Ryan McGuine in conversation with Marty Havlovic // In this installment of Sustaining Conversations, Marty joined Ryan to discuss the changing picture of agriculture, entrepreneurial beekeeping, the importance of vocational education in Africa, international volunteering, local governance, differences between American and Chinese development assistance, and more. Continue reading
Written by Ryan McGuine // Biomass is the oldest source of energy harnessed by humans. The history of energy transitions has been one of moving away from biomass and toward fuels with greater power densities, like coal, natural gas, and petroleum, but today it is making a comeback in high-income countries as a way to help combat climate change. While replacing all fossil fuel consumption with biomass would be a disaster for the climate, it will certainly play a role in the decarbonization of the economy. Continue reading
Written by Riley Collins // Big business has long been synonymous with oil spills, environmental degradation, and the overall promotion of a system that emphasizes quarterly profit above all else. However, many corporations are now turning a new leaf and using their size to exert influence across the economy by improving the environmental sustainability of their supply chains. The scale and quickness with which large businesses can act makes this an area that is extremely promising in reducing environmental degradation globally. Continue reading
Ryan McGuine in conversation with Ian Coxhead // In the very first installment of Sustaining Conversations, Ian joined Ryan to discuss Japanese cuisine, the importance of education for economies, why labor markets matter, trends in global trade, consumer-led environmental movements, communism in Asia, what makes an effective response to COVID-19, and more. Continue reading
Written by Ryan McGuine // The modern age has been characterized by the skyrocketing use of a number of materials, including concrete, the most widely-used construction material in the world. The basic foundation of concrete is cement, a remarkable material due to its combination of robustness and ability to be shaped into all manner of beautiful forms, and one which would seem futuristic if it weren’t thousands of years old. Going forward, rapid urbanization and rising incomes in developing countries will ensure the continued use of concrete for decades to come. Continue reading
Written by Rebecca Alcock // On June 3rd, 2018, a volcano erupted in the heart of Guatemala. At the time of the eruption, I was living and working in Guatemala as a field intern for Engineers Without Borders, supporting the pre- and post-implementation site assessments for infrastructure projects. Our team mobilized to rebuild crucial infrastructure in the communities surrounding the volcano and had the foresight to formally establish a response framework, which would pave the way for the substantial COVID-19 response efforts underway today. Continue reading
Written by Ryan McGuine // There is a profound shift taking place in the way the world produces and consumes energy. However, that transition is better conceptualized as a shift toward the extraction of different resources, rather than the extraction of fewer. Continue reading