Episodes

Should we challenge the status quo and add to the SDGs? Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)! IN THIS EPISODE: - Why do youth matter for the future & our pursuit towards achieving the SDGs? - What programs exist that can help empower the youth? - Is there a need for an additional goal around Youth Equity? We got the inside scoop from expert Ra...

Ever wondered what happens to poop after flushing? Well, here's why you should care... Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)! IN THIS EPISODE: - What opportunities exist with poop? - What challenges do wastewater operators face? - How can we leverage digital twins & artificial intelligence to optimize wastewater operations? You may recognize ou...

Is compromise good or bad when trying to accomplish a more equitable community for everyone ? Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)! IN THIS EPISODE: - Why is Houston a microcosm for the world? - How have zoning rules created inherent environmental injustices over time? - How to consider all stakeholders involved when making a decision We got t...

Should we put a price on nature? Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)! IN THIS EPISODE: - Do humans truly value nature? - What are carbon markets, and how can we use them? - What role should technology play in driving eco-consciousness? What role should humans play? Let's find out from climate tech startup founder and Nature-based Solutions ex...

How can we use biomimicry - the practice of literally copying nature - to innovate in the future? Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)! IN THIS EPISODE: - What exactly is biomimicry? - How has nature been a source of inspiration for innovations? - What are the powerful ecosystem services for humankind? We learned from the champion of bioinspir...

Ever notice all the pollution surrounding your local waterways and wonder what the water quality is? Well, let's talk about the Chicago River... Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)! IN THIS EPISODE: - What is sustainability & how can we break it down into practicality? - How can being sustainable be used as a competitive advantage? - How does...

How can we make healthcare simple, accessible and impactful for all? Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)! IN THIS EPISODE: - How simple engineering and technology solutions can address healthcare gaps - How UNLEASH unites the SDG community to advance progress - Some challenges and opportunities within the SDGs 2030 roadmap Let's learn how bio...

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)! "To reach sustainability goals, we need an overhaul / rethink about infrastructure to make systems that are more accessible and inclusive so we can move about the world in a way that feels more natural to us..." IN THIS EPISODE: - How LOCI combines the human experience, our physical beings, & tech to enhan...

|Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)! Don't you know that you don't have to be a Hollywood producer to make good content? IN THIS EPISODE: - How can art be used as a primary driver of the SDGs? - How to put development into context & set goals - How to empower others to use the arts for social change - Discover unconventional art in unconvent...

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)! Productivity, self-care and healthy habits (oh my!) - sometimes it feels impossible to balance it all... IN THIS EPISODE: - What is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs? - What does "swallowing the frog" mean? - How to determine your life's work You may have heard our guest before as a global speaker on Tedx... Ria...

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)! We are teaching our younger generations to be the leaders of the future, but what role do the SDGs play in education - and could it be bigger? IN THIS EPISODE: - How to promote human rights and dignity via access to education - What tools and resources empowering learning in new formats? - A recap of Educ8...

Welcome back to another episode of SDG Talks where we highlight change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)! Do you know what is being done to help off-grid communities gain access to electricity? IN THIS EPISODE: - What is the importance of mobile phone penetration in driving electrification? - How can microfinancing bring appliances into homes? - How would off-grid electricity provisions help rural communities globally? And who bet...

Welcome back to another episode of SDG Talks where we highlight change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)! What do you know about climate models? IN THIS EPISODE: Climate scientists need to find ways to make their knowledge meaningful at the local scale. We are used to adjusting the real world to fit our theories, but we need to start adjusting our theories to fit the real world, which is a paradigm shift. Climate modelling and the...

Welcome back to another episode of SDG Talks where we highlight change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)! Do you think it's possible to learn from history's wrongs so we can move everybody forward? IN THIS EPISODE: - Which past inequalities were further exposed by the pandemic? - How to use SDSN's reports to create sustainable action - Why SDG partnerships are so crucial Sustainable Development Solutions Network ( SDSN USA ) is a ...

Welcome back to another episode of SDG Talks where we highlight change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)! Don't you hate fast fashion's "one-size-fits-all" and all this greenwashing?! Well inclusion and sustainability aren't just about making money, but about changing the way consumers vote with their wallets... In this episode: - Explore the multifaceted components of inclusivity and sustainability - Why being sustainable takes t...

In this episode: - How are models, brands and consumers are all are partners? - How can you collaborate with sustainable fashion brands? - Why models are seen as models first, humans second? - What is the challenge and importance of mental health within modeling? Kiko Hirakawa , one of the few ethical models in the fashion industry, shares her experience and growth throughout her years in modeling, which she started when she was 12 years old. She has had a difficult journey overcoming many chall...

Jeremy McKane is an artist who has passion for the environment with a direct focus on ocean issues, particularly in the past several years. He is an active Explorers Club Member and the CEO of OCN.ai, an autonomous network of marine robots that automate enforcement at sea. Jeremy talks about how his work with NFTs - or "non fungible tokens" - is funding the removal of munitions from the ocean as well as some misconceptions about overfishing and what we can do as a society to address the problem ...

Candice is a native of Selma, AL of Dallas County in the Black Belt Region. Candice is a multifaceted educator with deep ties to and passion for community organizing. Her experiences include being a literacy coach with Tuscaloosa City Schools, an adjunct instructor at Wallace State Community College and an Instructional Coach for Selma City Schools. Candice is the founder and CEO of her newly founded LLC C-Celestial Solutions. In this episode: - Meet people where they are - Deploy empathy and ge...

What is it like to actually get stuff done in Lowndes County Alabama? It isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible. Perman Hardy can teach you a thing or two. For those participating in the UNLEASH 2021 USA Hack on sanitation issues in the Alabama black belt, this is a useful episode to build empathy and awareness. Perman Hardy grew up in a family of sharecroppers and has worked for decades as an advocate to improve the lives of people within Lowndes County. She has recently stepped into the role ...

UNLEASH is a global initiative committed to bringing the world’s top talents together to share ideas, build networks, and create solutions to help reach the Sustainable Development Goals. UNLEASH brings together young people from across the world for an annual innovation lab, organizes local hacks, and supports ongoing capacity building and solution implementation. The UNLEASH USA 2021 hack will focus on developing sustainable, equitable solutions for sanitation issues in Alabama's black belt re...

Jordan Wolken is the Global President of Bridges for Enterprise (BfE), a non-profit that provides pro bono advisory services to early-stage social enterprises in the developing world. Through their multi-stage Incubation Programme, BfE provides value-added consulting, finance, legal and technical services over 6-8 months to help their clients scale and grow their impact. With the support of an expansive network of students and professionals, BfE has supported over 90 social enterprise startups f...

As a climate psychologist, Dr. De Vries studies climate-related issues – such as the energy transition and reducing carbon emissions – from a behavioral perspective. De Vries obtained her Ph.D. at Leiden University as a Social Psychologist in the field of Climate and Energy. In this episode: - Climate Psychology - Multi disciplinary approach to climate action - How to approach sustainability & profitability LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerdienengel/?originalSubdomain=nl

Giancarlo Brotto is a Global Education Catalyst who engages with government officials, policy-influencing organizations, thought leaders, school system decision-makers and researchers to gain insights and influence trends in the education sector. He has served on the informal advisory group for the Skills for Social Progress Project – OECD, sat on the board of directors for C21 Canada and is currently the Chair of the Samuel Beatty Fund at the University of Toronto, member of the steering commit...

Simone Filippini is a former senior Dutch diplomat. Among others, she served as Dutch Ambassador to North Macedonia, CEO of one of the largest Dutch humanitarian and development organizations Cordaid and interim ED of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy. She then established Leadership4SDGs which aims to capacitate and empower government leadership to lead and drive achieving the SDGs. Simone is engaged in multiple voluntary functions and roles and is a strategic adviser, communic...