Best Zach Goldsmith Podcasts (2026)

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844: Maya Lilly, part 1: Effective Storytelling and Producing The Years Project 1:35:59

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2h ago1:35:59

1:35:59

Since I've seen Maya's work on the Years Project with people like executive producers James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger, I was worried I might feel starstruck. Oh wait, she also worked with series creators Joel Bach and David Gelber (of 60 Minutes); chief science advisors podcast guest Joseph Romm and Heidi Cullen; and episode hosts including…

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610. Megan McArdle, host of Reasonably Optimistic 1:03:14

5d ago1:03:14

1:03:14

Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle joins us to discuss her favorite science fiction and her new podcast Reasonably Optimistic. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy David Barr Kirtley

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843: Judith Enck, part 2: The Problem with Plastic (the Book) 28:43

1h ago28:43

28:43

Judith just published The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It’s Too Late. I've read a lot about plastic and hosted many authors. I won't lie. Before starting the book, I thought I should read it because I knew her, but didn't expect much. Instead, I learned a lot new. I found it engaging and compelling. I recomm…

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842: Silvia Bellezza, part 1.5 and 2: When at first you don't succeed 39:44

10d ago39:44

39:44

Since Silvia teaches as a business school, I'll address a leadership aspect of our interaction. I skimped on a leadership step, so we did an episode 1.5, which is my lingo for redoing episode 1 when the person wasn't able to fulfill his or her commitment. That's my responsibility as leader of the interaction. Silvia and I had a wonderful first conv…

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609. Stephen King Movies: The Running Man, The Long Walk, The Dead Zone, The Mist (with Andrea Kail, Matthew Kressel, Tom Gerencer) 2:05:01

21d ago2:05:01

2:05:01

Andrea Kail, Matthew Kressel, and Tom Gerencer join us to discuss the Stephen King movie adaptations The Running Man, The Long Walk, The Dead Zone, and The Mist. Time stamps: The Running Man (17:44), The Long Walk (47:14), The Dead Zone (1:10:45), The Mist (1:30:20). Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. L…

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608. The Best of Larry Niven Part 3 Review (with Mercurio D. Rivera) 1:40:34

29d ago1:40:34

1:40:34

Mercurio D. Rivera joins us to discuss the last nine stories from the book The Best of Larry Niven. Stories discussed: “Flatlander” (2:06), “The Borderland of Sol” (17:15), “The Magic Goes Away” (31:40), “A Teardrop Falls” (44:00), “The Return of William Proxmire” (49:43), “Limits” (57:45), “Smut Talk” (1:07:21), “The Missing Mass” (1:12:35), “Caut…

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607. Jean-Claude Van Damme Movies: Timecop, Universal Soldier, Cyborg, Replicant (with Andrea Kail, Matthew Kressel, Tom Gerencer) 2:01:34

2M ago2:01:34

2:01:34

Andrea Kail, Matthew Kressel, and Tom Gerencer join us to discuss the Jean-Claude Van Damme movies Timecop, Universal Soldier, Cyborg, and Replicant. Time stamps: Timecop (15:21), Universal Soldier (41:27), Cyborg (1:01:35), Replicant (1:19:53). Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your a…

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606. Alien: Earth Season 1 Review (with Andrea Kail, Matthew Kressel, Anthony Ha) 1:51:44

2M ago1:51:44

1:51:44

Andrea Kail, Matthew Kressel, and Anthony Ha join us to discuss Season 1 of the FX series Alien: Earth, a prequel to the classic films Alien and Aliens. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy David Barr Kirtley

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841: Sandra Goldmark, part 1: Fixation: How to Have Stuff without Breaking the Planet 41:57

2M ago41:57

41:57

How often does something break that you know could be fixed, but you don't know how and there are no places to fix it? I remember repair stores all over the place, but the field doesn't exist any more. We all know about planned obsolescence and how products are designed to break. Now we feel we have to throw things away and replace them (after avoi…

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840: Dr. Leonardo Trasande, part 1: Sicker, Fatter, Poorer: The Urgent Threat of Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals to Our Health and Future ... and What We Can Do About It 1:10:11

2M ago1:10:11

1:10:11

I found Dr. Trasande quoted in a Washington Post article The health risks from plastics almost nobody knows about: Phthalates, chemicals found in plastics, are linked to an array of problems, especially in pregnancy. He said, "Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are one of the biggest global health threats of our time ... And 2 percent of us know about …

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605. The Best of Greg Egan Part 3 Review (with Anthony Ha) 1:54:14

3M ago1:54:14

1:54:14

Anthony Ha joins us to discuss the last six stories from the book The Best of Greg Egan. Stories discussed: "Crystal Nights" (1:27), "Zero for Conduct" (19:18), "Uncanny Valley" (37:31), "Bit Players" (52:11), "3-adica" (1:05:17), "Instantiation" (1:19:51). Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more …

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604. The Best of Greg Egan Part 2 Review (with Anthony Ha) 1:43:52

3M ago1:43:52

1:43:52

Anthony Ha joins us to discuss six more stories from the book The Best of Greg Egan. Stories discussed: “Silver Fire” (1:30), “Reasons to be Cheerful” (16:42), “Oceanic” (28:10), “Oracle” (44:19), “Singleton” (1:04:54), “Dark Integers” (1:16:32). Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your …

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839: Saabira Chaudhuri: Consumed: Throwaway Plastic Has Corrupted Us 48:34

3M ago48:34

48:34

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838: Zach Rabinor, part 2: What if your business and values clash? 1:01:27

3M ago1:01:27

1:01:27

Zach and I got so into our first conversation that we had to take a second one to get to the Spodek Method. Listen for yourself, but I hear Zach working with three motivations: His surfer, outdoors self wants to conserve, protect, and enjoy nature and enable others to do the same by experiencing it. His CEO self wants to deliver what his customers …

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603. The History of Sword & Sorcery (with Philip Gelatt, Morgan Galen King) 1:30:58

4M ago1:30:58

1:30:58

Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King, creators of The Spine of Night, join us to discuss the book Flame and Crimson: A History of Sword and Sorcery by Brian Murphy. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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837: Zach Rabinor, part 1: Getting serious about sustainable travel? 1:03:40

4M ago1:03:40

1:03:40

I met Zach at an event I spoke at sponsored by the Young Presidents Organization, whose members tend to be successful in business. The criteria to join require it. I knew the people would be friendly, but suspected they would pollute and deplete more than most without realizing it. Zach plays a leadership role in the local chapter and was one of th…

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836 Dr. Robert Fullilove, part 5: Unsustainability is upstream of imperialism, colonialism, slavery, and racism 1:34:47

4M ago1:34:47

1:34:47

Since our fourth recording, Dr. Bob and I spoke at length about what's driving me and keeping me going beyond where nearly anyone else does on sustainability leadership. We cover in this recording most of that conversation, plus we go in other directions. He shares the commonalities of what he sees in me and my work with the people he's known and w…

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835: At last! I can access my roof to charge solar for the first time in 18 months. 30:21

4M ago30:21

30:21

This week, I charged my solar panel and battery on my roof for the first time for over 18 months. My building had to do maintenance during which no residents could access the roof. They told us the job would take 5 months, but it took over 18. They also didn't say exactly when it would start until one day I got an email that said I couldn't access …

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602. The Best of Larry Niven Part 2 Review (with Mercurio D. Rivera) 1:41:44

4M ago1:41:44

1:41:44

Mercurio D. Rivera joins us to discuss nine more stories from the book The Best of Larry Niven. Stories discussed: “Inconstant Moon” (1:34), “Rammer” (18:42), “Cloak of Anarchy” (27:42), “The Fourth Profession” (38:22), “Flash Crowd” (47:59), “The Defenseless Dead” (59:37), “Flight of the Horse” (1:15:55), “The Hole Man” (1:22:29), “Night on Mispec…

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601. Fantastic Fiction at KGB (with Matthew Kressel) 1:43:10

5M ago1:43:10

1:43:10

Matthew Kressel joins us to discuss Fantastic Fiction at KGB, a monthly science fiction reading series in New York City. Support the Fantastic Fiction at KGB fundraiser over at www.gofundme.com/f/fantastic-fiction-reading-series-at-the-kgb-bar. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad…

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834: Do Americans Know How to Prepare Food From Scratch? 14:10

4M ago14:10

14:10

Late summer means produce at peak ripeness, especially peaches and heirloom tomatoes. Regular readers of my blog and subscribers to my newsletter have read of how my volunteering to bring overstock food from stores to places that give it to anyone for free has led to my getting for free amounts I can barely keep up eating that people turn down. Thi…

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600. Steph Grossman, co-host of The Basement Girls 1:38:30

5M ago1:38:30

1:38:30

In this special 600th episode David Barr Kirtley interviews his wife Steph Grossman, short story writer and co-host of the Basement Girls horror podcast. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy David Barr Kirtley

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833: Aaron Blaise: A Master Disney Director and Animator on Self Expression, Leadership, and Nature 1:06:47

5M ago1:06:47

1:06:47

Aaron and I met after I got to see a screening of his recent short animated film Snow Bear. I knew about Aaron's achievements from participating in some of the biggest animated movies of all time. I expected to talk about art, creativity, and expression, topics I love. We did, after first hitting on leadership, especially empathy. He started by sha…

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599. The Clarion Writers' Workshop (with Tom Gerencer) 1:30:11

5M ago1:30:11

1:30:11

Tom Gerencer joins us to discuss the book Storyteller: Writing Lessons and More from 27 Years of the Clarion Writers’ Workshop by Kate Wilhelm. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy David Barr Kirtley

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832: Robert Fullilove, part 4: Action in the Center of Civil Rights in the 1960s 1:06:21

5M ago1:06:21

1:06:21

Dr. Bob worked in the heart of the US Civil Rights movement in the 1960s. He shares stories of his interactions with Stokely Carmichael (later Kwame Ture), John Lewis, and more. In earlier conversations with him, I shared what brought me to him. I had been telling people who acted as if acting on sustainability was a burden. I pointed out that peop…

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831: Glenn Hubbard: Dean of Columbia Business School on Adam Smith and Leadership 36:31

5M ago36:31

36:31

I can't help but call Glenn "Dean Hubbard" since I met him as a student at Columbia Business School. That was 2005, making him one of the guests I've known the longest. I invited him to the podcast after seeing a talk he gave on the 300th birthday of Adam Smith. My recent learning more about Smith and other Enlightenment thinkers led me to find rel…

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830: Jo Nemeth, part 2: Nature improves time with loved ones 58:20

6M ago58:20

58:20

We jumped in to talking about her Spodek Method commitment. She lives in a suburban area. There's a place near her that borders on bush, which I guess is Australian for undeveloped land. This spot with a bench designed for experiencing nature has been a short walk away from her for a long time, yet until now she never experienced it. Even this time…

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598. The Story of Elden Ring (with Matt London) 1:29:14

6M ago1:29:14

1:29:14

Matt London joins us to discuss narrative design, George R. R. Martin, and the new book Grace Given: The Mythology of Elden Ring by George Truscott. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy David Barr Kirtley

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829: Adam Galinsky, part 1: Do you love being inspired? He wrote the book on it. 55:18

6M ago55:18

55:18

Adam teaches leadership at Columbia Business School, where I learned there were classes in leadership, which changed the direction of my life. Regular listeners know I consider leadership the most important missing element in sustainability. To change the environmental effects we're barreling into, we have to change the causes, which are our behavi…

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828: Richard Reeves: For Boys and Men: support and love over misunderstanding 48:07

6M ago48:07

48:07

When people talk about helping men, a lot of people think any and maybe every man might just have latent misogyny, so helping him risks augmenting misogyny. Richard Reeves has researched the situation extensively and for whatever advantages they (we) once had in some areas, still have in some of them, society has been kicking us down, especially in…

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827: Chris Berdik: Scientific American loved his book Clamor (so did I) 48:44

6M ago48:44

48:44

Sound pollution is pollution. You know it's been growing for your whole life with little sign of decreasing. I wish I lived in a world with less sound pollution, but given that I do, I'd rather be aware and conscious of it than not know. Ignorance of how much sound was affecting me wasn't blissful. Noise still affected me. Awareness enables me to a…

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597. Matthew Kressel, author of Histories Within Us and Space Trucker Jess 1:28:40

6M ago1:28:40

1:28:40

Matthew Kressel joins us to discuss his short story collection Histories Within Us and his new novel Space Trucker Jess. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy David Barr Kirtley