There’s a reason “Nerdy Learning” is a core value here at DG+Design. We share an excitement and curiosity for clean energy, climate change, and sustainability issues, as well as a passion for honing our creative and marketing skills. We embrace ongoing learning and training and strive to be thought leaders in our industry.
So it’s no surprise that our team takes full advantage of today’s diversity of content across various media forms. Curious about where we like to go to exercise our minds and expand our perspectives? Here’s a taste of what’s moved, informed, and rattled us as of late in the climate change and cleantech space, and on the more creative side of things:
“Aside from the obvious choices from Canary Media and Post Script Media, this is one that’s less known, but sheds light on energy issues beyond cleantech or climate.” – David Ganske
“These are both fantastic. The Carbon Copy is hosted by Stephen Lacey (former host of The Energy Gang) and it focuses heavily on issues, ideas, and news about the clean energy transition. The Catalyst is also fantastic; it also focuses on cleantech, but it also covers other topics under the broad umbrella of decarbonization.” – Kathleen Gill
“I’ve been a huge fan of The Energy Gang for years. It was the first energy-specific podcast that I listened to when I first started working in the energy and sustainability space. For the first dozen episodes or so, there were huge parts of the discussions that were too wonky or technical for me to understand, but their lively banter and range of perspectives kept me engaged. I listen to it far less often now that the original “gang” (Katherine Hamilton, Jigar Shah, and Stephen Lacey) has moved on, but its new host Ed Crooks continues to foster comprehensive and interesting discussions about all things energy and the environment. This is 100% one of the top clean energy focused podcasts that I’ve recommended to others.” – Kathleen Gill
“As I transitioned from the climate change advocacy space into clean energy, this was one of the first resources my colleagues recommended and it’s been incredibly helpful in getting me up to speed in this industry and space.” – Barbara Weber
“I still listen to The Energy Gang though I prefer the older episodes (which are still available). The original gang offered a well-balanced take on the latest energy news, with Jigar (Shah) dishing out healthy skepticism, Katherine (Hamilton) offering boundless optimism, and Stephen (Lacey) serving as an excellent moderator and facilitator. ” – Julianne Waite
“This podcast explains up-to-date information and news on cleantech, which is interesting and helpful for me in this role.” – Mary Duncan-Sain
“This is a solar-specific podcast. It’s recently been climbing my list because it covers everything from policy to finance, and often brings in experts to talk about the nuts and bolts of current events in solar. Because its target audience seems to be developers, financiers, and others that are in the solar industry, it can get really wonky (which I personally love).” – Kathleen Gill
“This podcast is extra cool because it’s not produced by a huge corporation like WoodMac – it’s literally the passion project of David Roberts, an industry veteran, and it’s supported by listeners. He also has a weekly newsletter. I personally find the episodes where he discusses a topic with another industry expert more engaging than the episodes where he reads one of his written articles out loud, but I really appreciate that he takes the time to ensure accessibility for anyone who wants to engage with his content.“ – Kathleen Gill
“This runs the gamut of interesting new science, from cleantech, to climate, to energy.” – Gavin Chisholm
“As it describes itself, this is a true crime podcast about climate change. And it will simultaneously inform, fascinate, and infuriate anyone who listens to it. That said, it’s a must.” – Barbara Weber
“This incredible dramatic miniseries tells the story of the people and events behind the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster in 1986. It shows how poor decision making resulted in a crisis that should have been prevented.” – David Ganske
“This Disney movie is many things, but at its core it’s a message to all of us regarding the importance of learning to understand and respect the ecosystem. It's tough to fathom where we would be today if it wasn’t for the discovery and proliferation of fossil fuels, but at the same time, it’s pretty clear where we’ll be tomorrow if we keep ignoring the blazing warning signs all around us. This movie boils down this dark, yet important messaging into an extremely entertaining, child-friendly format. This is the exact type of content that is needed to help today’s kids come to terms with reality and prepare to tackle the issues that are going to be plaguing them for the rest of their lives. Parents and children will disagree on the best course of action, but we’ll do our best to try and encourage each other to understand, and participate in solving this existential problem.” – Mel Phillips
“This film was equal parts devastating as it was uplifting and so, so informative. I felt like I walked away with an entire education on the magic of regenerative agriculture and the role it can play in addressing climate change while feeding the world.” – Barbara Weber
“This was a very interesting, digestible movie on sustainable agriculture. It has a great soundtrack, too!" – Gavin Chisholm
“This film by photographer James Balog, who also brought us the 2012 film Chasing Ice (another must watch), does something I haven’t seen other climate-related films do; it makes the impacts of climate change actually tangible, on a hyper-localized level. And he does it with incredible storytelling, stunning imagery, and a proactive message that leaves viewers with hope.” – Barbara Weber
“I may be biased as this was written by a mentor of mine, Naomi Oreskes, but it’s a fascinating account of how the fossil fuel industry essentially hired the same lobbyists the tobacco industry used to cast doubt on the health impacts of cigarettes, to cast doubt on the impacts of climate change. Naomi has a PhD in the History of Science and has spent decades uncovering the criminal behavior of the fossil fuel industry and its role in climate change. It was also made into a major motion picture.” – Barbara Weber
“This biography introduces us to Musk as a child and tells the story of his serial entrepreneurship. Even if you don't like Musk's antics, it’s worth a read.” – David Ganske
“This book has great advice for creating, running, and managing a thoughtful, sustainable business from the renowned anti-businessman himself. It’s helped me be more mindful about my own consumer habits and tendencies. But the real joy is learning about the incredible life of one of the greats.” – Kathleen Gill
“My first job out of college was in a Patagonia store and this book, by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, was given to me on my first day. The book, his ethos, the culture he’s created with Patagonia, and my experience working for them set me on the path I’m on today and have been a beacon for me throughout the entirety of my career. I love to gift this book to leaders I’ve met throughout the years, especially those who lean a bit more on the conservative side. It’s my own subtle nudge to show them you can lead a successful, profitable company that still does right by its people and the planet.” – Barbara Weber
“This is an excellent book for anyone that wants to analyze the modern world and investigate how humans have changed it forever. Each section of this book reviews different topics, unique situations in which humans have disrupted the “status quo”, creating new problems by trying to solve others. We’ve introduced invasive species to new habitats that are wreaking havoc on ecosystems, we’ve disrupted or even redirected the flow of rivers for the sake of preserving cities. And now, scientists are considering injecting sulfur into the atmosphere for the sake of artificially cooling our planet. The moral of this book is clear: anything that we do as a species is going to have a consequence, which means that we need to be extremely diligent in our planning from here on out lest we make matters even worse in trying to make them better.” – Mel Phillips
“This book is an interesting history of the largest freshwater system in the world.” – Gavin Chisholm
“This is a simple weekday newsletter that highlights good climate-related news, including one of their stories and a shortlist of other news around cleantech and climatetech.” – David Ganske
“Ed Carley is a really cool guy whom I had the pleasure of getting to know six or seven years ago. He was an EDF Climate Corps Fellow when I worked at EDF Climate Corps, which is an awesome summer internship program run by the Environmental Defense Fund. This weekly email newsletter features the latest jobs in the industry and is helpful for anyone who wants to get into the space. It also has recent news and interesting articles that Ed has found.” – Kathleen Gill
“Lauren is a Scottish climate activist making big change in the UK.” – Gavin Chisholm
“Of all of the climate newsletters that I follow, this one has the perfect balance between knowledgeable but succinct. All the important information from the day is included, and it's curated in a manner that condones quickly skimming through sections and clicking links for deeper dives into others.” – Mel Phillips
“This weekly newsletter is a great source for timely top climate-related news as well as recent jobs in the climate change and clean energy space. In fact, it’s how I found my role at DG+!” – Barbara Weber
“Every episode of this podcast is a wild ride of a deep dive into a different odd topic. The premise of the podcast is just delightful: ‘An encyclopedic reference of strange-but-true stories compiled as a time capsule for future generations. While the subject matter runs the gamut, listeners (endearingly dubbed "Futurelings") can always expect to learn something new and at least crack a smile if not an outright belly laugh. Hosts Ken Jennings (yup, the Jeopardy legend) and John Roderick (everyone’s favorite singer / songwriter / former Seattle City Council candidate) offer an approachable, informative, and extremely human take on things so normal you've never noticed them and things so weird you've never considered them. Omnibus is thoughtful and wandering, well-researched and unscripted. If I could craft my dream dinner party, John and Ken would be in attendance." – Julianne Waite
“This podcast is hosted by Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes, and is hilarious and entertaining. I consume a lot of heavy information somewhat regularly and this podcast is an excellent antidote to the despair and chaos in the world. It’s lighthearted and I love hearing about the journeys of the different creative people they interview weekly.” – Barbara Weber
“As a creator that didn’t go to design school, I have thoroughly enjoyed learning through Debbie Millman’s podcast where she discusses design with a variety of influential creatives.” – David Ganske
“While I don’t watch many shows or films related to marketing or design (sad, I know), I do appreciate it when photography and creative direction stand out. I also love apocalyptic science fiction and Severance was one that definitely stood out to me over the last year. From the camera angles and clothing style to color filters, architecture, retro technology, and acting, it was an incredible show and my favorite of the year.” – David Ganske
“This show is damn impressive. It’s extremely difficult to watch this show and not contemplate how this plausible may arise, considering how poorly the world is handling the Coronavirus. This show considers an absolute worst case scenario, and it’s got me glued to the screen.” – Mel Phillips
“It’s fun to see the process of design on the amazing houses they build.” – Gavin Chisholm
“This book often serves as a reference for me when we are working on rebranding projects. It discusses research, strategy, design, messaging, and so much more that should be considered during the process. If I’m ever stuck, this book helps me come up with new ideas.” – David Ganske
“This is the best, most creative book I’ve ever read. From the author that wrote ‘The Martian’, Andy Weir’s Project: Hail Mary is infinitely more gripping and thrilling than the 2015 film starring Matt Damon. I’m going to purposely refrain from sharing any information about the plot because the reveal/flow of the storyline is pristine. From the very first page, the reader is thrown into the center of a cinematic masterpiece – live it yourself and thank me later. Andy Weir is a savant when it comes to Sci-Fi (i.e. introducing a hypothetical scientific concept, and then thinking through exactly how that revelation would impact our society both for better and worse). Don’t wait, do yourself a favor, and read this book!” – Mel Phillips
“Of all the textbooks I spent way too much money on in college, where I studied advertising, this one was my favorite. In fact, I’ve kept my copy for 20 years now (it’s made many moves). It’s essentially a guide on how to maintain your creativity in a corporate world and not let bureaucracy get in the way or mediocrity suck you in.” – Barbara Weber
“This book has great reminders for how to get out of your own way.” – Gavin Chisholm
“I was assigned this book by one of my favorite college professors and I have read it several times since. Equal parts scientific and sensitive, this book helped me understand that variety – genetic and otherwise – is literally what propels all organic life.” – Julianne Waite
“AIGA is a professional organization for designers that has helped me grow into a creative leader. Membership starts at a modest monthly fee and members get access to speaking events, classes, and other things. The discounts on Apple products can basically cover the cost.” – David Ganske
“AIGA allows me to stay connected with other designers and newest trends.” – Mary Duncan-Sain
“Behance is an extremely useful website for designers to find inspiration and stay up to date on the latest trends.” – Mary Duncan-Sain
“This is a blog on the future of advertising written by George Tannenbaum, a veteran of the advertising industry. His writing is sharp, thoughtful, with zero BS. I feel like I am sitting down having coffee with George every time I read it. It inspires me to be a better communicator.” – Melissa Stafford
“There are certain Subreddit threads I find myself going down a rabbit hole with. r/dataisbeautiful for instance, where people who love data find clever and creative ways to present it. r/oddlysatisfying…say no more. r/photoshopbattles is a ridiculously fun place where Photoshop wizards flex their skills and wit. reddit can certainly be weird, but reddit can also be amazing. ” – Julianne Waite
“This two-man team makes gorgeous modern furniture.” – Gavin Chisholm
“Mary Roach is an author whose approach I love. Much like the podcast Omnibus, she picks taboo topics and focuses on aspects of it that are even more taboo, and does a deep dive into it with a mixture of humor and seriousness. If she’s writing about death for instance, she’ll talk to people who deal with dead bodies. She’s witty and hilarious and how she researches and presents information is really inspiring for me. If I could ever emulate how she writes, in even a small way, I would consider it a win.” – Julianne Waite
“This is a journal I’ve been following since it began in 2021; Suleika Jaouad started the account partly in response to isolation from the pandemic and also in part as a source of inspiration and journaling as she navigated her cancer returning. It’s grown to a large community of followers and contributors all sharing their small acts of creativity. I find the weekly prompts to always be greatly encouraging.” – Melissa Stafford
“This is by far my favorite YouTube channel. I don’t even play video games anymore, but they are and always will be fascinating to me. I enjoy following this channel because it effectively keeps me up to date on the latest video game crazes. The videos are always relatively short, punchy and have a weird brand of humor that almost always tickles me. The video game reviews are always entertaining and excellent. On top of all of that, it frequently does deep dives into the evolution of the gaming industry that are extremely educational. If you’re a video game fan, this is definitely worth checking out.” – Mel Phillips
“Mountainfilm is a film festival that happens in the stunning box canyon of Telluride, Colorado every Memorial Day weekend and has become one of my favorite events of the year over the last decade. It is a soul-filling, heart-tugging, mind-bending, thought-provoking weekend that brings together activists, storytellers, some of the most creative folks on the planet, and so much more. It is simply the most inspiring compilation of people, films, and discussions over the course of three days that fill my cup up and leave me motivated to be and do more in the world.” – Barbara Weber
“I started following Wendy at the beginning of the pandemic when I needed something for my daughter to do while I attempted to work. Draw Together has always been such a wonderful and delightful reminder to have fun with art and the things we create and to stay curious always (no matter what age you are)!” – Melissa Stafford
“Andy is an environmentalist and nature sculptor whose approach to making art out of nature is unreal. He is next level creative. Simply Google him and look at some of the pieces he’s created and you’ll see what I mean. Words don’t do him justice.” – Julianne Waite
“Peter Spear is a friend and wonderful brand strategist and every Friday morning he puts out a newsletter about human understanding in business and it never disappoints. I highly recommend it.” – Melissa Stafford
While this list is in no way exhaustive, we hope you’ve found a nugget or two on here that strike a cord and help educate, inform, or inspire you in some way.. And if you have recommendations of your own, we would love to hear them – please email us at hello@dgplusdesign.com to share your top recs!
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