In this episode of the Landmark Difference Makers Podcast, we welcome Laughlin Artz, founder of 2030 or Bust, along with Konami, a skater and community leader from Nigeria. Together, they share how an international movement called World on Wheels is inspiring ordinary people to become extraordinary advocates for a more sustainable future.
Rather than focusing on politics or polarization, Laughlin’s message is simple: every person has the power to make a meaningful difference.
A Question That Changed Everything
Nearly a decade ago, while working as a journalist, Laughlin began researching climate change with one question in mind:
How much time do we really have?
What he discovered was deeply unsettling. After speaking with scientists, United Nations experts, and climate researchers, he realized that while the science was clear, very few people were talking about what it would actually take to solve the problem—or what ordinary people could do about it.
Instead of accepting that the issue was too big, Laughlin asked a different question:
Can everyday people actually help change the future?
His answer became 2030 or Bust.
The Power of Ordinary People
At the heart of Laughlin’s work is a belief that meaningful change doesn’t begin with governments or billionaires—it begins with individuals who choose to act.
Working alongside scientists and sustainability experts, his team developed practical ways for communities to reduce emissions and inspire broader participation. But just as importantly, they focused on something often overlooked:
the human side of the climate crisis.
Rather than seeing climate change as only an environmental problem, Laughlin describes it as a crisis of consciousness—one where people often believe their individual actions don’t matter.
“We’re not here to tell people what difference to make. We’re here to help them discover that they already have one to make.”
World on Wheels
To engage people in a fresh and unexpected way, Laughlin turned to one of his lifelong passions: skateboarding.
What started as a long-distance skateboard ride grew into World on Wheels, a global movement bringing together skateboarders, cyclists, wheelchair athletes, and others who use wheels as a platform for environmental action.
Today, participants organize:
- Community rides and skate events
- Beach and park cleanups
- Tree-planting projects
- Environmental education programs
- School outreach initiatives
- Local sustainability campaigns
The movement has spread to communities around the world—including Nigeria, where Konami and fellow skaters are introducing young people to environmental stewardship through sport and community service.
Replacing Resignation with Possibility
One of the most compelling parts of the conversation centers on resignation.
Laughlin believes many people care deeply about the environment—but quietly assume someone else is taking care of it.
Instead of criticizing that mindset, he invites people to honestly examine it.
Once people recognize where they’ve given up or become resigned, a new possibility opens:
“I’m ending the climate crisis. The future is mine, and my actions have a global impact.”
For Laughlin, that declaration isn’t about certainty—it’s about commitment.
Making Sustainability Personal
World on Wheels encourages participants to find environmental projects that genuinely matter to them.
Some focus on protecting oceans.
Others restore forests.
Some work on clean transportation or sustainable construction.
Others simply begin making different everyday choices because those choices now express who they are rather than what they feel obligated to do.
The emphasis isn’t on guilt.
It’s on ownership.
Creating a Global Community
One of the most inspiring aspects of the movement is the connections it creates across cultures.
During the interview, Konami shares how young people throughout Nigeria are using skating events to educate communities, organize cleanups, and encourage healthier, more sustainable ways of living.
These local efforts are linked through an international network where participants inspire one another and demonstrate that meaningful action can begin anywhere.
An Invitation to Make a Difference
Throughout the conversation, Laughlin returns to one central belief:
People genuinely want to make a difference.
Sometimes they simply need an opportunity to discover where their passion intersects with a challenge worth taking on.
Whether someone chooses to plant trees, organize a cleanup, ride a skateboard across a country, or simply make more sustainable daily choices, every action contributes to a larger future.
As Laughlin puts it:
“Spread the power.”
✨ Listen to the full episode to hear Laughlin Artz and Konami share how ordinary people around the world are creating extraordinary environmental impact through commitment, creativity, and community.
✨ Join us live! Be part of future Landmark Difference Makers interviews. Visit Our Events Page to attend live recordings and connect with people who are taking bold action to create a better future for their communities—and for the planet.