Every week, Seth Combs, and Eric Pasewalk help leaders navigate the sustainability maze in their workplace and interview leaders who are blazing the trail in sustainability and the quest for zero waste. Covering topics from ESG and Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions to the impact of deforestation, food waste, and plastic pollution on our environment, Going Zero is here to help you understand the everchanging world of sustainability.
Profits and Purpose How Climate Startups Win by Fixing Real Problems with Josh Dorfman
Welcome back to Going Zero, the sustainability podcast for leaders making a real impact. In this episode, hosts Seth Combs and Eric Pasewalk sit down with environmental entrepreneur, author, and media personality, Josh Dorfman, co-founder and CMO of Plantd.
With decades of experience spanning sustainable furniture, innovative building materials, and climate-focused media, Josh shares the pivotal moments that shaped his career—from consignment showrooms in Brooklyn to launching Planted, a revolutionary company creating building panels from fast-growing grass.
Join us as Josh explains how understanding real consumer and business needs is crucial for scaling climate tech, the importance of moving from ideal-driven to market-driven solutions, and why optimism and practical solutions are key in the fight against climate change.
You’ll also hear inspiring stories from around the world and actionable advice anyone can use to make a positive difference—starting with where you bank. Dive in for an enlightening conversation at the intersection of innovation, business, and building a greener future.
28 May 2026
Behind the Scenes: Sustainability at Music Festivals with Vivian Belzaguy Hunter
In this episode, we dive into sustainability where the stakes—and the challenges—are at their highest: music festivals and live events. Our guest is Vivian Belzaguy Hunter, a trailblazer in festival sustainability who has transformed waste diversion, environmental protection, and behavioral change across massive, temporary “pop-up cities.”
From the chaos behind the scenes to the drive toward zero waste, Vivian shares how small decisions lead to big change, why recycling and composting efforts so often fall short, and how proactive planning can turn festivals into immersive classrooms for sustainability. Hear what sets truly green festivals apart from the rest, how organizers, vendors, and even artists play a pivotal role, and the innovations transforming the industry here and abroad. Whether you run a business, lead a campus, or love live music, discover what our wildest events can teach us about going zero—where change is possible, and sometimes, preferred.
1 Apr 2026
Redefining Food Service Sustainability in Corporate Dining - A Conversation with David Mesagno & Peter D'Angelo
Welcome back to Going Zero, the sustainability podcast for leaders making a difference. In this episode, we sit down with two industry powerhouses leading the charge in corporate hospitality and sustainability: David Mesagno, Executive Director, Amenities Services Lead, and Peter D’Angelo, North American Head of Global Hospitality Services. Both guests bring decades of experience on both the client and vendor side of food services, sharing their journeys from the restaurant world to steering sustainability initiatives at two of the world’s largest financial institutions.
This conversation dives into how sustainability has evolved from removing styrofoam cups to becoming a baked-in expectation at the corporate level, with clients now demanding innovative solutions from their partners rather than simply checking boxes. David and Peter explore topics like food waste management, single use reduction, the challenges of local sourcing, measuring real impact, and the pivotal role food and amenities play in shaping company culture and recruitment. You’ll also hear insights on partnering with disruptive vendors, piloting new technologies, and the importance of telling your sustainability story to employees.
Stay tuned for an open, forward-thinking discussion packed with real-world strategies, lessons learned, and actionable advice for organizations looking to lead on sustainability and redefine the workplace experience.
Inside a recent episode
Dr. Lisa Johnson on Tackling Farm Food Waste and Sustainability
Published 26 Nov 2024 · Transcript excerpt
[…] Yeah, it's a great question. So what is, let's start there. What is on farm food loss and food waste? You know, if you've grown a garden, I'll explain it this way. If you've ever grown a garden, and you've grown your own tomatoes, and you wore that funny hat, and you really enjoyed gardening, you know that probably one in the 10 tomatoes you got from your plant looked like the ones you see in the grocery store. And the other ones didn't, but you ate them anyway because they were amazing, right? You know, when you scale that up to the farm level, really eight out of 10 tomatoes, you could say, are going to be marketable and the rest aren't. […]
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