The Planetary Scale, part 3: Ita’s quest for the holy grail

We're in the midst of an environmental crisis, and our urban lifestyles often clash with the natural systems that support us — especially when it comes to the materials we use to build. That was the focus of the first two episodes of this “Planetary Scale” series, Part 1 and Part 2 . In this third installment, we follow Itamar “Ita” Lilienthal, an emerging biodesigner and architect who is developing sustainable material alternatives. He believes he may have found a promising biomaterial that could help reduce our environmental impact. We’ll follow along as Ita leads a workshop where he demonstrates this material and trades insights with another like-minded inventor making waves in the world of biodegradable plastics: Dr. Stephen Mayfield of Algenesis Labs And if Ita’s last name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s Alan’s younger brother. You don't want to miss this episode. Nos vemos pronto! About Season 6 Port of entry has a fresh new season for you with more rich stories of our border region. This time around, we are spotlighting Shapers and Visionaries of borderlands. Stories of People who are impacting the region and in some cases the world with their work and research. From urbanism to architecture to education and politics and to art and robotics! Listen in and join us! Social media and contact From KPBS, “Port of Entry” tells cross-border stories that connect us. More stories at Facebook : Instagram: Support our show at Search “Port of Entry” in the gifts section to get our sling bag as a thank-you gift. If your business or nonprofit wants to sponsor our show, email corporatesupport@kpbs.org. Text or call the "Port of Entry" team at 619-500-3197 anytime with questions or comments about the show or email us at podcasts@kpbs.org. Credits Hosts : Alan Lilienthal and Natalie González Writer/Producer: Julio C. Ortiz Franco Technical Producer/Sound Designer: Adrian Villalobos Editor : Chrissy Nguyen & Elma González Lima Brandão Episodes translated by: Natalie González and Julio C. Ortíz Franco Director of Audio Programming and Operations: Lisa Morrisette This program is made possible, in part, by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people

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The Planetary Scale, part 3: Ita’s quest for the holy grail is an episode from Port of Entry by KPBS.

This episode is 00:28:44 long.

This episode was published on Dec 12, 2025.

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