Kristen and Kyla are joined by Manic Pixie Dream Coffee’s Kristen and Casey to discuss the ins and outs of coffee roasting. Topics: what is coffee roasting; how can coffee be ethically sourced; what is it like to run a small business; how can businesses better support the communities they source from; is it better to buy small or to buy Fair Trade.

Kristen and Kyla take on the world’s most iconic millennial food: the avocado! Tune in to hear a little of the history of the avocado (Kyla’s brain explodes when she realizes avocados are berries), as well as some of the modern issues facing farmers today, including cartel violence driven by lax American gun control laws and the war on drugs.

In this episode, Kyla and Kristen talk about everyone’s favourite work drug: coffee. Topics: how coffee is made; coffee history; the coffee industry; working conditions on coffee farms; what is a fair price for coffee; the environment and coffee growing, brewing, packaging, and accompaniments; what you can do.

Would you buy lab-grown meat if you could? Cell-cultured meat is now being sold in Singapore, and it is coming soon everywhere else. In this episode, Kyla and Kristen are joined by climate activist Robert Miller to discuss the promise and dilemmas of cell-cultured meat. Topics: how cultured meat works; the race to bring lab grown meat to market; justifications (animal welfare, climate change, hunger, antibiotic resistance); is cultured meat a good solution and can people get over the “weird” factor.

“We call it an ugly fruit…the uglier it is on the outside, the more beautiful it’s going to taste on the inside.” In this episode, Kyla and Kristen are joined by Samantha Luc to talk about chocolate. Samantha is a former professional chocolate eater! She used to be the Head of Traceability and Tastings and Education at Soma Chocolatemaker. Now she is working with companies across a variety of industries to support their traceability efforts with Wherefour ERP. Topics: what is chocolate; the history of chocolate; chocolate and colonialism; poverty and the price of chocolate; child labour; deforestation and chocolate.

In this episode Kyla and Kristen spill the tea on tea production. Kristen tries to make chai and vows to leave future attempts to the experts. Kyla disses George Orwell’s formula for the perfect cup of tea. Topics: what is tea; how tea is produced; the tea supply chain; tea and the environment; tea and human rights; what to do about it.

“Apparently stinkbugs taste like apples.” In this episode, Kyla and Kristen try cricket powder and dig in to the subject of eating insects as food. Is this a fad, or the future of food? Topics: History of eating insects, environmental and health benefits, the ethics of farming insects, and the potential downsides of scaling up the industry.

In this episode, Kristen interviews Michelle Desilets, the Executive Director of Orangutan Land Trust. Michelle shares her personal and professional journey in orangutan conservation, her love of orangutans, and the work of Orangutan Land Trust. Topics: orangutan conservation, the threats orangutans face, palm oil, the boycott v. sustainable palm oil debate, the future of sustainable palm oil, and what you can do.

In this episode, Kyla and Kristen discuss palm oil production and people, as well as what you can do about it. Topics: working conditions; Indigenous peoples; food security; the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil; boycott versus labelling; what you can do.

In this episode, Kyla and Kristen talk about palm oil and the environment. Kyla flummoxes two McDonald’s employees. Kristen can’t pronounce the palm derivatives in her makeup. Topics: what is palm oil; why is palm oil in everything; palm oil and deforestation, biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution.

In this episode, Kyla and Kristen uncork the topic of ethics and wine. Topics: South African wine and Apartheid legacies; Fairtrade wine; migrant labour and wineries; pesticide use on vineyards; organic wine; biodynamic wine; salmon-safe vineyards; climate change and wine; boxed versus bottled; and animal welfare and wine.

In part two of this two-part seafood series, Kyla and Kristen explore questions about animal welfare and human rights in fishing and fish farming. Kristen talks about her seafood-alternative kitchen disaster. Kyla considers getting a monkfish as a pet. Topics: animal welfare and wild-caught versus farmed fish; human trafficking and the fishing industry; seafood sustainability labels; what to think about when choosing ethical seafood.

In part one of this two-part seafood series, Kristen explains how fishing works and the problems behind the overfishing crisis. Kyla discovers what a monkfish looks like. Topics: overfishing; illegal, irregular, and unreported fishing; seafood fraud; different fishing methods; and the environmental impacts of fishing and aquaculture.

“You’re just giving side-eye to all of the dogs in the airport, being like: ‘Hey! Don’t narc!’” In this episode – recorded on 4/20 – Kristen and Kyla talk cannabis. Topics: how cannabis works; the cannabis supply chain; legalisation; the Canadian cannabis market; the Mormon grandma story; Cannabis and the environment; and which method of consumption is best (it’s not disposable vapes).

In this episode, Kristen and Kyla are joined by food, migration, and labour historian Alexandra (Lex) Sundarsingh. Lex adds her knowledge about historical human rights abuses in sugar production — which, unfortunately, look a lot like present-day human rights abuses in sugar production. In their discussion, Lex, Kyla, and Kristen explain sugar production and why human rights practices are so fraught. They also discuss what you can do if you want to combat human rights abuses in sugar. Topics: indentured servitude in the British empire; sugarcane versus sugar beets; sugarcane is still a human rights hellscape; there’s some baggage in the history of Canadian sugar beet production; Stevia and biopiracy; Kyla goes through sugar withdrawal; Kristen struggles to find fair trade; Lex is giving out Sweetness and Power like it’s a car and she’s Oprah.

Cheers to a new decade! In this special New Years episode, Kyla and Kristen sip their most ethical alcohol choices while talking about alcohol, and especially beer. Topics include: alcohol fun facts; the environmental impact of brewing/distilling alcohol; is it better to go with a big or small brewery; do cans or bottles have a lower environmental footprint; where does labour fit into all of this; and what about the alcohol industry’s complicity in substance abuse. Then Kristen and Kyla make New Year’s resolutions.

In this episode, Kristen and Kyla tackle the question on every millennial’s mind: will I be sent to the Bad Place for drinking almond milk? TL;DL: no. Topics: alternative milks and their amazing rise; the alt-milk OGs; and which alt-milk is best for people, animals, and planet. We also provide amateur-tips on making your own alternative milk, so you can avoid our mistakes. No dogs were milked in the making of this episode.

In this episode, Kristen talks plastic free periods with Jasmine Tribe, Campaign Manager of City to Sea’s Plastic Free Periods campaign. City to Sea is an environmental nonprofit working to stop plastic pollution. Topics: the Plastic Free Periods campaign, period products and plastic pollution, why you shouldn’t flush period products, reusable alternatives, the Rethink Periods program, period poverty, and access to free period products.

Looking to try something new? Reusable period product discount codes are available at the City to Sea website! Link here: https://www.citytosea.org.uk/campaign/plastic-free-periods/products/

“I always feel so metal holding a chalice of my own blood.“ In this episode, Kyla and Kristen open up a discussion about menstruation, period stigma, and a range of reusable period products. Topics: period positivity, period poverty, the free bleeding movement, menstruation and the environment, plastic free period products (plastic free tampons, menstrual cups, reusable pads, period underwear).

“I’ve just googled, and a Canada goose can live to be 24 years old so. There ya go.”
”Ah. It’s further proof that meanness makes you live longer.”

Kristen and Kyla examine winter boots and jackets in an attempt to answer the question: is it even possible to buy ethical winter gear? Topics: synthetic vs animal products, winter boots vs snow boots, how long do ducks live.

“Don’t get rid of all your pants. You’ve gotta wear pants.” In this episode, Kristen and Kyla talk about what it means to have a conscious closet. Kristen’s hoodie becomes mattress stuffing. Kyla glues her shoes. Topics: escaping fast fashion; what is a conscious closet; fashion personality types; doing a wardrobe impact inventory; your clothing reuse plan; where clothing donations go; recycling clothes; clothing resale and rentals.

“That’s like our whole show: ‘Better than nothing, I guess!’” In this episode, Kyla and Kristen talk about the environmental impact of clothing. Topics: the environmental impact of polyester, other synthetics, cotton, cellulosic fibres, wool, and bast fibres (best fibres!); pollution, water use, and emissions in the production of clothing; tools you can use to find sustainable clothing; the environmental impact of tossing clothes; Kyla and Kristen do an impact inventory of their wardrobes.

In this episode, Kristen and Kyla unravel the problems with fast fashion. Kyla learns that making clothes really is that hard. Kristen calls out Jay-Z and P-Diddy. Topics: what is fast fashion; we are buying (and throwing out) so many clothes; how the fashion supply chain works; offshoring; FDR, labour hero; sweatshops; garment industry disasters; forced labour; child labour; why is everything so shitty; is it getting better; what you can do.

In this episode, Kristen and Kyla sink their teeth into the ethics of dental hygiene — toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash. Topics: Kristen wants to feel the burn; what’s in toothpaste, anyway; toothbrushes and the environment; and why it is so hard to get a waste-free, fluoridated toothpaste. 2/2 podcasters agree that Kyla’s homemade toothpaste should not have been sweating.

"Whoa. I had not thought about that. Very Dystopian."
Kristen and Kyla stop to smell the roses, only to find the ones from the Netherlands don't smell like anything anymore. Listen in for a discussion on the cut flowers industry! Topics: Dutch flower auctions; worker's rights; greenhouses vs. airplanes; ethical certifications; bursting the tulip bulb trading bubble.

Not on my wash! In this episode, Kristen and Kyla air their dirty laundry. Kristen is appalled by her own wardrobe. Kyla is worried she doesn’t wash her clothes enough — although honestly, if it saves the planet... Listen in for practical tips on doing ethical laundry! Topics: water and energy use; how often should you wash your laundry (it’s a clothes call); waste-free detergents and softeners; Kyla’s (soap) nuts; plastic microfibre pollution; and microfibre capture devices. Clean jokes only, we promise.

"I remember years ago going to an optometrist, and they ask how many hours of screen time I have in a day and at the time I think I sort of sheepishly said like 4 hours, or something like that, knowing it was actually higher. But today if I went it's like… well how many hours am I awake in a day?"

In part 2 of the electronics summer series, Kristen and Kyla discuss the impact of our favourite tech items on the environment. Topics: mining; rare earth mineral refining and toxic waste; e-waste dumping and recycling; the right to repair and planned obsolescence; what you can do.

"I'm sure engineers are going to hate that description as well."

Kristen and Kyla explore the ethics of consumer electronics, starting with a deep dive into human rights. Topics: the history of electronics; what's in a computer; supply chains; factory working conditions.

In this episode, Kyla and Kristen are joined by Bianca Vong to talk about ethics and the outdoors! Topics: the seven principles of leave no trace; ten essential items for a safe and successful outdoor trip; strategies for finding ethical outdoor gear; accessibility and the outdoors.

Kyla runs the show for this special collaborative episode on movies, featuring Kieran and Matty D. from Potential Spoilers (a podcast that predicts the plot of movies from the trailer). Topics: diversity in Hollywood; the environmental impact of the film industry; animals and film; child actors; baby burlesque used to be a thing and it is just as horrifying as it sounds; what you can do to help; Kyla, Kristen, Matty D., and Kieran see independent movies.

Kristen and Kyla are joined by Erin Hynes and Kattie Laur from the podcast Alpaca My Bags to discuss how we can travel more responsibly. Topics: choosing a destination; carbon offsets and flying; how to find vendors, tour guides, and places to stay; choosing souveniers; general intentionality.

Kyla and Kristen join Eva and Emma of team Gender Troubles to kick off their Porn Month with a chat about whether porn can be ethical, and what ethical porn looks like in practice. Gender Troubles is a podcast dedicated to debunking, demystifying and making accessible the world of academic feminism. Topics: Kristen and Kyla think Bridgerton is porn; Kyla eats a banana; what are the labour rights of folks in the porn industry; is big tech ruining porn with surveillance capitalism; how to support creators directly; legalizing the sex work industry; what policy makers should do next.

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Gender Troubles recommend: "Porn Work: Sex, Labor and Late Capitalism" by Heather Berg
They also recommend checking out their Patreon!

Pullback is produced and hosted by Kristen Pue and Kyla Hewson. Logo by Rachel Beyer and Evan Vrinten.

Is it ethical to take a cruise? In the second half of this two part episode, Kyla and Kristen discuss the effect the cruise industry has on the environment, looking at what gets dumped into the oceans, the emissions of a ship, and the effect on marine life with a focus on whales.

Is it ethical to take a cruise? In the first half of this two part episode, Kyla takes Kristen sailing around big cruise, discussing tax evasion, vague labour laws, illness outbreaks, and the effects of the industry on port communities.

Kristen explains donations to Kyla. How do you choose an organization to donate to, and how do you recognize a good charity from a bad one? What's the difference between non-profits, foundations, and charities? How do you know your money is being well used? What is the most effective way to support an organization you care about?

"Oh she has a vineyard! That's the third! I know three things about Martha Stewart."

This week Kyla and Kristen explore the ethics behind meal kits. Topics: How environmentally friendly are they? Does less food waste really make up for all that single-use plastic? How are workers treated in an industry experiencing explosive growth in a short span of time? Who are meal kits for?

"Our politicians aren't experts. I think that was quite evident when a man was made minister for women."

Kyla and Kristen are joined by Peter Harris, post-doctoral research fellow for the Centre for Agricultural Engineering in Australia, working on the bioenergy and bio-resource recovery team. He works on projects involving a process called anaerobic digestion, which can be used to turn biowaste into energy, while recovering useful elements. Pete discusses: the history of anaerobic digestion, what is biogas, can cow-farts be turned into energy, the potential for biogas as a sustainable energy source, barriers to biogas adoption, and how can we best utilize this technology?

What do banks do with your money and how can you make it more ethical? In this episode, Kyla and Kristen talk about ethical money. Topics: ethical problems in banking and finance; environment, social, and governance campaigns targeted at banks; what is ethical finance; tips for approaching banking and finance ethically.

It’s Fashion Revolution Week! Kristen and Kyla are joined by special guest Erin Polowy, Partnerships and Programming Lead with Fashion Revolution; the founder and editor of My Green Closet, a YouTube channel, blog, and community for slow fashion; and the author of Quit Fast Fashion. Topics: what is Fashion Revolution; what are the problems within the fashion industry; what solutions are activists working on; how to engage with fashion activism.

Kristen and Kyla speak with Madison Maguire, Head of Operations for Ontario with Second Harvest, Canada’s largest food rescue charity. Topics: what does the work of a food rescue charity look like, who do they serve, who benefits from expanding work in this area, and how has the pandemic improved Second Harvest’s digital presence?

“That’s typically what taxes are, Kyla. We just don’t apply them to a lot of big companies…”

Kristen and Kyla wrap up their discussion on electronics by exploring the complicated story of conflict minerals. Topics: what are conflict minerals; Democratic Republic of the Congo and conflict minerals; The Enough Project; what companies can do; what legislation can do; what you can do.

In this episode, Kristen tells the story of Operation Breadbasket, one of the civil rights movement’s most successful boycott campaigns. Kristen and Kyla reflect on why Breadbasket worked and whether a similar campaign would be possible today.

In this episode, Kyla and Kristen are joined by climate activist Robert Miller to talk about carbon offsets. Robbie laughs when he learns that the Vatican tried to buy what he describes as climate indulgences. Kyla is shocked that Canadian forests have been net emitters since 2001. (Stupid pine beetles!) Topics: what are carbon offsets; principles of good carbon offsets programs; problems with carbon offsetting; certification schemes; should you use carbon offsets and, if so, how should you buy them.

Hold onto your puppies and bunny-rabbits! In this episode, Kristen and Kyla talk about the cruelty-free movement, which addresses animal testing. Topics: what cruelty-free is (and what it isn’t); is animal testing necessary for household or personal care products (no); the cruelty-free labels; and cruelty-free apps. Kyla and Kristen take a challenge that was popular amongst beauty Youtubers in 2017. (Hello fellow kids!)

“I do know somebody who in University lived in a tiny apartment and had a deep freeze in his bedroom… it seemed slightly murdery, but it was just because he liked to buy discount chicken.”

In this episode, Kristen and Kyla dive into the ethics of eating locally (it might be more complicated than you think!) Topics: what is the reasoning behind the Eat Local movement; explaining the Slow Food movement; how to eat local; Localism vs Cosmopolitanism; is eating local really better for the environment and for systemic inequality?

"Anybody who can afford a Sphynx cat can also afford to pay somebody to wash their cat’s folds for them."

Kristen is on vacation, so Kyla takes the opportunity to talk about her new kittens (her favourite subject these days). But is it ethical to keep pets? Topics: mental health, breeding, the history of kitty litter, how to dispose of pet waste, vegan pet food, going waste free, alternatives to keeping pets.

“So instead of being the Paper Bag Princess, we’re all kind of the plastic bag Princesses.” In this episode, Kyla and Kristen try out plastic-free July. Kyla discovers that coffee cups are plastic. Kristen joneses for chips. Topics: what even is plastic; the history of plastic; common types of plastic; plastic pollution; recycling plastics; and bioplastics.

“I mean I just smell like vinegar. I don’t know if that’s better.” In this episode, Kyla and Kristen fail at the ultimate sustainability challenge: going zero waste. Kyla and Kristen are not ready for handkerchiefs or reusable toilet paper. Topics: what is zero waste; the disposable society; single-use plastics and our oceans; the zero waste movement; zero waste principles (reduce, reuse, recycle, compost); how to go zero waste(ish); waste-free shops; Kristen and Kyla try DIY zero waste recipes while #socialdistancing.

Veganuary — it’s what’s for dinner! (And breakfast, and lunch…) In this episode, Kristen and Kyla talk about veganism. This episode looks at the history of veganism and vegan activism, as well as vegan eating. Topics: Veganuary at the Golden Globes; veganism is getting more woke (but it hasn’t always been); there’s secret meat in everything; meat substitutes; and cultured meat. Kyla and Kristen also discuss their Veganuary successes and failures.

“Convert it into a wetland! — that should be the new ‘burn it down’.” In the second part of our two-parter on vegetarianism, Kyla and Kristen look at the environmental impact of animal- versus plant-based protein. They also discuss their challenges. Topics: the new Canada food guide; environmental gains from eating less meat (emissions, land use, water use, air pollution, ocean dead zones); Kristen’s excellent vegan wine adventure; Kyla just wants a cheeseburger.

What do Pythagoras, Leonardo da Vinci, and Susan B Anthony have in common? They were all vegetarian! In the first part of our two-part episode on vegetarianism, Kristen and Kyla talk vegetarianism 101. Topics: the different kinds of vegetarian; birds everywhere! (a brief history of vegetarianism); animal rights versus animal welfare; and factory farming. The second part of this episode will be released on Thursday.

Kyla and Kristen discuss the ins and outs of water. Topics: what is water, history of water, water footprint, where is all the water going, municipal water treatment, how to make water (with explosions), wetlands, water shortages and advisories, privitization, the bottled water industry, what can be done.

Book recommendation: 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph
Podcast recommendation: 2050 Degrees of Change
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Kristen and Kyla are joined by Sarah Miller, a research associate specializing in climate adaptation with the Canadian Climate Institute to discuss the final report in the Costs of Climate Change series from the CCI, "Damage Control". This report dissects how Canada's economy will be affected by climate change, with a focus on people's well-being and proactive adaptation measures to help mitigate the climate effects we will continue to see over the coming decades.

Kristen talks to Kyla about deforestation and the state of the worlds forests today. Topics: what is deforestation; how does deforestation occur; what are the effects of deforestation; why are forests so great; the history of Forest Stewardship Council and other forest eco-labels; what can we do to help.

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Kristen and Kyla discuss how to recognize prominent forms of climate denial, where climate denial started and where it is now, and what you can do to push back.

Check out this great episode from How to Save a Planet for a guide to deep canvassing.

And one more from this great pod on how to talk to your loved ones about climate change.

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Kristen and Kyla discuss how to recognize prominent forms of climate denial, where climate denial started and where it is now, and what you can do to push back.

Check out this great episode from How to Save a Planet for a guide to deep canvassing.

And one more from this great pod on how to talk to your loved ones about climate change.

Kyla is joined by Terence Hamilton, domestic policy specialist focusing on child rights, health equality, and social justice with UNICEF Canada, or the United Nations Children’s Fund. UNICEF was established after world war 2 and works for child rights and well being. UNICEF helps children through natural disasters and humanitarian crises, and works to build global health and welfare systems that provide essential services, education, and safe environments for children and their families. Terence tells Kyla about the Innocenti Report Card 17, which focuses on the following questions: How do environmental factors affect children’s well-being? How are many of the world’s richest countries faring in terms of providing a healthy environment in which children can live, develop and thrive? What actions can these countries take to improve the environments in which children live? There’s a focus on Canada’s place in the report card, though Kyla urges everyone to read the general report as well.

Other links from this episode:
Join the Halloween Walk-a-thon
Canadian Youth taking Federal Government to court for climate justice
Check out the beautiful animations on UNICEF’s Places and Spaces page
C-210 has been proposed to lower the voting age from 18 to 16.

Terence’s call to action: Talk to the young people in your lives about these issues and really listen to what they have to say.

Kristen and Kyla are joined by special guest Corey Hardeman, painter, presenter, and certified Death Doula who also hosts workshops on climate grief. She holds a BSc in biology and is trained in both architectural drafting and classical drawing. Her art combines elements of traditional illustration and technical drawing, with a love of tonal painting and an eye for tension and movement.
Corey discusses what forms grief may take, how it manifests in relation to the climate crisis, and what listeners can do to help mitigate the anxiety and grief they may be feeling in our turbulent present.

“What's hard is there's a policy cognitive dissonance, where you don't want to put money into the system you're trying to leave; but if you don't do that you risk that system becoming more fragile, and then risk the political consensus you've built in order to actually get the motion to decarbonize in the first place.”

Kristen and Kyla talk with Rory Johnston, founder of Commodity Context, about the road to a just energy transition. Topics: what exactly is the energy grid; what are the economics behind decarbonizing; what is the reasoning behind continuing to invest in fossil fuels; what will the Alberta oil-sands look like over the next ten years; what are the local and geopolitics behind decarbonizing.

"I think it's pretty on point that we're talking about decarbonization a little bit late into the podcast because we're also talking about decarbonization a little bit late into the climate crisis."

In this "better late than never" episode, Kristen and Kyla are joined by Robert Miller to finally look at what decarbonizing is and what it will need to look like in the next ten years in 5 major areas of greenhouse gas emissions: Energy, Transport, Industry, Building, Agriculture

In their most challenging challenge in a while, Kristen and Kyla go dumpster diving! Kristen shares her research on the topic of food insecurity, how it's been affected by COVID-19, why food waste is such a problem, and what we can do to improve access to food for all.

In this episode, Kristen and Kyla talk to Sarah King, Head of the Oceans and Plastics Campaign at Greenpeace Canada, about the plastic pollution crisis.

Make your voice heard on the federal government’s plastics ban here.

“Certainly that feeling of apocalypse is amplified when you wake up and it’s like 9:00am in the summer, the sun should be high in the sky, and you’re like, ‘It’s dark out.’” In this episode, Kristen and Kyla are joined by Robert Miller, a progressive activist and Extinction Rebellion organizer in the heart of oil country. The discussion is all about personal behaviour changes and where they fit in the global climate movement. Topics: the Wetsuweten solidarity blockades; protest and our relationship with public spaces; Robert’s climate crisis awakening; belief and the climate crisis; climate anxiety; the most important personal behaviour change for the climate; community-building as democracy; first steps to joining the climate movement.

Kyla and Kristen are joined by Marissa Marx, the senior director of partnerships and programs with the Dressember foundation to discuss human trafficking. Marissa is responsible for spearheading the Dressember Network, developing Dressember’s programs, and collaborating with ethical brand partners. Prior to joining Dressember, Marissa received her Masters in Human Rights and International Relations with a research focus on gender-based violence in conflict zones. Previously, Marissa worked in academic research and communications & fundraising positions within the non-profit sector. Topics: what is Dressember; what is human trafficking; who is affected; how variable and nuanced every situation is; what happens to survivors after leaving; what supports are needed to combat this issue; misconceptions; what you can do.

We do our best to keep graphic descriptions out of this episode, but please take care of yourself if you are not in a place to be engaging on a subject of forced labour or sexual abuse.

If you or someone you know requires further assistance, please reach out to your local Human Trafficking Hotline. The number in Canada is 1-833-900-1010, or chat with them online.

Kyla and Kristen are joined by Sarah Mistak to grapple with the challenges of raising a good person in a complicated world. Sarah has a Masters in Global Affairs, and is the mother of a 4 year old and a 2 year old. Topics: talking with kids about biases, privilege, truth and reconciliation, and other difficult subjects; mom culture; modern family limitations and boundaries; navigating a world where everyone wants to buy kids “stuff”; technology; millennial motherhood and guilt; food, clothing, and diaper waste; predatory marketing for new parents; how to trust your gut.

This week, Kyla and Kristen are joined by Paris Marx, the host of Tech Won't Save Us, a weekly podcast that critiques the worldview of Silicon Valley. Paris has been published by NBC News, CBC News, Toronto Star, Jacobin, Tribune, OneZero, Canadian Dimension, and more. Paris holds a Master's degree in Geography and will be talking to us about their new book, “Road to Nowhere: What Silicon Valley Gets Wrong about the Future of Transportation”. This book explores the history of transportation and the current problems with tech in transport, with a focus on Silicon Valley and their visions of the future.

“Kyla's been an imaginary dictator for 10 seconds and she's already got a revolt on her hands.”

Kristen and Kyla are joined by Megan Linton from Invisible Institutions, a documentary podcast exploring the past and present of institutions for people labelled with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Canada. They discuss the current state of institutions, how persons with disabilities are treated within the system, why institutions are run as they are, and what could replace the system.

Become a pen pal
Get involved with the abolition movement

"I'm just pulling up the Olympic sponsors list right now... oh yeah, it's a real axis of evil as far as corporations go."

Kristen and Kyla are joined by Abdul Malik of the Off Court Podcast to discuss what it would take to have an ethical Olympics. Topics include: effects on the environment, vulnerable citizens, and athletes; global politics; sponsorships; corruption; labour movements; the value of sports to our community.

Abdul recommends:
Bad Sport and Drive to Survive on Netflix
NOlympians by Jules Boykoff

BIG announcement! Pullback has joined the Harbinger Media Network, a progressive Canadian podcast network. To celebrate, Kristen cooked up an especially dystopian episode exploring the history and current effects of monopolies on consumers, workers, and democracy.

In their most challenging challenge in a while, Kristen and Kyla go dumpster diving! Kristen shares her research on the topic of food insecurity, how it's been affected by COVID-19, why food waste is such a problem, and what we can do to improve access to food for all.

Kyla and Kristen are joined by Panthea, Saliema, and Biraima to discuss cultural appropriation. Panthea is a television, film, and theatre actor, and founder and Managing Artistic Director of Medusa Theatre Society, and Saliema and Biraima are members of the Daily Dose of Blackness podcast and media group designed to centre and celebrate Black youth experiences and struggles.

"And when I say 'generational wealth' this is a Duke, right? This dude has been inheriting wealth since, as far as we know, Camelot."

Kyla and Kristen are joined this week by Fariya Mohiuddin to talk about tax justice. Fariya has a masters degree in Global Affairs and works as the Senior Program Officer for the International Budget Partnership's Tax Equity Initiative. Topics: What is tax evasion and tax avoidance? Why is tax avoidance a problem? How big is the problem? How would a wealth tax work? How do we support businesses that pay their fair share, and what other solutions exist?

In this episode, Kyla and Kristen are joined by Brianna Scrimshaw Botchwey to talk about exclusion, privilege, and ethical consumption. Brianna is an aspiring zero waster and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on sustainable development and foreign aid. Kristen, Kyla, and Brianna talk about the different ways that ethical fashion companies exclude people and what you can do about it. Topics: barriers to participating in sustainable fashion; big brands and ex/inclusive sizing; sustainable fashion brands and ex/inclusive sizing; thrift shopping; ethical fashion and affordability; and solutions.

For part two of the forced labour series, Kristen and Kyla discuss what consumers should do to address forced labour. Kyla is sad about how Christmas lights are made. Kristen learns about three different kinds of forced labour in rice production. Topics: forced labour in global supply chains; leading big brands; fair trade; boycott?; use your voice to promote human rights; our challenges.

In this episode, Kyla and Kristen are joined by Alexandra Sundarsingh to discuss the topic of forced labour. Alexandra (Lex) Sundarsingh is a second year PhD student in the department of history at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Topics: what is forced labour; the scale of forced labour; where it occurs; who is affected; and causes.

Kristen and Kyla are joined by food, migration, and labour historian Alexandra Sundarsingh in a reading of The Nutmeg’s Curse: Parables for a Planet in Crisis by Amitav Ghosh. From the publisher; “The Nutmeg’s Curse argues that the dynamics of climate change today are rooted in a centuries-old geopolitical order constructed by Western colonialism.” Lex, Kristen, and Kyla discuss more abstract ideas of ethics than usual, including the difference between vitalistic and mechanistic viewings of the world, how the history of colonialism and resource domination can be followed through to the race-based climate issues of today, and how important it is to understand our past in order to fully recognize our present and envision a better future. A great discussion on ethics even if you have not read the book (although it’s worth a read!)

Want more Lex? Listen to one of our very first episodes, all about sugar!

Kristen and Kyla are joined by activist and friend of the pod Robert Miller to discuss two very different films: Planet of the Humans (we watched it so you wouldn't have to) and 2040 (Kyla's new favourite documentary)! You are encouraged to watch 2040, but Planet of the Humans isn't even worth hate-watching. Topics: climate denial tactics in action; what to do if you liked Planet of the Humans (it's OK to have a change of heart); all of the cool technologies explored in 2040; is it OK to love a film full of dad jokes? (yes).

Kristen and Kyla are joined by Megan Linton, host of Invisible Institutions, to discuss the book “Doughnut Economics: 7 Ways To Think Like a 21st-Century Economist” by Kate Raworth. The book focuses on seven ways in which mainstream economics has failed humanity and paints a picture of a world where a just society lives within the means of our planet - and that picture looks like a doughnut!

Kristen and Kyla are joined by activist Robert Miller to discuss Corey Doctorow’s book “How to Destroy Surveillance Capitalism”. For extra credit Kyla and Kristen also tried to read Shoshana Zuboff’s “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism”, as Doctorow wrote his piece in large part as a response to Zuboff’s. Topics: what is surveillance capitalism; what are the harms of surveillance capitalism; what would a world without surveillance capitalism look like.

“Well as Prime-Minister-King I just outlaw all other grocery stores and grocery stores can’t be for profit anymore.”

As part of the ongoing series on food waste, Kristen and Kyla are joined by Robert Miller to discuss the documentary “Just Eat It”, and their second attempt at dumpster diving.

"You've got my brain now on what's the most eco-friendly weapon. I think it might be nunchuks."

Kristen and Kyla are joined by activist Robert Miller to discuss the book "The Waste-Free World" by Ron Gonen, an in-depth look at how transitioning to a Circular Economy could help curb the extremes of climate change. This is a divisive book that makes some great points while undermining it's own message by narrowly focusing only on how Capitalism is the best way forward. Tune in for a lively, thoughtful discussion full of fun facts!

"The best cure for anxiety is doing something. Even if it's small."

In this episode, Kyla and Kristen are joined by Climate Activist Robert Miller to discuss the impacts of the AR6 Climate Change 2021 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Topics: What is the IPCC; what makes this report different; ways to handle climate anxiety.

Kristen and Kyla are joined by vegan climate activist Robert Miller to discuss the controversial Netflix documentary Seaspiracy.

“Does that include the people who think both of them are a hoax?” In this episode, Kyla and Kristen are joined by climate activist Robert Miller. Following another Global Climate Strike, they reflect on the California wildfires and climate activism in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics: West Coast wildfires; the climate movement in 2020; impact of the pandemic on climate activism; racial justice and climate activism; will governments choose a green recovery?

This bonus episode reacts to the Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality. Kyla and Kristen share ten things that they have learned since the killing of George Floyd. Check out the research notes for this episode for facts from this episode or for resources on supporting the movement.

Kristen and Kyla are joined by Executive Director of the Harbinger Media Network Andre Goulet, academic and Ethical Parenting guest Sarah Mistak, and Invisible Institutions' Megan Linton on the annual year end panel quiz. Revisit events of the past year, and the winner receives a donation to their organization of choice.

Megan shouts out Sunshine House in Winnipeg

Andre shouts out The Rover

Sarah shouts out Kids Help Phone

Kristen and Kyla are joined by previous pod guests Robert Miller, Samie Luc, and Jagen Johnson to revisit events of the past year on a special end of year quiz show.

"So if you combine the estimated wealth of those 2153 billionaires, it exceeds the wealth of how many other people on the planet?"
In this episode, Kyla and Kristen say goodbye to 2020 with a wrap-up quiz, featuring previous guests Brianna Botchwey, Fariya Mohiuddin, and Alexandra Sundarsingh. The group looks back at ethical consumption trends and issues from throughout the year.

In this introductory episode, we explain what the Pullback podcast is all about. To illustrate how difficult it is to know what the right thing to do is, Kristen quizzes Kyla on the world of ethical consumption. If you are interested in trying the quiz, you can access it here.

This is a special episode on COVID-19’s impacts and the prospects for a just recovery, created in partnership with PhiLab, the Canadian Philanthropy Partnership Research Network. Kristen and Kyla are joined by Steven Ayer to discuss the Toronto Fallout Report. Steve is the President of Common Good Strategies. He is also the lead researcher and author of the Toronto Foundation’s Vital Signs Report and, most recently, the Fallout Report. The Fallout Report explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto. Listen in for a discussion covering topics from health inequality to food insecurity, mental health, economic challenges, housing, and the future of the nonprofit sector.

In this episode, Kristen and Kyla received 5 recordings from artists discussing how the pandemic has affected their lives so far.

In this episode, Kristen and Kyla are joined by Nisha Patel, Edmonton's Poet Laureate, to discuss how artists are being affected by COVID-19. Find out more about Nisha on her website or by following her on Instagram or Twitter @AnotherNisha.

In this episode, Kristen and Kyla are joined by Alix Jansen to talk about COVID-19 and inequality. Alix is a PhD candidate in Political Science at the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on work and social policy in advanced industrial democracies. Topics: COVID-19 and racial, gender, social, and economic inequalities; the white collar quarantine; the economic crisis and COVID-19; social policy responses; and possible long-term legacies of the pandemic.

COVID-19 is a health crisis, but it isn’t only a health crisis. In this bonus episode, Kristen and Kyla discuss ten unexpected effects of the pandemic.

Social distancing! In this bonus episode, Kyla and Kristen each shout out three problems and three champions as the COVID-19 pandemic asserts itself in Canada. Kyla notices how pandemics change our lives and routines in unexpected ways. Kristen realizes she had no idea what a week’s worth of groceries looks like.