Tech, Innovation & Society - The Creative Process: Technology, AI, Software, Future, Economy, Science, Engineering & Robotics Interviews

Armond Cohen is Executive Director of Clean Air Task Force, which he has led since its formation in 1996. In addition to leading CATF, Armond is directly involved in CATF research and advocacy on the topic of requirements to deeply decarbonize global energy systems. Prior to his work with CATF, Armond founded and led the Conservation Law Foundation’s Energy Project starting in 1983, focusing on energy efficiency, utility resource planning, and electric industry structure. Armond has published numerous articles on climate change, energy system transformation, and air pollution; he speaks, writes, and testifies frequently on these topics. He is a board member of the Nuclear Innovation Alliance and an honors graduate of Harvard Law School and Brown University.“There's no such thing as completely clean energy. We use that term a lot, but it's not really true. We have low carbon energy, and lower carbon energy, but any kind of industrial system has requirements for materials and processing, and nothing is completely natural in the industrial world. If we can electrify transportation, I think we can clean up the grid, and then I think we can deal with these life cycle issues in a way that's responsible, but it'll never be zero. That's impossible.Today, there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, just in the advocacy and policy space now. And then you look at all the people, the scientists and the engineers and the investors and the business people who are trying to create these new machines and bring down the cost. You're talking tens of millions maybe. And the annual spend on clean energy globally is somewhere in the range I believe of about 400 billion a year. We're getting up there in terms of social effort, and it's hard to believe that with all these options coming onto the scene that we won't solve or get very close to solving this problem during this century. And our philosophy, which makes us a little different from other environmental organizations that work on this, is we think you ought to be pursuing all of those options because you don't know which are going to work out.”www.catf.uswww.creativeprocess.info www.oneplanetpodcast.orgIG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

“ ‘The Question Concerning Technology’, in which Heidegger warned that nature had become just a source of resources for us, commodities, what he called standing reserves. Something that had no value other than for our ability to exploit it and mine it and use it for our use and purposes. Whether it's utilitarianism, which is sort of consequentialist ethics, always act in a way so that the outcome of your action will produce the most benefit. Or duty ethics, which simply says there are certain things which are good and right and necessary from an ethical point of view, and we must do it regardless of the immediate or perceived consequences.”Harold P. Sjursen is an educator and administrator having served on the faculty of both a liberal arts college and school of engineering. His background is in the history of philosophy, but since childhood has sustained an interest in science and technology. His current research interests focus on the philosophy of technology, global philosophy, and technological ethics. His engineering education projects address issues related to the internationalization of higher education, the integration of the liberal arts and engineering and ethics beyond the codes for engineers.http://harold-sjursen.orgwww.creativeprocess.info www.oneplanetpodcast.org IG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

Harold P. Sjursen is an educator and administrator having served on the faculty of both a liberal arts college and school of engineering. His background is in the history of philosophy, but since childhood has sustained an interest in science and technology. His current research interests focus on the philosophy of technology, global philosophy, and technological ethics. His engineering education projects address issues related to the internationalization of higher education, the integration of the liberal arts and engineering and ethics beyond the codes for engineers.“ ‘The Question Concerning Technology’, in which Heidegger warned that nature had become just a source of resources for us, commodities, what he called standing reserves. Something that had no value other than for our ability to exploit it and mine it and use it for our use and purposes. Whether it's utilitarianism, which is sort of consequentialist ethics, always act in a way so that the outcome of your action will produce the most benefit. Or duty ethics, which simply says there are certain things which are good and right and necessary from an ethical point of view, and we must do it regardless of the immediate or perceived consequences.”http://harold-sjursen.orgwww.creativeprocess.info www.oneplanetpodcast.org IG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

Josh Kampel is the CEO of Clarim Media where he oversees the overall strategic direction of the organization as well as works closely with the management teams of the individual portfolio companies to build scalable products and services. Prior to Clarim, Josh served as CEO of Techonomy Media, which was sold to Clarim Holdings in 2018. At Techonomy, Josh spent 8 years driving sustainable business growth through strategic partnerships and new product development. He built Techonomy to be one of the leading media companies covering technology and it’s impact on business and society. Techonomy Climate 2023 takes place March 28th. The conference surveys the booming climate tech sector and highlight companies making the most significant impact.“Think about how do they deliver value to all of those constituents rather than just their shareholders. So they will create the more successful long-term companies, especially generationally, as Gen X and millennials care more and more about mission and purpose. This idea of greenwashing or now what we can call woke-washing and that ESG goals are typically held within PR groups, within companies. They just talk about what they're doing versus being held accountable. I think we will continue to see that paradigm shift towards accountability, transparency of companies doing the right thing. I'm impressed every day when I see next generation leaders, entrepreneurs, and educational institutions focus more on this idea of social entrepreneurship. That they're really embedding some of these core values into the next generation of leaders.”www.clarim-media.comhttps://techonomy.com/event/techonomy-climate-2023Season 2 of Business & Society focuses on CEOs , Sustainability & Environmental Solutions Business & Society is a limited series co-hosted by Bruce Piasecki & Mia Funk www.oneplanetpodcast.org

“So we use architectural scale 3D printers to construct schools, and it's a hybrid design, so there are 3D printed walls and then locally sourced materials for the rough door windows. And that was an intentional design choice. So we're blending old and new and still being able to train local workers on how they can operate the printer and doing technology transfer that way. In terms of how it works on the ground, we have a combination of teams that come together based around the world, but primarily in Madagascar itself. So we have the local construction workers and engineers, and then the architects, and then of course the technology partner. We're planning and currently in development for the Honeycomb Campus, which will be eight huts on about an acre of land on the west coast of Madagascar. The supply of teachers and the daily operations and management of the school are done by local partners.”Maggie Grout is the founder and CEO of Thinking Huts, an international NGO that increases global access to education with innovative, humanitarian-driven technology solutions. Founded by Maggie  8 years ago, when she was15, Thinking Huts seeks to empower young people, especially girls, to achieve more opportunities by obtaining an education. Grout gave a TEDx talk in 2021 on “how we can tackle the global education crisis with 3D printing.”Grout was born in a rural village in China and adopted at a young age, but where she came from largely shaped her outlook on life and subliminally led her to start Thinking Huts in 2015. Growing up in London and Colorado, Grout was exposed to the melting pot of cultures in British and American society, but she often wondered why so many people were unaware of how others lived an ocean away. She understood what poverty looks like firsthand and how education empowers people to attain greater opportunities.www.thinkinghuts.orgwww.creativeprocess.info www.oneplanetpodcast.org IG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

Maggie Grout is the founder and CEO of Thinking Huts, an international NGO that increases global access to education with innovative, humanitarian-driven technology solutions. Founded by Maggie  8 years ago, when she was15, Thinking Huts seeks to empower young people, especially girls, to achieve more opportunities by obtaining an education. Grout gave a TEDx talk in 2021 on “how we can tackle the global education crisis with 3D printing.”Grout was born in a rural village in China and adopted at a young age, but where she came from largely shaped her outlook on life and subliminally led her to start Thinking Huts in 2015. Growing up in London and Colorado, Grout was exposed to the melting pot of cultures in British and American society, but she often wondered why so many people were unaware of how others lived an ocean away. She understood what poverty looks like firsthand and how education empowers people to attain greater opportunities.“So we use architectural scale 3D printers to construct schools, and it's a hybrid design, so there are 3D printed walls and then locally sourced materials for the rough door windows. And that was an intentional design choice. So we're blending old and new and still being able to train local workers on how they can operate the printer and doing technology transfer that way. In terms of how it works on the ground, we have a combination of teams that come together based around the world, but primarily in Madagascar itself. So we have the local construction workers and engineers, and then the architects, and then of course the technology partner. We're planning and currently in development for the Honeycomb Campus, which will be eight huts on about an acre of land on the west coast of Madagascar. The supply of teachers and the daily operations and management of the school are done by local partners.”www.thinkinghuts.orgwww.creativeprocess.info www.oneplanetpodcast.org IG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

“I definitely believe we need a Global Green New Deal which will involve massive structural de-growth of the fashion industry. But as you say, we have to make sure that we don't just repeat the sacrifice zones that we are seeing anyway with climate change, whereby we say to the 4 million garment workers in Bangladesh. ‘Okay. You know, it is been great. You've made several billion bits of clothing, but we are off now and, you know, you have no more jobs and no more no infrastructure.’ So yeah, it has to be a just transition. But I think it's in many ways a bit of an exciting opportunity whereby we could really overturn this global export economy.”Tansy E. Hoskins is an award winning author and journalist who investigates the global fashion industry. She’s the author of The Anti-Capitalist Book Of Fashion, Foot Work, and Stitched Up. This work has taken her to Bangladesh, India, North Macedonia, and to the Topshop warehouses in Solihull.www.plutobooks.com/9780745346618/the-anti-capitalist-book-of-fashion/www.amazon.co.uk/Foot-Work-What-Your-Shoes-Are-Doing-to-the-World-Tansy-Hoskins/dp/1474609856/www.creativeprocess.info www.oneplanetpodcast.org IG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

Tansy E. Hoskins is an award winning author and journalist who investigates the global fashion industry. She’s the author of The Anti-Capitalist Book Of Fashion, Foot Work, and Stitched Up. This work has taken her to Bangladesh, India, North Macedonia, and to the Topshop warehouses in Solihull.“I definitely believe we need a Global Green New Deal which will involve massive structural de-growth of the fashion industry. But as you say, we have to make sure that we don't just repeat the sacrifice zones that we are seeing anyway with climate change, whereby we say to the 4 million garment workers in Bangladesh. ‘Okay. You know, it is been great. You've made several billion bits of clothing, but we are off now and, you know, you have no more jobs and no more no infrastructure.’ So yeah, it has to be a just transition. But I think it's in many ways a bit of an exciting opportunity whereby we could really overturn this global export economy.”www.plutobooks.com/9780745346618/the-anti-capitalist-book-of-fashion/www.amazon.co.uk/Foot-Work-What-Your-Shoes-Are-Doing-to-the-World-Tansy-Hoskins/dp/1474609856/www.creativeprocess.info www.oneplanetpodcast.org IG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcastPhoto credit: Sarah Van Looy

“You know, we have so much knowledge within our grasp. And we have so much technology that we could use. But it isn't just about technology, it's also about values. What kind of values, and what kind of society do we want to live in? What kind of values do we have collectively as a community, and as a society?”Andy Haines was formerly a family doctor and Professor of Primary Health Care at UCL. He developed an interest in climate change and health in the 1990’s and was a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for the 2nd and 3rd assessment exercises and review editor for the health chapter in the 5th assessment. He was Director (formerly Dean) of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine from 2001- October 2010. He chaired the Scientific Advisory Panel for the 2013 WHO World Health Report, the Rockefeller /Lancet Commission on Planetary Health (2014-15) and the European Academies Science Advisory Council working group on climate change and health (2018-19). He currently co-chairs the InterAcademy Partnership (140 science academies worldwide) working group on climate change and health and is also co-chairing the Lancet Pathfinder Commission on health in the zero-carbon economy.  He has published many papers on topics such as the effects of environmental change on health and the health co-benefits of low carbon policies. His current research focuses on climate change mitigation, sustainable healthy food systems and complex urban systems for sustainability. He was awarded the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement in 2022.www.lshtm.ac.ukhttps://tylerprize.org www.interacademies.orgwww.creativeprocess.info www.oneplanetpodcast.org IG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast

Andy Haines was formerly a family doctor and Professor of Primary Health Care at UCL. He developed an interest in climate change and health in the 1990’s and was a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for the 2nd and 3rd assessment exercises and review editor for the health chapter in the 5th assessment. He was Director (formerly Dean) of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine from 2001- October 2010. He chaired the Scientific Advisory Panel for the 2013 WHO World Health Report, the Rockefeller /Lancet Commission on Planetary Health (2014-15) and the European Academies Science Advisory Council working group on climate change and health (2018-19). He currently co-chairs the InterAcademy Partnership (140 science academies worldwide) working group on climate change and health and is also co-chairing the Lancet Pathfinder Commission on health in the zero-carbon economy.  He has published many papers on topics such as the effects of environmental change on health and the health co-benefits of low carbon policies. His current research focuses on climate change mitigation, sustainable healthy food systems and complex urban systems for sustainability. He was awarded the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement in 2022.“You know, we have so much knowledge within our grasp. And we have so much technology that we could use. But it isn't just about technology, it's also about values. What kind of values, and what kind of society do we want to live in? What kind of values do we have collectively as a community, and as a society?”www.lshtm.ac.ukhttps://tylerprize.org www.interacademies.orgwww.creativeprocess.info www.oneplanetpodcast.org IG www.instagram.com/creativeprocesspodcast