Entries by Riley Paul

Red Cross Builds Resilience | Adam Bornstein

Economic empowerment and community agency are the new humanitarian aid. In this episode, we’re exploring the power of digital currencies to spark economic activity and build resilience in refugee communities with Danish Red Cross’ Adam Bornstein.

Dare We Disturb the Deep Sea? | Cyrill Martin

There’s an inherent catch-22 in decarbonization. Building wind turbines, solar panels, and electric cars requires the use of rare metals like cobalt and nickel. The question is: are we willing to sacrifice the health of our oceans to get them? Everything you need to know about the problem of deep sea mining in this episode with OceanCare’s Cyrill Martin.

Waking Up from the Domination Trance | Riane Eisler

Domination and partnership. Our guest this week, Riane Eisler, looks at the history of human society through these two lenses. When in a domination configuration, our familial, economic, and political lives are characterized by conquest, imbalance of power, and abuse. Partnership configurations, on the other hand, emphasize the values of caring, consciousness, and creativity at all levels of society. We got to speak with Riane about what we can do to reorient our systems around the values of empathy and interconnection so that we can survive and thrive in the 21st century.

Welcome to the Web3 | Shermin Voshmgir

With the development of peer-to-peer networks like blockchain and Holochain, we are witnessing the birth of a new generation of the internet. There are myriad applications of this technology to revolutionize our data management, supply chains, social interactions, and economic systems. But, as with any technology, we have to be intentional in its design and application to avoid unwanted biases and outcomes. Shermin Voshmgir, founder of Token Kitchen and author of Token Economy, is committed to making this technology accessible to users without tech backgrounds, so we can all participate in deciding how it’s used.

Actually, There Aren’t Other Fish in the Sea | Max Bello

A healthy ocean is essential to the survival of almost all life on Earth. Unfortunately, at it’s last check up, the ocean wasn’t doing so hot. Acidification, melting ice caps, pollution, and overfishing are just a few of the threats to its wellbeing. In this episode, we speak with Max Bello of Mission Blue about the policy interventions and individual actions that could pull the ocean back from the brink. 

In Science We Trust | Avisha NessAiver

Pandemic. Vaccine. Climate emergency. Is it controversial to say that we need scientific knowledge to understand and deal with issues like these? Not on our show. But it’s no question that public trust in science has diminished in recent years. In this episode, we speak with Avisha NessAiver (@distilledscience) about his work delivering digestible scientific knowledge on  social media and how we can reestablish trust in this essential field.

Kinder Paradise | Silke Rösner

These children had nowhere to go. Then, Silke Rösner created Kinder Paradise. Kinder Paradise is a children’s home in Ghana where kids who have been orphaned, abandoned, or formerly enslaved can find a safe place to live, learn, and grow. In this episode, we ask Silke to share her story and discuss the power of purpose-driven action to transform a community. 

Hope for a Green Political Economy | John Barry

Care about climate change? Concerned about political polarization? Confused by economics? Let John Barry, professor at the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics at Queen’s University Belfast, talk you through his practical approach to achieving a green political economy. 

Walking Out Faith | Sally Moore and Tina Case

This time, we’re tackling faith. While most of our episodes are about technology, economics, science, or community organizing, these aren’t the only areas people turn to for hope about the future of humanity and the planet. In this episode, we’re talking with Sally Moore and Tina Case, a mother/daughter duo who share the ways that faith colors their lens on power, greed, gratitude, and money.

Expanding the Knowledge Commons | Michel Bauwens

With the birth of decentralized platforms, like block-chain, we’re seeing new possibilities open up for people, not just in world of crypto-currency, but as a way to securely share data and knowledge of all kinds. In this episode, we’re speaking with Michel Bauwens, a Belgian researcher and founder of the Peer-to-Peer foundation. His work focuses on the capacity of peer-to-peer theory to enable the growth of our knowledge commons and foster a more distributed, equitable, and ecological society.

The Joy of Agroforestry | Festus Kiplagat

Industrial agriculture has led to deforestation, land degradation, and biodiversity loss around the world. In this episode, we’re speaking with Festus Kiplagat, an expert in agroforestry and the founder of Green Planet Initiative 2050 in Kenya, who is working to reinstitute indigenous farming practices that can restore the land.

I Want You to Relate to Slime Mold | Dayna Baumeister

In our relatively short existence as a species, the human race has had a dramatic impact on the Earth. But what if human society could emulate and collaborate with nature rather than trying to dominate it? In this episode, we’re speaking with Dayna Baumeister, a partner at Biomimicry 3.8 and director of the Biomimicry Center at Arizona State University. Dayna’s work is all about how we as humanity can learn from the millions of other species on the planet to improve our lives and live in greater harmony with nature.

Our Storytelling Superpower | Mary Alice Arthur

If the entire history of the planet Earth were a novel, readers of the book who got to our current chapter might start worrying about the possibility of an unhappy ending. Luckily for us, that story is not completely written yet, which means we have a say how it goes. In this episode, we speak with Mary Alice Arthur, a story activist who empowers people and organizations through storytelling to create positive systemic shifts.

Is there an echo in here? | Bjarke Calvin

Most of us are aware that social media has caused us to become more polarized. Specialized algorithms feed us content from like-minded people to keep us entertained and addicted to their platforms. The question now is: how do you break out of these echo chambers? In this episode, we’re speaking with Bjarke Calvin, founder and CEO of a social media platform called Duckling. Bjarke is on a mission to transform social media to broaden our worldviews and decentralize our data for a more connected, empowered world.

Notes on the Sanitation Economy | Cheryl Hicks

When you flush, where does it go? In this episode, we speak with Cheryl Hicks, former Executive Director and CEO of the Toilet Board Coalition. Learn about the untapped value of sanitation and an emerging economy of waste to support our agriculture and energy systems, water preservation, and even our personal health.

Partying with Purpose | Kofi Debrah

How can we mobilize people en masse to act on behalf to the environment? Maybe it’s through song and dance. In this episode, we speak with Kofi Debrah, co-founder of Oko Forest and one of the producers of the Asa Baako music festival in Ghana, where change makers can come together to ‘party with purpose’. Listen as we talk agroforestry, neocolonialism, and the power of culture and creativity to make a positive impact on the planet.

A New Approach to Innovation | Nicolas Henchoz

What role will technological innovation play on the road to universal wellbeing? In this episode, we’re speaking with Nicolas Henchoz, Founder and Director of the EPFL+ECAL Lab in Lausanne, Switzerland. The EPFL+ECAL is a collaboration between Lausanne’s major technical university and art and design school, focused on fostering innovation at the crossroads of technology, design, and architecture. We ask Nicolas why he thinks this multidisciplinary approach to technological advancement is so important in our path forward as a society.

What Do You Really Know About Banking? | Ellen Brown

Where does money actually come from? What’s the difference between a private bank and a public bank? These questions and more are answered in our interview with Ellen Brown, Chairman of the Public Banking Institute and author of several books on financial reform. We ask her to break down the banking system and share her thoughts on changes we need to make to achieve a more stable and equitable monetary system for the COVID crisis and beyond.

When the Ice Melts | Dominique Perret

When we can see the impact of the climate crisis on our own lives, we become motivated to act. That has certainly been the case for Dominique Perret. Dominique is one of the world’s most accomplished off-piste skiers who became a leader in the fight against climate change after noticing drastic changes to our mountains and glaciers. We ask Dominique to share his personal story with climate change and what he thinks it will take to get more people engaged on this critical issue. 

The Climate Explainer | Will Hackman

Political polarization and misinformation have led to many people to become confused by or completely disengaged from conversations about the climate. Now, Will Hackman is working on a way to address that disengagement. Will is an environmental policy advocate working in Washington D.C. who has dubbed himself the Climate Explainer. Through his advocacy (and a new book he’s writing), Will is connecting people to their personal stake in protecting our planet with the hope that more widespread support will lead to the policy outcomes we need to decarbonize our economy.

Redefining Growth | Barbara Buchner

Is it possible to build a world economy that actually stops climate change? In this episode, we get to hear from Dr. Barbara Buchner, executive director of Climate Finance at the Climate Policy Initiative. Barbara believes whole-heartedly that we can solve climate change, address economic disparity, and prosper like never before.

Collective Intelligence for the Information Age | Arthur Brock

Holochain is a distributed digital ledger. Like Blockchain, it allows transactions to be recorded securely without a centralized database. Unlike Blockchain, its design is scalable, without a limitation on the number of transactions that can occur at a time. In this episode, we’re speaking with Arthur Brock, the Chief Architect of Holochain, about how he sees this new technology unlocking our collective intelligence as human beings and leading us to a more egalitarian and sustainable society.

Greenpeace | Jorgo Riss

Greenpeace is one of the most recognizable names in environmental advocacy. In this episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Jorgo Riss, director of Greenpeace Europe. We ask him how a campaign to reimagine a sustainable monetary system could fit in with Greenpeace’s other actions and what such a campaign would look like.

The 101 of How to Get Things Done | Maura Carabello

So you have a brilliant idea for a new policy or campaign to improve the world. Great. Now what? When it comes to policy and activism, an idea can only go so far. How you achieve it is it’s own challenge. In this episode, we speak with Maura Carabello, activist, policy consultant, and founder and CEO of the Exoro Group, to get her practical tips for making real and lasting change.

So, What Do You Do? | Paul Millerd

In the last year, all of our working lives have been turned upside-down by the COVID-19 pandemic. But are these changes just for now? Or will we see a complete culture shift in the way we conceptualize work? In this episode, we speak with Paul Millerd, who several years ago left behind his corporate 9 to 5 to pursue life on the road as a “solopreneur”. He is a writer, blogger, and host of his own podcast ‘Reimagine Work’, where he questions the role of work in our lives. We ask Paul where he sees the future of work going and together imagine a world where we’re all free to carve our own paths in life.

How $70 Changed a Woman’s Life | Mary Ellen Iskenderian

1 billion women around the world remain outside of the formal financial system today. Yes, you read that right. 1 billion. In this episode we speak with Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President and CEO of Women’s World Banking, about this staggering imbalance. We ask Mary Ellen about what it will take to close that gap and how investing in women leads to greater economic stability and prosperity for their families and communities.

WIR Stronger Together | Volker Strohm

In 1934, Werner Zimmermann and Paul Enz created the WIR currency to help stabilize Switzerland’s economy through the pangs of the Great Depression. Today, the WIR still circulates, strengthening and stabilizing local commerce throughout Switzerland. In this episode, we speak with Volker Strohm, Head of Corporate Communication for the WIR bank. We ask him about how the WIR works and potential applications for today’s economic problems.

What’s up with democracy these days? | Niheer Dasandi

Is democracy under threat? Persisting inequity and increasing polarization brings the strength of representative governments into question. In this episode we speak with Niheer Dasandi, a Senior Lecturer in Politics and Development at the University of Birmingham. His book, Is Democracy Failing?, takes a look at the health of democracy in the face of rising populism in the West. We ask Niheer to give us a sense of where our democracy is today and if it’s still the best form of government to meet the challenges we have ahead.

Understandable Economics | Howard Yaruss

Economics touches all of our lives. Shouldn’t it be easy to understand? Turns out, it’s mostly common sense. You just need the right person to explain it to you. And that person is Howard Yaruss. Howard Yaruss is an adjunct professor of economics who’s written a book called Understandable Economics: Because You Can’t Improve a System You Don’t Understand. In this episode, we ask him to dispel some common misconceptions about economics and explain why it’s so important for all people to have a solid understanding of this field of knowledge.

Enough is Enough | Rebecca Adamson

Indigenous economic models value collaboration over competition, harmony with nature over extraction, and subsistence over accumulation. In our first episode of 2021, we speak with Rebecca Adamson, an American Cherokee economist and scholar, about the lessons we can learn from indigenous economies to improve the wellbeing of all people and of our planet.

A Dream of Peace | Christine Ahn

The Korean War is the longest standing overseas US conflict. It’s been 70 years since it began and North and South Korea remain deeply entrenched in the ideological and political struggles engendered by the Cold War. Christine Ahn, founder and executive director of Women Cross DMZ, is mobilizing women around the world to finally bring this war to an end. In this episode we speak with Christine about the echoing impacts of the Korean War and why it’s so important to have women lead the way to future peace.

Queen of Raw | Stephanie Benedetto

The fashion industry has a waste problem. In addition to being one of the worst polluters of our world’s waters, this industry sends billions of dollars worth of unused textiles to landfill each year. Now, Stephanie Benedetto is doing something about it. Stephanie Benedetto is the founder of Queen of Raw, a marketplace to buy and sell sustainable and deadstock fabrics and textiles. By cataloguing and repurposing these fabrics that would otherwise go to landfill, Stephanie is creating a model of integrity and sustainability in the supply chain for the fashion industry and beyond.

UBI: A Star Trek Future | Scott Santens

Unconditional Basic Income. People around the world are in desperate need of economic relief in a pandemic that has exposed and exacerbated extreme levels of disparity and poverty. A basic income could be the solution. In this episode, we speak with Scott Santens, a writer and advocate for UBI who is also the first person to crowdfund his own poverty-level basic income. We ask about his argument for UBI, the barriers to achieving it, and the future he sees possible for humanity.

Creating Currency in Kenya | Will Ruddick

How do you jumpstart an economy in a community that has no money? Create a new currency. Will Ruddick is one of the directors of Grassroots Economics, a non-profit foundation focused on community development through economic empowerment and community currency programs. By creating new and secure currencies with blockchain, marginalized communities can more easily become self-sustaining economies.

The Giving Revolution | Rachel Cook

Rachel Cook, founder of Seeds, is the architect of a new economy. The way Rachel sees it, there’s more than enough money in the world to meet every human being’s needs. But in our current monetary system, the flow of that money is carefully controlled by gatekeepers like banks and investors. Using the power of cryptocurrency, Rachel’s  opening new pathways for giving, allowing wealth to flow more easily from person to person.  Once the barriers blocking access to wealth are broken down, suddenly anything seems possible.

Finding Bliss | Dasho Karma Ura

Who’s responsible for our happiness? For most people, finding happiness–true happiness–is a personal journey. But what if the government  took on some of that responsibility? In this episode, we speak with Dasho Karma Ura, President of the Center for Bhutan Studies on Gross National Happiness. We ask about Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Index, key findings, and what we can do to bring us all more happiness.

Open Source Earthling | Jean-François Noubel

Jean-François Noubel calls himself an ‘open source earthling’. Though he lives in France, he considers his true home to be within himself. Like a turtle. And though he lives within a market economy, he chooses to live as much as he can in a gift economy instead, without money. But why? As a researcher of collective intelligence, Jean-Francois sees currency as the tool that informs the design of human society. He believes we have to expand our concept of wealth and redesign the currencies that connect us to create economics systems that are fair, civil, and transparent.

Chinook Off the Hook | Kurt Beardslee

These fish need some friends. In this episode, we speak with Kurt Beardslee, executive director of the Wild Fish Conservancy in Duvall, WA. We ask Kurt about the current threats to dwindling Chinook salmon populations and what we can do to protect essential, life-giving species of fish. In the world of ‘sustainably’ caught fish, things aren’t always what they seem.

Wild Idea | Dan O’Brien, Jill O’Brien, Jilian Jones, and Colton Jones

In the spirit of patriotism this election week, we’ll be talking about our national mammal—the American bison or buffalo. And not just any Buffalo. Wild Idea Buffalo. Wild Idea is a family owned-business in South Dakota that has become a model for clean, regenerative, and healthy meat production. We wanted to talk to the family about our current system of industrial agriculture and how we can change our relationship with food to be in better balance with the planet and our own bodies.

Traitor to His Class | Morris Pearl

Meet the millionaire who wants to tax the rich. In this episode, we speak with Morris Pearl, a former managing director at BlackRock who now serves as the chair of an organization called Patriotic Millionaires. Patriotic Millionaires is a group of high-net-worth individuals who believe that all Americans would be better off in a more prosperous, stable, and inclusive nation. We ask Morris how we can get to that more inclusive place and why the wealthy should care.

The Courage to Face Extinction | Christina See

Extinction Rebellion is a global movement to get the world’s governments to address the climate and ecological emergency. What started in the UK in 2018 has now grown to include 1145 groups in 72 countries around the world. In this episode, we speak with Christina See, a core organizer in New York, to learn more about how this movement has brought in so many people from such a wide array of backgrounds and what it will take to save ourselves from extinction.

In Politics, Money Talks | Michael Kink

In this episode, we start a dive into the role of money in politics. From campaign financing and Citizens United to lobbying and taxation,  the influence of money on democracy is undeniable. And in a system where dollar contributions count as speech, some voices will inevitably be raised above the rest. We ask Michael Kink, executive director of the Strong Economy for All Coalition, what we can do to safeguard and fortify the principles of democracy in the face of big money.

The Propaganda Game | Pedram Shojai

We’re in a crisis of consciousness around money. A system of endless growth isn’t sustainable for people or planet. But to change that system, we first need to change minds. That’s the business Dr. Pedram Shojai is in. Pedram is a doctor of oriental medicine and former monk turned entrepreneur. Through books, film, and online platforms like Well.org, he is opening minds around the world to new possibilities in the areas of health, environmentalism, and conscious capitalism.

I Will Not Dance to Your Beat | Nnimmo Bassey

Until destructive fossil fuel extraction practices are ended, until the rights of nature are restored, until the world comes together to face the climate crisis, we will not stop fighting. That’s Nnimmo Bassey’s message to the world. Nnimmo is an environmental and human rights activist working out of Nigeria. He has been involved with countless environmental advocacy groups, including Friends of the Earth International, Environmental Rights Action, and the Health of Mother Earth Foundation. In this episode, he shares his vision of a world that dances to a new beat.

Debt Damage | André Peters

How does our prevailing money system drive growth? Through the creation of debt. In this episode, André Peters, a former analyst at the National Bank of Belgium, shares everything you need to know about the creation of money and how its design is damaging to our planet.

The Empty Calories of Capitalism | Marcia Chatelain

Dr. Marcia Chatelain is a historian and professor at Georgetown University specializing in African-American life and culture. Her latest book, Franchise, investigates the relationship that grew between McDonald’s and black communities across America following the Civil Rights movement. What does black wealth look like under American capitalism? And is true equality ever possible?

Monopoly’s Monopoly | Tom Forsyth

Monopoly is one of the world’s most popular board games. But who invented it? And why? Tom Forsyth, a game aficionado and special expert on the game Monopoly, reveals the unexpected background of the world’s most popular money game and its unique influence on our lives.

The Currency Consultant | Stephen DeMeulenaere

How can we tackle both climate change and income inequality? Stephen DeMeulenaere thinks economic redesign through complimentary currencies could be the answer.  Complimentary currencies introduce new paths of exchange that can support community resilience, encourage sustainable behavior, and decentralize wealth. Stephen explains why a diversity of currencies–some as complex as Bitcoin, others as simple as a babysitting circle–is essential for a resilient and equitable future.

Carbon Rewind | Sebastian Graf and Lars Graf

What if we could turn back the clock on climate change? True Carbon, a start-up founded by Sebastian and Lars Graf, is trying to do just that. By creating a marketplace to incentivize the use of ‘carbon negative’ farming techniques, True Carbon could lead the way in storing greenhouse gases in the Earth’s topsoil and reversing the damage we’ve done to our atmosphere.

Looking for Dinner? Get Deep in the Weeds | Krishna McKenzie

Where does our food come from? For Krishna McKenzie, the answer to that question says a lot about our relationship with nature. Krishna is a farmer in the universal township of Auroville working to educate people about the importance of consuming local, indigenous foods. Krishna believes that moving away from globalized food sources is the most important step to achieving a healthier lifestyle for people and planet.

The Wholeness of Life | Pier Luigi Luisi

What is life? Ask a biologist, a philosopher, and a priest and you’ll get three different answers. That’s why Dr. Luigi Luisi founded the Cortona Week, an interdisciplinary summer program where students and young leaders from all over the world and from all disciplines can come into contact and exchange ideas. In Luigi’s view, the expansion of the mind and heart offered at Cortona is vital to create leaders that can tackle the multifaceted problems we face today.

Rivers with Rights | Joseph Bonasia and Gary Robbins

Joseph Bonasia and Gary Robbins have a unique approach to protecting our environment: they are working to secure legal rights for rivers and other bodies of water in Florida.  Securing the “rights of nature” would give citizens and municipalities the authority to sue polluters on behalf of natural resources and the people who share them. Joe and Gary emphasize that as humans, we are not separate from nature, but an interdependent part of global ecosystems. They want our legal system to reflect that interdependence.

Absurdly Unequal | Chuck Collins

Chuck Collins, a program director at the Institute for Policy Studies and co-editor of inequality.org, shares the story of waking up to his own privilege and the racist systems that granted his family generational wealth while stripping it from others. Since that discovery, Chuck has dedicated his life to spreading awareness about wealth inequality and working toward a more equitable economic system. If we’re going to mend the damage done by the ‘extraction economy’, we must first tell the true story of how we got to where we are.

Billionaire Buddha | Rivera Sun and Dariel Garner

Does more money lead to greater happiness? In Rivera Sun’s novel, Billionaire Buddha, inspired by the life of Dariel Garner, true happiness doesn’t come until immense wealth is given away. In our 20th episode, Mel and Steff chat with Rivera and Dariel about income inequality, the immense damage being done to people and planet in the name of wealth accumulation, and the importance of reexamining our values to build a more collaborative and equitable future.

Weaving for Well-Being | Ross Hall

This is like no weaving you’ve seen before. In place of threads and looms, Ross Hall and the Weaving Lab employ collaboration and experiential learning to empower communities and promote universal wellbeing.

Empower Hour | Faye Cox

What if you could pick up a book and learn how to transform your entire community in a single hour? That’s what Faye Cox is working on with her startup called Hourbooks. She’s on a mission to empower people to live more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable lifestyles. Hourbooks is the gateway.

The Spirit of Money | Gwendolyn Hallsmith

Gwendolyn Hallsmith, founder of the Headwaters Garden and Learning Center ecovillage, talks about how our money system has gotten out of balance and what it will take to get our world back on track. Bonus: she sings!

When Life Gives You Lémans | Jean Rossiaud

Meet Jean Rossiaud, one of the masterminds behind Monnaie Léman, a new complimentary currency for the regions of Switzerland and France surrounding Lake Geneva. Listen as he talks through the benefits complimentary currencies can have for local economies and the planet.

There’s Something in the Air | Kristian Lande

What will it take to make air pollution a thing of the past? According to Kristian Lande, it’s all about decentralizing data. His start up, AirVeraCity, aims to give people direct access to the information they need to take local action on air quality.

The International Zoom Room | Abigail Tisch, Ellie Gravitte, and Martha Epstein

Through the isolation of a pandemic, they found a way to bring the world together. The coronavirus pandemic put the whole world on pause. Abigail Tisch, Ellie Gravitte, and Martha Epstein are taking that pause and turning it into an opportunity for global connection. Listen in to hear about the project they call the International Zoom Room and the learnings they’ve gathered so far from hosting conversations with strangers around the world.

We Are Not Prepared | Rosalba Rodriguez and Cynthia Tibbs

For folks in New York City’s public housing, the cost of living through a pandemic can be incredibly high. We got curious about how COVID-19 is impacting New York’s vulnerable residents and what communities are doing to come together and support one another in the face of the pandemic.

Growing with the Flow | Anna Cowen and John Ziniades

What does it look like to put community participation at the center of sustainable development? Anna Cowen and John Ziniades talk through FLOW, a project that empowered underemployed youth in South Africa to map their community’s needs and assets, connect them through complimentary currencies, and unleash their creative power.

Welcome to Pod of Gold

Worried about climate chaos, inequality, and conflict? Podcast hosts, Mel Wymore and Stefanie Overbeck, want to introduce you to the people out there who are making a difference.