In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we speak with Christen Courville, President and COO of SNAAP Transportation about the future of autonomous, sustainable urban transit. Christen breaks down why SNAAP prioritizes personal over public, how its modular track doubles as energy infrastructure, and why a franchise model may be key to localized transportation solutions. We also tackle skepticism around self-driving tech, the socioeconomic barriers traditional systems overlook, and what it will take to scale bold transit ideas in a cautious market.

Key Points:

• Human-Centered Design: SNAAP pods are designed for individual riders, reflecting how most people actually commute today. This approach keeps the system lightweight, scalable, and optimized for personal convenience.
• Chattanooga Testing Site: SNAAP has built a full-scale test track at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Advanced Vehicle Test Facility. This real-world demo site allows the team to refine the technology before wider rollout.
• Autonomous, But Safer: Unlike autonomous cars navigating complex roads, SNAAP pods operate on a controlled, elevated passive track. This closed system eliminates many common hazards, making autonomy safer and more reliable.
• Christen Courville, President and COO of SNAAP
• LinkedIn
• SNAAP™ Transportation: The Future Is Now, Take It For A Ride

• Lisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn

🚀 Calling all Earthlings…

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In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we’re joined by Brian Richter, president of Sustainable Waters and author of Chasing Water, for a deep and wide-ranging conversation about global water scarcity, climate-driven drought, and the politics of sharing a resource none of us can live without. From Cape Town’s infamous Day Zero to water truck deliveries in Arizona suburbs, Brian explains how water shortages evolve, why they’re getting worse, and what we can do to prepare for a more water-stressed future. The conversation explores cutting-edge innovations in wastewater reuse and desalination, the surprising economics of water efficiency, and how embracing “local water democracy” can help us share and safeguard this life-sustaining resource

Key Points:

• Local Water Democracy Can Drive Smarter Solutions: From Texas to New Mexico’s Acequia communities, involving citizens in water decisions could lead to more sustainable choices.
• 703 Million People Lack Access to Clean Water: That’s 1 in 10 people worldwide — a statistic that reframes how urgent and widespread water access issues truly are.
• We Can Grow and Still Use Less Water: Cities in the Colorado River Basin increased population by 24% while cutting water use by 18%, showing what’s possible with smart management.
• Brian Richter, President of Sustainable Waters
• LinkedIn
• Chasing Water
• Opportunities for Restoring Environmental Flows in the Rio Grande–Rio Bravo Basin Spanning the US–Mexico Border

• Lisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn

🚀 Calling all Earthlings…

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In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we speak with Charlie Murray, CEO and co-founder of Switched Source about a deceptively simple idea with massive implications for the future of electricity: unlocking hidden capacity on our existing power grid without building new wires or generation plants. Switched Source’s power flow technology helps utilities dynamically balance electricity across their distribution circuits — almost like unblocking a three-lane highway at rush hour. Charlie unpacks how utilities can get smarter, not just bigger, to meet the explosive demand from data centers, EVs, heat pumps, and more.

Key Points:

• Our Grid Faces a Demand Tsunami: Rising electricity needs from AI data centers, electrification, and heat pumps are outpacing what utilities can deliver, creating bottlenecks that threaten economic growth and reliability.
• Building New Infrastructure Isn’t Always the Answer: Traditional solutions like adding more wires or constructing new generation are capital intensive, slow, and often impractical for rapid deployment.
• Switched Source Developed a Real-Time Balancing Solution: Switched Source created a pad-mounted device that dynamically redirects power between the three phases of a distribution circuit, freeing up 10–25% more capacity that was otherwise trapped by imbalance.
• Charles Murray, CEO and co-founder of Switched Source
• LinkedIn
• Lisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
• LinkedIn: Lisa Ann Pinkerton
• X - Lisa Ann Pinkerton
• Instagram - @LisiAnni
• Technica Communications
• Women in Cleantech and Sustainability

🚀 Calling all Earthlings…

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In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we chat with Neil Brown, president of the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, for a wide-ranging conversation about the evolution of journalism and the growing challenge of misinformation. Neil explores how the 24/7 news cycle and the rise of social media have accelerated the spread of false information, and why the role of investigative journalism remains essential in a democratic society. From the history and eventual decline of the Fairness Doctrine to the present-day influence of AI, Neil discusses how journalists can adapt to technological disruption without compromising ethics, how fact-checking empowers audiences, and why media literacy is more crucial than ever.

Key Points:

• Misinformation Has Always Existed — but Its Reach and Speed Are Unprecedented: The rise of social media and the 24/7 news cycle has supercharged the spread of false information, making it harder for audiences to separate fact from fiction.
• Media Literacy Empowers Consumers: Audiences must take an active role in questioning sources, understanding different types of news, and pausing before sharing information.
• AI Brings Both Challenges and Possibilities for Journalism: Ethical and transparent use of AI can strengthen reporting and efficiency, but it also poses risks to trust and authenticity if not carefully managed.
• Neil Brown, president of the Poynter Institute for Media Studies
• LinkedIn
• X
• The Poynter 50
• Lisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn

🚀 Calling all Earthlings…

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In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we connect with Wayne McIntyre, CEO of Relocalize, about how autonomous microfactories placed at distribution centers could revolutionize food production by eliminating transport emissions and reducing costs. They explore why packaged ice was the ideal starting point for helping this idea become reality, how robotics and AI streamline operations to make decentralized food production and distribution possible, and why reimagining the entire supply chain, not just improving individual links, is critical for building a more sustainable and resilient food system.

Key Points:

• Food Supply Chains Are a Major Climate Contributor: Nearly 18% of food-related greenhouse gas emissions come from packaging, transport, and processing — underscoring the need to rethink how food gets from farm to plate.
• Relocalize Pioneers Autonomous Microfactories: By installing small, fully automated factories at distribution centers, Relocalize eliminates most transportation and cold storage, reducing emissions and costs.
• Better Economics and Sustainability for Retailers: Retailers benefit from dedicated supply, lower shrink and waste, reduced emissions, and better product quality — all while improving their bottom line.

• Wayne McIntyre, CEO and co-founder of Relocalize, LinkedIn
• Luis de Leon, Senior Account Executive at Technica Communications, LinkedIn

🚀 Calling all Earthlings…

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In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we chat with Joe Castagneri, Director of Software at AMP, about why so much recyclable material still ends up in landfills, and how the economics of waste sorting are at the heart of the problem. Joe explains why recycling in rural areas often doesn’t pencil out, how the legacy systems incentivize hauling and burying waste, and how AMP’s computer vision and robotics are helping build a new model for diversion facilities that could finally scale circularity. Joe shares insights into the history of recycling, the limitations of current systems, and why the future may look like integrated diversion facilities rather than separate recycling programs.

Key Points:

• Recycling Only Works Economically Where Density Justifies It: Castagneri explains that recycling programs depend on having enough people generating waste in a concentrated area to offset the costs of sorting and transporting material. In rural regions or freight-constrained areas, recycling simply doesn’t pencil out, and landfilling becomes the default option.
• AI and Robotics Are Unlocking a Cheaper, Scalable Model: AMP’s approach replaces expensive optical sensors and manual labor with neural networks and low-cost vision systems that can sort materials with high speed and precision. By building facilities that cost less to construct and operate, this technology makes it possible to recycle more materials in more places profitably.
• Diversion Facilities Can Redefine Waste Management: Rather than maintain separate recycling and trash systems, AMP envisions integrated diversion facilities that automatically extract recyclables and organics from all waste streams. This shift could fundamentally change how landfills are used, increasing circularity while reducing methane emissions and disposal costs.

• Joe Castagneri, Director of Software at AMP, LinkedIn

• Lisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn

🚀 Calling all Earthlings…

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In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we chat with Kieran Furlong, CEO and co-founder of Realta Fusion, about the promise and progress of nuclear fusion as a sustainable energy solution. The discussion touches on the mounting pressure of rising global energy demand and why nuclear, specifically fusion, could be a game-changing response. Kieran explains the fundamental differences between nuclear fission and fusion, the risks and legacy of fission reactors, and the promise of fusion technologies that don’t carry the same waste or meltdown threats. He also explains Realta’s modular, cylindrical “magnetic mirror” design that offers a simpler, more scalable path to fusion energy.

Key Points:

• Fusion Could Be the Energy Breakthrough the World Needs: With abundant hydrogen fuel, no long-term waste, and no risk of runaway reactions, fusion offers a clean, scalable solution to meet rising global energy demand.
• Realta Fusion Uses a Simpler, Cylindrical Magnetic Mirror Design: Unlike the complex donut-shaped tokamaks and stellarators, Realta’s straight-line magnetic mirror system is modular, easier to build, and designed for practical deployment.
• A Commercial Fusion Plant Is Targeted for the Mid-2030s: Realta aims to build its first commercial-scale system by the mid-2030s, with some other startups pushing for even earlier timelines.

• Kieran Furlong, CEO and co-founder of Realta Fusion
• Kieran’s LinkedIn
• Realta Fusion's LinkedIn
• Realta Fusion's Magnetic Mirror Technology

• Lisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn

• Previous episodes mentioned:
• #26: The Forever Fuel in Nuclear Fusion
• #6: To Nuclear or Not

🚀 Calling all Earthlings…

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In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we speak with Victor Gensini, professor of meteorology at Northern Illinois University, who explains how climate change is altering the frequency, intensity, and geographic reach of extreme weather events like hailstorms and tornadoes. He explains how the changing statistical distributions of climate make it harder to rely on historical models, and discusses his fieldwork through the ICECHIP hail research campaign. Gensini highlights the power of AI, Doppler radar, machine learning, and even drones to transform prediction, and stresses that exposure and development patterns are just as critical as climate change itself in determining damage.

Key Points:

• Extreme Weather Events Are Becoming More Frequent and More Damaging: Gensini explains that climate change is shifting the statistical distribution of weather, making extreme events like hailstorms and tornadoes more likely. Though rare in occurrence, these events now carry an outsized impact on society in terms of destruction, disruption, and insured losses.
• Tornado and Hail Risk Is Moving — and So Should Our Thinking: The classic idea of “Tornado Alley” is outdated. Gensini’s research shows that tornado and hail activity is shifting geographically, affecting new regions with greater intensity. Relying on outdated maps or assumptions could leave entire communities unprepared.
• Technology Is Rapidly Enhancing Our Forecasting Capabilities: From upgraded Doppler radar systems to AI, machine learning, and even drone-based atmospheric sampling, the tools available to meteorologists are evolving fast. These technologies allow for more precise and timely predictions, helping people make smarter decisions in the face of severe weather.

• Victor Gensini, Certified Consulting Meteorologist, Associate Professor for the Department of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment at Northern Illinois University
• LinkedIn
• X

Lisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn

🚀 Calling all Earthlings…

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