Flanigan's Eco-Logic

Tom Szaky's journey is fascinating, one of extreme innovation. His firm, TerraCycle, recycles ~400 different products and materials. Ted asks right off the bat, "Do you really recycle soiled diapers, cigarette butts, shoes, juice pouches, and chewing gum?" Tom quickly makes clear that everything can be recycled... at a cost. He has clearly used his ingenuity to develop revenue streams, for instance, support from tobacco companies that want to address littered butts and disposable diaper companies seeking to gain public support through their commitment to recycling. He also goes to where the supplies of recyclable are... for instance, daycares and...

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) produces less than 1% of all food in America, and consumes more energy than all open-field agriculture in the country. According to Ted's guest Dr. Evan Mills, CEA could increase and consume some 7% of national energy use... more than data centers, all enclosed malls, air travel, cement making, or chemical production. These findings are the highlight's of Evan's recent research paper titled, "The Emergence of Indoor Agriculture as a Driver of Global Energy Demand." Cultivating crops in mechanized greenhouses and windowless plant factories is a big deal. The paper is a "meta-analysis" of 116 publications that document...

Chance Claxton is a serial entrepreneur, a brand builder. Her most recent works involves  axial flux motors, known as pancake motors. They are lighter weight, lower cost, and highly efficient electric motors. Her company, Orbis Elecric, has been working with the VW Group and other automotive OEMs to put these motors inside wheels. They can be positioned in two rear wheels or in all four wheels for high torque and high horsepower applications.

Orbis is working in several verticals: The motors are also being employed in the refrigeration systems in refrigerated trucks, driving down costs and boosting e...

Having completed "The Impossible House" project, Robert Fortunato changed his career and switched from the corporate world of mergers and acquisitions to helping others tap into the green movement. He is now a green building advocate, an experienced practitioner, consultant, and educator. 

This episode is a follow-on interview. Episode #230 documented his inspiring green home construction project. While he was told repeatedly why he could not pursue a fossil-free and healthy home, Robert was determined, got educated, convened smart collaborators, and "impossible" was transformed into reality. He burns no fossil fuels, his home is healthier, and his family i...

Georges Dyer is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Intentional Endowments Network (IEN), a non-profit, peer-learning network that helps endowed institutions make their endowments socially responsible. Of the 3,500 - 4,000 colleges and universities in America, some 2,000 have endowments that are valued at ~$900 billion in aggregate. These academic institutions -- as well as asset management firms, cultural institutions, museums, faith-based organizations, non-profit foundations, and others -- also have a similar value in retirement funds... which while highly regulated, are also being directed towards socially responsible and profitable investments.

Georges explains the genesis of IEN. Spurred by the president...

Dr. Jason Huang is the co-founder and CEO of TS Conductors, a firm that manufacturers advanced conductors for electric utilities. The TS conductors, or transmission lines, carry up to three times as much power as conventional transmission lines (wires). They also cut power line losses by up to one half, often at a negative marginal cost... meaning they cost less than conventional lines and boost capacity. Jason explains that given today's thirst for power for data centers, building and mobility electrification, these conductors are critical in maintaining U.S. competitiveness in global markets, while providing critical services for renewable...

Joyce Coffee heads up Climate Resilience Consulting, advising cities and states and others on resilience to climate change. She explains to Ted that she learned early on in Chicago, that the impacts of climate change can be unpredictable and fierce. After 750 souls there lost their lives there in a heat wave, mostly black and brown citizens, she knew that she was going to focus on adaptation, and making people more resilient to the ravages of climate change.

Joyce grew up in Colorado and then moved to the East Coat for her education at Tufts -- to focus...

Henk van Alphen was born and raised in Holland. After serving in the army, he sought adventure and travelled to Canada where he and his girlfriend took a float plane into the wilderness, built a cabin, hunted and fished, and lived off the land for a year. It took them seven days to walk back into civilization. Henk then went to college in Canada and began to work part time for a mining operation. His wilderness experience was a perfect match for the needs of mining developers who relied on "grubstakers" to trek into the wild, searching for mineral...

Ted Flanigan first met Gene Rodrigues in 1998. Ted was Director of Efficiency Solutions at LADWP; Gene the Director of Energy Efficiency at Southern California Edison. For years, Gene was the voice and the face of energy efficiency, his sincere and happy demeanor on local television in the evenings. Ted and Gene begin with a reflection that Ted recounted of Gene's mother making sure that Gene knew that every morning that he had a choice about the day ahead. She made clear that you have the choice to be happy and productive each day.

Gene was born in...

​Rebecca Tickell is an actor, singer, writer, producer, and environmental activist. Born in Ohio in a farming community, her roots are deep in agriculture. After moving to Vermont with her mother, at nine years old she became a movie star, playing a leading role in the Christmas-classic Prancer. She was instantly famous, appearing on the Today show and the Tonight show, among others. From that early age, she knew that she wanted to be a storyteller, using films to reach the masses.

After a start in Hollywood, and a role in a horror film, Re...

Clean Power Alliance is in its eighth year serving cities and unincorporated areas in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, providing power to over one million electric meters in 35 cities and county areas with a generating capacity of 3,400 MW. This episode of Flanigan's Eco-Logic features Ted Bardacke who has been its CEO throughout this tenure... creating the nation's largest community choice aggregator. CPA is also the nation's largest clean energy provider, and has been for the past two years. Its annual sales of 10 - 11 TWh, make it the fourth largest power provider in the State of California. Recently, it eclipsed...

Rinaldo Brutoco has been at the helm of the World Business Academy for over 38 years. He founded it to focus on the role that businesses should play in solving humanity's greatest challenges. The Academy promotes the responsibility of business in relation to the moral, environmental, and social concerns of the day. To spur change, and where markets are not acting fast enough, Brutoco and his non-profit have spun off for-profit businesses... taking ideas and convictions and turning them into products and services to drive change.

He and Ted dig into his education and the value of his...

Robert Fortunato and his wife needed to expand their home in Hermosa Beach, California to welcome a child and incorporate two home offices, and they wanted it to be healthy and sustainable. After traveling the world, Robert wanted to incorporate best practices.. like the clever and complete use of materials in island countries demonstrated with coconuts in Sri Lanka, to passive solar design akin to Mesa Verde in Colorado, and non-toxic building material use in Denmark. 

As he and his wife planned their home remodel, Robert was struck by the black soot on his windowsills, and struck e...

Bob Freling has been the Executive Director of the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) since 1997. Its mission is to design, fund, and implement solar energy solutions to benefit those in poor communities without access to the electricity grid, helping others to overcome energy poverty. SELF provides energy access in the developing world and has an impressive track record of providing more than 750 solar systems in over 20 countries. 

Bob Freling was born and raised in Dallas, Texas and was educated at Yale University where he earned his degree in Russian Studies. He has an intense appreciation of linguistics h...

Geoff Stapleton is considered "a force" in the solar industry, particularly in Australia and the Pacific Islands. So far, he has worked in 39 countries supporting solar... introducing standards and training to validate and shore up the solar industry. His work has been widely recognized, culminating recently in his recognition and award of the "Order of Australia" title.

Geoff Stapleton began his career in off-grid solar in Australia, originally working for BP Solar Australia. He then formed his own company, Southern Solar Australia, that he managed for over 20 years, designing and installing solar systems primarily in New South...

In this episode of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted interviews Julia Kintsch, the Principal and Senior Ecologist at Eco-Resolutions. Julia grew up in Boulder, Colorado where she was ingrained with a deep love of nature. She went to University of Colorado at Boulder and earned a degree in Environmental Conservation. Then, after serving in the Peace Corps in Africa, she enrolled at Duke University and earned a masters degree in Landscape Ecology. After working for The Nature Conservancy and other non-profits, she formed Eco-Resolutions with the goal of minimizing and mitigating the impacts to nature of human activity.

For...

John Belizaire heads up a company called Soluna. It's business model is to tap curtailed renewable capacity -- wind and solar -- and to use this previously wasted energy to power data centers. John explains that 30 - 40% of all wind and solar farms is curtailed... essentially "stranded " capacity. By utilizing this renewable energy is it monetized... boosting the economics of the renewables while powering data centers with green energy.

John, a self-decribed nerd in his youth growing up in Brooklyn, New York, was always at the cutting-edge of computers, even as a young man selling floppy discs...

In this Crash Course, hosted by Sierra Flanigan, she and her father, Ted Flanigan, dig into the key issue related to the combustion of green hydrogen in peaker power plants. Ted learned of the adverse impact of burning hydrgoen last year from his friend and colleague, Jonathan Parfrey, Executive Director of Climate Resolve. Together they wrote a white paper to clarify the issue... the basis of this Crash Course.

There has been understandable concern that to meet the Los Angeles mandate of 100% clean energy generation by 2035, that green hydrogen will have to be used...

Cecily DeAngelo read an article in the New York Times about wildlife crossings, and ever since, she has been laser-focused on developing wildlife crossings in the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado. She grew up there and has witnessed first hand the carnage along Pitkin County's roadways... dead bears, deer, elk, rabbits, and more and more moose. These vehicle wildlife accidents decimate wildlife in the Roaring Fork Valley and are responsible for 30% of vehicle accidents there.  

What Cecily learned is that the Roaring Fork Valley, which runs from Aspen to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, is bisected in terms of w...

In this episode of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted welcomes Catherine Sands, Director of Fertile Ground, to the podcast. After years of working in development and promoting special fund-raising concerts for Natural Resources Defense Council, Catherine moved north from New York City to the Berkshires of Massachusetts to raise a family and live closer to the land. There, she became involved with schools and asked a very basic question: Why do local schools have such lousy food?

These questions led Catherine to a career working with schools and communities, linking education and applied learning to food systems. She sought...

​Grant Gunnison is the founder and CEO of Zero Homes, a Denver-based firm that specializes in electrification of homes in Colorado, Minnesota, Illinois, and California. Grant gave up his post-MIT work at NASA and returned to Colorado to run his family's construction business, shifting its focus to tackle climate change. He recognized the need to decarbonize some 60 million American homes, with 4 - 5 measures per home. What he did then was revolutionize the retrofit process, uncovering efficiencies to drive down costs and to boost the customer experience. Grant, an enthusiastic soul, has clearly been a beneficial disruptor!

​In this episode of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted interviews Susan Gladwin. She's just finished a 2.5 year role in the U.S. Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office (LPO). The office, under the leadership of Jigar Shah, had an amplified mandate to foster innovative companies launching energy innovations. The Inflation Reduction Act boosted the LPO's budget from $40 billion to $400 billion making it the world's largest green bank.

Jigar Shar brought Susan and other professionals to Washington to help with the LPO's surge of activity, what they all knew was a moment in time. Susan's role at th...

​In this episode of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted interviews Stephan Crawford, the founder and executive producer of ClimateMusic. Stephan is a San Francisco-based fine artist who in 2014 developed ClimateMusic. Frustrated by the lack of action to combat the very real threat of the climate emergency, Stephan brought together musicians with science experts to develop musical messages to educate and inspire action. In addition, ClimateMusic brings together visual artists and videographers to enhance and spread its messaging far and wide.

Stephan and his ~40 collaborators have found that music is a good entry point for those that mi...

Harvey Michaels is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan Business School lecturer. He teaches a popular course on Energy Management and Artificial Intelligence. He is also the Director of MIT's Clean Heat Transition Project. In this episode of Flanigan's Eco-Logic Ted and Harvey reflect on his career in energy management, for years at the forefront of energy efficiency and energy management as president of Xenergy and Nexus Energy. Now his mission at MIT is "to support student career objectives and to design and manage initiatives to create societal, economic, and carbon benefits."

Utility rates...

​Bernadette Del Chiaro has a new job. She has left her longstanding and most effective role as the Executive Director of the California Solar and Storage Association, and joined the Environmental Working Group (EWG) as a senior vice president. She makes clear that she is not leaving the fight for distributed solar and storage. The attack on net energy metering, and the downturn in the California Solar industry are alarming. Bernadette is just supporting the fight from a different position. EWG is focused on health... the food we eat, the air we breathe, the power we rely on.

...

In this episode, Ted interviews Joel Cesare, a longstanding friend,colleague, and sustainability champion, who has just begun a new job at Cambio, a firm that has an AI platform designed for portfolios of real estate. Joel explains how Cambio's platform supports all manner of data-intensive property management functions, including building decarbonization.

Joel discusses his years at Google where he was on a team of sustainability managers. Their goal was to decarbonize all of Google's 40 million square feet of real estate by 2030. To do so, they studied hundreds of facilities in many countries... prioritizing...

Flanigan's Eco-Logic features Steve Lewis for the third time... this time delving into his own deeply disturbing experience, as his neighborhood was ravaged by the Eaton Fire in early January. It wiped out much of his home town of Alta Dena, California... killing 17 people and destroying some 9,000 homes and business properties. There were heavy winds that day and he saw the fire coming, working its way down the mountainside visible from his upstairs windows. Time to evacuate.

Steve's home was miraculously spared even though fires licked up the fences on either side of his...

Paul Mann is the founder of Water Champions, an engineering and design firm specializing in the efficient and smart use of water. He joins Ted Flanigan to discuss how this came about, and what each of us can do to be water smart.

During Covid, Paul and his wife experienced California drought and fires, and began to realize the enormous importance of water at home and worldwide. Fully half of the Earth's population lives in water-stressed areas, and given population growth, demand for water will grow by 20 - 30%. "Water shortage is imminent."

Paul and Jenna Mann's story...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Josh Dorfman, CEO at Supercool, a media company covering climate solutions that raise profits and quality of life. Josh is also the host of the Supercool Podcast, and co-founder of Plantd, a company that  manufactures carbon-negative building materials. He is best known as creator and host of The Lazy Environmentalist, an award-winning reality TV show on Sundance Channel, radio show on Sirius Satellite Radio, book series, and e-commerce business.

He and Ted briefly discuss his background, born and raised in Armonk, in Westchester County, New...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Drew Slater, Executive Director Energize Delaware. The Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility is a non-profit that gives energy-efficiency grants and low-interest loans to qualified borrowers, helping them install solar energy systems or make energy efficiency upgrades. Energize Delaware programs aid residents, businesses, nonprofits, government facilities, farms, faith organizations and schools to become energy efficient.

Before becoming the second executive director of Energize Delaware, Drew built a resume of 20 years of experience in various roles, such as Delaware’s Public Advocate, then-Rep. John Carney’s Kent and Su...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Jim Gromer, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Thermal Banc/TESS Energy Solutions, a collaborative effort of companies building thermal energy storage solutions - turning waste heat into clean energy. Thermal Banc makes up the sales wing, TESS Energy Solutions the engineering wing, Smart Phases the manufacturing wing, and Novacab comprises the battery. 

The technology is revolutionizing energy efficiency by capturing, storing, and reusing waste heat, significantly reducing industrial and commercial energy consumption. For the facilities they serve, such as data centers and universities, Thermal Banc/TESS Ene...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Yin Chen, CEO and Chairman at Greenworks, a supplier of battery-powered outdoor power equipment (OPE) since 2003. With over 20 years at the forefront of home, yard, and do-it-yourself electric tools, Greenworks is redefining durability and eco-friendliness in the face of climate challenges, delivering high performance equipment focused on reducing carbon footprints.

Ted and Yin discuss his background briefly, studying mechanical engineering at China's Donghua University, and business at Warwick University in the UK. He shares humble beginnings of Greenworks, recalling a meeting with one of th...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Mark Swanson, newly appointed as the CEO of Aeromine Technologies, the innovative rooftop wind energy system that converts a building’s wind flow into renewable energy. Swanson brings 30 years of leadership experience to Aeromine. For the last 12 years, he has held leadership positions in the rooftop solar industry, with a proven track record in manufacturing, scaling operations, and driving customer-focused growth.

Prior to joining Aeromine, Swanson held a distinguished career in solar and distributed energy, serving as COO at Complete Solaria. He also spent time...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Martin Mayorga, Founder and CEO of Mayorga Organics, a coffee company with the purpose of leading a revolutionary organic food movement that empowers farmers and consumers, protects the environment, and celebrates Latin American heritage. Martin's journey has been fueled by a passion for social justice, sustainable business practices, and making positive impacts through conscientious capitalism. He has dedicated his life to transforming the way agricultural products are sourced, purchased, and consumed, creating value and positive impact for all stakeholders.

He and Ted discuss his ba...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Kate Reimann, Founder and CEO of Rogue Wave Toys and Rogue Wave Materials. Rogue Wave Toys are made of compostable plastic based on biopolymers and plant based materials. She is making waves as an entrepreneur and sustainability champion, bringing eight years of industry experience, and a lifetime of advocacy for the planet to her decisions both in business and the way she lives her life.

She and Ted discuss the inspiration for Rogue Wave, which all started with her kids and their beach toys th...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Dr. Joel Peterson, Vice Chancellor and Executive Operations Officer for the San Diego Community College District, overseeing one of California's largest community college systems. Prior to his career in higher education, he served in various roles in the private sector with major corporations where he was responsible for operations, including finance, technology, capital projects, global strategy, and marketing. Early in his career he served as an officer in the United States Navy. During his Navy career, he was director, Capital and Construction Programs and Physical Plant for a U.S...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Dr. Jennifer Bousselot, Assistant Professor at Colorado State University (CSU) in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. Jennifer is exploring new and innovative ways to improve the productivity and aesthetics of modern urban spaces by harnessing the twin powers of the sun and plantlife. She specializes and is a leading expert in green roof research on native species evaluations, plant drought tolerance, integration with solar panels, and rooftop agrivoltaics. 

Jennifer shares a bit about her background, growing up on a 360-acre farm in Iow...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Michael Ware, Senior Solar Specialist at EcoMotion Inc. Michael provides expertise in solar system site inspection. He is adept at measuring roof potential and modeling the cost-effectiveness of solar investments. His financial analyses include particular attention to electricity load profiles and rates and rate changes as a result of solar. As an expert in utility rate structures and how they impact the return on investment of a given investment, Michael has developed tools for weighing the value of different components, and comparing different scenarios.

Te...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, father-daughter duo, Ted and Sierra Flanigan host the clean energy crash course focusing on energy resilience, specifically on  electricity, highlighting the importance of durability and reliability in the face of changing climate conditions and extreme weather events. Resilience is simply keeping the lights on during utility emergencies, and more accurately, critical loads for medical equipment, communications, security systems, etc.

As Southern California is still dealing with devastating wildfires, Ted addresses how resilience is now top of mind for homeowners, business owners, and EcoMotion's clients. Thousands of households and...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Bill Wyatt, CEO and Founder of Red Mountain Biochar, a company dedicated to revolutionizing the use of sustainable materials in the concrete, steel, and agricultural industries. Bill Wyatt is a third-generation lumberman turned eco-entrepreneur with a deep commitment to environmental stewardship. His work spans continents and industries, making him a pioneer in the regenerative business movement.

Bill shares his journey from the lumber industry to now leading the development and production of high-quality biochar, harnessing lumber and agricultural wastes to create innovative solutions that re...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Dr. Missy Stults, Sustainability and Innovations Director at City of Ann Arbor, working with all city operations, residents, businesses, the University of Michigan, nonprofits, and others to make Ann Arbor one of the most sustainable and equitable cities in America. 

Dr. Stults has dedicated 20 years of focus and national level expertise on urban resilience and climate change in an array of roles, prior to joining the City. She has worked on adaptation to climate change since 2004, as the Climate Director at ICLEI-Local Governments for Sus...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Janet Irizarry, Founder of My Mindful Kitchen, an innovative course designed to reduce food waste, connect families, and foster sustainability. As a mindful foodie, a seasoned restaurateur and entrepreneur, and influencer, Janet combines all of her passions: food, education and course design, raising children, and protecting the environment, to teach children valuable lessons about mindfulness, sustainability, and community, while also strengthening familial bonds. 

Janet is also the Founder of Hudson Valley EATS, a bimonthly column that she started several years ago to highlight food ent...

In EcoNet News, Volume 26, Issue #12, Ted wraps and reminisces on the past 40 years of publishing his monthly newsletter in this final issue. In his farewell Net Positive, he shares and encourages his optimism in regards to the future, and his clear perspective on society – as a collective intelligence and vision – having all the solutions needed to address current environmental issues. He thanks all of the EcoNet readers for their support through the years. 

He goes on to highlight zinc-ion batteries, floatovoltaics braving through extreme weather conditions, EV charging networks deployed across the country, Wisconsin Public Service Commission appro...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Matthew Halteman, Professor of Philosophy at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and fellow in the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, UK. He is the author of the just-released Hungry Beautiful Animals: The Joyful Case for Going Vegan, as well as Compassionate Eating as Care of Creation, and the co-editor of Philosophy Comes to Dinner: Arguments About the Ethics of Eating.

Matt has focused his career on ethical food choices, and how that all fits in with the path to sustainable living. He and Te...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Charles Hua, Founder and Executive Director of PowerLines, a new nonprofit organization aiming to modernize utility regulation to accelerate affordable, reliable, and clean energy for American consumers. He is also an energy analyst who has worked at Rewiring America, DOE's Loan Programs Office, and now at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as a research affiliate.

Charles wants people to pay attention to the enormous influence that public utility commissions (PUCs) have on the U.S. energy transition, and get involved with this long-neglected area, pu...

In EcoNet News, Volume 26, Issue #11, Ted highlights his birthday trip to Vegas to see the Eagles play at the Sphere and shares his EV road tripping travelogue, hitting Zion National Park, Bryce, and Death Valley on his longest battery electric trip yet.

He also highlights Ann Arbor, Michigan creating a Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU), Swiss roadways, railroads, and rooftop solar, BYD topping Tesla in EV sales, squatting for bus fares in Romania, vehicle-to-home virtual power plants, and second-life batteries.

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Kameale Terry, co-founder and CEO of ChargerHelp!, a cutting-edge tech company launched in 2020 that tackles the issue of inoperable electric vehicle charging stations. Under her leadership, ChargerHelp! has raised over $21 million, amassed the nation’s largest dataset of EV service work orders, and services stations across 17 states. 

Ted and Kameale discuss her background, and early influences that drove her passion for data, technology, and community empowerment. She is a native of Los Angeles, attended Azusa Pacific College, majored in organizational leadership, and has over a dec...

In Part 3 of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic - Climate Resolve Series, Ted speaks with Jonathan Parfrey, Founder and Executive Director at Climate Resolve, LA's leading climate advocacy organization, committed to local climate solutions to reduce greenhouse gases and improve the lives of Angelenos. 

Just back from New York Climate Week, he jumps right into his highlights from all the events, sharing that it was great to see a large California contingent there. Climate Resolve hosted an event that demonstrated bouncing sunlight back into space to help curb the greenhouse effect, raising greater awareness of the rad...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Curt Johansen, a pioneer in conservation communities. He is the Development Director for Triad Communities, President of Council of Infill Builders, and has dedicated years to blending economic growth with environmental preservation. In his own words, he is advancing the art of finding balance between environmental protection, social responsibility, and economic prosperity. 

Curt and Ted dive right into his work building out Lagoon Valley, the Bay Area’s First Conservation Community, where sustainability is not just a goal but a way of life. Curt overs...

In EcoNet News, Volume 26, Issue #10, Ted highlights EcoMotion's solar work onsite in the Central Valley conducting an inspection at a massive utility-scale installation. He compares the really large with the really small, marveling at the simplicity of balcony solar in Germany. 

He also highlights Australian rooftop solar providing 50% of demand on the country’s main grid, Scandinavian heat pumps at scale, solar-based solar power, bi-directional EV charging, Home Depot purging plastics, and U.C. San Diego's requiring all students enrolled this fall and from here on to take a course on climate change. 

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Barry Cinnamon, CEO of Cinnamon Energy Systems, a leading residential and commercial contractor providing solar, storage, heat pumps, and electrification services, and host of the Energy Show Podcast. He is a long-time advocate of renewable energy and is widely recognized as a solar power and battery system industry leader.

His Podcast, The Energy Show, delves into a wide range of energy-related subjects. These topics encompass the evolving political landscape influencing the future of energy generation and consumption, as well as valuable money-saving advice for tr...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Richard Hansen, Senior Consultant and President of both Soluz, Inc & Soluz Honduras. Richard founded Soluz Inc., a Massachusetts corporation in 1993, and then established Soluz in Honduras in 1994 to commercialize solar for rural electrification. He is a pioneer in the application of solar technology combined with micro-finance to increase energy access in rural areas of Honduras, having introduced solar technology in the country starting in 1989 under a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy. 

Richard has provided advisory services for major institutions including USAID, the...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Dr. Robert Kay, Founder of 319Climate, a boutique consulting and innovation firm dedicated to accelerating the transition to a low carbon, climate resilient and equitable future. Robert is an international climate expert with a mission to spearhead initiatives that foster a climate resilient, low-carbon future. 

He offers 33 years of experience in climate change, sustainability, and resilience planning. Robert has worked in a variety of roles in the government, consulting, and academic sectors providing advice on sustainability for various energy resilience projects throughout California.  Since the...

In Part 2 of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic - Climate Resolve Series, Ted speaks with Enrique Huerta, Legislative Director at Climate Resolve. Enrique brings strong skills in policy analysis and collaboration-building to the organization, focusing on climate change, adaptation, and resilience to champion equitable climate solutions.

He has an undergraduate degree in Urban and Regional Planning and an advanced degree in Regenerative Studies from Cal Poly Pomona. Prior to joining Climate Resolve, Enrique helped pass several County measures and state propositions including Measures M, A and Proposition 68. Enrique also brings a wealth of experience advocating for hi...

In EcoNet News, Volume 26, Issue #9, Ted highlights his perspective on the nuclear shotgun wedding, sharing that AI is using so much data and energy that its purveyors – like Microsoft and Oracle – are seeking nuclear power solutions for their data centers, and questions whether this path is the best way to power AI. 

He also shares his travelog of his second round of sailing the Maine Coast, massive solar projects at JFK and Six Flags in Los Angeles, MagLev automobiles, the restoration of the the Klamath River from coffer dams, and Skywind microturbines.

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Maria Cho, CEO of Triplebar, a biotech firm using advanced technology to tackle the urgent issues of food and drug supply. She leads a team in a mission to heal and sustain people and the planet by removing a key bottleneck in the bioeconomy. This is being achieved with a proprietary screening platform to accelerate and innovate food and pharma product discovery.

Based in East Bay, San Francisco, she shares with Ted that growing up, she was deeply intrigued by science and wanted to be...

In this follow up Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Tucker Perkins, President and CEO of the Propane Education & Research Council. He is an energy expert with four decades of experience in the liquid and renewable fuels industry. He is a frequent keynote speaker to national and international audiences on energy topics and a commentator for major media outlets such as the Schwab Network. His "wide path" perspective embraces an array of pragmatic solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Tucker also hosts the Path to Zero podcast, in which he engages a va...

In EcoNet News, Volume 26, Issue #8, Ted highlights the Open Streets movement, with a goal to transform streets into public spaces open to all to allow for a range of activities: promoting economic development, supporting schools, facilitating pedestrian and bike mobility, and providing new ways to “enjoy cultural programming” and build community.

He also highlights a plan to build the world’s biggest battery in the State of Maine, Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam's capability to run a soccer match entirely on sustainable energy, record clean tech investment in the U.S., addressing the coal reality, the Passive House...

In Part 1 of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic - Climate Resolve Series, Ted speaks with Catherine Baltazar, a Policy Analyst and Organizer, and Lia Cohen, a Coordinator for Climate Planning and Resilience, focusing on their work at Climate Resolve, a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles, building collaborations to champion equitable climate solutions.

Catherine was born and raised in LA, and has focused her work around the conditions of the community she grew up in, with limited access to green spaces, just west of downtown LA. She attended Wellesley College, and upon graduating, received a CivicSpark Fe...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Brian Thurston, an environmental entrepreneur, currently serving as a Sustainability Solutions Sales Director at APTIM, an environmental solutions firm. He's also worked as a Senior Advisor for multiple companies and nonprofits in the environmental sector, focusing on business development and strategic partnerships. His background is in business development and consulting – utilizing innovation and technology to build multi-disciplinary networks to attack big problems at scale.

He and Ted discuss his background, born in Torrance, CA, raised in Manhattan Beach, and still lives in the South Bay area in H...

In EcoNet News, Volume 26, Issue #7, Ted highlights two high-speed rail projects coming to Southern California: the California High-Speed Rail,  linking Los Angeles and San Francisco, and the Brightline West, linking Los Angeles to Las Vegas. He also highlights ZIPs (zero-emission vehicle implementation plans) and ZEVs (zero-emission vehicles), the climate-protection superstar hemp, South Australia nearing 100% net wind and solar, linear generators, San Francisco's hydrogen fueled ferry, Corryong in Victoria, Australia's community microgrid, thermal energy networks (TENs), sodium batteries, and renewable energy certificate (REC) arbitrage.

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Andy Lipkis, Founder of TreePeople, who served as President for five decades. He is currently a Project Executive at Accelerate Resilience LA (ARLA). Andy is a pioneer of urban and community forestry, urban watershed management, and urban climate resilience, dedicating his life to healing the environment while improving the lives of individuals and communities.

Andy grew up in southwest LA and began planting trees to rehabilitate smog and fire damaged Los Angeles–area forests when he was 15 years old. At 18, he founded TreePeople, bringing toge...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Professor Michael Gerrard from Columbia University. He is the founder and faculty director of the groundbreaking Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, and one of the foremost environmental lawyers in the nation. Michael is an advocate, litigator, teacher, and scholar who has pioneered cutting-edge legal tools and strategies for addressing climate change. He writes and teaches courses on environmental law, climate change law, and energy regulation. He was the chair of the faculty of Columbia University’s renowned Earth Institute from 2015 to 2018 and now holds a joint appointment to the...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Mary Nichols, who served as the chair of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for a total of 18 years. She has served on the Board under Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. (1975–82 and 2010–18), Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (2007–2010) and Governor Gavin Newsom (2019–2020). She also served as California’s Secretary for Natural Resources (1999–2003), appointed by Gov. Gray Davis. Mary is widely recognized for a career as one of the world’s most important environmental regulators. Over a career as an environmental lawyer spanning over 45 years, she has played a key role in California and the nation’s...

In this follow up Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Steve Lewis, Urban Design Principal with the Portland-based firm, ZGF Architects. Steve was also a candidate for the 2026 President at the American Institute of Architects (AIA). He is a facilitator of partnerships and alliances between groups and individuals who seek to use architecture and design to effect positive change to our world.

Steve brings to ZGF a wealth of experience across urban planning and design, most notably holding a post with the City of Detroit where he served as the Design Director for the Ce...

In EcoNet News, Volume 26, Issue #6, Ted shares his highlights from his trip to San Francisco to cheer on Matlock, daughter Kristin’s boyfriend who was competing in the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon. He also highlights that renewables provided more than 30% of all U.S. electrical generation in the month of April, a German research team testing new module concepts, integrating solar into sound walls along busy highways and railways, integrating Energy Vault's gravity energy storage (GES) into skyscrapers, Kit Carson Electric Cooperative in northern New Mexico's clean and green position, AI's energy intensity, the quest for climate-friendly food, and Lu...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Sean Neman, Founder and CEO of Cal Solar Inc. Cal Solar Inc. proudly delivers reliable, full service renewable energy solutions for new construction, existing buildings, and retrofit projects throughout California. Their experienced in-house team of designers, engineers, and installers is equipped to deliver renewable energy solutions for multifamily, commercial/industrial, and public works projects of any size. To date, they have successfully completed 600+ large-scale renewable energy projects, 200+ prevailing wage projects, and worked within 13 electric utility territories throughout the state. 

Sean has been an entrepreneur and...

In EcoNet News, Volume 26, Issue #5, Ted shares his highlights from his trip to the land of enchantment, Sante Fe, New Mexico, to visit his daughter Sierra who is living there. He also highlights the global clothing glut, seaweed clothing, South Korea's solar bike path, streetlight-mounted EV chargers, the first school district in the country in Oakland, CA to have an all-electric school bus fleet, Shenzhen's EV charging network surpassing gas stations, and batteries becoming the largest form of grid-scale storage. 

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Beth Pratt, the Regional Executive Director of the California Regional Center of the National Wildlife Federation. She is a lifelong advocate for wildlife, and has worked in environmental leadership roles for over twenty-five years. She has also spearheaded the #SaveLACougars campaign to collaborate, fund, and build the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, the largest crossing in North America—and potentially the world—to help save a population of mountain lions from extinction. The initiative has raised a half a billion dollars in private funding to advance wildlife crossings across California and th...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Ingrid Malmgren, Senior Policy Director at Plug in America, a nonprofit organization with a mission to accelerate the transition to affordable and accessible plug-in vehicles and charging through education, advocacy, and research. Ingrid has over a decade of experience advancing sustainable energy and transportation electrification through research, utility regulatory proceedings, and legislative advocacy. Before joining Plug In America, she worked as a senior analyst at Cadmus Group, a lobbyist in the Vermont Statehouse, and a transportation policy manager at Vermont Energy Investment Corporation.

She an...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Jack Groh, Director of Environmental Programs for the National Football League (NFL). He is also the Senior Vice President of Strategy for Legacy Sustainability, an independent consultancy that he and his wife, Susan Groh manage to develop and implement climate mitigation and adaptation strategies around major sporting events.

Jack and Susan have been minimizing the environmental impacts of major sports events for 30 years, including the NFL’s major special events. They also designed the sustainability plan for the NCAA College Football championship series. They are...

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Greg Kats, Founder and CEO of the Smart Surfaces Coalition, a non-profit organization promoting the adoption of urban "smart surfaces" to improve urban livability. He is also a businessman, environmentalist, played substantial roles in developing the clean energy and green building industries, and is a long-time thought leader and investor in the transition to a low carbon economy.

Ted and Greg discuss his background, born in Paris, grew up in Connecticut. He attended University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for his BA, and re...

In EcoNet News, Volume 26, Issue #4, Ted acknowledges the global awareness of the severity of climate change, and its connection to human rights. He highlights the landmark ruling by the European Court, which faulted Switzerland for violating human rights provisions, and affirmed that the climate crisis is a human rights crisis. He goes on to share the exciting news of the Earth Day launch of construction of the Brightline, a high-speed rail line that will run from Los Angeles to Las Vegas!

He also highlights green ammonia becoming a major ingredient of the clean energy revolution, 31 countries passing...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted and co-host, Russell Sturm, speak with Jesse Moore, CEO and Co-Founder at M-KOPA, the world leader of affordable "pay-as-you-go" financial services for low-income customers based in Africa. Since commercial launch in 2012, M-KOPA has connected, provided, and served over 3 million customers to affordable off-grid distributed solar systems and connectivity solutions, including lighting, charging, radio, TVs, fridges, and smartphones. 

Russell starts with his introduction, exploring and explaining the impressive evolution of the off-grid solar industry over the past fifteen years, which has emerged for the first time to pro...

In this Earth Day Special of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Mike Rufo, Musician and Energy / Climate Policy Consultant and Activist. Mike has had a long and distinguished career working with energy efficiency and modelling, as well as resource planning and cost effectiveness evaluations. He is now semi-retired, focusing on his career in singing-songwriting, with three albums since 2012 and another recently released. 

Ted and Mike discuss his background, sharing that he had an untraditional childhood, landing in the flats of Hollywood in the early 70s when he was 12. He shares that there was a m...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Jacquelyn Francis, Founder and Executive Director of the Global Warming Mitigation Project (GWMP). GWMP contributes to decarbonizing the planet by identifying innovative climate leaders and deploying resources to advance solutions. It comprises three interconnected programs that work together to address the funding, capacity building, and visibility challenges that global changemakers face as they scale their science-based solutions to decarbonize the planet: The Keeling Curve Prize, The Constellations Fellowship, and The Climate Impact Conduit.

GWMP's signature program is the Keeling Curve Prize, which awards $50,000 annually to...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Captain Liz Clark, surfer, sailor, environmentalist and author of SWELL, a memoir published by Patagonia. The upcoming paperback edition of SWELL is scheduled for release on May 14th chronicling her voyage sailing 20,000 nautical miles of ocean. The book shares tales of sailing in high seas, of solitude and surprises, but also of hardship and difficulties she faced both within herself and in the outside world, ultimately finding a connection to the earth and commitment to living in harmony with it. 

Liz and Ted discuss her...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Margaret Cederoth, Director of Planning and Sustainability at California High-Speed Rail Authority. She is an urban planner with more than two decades of global sustainable infrastructure delivery, rail system planning, design, and construction, and land use/ transportation planning experience. Margaret's expertise is with complex transportation infrastructure projects, as well as international urban development throughout North Africa and the Middle East.

Ted and Margaret discuss her background, growing up in Illinois, studying Eastern History, and later earning a Master of Urban and Regional Planning at th...

In EcoNet News, Volume 26, Issue #3, Ted highlights data from 2023 showing that there are 1.5 billion people worldwide that are vegetarians. He goes on to highlight Ohio' solar milestone, the 2024 World Happiness Report, a new study that finds dancing to be the best form of exercise to combat depression, Shell closing 1,000 gas stations, the final quarter of 2023 ramping up battery storage, the strongest ever auto pollution standards issued by the U.S. EPA, electrifying heavy duty trucks, and Environmental Social Governance (ESG). Ted also shares big news: Feedstock has listed Flanigan’s Eco-Logic as one of the Top 15 Sustainability Podcasts in Ca...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Paul Gipe, an author, advocate, and analyst of the renewable energy industry. Paul is a world renowned wind power expert, and has written extensively about the subject for the past four decades, receiving numerous awards for his efforts. Gipe has lectured before groups from Patagonia to Puglia, from Tasmania to Toronto, and from Halifax to Husum. He has spoken to audiences as large as 10,000 and as small as a private presentation for Vice President Al Gore. He is also passionate about electric vehicles and writes about his experience driving EV...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Dr. Rick Brown, Founder and Chairman of the Board at TerraVerde Energy, an extraordinarily accomplished independent clean energy consulting firm representing school districts, public agencies, and commercial enterprises. TerraVerde supports their clients with the design and deployment of clean energy projects and programs that reduce costs, increase resiliency, and enhance sustainability. 

Dr. Brown founded TerraVerde in 2009 and served as CEO through December 2019. Since TerraVerde's founding, the consulting firm has supported the successful implementation of close to $650 million worth of distributed solar PV and battery ene...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Dr. Fereidoon P. Sioshansi, President of Menlo Energy Economics, a consulting firm based in San Francisco, California. 

With over 35 years of experience in the electric power sector, he advises clients on strategies to respond to the rapid transformation of the energy sector, including utilities, energy intensive industry, innovators, start-ups and companies engaged in the electricity delivery supply chain, and regulators and policy makers.

He is also a prolific author in the energy space, and the editor and publisher of EEn...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, father-daughter duo, Ted and Sierra Flanigan conclude the clean energy crash course mini series focusing on Ted's international travels. Part 3 focuses on Ted's work and tours in the Philippines, Sweden, Germany, Spain, and concluding with Iceland. They dive into the context for each trip, and discuss lessons learned.

Ted begins with his work in the Philippines as part of the Efficient Lighting Initiative to accelerate transitions to more efficient lighting in developing countries. There was a big focus on rural electrification and advancing more efficient technologies. He th...

In EcoNet News, Volume 26, Issue #2, Ted highlights the surge in utility-scale solar across the US. He also shares California's progress towards its 100% clean energy target, with the State’s utilities on track with the 2025 goal. Ted goes on to highlight BMW's hydrogen pilot fleet, Taos's electric snow cat, the Super Bowl's environmental milestone - powered entirely by renewable energy, floating offshore wind updates and the Jones Act, and all-electric seagliders.

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, father-daughter duo, Ted and Sierra Flanigan host the clean energy crash course mini series focusing on Ted's international travels.

They build on the first episode of the three-part series, which focused on Ted's travels in the 80s. In part 2, they focus on the 90s. Ted begins with his work with the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) and his involvement in the Urban Carbon Reduction Project. The idea was for local environmental movements to take form, which was then taken internationally. Ted shares stories from Ankara, Tu...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, father-daughter duo, Ted and Sierra Flanigan host the clean energy crash course mini series focusing on Ted's international travels.

They introduce the mini series, which will highlight 40 years of international trips, which gave him global perspective on energy issues. This led to 40 years of reporting on these issues and opening people's eyes to energy innovations and technologies all over the world. They will highlight  his experiences from travels to countries including Canada, The Soviet Union, France, Singapore, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Philippines, Thailand, China, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, Iceland, and...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Ahmad Faruqui, an energy economist whose distinguished career working with electric utilities encompasses expert rate design, demand response program structures, the integration of distributed energy resources into the grid, demand forecasting, decarbonization, electrification and energy efficiency, and load flexibility.

In his career, Dr. Faruqui has advised some 150 clients in 12 countries on 5 continents and appeared before regulatory bodies, governments, and legislative councils. He has authored or coauthored more than 150 papers in peer-reviewed and trade journals and co-edited 5 books on industrial structural change, customer choice, and el...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Chris Calwell, Adjunct Professor of a graduate course on International Renewable Energy at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, CA. He is also a Principal at Ecos Research, focusing on clean energy technologies and their transformation in our society. His other passion, outside of Ecos Research, is proactively investing in cleantech and tracking down the companies that are doing the best job of preventing climate change, as opposed to running down a checklist of bad things companies aren't doing if you want to buy their stock.

...

In EcoNet News, Volume 26, Issue #1, Ted shares his love for Repair Cafes, free, community-run meeting places where locals can bring broken items for volunteers to fix. He also shares 2023's EV highlights, from global EV sales to the release of the first mass-produced EV with a sodium-ion battery, as well as 2023's growth in renewable energy and shrink in GHG emissions. Ted goes on to highlight win-win findings for VGI, Brooklyn's Clean Energy Hub, mandatory biowaste separation and composting in France, Octopus Energy's utility innovation, recycling solar panels, and batteries burying coal in Hawaii. 

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Bill Browning, Founding Partner of Terrapin Bright Green, a sustainability consulting firm that helps governments, corporations, and complex real estate projects meet sustainability goals that lead to the improved health and wellbeing of employees and ecosystems, as well as the enhanced performance of their products and systems.

Bill is one of the green building and real estate industry’s foremost thinkers and strategists, and an advocate for sustainable design solutions at all levels of business, government, and civil society. His expertise has been sought out...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Bryan Jackson, Vice President of Sales for EnergyAid, a leading provider of high-quality service, maintenance, tune-ups, and system evaluations for residential solar customers. EnergyAid bridges the gap and offers dependable assistance, ensuring residential solar investment operates at its peak.

The management of EnergyAid has collectively over 100 years of experience in the solar power industry and is passionate about making sure system owners realize their expectations when it comes to system performance, utility bill reductions, and a positive effect on greenhouse gasses.

Born an...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Gareth Evans, CEO and Founder of VECKTA, a platform and team of experts that accelerate and simplify the deployment of onsite energy solutions for businesses globally. With 20 years of experience in the energy and resource sectors, he is an expert in microgrid and distributed energy planning and design, construction and monitoring.

Currently based in San Diego, Gareth grew up in Liverpool, studied Environmental Science at Lancaster University, travelled around the world, and ended up in Calgary, Canada working for WorleyParsons supporting the cleanup of ol...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Russell Sturm, Professor of the Practice at University of Virginia, University of North Carolina/ Chapel Hill, and California Polytechnic Institute /Humboldt. He is also an Advisor for the Off-Grid Solar Industry.

Russell is an innovator in the field of sustainable energy market development, and has been a sector leader across international multilateral institution, private sector, and NGO professional platforms over a 35-year career mobilizing investment in clean energy technologies.

Ted and Russell discuss his background, raised in Atlanta, Georgia. He...

In EcoNet News, Volume 25, Issue #12, Ted shares his first EV road trip experience in a Tesla from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. He salutes COP28 in Dubai, and highlights EV charging. He also highlights virtual power plant strategies, irrigation canal solar, salton sea lithium, long duration energy storage, repurposing wind turbine blades, and standardizing EV charger connectors / plugs. 

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Scott Case, Co-Founder and CEO of Recurrent EV / Auto. Recurrent is working to define the health of electric vehicle batteries by collaborating with thousands of EV drivers and introducing advanced machine learning.

Ted and Scott discuss his background, born in New Jersey, based in the Pacific Northwest since high school, lived in Seattle for 17 years, and moved to Tacoma, Washington during the pandemic, where he currently lives. 

Scott has a B.A. from Williams College and MBA from MIT’s Slo...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Kristian Hansen, aka "the jeans guy," Founder and CEO of Slø Jean Company, a denim power house on a mission to tackle fast fashion issues within the industry. 

Ted and Kristian discuss his background, born in Calgary, Canada, grew up in Dubai, UAE, moved to the states for boarding school and university, and has been bouncing around the world ever since. 

He attended the University of Pennsylvania, studied data analytics and minored in climate science, and attended Harvard Business Schoo...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Dan Brotman, Mayor of Glendale, CA. Dan has had a career in international finance, is an educator, and an activist. He was first sworn in as a Glendale City Council Member in April 2020 and was named Mayor in April 2023. Dan aims to apply his finance experience and environmental passion to create a vibrant and prosperous community for all Glendale residents.

Ted and Dan discuss his background, growing up in Philadelphia, traveling far and wide to places like Syria and Jordan after graduating high school, wh...

In EcoNet News, Volume 25, Issue #11, Ted shares perspective on the highs and lows of climate change. In advance of COP28 in the United Arab Emirates, he highlights the largest, single-site photovoltaic plant in the world. He also highlights the first sustainably-fueled TransAtlantic flight, New York City's premier building electrification, 1,000 year-old Persian windmills, renaming natural gas, electric vehicle equity and national adoption rates, international shipping emissions, and China's high speed rail network.

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, father-daughter duo, Ted and Sierra Flanigan host the clean energy crash course focusing on campus sustainability, specifically spotlighting EcoMotion's work with the Chula Vista Elementary School District.

They start high level, being that working on campuses and sustainability is a shared passion in their professional careers - Sierra more on the strategic side, and Ted more on the operations side.

They jump right into the story, starting with EcoMotion's introduction to the District, and the first step of analyzing one school site to...

In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Feliz Ventura, Resilience Programs Manager for Ava Community Energy (formerly East Bay Community Energy), an innovative Community Choice Aggregator in California providing more renewable energy at competitive rates to its customers. Feliz brings nearly two decades of experience in making the case for investments that ensure communities thrive in the context of the rapid technological and climatic changes of the 21st century.

Ted and Feliz discuss her background, born and raised in Denver, Colorado. She mentions her connection to the natural world since she wa...