Imagine If... a Bluedot Living Podcast

Bluedot Living

Imagine if people were actually making progress on climate change... because they are. Each week, Imagine If spotlights changemakers creating measurable impact, from innovators reshaping industries to creatives rewriting the rules, to students reimagining what’s next. These are stories of progress, possibility, and people proving that meaningful change, at any scale, can move our planet forward. Visit our website: https://bluedotliving.com

  1. 2d ago

    Pantry to Dinner: Why Mushrooms Deserve a Permanent Spot in Your Pantry

    What if the lowest-carbon protein in your kitchen was also the easiest one to always have on hand? In this episode of Pantry to Dinner, Victoria sits down with Bluedot Living contributor Caroline Saunders to talk all about mushrooms, from childhood memories of fairy rings and foraged morels to the roughly 2,100 edible varieties (out of 14,000 total) hiding in plain sight.  Whether you're looking to stretch your grocery budget, cut down on meat, or just want a better mushroom soup recipe, this conversation is packed with practical, delicious ways to put mushrooms to work — including a mushroom bourguignon, a thyme-cream pasta sauce, and a five-ingredient mushroom pot pie. Why mushrooms are one of the lowest-carbon proteins you can buy The health case for mushrooms: protein, fiber, and a rare plant source of vitamin D How to use dried mushrooms as a pantry staple — and turn the rehydration liquid into stock (or tea) A tour of Caroline's favorite varieties, from workhorse button mushrooms to prized oyster mushrooms Why mushrooms land on the Environmental Working Group's Clean Fifteen Recipes worth stealing: mushroom bourguignon, a portobello sandwich, and a five-ingredient pot pie Read more about the magic of mushrooms: https://bluedotliving.com/the-magic-of-mushrooms/ Explore more recipes and sustainable living inspiration at https://bluedotliving.com/sustainable-recipes/ Get your copy of Bluedot Living's Magazine: https://bluedotliving.com/magazine-subscriptions/ Be part of the Bluedot Living community At Bluedot Living, we imagine if people were actually making progress on climate change—because they actually are. Each episode of Bluedot Living Podcast shares stories of people, policies, and projects that prove your choices matter, from micro decisions at home to macro shifts in law and industry. If you want to explore our recipes, products for your home and lifestyle, and read interesting stories, you can find us BluedotLiving.com For daily inspiration you can follow us @Bluedotliving on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluedotliving/

    Pantry to Dinner: Why Mushrooms Deserve a Permanent Spot in Your Pantry

  2. Aug 11

    Turning Eco-Anxiety Into Eco-Action With Sage Lenier and Cleo Carney

    What if the most hopeful thing you hear about climate this year comes from a college class called 'Solutions'? Sage Lenier designed UC Berkeley's "Solutions for a Sustainable & Just Future" course at 19 — now the largest student-led class in the school's history — and joins Vicki and Cleo Carney for a genuinely hopeful conversation. Solar and wind keep getting cheaper, cities are stepping up, and even a tangle like California's water politics has real, workable fixes already on the table. They also highlight Stripe's Nan Ransohoff as proof that power and money can be put toward real good. What you'll hear in this episode: Why Sage's solutions-focused climate class became the most popular course at Berkeley The genuinely good news behind solar's price collapse The fixable ideas behind California's water challenges — like solar-covered canals Why Stripe's Nan Ransohoff is proof that power can be used for good Practical, doable takeaways: diet, market signals, and where to spend a little more Connect with Sage Lenier and Sustainable & Just Future: https://www.sustainableandjustfuture.org Be part of the Bluedot Living community At Bluedot Living, we imagine if people were actually making progress on climate change—because they actually are. Each episode of Bluedot Living Podcast shares stories of people, policies, and projects that prove your choices matter, from micro decisions at home to macro shifts in law and industry. If you want to explore our recipes, products for your home and lifestyle, and read interesting stories, you can find us BluedotLiving.com For daily inspiration you can follow us @Bluedotliving on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluedotliving/

    Turning Eco-Anxiety Into Eco-Action With Sage Lenier and Cleo Carney

  3. Aug 4

    Anchovies and Sardines Are Having a Moment — Here's How to Use Them

    Anchovies and sardines get short shrift. It's time that changed. In this episode of the Pantry to Dinner series, Victoria sits down with Bluedot Living contributor Caroline Saunders to make the case for two of the most overlooked ingredients in the pantry and to show just how far a single tin can stretch.  From a five-minute Caesar dressing to a lemony, caper-studded chicken dish Caroline and her boyfriend call "crack chicken," this conversation is a tour of everything a can of anchovies or sardines can become. Along the way: the real difference between brown and silver anchovies (and why your waiter keeps bringing you the wrong one), a sardine toast so old the Romans were basically eating it, and a wild little pasta with raisins and saffron that Caroline swears by. Oh, and it turns out these tiny fish might be one of the most climate-friendly things on your plate — right up there with tofu. Whether you keep a tin in your bag for Caesar salad emergencies or have never opened a can of anchovies in your life, this episode makes the case for giving them a permanent spot on the shelf. Brown vs. silver anchovies, and when to use each A five-minute Caesar dressing that skips the raw egg The lemon-caper "crack chicken" sauce recipe Sardine toast and pasta con le sarde (fennel, raisins, saffron) Why anchovies and sardines are an unusually climate-friendly protein Read Vicki’s story on Caesar Salads: https://bluedotliving.com/resurrecting-caesar-the-great-salad/ Shop sustainable tinned fish at Bluedot Living: https://shop.bluedotliving.com/collections/food-kitchen?filter.p.product_type=Seafood&filter.v.price.gte=&filter.v.price.lte=&sort_by=best-selling Get your copy of Bluedot Living's Magazine: https://bluedotliving.com/magazine-subscriptions/

    Anchovies and Sardines Are Having a Moment — Here's How to Use Them

  4. Jul 28

    How to Make Kids' Clothes Actually Last, with Jackalo Founder Marianna Sachse

    Imagine if kids clothes that outlast childhood instead of the wash cycle. That's the world Marianna Sachse is building. As founder of Jackalo, America's first circular children's clothing brand, Marianna is on a mission to fix an industry that quietly stopped designing for durability, and to show parents that "sustainable" doesn't have to mean "expensive." In this episode, Victoria Riskin sits down with Marianna to trace her path from a shredded pair of school pants to a four-question framework for smarter buying, a plain-spoken case for cost-per-wear over price tags, and a new collection built entirely from reclaimed denim. Along the way: what actually happens to fabric in a dryer, why "value" and "cheap" aren't the same thing, and an Iroquois principle about deciding with seven generations in mind. What you'll hear in this episode: Why children's clothing quietly stopped being built to last, and how Marianna traced the problem to fabric blends that can't be recycled or donated A four-question framework for smarter buying: do I need this, can I get it secondhand, does it align with my values, and how do I make it last The real math behind cost-per-wear, and why a $100 pair of jeans can outlast — and out-value — a $40 pair Fabric basics worth knowing: organic cotton, linen, wool, and other materials to look for in kids' clothes Why air-drying instead of machine-drying is the single biggest thing you can do to extend a garment's life Inside Broken In, Jackalo's new collection made entirely from reclaimed B-grade denim Marianna's closing reflection on the Iroquois principle of deciding with seven generations in mind About Marianna Sachse: Marianna Sachse is the founder and CEO of Jackalo, a line of long-lasting, sustainably and ethically made clothes for active kids that accepts used garments back for resale or responsible recycling. Before Jackalo, she spent two decades in public health, working with organizations including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Aspen Institute. She started Jackalo after her own son's pants failed her within weeks of a new school year, and the company has since gone through the Techstars Accelerator. Learn more about Jackalo: https://bluedotliving.com/marketplace/products/jackalo-apparel-for-kids/ Be part of the Bluedot Living community At Bluedot Living, we imagine if people were actually making progress on climate change—because they actually are. Each episode of Bluedot Living Podcast shares stories of people, policies, and projects that prove your choices matter, from micro decisions at home to macro shifts in law and industry. If you want to explore our recipes, products for your home and lifestyle, and read interesting stories, you can find us BluedotLiving.com For daily inspiration you can follow us @Bluedotliving on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluedotliving/

    How to Make Kids' Clothes Actually Last, with Jackalo Founder Marianna Sachse

  5. Jul 21

    Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished, and Fiercely Proud: Inside Montana's Largest Organic Ranch

    When a county road crew accidentally sprayed herbicide near their fence line, nobody would have known. B Bar Ranch reported it anyway — and gave up three years of organic certification on that land to do right by their own standards. Host Vicki visits B Bar Ranch in Montana's Tom Miner Basin to talk with Jackson Stewart, steward of the 9,000-acre ranch his grandmother Maryanne Mott bought in 1978. Now the largest organic beef producer in Montana, B Bar raises cattle entirely grass-fed and grass-finished. Jackson shares what USDA organic certification really takes and the pride behind carrying his grandmother's vision forward. In this episode: - The family legacy behind B Bar Ranch - What grass-fed and grass-finished beef really means - What USDA organic certification actually requires - Why B Bar reported an herbicide incident and gave up three years of certified land - Why "know your rancher" might matter more than any label on the package Learn more about B Bar Ranch: https://bbar.com/ Be part of the Bluedot Living community At Bluedot Living, we imagine if people were actually making progress on climate change—because they actually are. Each episode of Bluedot Living Podcast shares stories of people, policies, and projects that prove your choices matter, from micro decisions at home to macro shifts in law and industry. If you want to explore our recipes, products for your home and lifestyle, and read interesting stories, you can find us BluedotLiving.com For daily inspiration you can follow us @Bluedotliving on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluedotliving/

    Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished, and Fiercely Proud: Inside Montana's Largest Organic Ranch

  6. Jul 14

    London Hit 97°F — Before We All Move On, Listen to This

    Imagine if the hardest part of climate action wasn't the science, it was just remembering to keep talking about it. When London hit a record-breaking 97°F this June, Cleo Carney was there — sheltering in a flat with no air conditioning, watching a London Climate Week panel on extreme heat get canceled because it was too hot to hold it. In this episode, Victoria Riskin, Janet Kraus and Ally Giebutowski check in with Cleo across the Atlantic, and what starts as a rundown of a brutal week turns into something bigger: a real conversation about heat domes, why the UK's political instability makes long-term climate planning so hard, and the strange irony of air conditioning as a climate "fix." Along the way, the hosts land on the question underneath all of it — not "is this bad?" but "how do we keep talking about this once the heat wave ends and life goes back to normal?" From reframing dinner-party weather complaints as an opening for real conversation, to a warm detour back to Bluedot's trip to Montana's B Bar Ranch and the wolves of Yellowstone, this episode is as much about staying in the conversation as it is about the weather itself. What you'll hear in this episode: What London's record heat wave actually felt like on the ground — and why a major climate conference got canceled because of it The science of "heat domes," and why an old, natural weather pattern is becoming newly dangerous Why the UK's revolving door of prime ministers makes long-term climate adaptation harder to plan for The complicated irony of air conditioning as a climate coping mechanism How to turn everyday weather small talk into a real opening for climate conversation A return trip (in memory) to Montana's B Bar Ranch, and why time in nature keeps the hosts motivated At Bluedot Living, we imagine if people were actually making progress on climate change — because they actually are. Each episode of Imagine If shares stories of people, policies, and projects that prove your choices matter, from micro decisions at home to macro shifts in law and industry. Explore our recipes, products for your home and lifestyle, and more stories at BluedotLiving.com. For daily inspiration, follow us @bluedotliving on Instagram.

    London Hit 97°F — Before We All Move On, Listen to This

  7. Jul 7

    Pantry to Dinner: A Deep Dive Into Spices with Caroline Saunders

    What's actually in your spice drawer, and where did it come from? In this episode of the Pantry to Dinner mini-series, host Victoria Riskin sits down with food writer Caroline Saunders, Le Cordon Bleu graduate, Bluedot Living contributor, and author of the Substack Pale Blue Tart, for a tour of the spices every home cook should have on hand.  Caroline traces cardamom from the Western Ghats of India to the highlands of Guatemala, where farmers are developing their own heat-resilient plant varieties and moving operations higher up mountainsides to adapt to shifting climates. Vanilla, it turns out, is a climbing vine that grows best in forests — which makes it both fragile and a quiet argument for conservation. And sumac, which most shoppers walk past without a second glance, is a native North American plant with Indigenous culinary roots and a lemon-bright flavor that pastry chefs rely on for a very specific reason. What you'll hear in this episode: How long ground and whole spices actually last — and what to do with the ones that have been sitting in the back of your cabinet Cardamom: where it grows, how it's changing, and why one Indian farm is breeding its own resilient varieties Vanilla as a climbing vine — and why forest preservation is part of its survival story Sumac: the native North American spice with deep Indigenous roots that tastes like dried lemon and solves a pastry chef problem you didn't know existed Cumin, thyme, and the case for building your own go-to spice blend Where to buy spices that support farmers directly, including Diaspora Co. Recipes: cardamom sugar cookie with cardamom glaze, and a vanilla date hemp shake from BluedotLiving.com Explore more recipes and sustainable living inspiration at https://bluedotliving.com/sustainable-recipes/ Get your copy of Bluedot Living’s Magazine: https://bluedotliving.com/magazine-subscriptions/ Join Bluedot Living’s Newsletters: https://bluedotliving.com/sign-up-for-our-newsletters

    Pantry to Dinner: A Deep Dive Into Spices with Caroline Saunders

  8. Jun 30

    The Chef Who Won't Waste an Ounce: Cooking Close to the Land at B Bar Ranch

    Imagine if the most important ingredient in your kitchen is the one you're about to throw away? In this episode of Imagine If, Victoria Riskin visits B Bar Ranch in Montana to talk with chef George Pierce about what it really means to cook close to the land. George breaks down why not all grass-fed beef is created equal, how B Bar traces every cut of beef back to the specific cow it came from, and how he turns corn cobs, lobster shells, and vegetable scraps into stocks instead of garbage. George also shares how he left the restaurant world during COVID to run the Livingston Food Resource Center, a food pantry stocked with local beef, fresh produce, and bread made from Montana wheat — built to feel like a grocery store, not a relief line.  What you'll hear in this episode: Why not all grass-fed beef is the same, and how B Bar traces every cut to its source George's core kitchen philosophy: make an ingredient taste like itself, nothing more Turning kitchen scraps — corn cobs, lobster shells, vegetable trim — into stock instead of garbage The scale of food waste in America, from restaurant kitchens to Yellowstone National Park George's pivot to running the Livingston Food Resource Center, a food pantry built on dignity The 10-day sourdough starter that turned into a decade-long obsession with fermentation Imagine if we all got back in touch with our local food systems Be part of the Bluedot Living community At Bluedot Living, we imagine if people were actually making progress on climate change—because they actually are. Each episode of Bluedot Living Podcast shares stories of people, policies, and projects that prove your choices matter, from micro decisions at home to macro shifts in law and industry. If you want to explore our recipes, products for your home and lifestyle, and read interesting stories, you can find us BluedotLiving.com For daily inspiration you can follow us @Bluedotliving on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluedotliving/

    The Chef Who Won't Waste an Ounce: Cooking Close to the Land at B Bar Ranch
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Imagine if people were actually making progress on climate change... because they are. Each week, Imagine If spotlights changemakers creating measurable impact, from innovators reshaping industries to creatives rewriting the rules, to students reimagining what’s next. These are stories of progress, possibility, and people proving that meaningful change, at any scale, can move our planet forward. Visit our website: https://bluedotliving.com

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