Welcome back to The Upsiders! You've heard the complaints: Gen Z is lazy, disloyal, and hops jobs every year. But what if those behaviors are actually smart, pragmatic responses to a difficult labor market—and are helping companies become more dynamic?

This week, we debunk the pervasive myths about Gen Z in the workforce. We turn conventional wisdom on its head, starting with our segment, "That's Actually an Upside!", where we argue that job-hopping is now a feature, not a bug, that helps Gen Z find the right fit and avoid burnout.

In this episode, we dive into the data showing that even though Gen Z has already worked at an average of 2.7 companies in 2.8 years, they are also the generation most consistently driven by long-term career goals.

We also define our Word of the Week: "Coffee Badging," and reveal why 70% of bosses caught their employees doing it, yet nearly 60% "didn't mind." Plus, we recognize Alexia Cambon from Gartner as our Unsung Hero of the Upside for helping companies finally understand their youngest workers.

Join us for a Reality Check as we rapidly fire through seven common Gen Z stereotypes and prove why the generation that grew up online is actually the most ambitious, efficient, and pragmatic workforce we've ever seen.

Show Notes:

Job Hopping Is a Feature Not a Bug For Gen Zers | Revelio Labs

Generational Differences in the Workplace [Infographic] | Purdue Global

Job-hopping Gen Z only stay in each job 1 year and 54% are regularly browsing for their next role—but a report says they’re not disloyal villains | Fortune

Employers, beware: Gen Z is the ‘pragmatic generation’ redefining success, seeing money as just a means to an end, landmark EY survey says | Fortune

What is coffee badging? – a deep dive | OWL Labs

How to Appeal to Generation Z Candidates | Gartner

Alexia Cambon: Organisations are struggling to connect employees to culture in a hybrid world, so how will they overcome this? | HR Review

Welcome back to The Upsiders! When the rain falls, our cities—mostly covered in concrete and asphalt—have one goal: to get the water away as fast as possible. But what if the very thing we see as a problem, the rainwater, is actually a valuable resource?

This week, we dive into the brilliant, global concept of Sponge Cities: an urban planning model that uses nature-based solutions to absorb, store, and slowly release rainwater. Instead of fighting floods with expensive concrete dams, we are learning to let cities act like a sponge.

We spotlight the visionary work of Chinese urban planner Professor Kongjian Yu, the architect of the movement, and explore the "Slow Water" philosophy—which argues that when water stalls on the land, the magic happens.

In this episode, we explore the multi-layered Upside of Sponge Cities:

• Dual-Action Resilience: How green infrastructure like permeable pavements, rain gardens, and green roofs prevents flooding during storms and provides essential cooling during extreme heat events.
• From Problem to Resource: How decentralized systems recharge groundwater and improve water quality, boosting drought resilience.
• The Global Snapshot: We look at how cities from New York to Shanghai are implementing this "low-tech toolbox" to manage water sustainably.

Join us to discover why the best and cheapest way to adapt to climate change in cities might be to simply let water be water.

Show Notes:

Youtube: Flood-Proof Cities Concept | Professor Kongjian Yu's

Youtube: What are sponge cities? | Business Standard

Making cities 'spongy' could help fight flooding — by steering the water underground | NPR

What Are ‘Sponge Cities’ and How Can They Prevent Floods? | Engineering For Change

Youtube: A solarpunk future by 2030 | Future Explored

Urbanism 101: What is a Sponge City? | The Urbanist

Youtube: How China is designing flood-resistant cities | Vox

Book Review: Helping Water Find Its Own Level | Undark

Global Sponge Cities Snapshot | Arup

Youtube: Global Sponge Cities Snapshot | Arup

Youtube: The Shocking Corruption Behind LA's Water Supply | The B1M

Welcome back to The Community Curiosity Collective! In an age of runaway energy bills and unreliable grids, we ask a crucial question: What if the power source wasn't hundreds of miles away, but right in your neighborhood?

This week, we dive into the soaring trend of Community-Owned Renewable Energy Projects—local, decentralized initiatives where citizens invest in and benefit from their own power sources, from rooftop solar cooperatives to local wind farms. This "Power to the People" model is more than just a clean energy transition; it's a social and economic revolution.

We explore how this grassroots model is surging globally, with over 2 million people involved in 23,000 projects across 30 European countries alone. Community energy provides an alternative to the utility-led system that has historically prioritized profit over people, leading to blackouts and transmission line failures.

In this episode, we spotlight local heroes, including Brooklyn's UPROSE (Brooklyn's oldest Latino community-based organization) and their work on the Sunset Park Solar project, as well as efforts to bring solar to marginalized communities right here in Indiana.

Learn how community ownership creates a massive Upside by:

• Increasing Energy Security through local microgrids and Distributed Energy Resources (DERs).
• Driving Economic Benefits and job creation directly back into the neighborhood.
• Reducing resistance to renewable projects, leading to a faster, fairer transition.

This is the inspiring story of how collective action is democratizing energy, making power cleaner, safer, and fairer for all.

Show Notes

Power to the People: An Overview of Community Energy | Earth.org

Uprose

Sunset Park Solar

What is community ownership for renewable energy? | Institute for Human Rights and Benefits

Community-Owned Community Solar: Opportunities and Challenges | Environmental Law and Policy Center

A landfill in Indy will soon be home to community solar | Mirror Indy

Solar United Neighbors

Solar power is about to become a lot more expensive for Hoosiers as net metering expires | IndyStar

Welcome back to The Community Curiosity Collective! In a world that constantly measures our worth by our titles, salaries, or achievements, what happens to the inherent value of a person?

This week, we dive into the timeless concept of Human Dignity—the intrinsic, unearned value every person carries simply by existing. As philosopher Immanuel Kant called it, an "inner worth that cannot be compared to any price."

We explore the profound realization that dignity is not transactional; it doesn't go up or down based on how "productive" you are or how others treat you. This understanding is the foundation of modern human rights, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), drafted by Eleanor Roosevelt and adopted in 1948.

But this isn't just philosophy—it's practice. We look at silver linings in the modern fight for dignity, highlighting:

• Housing First: A compassionate, effective model that treats housing as a fundamental human right, not a reward.
• Strengths-Based Learning: Educational models that shift the focus from a student's deficits to their inherent talents and potential.
• Intergenerational Living: How innovative housing models are fostering connection and valuing the dignity of all ages.

We also challenge you with our Question of the Week: What’s one small thing you did this week that treated you like a person worth showing up for?

Please put your answer in the comments!

Join us to rediscover the radical truth: You are already enough.

Show Notes

Dignity | Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

The Struggle for Human Rights (1948) | Eleanor Roosevelt

Universal Declaration of Human Rights | United Nations

Housing First | National Alliance to End Homelessness

Gorgeous Tiny Home Village Offers Affordable Housing That Withstood Direct Hit From Hurricane Milton | Good News Network

A Portland County Transcends its Rehousing Goals With 65% Drop in Homelessness | Good News Network

New Focus on Strength-Based Learning | National Education Association

How Intergenerational Living Is Shaping New Senior Housing Models Post-Pandemic | Senior Housing News

"America is a place where the luxuries are cheap and the necessities are expensive.” — Joseph Cohen, Sociologist

Welcome back to The Community Curiosity Collective! For decades, our culture has equated success with "more": more money, more stuff, and more growth. But what happens when that relentless pursuit of economic expansion makes our most basic needs, like healthcare, housing, and childcare, impossibly expensive?

This week, we explore the radical idea known as the De-Growth Movement: the push to abolish endless economic growth as a primary social objective.

We reframe this concept not as a path to scarcity, but as a pathway to a different kind of richness: intentional consumption, less stress, and the reclamation of time.

In this episode, we tackle the paradox of modern American life. The costs of necessities like housing and education have doubled or tripled since 1996, far outpacing inflation. We ask:

• How does the affordability of cheap luxuries distract us from the crisis of expensive necessities?
• Can technology and "decoupling" truly solve environmental challenges, or is a fundamental shift in consumption necessary?
• What non-material gains—like community, time, and greater fulfillment—do we rediscover when we embrace the philosophy of "Buy Less, Choose Well?"

Join us as we explore the power of minimalism and conscious consumption, and find out why this movement isn't about working less, but about living more.

Show Notes

Degrowth

Can we save the planet by shrinking the economy? | Vox

How Companies Can Embrace Conscious Consumption | Forbes

How to Be a More Conscious Consumer, Even If You’re on a Budget | NYTimes

The power of consumer choice | ETech

Forget retail therapy - this is the age of the conscious consumer | World Economic Forum

Purpose over profit: are B-Corps the future of sustainable business? | Reuters

Find a B Corp

What Is Conscious Consumption, And Why Is It Important? | The Momentum

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” - George Bernard Shaw

When did "fun" become a dirty word? In a culture obsessed with productivity and analytics, most of us trade in our playfulness for business, but what if the very thing we label as a distraction is actually the secret to a better life?

Inspired by the research of Stuart Brown and the famous Marian Diamond study, we explore the profound biological and social necessity of Adult Recess. We dive into the science behind the Flow State and how intentional play—from Rough-and-Tumble sports to Imaginative improv—is the engine of creativity taught in programs like Stanford's "From Play to Innovation."

We also look at the upside of play: it's not just great for your brain, but research suggests it helped our ancestors build cooperation and sharing, and it even makes you more attractive!

Finally, we confront the Top 5 Regrets of the Dying. Join us as we explore the different types of play, help you figure out what type of player you are, and make the definitive case for putting joy and authenticity back on your calendar.

Show Notes

Play is more than just fun by Dr. Stuart Brown | Ted Talk

Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul | Dr. Stuart Brown

Marian Diamond, known for studies of Einstein’s brain, dies at 90 | UC Berkeley

Environmental Enrichment: Enhancing Neural Plasticity, Resilience, and Repair | National Library of Medicine

About Dr. Stuart Brown | National Institute for Play

Marian Diamond | National Institute for Play

The Importance of Play in Adulthood | Wanderlust

What Are Your Play Personalities? | National Institute for Play

Why it's good for grownups to go play | Washington Post

Why Play Should Be a Priority in Every Adult’s Life (Regrets of the Dying) | Wanderlust

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?