Commonwealth Club of California on 89.5-1

The nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. The Commonwealth Club presents over 400 annual events on topics ranging across politics, culture, society and the economy to its 15,000 members, and a nation-wide public radio audience.

Wednesday May 29    Barney Frank, Former Member of Congress

Former Member of Congress (D-MA)

First elected to Congress in 1980, Frank gained a reputation as a forceful legislator and a pragmatic politician whose intellect and sense of humor has made him one of the most influential and colorful figures in Washington. In 1987, Frank became the first member of Congress to voluntarily come out as openly gay, and in 2012 he married his longtime partner, becoming the nation’s first congressman in a same-sex marriage while in office. Don't miss this chance to get up close and personal with the legendary legislator as he delves into his decades in political life, his ideas about current economic realities and his ambitions for the future.

Wednesday June 5  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Let's Talk Trash

Jared Blumenfeld, Pacific Southwest Administrator, EPA
Bea Johnson, Author, Zero-Waste Home
Shauna Sadowski, Sustainability Director, Annie’s
Mike Sangiacomo, President and CEO, Recology Inc.
Joel Makower, Chairman and Executive Editor, GreenBiz Group Inc. - Moderator

Imagine a world in which nothing goes into a landfill or an incinerator, one where all of our discarded materials become resources for others to use. It may sound impossible, but Zero Waste proponents disagree. Across the nation, policymakers, business leaders and individuals are reinventing their relationship to waste in incredibly innovative ways – from outlawing the use of plastic bags to designing responsible product packaging to wearing water-less denim. Innovators are coming to understand that the pathway to a sustainable future can be paved with more than just recycling bins and compost heaps; they say it requires us to take a close look at the ecosystem that we’ve all played a part in creating. A San Francisco urbanite, an infrastructure expert, a business sustainability director and a political leader show us the 30,000-foot view of a sustainable city and dive into the everyday actions that could move us toward a zero waste future.

Wednesday June 12  Jeremy Scahill's War on War

Reporter, The Nation; Author, Dirty Wars

Has the country's effort to dispense international military justice gone extrajudicial? Drone strikes, mercenary missions and the assassination of Bin Laden raise the question: Do the ends justify the means? Going beneath the surface of conventional reporting, investigative journalist Scahill’s newest book, Dirty Wars, explores the gray areas of U.S. military operations to determine whether these policies have been undertaken with congressional oversight and public debate. Hear Scahill’s take on the underbelly of the United States’ international military affairs.

Wednesday June 19  Google's Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen

Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman, Google; Co-author, The New Digital Age

Jared Cohen, Director of Google Ideas; Co-author,The New Digital Age

In the next decade, most people on Earth should be able to access most of the world’s information through a mobile device. We also will see widespread adoption of driverless cars, thought-controlled robotic motion and augmented reality. Identity may possibly be the most valuable commodity for citizens and it will exist primarily online.

In 2008 Eric Schmidt introduced the Google 2030 Energy Plan at Climate One. While this 2013 conversation will focus primarily on digital issues it will touch on the intersection of energy and technology. Don't miss a fascinating glimpse into our future with a person helping define it, Google's Eric Schmidt.

Wednesday June 26  Temple Grandin

Professor of Animal Science, Colorado State University; Co-author, The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum

The number of children and adults diagnosed with autism has skyrocketed over the past 10 years, with a recent CDC report estimating that 1 out of 88 U.S. children are on the autism spectrum. Grandin will share her own experiences and discuss how we can better understand and diagnose autism. From advances in neuroimaging to cutting-edge genetic research, find out what unique and revolutionary treatments might soon be available.

Wednesday July 3  A Nofilter Conversation with the Founders of Instagram

Kevin Systrom, Co-founder, Instagram
Mike Krieger, Co-founder Instagram

From the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Sandy to your Sunday eggs Benedict in the Mission, Instagram is documenting the world around us. Since its release in October 2010, this digital filter app is reported to have surpassed 100 million registered users, with peak uploads at over 200 photographs per second — launching co-founders Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom to nearly insta-fame. And their eye-catching communications platform has not left the limelight. Despite media feeding frenzys over Instagram’s $1 billion dollar acquisition by Facebook and a controversial policy-change announcement in December 2012, heightened scrutiny doesn’t seem to be keeping users at bay.