In which Felicia describes the materials choices for her kitchen remodel, and her guest, Helene Renard, Professor of Interior Design in the School of Architecture + Design at Virginia Tech, describes the “Healthier Materials and Sustainable Bui

16: PFAS Sass

Jun 7th, 2021 1h 7m

In which we discuss per- and poly-fluoroalkylsubstances (PFAS) with Carol Kwiatkowski of the Green Science Policy Institute (https://greensciencepolicy.org), their properties, function, consumer products, toxicity, persistence, chemical analysi

15: News Roundup: Blues, Catalytic Converters, and Fracking

Apr 30th, 2021 43m 22s

In which we discuss the recent development of a series of new blue pigments, the theft of catalytic converters for the rhodium, and the health effects of fracking chemicals. Hosted by Felicia Etzkorn of Virginia Tech, co-host Jamie Ferguson of

14: Chemical Alt-Rock

Mar 1st, 2021 59m 31s

In which we discuss the opportunities for substituting safer chemical alternatives for consumer products in current use with our guest, Joel Tickner of the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. We don’t need to wait for green chemistry to come u

13: Next Seven Generations

Feb 13th, 2021 1h 6m

In which we discuss sustainable, plant-based cleaning products, oxygen-bleached paper products, recyclable and recycled packaging, transparent labeling, and consumer education with Martin Wolf, Director of Sustainability & Authenticity at Seven

12: With the Weight of Lead

Jan 25th, 2021 56m 52s

In which we discuss the uses of lead in gasoline (and the temporally and geographically associated violence), avgas, pipes, and car paint primer, and the greener replacements for these products—ethanol as replacement for tetraethyl lead as an a

11 Farming is Elemental

Jan 12th, 2021 1h 13m

In which we interview Anthony Flaccavento, organic farmer, author, activist, and local politician, about his sustainable practices to incorporate carbon, nitrogen, and other essential elements back into the depleted soil of his former tobacco f

10: Fertilizer Out of Thin Air

Dec 19th, 2020 55m 40s

In which we discuss the effect of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer on feeding the world, and the synthesis of ammonia from nitrogen in the air and hydrogen generated from methane, first by the Haber-Bosch process and then by electrochemical proces

9: Bury, Recycle, or Compost?

Dec 15th, 2020 44m 58s

In which we discuss the relative merits of burying, recycling, or composting plastic waste, in particular, packaging. We distinguish biodegradable from compostable. Jamie describes Eastman Chemical Co.’s new process to take any plastic and brea

8: Firing Flame Retardants

Nov 29th, 2020 1h 9m

In which, with our guest, Dr. Arlene Blum (www.arleneblum.com) of the Green Science Policy Institute at the University of California, Berkeley, we discuss the toxicity of flame retardants in children’s products, furniture, and her success in ch

8: Firing Flame Retardants

Nov 28th, 2020 1h 9m

7: Charging Ahead with Batteries

Nov 14th, 2020 1h 27m

In which we discuss safer, more efficient, and better rechargeability batteries with two experts, Professors Feng Lin and Lou Madsen of Virginia Tech. We discuss the basics of how electricity and batteries work, the components of a battery, the

6: Chill with Refrigerants

Nov 4th, 2020 49m 41s

In which we discuss refrigeration, how it works (more or less), and the history of refrigerants, with their various advantages and disadvantages for the environment. Ammonia is toxic. Propane is flammable. Freons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (H

5: Sunny Vitamin D3

Oct 31st, 2020 54m 48s

In which we discuss vitamins to sustain ourselves, fat-soluble and water-soluble, and the foods rich in certain vitamins. Then we take a deep-dive into Vitamin D3––the 7-dehydrocholesterol precursor, the UVB light required to synthesize it in o

4: Shoe News - New Shoes

Oct 24th, 2020 9m 8s

In which I very briefly describe the sustainable features of a new brand of shoes from Brazil called Cariuma. Solo effort by Felicia Etzkorn.https://cariuma.com/pages/about-us-sustainability

3: Hot Windows & Cool Roofs

Oct 20th, 2020 1h 13m

In which we discuss transparent wood windows that are 90% as clear, much stronger, and insulate 6 times as well as glass with Prof. Liangbing Hu of the University of Maryland and Invent Wood. Then we discuss radiative cooling thin films that ca

2: Disinfectants-Keeping it Clean and Green!

Oct 9th, 2020 1h 22m

In which we discuss different methods of disinfecting surfaces: UV light, quaternary ammonium salts, alcohols, chlorine bleaches, hydrogen peroxide and oxygen with an iron catalyst, ozone, and grapefruit seed extract.Far UV light for disinfect

1: Sustainable Clothing

Oct 3rd, 2020 1h 20m

In which we discuss the merits and demerits of various materials that go into making our clothes, from renewable resources to biodegradability.Coca Cola's 100% Plant-based Bottle: https://www.packaging-gateway.com/projects/-coca-cola-plant-bas

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