Our New World

Overpopulation with Alexandra Paul

How on earth do we manage overpopulation? From David Attenborough to Thanos, it’s widely discussed, but rarely with solutions. It can feel taboo and dangerous to talk about, but it should be an important aspect of every environmental discussion. On the one hand, we know that overpopulation makes every environmental pressure that we put on the environment worse. On the other, we are inundated with messages that having children is the ultimate goal in life. 

 

In this episode, environmental activist and ex-baywatch actress Alexandra Paul joins me in talking about the overpopulation issue and what we can do about it. In it, we discuss why overpopulation is so difficult to talk about, why it is an issue, and what are some of the many solutions that can be done to empower people to manage, discuss and be mindful of overpopulation.

 

Because this can be an uncomfortable topic, we would love to hear your opinions on this and whether there are any follow up questions that I could put to Alexandra. Remember to write in at max@mahbonline.org!

Alexandra is an actress who has appeared in over 100 films and television shows. She is most known for her 5 year stint on the tv show Baywatch. Alexandra, however, has been an activist since she was very young. The United Nations honored Alexandra  in 1997 for her work on the human overpopulation issue. She was the ACLU of Southern California’s 2005 Activist of the Year  for her history of environmentalism, voter registration and peace advocacy.  Last Chance For Animals named her 2014 Vegan of the Year. Alexandra has been driving electric cars for over 30 years and was featured in the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? She has produced an award winning educational film on overpopulation,  and her TEDx talk on the benefits of small families has over 600,000 views.  Alexandra volunteered in Sierra Leone with Population Media Center and has spoken to over 6,000 California students, from middle school to university, on the human overpopulation issue. She believes that unless we reduce birth rates, the human race will not be able to successfully mitigate the effects of climate change.

Social Revolution with Ashley Colby

Can one person really change the world? No matter how many times we are told that ‘change starts with you’, it’s hard to believe that ‘little old me’ can change the world when we feel like we’re battling against governments and major corporations. 

 

Ashley Colby is a badass who has studied social change, and is now living social change. She is an environmental sociologist who did her PhD at Washington State University, and in her book, she explores subsistence farming as a potentially revolutionary act. In her own words: “I am interested in and passionate about the myriad creative ways in which people are forming new social worlds in resistance to the failures of late capitalism and resultant climate disasters. I am a qualitative researcher so I tend to focus on the informal spaces of innovation. Before my current life I was once an itinerant overland international traveler, Chicago Tribune travel writer, and a long-haul, 18-wheel-driving trucker. I am now a mom to three beautiful girls, roommate to one husband (ha) and custodian to 2 cats, 2 dogs 2 cows and 5 chickens. I am now focused on doing anything I can to foment local, decentralized networks of people who can get us to the next iteration of society, and fast. The most urgent of these initiatives is a cooperative startup whose mission is to accelerate local economies (sulofair.com). You can find out more about my life and work in Uruguay at rizomafieldschool.com.”

 

In this episode, Ashley talks about collaboration, food production and the importance of a local community. She also has one of my favourite ‘calls to action’ of all time. Listen in to find out more.

 

Let’s get into it!

Environmental Leadership with Patricia Zurita

The first episode of the Our New World podcast is here! I'm feeling the nerves around releasing the first episode, but ultimately I'm very excited to get these conversations out there. Thank you for tuning in. Your input is key for this project, so please get in touch at max@mahbonline.org with your ideas and feedback!

What role do women have to play in environmentalism? What makes a good leader? Why is collaboration so important for our planet? These are some of the topics I talk about with Patricia Zurita, CEO of Birdlife International; the world’s largest nature conservation partnership, in our first episode of Our New World. Patricia was the first woman from a developing country to head an international conservation organization, she embodies the core values of curiosity, action and collaboration. Tune in for advice, opinions, and an inspiring leader telling us about her journey. 

What a way to kick-start our first series on Women in the World. Let’s get into it!

Our New World Trailer

What can you do to make our world a better place?

Join us for intimate conversations exploring pioneering ideas and solutions-focused thinking about the most significant topics of our generation.

In a time saturated with information but not as many solutions, listen to advice from great minds and thought leaders about what we can do to make our new world a better place.

 

Sponsored by the Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere (MAHB)

Music By 'Scott Holmes Music'