Project Sustainability

Stephanie Szkolnicki, owner, Southern Garden Solutions, and Peggy Smedley talk about building pollinator gardens. She says a pollinator garden is a garden designed with plants that provide food and shelter to our pollinators like bees, wasps, butterflies, moths, and more, which helps our edible gardens as well.

They also discuss:

• Why a pollinator garden matters.
• How to start a pollinator garden.
• How can we maintain a pollinator garden—keeping HOAs and neighbors in mind.

southerngardensol.com 

(3/13/24 - 88)

IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, blockchain, sustainability, future of work, podcast, Stephanie Szkolnicki, Southern Garden Solutions

Stephanie Szkolnicki, owner, Southern Garden Solutions, and Peggy talk about the power of resilience and growing your own food. She explains the biggest trends surrounding growing fresh vegetables and what is driving these trends.

They also discuss:

• The biggest benefits of having your own garden.
• The mindset change that comes along with it.
• How to encourage people who do not have a green thumb.

www.southerngardensol.com 

(3/6/24 - 87)

IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, blockchain, sustainability, future of work, podcast, Stephanie Szkolnicki, Southern Garden Solutions

Don Bent, chief operating officer, Oshkosh Defense, and Peggy Smedley talk about resiliency and technology in manufacturing. He explains how Oshkosh Defense uses technology on the assembly line and in the facility.

They also discuss:

• How it uses benchmark data to become more efficient in its layout.
• How robots can automate the line and work alongside people.
• The difference between robots and cobots.

oshkoshdefense.com 

(2/28/24 - 86)

IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, sustainability, future of work, podcast, Don Bent, Oshkosh Defense

Don Bent, chief operating officer, Oshkosh Defense, and Peggy Smedley talk about the power of resilience and sustainability. He talks about how a lot of factories consume a tremendous amount of packaging and packaging materials. 

They also discuss:

• How Oshkosh Defense is approaching packaging in facilities.
• How sustainability is much broader than reduce, reuse, recycle.
• The company’s people-first approach and its social responsibility.

oshkoshdefense.com 

(2/21/24 - 85)

IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, sustainability, future of work, podcast, Don Bent, Oshkosh Defense

Don Bent, chief operating officer, Oshkosh Defense, and Peggy Smedley talk about resiliency and the power of serving the client. He explains how they designed the truck for the U.S. postal service.

They also discuss:

•          How the truck is more sustainable than previous trucks.
•          How the truck is safer for the driver and the community around them.
•          The importance of always looking to improve vehicles.

Don Bent, chief operating officer, Oshkosh Defense, and Peggy Smedley talk about resiliency and the power of employees. He talks about the manufacturing plant in Spartanburg, S.C., and how it is designed to take into consideration the quality of opportunity for employees.

They also discuss:

•          How the plant is ergonomically safe and comfortable for employees.
•          The importance of training workers in order to have a safe workplace.
•          The importance of leadership in creating an engaged team in manufacturing.

https://oshkoshdefense.com

Scott Byrne, director of global sustainability services, Sonoco, and Peggy Smedley talk about how the company is involved in South Carolina communities. He talks about a couple of projects and initiatives in the state that the integrated packaging company is doing.

They also discuss:

•          The importance of consumer education with recycling.
  
  
•          MRF: what it is and what value it provides to communities.
  
  
•          How a South Carolina resident can participate and be involved.

https://www.sonoco.com/na/sustainability

Sheryl Guarniero, executive director, Make Greenville Greener, and Peggy Smedley talk about how to recycle right. She says it is important to focus on recycling and reducing our waste footprint.

They also discuss:

•          Who should be recycling—and what items we should be recycling.
  
  
•         How we can make sure recycling is actually being recycled.
  
  
•       What benefit this will ultimately have.
  
  
  

Make Greenville Greener

Sheryl Guarniero, executive director, Make Greenville Greener, and Peggy Smedley talk about how to make our communities greener. She says recycling specifically is an important focus in the community.

They also discuss:

•         Who is responsible for this.
•          The importance of everyone stepping up.
•          How we can all make a difference and get involved.

Peggy Smedley and Tina Green, VP business development and marketing, Mumford Industries, talk about if there is a right way and a wrong way to recycle. She explains what types of products can be recycled because there is a lot of confusion with recycling.

They also discuss:

•        What we should and shouldn’t be doing in order to be better recyclers.
  
  
•       How we should begin our recycling efforts.
  
  
•        Why recycling is a group effort both at work and at home.

Peggy Smedley and Tina Green, VP business development and marketing, Mumford Industries, talk about recycling in general and how it needs to bleed into everything we do. She says what we do at home has to be inspired by what we do at work and at school and vice versa.

They also discuss:

• What we should consider with consumption and reuse.
• The disconnect between recycling at home and at work.
• The importance of education surrounding recycling resources.

mumfordindustries.com 

yourbottlemeansjobs.com 

Recycle Here SC 

(12/20/23 - 78)

IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, blockchain, sustainability, future of work, podcast, Tina Green, Mumford Industries

Peggy Smedley and Wes Westbrooks, chair, Recycling Market Development Advisory Council of South Carolina, expand on the “myth” surrounding recycling. He says that myth is that all things that go into a container that is segregated comes out the back end and it is all comingled.

They also discuss:

• What recycling does for the economy and the environment.
• How to change the culture around recycling.
• Where to start in your own home.

recyclinginsc.com 

(12/13/23 - 77)

IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, blockchain, sustainability, future of work, podcast, Wes Westbrooks, Recycling Market Development Advisory Council of South Carolina, worker of tomorrow

Peggy Smedley and Wes Westbrooks, chair, Recycling Market Development Advisory Council of South Carolina, talk about the state of recycling in South Carolina. He says recycling has been one of the biggest drivers in the state—and they have been coming up with ways to improve the recycling percentage.

They also discuss:

• What is recycled and what is not recycled—and why.
• What the state is doing to be a champion of recycling as compared to other states.
• What has impressed him the most about recycling efforts so far.

recyclinginsc.com 

(12/6/23 - 76)

IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, blockchain, sustainability, future of work, podcast, Wes Westbrooks, Recycling Market Development Advisory Council of South Carolina, worker of tomorrow

Peggy Smedley and Pete Evans, assistant professor, Iowa State University, talk about the future of work and if it will be driven by certain technologies. He says we need to recognize that things have to change as things change in time and it isn’t just the tools, it is how we think about employing the tools and how we solve the problems using these new capabilities.

They also discuss:

• STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and how we have lost something in changing modern education.
• The importance of letting kids tinker and discover.
• A new curriculum that is wrapping around additive construction manufacturing space.

extension.iastate.edu/4h/flex-forward-learning-experience

(10/25/23 - 75)

IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, blockchain, sustainability, future of work, podcast, Pete Evans, Iowa State University

Peggy Smedley and Pete Evans, assistant professor, Iowa State University, talk about the worker of tomorrow and how to inspire and equip the next generation. He says we try to instill with the students an idea of how to think about the world. 

They also discuss:

• The scientific method and the four Cs: creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and complex communication.
• How many workers are worried that automation is putting their jobs at risk and how many workers are ready to learn new skills.
• Who the worker of tomorrow is and the age of augmentation.

extension.iastate.edu/4h/flex-forward-learning-experience 

(10/18/23 - 74)

IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, blockchain, sustainability, future of work, podcast, Pete Evans, Iowa State University, worker of tomorrow

Peggy Smedley and Pete Evans, assistant professor, Iowa State University, talk about some of the top technologies today. He digs into how he works with the kids, saying the FLEx (Forward Learning Experience) program focuses on how do we see things and how do we make things.

They also discuss:

• Seeing: Introducing kids to virtual reality and providing them an experience they may not have otherwise.
• Making: Additive manufacturing and the rise of 3D printers.
• The importance of agency and making an impact in the world.

extension.iastate.edu/4h/flex-forward-learning-experience 

(10/11/23 - 73)

IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, blockchain, sustainability, future of work, podcast, Pete Evans, Iowa State University, worker of tomorrow

Peggy Smedley and Pete Evans, assistant professor, Iowa State University, talk about getting young minds to think in a more innovative way. He says he is a recovering architect and has a desire to help to impact the world in the built environment and how it matches to the natural world, as well as impacting students for a vision of a better tomorrow.

They also discuss:

• FLEx (Forward Learning Experience), which is a mobile learning program.
• The four Cs that are universal constructs, which are important for innovation, technology, and STEM.
• Why this is so important at this moment in time.

design.iastate.edu/research-outreach/k-12-opportunities 

(10/4/23 - 72)

IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, blockchain, sustainability, future of work, podcast, Pete Evans, Iowa State University, worker of tomorrow

Peggy Smedley and Kirstin Dow, professor, Dept. of Geography at University of South Carolina, talk about how heat mapping might improve urban planning. She says our cities are working in so many different ways to be more livable and healthier spaces.

They also discuss:

• Building new greenways and bicycle paths in Columbia, S.C.
• How new heat mapping is and the city that got the first heat resilience officer.
• The benefits that heat models will provide.

heat.gov 

(9/27/23 - 71)

IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, blockchain, sustainability, future of work, podcast, Kirstin Dow, University of South Carolina, urban planning, worker of tomorrow

Peggy Smedley and Kirstin Dow, professor, Dept. of Geography at University of South Carolina, talk about how heat mapping might improve work. She talks about how heat mapping can help begin with work strategies and thinking about exposure over the long term at work.

They also discuss:

• How to avoid accidents in extreme temperatures.
• How heat mapping can prevent illness or death.
• The importance of knowledge and data in understanding.

heat.gov

(9/20/23 - 70)

IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, blockchain, sustainability, future of work, podcast, Kirstin Dow, University of South Carolina, Worker of Tomorrrow

Peggy Smedley and Kirstin Dow, professor, Dept. of Geography at University of South Carolina, talk about how heat mapping might help improve health. She says heat is the one hazard our cities have done the least planning around.

They also discuss:

• How heat mapping can impact the livability of cities.
• The variables that change our overall exposure to heat.
• How machine learning will come into play to provide a better way.

heat.gov 

(9/13/23 - 69)

IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, blockchain, sustainability, future of work, podcast, Kirstin Dow, University of South Carolina, heat mapping, health, Worker of tomorrow