Episodios

  • Episode #4 - Prisoner's Dilemma in Sustainability

    Episode #4 - Prisoner's Dilemma in Sustainability
    Jul 2 2024
    My wife told me a story from her school days. During class, someone threw a wet sponge across the room, and it hit the chalkboard. The teacher turned around, surprised and a bit angry, but he had no idea who did it. The whole class went silent. The teacher took a deep breath and addressed the class intensely but calmly. He said, “I don’t know who threw the sponge, but I know that the actions of one person affect the entire class. I want that kid to announce him or herself now or after class or in a quiet moment. If no one steps up, the whole class will be punished with homework.” This situation closely mirrors a classic dilemma where individual and collective interests clash. It shows how the actions of one person can impact the well-being of the whole group. A friend of mine, who is a sustainability manager in a large corporation, often talks about feeling like they’re in a prisoner’s dilemma when doing their job. They need to rely heavily on trust and collaboration, which can sometimes be challenging. This reminds me of the Prisoner’s Dilemma, first formulated by Albert W. Tucker. In this scenario, two prisoners are interrogated separately and must choose whether to betray the other (by admitting how they committed the crime) or remain silent and not tell the judge how the theft was carried out. If both stay silent, they receive a light sentence as the details aren’t clear enough for a strong conviction. If one explains what happened while the other remains silent, the betrayer goes free, and the silent one gets a heavy sentence. If both admit and explain how the theft was carried out, they each get a moderate sentence.
    Más Menos
    11 m
  • Episode #3 - The Energy landscape

    Episode #3 - The Energy landscape
    Jun 17 2024
    Yesterday, I was driving a friend’s family back to their home in my new Volvo after they helped with the cleanup following a party at our place. While driving, I explained to their daughter, how the car works. She was curious about the battery indicator below the speed reading on the display in the center. I told her "we were driving on solar energy—the sunshine drives us home and will take me back up the hills“. When she asked how it works, I explained that the panels on the roof capture sunlight, generate electricity, and store it in a battery. This electricity powers our house and charges the car. Occasionally, we feed excess electricity back into the grid. It feels quite funny passing petrol stations now because I never stop there for gasoline. She also asked about gears, and I explained that electric cars don’t have gears. They can go from 0 to 100 km/ h in just a few seconds without shifting gears—just press the pedal, which isn’t a „gas pedal" anymore. This conversation got me thinking about our journey to make our home and life more CO2 efficient and energy-independent and how renewable energy can be both intermittent and permanently adaptive.
    Más Menos
    30 m
  • Episode #2 - Bridging Generations

    Episode #2 - Bridging Generations
    Jun 2 2024
    In this episode, I delve into my personal journey, from my early experiences with diverse cultures and technologies to leading a sustainability team at a major company. I explore how my unique background in engineering and management has shaped my approach to sustainability, focusing not on being an expert, but on viewing challenges from multiple perspectives. Join me as we discuss how my path has led to a deeper understanding of stability and sustainability in our interconnected world.
    Más Menos
    26 m
  • Trailer

    Trailer
    May 20 2024
    Hi, I’m Michael. After years as an engineer and corporate manager, I founded my own consulting firm focused on sustainability solutions. Since retiring, I’ve been tackling puzzles that align seemingly conflicting interests and discovering win-win strategies with my clients. I also support a foundation dedicated to ocean ecology as a catalyst for progress. My wife Karin was the first to suggest a podcast for me. As a natural optimist, and father of two wonderful kids, I tend to resist gloomy predictions about our future. We probably live in the best world we ever had, with the promise of making a meaningful life accessible for a growing part of world population, but it is imperative to keep this spirit alive. Therefore, I’ve created an antidote to skepticism: ‘Michael’s Green World.’
    Más Menos
    5 m