Eco-Logic Podcasts – 2022

Panama Bartholomy is Founder and Executive Director at the Building Decarbonization Coalition. The Coalition is a force, marshaled to enact policies and to foster collaboration between manufacturers, designers, and installers to scale decarbonization. So far, nearly 100 cities have passed ordinances that ban natural gas use in new construction.

Mark Jacobson is Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University and Director of its Atmosphere/Energy Program. He is also a Co-Founder of the non-profit, Solutions Project. Mark has published textbooks and journal articles, been featured on TED Talks, and was a guest on the Late Show with David Letterman. He shares his optimistic view on better understanding air pollution and global warming problems, and developing large-scale clean, renewable energy solutions for them.

Chris Lane is Chief Executive Officer at the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies where he leads a staff of 45 who work with partner organizations, schools, government agencies, and other key decision makers to tackle regional environmental issues around ecological literacy, forest health, regenerative agriculture, land restoration, and climate change to advance conservation and education outcomes and create life-long commitments to the Earth.

Jigar Shah is Director of the Loan Programs Office at the U.S. Department of Energy. He discusses how the Loan Programs Office operates in terms of lending and taking risks to achieve its goals. He gives the example of how it helped Tesla scale up, and how they are now working to support the conversion of the Intermountain Power Plant from coal to hydrogen.

David Nahai is a Member of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board. He's been appointed by four governors to this position. A division of Cal EPA, the Board is responsible for potable water, non-drinking water, stormwater, ocean waters and more throughout the region made up of 99 cities. David discusses the current three-year drought and its motivating effect as water supplies become scarce and more costly.

Mona Newton is former Executive Director of the Community Office of Resource Efficiency, serving Aspen and Pitkin County. CORE is an interesting community energy model made up of elected officials, utility representatives, and committed citizens to help people, businesses, municipalities, facilities and nonprofit organizations save natural resources and lower energy bills while reducing their carbon footprint.

In this Crash Course Ted and Sierra Flanigan, delve into offshore wind. They have a lively discussion on its fantastic potential, and unpack its challenges and its benefits. Listen to gain insight and learn more on the topic!

As president of PAE Consulting Engineers, Inc. Paul Schwer leads a talented group of over 380 engineering, design, and business professionals creating the most energy and water efficient buildings in the world. Ted and Paul discuss the Living Building Challenge - the next step past LEED. Paul goes on to highlight the potential for timber framing, the PAE office building using waste as a product, and the concept for the "Irresistible Stairway" at the Bullitt Center.

Christopher Klinga is Owner & Principal Engineer at Solmotiv, a Boulder, Colorado-based firm focused on applications of architectural glass. Ted and Chris discuss the definitions of BIPV-- building integrated photovoltaics - and architectural solar, the latter being fully baked into a building's design process.

In EcoNet News, V24 #6, 6/30/2022 Ted reflects on his trip visiting Esalen at Big Sur. He describes the beauty, origins, and sustainability features. There are stories about the Kapolei coal-fired station on Oahu, the world's largest wind turbine and more. He goes on to highlight two major stories out of Hawaii: the state's last coal-fired power station - the Kapolei station on Oahu – is slated for closure, and they are rewarding households for sharing clean energy with the grid at useful times. Ted also shares stories on EV equity, peecycling, Germany slashing train fares, European solar rooftops initiative, and the world's largest wind turbine.

Up until very recently, Salem Afeworki guided the City of Costa Mesa in its earliest works with sustainability as the Energy and Sustainability Services Division Manager, winning the 2022 Heroes Award.

Matt Harper is a clean-tech entrepreneur and product developer, commercializing battery technology and bringing it to scale. Matt is an MIT educated engineer with a lifelong passion for innovation, and Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer at Invinity Energy Systems. He discusses various battery chemistries and how they each have roles in energy storage.

In EcoNet News, V24 #5, 5/20/2022 Ted reflects on the memorial of his late stepbrother, Chris Avery and the dedication ceremony for Restoration Ranch Colorado which Chris' wife Kathryn Severns Avery created in his memory - a haven for first responders to relax, reflect, recreate, and focus on wellness.

In this episode of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Laurel Rothschild, Vice President of Programs at The Energy Coalition, on overseeing one of California's most important and impactful energy-based nonprofit's diverse portfolio of programs. She collaborates with stakeholders across the state to advance the organization’s mission of empowering and educating communities to leap into the clean energy future.

In this special episode, Father - Daughter Trio, Ted, Sierra, and Skye Flanigan, hold an Earth Day Special on the origins and future of the sustainability movement, and what gives them optimism about ability to tackle climate change. Ted reflects on his conversation with Denis Hayes, Founder of Earth Day, and Skye provides a fresh take on what Earth Day now means to the youth.

Crash Course on Green Hydrogen with father - daughter duo, Ted and Sierra Flanigan. Ted educates listeners on the basics, breaking down the chemistry of the element, where it comes from, and once it is formed, the various options for its use. He delves into its many different applications as a fuel used in transport, buildings, or industry, and opportunities on the distributed, residential, and big scale, commercial level.

EcoNet News, V24 #3, 3/30/2022 features Ted's experience serving as a Commissioner for Glendale Water and Power and the controversy that comes along with civic duty. He also digs into hydrogen, highlighting stories on hydrogen mega projects, hydrogen and thermal nitrogen oxides, and pumped hydro storage and much more.

Joel Levin, Executive Director at Plug In America, is a leading advocate for EVs, clean energy, and effective climate policies. He and Ted discuss the history of EVs in California, their benefits, and the growing variety of EVs while their costs are coming down and range is increasing.

Nurit Katz has served as Chief Sustainability Officer at UCLA for over 12 years. She also teaches in the sustainability certificate program. She discuss the breadth of sustainability initiatives on such a huge campus, with a daytime population of 80,000, as well as statewide and regional collaborations to promote sustainability.

Peter Rumsey is founder and CEO of Point Energy Innovations, a consulting firm specializing in ultra-efficient buildings and decarbonization. He and Ted Flanigan discuss his extensive career in technological innovation, and all the contributions he has made in the design of low energy and zero energy buildings internationally.

EcoNet News, V24 #1, 1/26/2022 features an op-ed advocating for the acceleration of well-designed solar + storage programs as well as stories on lithium-ion battery recycling, big American solar in Indiana, the repurposing of a former coal strip mine, GAF Energy’s solar roof shingles, solar windows and more . . .