The SustainUW Podcast

Enjoy an inspiring and technical conversation about the future of sustainable construction. Hosts Kate Scroggins and Evie Skibicki are joined by Matt Paneitz of Long Way Home to discuss his two decades of experience building with recycled materials like tire construction and trash-filled bottles. Kate and Evie also talked with Valerie Rehn from the UW–Madison chapter of Engineers Without Borders t...

In the fourth episode of the SustainUW Podcast's new miniseries, Sustainability Conversations across the Big Ten, hosts  Ren Nickel  and  Nate Dancer  meet with  Kate Nelson ,  John Gardner ,  Ahnika Seifert ,  Carley Rice , and  Hannah Lauber , representing multiple areas of sustainability from the  University of Minnesota , to discuss their zero-waste initiatives, composting, and more. SustainUW...

In the third episode of the SustainUW Podcast's new miniseries, Sustainability Conversations across the Big Ten, hosts  Ren Nickel  and  Nate Dancer  meet with  Daimon Eklund and Emily Adams  from the  University of Washington  to discuss their  HuES Program  (Huskies for Equitable Sustainability) and new  Sustainability Action Plan . The team also sits down with  Malorie Garbe  and  Seri Sanches...

In the second episode of the SustainUW Podcast's new miniseries, Sustainability Conversations across the Big Ten, hosts John Ernst and Ren Nickel meet with Angela Oberg from the Rutgers University Office of Climate Action to discuss Rutgers' sustainability-related internships, ambassador programs, and other student involvement opportunities. The team also sits down with Tim Lindstrom , the...

In the first episode of the SustainUW Podcast's new miniseries, Sustainability Conversations across the Big Ten, the team meets with Morgan Hartman and Madeline Yeatts from the University of Nebraska—Lincoln Office of Sustainability to discuss Carnegie's Elective Classification for Sustainability that UNL is currently piloting. They also sit down with Alex Frank and Kyle Schmitz from the U...

Join Brynne, Audrey, and Clean Wisconsin Communications Director Amy Barrilleaux for a conversation about the environmental, ethical, and social considerations related to the growth of artificial intelligence and its supporting infrastructure in Wisconsin. Their discussion challenges us to think critically about AI, the ways in which has become integrated into our daily lives, and whether it's...

Enjoy an inspiring, illuminating, and at times emotional conversation with legendary activist and UW—Madison alumnus Dr. John Francis. SustainUW hosts Audrey, Brynne, and Jordyn sat down with Dr. Francis during his visit to Madison for Earth Fest to discuss his life, legacy, and his recent critically-acclaimed eponymous documentary entitled Planetwalker .

In this special episode, SustainUW and Edge Effects collaborate to discuss the history of Earth Day in the United States, bring a glimpse of Earth Fest celebrations on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus, and underline the importance of embracing environmental protection beyond just April 22. The episode includes an interview with Jim Feldman, director of the Environmental Studies program a...

What does climate change look like in Madison, and how do the impacts alter our shared experience of this place we call home? Perhaps the best venue to answer this question is on the (less frequently these days) frozen shores of Lake Mendota, which by some metrics is the most researched lake on the planet. Join Office of Sustainability interns Giann Abang, Aiden Culver, and Jordyn Czyzewski as the...

A lot has been happening to sustainability initiatives in the U.S. these past few months, and you probably have plenty of questions, concerns, and ideas. Join Office of Sustainability interns Aiden, Audrey, Brynne, and Giann as they parse through some of the current events happening in sustainability at the national level and provide a student's perspective. References discussed and related re...

Office of Sustainability interns Aiden Culver, Audrey Davies, and Giann Abang are excited to bring you an episode in which they learn about the growing interest in agrivoltaics at UW–Madison. Aiden and Giann leave the podcast studio to visit the new solar installation site at the UW–Madison Kegonsa Research Campus. After that, Aiden and Audrey have conversations with two local experts: Will Fulwid...

Join us as we sit down with the EPA Chief of Staff, Dan Utech, to discuss climate optimism as it relates to the past, present, and future of environmental policy in the United States. Hosted by Brynne Hill, Audrey Davies, and Aiden Culver, this Q&A conversation will leave you with a deeper understanding of the Environmental Protection Agency as well as recent climate action by the federal gove...

Dive into conservation stewardship in Wisconsin with hosts Kylie Schedler and Rory Tevlin, as they sit down with John Sinclair, a dedicated Conservation Warden for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. In this episode, we explore the profound connection between humans and wildlife through John's experiences of protection and preservation. Tune in for an inspiring discussion that celeb...

Join host Kylie Schedler as she talks with UW–Madison professor and Grassland 2.0 member Randy Jackson, and graduate student Jessica Mehre, to break down the intricacies of grassland ecology and Wisconsin’s history of raising cattle. Grassland 2.0 is “a collaborative group of producers, researchers, and public and private sector folks working to develop pathways for producers to achieve increased...

In the face of climate change, the future for our planet can look bleak. But Project Drawdown Executive Director Jon Foley stays hopeful by focusing on tangible, science-backed solutions that will actually work. Join hosts Britta Wellenstein and Brynne Hill as they talk to Foley about Project Drawdown, the climate solutions roadmap, and the bright future that might just be within reach. Foley visi...

The 2008 film Wall-E explores the connection between technology, artificial intelligence, and sustainability. With the continued rise of AI, we wanted to understand the intersections between sustainability and technology--and whether we are heading to a Wall-E future. Hosts Britta Wellenstein and Rory Tevlin talk to Data Science Institute Director Kyle Cramner about how AI can be used to enhance t...

Curious about what defines organic food and how it impacts our planet, nutrition, and well-being? In this episode of the SustainUW Podcast, host Rory Tevlin and her classmates, Tess Wadsworth and Maya Herzog, explore the intricacies of organic agriculture. From health benefits and access to equity and sustainability, tune in to discover compelling reasons why organic produce should grace your plat...

Today, sandhill cranes are a common sight–and sound!–in Madison and throughout the state of Wisconsin. This wasn’t always the case: by the 1930s, they had nearly disappeared from the state, and their return since is a famous conservation success story. In November 2023, hosts Britta Wellenstein and Brynne Hill headed to the Great Midwest Crane Festival to learn about cranes’ journey–both their mig...

In this episode of the SustainUW Podcast, host Kylie Schedler speaks with the three winners of the second annual UW–Madison Sustainability Writing Awards: Hailey Sewell, who reflected on a memorable snowfall as a child and pondered the future of our climate; Scott Hershberger, who painted the scene of a conversation between himself, an Eastern Wood-Pewee, and a honey locust tree; and Madelyn Ander...

The Wisconsin Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy (OSCE) was founded in 2019 by Executive Order 38 . The OSCE focuses on implementing and promoting renewable energy projects in Wisconsin as well as allocating federal and state funds dedicated to solving various environmental issues. In this episode, Kylie Schedler and Thomas Hadcock are joined by Technical Coordinator and Analyst Caity Carmo...

RENEW Wisconsin is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering a resilient, thriving Wisconsin by championing the progress of renewable energy through impactful policy and program work. In this episode of the SustainUW Podcast, hosts Rory Tevlin and Bailey Tomsich chat with RENEW Wisconsin’s Communications Manager, Alex Beld, and Emerging Technology Director, Francisco Sayu. Join them as they...

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, better known as PFAS, are a growing area of concern for waterways in Madison and across the nation. These chemicals, which are used to make everyday products like nonstick pans and water resistant materials, have been found in drinking water and are linked to serious health effects . In this episode of the SustainUW Podcast, host Britta Wellenstein talks to PFA...

Industrial engineering, sustainable food, and social equity : these may sound like unrelated topics, but Dr. Weslynne Ashton of the Illinois Institute of Technology has brought them together through her research on sustainable systems. Dr. Ashton was in Madison to give the keynote for the second annual Sustainability Symposium on October 25, 2023, and joined hosts Kylie Schedler and Britta Wellens...

This summer, the weather dominated: wildfires, hazardous air quality, and extreme heat affected people across the country. In this episode, we try to figure out what happened and what the wild weather means for Wisconsin. Listen in as Britta Wellenstein and Rory Tevlin speak to Tracey Holloway, an air quality researcher at UW-Madison and the Leader of the NASA Health and Air Quality Applied Scienc...

Finding one's path to a sustainability-related career can be daunting, and there are many different ways to apply sustainability to different fields and opportunities. In this episode, we learn about what one version of success looks like, as host Kylie Schedler speaks with Lorenza Zebell from Sustain Dane , a local nonprofit whose " programs connect businesses, organizations, schools, lo...