on environmentalism and entrepreneurship. His notable works include "Revolution in a Bottle: How TerraCycle is Redefining Green Business," "Outsmart Waste: The Modern Idea of Garbage and How to Think Our Way Out of It," "Make Garbage Great: The TerraCycle Family Guide to a Zero-Waste Lifestyle," and "The Future of Packaging: From Linear to Circular." Through his ventures and writings, Tom has become a leading advocate for regenerative business practices and a circular economy, influencing both industry and consumer behavior towards environmental responsibility.
We would like to thank our sponsor Elders Action Network “Building a movement of elders to address the environmental, governance and social issues of our time”.
You can reach us at the email address thewayforwardrc@gmail.com
The views, opinions and ideas expressed by our guests during this in any episode are solely their own and do not reflect or represent the positions, beliefs, or policies of any of our podcast sponsors.   Additionally, the content shared by our guests does not necessarily align with or reflect the position or beliefs of the podcast hosts or the production team behind “The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations”.

#26: Can Midlife be Transformative: A Conversation with Chip Conley

With our extended lifespan in the 21st century, midlife can extend from our 30s to our 60s or longer.  What are the challenges and potential transformative experiences that face us, as we navigate that part of life?  Chip Conley describes his forties as a difficult time for him.  He lost five male friends to suicide and faced numerous personal crises.  In this conversation, Chip shares his journey and his discoveries that lead him to co-found MEA, the Modern Elder Academy
Chip disrupted the hospitality industry twice, first as the founder and operator of the second largest boutique hotel system in the U. S. and then as Airbnb’s Head of Global Hospitality and Strategy. At Airbnb he mentored the three founders and became known as the Modern Elder.
Chip Conley is the author of 7 books including his most recent book published January 2024, “Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better with Age” which is about rebranding midlife to help people understand the upside of this often-misunderstood life stage.  His Modern Elder Academy has been called the world’s first midlife wisdom school.  Its regenerative community has mentored students helping them navigate midlife since 2018.  Chip has been featured in a 2023 Ted Talk on “midlife chrysalis” and on “Big Think” video  “How to future-proof your career”.
We would like to thank our sponsor Elders Action Network “Building a movement of elders to address the environmental, governance and social issues of our time”.
You can reach us at the email address thewayforwardrc@gmail.com
The views, opinions and ideas expressed by our guests during this in any episode are solely their own and do not reflect or represent the positions, beliefs, or policies of any of our podcast sponsors.   Additionally, the content shared by our guests does not necessarily align with or reflect the position or beliefs of the podcast hosts or the production team behind “The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations”.

#25: Gen Z: Engaging with and learning from them– A Conversation with Maia Ervin.

How do we find hope or optimism about a regenerative future in the 21st century? For many of the guests on this podcast it has been their experience with young people that inspires hope.  In our conversation with Maia Ervin, Chief Impact Officer at JUV Consulting, we explore Generation Z as they emerge into adulthood.  Gen Z’s are now in their teens and twenties and are asking different questions.    What cultural, societal, and geopolitical experiences have imprinted this generation?  How does business engage and work with this generation who quite frankly challenge the way things are currently done and who do not want a seat at the table but want to flip it? How do organizations and government respond to Generation Z’s demands that they do the right thing in addressing the issues of equality, democracy, and the environment? 
Maia is a dynamic and multifaceted professional known for her strong commitment to multicultural marketing, focusing on amplifying the stories of marginalized communities through purpose-driven campaigns and activations.  She serves as the Chief Impact Officer of Juv Consulting helping clients develop purpose-driven campaigns and impactful storytelling opportunities.  She formerly served as their Chief People Officer.  She has a degree in communication and media studies and is working on her MBA.  JUV consulting is a marketing consultancy firm that specializes in understanding and reaching Generation Z.  It is known for its unique approach, employing a team primarily composed of Gen Z’s to offer authentic and firsthand insights into the preferences and behaviors of their peers. By doing so, JUV Consulting positions itself as a bridge between traditional business strategies and the emerging consumer and worker base of young people.
We would like to thank our sponsor Elders Action Network “Building a movement of elders to address the environmental, governance and social issues of our time”.
You can reach us at the email address thewayforwardrc@gmail.com
The views, opinions and ideas expressed by our guests during this in any episode are solely their own and do not reflect or represent the positions, beliefs, or policies of any of our podcast sponsors.   Additionally, the content shared by our guests does not necessarily align with or reflect the position or beliefs of the podcast hosts or the production team behind “The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations”.

#24: How do we navigate life’s transitions at midlife and beyond. A Conversation with Paul Ward.

As we all navigate the many transitions life has in store for each of us, where we can find a guide or map to help us?  Paul Ward in his conversation with us today, shares the collaborate journey that has led him with his co-authors to write a new book “Midlife, New Life: Living Consciously in Midlife and Beyond”.  In his self-described role as a life transition coach, Paul describes how we can use the Conscious Living Wheel and conscious conversation circles to help us move from attention to intention and finally to action in making our life transitions.
Paul is an international conscious leadership and conscious living coach, author of The Inner Journey to Conscious Leadership, and a host of conscious conversation circles. He is sometimes referred to as the consciousness whisperer. Paul is the principal owner of the coaching, consulting, and training company 2Young2Retire, LLC, offering impactful transitions coaching and facilitator certification training. He is the co-author of the upcoming book, Midlife New Life: Living Consciously in Midlife and Beyond.
We would like to thank our sponsor Elders Action Network “Building a movement of elders to address the environmental, governance and social issues of our time”.
You can reach us at the email address thewayforwardrc@gmail.com
The views, opinions and ideas expressed by our guests during this in any episode are solely their own and do not reflect or represent the positions, beliefs, or policies of any of our podcast sponsors.   Additionally, the content shared by our guests does not necessarily align with or reflect the position or beliefs of the podcast host or the production team behind “The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations”.

#23: Can reducing consumerism help us save the planet and find happiness. A Conversation with J.B. MacKinnon.

The United Nations panel that studies climate change found that consumption surpassed population growth as the biggest driver of resource and material use on the planet at the turn of the 21st century.  In the United States the population has increased 60% since the 1970s while the consumption of consumer items has increased 400%.  We consume 13 times more than the average person in one of the poorer countries in the world.  This means that having two children in the US is like having 20 children in of the poorer countries of the world.
J.B. MacKinnon is an award-winning journalist who has authored or co-authored five non-fiction books including the one we are discussing in today’s conversation: “The Day the World Stopped Shopping”.  MacKinnon describes his book as “a thought experiment that imagines what would happen—to our economies, our products, our planet, our selves—if we committed to consuming far fewer of the Earth’s resources.”  His work has appeared in the New Yorker, National Geographic and the Atlantic.  He is an adjunct professor of journalism at the University of British Columbia, where he teaches feature writing.
We would like to thank our sponsor Elders Action Network “Building a movement of elders to address the environmental, governance and social issues of our time”.
You can reach us at the email address thewayforwardrc@gmail.com
The views, opinions and ideas expressed by our guests during this in any episode are solely their own and do not reflect or represent the positions, beliefs, or policies of any of our podcast sponsors.   Additionally, the content shared by our guests does not necessarily align with or reflect the position or beliefs of the podcast host or the production team behind “The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations”.

#22: Elder Activism in a time of Climate Crisis. A Conversation with Leslie Wharton, Roger Luckmann and Jen Chandler of Elders Climate Action

Elders Climate Action (ECA), a grassroots organization founded as project of Elders Action Network in 2014 has taken the lead in activating elders to be educated about and address the growing climate crisis at the federal, state, and local levels – through national policy initiatives and regional chapters.  With a strong emphasis on partnerships - especially intergenerational - ECA addresses climate change while there is still time to protect the well-being of our children, grandchildren, and future generations.
 
Drawing from their experience as members of Elders Climate Action, Leslie, Roger, and Jen help us explore the work of ECA in our conversation with them today.
Leslie, the Chair of Elders Climate Action, is a retired attorney, a self-described introvert with a PhD in history.  She describes finding her home in ECA as wonderful, like going from a caterpillar to a butterfly. 
Roger is the co-chair of the ECA National Policy Committee.  He came to climate activism after 50 years as a physician, healthcare researcher, and public health practitioner.  He draws inspiration from ECA which has led to him to become involved  as a heat pump coach and decarbonization advocate in his hometown.
Jen is Director of Elders Climate Action and their only salaried employee.  She was introduced to climate change and inspired by her mother, an early member of ECA. Over the past eight years Jen has led the volunteer members of ECA to build a coalition of more than 26,000 elders working across the United States
We would like to thank our sponsor Elders Action Network “Building a movement of elders to address the environmental, governance and social issues of our time”.
You can reach us at the email address thewayforwardrc@gmail.com
The views, opinions and ideas expressed by our guests during this in any episode are solely their own and do not reflect or represent the positions, beliefs, or policies of any of our podcast sponsors.   Additionally, the content shared by our guests does not necessarily align with or reflect the position or beliefs of the podcast host or the production team behind “The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations”.
Show Notes:
Jen Chandler is the Director of Elders Climate Action. Over the past eight years Jen has led the volunteer leadership of ECA to build a coalition of more than 26,000 elders working across the United States. She has brought her experience and skills as an non-profit leader, educator, creative, advocate and a lover of the natural world to support, uplift and amplify ECA’s mission and build a movement of Elders who are taking action to protect future generations.
Jen has a Bachelor of Arts in Photography and Adventure Education with a Master of Arts in Arts Administration and Nonprofit Leadership. Prior to working in climate action, Jen taught in the Visual Arts and managed the Prescott College Art Gallery at Sam Hill Warehouse and Visual Arts Center. In her twenties Jen worked as an outdoor guide where she fell in love with the Southwestern United States. She happily splits her time between the central highlands (Prescott) and the northern deserts of the Dine’ nation in (Page) Arizona with her partner, Daniel and best canine companion, Birdie.
 
Roger came to climate activism and ECA in his third act after 50 years as a physician, healthcare researcher, and public health practitioner. In the ECA Massachusetts chapter he serves on the leadership, legislative adn research team. He is also co-chair of the ECA national policy committee and is a heat pump coach and building decarbonization advocate in his hometown of Natick Massachusetts.
Leslie was born in July 1951 and raised in the countryside north of Philadelphia, where I spent most of the time I was not in school enjoying the trees, fields, babbling brooks and wildlife.  I got a Ph.D in history and then switched gears and went law school, working for 38 years first in private practice and then for a government agency.  I retired at the end of 2021.  
 
Leslie first heard about climate change in 2007, I assumed that our political leaders act for the public good and institute policies to address climate change.  When I looked again in 2014, I was shocked at how little our governments had done.  That’s when I decided to become a climate activist and joined Elders Climate Action.  As part of the ECA leadership, I work on building and supporting new chapters around the country, building collaborations with other environmental groups, and making ECA a strong voice at the federal, state, county and local level supporting the policies and actions needed to protect our children, grandchildren, and future generations from climate catastrophe.
 
 

#21: Can Health Span be increased: A Conversation with Jim Burke the producer and the guest for this Podcast:

Health span is the period of life during which you are generally healthy and free from serious chronic disease. In the United States the average lifespan historically has been lower compared to many developed countries. The U.S. also faces challenges with chronic disease, obesity and other health issues which negatively impact health span.  In 2016 the average life expectancy at birth in the US was 79 years while the health span was only 68.5 years.  This meant 10.5 years where a US resident experienced a decreased quality of life, an increased burden of disease and an increase in their health care cost.    Is this the future each of us faces?
Drawing from experience and study of Lifestyle Medicine, we explore this challenging subject with our guest today, Jim Burke. Jim spent 25 years as a health care clinician and manager for the US Department of Veterans Affairs.  He is a retired physician assistant and MSW.  He currently a Diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and hold a Nutritarian Coach Certificate. 
Show Notes: In this conversation Jim Burke draws from the work of T. Colin Campbell PhD (The China Study), John Robbins (Healthy at 100), Blue Zones, Joel Fuhrman MD (Eat for Life), Michael Greger MD and Peter Attia MD (Outlive).
We would like to thank our sponsor Elders Action Network “Building a movement of elders to address the environmental, governance and social issues of our time”.
You can reach us at the email address thewayforwardrc@gmail.com
The views, opinions and ideas expressed by our guests during this in any episode are solely their own and do not reflect or represent the positions, beliefs, or policies of any of our podcast sponsors.   Additionally, the content shared by our guests does not necessarily align with or reflect the position or beliefs of the podcast host or the production team behind “The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations”.
 

#20: Overshoot and Collapse: Is That What Our Future Holds? A Conversation with Jim Anest

On YouTube and in current books, stories of pending societal collapse are increasingly apparent.  Are we just experiencing the recurrence of the age-old theme” the end is near” or is something new happening?  Are the increasing climate catastrophes, supply chain shortages, rising fuel and food prices caused by our growing environmental footprint? Are they symptoms of pending societal collapse? Are we in denial of this “new abnormal”?  
Drawing from the recent work of Jem Bendell, we explore his provocative new book “Breaking Together: A Freedom-Loving Response to Collapse”.   Our guest for this conversation is Jim Anest.  Jim is an environmentalist, grandfather, musician, intellectual, and retired senior environmental policy analyst for the State of Washington.
Jim comes to this conversation with a remarkable history of community service and activism.  After attending Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago, he worked as a small-town lawyer for 6 years, where he represented anti-nuclear civil disobedience defendants, battered women, and a case for the ACLU.  Most of his career he worked for the Washington State Department of Ecology focusing on toxic cleanup and shoreline management. He also worked with The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, where he helped create a compliance program for a state agency that bought the best pieces of land in the state and protected them forever (with a portfolio of over 9,000 grants, valued at over $3 billion dollars). Jim also helped create an intentional cohousing community about 15 years ago in Olympia, Washington, where he and his wife still live. He is also an avid hiker, reader, swimmer, piano player, and conversationalist.
 
We would like to thank our sponsor Elders Action Network “Building a movement of elders to address the environmental, governance and social issues of our time”.
You can reach us at the email address thewayforwardrc@gmail.com
The views, opinions and ideas expressed by our guests during this in any episode are solely their own and do not reflect or represent the positions, beliefs, or policies of any of our podcast sponsors.   Additionally, the content shared by our guests does not necessarily align with or reflect the position or beliefs of the podcast host or the production team behind “The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations”.

#19: Finding Purpose and Meaning in the second half of Life: A Conversation with Dr. John Izzo and Alain Gauthier

Retirement is often presented by the media as a time of leaving meaningful work to pursue hobbies, travel, and more time with family.  With increased life expectancy and evolving societal norms, the traditional notion of retirement is undergoing change.  Some people now opt for semi-retirement, gradually reducing their work hours, or they switch careers to less demanding but more fulfilling work.  Others find volunteer opportunities that are consistent with and in line with their passions.  Some pursue spiritual quests and or transformational experiences.   In this conversation using insights from Age Wave’s latest study “the New Age of Aging” we explore the second half of life as a time for those who want to age regeneratively and leave a better world for future generations. 
 
John Izzo is a globally renowned bestselling author of nine books, a professional and dynamic speaker, inspired storyteller, and highly acknowledged business advisor. In his career he has spoken to over one million people, taught at three major universities, and advised over 700 top companies on activating social responsibility and purpose worldwide. John is currently an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia, where he is a co-founder of Blueprint, serves on the board of Sustainable Brands and co-hosts The Way Forward Regenerative Conversations podcast.
 
Alain Gauthier has a 55-year history as an international consultant, facilitator, educator, and author.  He began his journey working with multinational corporations, NGOs, and universities. In his later career, he focused on developing co-leadership emphasizing compassion and dialogue to nurture authentic relationships.  As an elder and a volunteer with Elders Action Network (EAN) he is passionate about integrating the inner, inter, and outer dimensions of regeneration – at a time when our patterns of thought and behavior are challenged by the multi-faceted crisis facing society. He initiated a Visionary Planning Process and co-created the Regenerative Elder Process (REP) – which has been offered by Elders Action Network to elders who want to renew themselves while contributing to the regeneration of their communities.
We would like to thank our sponsor Elders Action Network “Building a movement of elders to address the environmental, governance and social issues of our time”.
You can reach us at the email address thewayforwardrc@gmail.com
The views, opinions and ideas expressed by our guests during any episode are solely their own and do not reflect or represent the positions, beliefs, or policies of any of our podcast sponsors.   Additionally, the content shared by our guests does not necessarily align with or reflect the position or beliefs of the podcast host or the production team behind “The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations”.
 
 
 

#18: What does this moment require of leaders: A Conversation with Akaya Windwood

Many of us feel stuck in a paradigm that no longer serves us or life. Others believe “The Great Turning”, as Joanna Macy calls its, has begun?   There is also an emerging request that we Boomers humbly and courageously step beside the next generation of young leaders to support and learn from them?  Some call for   shared leadership as a model to be embraced.  Our guest Akaya Windwood, who serves as lead advisor on the Advisory Council of Third Act, explores these topics with our hosts.
Akaya Windwood has embraced transformational change since as a young black child she was of one of eight children to attend a school in San Bernardino California at the time of the integration process.  She has focused her energy on leadership and collaboration in the nonprofit and social benefit sector.  She is a faculty member at the Just Economy, founder of New Universal and past president of Rockwood Leadership Institute.  Akaya received the 2020 Vision Award from Middlebury College and the Ella Award from Ella Baker Center for Human Rights.
We would like to thank our sponsor Elders Action Network “Building a movement of elders to address the environmental, governance and social issues of our time”.
You can reach us at the email address thewayforwardrc@gmail.com
The views, opinions and ideas expressed by our guests during this in any episode are solely their own and do not reflect or represent the positions, beliefs, or policies of any of our podcast sponsors.   Additionally, the content shared by our guests does not necessarily align with or reflect the position or beliefs of the podcast host or the production team behind “The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations”.