The ChicoBag Podcast – Redefining Sustainability, One Step at a Time

Most brands point the camera in the wrong place. Their best stories are buried on page 47 of an impact report no one reads. Andy Keller sits down with Kevin Willard, owner of brand storytelling studio Assembly and a copywriter who has spent two decades helping organizations like American Forest Foundation, Ocean Conservancy, Hyatt, and Jack Daniels find stories that actually move people. They get...

What if posting your morning coffee could fund a mental health organization? Andy Keller sits down with Becca Ruiz, founder of Post on Purpose (POP), to talk about the gap between brand marketing and real-world impact — and the platform she built to close it. Every post, every tag, every verified action unlocks a real donation from a sponsoring brand. No new apps. No extra steps. Just Instagram do...

In Episode 29 of the ChicoBag Podcast, Andy Keller sits down with Garrison Harward, Executive Director of Andando, to talk about what makes real change last in rural Senegal. Andando’s “whole village” approach is built around long-term partnership and local ownership, spanning water, health, education, agriculture, literacy, and small business. Andy opens the episode with what that looks like in t...

Microplastics are showing up everywhere, including in the food we eat. In this episode, Andy Keller talks with Abby Barrows, marine debris researcher and co founder of Deer Isle Oyster Co, about what she has learned from years of global microplastics sampling with Adventure Scientists and why plastic is such a complicated part of aquaculture and wild fisheries. Abby gets real about what the data a...

Marialyce Pedersen has spent decades in recycling and zero waste work, but wildfire changed her life in a personal way. After the Eaton Fire burned down her nearly 100-year-old home in Altadena, she began planning a rebuild focused on resiliency, health, and common sense. In this episode, Andy Keller and Marialyce dig into what “build back better” can actually look like, from straw bale buildings...

Join Andy Keller as he sits down with Kurt Hoag, the founder of Renotype, to explore the world of purposeful promotion. Discover how Kurt's 30 years of experience in marketing have shaped his unique approach to advertising, focusing on meaningful connections rather than fleeting trends. Learn about the common pitfalls in promotional strategies and how to avoid them, while gaining insights into bui...

In this episode, Andy Keller sits down with Seth Ewing, founder of Operation Tabletop, to talk about how simple, in-person game nights create real connection, restore a sense of purpose, and can help reduce suicide risk among service members and veterans. It’s an honest, practical conversation about loneliness, “earned dopamine” vs. instant gratification, showing up for each other, and why being t...

Can small dollars create big change? In this episode, Andy sits down with Tobie Spears, founder of Be Humanitarian, to unpack a practical model working right now in Guatemala. From child sponsorship and English classes to tiny seed grants that launch real microbusinesses, Tobie shares what works, what to avoid, and how anyone can get involved as a sponsor, partner, or volunteer traveler. We dive i...

Bad merch hurts your brand. Good merch builds loyalty. In this episode, Andy Keller talks with Denise Taschereau, co-founder and CEO of Fairware, about how to move beyond “trinkets and trash” and turn branded products into meaningful, profitable marketing tools. They dig into why intention matters, how to plan ahead to reduce waste, and why doing the right thing isn’t just better for the planet —...

What if your promotional products could do more than just get your name out there? In this episode of the ChicoBag Podcast, Andy Keller sits down with Liz Wimbush, Director of Sustainability at PPAI (Promotional Products Association International), to talk about the future of intentional merch. They explore the idea of “brandfill,” the power of purpose-led sourcing, and what transparency really me...

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Edward Humes joins Andy Keller to talk trash — literally. In this episode of the ChicoBag Podcast, they dive deep into the hidden systems that fuel our waste crisis and reveal how garbage connects to climate change, health, inequality, and everyday life. Humes shares stories and insights from his latest book Total Garbage, revealing how the things we throw away —...

A Campus That Feeds Students, Not Landfills — with Stephan Classen from Cascadia College What if your school let students forage for food on campus? At Cascadia College, that’s not a hypothetical. It’s policy. And it’s part of a bigger story about what happens when you design with nature instead of against it. Ranked the most sustainable campus grounds in the country every year since 2018, Cascadi...

Heather White—author, advocate, and founder of OneGreenThing.org—joins Andy Keller on the ChicoBag Podcast to talk about eco anxiety, Gen Z, and the growing connection between mental health and climate change. They explore how today’s youth are navigating anxiety with action, and why our daily choices matter more than we think. From practical frameworks to hope-driven storytelling, Heather offers...

What happens when you blend clean energy, surfing, and intentional living? In this episode, Andy Keller sits down with Tyler Fox — founder of Santa Cruz Waves and owner of Sandbar Solar — to explore how reconnecting with nature can shape a more sustainable future. Tyler shares what it’s like to live completely off-grid in a 280-square-foot home, and how his time riding giant waves at Mavericks hel...

Andy Keller, founder of ChicoBag, sits down with Liz Zavodsky and Lauren Watkins from Ecochallenge.org to explore how small daily actions can lead to meaningful, lasting sustainability. Together, they unpack why it’s so hard to change habits, what really motivates people to take action, and how to talk about climate in ways that inspire rather than overwhelm. They also dive into the Earth Month Ec...

Join host Andy Keller in this episode of the Chico Bag Podcast, where he engages in a compelling conversation with Austin Whitman, CEO of changeclimate.org. They discuss climate labeling and its role in empowering consumers and businesses to make informed, sustainable choices. From understanding the importance of carbon accountability to exploring tangible steps for climate action, the discussion...

Join host Andy Keller on The Chico Bag Podcast as he welcomes Jordan Howard, a distinguished sustainability strategist, speaker, and policy expert, to discuss the journey towards meaningful environmental activism. Jordan shares her insights on the importance of creating lasting change, both at the individual and corporate levels, by engaging with diverse generations and fostering open communicatio...

In this episode of the ChicoBag Podcast, host Andy Keller engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Marcus Erickson, a renowned scientist and advocate for ocean conservation. Together, they explore the intricacies of the United Nations Treaty to End Plastic Pollution and discuss the challenges faced during the recent negotiation sessions in Busan, South Korea. With 170 countries and a m...