Mind Over Matters Sustainability Segment
Collection Summary
The Mind Over Matters Sustainability Segment was produced as part of the radio program Mind Over Matters, presented by KEXP-FM in Seattle, Washington. Later episodes and eventually the entire series was made available as a podcast. The episodes, each lasting approximately 30 minutes, present interviews with leaders and activists from around the U.S. and abroad that focus on environmental, social, and economic issues surrounding sustainability and the future of the planet. The collection of over 450 episodes, hosted by Diane Horn, a producer at KEXP-FM since 1995, spans the years 2006-2019.
Interviewees in the collection include Kirstin Mueller, Election Security Chair of the League of Women Voters of Washington, on election security; Dow Constantine, Chair of the Sound Transit Board, on Sound Transit propositions in the upcoming election; James Rasmussen, Coordinator with the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition/Technical Advisory Group, on cleanup of the Duwamish Superfund site; architect and founder of Architecture 2030; Edward Mazria, on the 2030 challenge to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions by changing the way buildings are designed and constructed; Charlotte Cote, Associate Professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Washington, on Makah whaling traditions; Jill Stein, Green Party nominee for President of the United States, on her platform; Australian Professor of Bioethics Peter Singer on acting to end world poverty; Ingrid Newkirk, Co-Founder and President of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), on animal rights; and Sebastian Seung, Professor of Computational Neuroscience and Physics at MIT, on the brain’s wiring.
Collection Background
KEXP has been at the heart of Seattle's thriving music scene for the past five decades. Founded in 1972 as student- and volunteer-run KCMU at the University of Washington, the radio station became community supported in 1981 following budget cuts from the university. In 1986, the station increased their wattage to 400 watts and moved their transmitter to reach a 15-mile radius audience. With help from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, KCMU became KEXP 90.3 FM in 2001, moving to a high-tech studio and increasing its wattage further to 720. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization formed at the same time, KEXP’s mission is to “enrich your life by championing music and discovery.” Designed to benefit music lovers, artists, and the arts community, KEXP continues to be a station powered by the community, reaching nearly 300,000 listeners around the world through on-air and online services.
The Mind Over Matters Sustainability Segment collection was contributed to the American Archive of Public Broadcasting in 2022.
