<![CDATA[The Green Dream with Dana Thomas]]>e8a92616-a48e-5541-a5f2-2257210aa84bFri, 30 Jun 2023 11:42:08 +0000Captivate.fmDana Thomashttps://artwork.captivate.fm/b8dc8c67-6e78-4df3-95fb-6a8d0f562e1a/pxAzGq2VRTGoOM5opc4TNP7a.jpgThe Green Dream with Dana ThomasDana ThomasDana ThomasThe Green Dream with Dana Thomas is a weekly magazine about how to "green-up" your life. A New York Times bestselling author, British Vogue's European Sustainability Editor, and leading voice in the climate movement, Thomas welcomes experts, creators, and changemakers from politics to fashion for dynamic conversations on all things sustainable. Episodes will close with reviews by respected critics of the latest books, films, music, and more that in some way explore humanity and the planet. The Green Dream is the Podcast of Hope. Learn more at https://www.thegreendream.studiohttps://www.thegreendream.studio/noepisodicnopodcastChic with Camille CharrièreChic with Camille CharrièreMy guest today is Camille Charrière, influencer and sustainability editor for British Elle. A law school graduate who for a time worked for a hedge fund in London, Camille has become one of the leading voices in the eco-fashion movement. 

In our conversation, Camille shares how – while she has always been conscious about sustainability – a switch flicked in her mind during the Covid-19 pandemic, making her see that she would have to do her work differently if she wanted to make a difference in the world. So, she pivoted to sustainable fashion. We discuss what the fashion industry can do to become more sustainable and what we as consumers can do to contribute to a more eco-friendly world of fashion (hint: buy less!). Camille also tells the story of how an article in The New York Times led her to her wedding dress. 


]]>My guest today is Camille Charrière, influencer and sustainability editor for British Elle. A law school graduate who for a time worked for a hedge fund in London, Camille has become one of the leading voices in the eco-fashion movement. 

In our conversation, Camille shares how – while she has always been conscious about sustainability – a switch flicked in her mind during the Covid-19 pandemic, making her see that she would have to do her work differently if she wanted to make a difference in the world. So, she pivoted to sustainable fashion. We discuss what the fashion industry can do to become more sustainable and what we as consumers can do to contribute to a more eco-friendly world of fashion (hint: buy less!). Camille also tells the story of how an article in The New York Times led her to her wedding dress. 


]]>917a83ed-ad89-4c4c-a38e-7bb4e8a40a53Tue, 27 Jun 2023 01:00:00 -040038:27nofull3103103Dana ThomasGossiping with Sutton StrackeGossiping with Sutton StrackeNeither of today’s guests is a stranger to Hollywood. On this special episode, we first talk sustainable fashion, dance and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills with one of the Housewives, Sutton Stracke. Then, we travel to another movie Mecca, Cannes, to check in with Time magazine film critic Stephanie Zacharek on this year’s film festival. 

Sutton Stracke is more than just a regular housewife. Sutton is the founder of The Sutton Concept, a boutique in West Hollywood, where she sells her own lines of eco-responsible fashion and homewares, as well as the products of local designers; she is also one of 200 women in the world who is a regular couture client. Before becoming a star on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Sutton was a studio manager for Merce Cunningham – one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th century – in his studio in West Village, New York, and before that, she was a debutante in Augusta, Georgia, with dreams of becoming a modern dance choreographer. Next for Sutton is a new season of Real Housewives – and maybe a RomCom?

After Sutton Stracke, we hear which movies and performances Stephanie Zacharek loved at the Cannes Film Festival which just wrapped up. Stay tuned for tales of flirting Chinese garment workers, French haute cuisine, and a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo. 


Explore the new Green Dream website, thegreendream.studio

]]>Neither of today’s guests is a stranger to Hollywood. On this special episode, we first talk sustainable fashion, dance and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills with one of the Housewives, Sutton Stracke. Then, we travel to another movie Mecca, Cannes, to check in with Time magazine film critic Stephanie Zacharek on this year’s film festival. 

Sutton Stracke is more than just a regular housewife. Sutton is the founder of The Sutton Concept, a boutique in West Hollywood, where she sells her own lines of eco-responsible fashion and homewares, as well as the products of local designers; she is also one of 200 women in the world who is a regular couture client. Before becoming a star on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Sutton was a studio manager for Merce Cunningham – one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th century – in his studio in West Village, New York, and before that, she was a debutante in Augusta, Georgia, with dreams of becoming a modern dance choreographer. Next for Sutton is a new season of Real Housewives – and maybe a RomCom?

After Sutton Stracke, we hear which movies and performances Stephanie Zacharek loved at the Cannes Film Festival which just wrapped up. Stay tuned for tales of flirting Chinese garment workers, French haute cuisine, and a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo. 


Explore the new Green Dream website, thegreendream.studio

]]>d0d1de9b-91b4-4d7f-a60c-ad02e9e420b6Fri, 09 Jun 2023 09:00:00 -040035:25nofull39393Dana ThomasSparkling with Carol WooltonSparkling with Carol WooltonThis month has been one of the most sparkly in ages. First, we had the Met Gala in New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute's annual black-tie fundraiser, to kick off its latest blockbuster exhibition, Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, on show until July 16. Invitees were asked to dress in homage to Karl Lagerfeld, the longtime designer of Chanel, Fendi, and Chloé, as well as his own namesake brand. Karl died in 2019, at the age of 85. That dictate meant high glamor on the red carpet, with lots of important jewelry. 

A few days later, there was the coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey, and while, in these difficult economic times, guests were asked not to wear coronets and tiaras, there was still a lot of remarkable jewelry on display, most notably the King and Queen's crowns. 

And now we have the Cannes Film Festival, a two-week-long glittering Red Carpet parade on the Riviera, and, by far, the glamest cinema event of the year. Anything and everything goes at Cannes.

To talk about all this shimmer and shine, and how it's sustainable–because, yes, it is–we have leading jewelry expert Carol Woolton. When Carol joined Tatler magazine in London in 2001, she created the role of jewelry editor, one she later carried on to British Vogue, and one that is now an important post at all major glossy magazines. She has written several books on the subject, including The New Stone Age, and coming this fall, Dolce & Gabbana High Jewelry, published by Rizzoli. And Carol has her delightful podcast, called If Jewels Could Talk. On it, she speaks with owners of important jewelry collections, and about the history of famous jewelry. This fall, a book inspired by the podcast, also called If Jewels Could Talk, will be published by Simon & Schuster.


]]>This month has been one of the most sparkly in ages. First, we had the Met Gala in New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute's annual black-tie fundraiser, to kick off its latest blockbuster exhibition, Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, on show until July 16. Invitees were asked to dress in homage to Karl Lagerfeld, the longtime designer of Chanel, Fendi, and Chloé, as well as his own namesake brand. Karl died in 2019, at the age of 85. That dictate meant high glamor on the red carpet, with lots of important jewelry. 

A few days later, there was the coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey, and while, in these difficult economic times, guests were asked not to wear coronets and tiaras, there was still a lot of remarkable jewelry on display, most notably the King and Queen's crowns. 

And now we have the Cannes Film Festival, a two-week-long glittering Red Carpet parade on the Riviera, and, by far, the glamest cinema event of the year. Anything and everything goes at Cannes.

To talk about all this shimmer and shine, and how it's sustainable–because, yes, it is–we have leading jewelry expert Carol Woolton. When Carol joined Tatler magazine in London in 2001, she created the role of jewelry editor, one she later carried on to British Vogue, and one that is now an important post at all major glossy magazines. She has written several books on the subject, including The New Stone Age, and coming this fall, Dolce & Gabbana High Jewelry, published by Rizzoli. And Carol has her delightful podcast, called If Jewels Could Talk. On it, she speaks with owners of important jewelry collections, and about the history of famous jewelry. This fall, a book inspired by the podcast, also called If Jewels Could Talk, will be published by Simon & Schuster.


]]>1b22a07d-70f3-4237-9c3d-282b3e1d079bTue, 23 May 2023 07:00:00 -040042:32nofull38383Dana ThomasFlying with Val MiftakhovFlying with Val MiftakhovWhen people talk about trying to reduce their carbon footprint, the one item that almost always comes up in the conversation is air travel. And with reason. Researchers believe that aviation accounts for approximately four percent of human-induced global warming–more than most countries, including Germany. If the aviation industry was a country, it would be the sixth largest greenhouse gas emitter, after China, the United States, India, Russia, and Japan.

What to do? ​​The world's population is not going to stop flying. Quite the opposite: there were nearly 40 million flights in 2019, pre-pandemic, and the numbers are quickly reaching that record again, and will bypass it swiftly. Next year, that number is expected to be four percent higher, and by the mid-2030s–a mere ten years from now–experts predict that there will be 200,000 flights a day.

The only way to reduce aviation's impact on climate is to create an environmentally cleaner way to fly. And that's what our guest today, Val Miftakhov, is doing with his company Zero Avia. He'll explain how. 


]]>When people talk about trying to reduce their carbon footprint, the one item that almost always comes up in the conversation is air travel. And with reason. Researchers believe that aviation accounts for approximately four percent of human-induced global warming–more than most countries, including Germany. If the aviation industry was a country, it would be the sixth largest greenhouse gas emitter, after China, the United States, India, Russia, and Japan.

What to do? ​​The world's population is not going to stop flying. Quite the opposite: there were nearly 40 million flights in 2019, pre-pandemic, and the numbers are quickly reaching that record again, and will bypass it swiftly. Next year, that number is expected to be four percent higher, and by the mid-2030s–a mere ten years from now–experts predict that there will be 200,000 flights a day.

The only way to reduce aviation's impact on climate is to create an environmentally cleaner way to fly. And that's what our guest today, Val Miftakhov, is doing with his company Zero Avia. He'll explain how. 


]]>8bd9fa87-12e4-4dad-a4dd-c2a9c18d642cTue, 09 May 2023 00:00:00 -040034:09nofull37373Dana ThomasDesigning with Bas SmetsDesigning with Bas SmetsFour years ago this month, Notre-Dame de Paris, the 12th-century cathedral in the heart of Paris, caught on fire. The city was smothered in smoke for days, and hearts around the world were broken. Notre-Dame is a gem of gothic architecture, an incomparable beauty in the center of the city, and a site for pilgrimage and tourism. As the cathedral smoldered, the city of Paris pledged to rebuild it as it was. But the mayor had also set forth a plan to make Paris the greenest city in Europe by 2030, and realized that redoing the landscape around Notre-Dame in a more ecological manner could help Paris reach that goal. In September 2021, the city launched a pro-environment design competition for the site, and last summer, the jury selected a team led by our guest today, the award-winning Belgian landscape architect Bas Smets, who has specialized in taking hyper-urban, often desolate sites and turning them into eco-friendly oases. For Notre-Dame, he and his colleagues will use the same approach for the surrounding landscape–the parvis, as the West side plaza is known, and the gardens to the east. Their proposal will turn the Île de la Cité, the island in the Seine where Notre-Dame sits, into a sustainable microclimate. Bas is here on The Green Dream today to explain to us how they will do it.


]]>Four years ago this month, Notre-Dame de Paris, the 12th-century cathedral in the heart of Paris, caught on fire. The city was smothered in smoke for days, and hearts around the world were broken. Notre-Dame is a gem of gothic architecture, an incomparable beauty in the center of the city, and a site for pilgrimage and tourism. As the cathedral smoldered, the city of Paris pledged to rebuild it as it was. But the mayor had also set forth a plan to make Paris the greenest city in Europe by 2030, and realized that redoing the landscape around Notre-Dame in a more ecological manner could help Paris reach that goal. In September 2021, the city launched a pro-environment design competition for the site, and last summer, the jury selected a team led by our guest today, the award-winning Belgian landscape architect Bas Smets, who has specialized in taking hyper-urban, often desolate sites and turning them into eco-friendly oases. For Notre-Dame, he and his colleagues will use the same approach for the surrounding landscape–the parvis, as the West side plaza is known, and the gardens to the east. Their proposal will turn the Île de la Cité, the island in the Seine where Notre-Dame sits, into a sustainable microclimate. Bas is here on The Green Dream today to explain to us how they will do it.


]]>92e05b52-3d6b-4c06-a1e4-9f8fd3beaacbTue, 25 Apr 2023 01:00:00 -040033:46nofull36363Dana ThomasChirping with Mya-Rose CraigChirping with Mya-Rose CraigToday, we welcome Mya-Rose Craig, a 20-year-old British-Bangladeshi who is the foremost birdwatcher of her generation. Three years ago, Mya-Rose became the youngest person to have seen half the world's bird species. Mya-Rose, who grew up in a village near Bristol, England, has been a passionate conservationist and climate activist since she was a tween, when she launched her blog, called Birdgirl. We talk about her activism and the beauty of birds and all biodiversity in her new memoir, also called Birdgirl, The Times of London described her book as "a cross between a travel diary, an ornithologist's guide, and a thriller." And the esteemed writer Margaret Atwood has called Birdgirl, "Lyrical, poignant, and insightful." I think that's the perfect way to describe Mya-Rose, too. She spoke to us from her dorm room at Cambridge University in England, where she is studying Human, Social, and Political Sciences.


]]>Today, we welcome Mya-Rose Craig, a 20-year-old British-Bangladeshi who is the foremost birdwatcher of her generation. Three years ago, Mya-Rose became the youngest person to have seen half the world's bird species. Mya-Rose, who grew up in a village near Bristol, England, has been a passionate conservationist and climate activist since she was a tween, when she launched her blog, called Birdgirl. We talk about her activism and the beauty of birds and all biodiversity in her new memoir, also called Birdgirl, The Times of London described her book as "a cross between a travel diary, an ornithologist's guide, and a thriller." And the esteemed writer Margaret Atwood has called Birdgirl, "Lyrical, poignant, and insightful." I think that's the perfect way to describe Mya-Rose, too. She spoke to us from her dorm room at Cambridge University in England, where she is studying Human, Social, and Political Sciences.


]]>d586e6c4-b668-4304-acd4-5693d250a694Tue, 04 Apr 2023 01:00:00 -040039:12nofull35353Dana ThomasChecking in with Ukrainian Fashion Designers Ksenia Schnaider & Ivan FrolovChecking in with Ukrainian Fashion Designers Ksenia Schnaider & Ivan FrolovAbout a year ago, we welcomed on the Green Dream two Ukrainian fashion designers, Ksenia Schnaider and Ivan Frolov, to tell us about their harrowing experiences as the Russian army invaded their homeland. When we spoke, Ksenia was a refugee in Germany, with her husband and their young daughter, figuring out what to do next, and Ivan was at home in Kyiv, which was under heavy assault from the Russians. I thought, with the recent anniversary of the invasion, it would be a good time to check in with them and see how they are managing. Turns out they are as well as well can be, given the circumstances. This may be the most hopeful of all our Green Dream episodes. 

We also welcome back Hannah Elliott, luxury car writer for Bloomberg Pursuits, and a regular Green Dream contributor. She's going to tell us about her adventures as the first driver outside of the Rolls-Royce company to test drive the luxury motor brand's new EV, the Spectre. Yes, like the James Bond enemy. Hannah flew halfway around the world to take the wheel. How Bondian of her!


]]>About a year ago, we welcomed on the Green Dream two Ukrainian fashion designers, Ksenia Schnaider and Ivan Frolov, to tell us about their harrowing experiences as the Russian army invaded their homeland. When we spoke, Ksenia was a refugee in Germany, with her husband and their young daughter, figuring out what to do next, and Ivan was at home in Kyiv, which was under heavy assault from the Russians. I thought, with the recent anniversary of the invasion, it would be a good time to check in with them and see how they are managing. Turns out they are as well as well can be, given the circumstances. This may be the most hopeful of all our Green Dream episodes. 

We also welcome back Hannah Elliott, luxury car writer for Bloomberg Pursuits, and a regular Green Dream contributor. She's going to tell us about her adventures as the first driver outside of the Rolls-Royce company to test drive the luxury motor brand's new EV, the Spectre. Yes, like the James Bond enemy. Hannah flew halfway around the world to take the wheel. How Bondian of her!


]]>1e81f7a1-7753-4060-afad-446fb96783edTue, 21 Mar 2023 09:20:00 -040039:59nofull34343Dana ThomasSoaring with Shaunak SenSoaring with Shaunak SenIt's Oscars Week next week, and to celebrate cinema's top awards ceremony, we've decided to have a glamorous movie episode here on The Green Dream. Our first guest is Shaunak Sen, the award-winning director of All That Breathes, a poetic documentary that has already won best documentary awards at both the Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals – a first in cinema. And it has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary.

Also on The Green Dream today is Time magazine film critic Stephanie Zacharek, who will tell us about other touching, and beautiful, environment-themed films in theaters or streaming right now. 


]]>It's Oscars Week next week, and to celebrate cinema's top awards ceremony, we've decided to have a glamorous movie episode here on The Green Dream. Our first guest is Shaunak Sen, the award-winning director of All That Breathes, a poetic documentary that has already won best documentary awards at both the Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals – a first in cinema. And it has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary.

Also on The Green Dream today is Time magazine film critic Stephanie Zacharek, who will tell us about other touching, and beautiful, environment-themed films in theaters or streaming right now. 


]]>556f26d6-d1bd-49e3-ae85-4c7da4dd2b75Tue, 07 Mar 2023 01:00:00 -040036:32nofull33333Dana ThomasGabbing with Amber VallettaGabbing with Amber VallettaMy guest today is Amber Valletta, supermodel, actress, and climate activist. Amber works with several NGOs, serves as British Vogue’s Contributing Sustainability Editor, and does eco-consulting for brands such as Karl Lagerfeld. This spring, the third Karl Lagerfeld Amber Valletta collection will drop in stores around the world, and includes stylish, environmentally conscious ready-to-wear, such as biker jackets, little black dresses, and suits, as well as accessories. And she takes her activism seriously, participating in Jane Fonda’s Fire Drill Friday protests in Washington and Los Angeles, and even getting arrested for the cause. This activism is deeply embedded in Amber—her mother successfully protested against the construction of a nuclear power plant near their home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, when Amber was a child. Amber watched and learned.

I like how Amber is trying to push fashion towards more sustainable practices from the inside—as her friend Stella McCartney says, “Infiltrating from within.” As the Fall/Winter 23-24 fashion shows unfurl in Paris this week—with Amber walking in several of them, including such eco-conscious brands as Stella McCartney and Chloé—I thought it seemed like the perfect time to have her on the podcast. 


]]>My guest today is Amber Valletta, supermodel, actress, and climate activist. Amber works with several NGOs, serves as British Vogue’s Contributing Sustainability Editor, and does eco-consulting for brands such as Karl Lagerfeld. This spring, the third Karl Lagerfeld Amber Valletta collection will drop in stores around the world, and includes stylish, environmentally conscious ready-to-wear, such as biker jackets, little black dresses, and suits, as well as accessories. And she takes her activism seriously, participating in Jane Fonda’s Fire Drill Friday protests in Washington and Los Angeles, and even getting arrested for the cause. This activism is deeply embedded in Amber—her mother successfully protested against the construction of a nuclear power plant near their home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, when Amber was a child. Amber watched and learned.

I like how Amber is trying to push fashion towards more sustainable practices from the inside—as her friend Stella McCartney says, “Infiltrating from within.” As the Fall/Winter 23-24 fashion shows unfurl in Paris this week—with Amber walking in several of them, including such eco-conscious brands as Stella McCartney and Chloé—I thought it seemed like the perfect time to have her on the podcast. 


]]>8be563f7-3651-4a25-95c9-6fd94a3862f7Tue, 28 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -040039:18nofull32323Dana ThomasRemembering André Leon TalleyRemembering André Leon TalleyMy guest on The Green Dream today is the legendary former Vogue editor André Leon Talley, and no, he is not speaking to us from the grave, though if anyone could, and would, it would be André!

André and I met for our interview at the Mona Bismarck American Center in Paris, where he was overseeing the installation of "Little Black Dress”. This week, a year after his death at 73 from Covid-19, a large swath of his estate is up for auction at Christie's in New York, to benefit two of his favorite places of worship, the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem and the Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in Durham, North Carolina, where he grew up. 

The Christie's auction is how this interview fits into The Green Dream remit: if you buy well, and, boy, did André buy well (and was gifted very well too), your belongings can have a good long life after you are gone – be it heirlooms for friends and family, or estate sales open to the public. As I say often in my British Vogue sustainability column, in interviews, and in conference speeches, the most sustainable thing you can do is buy less, buy better. We’ve even turned into a hashtag: #buylessbuybetter.


]]>My guest on The Green Dream today is the legendary former Vogue editor André Leon Talley, and no, he is not speaking to us from the grave, though if anyone could, and would, it would be André!

André and I met for our interview at the Mona Bismarck American Center in Paris, where he was overseeing the installation of "Little Black Dress”. This week, a year after his death at 73 from Covid-19, a large swath of his estate is up for auction at Christie's in New York, to benefit two of his favorite places of worship, the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem and the Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in Durham, North Carolina, where he grew up. 

The Christie's auction is how this interview fits into The Green Dream remit: if you buy well, and, boy, did André buy well (and was gifted very well too), your belongings can have a good long life after you are gone – be it heirlooms for friends and family, or estate sales open to the public. As I say often in my British Vogue sustainability column, in interviews, and in conference speeches, the most sustainable thing you can do is buy less, buy better. We’ve even turned into a hashtag: #buylessbuybetter.


]]>5a4fbc73-a9bb-4acf-a4d9-2fafcae9ee4dWed, 15 Feb 2023 08:53:00 -040032:30nofull31313Dana ThomasEcotricity with Dale VinceEcotricity with Dale VinceDale Vince is an eco-pioneer. Back in the mid-1990s, he launched Ecotricity, the world’s first green energy company, based in the United Kingdom. In 2011, Dale created the Electric Highway, Europe’s first EV charging network, which runs from Scotland to Wales. More recently, he founded Devil’s Kitchen, an organization that provides vegan school dinners. Dale is also the chairman and owner of Forest Green Rovers, a professional soccer team based in England, that has been recognized by FIFA and the United Nations as the “world’s greenest football club.” And, as I write in the December issue of British Vogue, Dale is the founder of Skydiamond, a tech start-up that grows diamonds from carbon captured from the air.  

Also on this holiday episode, I’m going to tell you a bit about our music contributor Eric Brace, an American Roots musician, Grammy-nominated producer, and founder of Red Beet Records, based in Nashville, Tennessee. Eric’s first band, Last Train Home, put out “Holiday Limited,” a now-classic EP of festive tunes, available on SoundCloud, and I'll share a bit of that lovely music with you, as well.


]]>Dale Vince is an eco-pioneer. Back in the mid-1990s, he launched Ecotricity, the world’s first green energy company, based in the United Kingdom. In 2011, Dale created the Electric Highway, Europe’s first EV charging network, which runs from Scotland to Wales. More recently, he founded Devil’s Kitchen, an organization that provides vegan school dinners. Dale is also the chairman and owner of Forest Green Rovers, a professional soccer team based in England, that has been recognized by FIFA and the United Nations as the “world’s greenest football club.” And, as I write in the December issue of British Vogue, Dale is the founder of Skydiamond, a tech start-up that grows diamonds from carbon captured from the air.  

Also on this holiday episode, I’m going to tell you a bit about our music contributor Eric Brace, an American Roots musician, Grammy-nominated producer, and founder of Red Beet Records, based in Nashville, Tennessee. Eric’s first band, Last Train Home, put out “Holiday Limited,” a now-classic EP of festive tunes, available on SoundCloud, and I'll share a bit of that lovely music with you, as well.


]]>ddd30a1a-5d7d-4c0b-a5fb-2db4fff6fcecTue, 13 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -040044:14nofull26262Dana ThomasReinventing Cuisine with Chef Dan BarberReinventing Cuisine with Chef Dan BarberToday’s guest, Dan Barber, is known as the “philosopher chef.” He's the author of The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food and leads Blue Hill at Stone Barns, his family-run restaurant at the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, a multipurpose non-profit organic farm and education center set on a 1920’s Rockefeller estate outside of Tarrytown, New York. Another Barber project is Row 7 Seeds, a vegetable seed company that breeds new varieties for flavor. Chef Barber has given TED talks and written opinion pieces for the New York Times and The Guardian; has served on President Obama’s Council on Physical Fitness, Sports and Nutrition; and received multiple James Beard awards, including Best Chef: New York City and America's Outstanding Chef. He’s even been previously named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world. 

Also on today’s program, The Green Dream’s literary critic Hermione Hoby returns, with a review of An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us, a new book by the Pulitzer-prize winning Atlantic magazine writer Ed Yong.


]]>Today’s guest, Dan Barber, is known as the “philosopher chef.” He's the author of The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food and leads Blue Hill at Stone Barns, his family-run restaurant at the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, a multipurpose non-profit organic farm and education center set on a 1920’s Rockefeller estate outside of Tarrytown, New York. Another Barber project is Row 7 Seeds, a vegetable seed company that breeds new varieties for flavor. Chef Barber has given TED talks and written opinion pieces for the New York Times and The Guardian; has served on President Obama’s Council on Physical Fitness, Sports and Nutrition; and received multiple James Beard awards, including Best Chef: New York City and America's Outstanding Chef. He’s even been previously named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world. 

Also on today’s program, The Green Dream’s literary critic Hermione Hoby returns, with a review of An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us, a new book by the Pulitzer-prize winning Atlantic magazine writer Ed Yong.


]]>cbb016f2-3ff6-4d7e-9772-7675e9463908Wed, 23 Nov 2022 08:15:00 -040038:31nofull25252Dana ThomasForaging with Merlin SheldrakeForaging with Merlin SheldrakeMy guest today is Merlin Sheldrake, a British biologist and author of an award-winning science-driven memoir called Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds and Change Our Minds and Shape our Futures, which The New York Times describes as an “ebullient and ambitious exploration" of fungi, and the Wall Street Journal calls “a gorgeous book of literary nature writing in the tradition of Robert Macfarlane and John Fowles, ripe with insight and erudition.” I also welcome back to The Green Dream our regular contributor Hannah Elliott, luxury car writer for Bloomberg Pursuits. She’ll tell us about the new Rolls-Royce EV, the Spectre.


]]>My guest today is Merlin Sheldrake, a British biologist and author of an award-winning science-driven memoir called Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds and Change Our Minds and Shape our Futures, which The New York Times describes as an “ebullient and ambitious exploration" of fungi, and the Wall Street Journal calls “a gorgeous book of literary nature writing in the tradition of Robert Macfarlane and John Fowles, ripe with insight and erudition.” I also welcome back to The Green Dream our regular contributor Hannah Elliott, luxury car writer for Bloomberg Pursuits. She’ll tell us about the new Rolls-Royce EV, the Spectre.


]]>9e713717-f4f1-499c-a80f-11e9c117be26Tue, 08 Nov 2022 01:00:00 -040044:48nofull24242Dana ThomasMaking Things with Natalie ChaninMaking Things with Natalie ChaninMy guest today on The Green Dream is Natalie Chanin, founder of Alabama Chanin, a slow fashion brand in Florence, Alabama. This year, Alabama Chanin is celebrating its 21st year in business with a new book called Embroidery: Threads and Stories from Alabama Chanin and the School of Making, about sustainability, community, artisans and makers, published by Abrams. The book’s preface was written by Natalie’s friend, singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash, who, along with her husband John Leventhal, wrote the 2014 Grammy-award winning Best American Roots Song “A Feather’s Not a Bird,” about Natalie and Alabama Chanin. On this special episode, listeners will get to hear both Natalie’s story and that hit song.


]]>My guest today on The Green Dream is Natalie Chanin, founder of Alabama Chanin, a slow fashion brand in Florence, Alabama. This year, Alabama Chanin is celebrating its 21st year in business with a new book called Embroidery: Threads and Stories from Alabama Chanin and the School of Making, about sustainability, community, artisans and makers, published by Abrams. The book’s preface was written by Natalie’s friend, singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash, who, along with her husband John Leventhal, wrote the 2014 Grammy-award winning Best American Roots Song “A Feather’s Not a Bird,” about Natalie and Alabama Chanin. On this special episode, listeners will get to hear both Natalie’s story and that hit song.


]]>84bc75fd-4827-4c8c-901b-d746212d51beTue, 25 Oct 2022 10:00:00 -040041:03nofull23232Dana ThomasCaring & Winning with Lily ColeCaring & Winning with Lily ColeMy guest today on the Green Dream is Lily Cole, British model-turned-environmentalist and author of Who Cares Wins: How to Protect the Planet You Love, an eye-opening book about climate change. Lily began modeling twenty years ago and has been named “Model of the Year” and one of the top 30 models of the 2000s. When Lily was 17, she modeled for a jewelry company that was later accused of exploiting local Bushmen with its diamond mining practices. Lily traveled to Botswana to understand the situation, and she was so moved by what she saw, she helped the Bushmen export their own jewelry and keep the profits. This was her first campaign to help the planet and humanity, and it put her on the path toward activism. Since then, she has woven together her modeling and climate awareness work. Following the publication of her book, Lily launched a podcast of her own, also called Who Cares Wins. On it, she discusses climate solutions with guests such as Chelsea Clinton, David Attenborough, and Elon Musk. I heard Lily speak at the TED Countdown Summit in Edinburgh last year, during a dinner she hosted at the botanical gardens for conference attendees, and was truly moved by her passion for climate reforms. I think you will be too.


]]>My guest today on the Green Dream is Lily Cole, British model-turned-environmentalist and author of Who Cares Wins: How to Protect the Planet You Love, an eye-opening book about climate change. Lily began modeling twenty years ago and has been named “Model of the Year” and one of the top 30 models of the 2000s. When Lily was 17, she modeled for a jewelry company that was later accused of exploiting local Bushmen with its diamond mining practices. Lily traveled to Botswana to understand the situation, and she was so moved by what she saw, she helped the Bushmen export their own jewelry and keep the profits. This was her first campaign to help the planet and humanity, and it put her on the path toward activism. Since then, she has woven together her modeling and climate awareness work. Following the publication of her book, Lily launched a podcast of her own, also called Who Cares Wins. On it, she discusses climate solutions with guests such as Chelsea Clinton, David Attenborough, and Elon Musk. I heard Lily speak at the TED Countdown Summit in Edinburgh last year, during a dinner she hosted at the botanical gardens for conference attendees, and was truly moved by her passion for climate reforms. I think you will be too.


]]>79b9f9d1-2069-493e-9dc0-3b80ebaad193Tue, 04 Oct 2022 11:15:00 -040049:44nofull22222Dana ThomasPre-loved with Cameron SilverPre-loved with Cameron SilverToday I’m in conversation with an old friend, King of Vintage Couture Cameron Silver, the founder and owner of Decades, a top vintage couture boutique in West Hollywood, California. Born and raised in Beverly Hills, Cameron has great flair, and seems to know everyone who’s anyone. As he writes in Decades: A Century in Fashion, his gorgeous coffee table book published in 2012 by Bloomsbury, he embarked “on a career as a purveyor of only the finest pre-worn clothing.” In 1997, he opened Decades in a 1926 Art Deco building on Melrose Avenue. “I had no experience managing a business, and no real education in fashion, other than as a consumer,” Cameron wrote in his book. “But I knew that I wanted to introduce a new world of customers to vintage. Before purchasing any single piece, I would always ask myself, ‘Is it modern?’” If you go in his store, or take a look on his e-tailing site DecadesInc.com, you’ll see the answer is always yes. I’m thrilled to have him on the program today.


]]>Today I’m in conversation with an old friend, King of Vintage Couture Cameron Silver, the founder and owner of Decades, a top vintage couture boutique in West Hollywood, California. Born and raised in Beverly Hills, Cameron has great flair, and seems to know everyone who’s anyone. As he writes in Decades: A Century in Fashion, his gorgeous coffee table book published in 2012 by Bloomsbury, he embarked “on a career as a purveyor of only the finest pre-worn clothing.” In 1997, he opened Decades in a 1926 Art Deco building on Melrose Avenue. “I had no experience managing a business, and no real education in fashion, other than as a consumer,” Cameron wrote in his book. “But I knew that I wanted to introduce a new world of customers to vintage. Before purchasing any single piece, I would always ask myself, ‘Is it modern?’” If you go in his store, or take a look on his e-tailing site DecadesInc.com, you’ll see the answer is always yes. I’m thrilled to have him on the program today.


]]>b48eaa65-0150-44cd-b0f6-3ac0eea3900aTue, 20 Sep 2022 09:15:00 -040042:35nofull21212Dana ThomasTransformation & Evolution with Willow DefebaughTransformation & Evolution with Willow DefebaughMy guest today is Willow Defebaugh, the editor-in-chief of Atmos, a luxurious biannual magazine and engaging website dedicated to the intersection of climate and culture. Atmos features interviews of leading voices in the climate movement and beautiful photography and art portfolios that make the subject not only approachable, but understandable. As many of my guests say, radical change is necessary if we are going to slow down climate change, and we all know change is hard. But as a trans woman, Defebaugh understands keenly what it takes to embrace profound change, and she believes that as a society, as a community, we can absolutely do it.

Today, we’ll talk about all of it: climate, culture, consumerism, and how nature was an inspiration and a guide for her transition. As she has said, “Trans-ness is the ultimate embodiment of nature, because nature is a force of transformation and evolution.”


]]>My guest today is Willow Defebaugh, the editor-in-chief of Atmos, a luxurious biannual magazine and engaging website dedicated to the intersection of climate and culture. Atmos features interviews of leading voices in the climate movement and beautiful photography and art portfolios that make the subject not only approachable, but understandable. As many of my guests say, radical change is necessary if we are going to slow down climate change, and we all know change is hard. But as a trans woman, Defebaugh understands keenly what it takes to embrace profound change, and she believes that as a society, as a community, we can absolutely do it.

Today, we’ll talk about all of it: climate, culture, consumerism, and how nature was an inspiration and a guide for her transition. As she has said, “Trans-ness is the ultimate embodiment of nature, because nature is a force of transformation and evolution.”


]]>4a17aecb-4699-4bf1-beee-769550d4c141Tue, 19 Jul 2022 08:00:00 -040035:31nofull1101101Dana ThomasGreen Living with Nancy BirtwhistleGreen Living with Nancy BirtwhistleIf you like cakes, baking or English reality TV, then chances are you've seen my guest today, Nancy Birtwhistle. Ever since she won The Great British Bake Off in 2014, she has been writing books on cooking, household hints, and how to live a greener life. Her book, Clean and Green: 101 Hints and Tips For a More Eco-Friendly Home, came out in 2021, and now she’s back with Green Living Made Easy, 101 Eco Tips, Hacks, and Recipes to Save Time and Money, which she calls a massive lifestyle manual. She's not wrong! In the book are all sorts of tips about how to green up your life — which is also the mission of The Green Dream podcast!


]]>If you like cakes, baking or English reality TV, then chances are you've seen my guest today, Nancy Birtwhistle. Ever since she won The Great British Bake Off in 2014, she has been writing books on cooking, household hints, and how to live a greener life. Her book, Clean and Green: 101 Hints and Tips For a More Eco-Friendly Home, came out in 2021, and now she’s back with Green Living Made Easy, 101 Eco Tips, Hacks, and Recipes to Save Time and Money, which she calls a massive lifestyle manual. She's not wrong! In the book are all sorts of tips about how to green up your life — which is also the mission of The Green Dream podcast!


]]>b5da506e-240a-41d6-bb85-21a639166437Tue, 05 Jul 2022 10:00:00 -040034:39nofull19191Dana ThomasFashion Eco-Warrior Katharine HamnettFashion Eco-Warrior Katharine HamnettToday’s guest is British designer Katharine Hamnett, fashion's original eco-warrior and pioneer of sustainable fashion. Decades ago, Hamnett made the decision to shift to more ethical and pro-environmental practices, such as using organic cotton and natural dyes. It was an "unbelievably difficult" process, she says, because her own employees opposed her decision, sometimes secretly replacing her sustainable materials for unsustainable ones. Nevertheless, she has persisted, and eventually, she met her pro-planet and humanitarian goals: her clothes are made as ethically and environmentally responsible as possible. Hamnett, fashion's “Bad Girl with Integrity,” has proved that sustainable fashion is not only possible; it can be profitable.

Also with on this episode: Hannah Elliott, the luxury car writer for Bloomberg Pursuits, and a regular contributor to The Green Dream, tells us about Harley-Davidson's new electric motorcycle, the LiveWire One, which she calls "powerful and stylish."


]]>Today’s guest is British designer Katharine Hamnett, fashion's original eco-warrior and pioneer of sustainable fashion. Decades ago, Hamnett made the decision to shift to more ethical and pro-environmental practices, such as using organic cotton and natural dyes. It was an "unbelievably difficult" process, she says, because her own employees opposed her decision, sometimes secretly replacing her sustainable materials for unsustainable ones. Nevertheless, she has persisted, and eventually, she met her pro-planet and humanitarian goals: her clothes are made as ethically and environmentally responsible as possible. Hamnett, fashion's “Bad Girl with Integrity,” has proved that sustainable fashion is not only possible; it can be profitable.

Also with on this episode: Hannah Elliott, the luxury car writer for Bloomberg Pursuits, and a regular contributor to The Green Dream, tells us about Harley-Davidson's new electric motorcycle, the LiveWire One, which she calls "powerful and stylish."


]]>dcf92490-a2e8-4a97-9985-76cdeccd0a95Tue, 21 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -040040:43nofull18181Dana ThomasFashion Reimagined with Amy PowneyFashion Reimagined with Amy PowneyMy guest today is Amy Powney, creative director for the “It-girl” sustainable fashion brand Mother of Pearl in London. Amy is an environmental force in British fashion and speaks often publicly on the importance of sustainability in fashion, and she has transformed Mother of Pearl from a traditional fashion company to one that fully embraces green practices.

In 2021, film director Becky Hutner made “Fashion Reimagined,” a film that follows Powney as she traces Mother of Pearl’s supply chain and discovers a host of environmental and humanitarian issues, including water pollution, deforestation and global warming. Vogue has called Powney: “One of the most clued up designers on the subject of sustainable fashion.” And the Sunday Times in London described her as “a voice for a new generation of designers.”


]]>My guest today is Amy Powney, creative director for the “It-girl” sustainable fashion brand Mother of Pearl in London. Amy is an environmental force in British fashion and speaks often publicly on the importance of sustainability in fashion, and she has transformed Mother of Pearl from a traditional fashion company to one that fully embraces green practices.

In 2021, film director Becky Hutner made “Fashion Reimagined,” a film that follows Powney as she traces Mother of Pearl’s supply chain and discovers a host of environmental and humanitarian issues, including water pollution, deforestation and global warming. Vogue has called Powney: “One of the most clued up designers on the subject of sustainable fashion.” And the Sunday Times in London described her as “a voice for a new generation of designers.”


]]>271f948f-0abb-44f4-8a93-2971b267b4c0Mon, 06 Jun 2022 23:45:00 -040040:43nofull17171Dana ThomasTalking Movies at Cannes with Jacqueline ColeyTalking Movies at Cannes with Jacqueline ColeyIn this special episode of “The Green Dream,” my guest is Jacqueline Coley, film journalist and Awards Editor for Rotten Tomatoes, where she is also the co-host of the “Rotten Tomatoes is Wrong” podcast. In celebration of the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, we discuss movies about inequity and the environment, the last bonafide movie star, Tom Cruise, and efforts to make the festival sustainable. And Jacqueline gives her best advice for how to make your own oat milk. 

Also in this episode, we welcome back Hannah Elliott, luxury car writer for Bloomberg Pursuits, with a review of General Motors new electric Hummer, which she calls "$110,000 worth of armor."


]]>In this special episode of “The Green Dream,” my guest is Jacqueline Coley, film journalist and Awards Editor for Rotten Tomatoes, where she is also the co-host of the “Rotten Tomatoes is Wrong” podcast. In celebration of the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, we discuss movies about inequity and the environment, the last bonafide movie star, Tom Cruise, and efforts to make the festival sustainable. And Jacqueline gives her best advice for how to make your own oat milk. 

Also in this episode, we welcome back Hannah Elliott, luxury car writer for Bloomberg Pursuits, with a review of General Motors new electric Hummer, which she calls "$110,000 worth of armor."


]]>0aeac371-7b25-44a2-8e0e-9f9f20c3cf8fFri, 03 Jun 2022 09:00:00 -040043:04nobonus16161Dana ThomasPraying for Peace: Ukrainian Fashion Designers Ksenia Schnaider & Ivan FrolovPraying for Peace: Ukrainian Fashion Designers Ksenia Schnaider & Ivan FrolovMy guests today are Ksenia Schnaider, co-founder of KSENIASCHNAIDER, a Kyiv-based fashion brand specializing in upcycled denim and creator of the demi-denim design, which has become a favorite of the fashion glitterati at home and abroad; and Ivan Frolov, also a Kyiv-based fashion designer who has dressed the First Lady of Ukraine and other celebrities, and whose brand, FROLOV, now produces uniforms for the Ukrainian military. I’m humbled to welcome Ksenia and Ivan as guests this week, as we approach three months since Russia invaded Ukraine.


]]>My guests today are Ksenia Schnaider, co-founder of KSENIASCHNAIDER, a Kyiv-based fashion brand specializing in upcycled denim and creator of the demi-denim design, which has become a favorite of the fashion glitterati at home and abroad; and Ivan Frolov, also a Kyiv-based fashion designer who has dressed the First Lady of Ukraine and other celebrities, and whose brand, FROLOV, now produces uniforms for the Ukrainian military. I’m humbled to welcome Ksenia and Ivan as guests this week, as we approach three months since Russia invaded Ukraine.


]]>9a6d6d62-b5a4-412f-b481-f7676480c6cdTue, 17 May 2022 00:00:00 -040042:39nofull15151Dana ThomasFree Wheelin’ with Hannah ElliottFree Wheelin’ with Hannah ElliottMy guest today is Hannah Elliott, the automobile writer for Bloomberg Businessweek, based in America’s ultimate driving city, Los Angeles. These days, Hannah finds herself mostly writing about Electric Vehicles, or EVs as they say in the automobile industry. So we talk about that—particularly why they are all so ugly. We also look at what’s going to happen to the vintage car market once cities ban gas-powered automobiles.


]]>My guest today is Hannah Elliott, the automobile writer for Bloomberg Businessweek, based in America’s ultimate driving city, Los Angeles. These days, Hannah finds herself mostly writing about Electric Vehicles, or EVs as they say in the automobile industry. So we talk about that—particularly why they are all so ugly. We also look at what’s going to happen to the vintage car market once cities ban gas-powered automobiles.


]]>7f4dfcd3-a959-4554-9af7-34e5174f533fTue, 03 May 2022 00:00:00 -040032:51nofull14141Dana ThomasFashion Revolution with Raakhi Shah & Kalpona AkterFashion Revolution with Raakhi Shah & Kalpona AkterMy guests today are Raakhi Shah, Chief Executive of The Circle, an NGO founded by British singer-songwriter Annie Lennox, which fights for a fairer world for women and girls, and Kalpona Akter, the leading garment factory activist in Bangladesh and an ambassador to The Circle. I’m so pleased to welcome them as guests during a week that counts both the anniversary of the Rana Plaza tragedy, and Earth Day. We also welcome respected novelist and literary critic Hermioine Hoby, with her first book review for The Green Dream Podcast: Rebecca Solnit's book, "Orwell's Roses." 


]]>My guests today are Raakhi Shah, Chief Executive of The Circle, an NGO founded by British singer-songwriter Annie Lennox, which fights for a fairer world for women and girls, and Kalpona Akter, the leading garment factory activist in Bangladesh and an ambassador to The Circle. I’m so pleased to welcome them as guests during a week that counts both the anniversary of the Rana Plaza tragedy, and Earth Day. We also welcome respected novelist and literary critic Hermioine Hoby, with her first book review for The Green Dream Podcast: Rebecca Solnit's book, "Orwell's Roses." 


]]>5090e3e9-e2dd-4a44-bcc9-17cfe1b86fd6Tue, 19 Apr 2022 10:20:00 -040048:15nofull13131Dana ThomasBurning with Eva OrnerBurning with Eva OrnerMy guest today is Academy and Emmy Award-winning documentary producer and filmmaker Eva Orner. She talks with me about her latest movie, Burning, an unflinching look at the Black Summer, the epic Australian bushfires of 2019 and 2020 that torched 50 million acres of land, destroyed countless homes, and killed hundreds of thousands of animals, including 60,000 koalas.


]]>My guest today is Academy and Emmy Award-winning documentary producer and filmmaker Eva Orner. She talks with me about her latest movie, Burning, an unflinching look at the Black Summer, the epic Australian bushfires of 2019 and 2020 that torched 50 million acres of land, destroyed countless homes, and killed hundreds of thousands of animals, including 60,000 koalas.


]]>291ab61b-c6e9-45a9-8785-dd3e8c35fdd0Tue, 05 Apr 2022 06:00:00 -040027:50nofull12121Dana ThomasHere We Are with Oliver JeffersHere We Are with Oliver JeffersThe wonderful Oliver Jeffers kicks off our first episode. Jeffers is a children’s author and illustrator, and I know you’ll enjoy hearing his thoughts as much as I did. But before we get to my conversation with him, I wanted to first share a little about myself so that you could understand a bit more about who I am and why I decided to create a new podcast, The Green Dream.


]]>The wonderful Oliver Jeffers kicks off our first episode. Jeffers is a children’s author and illustrator, and I know you’ll enjoy hearing his thoughts as much as I did. But before we get to my conversation with him, I wanted to first share a little about myself so that you could understand a bit more about who I am and why I decided to create a new podcast, The Green Dream.


]]>3dae811e-fc70-4ee5-abd5-2f81b11af37dFri, 25 Mar 2022 06:15:00 -040043:52nofull11111Dana ThomasThe Green Dream with Dana Thomas: Coming Soon!The Green Dream with Dana Thomas: Coming Soon!The Green Dream with Dana Thomas is a weekly magazine about how to "green-up" your life. A New York Times bestselling author and leading voice in the climate movement, Thomas welcomes experts, creators, and changemakers from politics to fashion for dynamic conversations on all things sustainable. Episodes will close with reviews by respected critics of the latest books, films, music, and more that in some way explore humanity and the planet.

The Green Dream is the Podcast of Hope. Every Tuesday. More at https://wondercast.studio

]]>The Green Dream with Dana Thomas is a weekly magazine about how to "green-up" your life. A New York Times bestselling author and leading voice in the climate movement, Thomas welcomes experts, creators, and changemakers from politics to fashion for dynamic conversations on all things sustainable. Episodes will close with reviews by respected critics of the latest books, films, music, and more that in some way explore humanity and the planet.

The Green Dream is the Podcast of Hope. Every Tuesday. More at https://wondercast.studio

]]>8ac053e6-ed07-464d-9e91-828e2841d8c4Thu, 17 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -040001:01notrailerDana ThomasComing Soon! The Green Dream with Dana ThomasComing Soon! The Green Dream with Dana ThomasThe Green Dream with Dana Thomas is a weekly magazine about how to "green-up" your life. A New York Times bestselling author and leading voice in the climate movement, Thomas welcomes experts, creators, and changemakers from politics to fashion for dynamic conversations on all things sustainable. Episodes will close with reviews by respected critics of the latest books, films, music, and more that in some way explore humanity and the planet.

The Green Dream is the Podcast of Hope. Every Tuesday. More at https://wondercast.studio

]]>The Green Dream with Dana Thomas is a weekly magazine about how to "green-up" your life. A New York Times bestselling author and leading voice in the climate movement, Thomas welcomes experts, creators, and changemakers from politics to fashion for dynamic conversations on all things sustainable. Episodes will close with reviews by respected critics of the latest books, films, music, and more that in some way explore humanity and the planet.

The Green Dream is the Podcast of Hope. Every Tuesday. More at https://wondercast.studio

]]>2f00b84f-8ac5-476c-9de5-3157150ff7acMon, 31 Jan 2022 10:45:00 -040000:31notrailerDana Thomas