July 2019 Archives

On this episode of Solutions News we focus on Citizen Engagement. We are thrilled to welcome our guest, psychologist, educator and environmental advocate, Stacy Pulice. We take a look at how citizen scientists are helping advance humanity’s knowledge. From working with NASA to identify extra-terrestrial planets, to counting larvae of some of the rarest pollinators - some of the most important science these days is being done by passionate volunteers. We discuss civics education, needed to bring civility back into the public square, and highlight the power of participating - and how an informed and active citizenry can change the course of history. There are also some great “didyaknows”!

Story #1: Civics 101 - With the 4th of July in our rearview mirror, it is important to address the understanding of civics in our society. It is clear that our country is more politically divided than ever, and this could very well foster a negative future. But every big problem must have a solution. Much of the problem can be solved in the classroom by teaching students and young minds civility and the necessary skills for civic engagement. Young people must learn to be leaders of the country’s future, even in times of disagreement and opposing views.  

Story #2: Citizen Scientists - Perhaps one our greatest powers at citizens is our ability to think and problem solve regardless of our societal standing. Science has been done for centuries by people without lab coats and goggles—by citizens. Citizens are becoming increasingly important in making discoveries that benefit our kind. Citizen science has become a great way to get people involved all while obtaining more information than we thought possible. There are now even financial incentives to get everyday people involved with scientific research, which makes it clear that the government does in fact need our help.

Moonwatch is a great example of effective citizen science.

Story #3: Global Citizens Club - In 2018, the World Business Academy formed the Global Citizens Club to inspire “Think[ing] Globally” and “Act[ing] Locally.” The club brings together community members to address social, economic, and environmental issues in the Santa Barbara area. After being struck by horrific fires and mudslides that destroyed the Montecito area, the Global Citizens Club deemed resiliency as its series theme. The ongoing panel discussions are working to build awareness in the community and promote innovative solutions to the most pressing issues. 

For more information on the Global Citizens Club, click here.

On this episode of Solutions News, we explore marijuana, mushrooms and other entheogens.  Our guest is Dr. Jerry B. Brown, co-author of The Psychedelic Gospels, and a sought after scholar on the subject of psychedelics.  Topics that we cover today include a brief overview and update on legal cannabis in America, the movement to decriminalize psilocybin based on beneficial therapeutic uses in various states and cities around the US, and a case study on Portugal - the first modern country to decriminalize drugs. We also share some wonderful “didyaknows”. 

Story #1, Alcohol Prohibition Didn’t Work Either

American society learned a tragic lesson between 1920 and 1933 when it made alcohol illegal.  It was a tragic mistake that lead to the formation of vicious gangsters, a period of incredible corruption, and created an entire illegal industry that terrorized the public even while drying up (you should pardon the expression) the tax revenues that legal drinking provides. When Prohibition finally ended, the gang violence is spawned did as well. And, since then, governmental agencies have collected massive amounts of tax on the consumption of alcohol as well as the on the income of those making, distributing and selling alcohol. Well, that’s also been true with the marijuana, with the added challenge that drug laws in general, and marijuana laws specifically, have been disproportionally been enforced against minorities and people of color. Viewed this way, marijuana being illegal is not only economically unwise it is a social justice issue.  

So, what’s the solution? Legalization, plain and simple.

How do we define success from marijuana legalization? Well, for every dollar spent on recreational or medicinal marijuana that’s one dollar less that will go into the pockets of the underground illegal drug economy.  The Drug Cartels never paid any tax, so that is really icing on the cake. AND, by not prosecuting tens of thousands of people for victimless drug crimes we are saving massive amounts of money in dramatically reduced police, court and prison costs! Now that’s a solution! 

Story #2: Psychedelics, a “telescope” for the mind

Our second story today zooms into another area of controversy surrounding several plants and chemical substances that have been demonized in our culture for the last few decades, but which are now back in vogue - largely due to their significant promise in healing and personal growth.  

So what do magic mushrooms, ecstasy, and LSD all have in common?

They are all street drugs being studied and used for legitimate medical purposes.  In the past two months, both Denver, Colorado and Oakland, California have legalized psilocybin (also known as magic mushrooms) because of studies proving that it can help with anxiety and depression. 

Story #3: SUNNY, HEALTHY, CATHOLIC AND SAFE: That’s Portugal!

Our last story this week explores a case study on a revolutionary approach taken about 20 years ago by one country to address its Drug Problem.  Portugal, which many see as a very catholic, conservative and religious country, was actually the first country in the world to decriminalize ALL drugs.

On this episode of Solutions News, we address the secrets of success and self-mastery along with our guest Jack Canfield, the esteemed originator of The Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. First with a look at how Americans learned about personal empowerment by learning how to master communication, then with a story on one of the greatest inspirational projects of all time, and finally with some specific tips on how to build better habits. We will also have our fan favorite “didyaknow” segment! Listeners of the show are welcome to visit Jack's website and sign up for a free gift: "The Success Principles 10-Day Transformation." 

Story #1: The Key to Success - The key to success is effective communication. Dale Carnegie failed at many things in his life, but one thing he got right was communication. He became an author and lecturer and went on to study the link between confidence and success. We spoke about the importance of sharing ideas and convincing others, because without persuasion, great products will likely not succeed. 

Persuasion plays a big role in our lives, from getting hired to being voted into office to selling products. It is essential to know and relate to your audience, to understand their perspectives and what might cause them trouble. Persuasion might be the single skill that gives you the upper hand moving forward.

Story #2: Moonshot – It’s been 50 years since America first sent a man to the moon. Kennedy famously promised to do so, and he kept his promise. At the time, the goal seemed nearly impossible and the majority of citizens were against the idea. Nevertheless, Kennedy and the Johnson administration after him persisted. People started to tune in more closely once the program was underway. We can relate that to other American mobilizations, including World War II bringing the United States out of the Great Depression and perhaps one day, the Green New Deal. 

Through it all, Kennedy used persuasion to genuinely convince Americans that space was in fact possible and absolutely essential for our future as a sovereign nation. 

Story #3: New Habits – Do you have a list of New Year’s Resolutions? We all do. But how many of us actually follow through with those goals? It’s difficult! After years of school and work, we often fall into routines and habits that are seemingly cemented into permanence. It can be exhausting and time-consuming to change, or at least to try to change. We formulated what we believe are the top eight steps to truly changing those habits, and those can be found in the full podcast above!

On this episode of Solutions News, we focus on Mother India! Our guest is Sadhvi Bhagawati, who has become a guiding voice in bridging the cultures of America and India, blending the knowledge and logic of the West with the insights, spirituality and wisdom of the East. We investigate India's growing investment in renewable and distributed energy, Prime Minister Modi's quest to clean up corruption and build India's infrastructure from the bottom-up, and end the show with a segment on ways India's culture has helped the West become wiser. 

Story #1: A New Model in India: With India being a leading contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, the country is more than ready to increase investments in the renewable energy sector. Prime Minister Modi is focusing on investing in renewable energy, which has started a great push for the country. It is time for a larger solution: microgrids. These will get electricity to the villages, reduce pollution, and develop an industry for economic growth.

But what is a microgrid? It’s a network of one or more electricity users with a locally generated source of supply that is often attached to a centralized national grid… but, it’s able to function independently from the grid. Microgrids are a solution for India’s future, cushioning users from grid-related power outages, helping accelerate economic activity, providing power, and saving money. They would both lower India’s national greenhouse gas emissions and give India the opportunity to be a world leader in renewable energy technology of the future.

Story #2: Cleaning Up India: Prime Minister Modi has been very successful in his campaign “Toilets Before Temples,” meaning government-provided sanitation services before new religious buildings are constructed. Many places, like the town of Kancheepuram that holds festivals of 50,000 people, have very few toilets (only six in this case) and sanitation services. Since 2014, Modi has built 92 million new toilets and not a single new temple. The city has become considerably cleaner, and Modi plans to take the program to the next level. 

Modi also announced that he would eliminate the two largest bills in circulation the 1,000- and 500-rupee notes. This was meant to root out corruption through eliminating “black money,” money that is often circulated in the black market, and to create an enforceable tax system. Modi believes these changes will not only reduce corruption, but also enhance self-respect of citizens.

Story #3: The Buddha and the West: The modern west has been very influenced by India’s ancient culture. New western habits have adopted many ancient ideas, including: namaste, a common and lovely greeting; Ayurveda, a Hindu system of medicine relating to balancing the individual; Juggad, the art of flexible innovation, almost like a “hack” to make things work; yoga and meditation, a self-practice to develop spiritual and mental focus; and deep spirituality and great religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Jainism.

As a psychologist, educator, author, and speaker, Stacy Pulice, Ph.D. is committed to creating a collective awakening and a heroic response to the climate emergency. Having spent over 20 years advocating for a more humanistic approach to education systems, her current work explores the connections between education and environmentalism, and the role of mindfulness and empathy in shaping a more sustainable world. Among numerous projects she has launched and led with a focus on fostering emotional intelligence in the classroom, she is the founder of Wisdom of the Fool, a 501C3 aiming to nurture the physical and emotional wholeness of educators and students; the educational consultant on the board of AHA!, a non-profit providing social and emotional learning programs for at-risk teens; and the Chair of the Education Committee for the USC Civic Engagement Board of Councilors. In her latest book, Listen to the Children, Stacy shows that children thrive when educated from a life- and soul-affirming perspective, using the innovative practices identified as the 4 C’s: Care, Connection, Community, and Choice. Applied to environmental advocacy, the 4 C’s are a means of promoting climate truth and fostering positive action in service of planetary healing. 

As the beloved originator of the New York Times #1 bestselling Chicken Soup for the Soul® series, Jack Canfield fostered the emergence of inspirational anthologies as a genre.  As the driving force behind the development of over 200 titles and 600 million books sold through the Chicken Soup for the Soul® brand, Jack Canfield is uniquely qualified to talk about success.  His proven formula for success reached global acclaim with his most recent international bestseller The Success Principles™: How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. He is also a featured teacher in The Secret and has appeared on more than 1000 radio and TV shows including Oprah, Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday, Larry King Live, Montel, and the Today Show. He has conducted his Success Principles Seminars and trainings in more than 50 countries around the world. Listeners of the show are welcome to visit Jack's website and sign up for a free gift: "The Success Principles 10-Day Transformation"