Episode Details

Disclaimer: This episode was produced when the laboratory operated as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The laboratory is now the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR).

In the latest episode of Transforming Energy’s Lab Notes series, hosts Taylor Mankle and Kerrin Jeromin delve into an Earth Day special focusing on NREL’s pioneering efforts in addressing the plastics problem. Through insightful conversations with NREL researchers Nic Rorrer and Julia Curley, listeners will gain a deeper understanding of the environmental impacts of plastics and NREL’s pivotal role in finding sustainable solutions.

Nic Rorrer, a senior researcher at NREL, highlights the lost opportunities and health risks associated with plastics in the environment, emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts to redesign plastics for a sustainable future. Julia Curley, a postdoctoral researcher at NREL, shares her journey and contributions to plastics recycling, including a groundbreaking project with Amazon aimed at creating circular and sustainable plastic packaging. In this episode, listeners are encouraged to take action in reshaping our relationship with plastics for a more sustainable tomorrow.

This podcast is hosted by Jackson Fletcher, Kerrin Jeromin, Taylor Mankle, and Nataleah Small and written and produced by Hannah Halusker, Allison Montroy, and Kaitlyn Stottler. Editors are Joe DelNero, Brittany Falch, and Taylor Mankle. Graphics by Brittnee Gayet. Music by Ted Vaca and Chuck Kurnik, Jim Riley, and Mark Sanseverino of Drift BC. Peaks to Power is created by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado. Email us at podcast@nlr.gov. Follow NLR on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, and Facebook.