We’re living through a climate emergency; addressing this crisis begins by talking about it. Co-Hosts Greg Dalton and Ariana Brocious bring you empowering conve...
The wildfires ravaging Los Angeles have caused incredible destruction — loss of life, thousands of homes and businesses gone or damaged and hundreds of thousands of people displaced. While the scale and speed of these fires may feel unprecedented, the dry, fire-prone foothills around LA burn often. Yet increasingly we see wildfires spurred by climate factors including warmer temperatures and weather whiplash — cycles of heavy precipitation followed by extreme drought.
This week we hear what climate science says about current and future wildfire risk and about ways to support an equitable recovery from such destructive urban disasters.
Guests:
Moira Morel, Cinematographer; Altadena Resident
Hugh Safford, Research faculty, Department of Environmental Science and Policy, UC Davis
Andrew Rumbach, Senior Fellow, Urban Institute
Nick Mott, Multimedia journalist; Author of “This Is Wildfire”
On February 25, internationally recognized environmental and civil rights activist Catherine Coleman Flowers will join Climate One for a live conversation about the future of environmental justice. Join us at noon in San Francisco for a can’t-miss show. Tickets are on sale now through our website.
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1:06:06
Even Old Houses Can Learn New Elec-Tricks
If we include personal cars, along with appliances like water heaters, stoves and furnaces, more than 40 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions come from individuals at the home level. The good news: no matter where you live, there are steps you can take to make your home cleaner, healthier and more comfortable.
And thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, there’s now a raft of federal incentives to help homeowners electrify their lives. Electrification has even become a theme on long running home improvement programs like “This Old House.” But with all the new technology and the federal tax credits, where to start?
Guests:
Ross Trethewey, Home Technology Expert, “This Old House”
Ari Matusiak, Co-founder, President and CEO, Rewiring America
Edith Buhs, Electrification Coach, Rewiring America; Decarbonization Advisor, Abode Energy Management
Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today for just $5/month.
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1:02:06
Leah Stokes: 2024 Schneider Award Winner
Every year we highlight the work of a scientist who excels in communicating their work to the world. Climate One is delighted to present the 2024 Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication to political scientist and energy expert Leah Stokes.
Her rare ability to communicate complex information to both academic audiences and the general public has established her as one of the most influential voices in climate action and clean energy policy.
“What I've started to think about is not how can I make my impact as small as possible, like a carbon footprint, trying to shrink, but actually how can I make my impact as big as possible by joining with others in campaigns to try to change policies and laws so that we're not just trying to make marginal, incremental improvements on a fossil fuel-based energy system, but actually change the system towards clean electricity,” she says.
Guests:
Leah Stokes, Anton Vonk Associate Professor at UC Santa Barbara; Senior Policy Advisor, Rewiring America; Co-host of the podcast “A Matter of Degrees”
Rebecca Solnit, Author, journalist, and activist
Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today for just $5/month.
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1:00:14
REWIND: Geothermal — So Hot Right Now
When most people hear the phrase renewable energy, they imagine fields full of solar panels or giant spinning wind turbines. But another source may be heating up: geothermal.
Twenty years ago, it was thought that geothermal could provide at most 10% of any given area’s electricity, and only in very limited regions. There were also environmental concerns about depleting groundwater. But new technological advances may have unlocked the potential for scalable geothermal energy just about anywhere. And in a bit of irony, those technological advances came from the oil and gas industry.
This episode originally aired February 23, 2024, and features content from contributing producer David Condos.
Guests:
Amanda Kolker, Laboratory Program Manager for Geoscience and Geothermal Technologies, NREL
Jamie Beard, Founder of Project InnerSpace
Lauren McLean, Mayor of Boise
Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today for just $5/month.
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59:55
REFRESH — Big Plastic: The New Big Oil
Plastics are everywhere. And while we’ve known for a long time that plastics and our environment aren’t a good mix, it's becoming apparent that they’re massive climate polluters too. The production of plastics alone produces about 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. After what is often a single use, the resulting waste continues releasing the greenhouse gasses ethylene and methane as it breaks apart.
Yet, as petrochemical companies pay lip service ending fuel production, they are pouring resources into plastics production. How do we wrap up our reliance on plastics?
This episode originally aired on May 10, 2024, following the fourth negotiating session of the Global Plastics Treaty. This update includes a new interview with David Azoulay on the latest treaty negotiations.
Guests:
Diane Wilson, Founder and Director, San Antonio Bay Waterkeeper
Jane Patton, U.S. Fossil Economy Campaign Manager, Center for International Environmental Law
Susannah Scott, Professor of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara
David Azoulay, Director of Environmental Health, Center for International Environmental Law
Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today!
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We’re living through a climate emergency; addressing this crisis begins by talking about it. Co-Hosts Greg Dalton and Ariana Brocious bring you empowering conversations that connect all aspects of the challenge — the scary and the exciting, the individual and the systemic. Join us.
Subscribe to Climate One on Patreon for access to ad-free episodes.
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