Pre-Zero Sports Talk

How Cities Can Cool Themselves: Climate Design with Joshua Harrison

Sid Bensalah Season 3 Episode 86

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In this powerful episode, host Sid Bensalah is joined by Joshua Harrison, co-founder of Leaf Island and co-director of the Center for the Study of the Force Majeure. Together, they unpack how cities around the world can use nature—not just to survive climate stress—but to regenerate and thrive.

This isn't theory. It's about real solutions already in play.

We explore:

  • Turning recycled Styrofoam into high-performance green roof soil
  • Rethinking urban metabolism using modular plant systems
  • Confronting the empty promises of COP climate summits
  • And how clean progress can start on your rooftop—not in a faraway boardroom

Joshua brings sharp insight from the field, from composting in NYC to working with island communities in the Caribbean, blending systems thinking, urban ecology, and creative storytelling into one timely conversation.

00:00 How Cities Can Cool Themselves: Climate Design with Joshua Harrison  
00:32 Composting and Recycling in Cities  
02:20 UN Climate Conference and Environmental Irony  
02:54 Indigenous Protests and Global Climate Events  
04:04 Challenges of Hosting Global Conferences  
07:05 Introduction to Joshua Harrison  
07:36 The Role of Nature in Urban Regeneration  
09:24 Cultural Development in the Caribbean  
19:22 Climate Migration and Global Inequality  
30:03 The Importance of Storytelling in Climate Systems  
35:22 Innovative Green Roof Solutions  
38:54 Introduction to Bioactive Soil  
39:21 Hydroponics vs. Traditional Soil  
39:53 Benefits of GaiaSoil™  
41:09 Urban Greening and Climate Impact  
44:33 Economic and Community Benefits  
48:40 Challenges and Solutions for Green Cities  
52:06 Leadership and Climate Action  
56:01 Youth Activism and Global Climate Efforts  
58:51 Reflections on Climate Leadership  
01:06:50 Hope for the Future  
01:10:54 Conclusion and Final Thoughts  

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