For many, a fast internet connection and a working computer are a fact of modern life. But for millions across the globe and right here in the U.S., a lack of digital access and skills is creating a gap that threatens to leave entire communities behind.

Welcome back to The Upsiders. This week, we explore the often-overlooked Digital Divide—a chasm that prevents access to education, employment, healthcare, and civic life for underserved populations.

We highlight the incredible, Unsung Heroes of Digital Inclusion: the organizations fighting on the front lines to ensure technology is a tool for social equity, not a barrier. We look at the innovative models being built by groups like the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA), EveryoneOn, and Human-I-T, who are not only providing affordable devices and internet but are also embedding Digital Navigators into communities for personalized support.

This is the ultimate Upsider story: one of purpose-driven progress. We explore how fixing this divide creates massive positive ripple effects, leading to:

• Increased economic opportunity and better job attainment.
• Stronger community resilience and civic participation.
• A more equitable future for all.

Join us as we examine the powerful strategies—from ethical e-waste recycling to community-driven training—that are ensuring the benefits of technology truly reach every last person.

Show Notes:

National Digital Inclusion Alliance

What is Digital Inclusion | IEEE

Research on vulnerable people and digital inclusion: toward a consolidated taxonomical framework | National Library of Medicine

Everyone On

Human-I-T

Digital Lift

World Literacy Foundation

Educational Equality Institute

Welcome back to The Upsiders. For decades, our consumer culture has been built on a foundation of planned obsolescence, leaving us with a staggering amount of waste and a forgotten skill: the art of repair.

In this episode, we're mending that disconnect. Inspired by John Wackman and Elizabeth Knight’s book, Repair Revolution: Fixing What’s Broken, we dive into the global movement of Repair Cafes. These grassroots initiatives are sparking a reskilling revolution, proving that we can be more than just a society of consumers.

Discover how these community hubs are not only preventing waste but are also building stronger bonds. With a remarkable 70-85% success rate, these cafes are teaching invaluable skills, bridging the partisan divide by bringing people together over a shared mission, and empowering communities to reclaim agency over their belongings. Join us as we explore the 2,000 Repair Cafes across 33 countries and ask: can fixing what’s broken—from a toaster to a torn seam—be the key to a more sustainable and connected future?

SHOW NOTES:

Repair Revolution | John Wackman and Elizabeth Knight

Repair Cafe Movement

Right to Repair | Wikipedia

Repair café offers free fixes for broken items to help limit environmental waste | WRTV Indianapolis

Repair Cafes: Community Solutions for Our Throwaway Consumer Culture | Simply Living

Repair Cafés breathe new life into broken household items, teach people to fix on their own | ABC7 Chicago

At Repair Cafes, ‘Beloved but Broken’ Possessions Find New Life | New York Times

Repair cafes are back after the pandemic, and they're only getting more popular | NPR

What is Radical Hospitality?

Get ready to look to the sky, Upsiders! This is the most excited Los has been about an upside so far. On this special episode, Los and Bertram explore a truly futuristic vision of agriculture that's already taking root and revolutionizing how we get our food: vertical farming. As traditional arable land dwindles at an alarming rate and the global demand for food skyrockets, we dive into how farming upwards is not just efficient, but essential for our future. We'll explore the incredible benefits of vertical farming, from year-round access to fresh produce – like the world's first vertical strawberry farm leveraging AI to perfect peak-season flavor – to its ability to thrive anywhere, even in urban centers typically far from farmland. Discover how companies like Eden Green and Dream Harvest are innovating in this space, even offering fun, carbon-negative blends.

But it's not all sunshine and hydroponics; we also tackle the challenges, including the energy demands of artificial lighting and climate control, and how ongoing research aims to overcome these hurdles. Plus, we uncover a surprising solution to the problem of empty office buildings: transforming them into bustling vertical farms, solving two urban challenges at once. Tune in to see why vertical farming is truly on the up-and-up!

Show Notes:

Vertical Strawberry Farm in Virginia Uses AI to Create Maximum Berries With Peak-Season Flavor Year-Round | Good News Network

How far can vertical farming go? | BBC

Earth has lost a third of arable land in past 40 years, scientists say | The Guardian

The 19 Biggest Companies in Vertical Farming Today | Eden Green

Vertical Farming Has Found Its Fatal Flaw | Wired

Vertical Farming – No Longer A Futuristic Concept | USDA Agricultural Research Service

Empty Office Buildings Are Being Turned Into Vertical Farms | Smithsonian Magazine