Why conserving pollinators helps preserve not just our agricultural lands, but our National Parks as well. An interview with Dr. Sarah Whipple. In this episode, I chat with my friend and colleague, Dr. Sarah Whipple to discuss her pollinator passions! We discuss her plethora of adventures and studies in National Parks across the country and take a deep dive into her approach to assessing pollinator health in the wake of climate change. We cover some pollinator 101, by discussing what is a pollinator and their ecosystem services? What are the differences between indicator and keystone species ..read more

How promoting sustainable nutrition can mitigate health, environmental and social issues. An interview with Taylor Mayeda. In this episode of Environmentality. I sit down with foodie and food security advocate, Taylor Mayeda, to talk about nutrition, food security and plant-based "meats." Taylor was at Impossible Foods cooking burgers for Bill Gates, working in their marketing division, when the company was first starting out. Since then she has worked for several plant based companies, as well as a stint with AmeriCorps, where she served as a nutrition educator. Taylor is passionate about su ..read more

How flowers can be grown and curated in an eco-friendly way. An interview with Piper Essick, owner of Petals by Piper, a sustainable floristry company. In this episode, Brendon interviews flower artist and sustainable florist, Piper Essick, to talk about her generational green thumb and how Piper got into floristry. As an environmentalist, Piper approaches floristry from a unique perspective, combining nature and art, sourcing flowers locally for her clients. Piper discusses her desire to source flowers seasonally and locally, as we discuss the vast carbon footprint the flower industry has. P ..read more

How chemistry and soil health play a role in coffee quality. An interview with Sarah Brinkley, Ph.D. candidate and researcher at Texas A & M, working in the Center for Coffee Research and Education. In this episode, Brendon interviews coffee chemistry guru, Sarah Brinkley, to talk about the role chemistry plays in the perception and evaluation of coffee quality. Sarah discusses her sinuous path of interests leading her through vineyards, coffee farms and chemistry labs. She explains how a singular specialty coffee "score" or rating is not sufficient to describe coffee "quality." She outlin ..read more

What steps can be done to minimize steps in the supply chain to improve the social responsibility of coffee. An interview with Preston Quillen, owner and head roaster of Bigbee Coffee Roasters in Alabama. In this episode, Brendon interviews Preston Quillen to talk about coffee roasting and his approach to consumer education and community building. Preston first got excited about coffee on a mission trip to Haiti and began his roasting process with a popcorn machine, a smoky apartment and an upset wife. He has since launched several locations, alongside his father and wife, roasting, brewing an ..read more

What the postharvest steps are for coffee once its picked from the tree. An interview with Dr. Irwin Donis-González, assistant professor at UC-Davis, working in the Coffee Center. In this episode, Brendon interviews Dr. Irwin Donis-González to talk about postharvest management, coffee biology and how technology can be used to solve issues in the industry. Irwin shares about his background, growing up in Guatemala and his interests in engineering. He also defines what "postharvest" is and provides a distinction from "preharvest" factors in production.  We talk about the role postharvest ma ..read more

What the production challenges and innovative solutions are for the coffee industry in Latin America. An interview with Jan Carlo Handtke, owner of Mapache Coffee in El Salvador. In this episode, Brendon interviews Jan Carlo, a coffee farmer, processor and exporter from El Salvador. Jan Carlo and his wife, Sofia, operate Mapache, which produces coffee all over El Salvador through sustainable means. Jan Carlo shares about the biggest issues facing coffee production, particularly in El Salvador: plant pathogens, labor issues and climate change. Jan Carlo discusses solutions to these problems, as ..read more

What the research objectives and challenges are for coffee production worldwide. An interview with Evie Smith, M.Sc., M.Sc. In this episode, Brendon interviews Evie Smith, coffee researcher and instructor at UC Davis, about research she has been conducting in Latin America over the past several years. Evie shares about the biggest issues facing coffee production, particularly in Latin America: coffee leaf rust, a fungal pathogen, and the price crisis. Evie discusses solutions to these problems, as well as her next steps in her research to combat these challenges. She is also involved at the UC ..read more

How coffee can be managed and bred for sustainability. A lecture from Brendon Anthony. In this premiere episode of Season 3 of Environmentality., Brendon returns with a lecture on sustainable coffee, which serves as an introduction and primer to a 6-part series on coffee and sustainability. Brendon shares his background, interest and love of coffee, and why he wanted to create the series about this beverage and sustainability. Brendon explains the distinction between the two primary species of coffee, several innovative new varieties that were bred or identified, which changed production goal ..read more

Why tree fruit orchards are being redesigned for improved sustainability. A lecture from Brendon Anthony. In this final episode of Season 2 of Environmentality., Brendon returns with a lecture on the tree fruit industry and the focus of his PhD research, shifting low density peach orchards towards high density plantings (more trees per land area).  Brendon provides an overview on the field of horticulture and pomology, while doing some deep dives on some fun botanical facts. He then begins to discuss the differences between the CA and CO peach industries and the importance of quality for ..read more