Rethinkers

Carolina Kaelin

Ever feel lost or overwhelmed in our rapidly changing world? Then tune in to this series of informal conversations with Rethinkers - individuals challenging and redefining the way we think, live and act in the face of the global Climate Crisis. Rethinkers are activists, artists, engineers, farmers, scientists, policymakers, philosophers and much more, for change can, and must, come from all corners. Let yourself be inspired to imagine new, creative and hopeful possibilities of being human in a warming world. www.rethinkerspodcast.ch

Episodes

  1. E07: Divya Gupta & Vijay Ramprasad − For the love of trees

    08/21/2022

    E07: Divya Gupta & Vijay Ramprasad − For the love of trees

    In this episode, you'll be learning about trees. As many of you may already know, tree planting campaigns are a very popular solution to climate change. You’ve probably all heard slogans such as “buy a tee plant a tree”.  And planting trees sounds easy enough, right? Unfortunately, the reality is not quite as simple, and many tree plantations fail. And when they do fail, they tend to impact the local communities they’re implemented in negative ways.  Recently I’ve read a very inspiring article discussing the pitfalls and limitations of tree planting efforts as a solution to climate change. I’ve had a chance to virtually sit down with two of the interdisciplinary scientists who worked on the paper, namely with Divya Gupta (Assistant Professor at the State University of New York in Binghamton) and Vijay Ramprasad (Senior Fellow at the Center for Ecology Development and Research in Dehra Dun, India). During this conversation, you’ll learn about some of the important ecological services forests provide. You’ll also learn about why it is so challenging to successfully plant trees in order to sequester carbon. And, most importantly, Divya Gupta and Vijay Ramprasad share their thoughts with us on how we could rethink the way we go about planting trees, be it by including local communities in projects, by focusing on protecting existing forests instead of planting new ones, or simply by taking a good look at our own carbon footprints.

    1h 43m
  2. E05: Mathias Duplessy − Musique, philosophie et traditions

    06/13/2022

    E05: Mathias Duplessy − Musique, philosophie et traditions

    Récemment j’ai eu le plaisir de interviewer le musicien, compositeur et multi-instrumentiste Mathias Duplessy. Fortement inspiré par la musique traditionnelle, il compose et joue entre autres avec les groupes Trio Cavalcade et Violins of the World. Il a également composé de nombreuses musiques de films. Au cours de l'interview, Mathias Duplessy nous explique comment sa musique est inspirée par la nature, comment différents types de musique peuvent évoquer différents sentiments, et pourquoi la musique traditionnelle lui semble donc importante pour nous permettre de nous connecter avec la nature et la terre. Il partage également avec nous pourquoi il pense que l'art et la musique peuvent apporter de la lumière au monde, et pourquoi il s'intéresse à la philosophie et au stoïcisme. 00:01:20 Une musique qui évoque la nature 00:02:13 Voyager par la musique et éviter de "chosifier" les choses 00:05:10 La nature comme synonyme de vérité 00:07:35 Rehumaniser le monde et penser en petit 00:09:10 La question du bonheur 00:12:20 Comment les artistes peuvent être des messagers de la nature 00:15:35 Garder la lumière 00:17:10 Philosphie et stoïcisme 00:21:20 La musique traditionnelle 00:24:50 Pourquoi la perte de la musique traditionnelle est importante 00:29:45 Comment maintenir la musique traditionnelle en vie et trouver de la profondeur 00:31:40 Violins of the World 00:38:00 Vivre ensemble et être sur scène ensemble 00:44:10 Questions finals

    49 min
  3. E04: Helen Jukes − Reflections on beekeeping and on connecting to our surroundings

    05/11/2022

    E04: Helen Jukes − Reflections on beekeeping and on connecting to our surroundings

    In this episode, I talk to writer and beekeeper Helen Jukes about her book "A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings". This first book of hers was listed as Book of the Year, Book of the Month or Book of the Week by various different outlets and was also shortlisted for the Books Are My Bag non-fiction award. Helen Jukes tells us how she got into beekeeping. We talk about how this experience has changed her perception of the world and her relationship with her surroundings. We also discuss how activities such as beekeeping can help us in slowing down and calming that inner drive to always be busy and productive. 00:01:15 Of becoming a beekeeper 00:07:25 Of teaching children not to be afraid of our natural surroundings and wild creatures 00:07:53 The outdoors as a dreamspace 00:09:10 Fostering a reciprocal relationship to the land and to wild creatures 00:11:40 Finding agency in our immediate surroundings 00:11:55 Reflections on beekeeping and our relationship to nature 00:15:23 How beekeeping can change our perception of our surroundings 00:19:15 Discovering interconnectedness by focusing on our immediate surroundings 00:23:20 Rethinking our role as keepers and stewards 00:27:12 Reflections on what we can give back to other living creatures 00:31:57 Of being guided by the bees in learning about beekeeping 00:36:10 Of writing "A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings" 00:40:35 Writing as a means of reflecting about the world 00:42:50 Closing questions

    47 min
  4. E03: Laurence Jeangros − The upsides and downsides of sharing food across the globe

    04/20/2022

    E03: Laurence Jeangros − The upsides and downsides of sharing food across the globe

    In this episode, my friend Laurence and I talk about the upsides and downsides of global food trading schemes. Laurence tells us how agricultural practices have already influenced local climates during historical times and explains what role global power dynamics play in our food systems. She shares with us why she thinks food trading schemes are of global importance to increase our resilience towards the effects of climate change. Finally, we discuss why young people's voices in international relations matter, and why diversity is so important. Laurence Jeangros is an environmental scientists with a bachelor's degrees from the University of Lausanne and a master's degree from the Swiss Federal Institut of Technology in Zurich. During her studies, she has spent a year in Chile as an exchange student. For her master thesis, she explored power dynamics within tomato food systems in Ghana. Laurence has spent a year interning at the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations organizations in Rome and is currently working at the Laboratory of Environmental and Urban Econocmis at the Swiss Federal Institut of Technology in Lausanne. 00:01:01 Of becoming interested in environmental sciences 00:02:44 How the climate movement helps us in validating our feelings regarding climate change 00:05:48 Food as a physical and symbolic intersection between humans and the natural world 00:07:24 The positive leverage food system could have 00:09:25 Why international relations matter in our food systems 00:10:00 The history of food exchange 00:12:55 Global exploitations in food systems: Produce exports in Chile 00:14:07 Global exploitations in food systems: The avocado trend in Chile 00:16:10 Global exploitations in food systems: Rice imports in Ghana 00:20:14 What are power dynamics and why do they matter? 00:20:27 Humanitarian aid, rice and power dynamics 00:26:57 Global justice in our food systems 00:31:44 Positive communication 00:32:22 Upsides of global food trading schemes in the face of climate change: Resilience and mitigation 00:35:50 Creating bonds and building peace over international exchanges 00:37:19 Why diversity is so important for resilience 00:39:40 Why young peoples voices matter 00:44:50 How we could include young voices better into our political landscapes 00:47:17 Closing questions

    52 min
  5. E02: David Moreau − La sobriété: De la vie en montagne à la vie quotidienne

    04/20/2022

    E02: David Moreau − La sobriété: De la vie en montagne à la vie quotidienne

    Dans cet épisode, David nous raconte sa traversée des Alpes à ski et il nous explique pourquoi il a renoncé à sa voiture. En outre, il nous parle de comment il a adapté son mode de vie pour pouvoir accéder facilement à la montagne sans voiture, y compris pour son travail de guide de montagne. Nous discutons également du concept de la sobriété et du fait qu'elle peut nous aider dans la transition énergétique. David nous explique pourquoi il pense que notre société devrait repenser son image de la réussite, et pourquoi l'acte de partager est précieux. David Moreau partage son temps entre les métiers de guide de montagne et d'ingénieur en environnement (EPFL). Il est le directeur de NégaWatt, une association qui vise à promouvoir les trois piliers que sont l'efficacité, la sobriété et les énergies renouvelables dans les discussions sur la transition énergétique en Suisse. En outre, il a acquis des expériences professionnelles dans le domaine de la mobilité. 00:01:03 La traversée des Alpes à ski 00:07:09 La valeur des longs voyages 00:09:29 Profiter des moments charnières pour changer les habitudes: vendre la voiture 00:12:13 Adapter le rhythme de la vie quotidienne aux nouvelles habitudes 00:13:45 Les possibilités offertes par des transports publiques pour accéder aux montagnes 00:27:28 L'hélicoptère en montagne : la revitalisation des cabanes 00:33:43 L'hélicoptère en montagne : le héliski 00:36:52 NegaWatt: Repenser notre consommation d'énérgie : efficacité, sobriété et énergies renouvelables 00:41:55 Comment intégrer le concept de la sobriété dans la vie quotidienne 00:44:10 Redéfinir notre image de la réussite et notre notion du temps 00:44:30 Les scénarios NégaWatt pour une vie plus sobre 00:50:24 Comment utiliser les voitures électriques dans un monde plus sobre 00:54:35 La valeur de la communication pour sensibiliser des autres personnes au réchauffement climatique, à la croissance et à l'image de la réussite 00:59:30 Questions finales

    1h 5m
  6. E01: Sophia McRae − Eating in the Anthropocene

    04/20/2022

    E01: Sophia McRae − Eating in the Anthropocene

    In this episode, Sophia and I talk about her approach to veganism, meat alternatives and why dietary schemes aren’t the one silver bullet for fixing our food systems. We also discuss social justice and our relationship to food. Finally, Sophia gives us some ideas of what truly sustainable food systems could look like. Sophia McRae is a food advocate, vegan, and sustainable food systems researcher in  Freiburg, Germany. A German-American, her food activism began in the urban agriculture movement of her hometown, Rochester, New York, where she worked with urban farms and food pantries to improve access to fresh food and green spaces in the city. She is currently completing a Master’s degree in Environmental Governance at the University of Freiburg and is working on a project for sustainable food system governance in the Upperrhine region, focusing especially on the role of small, intermediary food processors and distributors in supporting vibrant regional food economies. She is passionate about food and food justice, and loves experimenting with new food recipes and food practices in her kitchen. 00:01:40 Sophia’s personal story 00:09:17 Of being vegan 00:16:14 Other approaches to eating more sustainably 00:21:06 The middle ground between individual consumerism and blaming the system 00:25:15 Greenwashing, food labels and food certificates 00:31:35 Meat substitutes: plant-based meats 00:34:10 Meat substitutes: cultured meats 00:42:43 Changing consumer preferences 00:45:13 Social justice and food systems 00:52:40 Intersectional activism 00:55:00 Avocados and Mexican Cartels 00:57:33 Rethinking our food systems 01:07:19 Fostering a personal relationship to food 01:13:27 The value of community engagement 01:10:00 Advice for adopting more sustainable eating habits 01:24:33 How we can all engage meaningfully with food 01:26:27 Closing questions

    1h 34m

About

Ever feel lost or overwhelmed in our rapidly changing world? Then tune in to this series of informal conversations with Rethinkers - individuals challenging and redefining the way we think, live and act in the face of the global Climate Crisis. Rethinkers are activists, artists, engineers, farmers, scientists, policymakers, philosophers and much more, for change can, and must, come from all corners. Let yourself be inspired to imagine new, creative and hopeful possibilities of being human in a warming world. www.rethinkerspodcast.ch