Growing up in South Africa, Tricia’s deep connection to wildlife sparked a lifelong mission to protect animals and foster a more compassionate world. In this episode, she delves into World Animal Protection’s mission to revolutionize the global food system—making it more humane and sustainable—while confronting the cruel exploitation of wild animals in tourism, fashion, the pet trade, and traditional medicine.

Explore the hidden dangers of wildlife farming, from biodiversity loss to serious public health threats, and discover how World Animal Protection is driving meaningful change on a global scale. Learn how Tricia and her team are working with governments to establish lasting wildlife protection policies and find out how your everyday choices can help create a better future for animals, the environment, and humanity.

Join us for an engaging and inspiring conversation with Tricia Croasdell, Global CEO of World Animal Protection.

Growing up in South Africa, Tricia’s deep connection to wildlife sparked a lifelong mission to protect animals and foster a more compassionate world. In this episode, she delves into World Animal Protection’s mission to revolutionize the global food system—making it more humane and sustainable—while confronting the cruel exploitation of wild animals in tourism, fashion, the pet trade, and traditional medicine.

Dr. Elliot Swartz, Principal Scientist specializing in Cultivated Meat at The Good Food Institute, and Erin McCann discuss the current state of animal agriculture, what we mean by cultivated meat, how it differs from conventional meat, and the profound benefits of replacing conventional meat with cultivated alternatives for consumers, manufacturers, animals, and the planet.

Discover how alternative seafood reduces health risks, improves efficiency, production, and the supply chain, and why these breakthroughs hold tremendous promise for marine ecosystems, human health, and sustainability. Gain insights into opportunities and challenges facing the cultivated meat industry, the role of open-access research, how various stakeholders can support this transformative field, and more.

Ashley Hartman, Managing Partner at Bluestein Ventures, discusses how they're transforming the $4 trillion food industry through strategic investments that prioritize nutrition, sustainability, and digital innovation. Erin and Ashley dive into Bluestein's forward-thinking strategy, from partnering with startups to navigating the complexities of the food supply chain and driving meaningful growth. Gain insights into the latest trends in plant-based foods, alternative proteins, and the crucial role of technology in addressing America's health crisis. Whether you're an entrepreneur, investor, or simply passionate about the future of food, this episode is brimming with transformative ideas and actionable insights.

In honor of World Pet Memorial Day, Erin McCann shares some ways to support yourself while grieving the loss of your pet. Research shows losing a pets can be just as if not more difficult than losing a person. While there are several complexities to why grieving the loss of a pet is so challenging. One significant factor is that it can feel less socially acceptable to grieve pets openly, because many people don't fully understand or appreciate this grief experience. As a result, taking care of yourself is essential. For Erin, grieving the loss of animals has been among the most painful experiences of her life. Here's some ways to support yourself during your grieving process based on her experiences.

As we transition into Fall 2024, I wanted to share a selection of books that have had a profound impact on me this past year. Embracing diverse voices, perspectives, and sources, I've curated this list to include works that have challenged my thinking, sparked introspection, and left a lasting impression, despite me not necessarily aligning with all their content. It's important to note that this compilation is not exhaustive and encompasses books I've revisited, partially explored, or delved into for the first time throughout the year.

Continuing the celebration of Disability Pride Month, diversity, and creativity, I'm excited to share more movies, shows, and series that have resonated with me. I believe we need to separate art from artist and recognize creative works regardless of how we feel about an artist's actions. This list continues to be a work in progress, and I look forward to adding to this collection.

Delve into the intersection of animal welfare, sustainability, and cutting-edge technology in farming with Dr. Fritha Langford and Erin McCann to explore the transformative role of AI in analyzing data to enhance animal welfare and detect health issues in both farmed and companion animals.

Our conversation covers a range of topics including: the potential of gene editing in the poultry industry to combat avian influenza and improve resilience to climate change, along with the associated benefits and drawbacks, how AI and machine learning can revolutionize the detection of lameness in cows and facilitate early disease detection and behavioral intervention in pets, and a compelling case study on postoperative cat care in Malaysia, highlighting challenges and actionable insights for veterinary clinics.

Join us as we delve into pressing sustainability and animal welfare issues with Dr. Fritha Langford, a senior lecturer at Newcastle University in the UK. With 25 years of expertise in farm animal welfare, Dr. Langford offers unique perspectives to our discussion.

In this discussion, we explore sustainability, climate change, and animal welfare and improving animal welfare in farming through new technologies like cellular agriculture and gene editing. We discuss the potential benefits, risks, and ethical questions regarding gene editing in farmed animals, including gene editing in pigs to resist disease.

Continuing the celebration of Pride Month and appreciation for diverse works, I wanted to share some songs that have resonated with me. These songs stand out for their lyrics, arrangements, connection to films, and more. I believe in appreciating art regardless of the artist's personal actions, focusing on works that strike a chord with me. This list is not exhaustive, as there are many more impactful works beyond what I can feature here. While the playlist on this page shows the first 100 songs, the total playlist includes over 250 songs and is organized by tempo or revolutions per minute (RPM) to offer options for a progression run, walking, strength, and stretching.