Podcast
Once Upon a Planet
Hosted by Jon Strassner · EN
Sustainability can be heavy. Design can be precious. Climate storytelling can feel like a lecture. Once Upon a Planet is here to change that. Hosted by Jon Strassner—co-creator of Break Some Dishes and longtime challenger of the status quo—this podcast explores the intersection of interesting and climate change. That tiny 2-stop intersection is vitally important if we want to grow our understanding and awareness of global climate change.
17episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
A Toolbox and a Prayer
1w ago00:35:16Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Once Upon a Planet we spend time talking about the fear of starting something new. Bill Davies watched workers throw perfectly good, yet used, workstations into a dumpster and did one simple thing many of us neglect to do; he asked them why. Why were they throwing away perfectly good furniture. Their answer changed his business and his life. Join us!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Beware the Easy Button!
3w ago00:59:00Tap to summarizeJon spends time spitballing with Ren DeCherney, of Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. We talk about the value of re--use and try to wrestle with the question of whether or not labels have helped us with this or not. Is there an easy button? Should we even be looking for an easy button?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Our Eternal Optimist
May 2600:42:28Tap to summarizeIn this, our fifth episode, I finally get to catch up with long time friend, Doug Shapiro! Doug offers some valuable insight into simplifying our attitudes and expectations when it comes to planet health. How about this for simple? Just ask where the material is from. Are you looking at a chair? Just ask some simple questions. Where is the frame made? Where is the wood sourced? These sound like simple questions, but you'd be surprised at some of the answers! Join us as we talk about everything from chair frames to pet racoons!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Funeral Homes and Furniture--Caution, the contents of this episode are HOT!!
May 800:43:54Tap to summarizeDianne Murata joins Jon on today's episode, where we talk about making that unexpected pivot in our work. Dianne hit the crossroad where she could ignore her customers and stay in her lane, or figure things out. She chose to roll up her sleeves and figure things out. This is an insightful conversation around ignoring the voices in your head that tell you you're not the expert and forging ahead to make change. Dianne Murata is a change maker we need to start listening to.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Good Design is a Healthy Diet!
Apr 1100:45:49Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Jon dives into the design world of Carl Gustav Magnusson. Carl is a design icon, a thinker and truly someone who's work has changed our planet. We talk about some of his work and discover that good design, by its definition, is good for the planet. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Eric Cory Freed Me From the Boredom!
Mar 2700:41:26Tap to summarizeArchitect Eric Cory Freed joins Jon Strassner in an episode dedicated to communication and the art of re-framing the conversation around climate so that people don't run away from it. Reading a room, understanding your audiance and delivering information and entertainment in a language your audiance can understand. Eric and Jon actually have fun talking about our planet.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →The Messy Middle
Mar 2700:47:31Tap to summarizeIn the season's first episode, Jon Strassner talks with industrial designer Brian Graham. We talk about doing the best we can and learning how to operate in the messy middle, where our expectations of perfection are often left unmet. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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More than Checking a Box: Designing for people and the planet
Jan 2101:05:53Tap to summarizeDesigners and architects face a complex matrix of requirements to meet modern requirements for building performance, appearance and overall impact on people and the planet. On this episode, key team members from Rockfon and ROCKWOOL, part of ROCKWOOL Group, discuss strategies and trends to meet these needs. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Breaking More Dishes with Friends at Greenbuild 2025! Episode 2
Jan 1401:27:21Tap to summarizeIn this continued episode of Break Some Dishes, Jon ventures to Los Angeles to podcast from the floor of Greenbuild 2025. For a second day, a bunch of different guests stepped into Jon’s podcast booth during the conference to talk about everything from the gender gap in raising capital to bringing better storytelling to climate activism. Great sponsors and wonderful guests made this Greenbuild episode a very special one!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Breaking Dishes with Friends at Greenbuild 2025! Episode 1
Jan 701:00:35Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Break Some Dishes, Jon ventures to Los Angeles to podcast from the floor of Greenbuild 2025. Eight different guests slipped into Jon’s podcast booth during the conference to talk about everything from the gender gap in raising capital to bringing better story telling to climate activism. Great sponsors and wonderful guests made this Greenbuild episode a very special one!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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