Care More Be Better: A Podcast For Sustainable Social Impact and Regeneration

Almost every conversation about AI is about power — what it can do, what jobs it will replace, and who it will enrich. Almost no one is asking what it would mean to bring care to this technology. In this solo episode of Care More Be Better, host Corinna Bellizzi, PhD, draws on Carol Gilligan's ethics of care, her own doctoral research into regenerative enterprise, and her personal experience using Claude and ChatGPT in dissertation research to make the case that AI can be an amplifier of care — but only with intention, transparency, and accountability. She covers the copyright settlement Anth...

Many social change organizations struggle to bridge the gap between the values displayed on their office walls and the actual practices in their daily operations. Achieving true values alignment requires navigating deep humanity, conflict, and the inevitable shame that arises during transitional periods. In this episode, host Corinna Bellizzi sits down with Genevieve Smith, an organizational effectiveness consultant and founder of GV Advisory. Genevieve shares her unique approach as a "professional bummer" who facilitates difficult but necessary conversations around power sharing, organizational grief, and leadership transitions. She explains how drawing inspiration from preschool classrooms and using tools like the...

This bonus episode revisits Corinna's Nutrition Without Compromise conversation with Chef Babette Davis, who was interviewed on Care More Be Better as Episode 174 in February 2024, roughly 6 months after this BONUS episode was originally recorded and shared on Nutrition Without Compromise. In this episode, they discuss:

The federal government plans to kill 450,000 barred owls over 30 years to protect the northern spotted owl — while simultaneously narrowing the definition of harm under the Endangered Species Act to allow old-growth forest logging that will destroy the spotted owl's habitat.

Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for Humane Economy, joins Corinna Bellizzi to expose the timber industry logic behind both moves. Together, they explain what's happening to wild horses and wolves on America's public lands, and share what 35 years of animal protection work has taught Wayne about how a slippery slope can lead to...

For decades, large corporations have privatized their massive profits while quietly shifting environmental, social, and health costs onto the public. Unpacking these systemic costs is central to the discussion in The Profiteers, which diagnoses how business practices impact society at large. In this episode, host Corinna Bellizzi speaks with Christopher Marquis, Professor of Chinese Management at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School and author of Better Business, to analyze the hidden mechanics of corporate externalities. From plastics lobbying and regulatory co-optation to visionary models of regenerative agriculture and foundation ownership, they explore why exposing systemic corporate abuse is th...

More than 1.3 million children in the United States are unsheltered — and for many of them, a pair of new athletic shoes is not a given but a barrier, to school attendance, to sports participation, to the simple feeling of belonging. Amy Fass, Executive Director of Shoes That Fit, joins Care More Be Better as the domestic companion to the earlier Because International conversation, bringing the lens of childhood shoe insecurity home. She and host Corinna Bellizzi explore what new shoes actually do for a child's self-esteem, the stories of children transformed by something as simple as a name-brand sneaker, th...

Do you know that your body possesses its own innate repair system through the power of regenerative medicine? Stem cell scientist and neurophysiologist Christian Drapeau, MSc joins the show to explore this fascinating topic and how ancient plants can support your body's natural ability to heal. Christian, who is the founder of the supplement company Stemregen and author of the book Cracking the Stem Cell Code, shares his groundbreaking research on how specific plant extracts can naturally stimulate the release of your own stem cells. We explore the paradigm shift in longevity science and how optimizing your innate repair sys...

Zach and Jason Francis have spent their careers proving that doing more with less is not a constraint — it's a philosophy — from a nine-month sailing trip from San Diego to Australia to building tiny homes on HGTV's Tiny Luxury to Willo, an AI platform that takes a business idea from concept to live website in under ten minutes. The brothers join Care More Be Better to share what 21 days at sea taught them about complexity, why ideas die in spreadsheets, how AI agents work like bees in a hive, and how to use AI as a tool that empowers rath...

This is a bonus episode. Back on Juneteenth, we shared Episode 1 of Angela Glover Blackwell's Reimagining Democracy for a Good Life. Last Wednesday, you heard our full conversation with Angela. Today, we're closing that loop with Chapter 6, the final episode of Season 1: Hope Is a Discipline. Angela and choreographer Ana Maria Alvarez explore how art moves a place, and a country, from resistance to creation, with stops along the way for joy, honest pushback on whether LA is really "the model," and a reminder from Mariame Kaba that hope has to be practiced, not just felt. Season 2, focused on...

Are you tired of feeling helpless about our growing global garbage crisis? Host Corinna Bellizzi sits down with Tom Szaky, the visionary founder and CEO of TerraCycle and Loop, to discuss why we must start Rethinking Waste. Szaky explains how his companies are transforming hard-to-recycle items, like cigarette butts and dirty diapers, into valuable resources. They unpack how the modern concept of disposability has failed us and why a circular economy is the target for sustainable social impact. You'll discover how the chess pieces of business and policy must align to drive scalable, real-world change. This eye-opening discussion will...

Democracy isn't just something we vote for once every few years, it's something we build together, in our neighborhoods, city halls, and everyday relationships. Corinna Bellizzi is joined by Angela Glover Blackwell, founder of PolicyLink and host of Reimagining Democracy for a Good Life, who has spent more than 50 years working at the intersection of racial equity, housing, and civic life. Angela reflects on how growing up during segregation shaped her understanding of community and leadership, explains why she defines democracy as "co-governance for human flourishing," and makes the case that America may be ready for a third founding...

The Queen Mothers of Ghana asked Leah Penniman whether it was true that American farmers plant seeds without prayer, song, or gratitude — then said: 'That's why you're all sick. You treat the earth as a commodity, not as a living relative.' That one sentence is the heart of this episode. Leah Penniman — Black Kreyol farmer, co-founder of Soul Fire Farm, and author of Farming While Black and the new anthology Black Earth Wisdom — joins Care More Be Better to explore George Washington Carver as the forgotten godfather of regenerative agriculture, the shared root of human supremacy and White suprem...

At twenty, Inna Segal was told by her chiropractor that there was nothing he could do to help her — and went home to discover that her chronic back pain, psoriasis, and digestive issues were rooted in ancestral trauma her body had been holding for decades. The author of The Secret Language of Your Body, sold over a million copies in 27 languages, joins Care More Be Better for one of the show's most personal conversations. Host Corinna Bellizzi shares her own experience warding off a migraine through breath and intention on graduation morning, her childhood ability to detect cancer by sm...

The planet’s temperature continues to warm up every year, and one of the biggest contributors to this is gas-powered vehicles. Timothy Seward, a lifelong tinkerer and moped enthusiast, wants to change this worrisome situation through his groundbreaking electric motorbike at ONYX Motors. He joins Corinna Bellizzi to share how he combines cyberpunk aesthetics with high-performance utility to create environmentally friendly vehicles that could last for many years. He also talks about the role of a breakout Indiegogo campaign and highly personal community building to develop an engaging riding experience while prioritizing cost-efficiency and sustainability.

COMPLETE BLOG & TR...

Chris Kilham — the Medicine Hunter, author of fifteen books, and a man the New York Times once called "part David Attenborough, part Indiana Jones" — returns to Care More Be Better for a third time to go deep into the vine. With 65 shamans and twelve years of ceremony across the Amazon behind him, Chris and host Corinna Bellizzi explore the line between authentic plant medicine and cultural appropriation, the shared visions that gave ayahuasca its old name Telepathine, the three enduring camps of psychedelic culture, and where to actually find a trustworthy ceremony.

Complete blog with transcript: https://care...

In honor of Juneteenth, we're sharing something special: the opening chapter of Reimagining Democracy for a Good Life, the podcast hosted by legendary equity advocate Angela Glover Blackwell, founder in residence of PolicyLink. In "Democracy Dreaming," Angela takes us to Los Angeles, a city she didn't expect to become a hopeful case study in multiracial democracy, and shows us why it might be exactly that. Featuring voices from LA Mayor Karen Bass, economist Manuel Pastor, Community Coalition CEO Alberto Retana, young housing organizer Tiffany Benitez, advocate Denise Fairchild, and the poetry of Chinaka Hodge, this episode reframes democracy not...

In 2007, Kenton Lee watched a girl in Kenya walk to church in shoes so small she had cut open the front to let her toes stick out — and wrote an idea in his journal that would take six years and every shoe company's rejection before it became real. The Shoe That Grows, an adjustable sandal that expands five sizes and lasts for years, is now worn by more than 500,000 children across 100 countries. Kenton and his longtime friend and CEO Andrew Kroes join Care More Be Better to share what it takes to build something genuinely useful — the feedback loops, the...

In this special re-release of Episode #2, Corinna Bellizzi revisits an early conversation with social change strategist Genevieve Smith that feels remarkably relevant today.

Show Notes: What if the choices we make every day, from the words we use to the conversations we avoid, are shaping the world more than we realize?

Originally recorded during a period of heightened social and political tension, this discussion explores how our values show up in our actions, why "nothing is neutral," and how we can engage in difficult conversations without sacrificing either accountability or compassion.

Genevieve shares...

Can you truly change the world if you haven't first changed yourself? Gerard Powell was a CEO who took two companies public — and was quietly, persistently miserable. His journey from deep personal dissatisfaction and addiction to the discovery of plant medicine led to the founding of Rythmia Life Advancement Center in Costa Rica, the world's first medically licensed ayahuasca retreat. Nearly 24,000 guests later, with a 98.12% self-reported transformational success rate, Gerry joins Care More Be Better to make the case that the most powerful outward impact begins with the courageous work of inner transformation.

He and host Corinna Be...

The housing market right now is extremely competitive, and homelessness continues to be rampant across the country. Further amplified by economic constraints and the disparity of wealth, more and more people are finding themselves unhoused and living on the streets. Corinna Bellizzi takes a deep dive into how Americans struggle with this harsh reality with Andrew J. Gregor, a novelist and essayist. He talks about his upcoming book Roscoe, which focuses on homelessness and the speed at which stability can disappear. Andrew also explains what you can do to reach out to homeless people, or those living on the m...

What if healing our communities begins with healing our relationship to the land? Welcome, regenerators, to a powerful conversation on sustainability, justice, and regenerative living with Minkah Taharkah. As an environmental scientist, community advocate, and leader with B Healthy B Holistic Consultation, the California Farmer Justice Collaborative, and The Butterfly Movement, Minkah is helping reimagine our relationship with land, food, and each other.

Today, she explains how the Earth serves as the common thread in her work—from sustainable fashion to land justice advocacy—and how the CFJC pushes for equity for BIPOC farmers and socially disadvantaged ranch...

The world is more divided now than ever. Hard conversations are even harder to get into these days, and it is quite easy to get hostile to people who are not on your side. Corinna Bellizzi explores what it takes to heal these huge divides in society with Corey Nathan, host and producer of Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other. Together, they discuss how to get centered with our values, ethics, and unique humanness to bridge the chasms in our political and religious spaces. Corey explains what it means to harden yourself in this age when fear-mongering and ly...

Something different this week: host Corinna Bellizzi appears as a guest on The Forever Young Radio Show, hosted by her longtime colleague Kelly Cappasola. In this wide-ranging conversation, Corinna shares the science behind her pivot from fish oil to algae omega-3s, why farmed fish are now higher in omega-6 than omega-3, how to get your omega-3 levels tested for $50, and the five natural products brands at the center of her PhD dissertation research at Prescott College. She introduces what she calls the "regenerative renegades" — purpose-driven companies that do it right not because it's fashionable, but because it's the on...

Most nonprofits live inside a glossy annual report — one that looks perfect, tells a tidy story, and tells the funder exactly what they want to hear. The problem, according to Stephen Minix, is that this kind of reporting is not learning. It is validation. And validation, he argues, is quietly doing harm.

Stephen is Vice President of Community at UpMetrics, a former PE teacher, athletic director, and basketball coach at Locke High School in Watts, and one of the clearest thinkers I have encountered on why the nonprofit-funder relationship keeps failing — and what a genuinely regenerative alternative look...

Most companies aren't trying to greenwash. They're trying to put their best foot forward — and that's exactly where they go wrong.

Helen Neal, founder of HN Communications and creator of the IMPACT framework, has spent over a decade helping major organizations including Bosch, Heineken, and Aston Martin close the gap between what they say and what they actually do on sustainability. In this episode, she joins Corinna Bellizzi to unpack why corporate sustainability communication keeps failing — and what radical honesty, strategic storytelling, and the right AI tools can do to change that.

They explore the diff...

History has shown that authoritarian regimes can be toppled and social injustices can be eliminated if the public participates even in just one peaceful but powerful protest. But despite their noble goals, activism is often vilified and protesters are criminalized. Corinna Bellizzi is joined by Annie Leonard and André Carothers, two powerful souls who have spent their careers at the frontlines of activism. Together, they discuss why the public should never give up their right to protest, which is an essential “weapon” to voice out woes to those in power when all legal avenues of democracy have been exhausted. They...

In this audio podcast review, you'll hear directly from our host, Corinna Bellizzi. She shares her perspective candidly - that Patagonia Books has a gift for platforming the voices our moment most needs. In her view, Protest: Respect It, Defend It, Use It may be their most urgent title yet. The authors, Annie Leonard and André Carothers, walk us from the Boston Tea Party to Standing Rock to the protests unfolding today — weaving in first-person essays from Jane Fonda, Nemonte Nenquimo, and others who put everything on the line — to make a case that is both historically grounded and immed...

As wars continue to rage in different parts of the world, particularly between Israel and Palestine, achieving peace seems to be an impossibility. But despite the chaotic situations across the globe, there is always some way to push for a peaceful agenda – even if the main weapon is only regenerative food. Adam Hiner, co-founder of PACHA, returns to share how their business scaling efforts have transformed into using food as a force to promote peace. He joins Corinna Bellizzi to talk about his Palestinian heritage, particularly how it has influenced PACHA’s mission to continue elevating agriculture practices and forg...

The climate crisis continues to lead to more powerful and life-threatening typhoons and hurricanes. These climate-driven disasters are exposing safety issues with our housing system and putting many people’s lives at risk. Corinna Bellizzi sits down with George Siegal, a documentary filmmaker and former TV journalist, who sheds light on the systemic failures that make homes unsafe while blatantly ignoring the harsh realities we live in today. He discusses what it takes to build homes that are disaster resilient and can last for many years, as well as the true costs of constructing such residential buildings. George also ex...

Coming up with climate solutions, no matter how beneficial or positive they may be for the greater good, has become so polarized. What does it take to bring people from both sides together and develop efforts that could satisfy everyone? Corinna Bellizzi chats with someone who is doing exactly that: Peter Simek, CEO of EarthX. He shares the hard work needed to unite leaders across businesses, policies, and industries to vastly accelerate solutions for a sustainable future. Peter also discusses the benefits of aligning bottom-line economic incentives with positive outcomes, the ideal way to scale sustainable projects, and the...

As the world gets hotter and drier due to the ever-worsening climate crisis, fires also grow larger, become more aggressive, and are much harder to suppress. Corinna Bellizzi unveils a smarter fire defense method to modernize emergency response with Sunny Sethi, Founder and CEO of HEN Technologies. Sunny presents how they leverage AI, IoT, and advanced fluid dynamics to create physics-informed neural networks that serve as the world’s first end-to-end fire suppression ecosystem. They discuss how this innovative tool allows for faster, more comprehensive, and more targeted ways to control and get rid of fire, especially environmentally destructive wi...

Our oceans are slowly being destroyed by plastic pollution, and marine debris rapidly increases every year with no end in sight. Corrina Bellizzi takes a deep dive into one of the most visible and urgent environmental challenges of our time with Eric Magers, Founder and Executive Director of Seaside Sustainability. Together, they discuss what must be done to minimize and put an end to plastic pollution, from getting rid of single-use plastic to pushing for legislation centered on environmental preservation. Eric also explains the importance of empowering small-scale projects and pushing young people to drive project-based sustainability initiatives.

Toxic chemicals are found in products we use daily, and they threaten our health every single day. What can we do to keep ourselves safe from these invisible enemies, and who must we hold accountable? Corinna Bellizzi sits down with Vineet Dubey, a co-founding partner of Custodio, who shares his experiences with legal battles against manufacturers who continue to use toxic chemicals and put all of us at risk. Vineet discusses how environmental litigation puts legal pressure on big corporations, as well as the urgent need for federal action against the use of toxic chemicals. He also shares simple...

The climate crisis is not only a technological or policy challenge — it is also a crisis of worldview.

In this powerful conversation, Corinna Bellizzi speaks with Osprey Orielle Lake, founder and executive director of the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN), about how climate justice movements around the world are working to transform our relationship with nature, power, and community.

Osprey’s work bridges grassroots activism, Indigenous leadership, international climate negotiations, and legal innovations like the Rights of Nature movement. Drawing from her book The Story Is in Our Bones: How Worldviews and Climat...

Coffee is the richest source of dietary antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents in the American diet. But behind every cup of coffee is a global story that spans centuries of cultural transformation, health science, and a tangled web of trade ethics. Corinna Bellizzi delves into this topic with Chris Kilhan, medicine hunter and author of The Way of Coffee. Together, they unpack the role of coffee in social transformation, particularly with critical tensions in the coffee trade and the nonstop price increase due to the “coffee shop culture.” Chris also presents potential solutions to solve the biggest problems of the globa...

As human beings, we are built for relationship. Yet many of the leadership models we inherit are hierarchical, extractive, and rooted in struggle. In this conversation, Nina and I explore:

What relational leadership really means

Why empathy, vulnerability, and collaboration are strengths — not weaknesses

How climate justice, racial equity, gender equity, and economic reform are deeply interconnected

Why “solving for pattern” (in the spirit of Wendell Berry) leads to cascading regenerative benefits

The importance of integrating restorative, regenerative rhythms into our leadership and lives

Nina also reflects on red...

Effective altruism is the philosophy of doing the most good by maximizing your time, money, and resources. Corinna Bellizzi dives deep into this concept with JD Bauman, Executive Director of Christians for Impact. Together, they discuss what every person in the world can do to help address today’s biggest social problems, from the climate crisis to global poverty. JD explains what it takes to live an impact-driven life with the willingness to confront the uncomfortable and without reducing morality to mere statistics. He also talks about the mindset and character needed to reach across the aisle, as well as...

Human progress may be beneficial to human society, but it is usually achieved at the cost of the lives of other species. Corinna Bellizzi explores how we interrupt the movement and migration of wild animals with Hillary Rosner, a science journalist, editor, and author. Together, they discuss how human-made fences and borders, the privatization of land, and the displacement of indigenous stewardship hinder countless animals from moving freely from one place to another, leading to their dwindling population. Hillary also explains what it takes to create large-scale solutions to solve this ecological problem, and why it all starts with...

(Originally recorded July 28, 2024 for another podcast Corinna once hosted, Nutrition Without Compromise — shared with permission.)

Aging is often framed as inevitable decline. But what if much of what we call “aging” is actually preventable disease accumulation?

In this essential re-release episode, Corinna Bellizzi sits down with Michael Greger, physician, internationally recognized speaker, and founder of NutritionFacts.org.

Dr. Greger’s latest book, How Not to Age, builds on the groundbreaking work of How Not to Die and How Not to Diet — translating peer-reviewed science into practical guidance for living longer and healthier.

In this...

Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions of sex trafficking, sexual exploitation, and abuse.