Once Upon a Planet

Jon Strassner

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DESIGN
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Sustainability can be heavy. Design can be precious. Climate storytelling can feel like a lecture. Once Upon a Planet is here to change that. Hosted by Jon Strassner—co-creator of Break Some Dishes and longtime challenger of the status quo—this podcast explores the intersection of interesting and climate change. That tiny 2-stop intersection is vitally important if we want to grow our understanding and awareness of global climate change.

21 JAN · BONUS

More than Checking a Box: Designing for people and the planet

Designers and architects face a complex matrix of requirements to meet modern requirements for building performance, appearance and overall impact on people and the planet. On this episode, key team members from Rockfon and ROCKWOOL, part of ROCKWOOL Group, discuss strategies and trends to meet these needs. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1h 6m
14 JAN · BONUS

Breaking More Dishes with Friends at Greenbuild 2025! Episode 2

In this continued episode of Break Some Dishes, Jon ventures to Los Angeles to podcast from the floor of Greenbuild 2025. For a second day, a bunch of different guests stepped into Jon’s podcast booth during the conference to talk about everything from the gender gap in raising capital to bringing better storytelling to climate activism. Great sponsors and wonderful guests made this Greenbuild episode a very special one! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1h 27m
7 JAN · BONUS

Breaking Dishes with Friends at Greenbuild 2025! Episode 1

In this episode of Break Some Dishes, Jon ventures to Los Angeles to podcast from the floor of Greenbuild 2025. Eight different guests slipped into Jon’s podcast booth during the conference to talk about everything from the gender gap in raising capital to bringing better story telling to climate activism. Great sponsors and wonderful guests made this Greenbuild episode a very special one! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1h 1m
19/11/2025

The Final Smash: Women, Design, and the Future We Want

For the season finale of Break Some Dishes, Jon and Verda wrap up a challenging but rewarding season about women; women in design, in leadership, and in the climate movement. Why do women still hold far fewer leadership positions, even as they are earning more college degrees than men? What happens when we define the world through the rigid binaries of masculine versus feminine, and does that framing ultimately limit everyone? In this episode, Jon and Verda revisit some of the season’s most thought-provoking conversations to examine what true equity could look like in design and beyond. Referenced Work: Mismeasure of Woman: Why Women are not the Better Sex, the Inferior Sex, or the Opposite Sex by Carol Tavris And for the last time, the book Jon and Verda have mentioned in almost every episode: Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

33 min
15/10/2025

Climate Activism and Gender Justice: A Conversation with Ayshka Najib

In the penultimate episode of season six, Jon and Verda have a conversation with Ayshka Najib, who shares her journey from being inspired by the Chipko movement in India to becoming a fervent champion for both climate justice and gender equality. The discussion covers the intersection of climate change and gender issues, the influence of grassroots movements, and recent advancements in global climate policies. Insights on the role of women in environmental activism, the complexities of greening the economy, and the power of individual and collective efforts in driving meaningful change all happen in this jam-packed interview. This season of Break Some Dishes is presented by Humanscale. References and Resources Mineral scarcity and the green transition Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Instagram: @fossilfueltreaty Just Transition – Women and Gender Constituency Youth Climate Justice Fund (YCJF): Explore grant recipients, apply for funding & sign up for the newsletter For Self Care: Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1h 2m
24/09/2025 · BONUS

Less Friction, More Flow — Evolving Design Materials Evaluation & Communication

Live from the NeoCon show floor in Chicago, Verda and Jon sit down with Kathleen Egan and Paul Shahriari, co-founders of Ecomedes. If you’ve ever struggled to specify sustainable materials, this episode is a must-listen. Ecomedes is changing the game for the architecture and design industry by streamlining product data, certifications, and comparisons into one comprehensive and easy-to-use platform. We explore why the process has been so hard for both designers and manufacturers, challenge ideas about product data, and explore how Ecomedes is making the path to sustainable design more efficient and impactful. This episode was produced in partnership with Ecomedes and recorded live in the NeoCon Podcast Lounge Powered by SURROUND. Thank you to our Lounge sponsor, Material Bank, and product partners: HÅG, Stylex, KI Wall, and Turf. References & Resources Ecomedes Platform: ecomedes.com Summit at Neocon mentioned: metropolismag.com/viewpoints/insights-metropolis-leadership-summit-neocon/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

38 min
17/09/2025

Women at the Frontlines of Climate Justice

In this episode, Jon and Verda sit down with Osprey Orielle Lake, founder of the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN), to explore the connections between women’s rights, climate justice, and the rights of nature. From ecofeminism to alternative worldviews, from frontline defenders to global policy, Osprey shares how women, especially in the Global South are driving climate solutions. This season of Break Some Dishes is presented by Humanscale. References & Resources Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) www.wecaninternational.org The Story is in Our Bones: How Worldviews and Climate Justice Can Remake a World in Crisis by Osprey Orielle Lake https://ospreyoriellelake.earth/ Inside Climate News: “The Ecofeminist Movement Is Surging. Here’s What Its Advocates Want.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1h 2m
27/08/2025 · BONUS

Unlabeling the Future: Gender, Work & The Climate Challenge

In this episode, Jon and Verda go live from Chicago, at the Gensler Principal's Retreat to unpack some of the issues shaping the design industry. Amanda Schneider, of ThinkLab, is back and joins us on stage for a three-part conversation on how unspoken norms around gender and power influence who leads, whose needs are prioritized in design, and how inclusive leadership can drive climate resilience. Amanda shares her research in how generational shifts, and specifically the perspective of Generation Z, are reshaping the way we think about work. Together, we reflect on how expectations placed on women at work, at home, and in leadership are evolving, and how letting go of rigid labels may open the door to a more inclusive, sustainable future. Referenced Work: Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez The book Jon and Verda have been reading this season about how male-default bias shapes everything we design from transit systems to disaster response A deep dive into how corporate structures reinforce gendered power This Changes Everything A Documentary film that looks at gender disparity in Hollywood See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1h 14m

TRAILER

Trailer

Break Some Dishes, a podcast by Verda Alexander and Jon Strassner, takes a closer look at some of the environmental crises we face as a global community, and under the lens of creativity and design, talks to outliers who have worked to break some dishes and find solutions. Bad design is bad for the planet. We need to design our way out of our climate crisis! Verda is an artist and designer and Jon is a talker, and together they find those unique people who have found amazing ways to make a difference in saving our planet. We'll talk about ghost fishing, ocean plastic pollution and the work being done to remove poisonous ingredients from products. But, that's just the tip of the iceberg, so before it melts, join us for some lively conversation! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

E66

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2 min

Sustainability can be heavy. Design can be precious. Climate storytelling can feel like a lecture. Once Upon a Planet is here to change that. Hosted by Jon Strassner—co-creator of Break Some Dishes and longtime challenger of the status quo—this podcast explores the intersection of interesting and climate change. That tiny 2-stop intersection is vitally important if we want to grow our understanding and awareness of global climate change.

Creator

Jon Strassner
Years Active

2020 - 2026
Episodes

84
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Break Some Dishes
Show Website

Once Upon a Planet