The Green Hour

On today's episode of the Green Hour, we're diving into the first newly constructed nuclear units to be built in the United States in more than 30 years. Joining us is Tim Echols, Georgia Public Service Commissioner. We explore the U.S.'s leadership in nuclear energy and the challenges faced during the construction of Plant Vogtle. We dive into the national security perspective and implications fo...

On today's episode of the Green Hour, we're tackling the challenge of recycling in areas without proper infrastructure. Joining us is Ryan Smith, the Founder and CEO of Recyclops, a company that focuses on providing recycling services in areas with limited or no access to traditional recycling infrastructure. We'll delve into their mission to make recycling universally accessible through smart-rou...

Coming to you live from the Concordia Annual Summit in New York City with Andy Kireta Jr., President of the Copper Development Association. In this episode, we explore the critical role of copper in driving environmental innovation. From understanding why copper is an essential component in clean energy technologies to its impact on the electric vehicle industry, we'll uncover the intricacies of t...

Coming to you live from the Concordia Annual Summit in New York City with Lisa Jacobson, President of The Business Council for Sustainable Energy. In this episode, we explore the last decade's changes in the energy sector, covering record-breaking renewable energy adoption, challenges like energy security and climate change. We discuss the U.S.' progress on Paris Agreement commitments, emphasizing...

Coming to you live from the Concordia Annual Summit in New York City with Crystal Upperman, Senior Manager in Deloitte's Government and Public Services consulting practice. In this episode, we're talking about air pollution and how it impacts both health and fairness in our communities. We'll uncover how lower-income areas, particularly those of color, carry a heavier burden of air pollution, lead...

Coming to you live from the Concordia Annual Summit in New York City with Christian Spano, Director of Innovation for The International Council on Mining and Metals. ICMM is an industry association comprising major global mining and metals companies, dedicated to promoting sustainable development, responsible mining practices, and environmental and social performance improvement within the sector....

Coming to you live from the Concordia Annual Summit in New York City with Sonia Scarselli, VP of BHP's XPlor Program. BHP is a leading global resources company with a diverse portfolio, encompassing mining and exploration activities in sectors such as iron ore, copper, coal, petroleum, and more. In this episode, we dive into the remarkable journey of BHP, a $60 billion giant, as it pioneers the cr...

Coming to you live from the Concordia Annual Summit in New York City with Rajiv Shah, President of the Rockefeller Foundation. In this episode, learn about his impactful experiences working alongside Bill and Melinda Gates in pioneering global vaccination initiatives. Delve into his key role as Administrator of USAID during the Obama administration, where he led responses to humanitarian crises, n...

Coming to you live from the Concordia Annual Summit in New York City. Join us as we delve into the crucial intersection of indoor air quality and sustainability. We're joined by a true leader in the HVAC realm, Donny Simmons, President of Commercial HVAC Americas for Trane Technologies, a company weaving innovation into the very air we breathe. From the overlooked nuances of indoor air to Trane's...

Coming to you live from the Concordia Annual Summit in New York City with Yosef Abramowitz, the luminary CEO of Gigawatt Global. Yosef, often dubbed "Captain Sunshine," not only co-founded the solar industry in Israel but has propelled solar energy onto the global stage. His visionary leadership has earned him not one but multiple Nobel Peace Prize nominations, highlighting the profound impact of...

Join Preston Poag in this live episode from the Concordia Annual Summit in New York City as he interviews Concordia Co-founder and Chairman, Nich Logothetis. Nich shares an entrepreneurial journey that goes beyond business, focusing on social impact. From starting an after-school snack business to creating the largest nonpartisan forum alongside the UN General Assembly, Nich discusses Concordia's...

Join Preston Poag on The Summit Series, a groundbreaking series featuring exclusive interviews with visionary leaders from around the world. Held at the Concordia Annual Summit, the largest nonpartisan forum alongside the UN General Assembly, The Green Hour Podcast serves as a Media Partner, standing alongside major organizations like Axios and BBC Media Action. Throughout October, every Tuesday a...

Join us for a conversation on politics and the environment. Learn how organizations like the American Conservation Coalition are providing a platform for young people around the conservative environmental movement. Our guest, Danielle Butcher Franz, takes us on a journey through the organization's unique approach to climate advocacy and provides insights into how you can become a part of this vita...

In this episode of The Green Hour , we challenge conventional notions of climate activism as we engage in a thought-provoking conversation with Sierra Quitiquit, an accomplished professional skier and model transforming the landscape of advocacy. Discover how Sierra's journey, from carving slopes to modeling for global brands, has uniquely positioned her to drive change and inspire a global audien...

Join us on a journey into the world of living buildings with a spotlight on Georgia Tech's Kendeda Building. Uncover the magic where architecture meets sustainability, as we delve into its groundbreaking design, regenerative features, and the passionate visionaries driving its impact. From energy surplus to eco-friendly materials, tune in to explore how this living marvel is reshaping our understa...

Join us on a captivating journey as we explore the interconnected world of honey bees and their profound impact on our environment. In this episode, we're not only unraveling the crucial role honey bees play in pollination and the ecosystem, but we're also weaving in the inspiring story of Brooke Vacovsky. Through her unexpected love for honey bees, we'll witness how a computer science major's pat...

In this episode of The Green Hour, we meet Grace Stanke, Miss America 2023, a nuclear engineering student and a passionate advocate for clean energy. Grace uses her platform to dispel myths about nuclear energy and inspire the next generation of female scientists. We also explore the significance of nuclear power in securing a sustainable energy future with insights from the groundbreaking Plant V...

For a lot of people, their only experience with city zoning is from playing SimCity. While SimCity may have introduced some aspects of zoning, it only scratches the surface of its real-world complexities. In this episode, we delve into the profound impact of zoning on our environment, including its role in promoting urban sprawl and car-dependent lifestyles that contribute to increased carbon emis...

Picture a world where clean water flows freely, nourishing every community and quenching every thirst. Unfortunately, the reality is far from this idyllic vision. Across the globe, millions of people face the daily struggle of accessing clean and safe water. It's a crisis that not only affects their health and well-being but also perpetuates a cycle of poverty and inequality. In the face of this c...

Imagine a place where world-renowned government officials, heads of state, C-suite executives, and leaders of nonprofits all come together to speak on the world's most pressing issues. It would be the event of the year! Well, I'm not talking in hypotheticals because this event is real, and it is called the Concordia Annual Summit. The Concordia Annual Summit is the largest and most inclusive nonpa...

Picture the last time you received a package - can you even remember what it looked like, or were you more concerned with the contents inside? Most of us see packaging as a shell that protects our items, and we often discard packaging after we take out the contents. You would be surprised to know that packaging contributes a fair amount to global waste each year. In this episode, we are joined by...

It's easy to overlook the beauty and craftsmanship that architecture offers. But what if we could shift our perspective and reconnect with the spaces that surround us? In this episode, we are joined by Blake Jackson, the Global Director of Sustainability for NORR, a renowned architecture, engineering, and design firm. Blake's journey in architecture began in the rural town of Chatsworth, GA, where...

Have you ever been to a large stadium or arena for an athletic event and wondered what happens to all of the food left under the seats? If not, look at how much food is left under the seats next time you are at a game. The amount will astonish you and make you wonder if it is a human problem or an infrastructure issue in the arena. Bin placement in arenas is very strategic, as is educational mater...

When I say the word ‘mining,’ where does your mind go? Do you think of heavy machinery digging into the ground? Or think of specific mining like coal mining? Or maybe you think of crypto mining which an entirely different ballgame. One aspect of mining that most people are unaware of is the ESG data collection on mine sites. Mining companies have to comply with specific ESG standards, so entire te...

In Part 1 of our series with John Kutsch, you learned about the history of nuclear, the problems of nuclear, and the public’s fear of nuclear. We looked into Plant Voggle in Georgia to understand the elements of building nuclear reactors. Lastly, we looked deeply into uranium to understand what fuels nuclear reactors today. Today, you are going to hear part 2 of this series. You will hear from Joh...