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We've become so accustomed to convenience that we rarely stop to think about the materials we bring into our homes, the food we eat, or what happens to the things we throw away. In this episode of Roots to Fruits, I'm exploring our relationship with plastic, the choices we're beginning to reconsider, and the challenges that come with changing systems we've depended on for decades. As a material scientist, I've spent much of my life thinking about what things are made of and why that matters. This conversation brings those questions a little closer to home.  Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro and the Three R's Reflection(00:01:35) - Welcome to Roots to Fruits(00:02:57) - JT Turner's Journey into Polymer Engineering(00:05:09) - Litter, Institutions, and Normalization of Waste(00:07:21) - The Boiling Frog and Spiritual Awareness(00:10:21) - Stuck in Uncertainty and Financial Inertia(00:12:50) - Disconnection and Institutional Barriers(00:15:15) - JT's Career and Early Biodegradable Work(00:17:21) - Explaining PHA Polymers(00:20:08) - The Ribeye Steak Analogy for Microbial Digestion(00:21:55) - PLA, Lactic Acid, and Circularity(00:23:44) - How Plastics Solved Problems and Created Liabilities(00:27:08) - Why Plastics Can't Truly Be Circular(00:29:30) - Microplastics Debate and Environmental Breakdown(00:34:04) - Microplastics in the Body and Health Risks(00:36:15) - Rethinking Cost vs Price in Biopolymers(00:40:14) - Distributed Manufacturing and Composting as Renewal(00:42:17) - Compostables, Litter, and the License to Litter Myth(00:44:38) - California, Recycling Myths, and Entropy of Value(00:48:12) - Mass Balance and True Circularity of PLA/PHA(00:49:22) - The Green Revolution and Food Dependence(00:51:06) - Crossing the Political Divide on Health and Plastics(00:51:52) - Deplasticizing the Home and Returning to the Three R's(00:54:05) - Entropy, Congress, and the Coming Reckoning(00:58:28) - Hope Through Reconnection and Awakening(01:01:13) - Taking Local Action and Community Composting(01:03:50) - Intelligent Material Deployment, Not Elimination(01:05:17) - University of Georgia Composting Study and Closing Thoughts

In this episode of Roots to Fruits, Kelly Williams sits down with Chris Cappelletti to explore healing after narcissistic abuse and toxic relationships. Together, they discuss breaking unhealthy patterns, setting boundaries, understanding triggers, and moving from survival mode toward self-love, authenticity, and freedom. Chris also shares how mindfulness and her Evidence Journal can help people reconnect with themselves and heal forward. Chapters (00:00:00) - Narcissism: The Feeding of Empaths(00:01:01) - Roots to Fruits(00:03:10) - How to Unpack the Truth from Your Love Life(00:04:10) - How to Carry the Weight of a Narcissist(00:07:50) - The Secret to Leaving a Narcissist(00:12:38) - In the Elevator With My Brother(00:13:26) - How to Live Your Truth(00:20:08) - How to Get Out of Alcohol Addiction(00:23:54) - The Evidence Journal(00:27:16) - Own Your Narcissism: Name It to Tame It(00:33:18) - The 7 Tactics of a Narcist in Parental Alienation(00:38:15) - A message from the(00:38:52) - Narcissism in the Elevator(00:40:12) - Getting Out of a Narcissist's Home(00:42:08) - Roots to Fruits: Build a Strong Community

In this thought-provoking episode of Roots to Fruits, Kelly Williams sits down with regenerative designer, strategist, and meditation teacher Emma Chow to explore what happens when the life that once fulfilled us no longer feels aligned. Together, they discuss the quiet process of outgrowing old identities, why constant stimulation can leave us feeling disconnected, and how embracing ambiguity becomes an essential part of personal evolution. Through reflections on meditation, the nervous system, and living with greater awareness, this conversation offers a gentle reminder that growth often begins when we're willing to let go of who we thought we had to be. Chapters (00:00:00) - Roots to Fruits(00:02:22) - How I Learned To Win in Tennis(00:09:12) - Since Covid, I've been training in meditation(00:11:24) - What is a Mantra in Vedic Meditation?(00:17:01) - Seeking More: The Search for Truth in Life(00:19:23) - Brexit and the coherence of the business world(00:27:44) - Going Back to the 10 Year Old(00:34:57) - On Life's Midlife Crisis(00:40:55) - Essential Sound Bath(00:47:13) - What are the inputs to a business?(00:47:39) - How to Salvage Your Energy(00:51:05) - In the Elevator With Love for Yourself(00:58:05) - The Secret to Relaxing Your(01:02:21) - Roots to Fruits: Connecting the Roots

In this heartfelt episode of Roots to Fruits, Kelly Williams sits down with entrepreneur and yoga studio founder Emily Dressler to explore her powerful journey from high-level corporate marketing executive to creating Happily Ever Yoga, a thriving wellness community rooted in connection, healing, and transformation. Emily shares how yoga evolved from a physical practice into a life-changing philosophy that helped her navigate motherhood, grief, burnout, and purpose. Together, they dive into nervous system regulation, community, mindfulness, entrepreneurship, and the deeper meaning behind building a life aligned with authenticity and service. This conversation is an inspiring reminder that sometimes life’s hardest moments guide us toward our truest calling. Chapters (00:00:00) - Roots to Fruits(00:01:00) - Meet Emily Dressler(00:02:32) - How a yoga teacher started teaching in the studio(00:05:51) - How a Yoga Studio Became a Family Business(00:09:48) - The Yoga Studio by Synchronicity(00:12:18) - What I Wish I Knew About My Sister's Death(00:17:20) - "Yoga Is Not a Sport"(00:20:33) - How to live life to the fullest at 40(00:24:40) - What Does the Yoga Studio Do?(00:28:11) - Pilates and Sound Baths(00:31:18) - Where everything can be done in the wellness center(00:35:16) - An Empath's Guide to Leading(00:36:02) - On Starting Yoga Again(00:39:28) - The Secret to Good Yoga(00:42:44) - How to Get Out Of Boredom(00:44:20) - Mixed Yoga Teacher Training(00:46:49) - Reiki Community: Authenticity(00:51:09) - Ideas for the Next 10 Years(00:54:49) - A message about yoga in the corporate world(00:57:08) - How much do you think people learn from yoga classes?(00:59:38) - Roots to fruits

In this Season 1, finale of *Roots to Fruits*, Kelly Williams shares a candid conversation with longtime colleague and industry leader Rick Stokes. Together, they explore the core ideas behind Kelly’s book, *Tiny Hands* and the Soft Power Model. The belief that the smallest, most subtle forces are often the ones holding everything together. Blending science, leadership, and real-world experience, they discuss concepts like hydrogen bonding, enzymatic leadership, and the balance between structure and flexibility. Raw and unscripted, this conversation offers a thoughtful look at empathy, innovation, and the “physics of belonging”, and how leading with connection, not control, can transform teams and organizations. Chapters (00:00:00) - In the Elevator With Yoga(00:00:34) - Roots to Fruits: Episode 10(00:02:43) - Read The Book: The Search for Science in Engineering(00:05:22) - In the Elevator With An Enzyme Leader(00:07:58) - In the Elevation of Entropy and Hard Power(00:10:58) - In the Elevator With Yoga(00:14:33) - How to Find Your Truth in Your 40s(00:18:58) - When You're a 10-Year-Old(00:19:49) - The 10 Laws of Yoga(00:22:02) - The Power of Empaths(00:24:06) - Private Equity Exploring the Packaging Industry(00:24:39) - Steve Jobs: Permission to Fail(00:28:25) - Ultimate Human Dilemma(00:32:27) - The circular economy: A book review(00:35:30) - A Taste of Rick's Memoir(00:35:51) - Growing With Roots, To Fruits

What does it really mean to heal the Earth? In this episode of Roots to Fruits, host Kelly Williams sits down with Ananda Fitzsimmons to explore a perspective often missing from mainstream climate conversations. While much of the focus today is on emissions, targets, and efficiency, this discussion looks deeper into the systems that actually sustain life on Earth. From the carbon cycle to water systems and biodiversity, this episode challenges us to expand how we think about climate solutions and consider the role of living ecosystems in restoring balance. If you’ve ever felt like something is missing from the climate conversation, this episode offers a new lens. Listen to the full conversation to explore what true regeneration could look like! Chapters (00:00:00) - Roots to Fruits: The Need to Save the Planet(00:01:07) - What Does it Mean to Heal the Earth?(00:03:04) - Ananda Fitzsimmons on her Journey to the Living So(00:14:11) - The importance of trees in the land-use(00:18:56) - What's the Problem with Single-Use Food?(00:23:56) - The role of soil in agriculture(00:33:49) - Big Food Companies and the Need for Regenerative Farming(00:36:11) - Ripping Out Nature from Our Own Planet(00:44:12) - WSJD: How to Live More Sustainably(00:52:28) - Roots to Fruits: Ananda

In this episode of Roots to Fruits, Stacy Savage—also known as the Texas Trash Talker—shares her journey from grassroots environmental organizing to leading zero waste strategy at scale. The conversation explores how environmental progress is often slow, fragile, and easily reversed, especially within waste and recycling policy. Through real-world stories from Texas, Stacy and the host unpack the power of community organizing, the role of corporate responsibility, and why lasting change requires systems that can withstand political and economic pressure. At its core, this episode is about what it really takes to build sustainability that lasts—one community, one policy, and one hard-earned win at a time. Chapters (00:00:00) - How to Start Talking About Waste Sustainability(00:00:36) - Roots to Fruits: Stacy Savage and the Fight for Zero(00:02:43) - Stacy Savage on The Fight for Clean Air(00:10:56) - Texans for Responsible Recycling(00:18:01) - Grow: The Experience of Going Door to Door(00:24:11) - Local control of environmental issues in Texas(00:27:57) - Why Companies Are Stuck on Waste Management(00:32:51) - What is a Sustainable Business Certification Program?(00:34:19) - How Fear Keeps Companies From Changing(00:43:41) - Local environmental programs grow in Ohio(00:44:57) - ZERO Waste: The Texas Trash Talker(00:48:04) - Austin Organics Recycling Program(00:53:37) - Stacy on Roots to Fruits

In this episode of the Roots to Fruits podcast, host Kelly Williams engages in a deep conversation with Stuart McDonald about the intersection of sustainability, authenticity, and leadership in the modern business landscape. They explore Stuart's journey from the Merchant Marine to the world of sustainable materials, the barriers to the adoption of bioplastics, and the importance of small and medium enterprises in driving change. The discussion also delves into the psychological barriers within the industry, the need for trust and authenticity, and the role of mindfulness practices in maintaining balance in a chaotic world. Chapters (00:00:00) - Determining the Right Message for Your Brand(00:00:39) - Roots to Fruits: The Crossroads(00:03:01) - Stuart McDonald on the Search for Sustainable Materials(00:06:23) - What Actually Got You into Sustainable Films?(00:12:42) - What's Holding the Industry Back?(00:13:41) - What's Holding the Industry Back?(00:18:10) - Large CPGs vs Small and Medium Businesses(00:21:34) - Pepsi on the 2020 Waste Management Regulations(00:26:09) - Top 10 on Non-Compete Collaboration(00:29:12) - In the Elevator With Gay Executives(00:30:44) - Gay Voices on Authenticity(00:34:57) - Living Your Truth with Passion, Integrity(00:37:09) - Gay Men and the Feminine Ideal(00:43:01) - Compost and the Nature of It(00:43:29) - How to Stop Being Performative in Relationships(00:45:48) - A Sense of Well-Being(00:47:25) - Guys Start Surfing At 40(00:49:37) - How to Find Your Balance of Mindfulness(00:53:02) - A Few Words for Stuart Baldwin

In this episode of the Roots to Fruits podcast, host Kelly Williams and Dr. Evan White discuss the importance of composting and its impact on community dynamics. They explore a study funded by the Walmart Foundation that examined the effects of composting on families in Athens, Georgia. The conversation delves into the challenges and successes of implementing a composting program, the role of children in fostering environmental awareness, and the broader implications for sustainability and material science. The episode emphasizes the need for community engagement and environmental stewardship as essential components of effective composting initiatives. Chapters (00:00:00) - The Athens County Compost Pilot(00:00:51) - Roots to Fruits: The Power of Community(00:03:17) - The quest for low-temperature compostable packaging(00:13:14) - The City of Athens: Composting Pilot(00:18:13) - How Did the Pilot Program Get Started?(00:20:24) - The Garbage and Recycling Pilot(00:27:08) - The Children of the Composting(00:30:10) - The Athens Composting Pilot Program(00:36:43) - Philip Morris on the future of packaging(00:39:59) - Microplastics in the sea turtles(00:46:58) - Evan on Environmental Stewardship

In this episode of the Roots to Fruits podcast, host Kelly Williams engages with Daoud Saadeh, a recent graduate from the University of Cincinnati, discussing his journey in environmental advocacy and the importance of authenticity in leadership. They explore the challenges of groupthink, the role of youth in driving change, and the significance of mental health and coherence in personal and professional settings. Dald shares insights on navigating cultural identity and the power of vulnerability, emphasizing that true connection and self-awareness are essential for effective leadership and meaningful change. Chapters (00:00:00) - Genome 5: The Challenge of Groupthink(00:01:09) - Roots to Fruits: Dal Sada(00:06:26) - You were the undergraduate director of sustainability at the University of Cincinnati(00:12:30) - Grounding grounded in the issues of your generation(00:18:18) - In the Elevator With Hillary Clinton(00:18:53) - In the Elevator With Me(00:25:51) - "Maybe I Should Try Yoga?"(00:26:31) - Being Authentic in Your Worklife(00:32:25) - Be Yourself: Living Your Truth(00:37:41) - Bradley on Giving Advice(00:41:51) - In the Land of Advice(00:43:19) - Ohioans on Being Born in the States(00:46:44) - Why Are You Here?(00:47:32) - How to Balance Your Hobby With Time(00:49:52) - Growing up in Washington(00:52:28) - Reading From Your Own Book

In Episode 4 of Roots to Fruits, Kelly Williams explains the heartbeat of his debut book, Tiny Hands: The Soft Power Model. This isn’t a conversation about strategy. It’s about systems that feel. It’s about fascia, trust, resonance, and why one coherent nervous system can rehydrate the room. Together, we walk through the Hydration Ladder—a biological and organizational model that maps how flow is lost and restored in teams, companies, and bodies. We unpack core dichotomies like: Enzymatic leadership vs. control from fear Co-regulation vs. co-isolation Composting grief vs. accumulating residue Reverberance vs. performance Mass vs. energy This episode is for regenerative designers, sustainability leaders, nervous system nerds, and anyone trying to build something alive in a brittle world. Chapters (00:00:00) - Roots to Fruits(00:01:08) - Chris Schaefer on Becoming More Unflappable(00:02:53) - Tiny Hands: A Soft Power Model(00:07:41) - Riffing on the Voids(00:08:41) - The Hydration Valves(00:09:36) - The Hydration Ladder(00:14:14) - Meeting the Enzyme and the Real(00:19:14) - Co-Regulation vs CO isolation(00:23:05) - Vulnerability vs Fear in Business(00:27:32) - Composting Grief(00:30:44) - Reverberant vs Performative Optics(00:34:42) - On the Performative Side(00:37:24) - Hard Power vs Soft Power(00:41:58) - A Lesson on Mass vs. Energy

In this episode of the Roots to Fruits Podcast by Kelly Williams, we explore a regenerative, cellular blueprint for building resilient systems rooted in connection, hydration, and trust. Soft power and local action create lasting change, and community-led solutions like the Dayton Food Bank offer inspiring examples of what’s possible. If you want to understand how to build stronger teams, healthier communities, and a sustainable future, this conversation is for you. Chapters (00:00:00) - What does sustainable agriculture look like?(00:01:11) - Roots to Fruits: The Collapse Blueprint(00:05:18) - How to Compost Our Grief(00:07:59) - Grief and the Psychology of It(00:10:28) - Chemical Leadership: Hydrate vs. Distress(00:17:00) - Kelly on the Boundary(00:24:41) - Local programs to help with waste diversion(00:31:16) - Generation X on Connecting the Planet(00:34:04) - Roots to Fruits: Build a Strong Relationship

In this episode of the Roots to Fruits podcast, Kelly Williams and Chris Schaefer explore the importance of hydration in individuals, teams, and organizations. They discuss how dehydration affects team dynamics and organizational culture, the role of leadership in fostering a hydrated environment, and the challenges faced by industries in transitioning to regenerative practices. The conversation highlights the need for material honesty in sustainable packaging and offers insights for companies looking to navigate this complex landscape. Chapters (00:00:01) - Have We Reached a Hydration Crisis at Companies?(00:01:22) - Roots to Fruits: Soft Power(00:06:19) - Base Building: The Hydration Loop(00:10:10) - Understanding the Individual's Chakra(00:11:44) - How to Hydrate Your Team(00:16:15) - The Organization's Need for a Secretary(00:17:30) - In the Elevator With Elon Musk(00:18:31) - Hooverization of a Company(00:24:19) - The State of the Packaging Industry(00:29:11) - The Supply Chain echo chamber(00:31:40) - Sustainable Materials: The Design Norms(00:36:02) - How to Hydrate Your Company's Growth(00:40:38) - What Would an Enzyme-Based Leader Look Like?(00:42:31) - The Hydration of Your Company(00:44:21) - Roots to Fruits: Episode 3

What if the systems we rely on, in business, life, and even packaging, are failing because they’re brittle, not because they're broken? In this foundational episode, I unpack the idea of soft power: a force that connects rather than controls. From hydrogen bonds in nature to the hidden dynamics inside teams, this conversation explores how regeneration starts not with data, but with hydration — personal, organizational, and ecological. Chapters (00:00:00) - Roots to Fruits: The Soft Power Model(00:01:17) - The Ultimate Human Desire: Soft Power(00:08:35) - In the Elevator With Kelly(00:12:14) - What Is Soft Power?(00:18:33) - In the Elevator With Bioplastics(00:21:22) - What would be your best near term recommendation for regenerative packaging?(00:23:54) - Kelly, in the book(00:30:41) - Bond Soft and Build Strong