Category: Retired

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City of the Future - Energy-Efficient Buildings

To save our planet, we’ll need to reduce emissions — fast. And if we’re serious about addressing climate change, we’ll need to address one of our biggest carbon emitters: buildings. That doesn’t just go for the new, shiny skyscrapers with access to lots of resources, but all buildings: old and new, big and small. We’re kicking off season 3 with an episode exploring an idea that could make our cities more sustainable and even more just. Energy-efficient buildings.

In this episode:

  • [0:02 - 2:58] Architect Wanda Dalla Costa on her work creating an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly housing development for the Gila River Indian Community
  • [3:59 - 7:27] Sustainable buildings expert Kimi Narita on why retrofitting buildings is so important for cities responding to climate change
  • [7:48 - 10:04] Proptech expert Ryan J. S. Baxter on why energy regulations can fall short in incentivizing buildings to make energy upgrades and why tech adoption could change that
  • [10:17 - 14:05] Sidewalk Labs Senior Product Manager Rachel Steinberg and Data Scientist Jenny Chen on Mesa, a solution to help office buildings become more energy-efficient
  • [14:43 - 16:12] Rachel Steinberg on green leases, which encourage energy-efficiency for tenants and landlords
  • [16:22 - 18:20] Kimi Narita on why we need new technologies and regulations to get to net-zero carbon by 2050

To see images and videos of topics discussed in this episode, read the transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page.

City of the Future is hosted by Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk and produced by Benjamen Walker and Andrew Callaway. Mix is by Zach Mcnees. Art is by Tim Kau. Our music is composed by Adaam James Levin-Areddy of Lost Amsterdam. Special thanks to Wanda Dalla Costa, Kimi Narita, Ryan J. S. Baxter, Jenny Chen, and Rachel Steinberg.

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No Compromise - Building The Kingdom Of God

In Episode 4: The Dorr brothers have become known for their network of ultra pro-gun Facebook groups. But their family name has also been connected to an extreme religious movement that has sought to eliminate public education, outlaw homosexuality and replace all laws with rules from the Old Testament. Lisa and Chris dig into the roots of the Dorr family to learn more.
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The Shakeout - In the Face of a Pandemic, Universal Basic Income Is Having a Moment

The sheer scale of the other economic damage of the pandemic has led some to call for equally large-scale reforms. For instance, Universal Basic Income. Paul calls in San Antonio Express News financial columnist Michael Taylor to break down the pros and cons of Universal Basic Income. Small-scale studies show that providing cash directly to people impacted by disasters is efficient and effective. But critics of Alaska's long-running Permanent Fund Dividend, America's largest experiment in UBI, will attest to the unforeseen political challenge of balancing a state's budget around an annual cash giveaway. The permanent fund is the closest thing to UBI America has tried, and its been going on for nearly 40 years.
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The Shakeout - Modern Day Breadlines, Once ‘Surreal’, Become Commonplace

In the first episode of the Shakeout, a podcast about the economic fallout of the pandemic, Paul Flahive tells the stories of Texans waiting in line at food bank events throughout the summer in San Antonio, where more than 10,000 cars lined up for a single food drive in April. One woman brings the food back to her apartment parking lot to share with her neighbors. A hairstylist worries about feeding family members who moved in with her. A young father turns to the food bank to feed his sons after the pandemic forced him to quit his job.