Citizens Climate Radio: Recent Episodes
listening you will become a better communicator
A monthly podcast for climate advocates hosted by Peterson Toscano. Become a better climate communicator. The show features Interviews, climate change artists, & a puzzler question. A project of Citizens' Climate Education
In Citizens Climate Radio's latest installment of our policy series, hosts Elissa Tennant and Dana Nuccitelli dive deep into the latest updates from Capitol Hill. With the Senate Finance Committee’s budget proposal now public, they unpack what it means for the clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act.How do the House and Senate versions compare? What would repealing these tax credits cost American households and jobs? What role does energy security—and even AI—play in the clean energy conversation? Elissa and Dana bring clarity to a complex policy moment and offer listeners tangible next steps for action.You’ll also hear about upcoming CCL leadership changes, summer conference plans, and two thoughtful listener voicemails—including one from someone who really wants to bring back Energy Star.🎧 Topics Covered:Senate vs. House proposals on clean energy tax creditsThe mysterious “bird bath” processProjected increases in household energy costsThreats to clean energy manufacturing and jobsWhat to expect next in CongressHow you can make your voice heard📞 Call or text us with your questions or comments: +1 (619) 512-9646🗳️ Take action to defend clean energy tax credits: https://cclusa.org/IRAdefense🎟️ Join us at the Summer Conference in Washington, D.C., July 20–22: https://cclusa.org/conference🎙️ Citizens Climate Radio is a project of Citizens’ Climate Education.
In this episode of Citizens Climate Radio, we dive into the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)—the biggest climate legislation in U.S. history—and the urgent effort underway to protect its clean energy tax credits.CCL’s Content Marketing Manager Elissa Tennant joins CCL’s Research Manager Dana Nuccitelli to break it all down. You’ll learn what the IRA funds, how clean energy tax credits work for individuals and businesses, and why these programs are now under threat. Dana also explains the budget reconciliation process, the challenges in Congress, and the surprising level of bipartisan public support for clean energy investment.You'll leave this episode knowing exactly why the IRA matters—and what simple actions you can take to defend it.Featured Guests:Elissa Tennant is CCL’s Content Marketing Manager, leading strategy and creation for web, social media, and volunteer resources.Dana Nuccitelli is CCL’s Research Manager, an environmental scientist, and an award-winning climate journalist with a background in physics and over a decade of science communication experience.Full transcript and more: visit www.cclusa.org/radioResources Mentioned:📄 Take action to defend clean energy tax credits: cclusa.org/IRAdefense📅 Register for the 2025 Citizens' Climate Lobby Summer Conference: cclusa.org/conference🌟 Get involved with other climate actions: cclusa.org/action🦖 Schoolhouse Rock: Tyrannosaurus Debt (explainer video): Watch on YouTube🧠 Join CCL’s Nerd Corner (for policy deep dives): CCL Community - Nerd CornerHighlights:Why the Inflation Reduction Act focuses so heavily on clean energy.What “tax credits” mean for individuals, businesses, and the broader economy.How budget reconciliation works—and why it's mostly a partisan process today.Why Republicans and Democrats alike have reasons to support clean energy tax credits.How CCL volunteers are defending climate investments—and how you can help.We Want to Hear from YouEmail: radio @ citizensclimate.orgText/Voicemail: 619-512-9646Social Media: Follow us on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and TikTok.
Elise Silvestri explores how art can strengthen climate advocacy with Carrie Ziegler, an interdisciplinary Artist, Speaker, and Community Engagement Expert. Carrie talks about her process for creating and executing the Chrysalis Project: Transforming Together, an art and climate policy project that enacted powerful change over Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the participating students, Brisa Sabel, shares her experience of the successful campaign and the joy and inspiration it gave her. Peterson Toscano has a surprisingly good news story: like our responses to climate change, the format of CCR is adapting! [insert finalized details here]Listen to Carrie Ziegler discuss the power of art storytelling in making meaningful, local climate policy.Carrie Ziegler harnesses the collective power of art to drive social and environmental transformation. Through her Art in Action initiatives, she collaborates with diverse entities—local governments, organizations, schools, and universities—to create multi-dimensional works that blend participant creativity with pressing societal issues. These projects inspire active engagement, bringing communities together to create lasting change. Along with the Chrysalis Project, Carrie also led the Plastic Whale Project, where students created a life-sized whale out of plastic bags. The whale played a pivotal role in successfully passing a ban on single-use plastic bags in Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, and Thurston County, Washington.Based in Olympia, Washington, Carrie is recognized internationally, bringing her impactful vision to global forums, including Aotearoa (New Zealand), Ghana, France, Mexico, and Canada. She empowers Artists and Change Makers to maximize their societal impact through art, inspiring a broader movement of change driven by creativity. Complementing her hands-on work, Carrie is penning her inaugural book, Eclosion: An Artist’s Path to Power and Peace. In this work, she intertwines her memoir with a practical guide for unleashing personal and collective potential, offering a blueprint for transformative change through art—a light for a world in desperate need of inspiration.Check out her work on her Instagram, @carriezieglerart.
In this episode of Citizens Climate Radio, co-hosts Peterson Toscano and Elise Silvestri dive into the pressing issue of climate anxiety with Kate Schapira, creator of the Climate Anxiety Counseling Booth in Providence, Rhode Island. Kate shares her decade-long journey of listening to people’s climate worries, how she transformed these conversations into actionable climate engagement, and the insights she presents in her book, Lessons from the Climate Anxiety Counseling Booth: How to Live With Care and Purpose in an Endangered World.This episode also features an inspiring good news story: a group of students in Tucson, Arizona, successfully passed a climate action resolution for their school district, securing funding for sustainability initiatives and setting an example for youth-led climate action.Tune in to learn how listening, storytelling, and collective action can transform climate despair into meaningful change.Show NotesLearn more about Kate Schapira and her work: KateSchapira.comRead Kate’s book: Lessons from the Climate Anxiety Counseling Booth
For episode 101 of Citizens Climate Radio, we highlight two powerful voices shaping the climate conversation—Elise Silvestri, a college student and musician passionate about climate justice, and Linda Sue Park, an award-winning author using storytelling to inspire young activists.Elise, who has worked on the Citizens Climate Radio team for six months, shares her journey through eco-anxiety, activism, and music production. She believes that addressing the climate crisis requires radical imagination—envisioning the world we want to create rather than just reacting to the crises around us. Elise also introduces us to Linda Sue Park, whose latest book, Gracie Under the Waves, follows a young snorkeling enthusiast as she discovers the urgent need for ocean conservation.Facing Eco Anxiety with Imagination and ActionElise Silvestri knows firsthand the overwhelming anxiety that can come from thinking about climate change. Like many young activists, she has struggled with fears about the future, moments of paralysis, and the emotional weight of the crisis. In this episode, Elise shares how she transformed her eco-anxiety into action—first through climate organizing with the Sunrise Movement and later through audio engineering and music production.By blending her passion for music with climate activism, Elise has found ways to build resilience for herself and the communities she works with. From powering live sound stages with solar energy to using podcasting as a medium for climate storytelling, Elise exemplifies the power of creativity in climate advocacy.Linda Sue Park on Finding Your Climate PassionNewbery Medal-winning author Linda Sue Park joins the conversation to discuss Gracie Under the Waves, her latest book for young readers. Inspired by her love for snorkeling, the book follows Gracie’s growing awareness of coral reef degradation and its broader implications for the health of our oceans."Gracie's journey parallels my own. At first, I just wanted to snorkel. Then I realized that the coral reefs were imperiled, and I had to do something." —Linda Sue Park.Linda encourages young readers to find their own path into climate activism by connecting their passions to climate justice. Whether through art, science, writing, or community work, she believes that the most effective advocacy comes from personal investment."There are many ways to help our planet. The most effective way is to connect it to something you already love—because then your enthusiasm is genuine, and you won’t get tired of talking about it." —Linda Sue Park.Learn more: https://lindasuepark.com/The Power of Community and CollaborationIn their conversation, Elise and Linda emphasize the importance of community in climate activism. Linda notes that for too long, Western culture has celebrated rugged individualism—but collaboration is essential when it comes to the climate crisis."For a very long time, children's books emphasized the idea of solving problems alone. But that time has passed. We are stronger when we work together." —Linda Sue Park.Elise echoes this sentiment, recalling how her work with Sunrise Movement helped her feel less alone in her climate anxiety. By finding a community, she could channel her fear into tangible action.Join the ConversationWhat motivates you to take climate action? How have you navigated eco-anxiety in your own life? We'd love to hear your story!📩 Email us at radio @ citizensclimate.org 📞 Call or text our listener voicemail line: (619) 512-9646 💬 Follow us on Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Facebook, and TikTok
In the eighth and final episode of Hot Mess: How Climate Consensus Turned Into Political Chaos, we bring together a powerhouse panel of conservative leaders and thinkers to reflect on the series and chart a path forward. Former Republican Congressman Bob Inglis, Chelsea Henderson (host of EcoRight Speaks), and Katie Zakrzewski and Zach Torpie (hosts of Green Tea Party Radio) join host Peterson Toscano to explore cultural and political factors shaping the conservative climate movement. Later, Peterson speaks with Drew Eyerly, Citizens Climate Lobby’s Conservative Outreach Director, about how conservatives are creating solutions and opportunities for climate action. This episode provides insights, inspiration, and a roadmap for bipartisan collaboration on climate solutions.Featured Guests:Bob Inglis:Former Republican Congressman and Executive Director of republicEn.org. Bob is a recipient of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award and a prominent voice in conservative climate action. He appears in the acclaimed documentary Merchants of Doubt, which examines the role of misinformation in climate skepticism.Chelsea Henderson:Director of Editorial Content at republicEn.org, host of the EcoRight Speaks podcast, and author of Glacial: The Inside Story of Climate Politics. Chelsea is a seasoned advocate for bipartisan climate solutions with nearly 25 years of experience bridging divides on Capitol Hill.Katie Zakrzewski:Co-host of Green Tea Party Radio, journalist, and environmental advocate. Katie highlights the economic and national security implications of climate action, emphasizing the importance of engaging young conservatives in the climate conversation.Zach Torpie:Environmental engineer and co-host of Green Tea Party Radio. Zach focuses on pragmatic climate solutions and envisions an America that leads the way in addressing climate challenges while preserving natural beauty and economic stability.Drew Eyerly:Conservative Outreach Director for Citizens Climate Lobby. Drew’s climate advocacy is fueled by his desire to create a sustainable future for his daughter. He champions economic and national security benefits of climate action and leads efforts to engage conservative voices in climate policy.Links and Resources Mentioned:republicEn.org – Learn more about Bob Inglis and Chelsea Henderson’s work.EcoRight Speaks Podcast – Hosted by Chelsea Henderson, exploring conservative climate perspectives.Green Tea Party Radio – A weekly podcast hosted by Katie Zakrzewski and Zach Torpie, showcasing conservative climate solutions.Citizens Climate Conservatives – Engage with conservative climate advocates at Citizens Climate Lobby.Merchants of Doubt – Documentary featuring Bob Inglis, available online and through major streaming platforms.Credits:Hot Mess: How Climate Consensus Turned Into Political Chaos is a production of Citizens Climate Radio, a project of Citizens Climate Education.Research and Editorial Team: Horace Mo, Lily Russian, Peterson Toscano, Flannery Winchester, Elise Silvestri, and Brett Cease.Production: Peterson Toscano with Elise Silvestri.Music: Epidemic Sound and Elise Silvestri.Disclaimer:The views expressed by our guests do not necessarily reflect those of Citizens Climate Education.Listen to the Full Series:Visit Citizens Climate Radio or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
In this penultimate episode of Hot Mess: How Climate Consensus Turned Into Political Chaos, we expand our focus beyond the United States to explore the global landscape of climate skepticism. Climate denial is not just an American phenomenon but takes on unique forms in different nations, influenced by cultural, political, and economic factors. We compare the deeply entrenched skepticism in the U.S. with the varied approaches seen in countries like China, Germany, Australia, and South Korea, shedding light on what drives climate attitudes worldwide.Featuring insights from four dynamic voices, this episode delves into how media, education, and policy influence public perception and what lessons can be learned from global successes and failures in addressing climate change.Featured Guests:Katie Zakrzewski: Co-host of Green Tea Party Radio and a young conservative from the South, Katie provides a deep dive into climate skepticism in the U.S. and contrasts it with Europe and beyond.Horace Mo: Former Citizens Climate Radio intern, Horace shares his experiences growing up in China and reflects on the nation’s ambitious strides in renewable energy and urban planning.Jose Aguto: Climate advocate and former Associate Director of the Catholic Climate Covenant, Jose discusses the global Catholic response to climate change and the unique challenges faced by the U.S. Church.Zach Torpie: Co-host of Green Tea Party Radio, Zach highlights how young conservatives are driving forward-thinking climate solutions and pushing for energy independence through renewables.Organizations and Resources Mentioned:Citizens’ Climate Lobby Action Page: cclusa.org/actionCatholic Climate Covenant: catholicclimatecovenant.orgGreen Tea Party Radio: Available wherever you get podcasts.Yale Program on Climate Change Communication: climatecommunication.yale.eduBTS Center’s Climate Changed Podcast: Visit Climate Changed PodcastJoin the ConversationEngage with other listeners and share your thoughts on our social media channels. Follow and connect with us on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and TikTok.Tune in next month for more inspiring stories, expert insights, and actionable climate solutions. Together, we can make a difference, one story at a time.We Want to Hear from YouEmail: radio @ citizensclimate.orgText/Voicemail: 619-512-9646 (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)CreditsResearch: Horace Mo Mo, Lily Rushen, Peterson ToscanoEditorial Assistance: Flannery Winchester, Elise Silvestri, Brett CeaseProduction: Peterson Toscano, Elise SilvestriMusic: Our theme music is Chasing Stories by Elise Silvestri. Other music byEpidemic Sound.
In Hot Mess Part Six: Snowballs, Skepticism, and Climate Lies, we uncover the deliberate tactics used to mislead the public about climate change, highlighting key players like the Koch brothers and Senator James Inhofe, alongside truth-tellers like former Representative Bob Inglis. The episode examines how misinformation campaigns, economic fearmongering, and symbolic stunts, such as Senator Inhofe’s infamous snowball moment, undermined climate science and bipartisan efforts for climate solutions. Featuring insights from guests Chelsea Henderson and Katie Zakrzewski, the episode delves into the emotional and cultural barriers to climate action and explores how understanding these dynamics can foster a path toward bipartisan collaboration and meaningful solutions.Guest ProfilesChelsea HendersonHost of EcoRight Speaks Podcast and author of The Inside Story of Climate Politics.Chelsea provides in-depth analysis of how the Koch brothers funded a web of organizations to sow doubt about climate science and resist regulatory action.Katie ZakrzewskiCo-host of Green Tea Party Radio.Katie critiques how Senator Inhofe’s snowball stunt became a rallying cry for climate denial and explores the emotional resonance of his rhetoric with conservative audiences.Representative Bob InglisFormer Republican Congressman from South Carolina and Executive Director of RepublicEn.Bob shares his personal journey from climate skeptic to advocate, emphasizing how conservative values align with environmental stewardship.Compelling QuotesChelsea Henderson:"The Koch brothers conned millions into believing polluters shouldn’t be held accountable for their pollution while everyday Americans pick up the tab."Katie Zakrzewski:"He sure did undo 30 to 50 years of science by throwing a snowball. It’s the equivalent of saying world hunger isn’t real because I just ate lunch."Representative Bob Inglis:"Protecting the vulnerable is loving God and loving people. Surely, that’s what climate action is about."Learn more about how you can engage in meaningful climate action. Visit www.cclusa.org/actionLearn more about Bob Inglis and the work of RepublicEN by visiting https://republicen.org
SummaryCitizens Climate Radio presents Hot Mess. This episode dives deep into the emotional and psychological factors that fuel climate skepticism, exploring how fear, anger, anxiety, and uncertainty are exploited to sow doubt. It highlights the calculated efforts of fossil fuel industries and conservative media to manipulate public perception and examines how fear-based messaging from environmentalists sometimes backfired. Listeners will gain insight into how emotional responses shape climate inaction and how we can navigate these barriers to foster informed decision-making.GuestsChelsea HendersonHost of RepublicEn's Eco Right Speaks Podcast.Author of Glacial: The Untold Story of Climate Politics.Chelsea discusses the role of conservative media and the polarizing politics of climate change.Katie ZakrzewskiCo-host of Green Tea Party Radio.Katie critiques fear-based environmental strategies and their unintended consequences for climate advocacy.Show page: www.cclusa.org/radioTake Action: www.cclusa.org/action
By the 1990s, momentum for climate action was growing, but so was opposition. In Episode 4 of Hot Mess: How Climate Consensus Turned Into Political Chaos, host Peterson Toscano examines how fossil fuel interests, economic priorities, and cultural shifts began to unravel bipartisan efforts. Featuring insights from Chelsea Henderson and Katie Zakrzewski, this episode dives into the psychological and cultural barriers that fueled climate skepticism, the emergence of echo chambers, and the rise of polarization. Despite these challenges, the episode highlights leaders like Senator John McCain, whose bipartisan efforts provided hope for climate solutions.Key Topics:The cultural and psychological roots of climate skepticism in the 1990s.How values of individualism and economic freedom clashed with environmental regulation.The role of cognitive dissonance and echo chambers in shaping public opinion.The rise of Senator John McCain as a climate advocate.Insights into the McCain-Lieberman Climate Change Bill of 2003.Featured Guests:Chelsea Henderson: Host of Eco Right Speaks and author of Glacial: The Inside Story of Climate Politics.Katie Zakrzewski: Co-host of Green Tea Party Radio and climate advocate.Standout Quotes:Katie Zakrzewski: "This is where the polarization really begins...economic priorities took precedence, creating a divide between regulation and free-market values."Chelsea Henderson: "John McCain made a promise to New Hampshire voters: I will learn about climate change, and he kept his word."Episode Highlights:[00:02:15] How cultural values in the 1990s paved the way for climate skepticism.[00:06:30] The role of cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias in resisting climate science.[00:15:40] The bipartisan McCain-Lieberman Climate Change Bill and its challenges.[00:20:50] Katie Zakrzewski’s perspective on the importance of engaging conservatives in climate action.Call to ActionWant to learn how you can get involved in bipartisan climate solutions? Visit cclusa.org/action. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with friends or on social media. Every share helps inspire more people to take meaningful action on climate change.Join the ConversationEngage with other listeners and share your thoughts on our social media channels. Follow and connect with us on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and TikTok.Tune in next month for more inspiring stories, expert insights, and actionable climate solutions. Together, we can make a difference, one story at a time.We Want to Hear from YouEmail: radio @ citizensclimate.orgText/Voicemail: 619-512-9646 (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)CreditsResearch: Horace Mo Mo, Lily Rushen, Peterson ToscanoEditorial Assistance: Flannery Winchester, Elise Silvestri, Brett CeaseProduction: Peterson Toscano, Elise SilvestriMusic: Our theme music is Chasing Stories by Elise Silvestri. Other music byEpidemic Sound.
Show Notes for Hot Mess: The Great Climate Divide - How Consensus Became ChaosEpisode Summary: In this third episode of Hot Mess: How Climate Consensus Turned Into Political Chaos, host Peterson Toscano unravels the pivotal shifts that transformed bipartisan climate cooperation into a landscape rife with skepticism and polarization. Joined by guests Chelsea Henderson and Katie Zarkreski, the conversation delves into the rise of disinformation campaigns, strategic political alliances, and economic anxieties that redefined the public perception of climate change.Key Topics:Early Momentum and Opposition: The episode begins by revisiting the climate action momentum of the early 1990s and how fossil fuel interests orchestrated disinformation campaigns to cast doubt on climate science.Industry Playbooks and Political Strategy: Chelsea Henderson, director at republicEn, explains the fossil fuel industry’s approach: sowing fear about economic impacts and casting scientific doubt. She reveals how well-funded ad campaigns promoted skepticism and stalled meaningful climate policy.From Climate Skepticism to Political Gridlock: Katie Zarkreski, co-host of Green Tea Party Radio, discusses the fossil fuel industry’s long history of suppressing climate science findings. Katie examines how both major political parties, under pressure from industry donors, began shifting away from environmental priorities.The Role of Key Players: The episode spotlights influential groups like Koch Industries and the Global Climate Coalition, revealing how they fueled a culture of denial and gridlock, reinforcing economic fears and blocking policies, from carbon taxes to international treaties.A Bipartisan Complication: Despite traditionally pro-environment platforms, Democrats also contributed to climate inaction. Katie discusses the nuanced role both parties played in the evolving skepticism and economic focus of the era, setting the stage for today’s divided climate politics.Featured Guests:Chelsea Henderson - Host of Eco Right Speaks and director of Editorial Content at republicEn. Chelsea brings over 25 years of climate policy expertise, offering insights into the mechanics of climate politics in Washington, D.C. https://republicen.org/podcast Katie Zarkreski - Co-host of Green Tea Party Radio and climate advocate with a background in faith-based environmental stewardship, Katie shares her journey from skepticism to activism, highlighting how conservative values align with climate action. https://greenteapartyradio.podbean.comCall to ActionWant to learn how you can get involved in bipartisan climate solutions? Visit cclusa.org/action. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with friends or on social media. Every share helps inspire more people to take meaningful action on climate change.Join the ConversationEngage with other listeners and share your thoughts on our social media channels. Follow and connect with us on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and TikTok.Tune in next month for more inspiring stories, expert insights, and actionable climate solutions. Together, we can make a difference, one story at a time.We Want to Hear from YouEmail: radio @ citizensclimate.orgText/Voicemail: 619-512-9646 (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)CreditsResearch: Horace Mo Mo, Lily Rushen, Peterson ToscanoEditorial Assistance: Flannery Winchester, Elise Silvestri, Brett CeaseProduction: Peterson Toscano, Elise SilvestriMusic: Our theme music is Chasing Stories by Elise Silvestri. Other music byEpidemic Sound.
In this episode of Hot Mess: How Climate Consensus Turned Into Political Chaos, Peterson Toscano introduces us to Marshall Saunders, a man whose unexpected journey from a Texas businessman to a climate advocate sparked a powerful movement. Saunders, the founder of Citizens Climate Lobby, channeled his skills and personal growth into creating a grassroots organization that has inspired climate action across the political spectrum.Hot Mess is a six-part series hosted by Peterson Toscano that uncovers the untold stories behind the rise and fall of bipartisan efforts to address climate change in the United States.For complete show notes and a full transcript of this episode, visit www.cclusa.org/radioKey ThemesThe personal transformation of Marshall Saunders.The founding of Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL).Citizen-driven advocacy and bipartisan climate solutions.Using market-based approaches to address climate change.Listen Now!Featured GuestsMarshall SaundersMarshall was born in Waco, Texas, and was the founder of Citizens’ Climate Lobby. He began his business career and became active in the microfinancing movement. His personal story of transformation from a businessman to his focus on climate solutions has inspired hundreds of thousands of CCL volunteers. Chelsea HendersonChelsea, host of RepublicEn’s Eco Right Speaks podcast, returns to provide context on the importance of conservative involvement in climate action. She shares what she sees Conservatives bring to the table regarding climate change solutions. Chelsea wrote the book, Glacial: he Untold Story of Climate Politics. Standout Quotes“Yes, he literally paved paradise and put in a parking lot. He was that guy.” – Peterson Toscano“We trust that ordinary people can get the job done… It’s a trusting in ordinary people, not people who are powerful, but ordinary people.” – Marshall SaundersEpisode Highlights00:03:45 – Marshall Saunders' early life as a businessman, paving parking lots and living a life of separateness.00:10:15 – A transformative personal growth workshop that led Saunders to care deeply about the world around him.00:18:30 – Founding Citizens Climate Lobby and the innovative, citizen-driven advocacy model Saunders championed.00:24:50 – The “carbon fee and dividend” plan: a market-based approach to climate action with bipartisan appeal.00:30:40 – The growth of CCL and its influence on climate policy, thanks to thousands of dedicated volunteers.Call to ActionWant to learn how you can get involved in bipartisan climate solutions? Visit cclusa.org/action. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with friends or on social media. Every share helps inspire more people to take meaningful action on climate change.Join the ConversationEngage with other listeners and share your thoughts on our social media channels. Follow and connect with us on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and TikTok.Tune in next month for more inspiring stories, expert insights, and actionable climate solutions. Together, we can make a difference, one story at a time.We Want to Hear from YouEmail: radio @ citizensclimate.orgText/Voicemail: 619-512-9646 (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)CreditsResearch: Horace Mo Mo, Lily Rushen, Peterson ToscanoEditorial Assistance: Flannery Winchester, Elise Silvestri, Brett CeaseProduction: Peterson Toscano, Elise SilvestriMusic: Our theme music is Chasing Stories by Elise Silvestri—other music by Epidemic Sound.
Hot Mess: How Climate Consensus Turned Into Political Chaos is a six-part series hosted by Peterson Toscano that uncovers the untold stories behind the rise and fall of bipartisan efforts to address climate change in the United States.In this first episode, Peterson Toscano takes listeners back to a time when political cooperation on climate issues was possible. The episode explores the beginnings of climate politics in the 1960s, including early warnings about carbon emissions and surprising cross-party collaborations that are difficult to imagine today.Key ThemesThe origins of climate politics in the 1960s.Bipartisan collaboration on environmental legislation.Early climate activism from figures across the political spectrum.Featured GuestChelsea HendersonChelsea hosts RepublicEn’s Eco Right Speaks podcast and has long advocated for conservative-led climate solutions. In this episode, she shares her insights into the early days of bipartisan cooperation and the conservative movement's role in addressing climate change.Standout Quotes“We must prevent the overheating of our planet, and that will take decisive action from everyone.” – Audio clip from Margaret Thatcher.“Nancy Pelosi and Newt Gingrich sitting on the same couch, talking about the climate, alongside Al Sharpton and Pat Robertson—truly, a coalition that seems unimaginable today.” – Peterson Toscano.Episode Highlights00:05:15 – Lyndon B. Johnson's 1965 climate briefing: The earliest official recognition of climate threats.00:12:45 – Richard Nixon established key environmental protections, marking bipartisan action.00:18:30 – Margaret Thatcher addresses the United Nations about the risks of climate change internationally.00:22:15 – 2008 We Can Solve It bipartisan climate campaign featuring Nancy Pelosi, Newt Gingrich, Rev. All Sharpton, and Rev. Pat Robertson brought together unlikely allies to tackle climate change.Call to ActionWant to learn how you can get involved in bipartisan climate solutions? Visit cclusa.org/action. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with friends or on social media. Every share helps inspire more people to take meaningful action on climate change.Join the ConversationEngage with other listeners and share your thoughts on our social media channels. Follow and connect with us on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and TikTok.Tune in next month for more inspiring stories, expert insights, and actionable climate solutions. Together, we can make a difference, one story at a time.We Want to Hear from YouEmail: radio @ citizensclimate.orgText/Voicemail: 619-512-9646 (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)CreditsResearch: Horace Mo Mo, Lily Rushen, Peterson ToscanoEditorial Assistance: Flannery Winchester, Elise Silvestri, Brett CeaseProduction: Peterson Toscano, Elise SilvestriMusic: Our theme music is Chasing Stories by Elise Silvestri. Other music by Epidemic Sound.
Our 100th episode of Citizens Climate Radio focuses on climate adaptation and how it’s shaping new career paths. Doug Parsons, host of the America Adapts podcast, join us and shares his insights on the urgent need for adaptation and the exciting opportunities in this evolving field. We also hear from an engineering student who reveals how he discovered a new climate-related career path. Plus, we share a special report from the future about unexpected climate solution celebrities.Doug Parsons on Climate AdaptationDoug Parsons explains that while mitigating climate change by reducing emissions is critical, adaptation—preparing for its impacts—is equally important. From wildfires to sea-level rise, communities must adapt to the changes already happening. Doug discusses “managed retreat” and the hard choices ahead for places like Miami, but he also highlights how climate adaptation offers a fast-growing sector full of opportunities for new careers."Adaptation is such an evolving field. If anyone says they know exactly what they're doing, they're lying to you. But that’s what makes it so exciting—you can influence it." —Doug Parsons.Listen Now!Why Climate? Featuring Justin BaumannWe feature Justin Baumann, an engineering management student at Stevens Institute of Technology. Justin shares his journey into climate work, combining his passion for technology and community care. He discusses how climate change initially seemed distant but soon became a central focus in his studies and career aspirations. Attending the Waterfront Alliance’s annual conference opened doors and gave Justin a new understanding of his role in our rapidly changing world.What about you? Why are you passionate about climate change work? Let us know by email radio @ clitizensclimate.orgJobs of the FutureIn this episode, we leap into the future. What will the job market look like in a world profoundly shaped by climate change? This radio play originally aired on the Climate Stew podcast and offers a humorous yet thought-provoking look at how engineers may be future celebrities.Hot Mess: How Climate Consensus Turned Into Political ChaosMark your calendars! We are excited to announce our upcoming six-part series, Hot Mess: How Climate Consensus Turned Into Political Chaos. Premiering on Friday, November 1, 2024, this series explores how the united global concern over climate change unraveled, stalling progress. We’ll take you behind the scenes, revealing overlooked moments and heroes of the climate movement and the forces that drove political chaos.Production Team:Written and produced by Peterson Toscano, Tamara Staton, Dana Nuccitelli, and Elise Silvestri.Technical support by Ricky Bradley and Brett Cease.Social media assistance by Flannery Winchester.Music by Epidemic Sound.Join the Conversation:Follow and engage with us on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and TikTok. Share your thoughts and join the discussion using #CitizensClimateRadio.Call or text our listener voicemail line: (619) 512-9646 (+1 if calling from outside the USA).Email us at radio @ citizensclimate.org.
In this episode, learn about the U.S. Energy Permitting Reform Act and how a music class inspired a student to gain new insights on climate change. We also explore how listening enhances climate communication skills.For full show notes, transcript, and links, visit www.cclusa.org/radioBarbara Wankollie’s Soundscape: Climate and Colonization Through SoundWe highlight Barbara Wankollie, a Liberian political science student at Bucknell University. She created a soundscape reflecting on colonization and Africa’s role in the Anthropocene, inspired by Gabrielle Hecht’s essay The African Anthropocene. Barbara’s piece blends original music with field recordings, starting with rain and drums to symbolize harmony with nature, then shifting to industrial sounds representing colonization’s disruption. A powerful moment in her work came from an accidental recording during a trip to Baltimore, where she and her international friends reflected on Black community and identity. This soundscape offers a unique lens on the intersection of climate and colonization.The Nerd Corner: The Energy Permitting Reform ActDana Nuccitelli unpacks the bipartisan Energy Permitting Reform Act, which aims to streamline clean energy projects while boosting fossil fuel extraction. A "super team" of experts modeled the bill’s impact, estimating it could reduce U.S. climate pollution by up to 25% by 2050, with fossil fuel provisions having minimal effect on increasing emissions. This act could play a key role in a cleaner energy future.Resilience Corner: The Power of ListeningTamara Staton explores how deep listening enhances collaboration, reduces stress, and builds emotional resilience, which is crucial for long-term climate action. She connects listening to improved trust, creativity, and support within the climate movement, highlighting its value in both personal and professional resilience.
Angry and Ready: Dana R. Fisher's Climate Call to ActionIn this month's Citizens’ Climate Radio, host Peterson Toscano introduces listeners to the fiery and determined voice of Dana R. Fisher, a veteran in the climate change movement with nearly three decades of experience. Fisher, the author of “Saving Ourselves: From Climate Shocks to Climate Action,” delivers a searing critique of the fossil fuel industry and the ineffectiveness of incremental policy changes. This episode challenges listeners to consider the strategies needed to combat climate change and our roles in this fight.For transcript and full show notes, visit www.cclusa.org/radioGood News: Bipartisan Success on Energy Permitting ReformPeterson shares a rare piece of bipartisan good news. The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has advanced the Energy Permitting Reform Act with overwhelming support. This bill, which aims to streamline the permitting process for green energy projects, marks a significant step forward in building a sustainable energy infrastructure in the United States. The bipartisan nature of this success serves as a hopeful reminder that cooperation is still possible in the fight against climate change.Why Climate? Featuring Dalton JacksonIn this episode’s Why Climate? segment, Dalton Jackson, a college senior from rural Indiana who is working on conservative outreach with Citizens’ Climate Lobby, shares how growing up on a farm and learning about engines sparked his interest in climate change, particularly the importance of transitioning to sustainable energy sources.Dalton emphasizes that convincing conservatives to engage in climate action often requires focusing on the economic benefits rather than solely the environmental impacts. He believes that more conservatives can be brought into the climate conversation by highlighting the cost savings and economic opportunities of clean energy. Dalton’s story is a powerful reminder that climate action can resonate across political divides when framed in terms of different values and priorities.Learn more about CCL Conservative at CCLUSA.org/Conservatives.Youth Corner: The Climate GOAT CampaignIn this episode’s CCL Youth Corner, Veda Ganesan introduces the Climate GOAT Campaign, a youth-driven initiative to make climate action a voting priority. The campaign focuses on relational organizing and deep canvassing, encouraging young people to engage their communities in meaningful conversations about the climate crisis.Learn more about CCL Youth and the GOAT Campaign at CCLUSA.org/YouthResilience Corner: Self-Care in Climate WorkTamara Staton returns with the Resilience Corner, reflecting on the challenges of integrating self-care into climate activism. Staton discusses the internal conflicts many climate activists face when prioritizing personal well-being and offers strategies for maintaining resilience in the face of overwhelming challenges.Find out more about building resilience in your climate change work by visiting CCLUSA.org/resilience. Feeling inspired by what you heard in this episode?For general actions and campaigns, Visit www.cclusa.org/actionWe Want to Hear from YouEmail: radio @ citizensclimate.orgText/Voicemail: 619-512-9646 (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
Peterson Toscano and the CCR teams introduce a fresh approach to climate change storytelling by exploring personal stories as metaphors. While these stories are not explicitly about climate change, they reveal truths and perspectives that resonate with our climate work. Join us to discover how personal narratives can enhance and diversify our stories about climate change. You will also learn expert storytelling tips to apply when telling stories about climate change. For complete show notes and transcript, visit www.cclusa.org/radioUsing Personal Stories as MetaphorsPeterson challenges us to use personal stories, which hold significant meaning and energy for us, as metaphors for climate change. These stories, often about transitions, conflicts, or breakthroughs in our lives, can draw powerful parallels to our climate efforts. You'll hear two compelling stories from the Citizens' Climate Radio team members Erica Valdez and Horace Mo, each reflecting personal growth and resilience.Horace's Story: A Journey of Friendship and BelongingHorace Mo shares his experience of moving from China to the USA as a 16-year-old. Navigating a new culture and language, Horace found support and friendship in his roommate Kai, who helped him overcome language barriers and cultural differences. This story of adaptation and support mirrors the collective effort needed in climate work, emphasizing the importance of community and mutual aid. Horace reflects, "My English ability soared like a rocket with the help of Kai and other students at school. For the first time, I sensed a personal belonging to the school community."Erica's Story: Confronting Hidden ChallengesErica Valdez recounts her high school friend Sophia's (not her real name) struggles with college applications due to her parents' undocumented status. Erica's story highlights the hidden challenges marginalized communities face, drawing a parallel to the often-overlooked impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations. It emphasizes the need for empathy and support in both personal and climate-related contexts. Erica notes, "Witnessing her stress made me ask, how many people are going through something similar?"Making Climate ConnectionsPeterson tells a story about a toxic, abusive relationship and reveals how this personal relationship mirrors society’s relationship with fossil fuels. He also encourages listeners to see the climate connections in Horace's and Erica's stories. Both narratives reflect themes of fear, support, and overcoming obstacles—common experiences in the climate movement. We can create more relatable and engaging narratives that resonate with diverse audiences by relating personal stories to climate issues. Peterson emphasizes, We need stories that reveal the power of climate change solutions. We need stories that unveil the driving force behind our efforts in addressing climate change. We need stories that unveil the driving force behind our efforts in addressing climate change. Stores that unearth how climate change affects some people differently than others. Stories that will inspire us to keep going.PLUS the Nerd Corner, a Good News story about over 35,000 climate conversations, and Why Climate? James Earl Hollywood III shares his motivation for climate action.Shoutouts to the following people and groups for the ways they promote us through social media: On X (FKA Twitter): Michael Cooper, the Arkansas chapter of CCl, Frances Stewart, M.D, Robert D. Evans, Bill Nash, Jane Haigh, 1.5, CCL Alameda, CCL Bellevue, Washington, and Jean Lloyd Larson. On TikTok: Linda Jay Reed, JackAsh007, Jan Cleveringa, Climate Countdown, The Green Journey, and Dr. Dana R. Fisher.
In this episode of Citizens Climate Radio, hosts Horace Mo and Erica Valdez bring together diverse voices to discuss current efforts to address climate change. Horace Mo speaks with Ann E Burg, a celebrated author known for compelling historical novels for young readers, about her newly published novel “Force of Nature–A Novel of Rachel Carson” which opens a new door for readers to experience the life of Carson, a well-known environmental pioneer in the US, by reading her field notes and Ann’s innovative writing. Erica Valdez discusses the American fossil fuel divestment movement, highlighting the work of younger generations. She has a conversation with Aly Horton, another student taking the initiative to promote the fossil fuel divestment movement on their campus at Northern Arizona University. In the Resilience Corner, Tamara Staton speaks on mastering the banjo and how this uniquely relates to addressing climate change. Finally, Peterson Toscano has a Good News story regarding South Africa's energy supply.For full show notes, including links to guests and a transcript, visit www.cclusa.org/radio .
In this month’s Citizens’ Climate Radio episode, Rob Hopkins, one of the founders of the Transition Town movement, shows us how playful imagination can lead to real-world solutions, and you will discover how a life-sized whale made of plastic bags brought a community together to pass groundbreaking legislation. Artist Carrie Ziegler shares her extraordinary project that mobilized hundreds of schoolchildren to make a powerful statement about plastic pollution. In the Nerd Corner, Dana Nuccatelli tackles the big question: is a carbon price still effective in a post-Inflation Reduction Act world? For complete show notes, links, and full transcript, visit www.ccluas.org/radioWe Want to Hear from YouEmail: radio @ citizensclimate.orgText/Voicemail: 619-512-9646Production Team:Written and produced by Peterson Toscano and the CCR team.Technical Support: Horace Mo, Erika Valdez, Ricky Bradley, and Brett Sease.Social Media Assistance: Flannery Winchester.Music is provided by epidemicsound.comSocial Media:Follow us on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and TikTok.
In this episode of Citizens Climate Radio, co-hosts Peterson Toscano and Erica Valdez explore the theme of climate change and its impact on Antarctica. They interviewed Elizabeth Rush, author of “The Quickening, Creation, and Community at the Ends of the Earth,” who shares her experiences and insights from a research expedition to Thwaites Glacier. They also spoke with Brett Cease, Vice President of Programming for Citizens' Climate Lobby, who traveled to Antarctica and shared his observations. Additionally, they discuss sustainable fashion, resilience, and the Great School Electrification Challenge.PLUS A Good News Story about Sustainable Fashion, Resilience and Puppies, and The CCL Youth Corner and the Great School Electrification Challenge. For full show notes, links, photos, and transcript, visit https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-26-in-deep-water/CCL Youth Corner with Veda GanesanVeda tells us about the Great School Electrification Challenge, an initiative spearheaded by CCL National Youth Action Team that aims to transform schools into hubs of sustainability by advocating for the electrification of various systems, including HVAC, transportation, and energy sources like solar panels. Through the stories of youth teams in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Dallas, Texas, Veda showcases the grassroots efforts to engage school boards, policymakers, and the community in adopting clean energy practices. Highlighting the recent success of the Cincinnati team in getting their electrification resolution unanimously passed, she encourages listeners to join the cause and participate in the challenge. Veda Genesan is a high school student from Texas and the host of the Sustainable Cents podcast.Resilience CornerTamara Staton explores the surprising relationship between puppies and climate change. Through her experience with her puppy, Mica, Tamara highlights how pets contribute to our well-being, from reducing stress to promoting physical activity and combating loneliness. She emphasizes how the positive effects of pet ownership can indirectly support climate action by fostering healthier, happier individuals. Tamara invites us to consider pet ownership or pet-sitting as a means of experiencing these benefits. To learn more about building resilience in the face of climate challenges, visit the Resilience Hub. Share your resiliency questions with Tamara via email at radio @ citizensclimate.org or you can text or leave a message at 619-512-9646.Monthly QuestionIf you could advocate for the climate through art, what kind of art piece would you create? This can be music, dance, film, writing, or other mediums you've used in rural climate work. We want to hear about it. Please email your answer to radio @ citizens climate.org. You can also text or leave a voicemail at 619-512-9646. Tell us your story of using art in your climate work.
In this month’s episode of Citizens Climate Radio, Eileen Flanagan, a writer, social change teacher, Quaker, and activist, dives deep with host Peterson Toscano into four different roles people have traditionally taken in change movements. In addition, Erica Valdez and Horace Mo join Peterson for a vibrant discussion about their personal experiences in taking one of these roles. See our complete show notes including links to guests, a full transcript, and possible action steps you can take. Visit www.cclusa.org/radioFinding Your Role In Eileen Flanagan’s words, the four recurring roles in change movements include rebels, advocates, organizers, and helpers. One of the best ways to understand these four roles is through their different orientations. Eileen says, “The helpers’ orientation is: what can I do to improve things without messing with the system?” She mentions climate change helpers who take the initiative to help insulate houses or help put solar panels on a neighbor’s roof. A helper also prepares food for events, provides rides for volunteer lobbyists, and donates money to a climate organization. Elieen further explains, “An advocate takes the role of trying to use the tools of the system to change things.” Advocates often capitalize on lobbying and lawsuits to convince elected officials and people in power to make decisions. Good News StoryHorace Mo in Chongqing shares a good news story about China’s new carbon trading regulations.If you have a good news story to share, email radio @ citizensclimateradio.org or leave a message at our visiting voicemail line: (619) 512-9646Nerd CornerCitizens’ Climate’s Research Coordinator Dana Nuccitelli discusses the geeky world of permitting reform. Dana highlights climate research (and makes it understandable) for fellow nerds and the nerd curious! Visit The Nerd Corner to see the Chart of the Week, regular blog posts, and an active forum to connect with other nerds. Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich
Have you ever thought that climate change and comedy could go hand in hand? Episode 92 of Citizens Climate Radio is here to prove that they can! Our latest episode introduces you to Brian Etling, an extraordinary man who transformed his climate change anxiety into a comedic career. His journey from a park ranger to the Climate Change Comedian is not only fascinating but also a testament to the power of humor in advocacy.For our full show notes, transcript, links, and more visit https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-92-theres-something-funny-about-climate-change/But that's not all! This episode is a treasure trove of stories and insights. We take you on a personal tour of a pioneering package-free store in Portland, Oregon, led by Damon Mots-Storey of the Sierra Club. Imagine a place where sustainability isn't just a concept but a practical, everyday reality. It's a glimpse into a future where shopping aligns with our environmental values—a future that's already here.Then, we turn the spotlight to the youth, the driving force behind significant changes in the climate movement. Veda Ganesen shares the critical role young activists played at the COP28 meeting, proving that when it comes to fighting for our planet, age is just a number. These passionate individuals are not just sitting at the table; they're leading the conversation.But what about the spaces we occupy? Tamara Staton, with the resilience corner, invites us to consider the connection between our climate work and space. Not the outer space, but the space we need in our lives to be effective advocates. It's a reminder that taking a step back to breathe and create room for rest is not only beneficial but necessary for sustained action.We also take you through two New York City museums—the Museum of Modern Art and the Climate Museum—each offering unique perspectives on climate change and sustainability. Whether it's through the dynamic design of Solar Ivy or the actionable steps provided by the Climate Museum, these institutions are shaping the narrative and inspiring visitors.So, why should you listen to Episode 92? Because it's not just a podcast episode. It's a journey through the stories of individuals and communities making a real difference in the climate movement. It's an invitation to laugh, learn, and be inspired. It's a call to action that resonates with the urgency of our times, yet reminds us of the joy and creativity that can be found in the fight for a sustainable future.Join us on Citizens Climate Radio and be part of a conversation that's changing the world, one story, one laugh, and one action at a time.
Are you ready for a dose of optimism in the climate change dialogue? The latest bonus episode of Citizens Climate Radio is here to deliver just that. Host Peterson Toscano steps away from the script to bring you a candid and uplifting update on climate action that's happening right where it matters: in Congress.The episode includes the announcement of a significant legislative win—the passage of the PROVE IT Act through the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. This bipartisan effort signifies a crucial step toward using trade policy to curb global emissions. It's a testament to the power of collective advocacy, highlighting the tireless efforts of volunteers who pushed the agenda forward.But the good news doesn't stop there. Peterson offers a tantalizing preview of the 2024 season, promising a lineup of extraordinary guests and innovative segments. We're talking about climate change comedy that strikes a balance between laughter and learning, the return of the Resilience Corner, and the debut of the CCL Youth Corner. The blog post delves into the upcoming special series, including "Voces del Cambio," a Spanish language podcast focusing on climate issues in Latin America, and a true crime podcast that investigates the sinister turn in the US political climate regarding environmental issues. These series not only aim to entertain but also to educate and inspire action.Citizens Climate Radio continues to emphasize its role as a platform for its audience, seeking input and engagement from listeners to shape the show's future. The episode serves as a call to action, inviting everyone to contribute their voices to the climate advocacy movement.We invite you to engage with a community that's making real change. It's a reminder that amidst the daunting news that often overshadows environmental discourse, there are victories to be celebrated and progress to be acknowledged. Visit www.cclusa.org/action to find out how you can take part in monthly actions along with thousands of others. Don't miss out on this inspiring episode. Tune in to Citizens Climate Radio, get involved, and let's continue to move the needle together in the fight against climate change.
This episode delves deep into the essential role of forests in both urban and rural landscapes, exploring their impact on our planet's health and our collective efforts to mitigate climate change.See complete show notes, transcripts, and links at www.cclusa.org/radio🌲- Peterson Toscano shares his personal connection with forests, setting the stage for a profound exploration of trees in climate regulation and sustainability. From his childhood experiences in the Catskill Mountains to his urban explorations in New York City, Peterson's narrative weaves a tapestry of personal and environmental interconnectedness.- Allegheny College Students' Initiative: Discover the groundbreaking Food Forest project, conceptualized and implemented by a group of visionary students. Listen as they detail their journey from conception to realization, highlighting the steps taken to gain approval, cooperation, and the eventual flourishing of their eco-friendly project.- Van Wagner's Wisdom: Meet Van Wagner, a former forester and coal miner turned educator and storyteller. His insights into historical and current forestry practices offer a unique perspective on sustainable forestry and environmental stewardship. Wagner's experiences and storytelling bring to life the rich history and future potential of forests.- Taylor Lightman's Urban Insights: Delve into the urban aspect of tree planting with Taylor Lightman. From Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, Taylor discusses the multifaceted benefits of urban trees in creating healthier, vibrant communities, and their role in climate resilience.- Dana Nuccitelli's Nerd Corner: Enhance your understanding with compelling research insights on the crucial role of urban trees in carbon sequestration and the broader benefits they offer to urban environments and public health.
As a climate advocate, you want to stay well informed, up to date, and equipped in the work you do. On today’s show the Citizens’ Climate Radio Team willI help you do just that. In today’s show they feature the newest and best books and podcasts related to climate advocacy. They also speak to the creators behind these excellent new resources. Find full show notes and transcript here: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-89-the-best-new-climate-change-books-and-podcasts/1. "The Twenty-One, The True Story of the Youth Who Sued the U.S. Government over Climate Change" by Elizabeth Rusch: This book delves into the ongoing landmark federal climate change lawsuit Juliana versus the United States of America. It focuses on 21 young people who sued the US government for not addressing the causes of climate change and explores their courage and the significance of this case.2. "California Against the Sea: Visions for our Vanishing Coastline" by Rosanna Xia: The author discusses the themes of her book, which explores issues related to California's coastline, including private ownership, public accessibility to nature, and the need for resilient communities and infrastructure.3. "Am I Too Old to Save the Planet? A Boomer’s Guide to Climate Action" by Lawrence MacDonald: This book reflects on how older generations can contribute to climate action and emphasizes the need for collective action and bipartisan consensus to address climate change.4. "The Quickening: Creation and Community at the End of the World" by Elizabeth Rush: The book chronicles a scientific expedition to Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica, highlighting the potential consequences of sea level rise. It also explores personal questions about bringing a child into a changing world.Additionally, the text provides a list of climate fiction (Cli-Fi) books recommended by Dr. Krista Hiser, aimed at deepening understanding and empathy for the impact of climate change. It mentions other books and authors featured on the Citizens Climate Radio podcast.The Ultimate Climate Fiction (Cli-Fi) ListDr. Krista Hiser has been a regular guest and contributor to Citizens’ Climate Radio. She helps educators find creative ways to incorporate climate change into the curriculum. She does this work in several ways. Currently she is the Senior Lead and Advisor for advancing Sustainability Education over at the Global Council for Science and the Environment. She is also a professor of Composition & Rhetoric. But perhaps one of her most exciting endeavors is a successful online group she started. It’s called The Ultimate Cli-Fi Book Club. She shares four books that will help deepen your understanding of climate change and empathy for everyone impacted by extreme weather and global warming. Night in the World by Sharon EnglishA Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.The Man with the Compound Eyes by Wu Ming-Yi, Darryl Sterk (Translator)The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley RobinsonThe Memory of Water by Emmi Itžranta Here are some books and authors that have been featured on Citizens Climate RadioMr. Eternity by Aaron Thier, Episode 10.Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins, Episode 22.Code Blue and Code Red by Marissa Slaven, Episodes 33 and 65.These nonfiction books and Cli-Fi recommendations offer valuable insights into climate change and its effects on the environment and society.
In episode 88 of Citizens Climate Radio, we dive into the passion and action of young climate activists, exploring their journeys from concern to meaningful action. Host, Peterson Toscano leads the conversation, spotlighting the endeavors of students like Emily O’Keefe and Helen Tiffin in fostering awareness about climate change and feasible solutions, focusing particularly on the carbon fee and dividend policy.See full show notes and transcripts plus links: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-88-the-college-carbon-fee-and-dividend-climate-change-movement/From Concern to ActionEmily O’Keefe, a student at the College of William and Mary, candidly shared her progression from a state of existential concern about climate change to actively seeking out impactful solutions. Emily’s journey started with a realization about the importance of sustainable living and protecting the environment. This ultimately led her to a gap year where she could detach and reconnect with nature by hiking the Appalachian Trail."I want to do something really big about climate change. And I'm just trying to figure out how can I do that?" - Emily O’KeefeEvolving Ideas & Shared EnthusiasmEmily’s initial idea to start a social movement was supported and molded by her friends, like Helen Tiffin. They delved deep into discussions about the nature of the movement and the message it should convey. Eventually, she was introduced to the carbon fee and dividend policy by a friend, Philip Ignatov. This policy became the focal point of their movement due to its effectiveness and tangible impact.Helen Tiffin supported Emily’s enthusiasm, remarking on the nonpartisan nature and wide appeal of the carbon fee and dividend idea, noting, “It really is something that we can all agree upon.”Building a MovementEmily, Helen, and their friends engaged in creating signs which readMost Effective Climate Policy #carbonfeeanddividend bit.ly/writecongresshereThey raised awareness on their campus, and beyond and fostered a ‘snowball effect’, enabling more and more students and people to recognize and understand the carbon fee and dividend policy, spreading across multiple universities and leveraging online platforms like Instagram for greater reach.Resilience CornerIn this installment Tamara illustrates a parallel between the mental and physical benefits of high-intensity exercises like burpees and the sense of hope derived from proactive climate actions. This connection emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balance between mental stimulation and actionable insight to foster hope and resilience against the adverse effects of climate change.Citizens Climate Radio is welcoming three new team members, Lily Russian, Horace, and Karina Taylee, who will be regular voices on the platform.Good News Shelterwood Collective, a non-profit focusing on communal healing and ecosystem restoration on 900 acres in Northern California, is the focus of this month’s Good News Story. CCR team member Lila Powell researched, wrote, and recorded the story about the indigenous, black, and queer-led group that uses Kashia and southern Pomo traditions in forest restoration, involving controlled burns and invasive species removal. In 2022, they received a $4.5 million grant to enhance their restoration efforts. The collective also uses art, focusing on interconnected ecosystems, to inspire community involvement and is developing a center to foster environmental relationships and inclusivity.Special tribute to Madeline Para who recently retired from CCL staff. You heard Cody Francis singing Weather Any Storm. https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/RZI7R4iUkt/
Creative communicators are harnessing TikTok to engage their followers with climate change messages. TikTok is known for its short, engaging videos, and we talk to two content creators who are using the platform to reach and educate younger audiences in a fun and creative way.
For complete show notes with links and transcript visit www.cclusa.org/radio
Preeta “Prach” Banerjee is better known as @Prachonearth, a passionate climate activist who aspires gain a TikTok following as she shares her day-to-day life while promoting climate change awareness. A pre-med student at Purdue University, Prach volunteers with Citizens Climate Lobby and the Carbon Fee and Dividend Movement, Prach speaks with Citizens Climate Radio team member, Ruth Abraham and offers insights into her creative process, which involves spontaneity, authenticity, and connecting with viewers on a personal level.
Cyrus Ferguson is a NYC based strategist, digital creator, and writer. He produces and hosts TikTok shows that imagine new paths for brands to connect to viewers, and if you’re on Art-Tok, you’ve likely seen his “Unintentional Sculpture Analysis.” Cyrus playfully analyzes everyday scenes as if they were works of art, bringing a fresh perspective to mundane objects and encouraging viewers to engage with climate change through imagination and play. With nearly 200,000 likes and over 2400 comments, Cyrus’ Unintentional Sculpture Analysis #13 REFORM is engaging viewers in a ridiculously serious conversation about climate change. He explains his process and shares expert tips and guidance for content creators.
Nerd Corner
Citizens’ Climate’s Research Coordinator, Dana Nuccitelli, delves into the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Dana breaks down the financial incentives offered by the IRA to encourage household electrification and energy efficiency improvements. From tax credits to upfront rebates, the IRA aims to make sustainable choices more accessible and affordable for households across the United States. Dana emphasizes the significance of these incentives in reducing building emissions and promoting cleaner energy solutions. Oh, and you can see Dana talking about Permitting Reform on Citizens Climate’s TikTok channel.
Visit The Nerd Corner for more easy-to-understand explanations by Dana and the team.
Good News Story Eco Warrior Barbies: Daryl Hannah's Major Announcement!
After actress and eco-activist Daryl Hannah shared a groundbreaking announcement on behalf of the Mattel Corporation, the company behind Barbie dolls, Citizens Climate Radio host spoke with Daryl about this big bold move.
Earlier this month at Los Angeles press conference, Daryl announced that Mattel has committed to going 100% plastic-free by 2030 and aims to support a global ban on plastics. To celebrate this important shift in toy production, Mattel will release a line of fully biodegradable Eco-Warrior Barbies, including one made in Daryl Hannah’s likeness.
She shared some of the details with us, “I have a few accessories. Well I have a mermaid tail so I can do my work in the ocean. I have a monkey wrench. I have some handcuffs but actually I used chains when I changed myself to a tree at the South Central farm. I have a snorkel so I can also you know go and check out under the ocean. I have a few more toys but I definitely have a few non plastic biodegradable tools.”
If this story sounds too good to be true, it is because it is. It was all a hoax orchestrated by the fictional Barbie Liberation Organization (BLO). The real people behind this political satire is the infamous Yes Men, who for decades have fooled the press and public with their elaborate stunts.
As climate advocates, we want to get everyone engaged in some sort of climate action. When it comes to taking on global climate change, people can feel overwhelmed with the scale of the problem, and then they shut down. Brandi Robinson, Associate Teaching Professor in Energy and Mineral Engineering at Penn State University says, “You don't have to make climate change someone's top priority. You have to connect climate change to what they already care about, and figure out how you can work together on that.” She recommends we begin locally.
(Find links to guests, full show notes, and transcript at www.cclusa.org/radio )
Brandi has been collaborating with her colleagues, Dr. Peter Buck, a sustainability and climate change professional, public servant, and educator. Together they co-direct the Centre Region Climate Action Program. Their work focuses on the local responses to global climate change, with specific interest in community-scale climate action planning.
Resilience Corner
There is no need to be overwhelmed in your climate work, especially when we use the resiliency tool at hand. In her latest installment of the Resilience Corner Tamara Staton connects our climate work with an emotion that doesn’t often come up–Joy. And speaking of joy, check out the silly TikTok host, Peterson Toscano made with Tamara in Portland, Oregon’s Forest Park.
The Resilience Corner is made possible through a collaboration with Tamara Staton, Education and Resilience Coordinator for Citizens Climate Education. For more tips, strategies, and practices to stay strong and steady in your climate work, visit The Resiliency Hub.
Good News Singer Songwriter Dane Meyers hung out with volunteer climate lobbyists in DC. Together they created the Live, Laugh, Lobby song and music video.
Blending the mediums of music, video and climate activism, Dane has a long history of making sustainability feel less like a nightmare and more like a creative adventure. Beginning in 2019, his converted Tesla Model 3 became his home and recording studio for 18 months. The project showcased the unique capabilities of electric vehicles and led to a 17-song album entitled "The New American Dreamers."
Eager to connect with others, Dane is gearing up for his next adventure-a series of intimate living room concerts along the east-coast. These performances aim to spark interest in sustainability and inspire audiences to both process the deep losses of environmental devastation while celebrating the adventure into sustainability. Learn more at his website. https://danemyers.com/
Ruth Abraham and Lila Powell, interns for Citizens Climate Radio, take over the show, and take a deep dive into the world of carbon pricing.
For all links, show notes, and full transcript, visit https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/category/podcast/
Citizens Climate Lobby's Carbon Pricing page states: “A strong, economy-wide price on carbon could reduce America’s carbon pollution by 50% by 2030, putting us on track to reach net zero [carbon production] by 2050.”
Carbon pricing is an economic solution to climate change. When Marshall Saunders first envisioned the creation of CCL, Cap-and-Trade was the primary way lawmakers heard about carbon pricing. But through relentless messaging and volunteer lobbying, the discussion has shifted to carbon fee and dividend.
The ultimate goal? Incentivize both businesses and individuals to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Citizens’ Climate Lobby advocates for a carbon fee and dividend, an economy-wide fee that is then returned to citizens. At the point of extraction, a fee will be placed on fossil fuels. This collected store of cash will then be distributed back to individuals and in turn, flow through the economy, incentivizing both businesses and people to slowly but surely rely on renewables.
Naomi Shimberg is a self-described aspiring economist who hopes to research the design of environmental and energy policy. A recent graduate at Yale with a B.A. in Ethics, Politics, and Economics, Shimberg was the senior producer at Pricing Nature where she produced and hosted episodes of Pricing Nature, a podcast on the economics of climate change. She spends her time explaining externalities and the infamous “social cost of carbon.” Shimberg also establishes that environmental inequities are essential to determining an appropriate climate price. Furthermore, she mentions that while it is efficient in reducing pollution it’s not an entirely equitable tool.
Nokwanda Maseko is now a Senior Economist at Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies' with a background in development economics. Nokwanda conducts economic research, with a focus on industrial policy, trade, and climate change. Gender and the Just Transition in South Africa is a topic Nokwanda enjoys and is able to work on professionally. In this episode, Nokwanda says that although carbon pricing can help reduce emissions and promote innovation, it can also potentially increase costs for marginalized communities. Nokwanda discusses how general development as well as the transportation, agriculture, and energy production sectors in South Africa have several factors to consider when envisioning a green and equitable future.
The benefits of carbon pricing include but are not limited to affordable clean energy, saved lives due to the restoration of clean air, and the innovation of American businesses.
Nerd Corner Dana Nuccitelli highlights climate research (and makes it understandable) for fellow nerds and the nerd curious! In this episode Dana explains the basics behind addressing pollution and equity through carbon fee and dividend.
Check out Dana’s post about how far and fast a price on carbon can drive down emissions within the United States here.
Good News Story Citizens Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano, shares good news about the Conservative Climate Caucus in the House of Representatives. It is much bigger than most people could have ever imagined!
In this episode of Citizens’ Climate Change, we explore the intersection between the Bible and climate change. More specifically, we discuss the Christian faith and how it inspires its followers to advocate for the planet. Visit our show page for full notes, links, and transcript: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-84-unraveling-the-bibles-message-on-climate-change/Pastor Kyle Meyaard Schaap, husband, father, and self-described disciple of Jesus, is Vice President of the Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN). EEN is a ministry that educates, inspires, and mobilizes Christians in their effort to care for God’s creation. Pastor Schaap is also of the book, Following Jesus in a Warming World: A Christian Call to Climate Action. It was published by Intervarsity Press, and is a memoir and theological field guide written for millennials and Gen Z believers. His message is that there is a space for Christians in the environmentalist movement. In fact, Pastor Schaap reminds us that the Bible starts off with Genesis where God gives man authority over creation. Schaap reveals to us how his faith as a Chrisitan inspires his climate work. Jesus asked his followers to love their neighbor as themselves, and Schaap asks Christians to extend this invitation to love all things including the natural world. Even further, Pastor Schaap suggests as Christians strive to be like Jesus, they must be impatient for the Kingdom of God. He urges fellow Christians to commit to creation care.See full show notes and links over at www.cclusa.org/radioA Climate Life VerseRuth Abraham, a member of the Citizens Climate Radio team, shares with us the Bible verse that speaks to her about creation care and our need to clean up the pollution in the world. She is inspired by the Christman hymn, Joy to the World, which was written by Isaac Watts, and a verse in Luke’s Gospel.Resilience Corner “Resilience is about recognizing a challenge and moving through it, so that we’re a little bit stronger on the other side of it.”Tamara Stanton, returns this episode with a new series: Resilient Climate-teering through Unexpected Climate Connections. The goal is to have you, the listener, worry less and act more. After revealing the motivation behind the name “Climate-Teering.” Staton begins to equip us with the tools necessary to combat the inevitable challenges that come alongside climate change. She reminds us that resilient minds respond to conflict with an, “I got this,” attitude.Good News CCR’s very own intern, Lila Powell, delivers a story about various faith groups who are collaborating to advance a climate preservation mission. In 2022, Egypt hosted COP27. In attendance were several religious institutions and a wonderful demonstration of interfaith conversations in support of climate policy. In addition to committees, some faith groups have gone as far as publically divesting from fossil fuels. It is a great step forward. Links: https://kylemeyaardschaap.com/https://www.ivpress.com/following-jesus-in-a-warming-world
In this month’s episode of Citizens’ Climate Radio, Eric Dean Wilson fills us in on the not-so-cool history of air conditioning and its complicated relationship to climate change. He is the author of After Cooling: On Freon, Global Warming, and the Terrible Cost of Comfort. Lila Powell and Ruth Abraham join Peterson Toscano in hosting this deep dive into air conditioning’s past, present, and future.Eric walks us through the creation and history of AC. Despite what all of us at CCR thought, AC was not first used for human comfort or health. Eric says, it was about money. From movie theaters to segregation to a mad scientist, the history of AC covers it all. Join us to learn about how AC got its start in the world of finance and how racism keeps exposing some people in American cities to more heat than others.Nerd CornerIn this episode, we premiere a new section in our podcast- The Nerd Corner! Citizen Climates Research Coordinator, Dana Nuccitelli, fills us in on the environmental impacts of renewable energy. Dana highlights climate research (and makes it understandable) for fellow nerds and the nerd curious! Check out Dana’s recent post about The little-known physical and mental health benefits of urban trees.Good News CCR’s very own intern, Ruth Abraham, shares her experience attending the CCL Southeast Regional Conference. The conference took place at the Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design on Georgia Tech’s campus. It was the 28th building to receive a Living Building Certification. She heard from various climate continuous figures such as Georgia Senator, Raphael Warnock, and Atlanta’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Candra Farley. Ruth even joined a book club!
In this month’s episode of Citizens’ Climate Radio, Peterson Toscano and Ruth Abraham feature four high school students who reveal the secret world of teenage lobbying. Brionna Dulay, Saachi Sharma, Cole Cochrane, and Anna Xies all volunteer for Citizens’ Climate Lobby. We asked them, Are lobbyists evil? See our full show notes and transcript: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-82-are-lobbyists-evil/Brionna Dulay is a high school senior in Washington State, who discovered a passion for climate advocacy after she was an eyewitness to severe flooding in her community. As a Punjabi-American, Brionna recognized the lack of her community’s representation in climate advocacy and climate change's disproportionate effects on minority communities. This has pushed Brionna to speak to US senators and representatives along with local, regional, and state members of congress. Saachi Sharma, also from Washington State, has been involved with Citizens’ Climate Lobby since middle school, and she is now a high school junior. She believes that the work done by today's youth helps make the world a better place, and says, “There's really no age to when you can start being more climate-conscious”. Cole Cochrane started his advocacy at age 11 as a volunteer on campaigns for local candidates. Cole is now a senior in high school and has co-founded a nonprofit organization called Maine Youth Action. He serves as the Policy Director. Maine Youth Action aims to empower youth in politics and have their voice heard in critical areas like climate action.Anna Xies lived in China till she was 11 and is now a senior in high school in Washington State. Anna is the statewide leader of Citizens’ Climate Lobby Youth and previously worked on team recruitment. Anna was struck by the positive feedback from new team members, who told her that CCL has changed their lives and given them more confidence in their public speaking and in the future of our plant.We decided to call a professional lobbyist to find out more. Ben Pendergrass has worked in Washington for over 14 years as a Congressional staff and a government relations professional. He is CCL’s Vice President of Government Affairs and works to advance the policy goals of CCL in Congress. Ben gave us the inside scoop on professional lobbying and had some advice for youth lobbyists. Ben suggests that “being informed, being polite, and really connecting the issues back to the state or district is always very important.”CCR’s very own intern, Lila Powell, tells us about two young climate advocates' successes in sustainability. Franziska Trautmann and Max Steitz were students at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. While sipping wine in their backyard, Franziska and Max pondered the future of the glass bottle it came in, since NOLA doesn’t have a government-funded glass recycling program. Tune in to hear how they turned that into a happy ending for their whole community!
In this month’s episode of Citizens’ Climate Radio, we feature two women so compelled by their experiences in the wilderness, they published books about their experiences.Lilace Melin Guinard, is a poet and non-fiction writer. CCR host Peterson Toscano walks alongside Guinard in northern Pennsylvania’s Hill Creek State Park as the two discuss the unique experiences that women face alone in nature. As a young woman who was fed up by non-communicative boyfriends, Guinard sought out solace in wild spaces and places. Backpacking and solo-trips equipped her with autonomy and released her from the fear of the outdoors she was taught while growing up in suburbia in the 1980s. https://www.tentofonesown.com/In her memoir, When Everything Beyond the Walls Is Wild: Being a Woman Outdoors in America, Guinard explores the challenges and rewards of exploring wilderness alone. https://www.tamupress.com/book/9781623497644/when-everything-beyond-the-walls-is-wild/We spotlight poet, writer, and editor Hila Ratzabi. http://www.hilaratzabi.com/ In her recent book There are Still Woods Ratzabi writes both for herself as well as others who need to process the strong emotions around climate change. Her advice? Recognize there are ways to get involved. Beyond political actions she recognizes the importance of cultivating our creative sides. https://www.juneroadpress.com/there-are-still-woodsTamara Staton, CCL’s Education and Resilience Coordinator shares the fifth and final step to building resilience: Repeat. Get more tips and resources by visiting The Resiliency Hub. https://community.citizensclimate.org/topics/resilience-hubFull Transcript: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/aemdvv/TranscriptCCREP81Womeninwildplaces.pdfTo learn more about creative climate action, visit cclusa.org
As climate advocates, we need to articulate what it is we are fighting for. What is the world we want to create? Engaging our imagination is essential to stirring up the kind of hope and excitement that inspires others to action. In this episode of Citizens’ Climate Radio, three guests join us to help unleash our imagination potential: Hannah Pickard from the National Network of Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation; Dr. Natasha DeJarnett, a leader in environmental health research and board member of Citizens’ Climate Education and Physicians for Social Responsibility; and Sean Dague, a software engineer by day, a CCL group leader, and an En-ROADS Climate Simulation tool ambassador. These three guests conduct a thought experiment: Can you imagine a world without fossil fuels? What will it look, smell, sound, and feel like? You will also hear three new voices who have joined the Citizens Climate Radio team. Ruth Abraham, Lila Powell, and Zach Torpie are each recent college graduates. They share their reactions and responses to what Sean and Hannah have to say about engaging our imaginations in our climate change work. You can imagine this, too! Share your answers with host Peterson Toscano. Leave a voicemail at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.orgOnce we are able to notice, accept and get help where we need it, we are more able to take action in ways that support our well-being. Which brings us to our focus today on the next step: Practice.Tamara Staton is the Education and Resilience Coordinator for Citizens Climate Education, and in this installment of the Resilience Corner she helps us to ask for the help we need. Get more tips and resources by visiting The Resiliency Hub.https://community.citizensclimate.org/topics/resilience-hub
In this episode we look at climate stories that reveal the impacts of climate solutions. There are three different types of Climate Solution Impact stories you can tell.1. The Current Solution Success Story2. The Future Solution Success Story3. The Solution Motivation StoryRead a full transcript of this episode: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/t6sa8w/How_to_Tell_a_Climate_Change_Solution_Storybc56q.pdfFor examples of Current Climate Change Solution Success Stories, we hear from Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz and Yale Climate Connections. A new solar-powered car designed to travel up to 40 miles on sunshine alone: That’s enough to cover many people’s daily commutes.Eight states, 30 cities team up to reduce flooding threat along the Mississippi: They’ve partnered with Ducks Unlimited to restore more than 60 wetlands that will hold floodwaters during storms.To hear and read more of these stories visit Yale Climate Connections. https://yaleclimateconnections.orgThe Future Climate Change Solution Success Story For examples of these, head over to the Clifi Imaginarium. Allison Whitaker tells us about the ways they take seemingly dry information about solutions, and turn them into compelling stories. Check out www.WithManyRoots.com to read these Cli-fi solution stories and to learn about the free monthly Introduction to Climate Fiction on-line workshops. The Climate Change Solution Motivation StoryThis story reveals why I am motivated to do the climate work I am doing. The story itself may not seem to have anything to do with climate change. Still this story goes right to the heart of my work. I will tell you one of my climate solution motivation stories. Citizens Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano, shares one of his motivation stories, and shows us how to then pivot to climate change solutions and specific meaningful action. Check out our full show notes: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/category/podcast/Tha Art HouseAlan Gratz has written nearly 20 books for young adults including PRISONER B-3087, about World War Two holocaust survivor and Refugee, which weaves togethers stories of three children from three countries escaping their countries in search of a new home. In his latest book, Two Degrees, Alan takes on climate change.He tells us about the challenges he had to overcome in writing about climate change, and how this book was much harder to write than his previous ones. He also gives us a reading from the book. 13-year-old Juno gives a review of Two Degrees. Learn more: https://www.alangratz.com/Resilience CornerTamara Staton is the Education and Resilience Coordinator for Citizens Climate Education, and in this installment of the Resilience Corner she helps us to ask for the help we need. Get more tips and resources by visiting The Resiliency Hub.
In this episode of Citizens Climate Radio we will consider stories that focus on the impacts of climate change. These include incidents of extreme weather, and stories of changes you have witnessed over time and the ways these changes affect you and everything and everyone you love. Plus you will hear one climate solution story from the future.
Most importantly, you will hear an example of “the climate story pivot.” The pivot happens when you jump off of your story into the climate solution you are proposing.
For full notes visit: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/category/podcast/
What you will learn in this episode
---We can tell effective climate stories. ---The most common story is the climate change impact story--A story that reveals the dangers of climate change induced extreme weather and other impacts on our lives and the world. ---Make your story compelling with specific details and emotions. ---Once you tell your story, switch to the climate change pivot. This is when you connect your story to the climate work you are doing or a particular solution you are pursuing. ---Finally, give them something to do. Suggest a meaningful and achievable next step.
An extreme weather story by Dr. Natasha DeJarnett Dr. DeJarnett is an assistant professor in the Christina Lee Brown Environment Institute at the University of Louisville Division of Environmental Medicine. She researches the health impacts of extreme heat exposure and environmental health disparities. If you ever heard one of Dr. DeJarnett’s presentations, you know she is excellent at sharing data and highlighting the many ways we can protect our loved ones and communities. She is also a powerful storyteller. For this episode she tells us a dramatic story from when she was 12 years old.
Poems about parenting and climate change by Lilace Mellin Guinard. As a parent, Lilace Mellin Guinard weaves in emotions that may be familiar to some listeners. For The BTS Center in Portland, Maine, Lilace led a poetry workshop for climate change leaders. She recorded readings of her poetry, and Citizens Climate Radio host Peterson Toscano added music and sound effects. You will hear Lilace read two poems, “After the Magi Depart'' and “Evergreen.” For people in North America who enjoy winter weather and feel a pang about the warming of warming winters, Lilace expresses both grief and determination.
A story from the future by Allison Whitaker Peterson collaborated with Allison Whitaker, one of the facilitators of the Intro to Climate Fiction Workshop offered by With Many Roots. She wrote a story immersed in a solution. Together they created a radio drama version of her story Forest at the End of the Lane.
Next month we will do a deep dive into another type of climate change story--a story that reveals the impacts of climate change solutions. Do you want to learn more about climate storytelling and get some experience in a group?
Resilience Corner Tamara Staton is the Education and Resilience Coordinator for Citizens Climate Education, and in this installment of the Resilience Corner she has us accepting what we need.
There are two aspects of acceptance that can help us deepen our resilience. 1. involves making space and allowing for our thoughts, feelings and needs. Because, when it comes right down to it, what you need is what you need. 2. involves a willingness to see our surroundings and circumstances exactly as they are in the moment. Acceptance in this way, free from judgment, allows us to focus our energy and attention on what matters most
Next month Tamara will take a closer look at asking for help. Get more tips and resources by visiting The Resiliency Hub.
Julio Victor Cochoy Alva grew up in Guatemala and speaks about his mountain village with great affection. It is a place of beauty. It also continues to be a site of deep trauma. In fact, you will hear details about the war Julio witnessed as a boy. These mountainous communities were often hidden away. Many times you could only reach them through narrow mountain trails on horseback. As a result, Julio was shielded from a major conflict happening in Guatemala. A Civil war broke out in 1960 five years before he was born.
This content may not be suitable for all audiences.
Julio talks about the impacts the Guatemalan Civil had on indigenous people, the land, and communities. Today he is a witness to the impacts of climate change. He talks about the ways these impacts are similar and how they are different. He raises important questions. When it comes to Climate Change, who is the enemy? Who do we resist? How do we make peace and pursue justice?
10 years ago, Julio and his partner Doris Kizinna began World Pilgrim Global Education. Though the Covid-19 Pandemic interrupted tours to Guatemala, they will resume in February 2023. Learn how individuals, families and groups can visit Julio’s village. https://worldpilgrim.ca/
Originally from Sweden Anne Therese Gennari came to New York City to speak up about the issues that moved her. First step, become a model. She quickly learned the model agencies wanted her to keep her mouth shut. She was there to represent the brand, not speak her truth.
From a young age Anne Therese Gennari felt connected to the natural world. She carried this passion for sustainability and caring for the planet into her adulthood. She realized if she wanted to speak out as a model, she needed to create a new kind of model agency, one that makes room for models with a message..
Anne Therese talks about challenges facing social media influencers and gives practical tips on being authentic and true to yourself. She also produces the Climate Optimist newsletter. She agreed to read an excerpt from her upcoming book, The Climate Optimist--How to shift the narrative on climate change and find the courage to choose change. https://rolemodelsagency.com/ https://theclimateoptimist.substack.com/ https://www.theclimateoptimist.com/book
NEW Resilience Corner Tamara Staton is the Education and Resilience Coordinator for Citizens Climate Education, and in this installment of the Resilience Corner she has us consider what we need.
What you need and want is exactly that - at least for right now. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting or even trying to change those needs and wants, you’re likely not going to get very far in this moment when what you actually need is acceptance.
Next month Tamara will take a closer look at asking for help. Get more tips and resources by visiting The Resiliency Hub.https://community.citizensclimate.org/topics/resilience-hub
Our good news story is about a billionaire who is giving his billions to help take on climate change. The Good News Network reports, Patagonia Gives Away Its Entire $3 Billion Worth To Fight Climate Change. Watch a clip on YouTube from The Daily Show about this incredible good news. If you have Good News to share, email radio @ citizensclimate.org
Click here for full show notes: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/category/podcast/ Click link for full transcript of this episode: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/nrnq3f/CCR_77_Bearing_Witness_and_Speaking_Up_Julio_Colchoy_and_Anne_Therese_Genari8rj5c.pdf
In today’s show we will talk about resiliency for you and me as individuals doing climate work. You will learn about ways you can prepare yourself for a variety of emotional, psychological, interpersonal, and even physical impacts you may experience as a climate worker.
Laureline Simon is the founder and executive director of One Resilient Earth, an international non-profit organization that designs transdisciplinary educational projects for communities impacted by climate change, youth and sustainability professionals, to respond to the climate and biodiversity crises through resilience, regeneration and transformation.To help meet the emotional needs of fellow climate workers, Laureline now hosts a weekly on-line gathering. The hour-long Climate Workers Circle takes place every Tuesday at 2:00 pm Eastern Time.
The Art House In the Art House American photographer and poet, Susan Currie tells us about a new book she wrote for fellow artists, especially when we feel stuck. In Super Flow she provides insights, practices, and practical advice on how to maintain a fresh, creative, sustainable artistic flow.
Susan Currie is a West Palm Beach-based poet with a camera. Her words and images have been widely exhibited and published. She met her muse some time ago when she discovered the ancient eight-limbed practice of yoga. Its way of life continues to inform and imprint the art she makes.Her new works of visual art are on exhibit in a number of private collections, and at Chase Edwards Contemporary in Bridgehampton, NY.
NEW Resilience Corner Tamara Staton premieres the first in series designed to help us stay strong and focused in our climate work. Tamara is the Education and Resilience Coordinator for Citizens Climate Education, and in this first installment of the Resilience Corner, she outlines for us the Five Steps to Resilience Building.
-Notice what you're needing, feeling or experiencing right now. -Accept that what you need is what you need. Allow yourself to be free from judgment about what that means about you or your upbringing or your surroundings. -Seek Help with those needs that you struggle to meet yourself. -Practice meeting your needs. It will naturally look different for everyone. And, It may take some trial and error to see what will meet your needs and how. -Repeat these five steps regularly.
Good News Report Flannery Winchester, communications director at Climates Climate explains that while the Inflation Reduction Act will not solve all of our climate change problems, it is a significant step with benefits for all American citizens on the Right, Left, and Center.
If you have Good News to share, email radio @ citizensclimate.org
When it came to US climate policy, as a high school student, Adrian Rafizadeh strongly opposed one of the first major attempts by the Democrats. The Green New Deal was introduced in 2019 spearheaded by the progressive US member of Congress Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, or AOC. The Green New Deal on the table got a lot of Conservatives thinking, talking, and writing about climate change, including Adrian.
While writing a paper for a class, Adrian sought to debunk the Green New Deal. In doing so, Adrian suddenly saw the issue of climate change differently. He recognized the seriousness of the problem the USA and the world face, and he decided he needed to do something about it. That set Adrian on a quest to find a way to address climate change that also fits into his world view and politics. Adrian politically leans right, and he is a member of the Republican party.
Adrian, a child of Iranian immigrants, shares his climate journey with us. He reveals how he found his way into a climate organization, and he tells what Progressives who want to engage Conservatives in climate conversations can do to open up a dialogue. He talks about one of his favorite climate solutions, carbon fee and dividend.
If you want to hear more conservatives talking about climate, check out RepublicEN’s EcoRight Speaks Podcast.
The Art House
Randi Hacker is the author of the children’s book, Life on a Different Planet, A Climate Crisis Handbook. The book opens with words in large bold letters that spell out, Welcome to the End of the World. Turn the page to see someone edited the sign to say, Welcome to Beginning of the New World.
Since the early 1990s, Randi has published books and magazines designed to help young people learn about environmental issues and climate change. In the Art House she explains how with all her work she seeks to be honest with young people about the problems we face while also giving them ideas for concrete actions they can take.
Life on a Different Planet, A Climate Crisis Handbook is full of original art work by Ron Barrett, the artist who illustrated the award winning book, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. The illustrations bring a sense of whimsy and playfulness to book while also helping readers come close to hard realities. https://www.homeplanetbooks.com/life-on-a-different-planet
Other Resources for Children and Parents Citizens’ Climate Education Presents Climate Classroom! This is a flexible, multi-disciplinary middle school curriculum. http://cclusa.org/curriculum
What Do We Tell the Children? Episode four of Climate Changed featuring Pacific Islander poet Craig Santos Perez. Ben Yosua Davis chats with P Craig about parenting in a climate changed world. https://thebtscenter.org/climate-changed/podcast-season-one-episode-3/
Transcript of show: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/fdimb3/CCR_75_Adrian_Rafizadeh--Young_Conservative_Pursuing_Climate_Solutionsa6m8a.pdf
Good News Report We have two Good News Reports. Nate Abercrombie, Conservative Outreach Coordinator for Citizens Climate Lobby, shares recent successes from CCL’s Conservative Caucus. https://citizensclimatelobby.org/conservatives-on-climate-change/
Dana Nuccitelli, a Research Coordinator at CCL Tells us about a very big piece of legislation. The Inflation Reduction Bill passed in both houses of congress. Dana tells us why this bill is so good for the climate. He also talks about possible next steps. To read more about the bill and to read more of Dana’s analysis, check out The Nerd Corner. https://community.citizensclimate.org/groups/home/1773
EJ Baker (they/them) and Rae Binstock (she/her) tell us about Good Energy Stories, a story consultancy for the age of climate change. Their mission is to inspire, support, and accelerate stories in scripted TV and film that reflect the world we live in now —and help us envision a better tomorrow.
Learn more at www.goodenergystories.com
They talk about the kind of stories and approaches to storytelling that move audiences to feel empathy for those suffering and an enthusiasm for solutions that make the world a better place.
Rae Binstock is a playwright and screenwriter. Her plays include That Heaven’s Vault Should Crack (The New Group, Lark Development Center, T. Schreiber’s Studios), Land of No Mercy (Landing Theatre Company, Salt Lake Acting Company, Princess Grace finalist), and WALKERS (The Shelter, O’Neill Conference semifinalist, Jerome Fellowship finalist). Her work has appeared in Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Festival, Jewish Plays Project, and the Fresh Fruit Festival, among others. Rae’s pilot Homecoming was selected for the 2020 WriteHer List, and she is a two-time semifinalist for the Sundance Episodic Lab.
Rae is a Dramatists Guild Fellow, a Rita Goldberg Playwrights Workshop Fellow at the Lark, and a 2019 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellow. She has attended numerous residencies, including the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center, the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation, PLAYA Summer Lake, and the Ragdale Foundation. Rae served as the Writers’ Assistant on both FX Networks’ FOSSE/VERDON and Apple+’s shows Schmigadoon and IF/THEN. She is also one of the two authors of the Climate Storytelling Playbook, a writing guide for climate change stories published by Good Energy. She lives in Los Angeles with her cat, Black Cat.
As creative director, EJ Baker talks about the unique color palette they chose for the Good Energy website. They explain why you will not find a spot of green anywhere! They are a co-founder of Maybe Ventures, an art and strategy collective focused on envisioning more just, sustainable, and beautiful new worlds. EJ’s work has been featured in Fast Company, Variety, Typewolf, and Fonts in Use. Hailing from the forests of upstate New York, they now live amongst the urban cottontails and sidewalk dandelions of Somerville, MA.
Speaking with five different guests, host, Peterson Toscano, takes a deep dive to explore how climate change and extreme weather affect lesiban, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender non-binary, and queer (LGBTQ+) people.
Leo Goldsmith (he/him) is one of the co-authors of Queer and Present Danger: Understanding the Disparate Impacts of Disasters on LGBTQ+ Communities. Together with Dr. Michael Mendez, Assistant Professor of Environmental Planning and Policy at the University of California, Irvine Vanessa Raditz from Out in Sustainability who is a PhD student at the University of Georgia, they researched the unique vulnerabilities of this community in disaster relief; the myth of gay affluence; how faith-based groups have a history of discriminatory practices in disaster relief; how cohesive is the LGBTQ community and how race is a problem even in LGBTQ groups. Leo also provides practical ways community members and leaders can build stronger, more resilient LGBTQ+ communities that can bounce back from extreme weather events.
Nokwanda Maseko (she/her/they) is a South African economist who identifies as a Queer Black person. As senior economist at Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies, she has written position papers about what a just transition can look like, especially for women and the large sector of the Black South African population who because of unemployment and informal employment are not often part of the conversations around just transition.
Isaias Herandez (he/him) aka Queer Brown Vegan was born in Los Angeles, California, also known as Tongva Land. As someone who grew up in a community that faced environmental injustices, Isaias developed an interest to learn about his environment. Living in Section 8 affordable housing, using food stamps growing up, and witnessing pollution affect his body. Isaias turned his anger and sadness to becoming an environmental educator. He earned a B.S. in Environmental Science at the University of California, Berkeley. He works on a variety of diversity inclusion work in environmental spaces, academic research, and creative work. Isaias’ work is centered on environmental justice with a lens of localization. Isaias works as a full-time content creator and public speaker on QueerBrownVegan. The Art House
EJ Baker (they/them) and Rae Binstock (she/her) tell us about Good Energy Stories, a story consultancy for the age of climate change. Their mission is to inspire, support, and accelerate stories in scripted TV and film that reflect the world we live in now–and help us envision a better tomorrow.
They talk about the kind of stories and approaches to storytelling that move audiences to feel empathy for those suffering an enthusiasm for solutions that make the world a better place.
Good News Report Leo Goldsmith tells us about QReady, a new resource created by Out for Sustainability (Out4S.) Qready began as a disaster-preparedness packing list specific for the LGBTQ+ community, which you can access below. They are now planning to expand the program to provide multi-scale offerings for individuals, organizations, and disaster professionals to foster the resilience of LGBTQ+ communities, with a focus on the needs of queer and trans Black and Indigenous people of color (QTBIPOC). This program expansion was developed by Vanessa Raditz through a multi-year fellowship with Out4S and serves as the official Qready Project Director. Vanessa is also the director of Out4S’ first fiscally-sponsored project: “Fire & Flood: Queer Resilience in the era of Climate Change”. The completion of this project is the first step of Out for Sustainability’s expanded Qready initiative!
We always welcome your thoughts, questions, suggestions, and recommendations for the show. Leave a message on our listener voicemail line: (619) 512-9646. +1
We are celebrating the sixth anniversary of Citizens Climate Radio, and a big theme you will hear in this episode is about break-throughs and transformations. From the very beginning, Citizens Climate Lobby’s mission has been to create the political will for a livable world by enabling individual breakthroughs in the exercise of personal and political power. That was definitely the theme in the very first interviews Citizens Climate Radio’s host, Peterson Toscano, conducted with Marshall Saunders, founder of CCL, and Mark Reynolds, the organization’s first executive director.
Peterson decided to revisit these interviews, remaster them, and share them with you. Marshall and Mark’s personal stories of transformation are inspiring and at times hilarious, especially when they talk about the first tentative and even ridiculous steps they took to start the organization. Their belief in the power of everyday people doing extraordinary things will move you. In fact, you may want to have some tissues nearby as you listen to Marshall and Mark share their stories, and the story of Citizens Climate Lobby’s beginnings.
From the recent past we bring the story forward to today. You will meet one of the newest Citizen’s Climate staff members. Steffanie Munguía is a PhD student researching Coastal Wetlands Management in the Caribbean, her first home. She gives us an update of the many ways the organization has changed over the years all while staying faithful to CCL’s core values of Optimism, Integrity, Relationships, Personal Power, Diversity, and a constant commitment to bipartisanism.
The Art House Singer/Songwriter Jodi Heights was moved to write a song about our world, which is being rocked by the impacts of climate change. In The Iceberg she imagines an alien classroom in the future looking back to the history of earthlings and the lessons they can draw from human error. Jodi tells us about The Iceberg and then performs it for us. https://jodiheights.com/
Good News Report You will hear about a brand new climate curriculum for schools. It will provide engaging, informed, and action-driven lessons for middle-school teachers and students. Sharon Bagatell, Citizens Climate’s National Youth Action Team Coordinator first announced the completion of the new curriculum at this month’s Citizens Climate International Conference. She tells us about the project and just how special the curriculum will be for teachers and learners.
In today’s show we hear from Conservatives who are concerned about climate change. Not only are they concerned, they are engaged in meaningful action. Hannah Rogers, Trevor Jones, and Kaleb Christensen are three young people with ties to the State of Utah who are part of a growing movement in that State. They are each members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Fusing faith, hope, love for humanity and all nature, these young Conservative Christians are finding their places in the climate movement.
To some they may seem like outliers, Conservatives concerned about climate change. According to a recent Gallup poll of Republican and right-leaning people ages 18-29 reveal that almost two thirds of them acknowledge climate change is caused by humans. Many of these young Conservatives are concerned about this. Older Conservatives though are not on the same page. And Progressives can be dismissive of Conservatives in the climate movement. Hannah, Trevor, and Kaleb believe the LDS Church has a unique role to play in the Republican party and the Conservative movement.
The Art House You will learn about The Cli-Fi Imaginarium. A group of climate advocates in the UK were tired of so much talk about dreadful climate impacts, and not enough conversations and resources that address actual solutions. They decided that they are over dystopia. Using some of the solutions outlined in Project Drawdown, they organize free monthly on-line workshops for anyone to come and they imagine, What if? https://www.withmanyroots.com/cli-fi-imaginarium/
Our Good News Story today comes from Nate Abercrombie, Conservative Outreach Coordinator for Citizens Climate. He has good news to share with us about a recent event that brought Conservatives from all over the country to Washington, DC to talk about climate solutions.
In other Good News, Eric Fine, the group leader of the CCL chapter in Greater New Haven, CT told us about a new limited series podcast all about carbon pricing. We hear from Casey Pickett and Naomi Shimberg, hosts of Pricing Nature. https://pricingnature.substack.com/
In this episode you will hear a lively conversation between our host, Peterson Toscano, and four South African veterinarians. Like many climate advocates, Peterson couldn’t help himself, and asked Kristine and Roy Page along with their friends and fellow veterinarians Adrian and Ashleigh Tordiffe about climate change in South Africa and how it is affecting household pets and wild animals.
The conversation is rich, informed, and at times hilarious. You will learn about pets in South Africa, and about the many ways animal lovers everywhere can protect their pets from extreme heat, extreme cold, and vector-born illness spread by fleas and ticks. You will hear about the North American ticks that strikes fear in the hearts of all meat-loving South Africans.
Adrian is an academic and researches wildlife populations, and tells us about the adorable and very loud bush baby (also known as galago.) It is one of the very few nocturnal primate, and has two completely diets. In the rainy season it eats fruits and insects, and in the dry month it consumes plant gums produced by certain trees. Twice a year it has to completely transform its digestion system to accommodate its diet.
The Art House Krista Hiser is back with another installment of The Ultimate Cli-Fi Book Club. Every few months Krista Hiser shares with us her thoughts about climate-themed literature. This episode Krista looks at the 2010 satirical novel Solar by Ian McEwan.
Krista is also responding to a hard-hitting research paper Through the Eye of a Needle: An Eco-Heterodox Perspective on the Renewable Energy Transition by Megan K. Seibert and William E. Rees. https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/15/4508
This research reveals just how tricky it is to take on climate change. It is a wicked problem with many moving parts we often do not want to see or acknowledge, but Krista encourages us to see the problems in their fullness so we respond with significant and effective solutions.
Dr. Krista Hiser is Sustainability Curriculum Coordinator for the University of Hawaii Office of Sustainability, where she facilitates change management, interdisciplinary dialogue, and professional development opportunities for faculty to design, update and transform courses to integrate sustainability across the curriculum. She serves on the advisory board for the Sustainability Curriculum Consortium (SCC) and on the Steering Committee for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
You can read a written version of Krista’s essay at The Ultimate Cli-Fi Book Club for Sustainability in Higher Education. medium.com/the-ultimate-cli-fi…-for-sustainability
You can hear standalone versions of The Art House at Artists and Climate Change.
Good News Report
Our good news report comes from State College, PA, the home of Penn State University. CCL volunteer Dick Jones and the State College CCL chapter is pleased to report that State College Bureau Council unanimously passed a resolution calling on congress to pass Energy and Innovation Act. It is one of over 100 city councils to pass such a resolution including Allentown, Bethlehem, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and York, PA.
If you have good news you want to share on the show, or if you have an idea for the art house, email Peterson. Radio @ CitizensClimate.org.
Or leave a message our NEW listener voicemail (619) 512-9646
Even when he is being serious, comedian, storyteller, and podcast host, Esteban Gast is hilarious. And for climate advocates looking for some hope, perhaps the sweetest spot in the climate change podcast scene right now is Esteban’s new show, Comedians Conquering Climate Change.
Only 15 minutes each episode, he features fellow comedians who learn along with the listener. The show is made in collaboration with Generation180.
Comedians Conquering Climate Change is the funniest, friendliest, and shortest podcast addressing today’s critical climate and clean energy topics. Join comedian, writer, and teacher Esteban Gast as he enlists the help of fellow comedians to single-handedly save the planet.
Esteban joins Citizens Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano, for a lively conversation about the podcast, Esteban’s personal journey into climate communication, and creative ways to engage people who are aware of climate change but do not know where to start. You will also hear excerpts from Esteban’s podcast.
You will laugh, learn, and feel more connected to others taking on climate change.
The Art House
Inspired by Esteban’s comic storytelling, Peterson Toscano shares his own comic story as he grapples with The Weight of Carbon Dioxide and Chihuahuas. He even tries to figure it all out by using his limited math skills, which may be a mistake. How many chihuahua does it take to make a gallon of gasoline? And how can we help people see what is invisible? His math might be a little off, but when it comes to putting a price on carbon, Peterson makes total sense!
Good News Report
Lori Byron a co-chair of the Citizens Climate Health Team,The team has hundreds of CCL health care professionals, along with Robert Byron and Lisa Delbuono. Lori serves the point person between the American Academy of Pediatrics and the AAP Chapter Climate Advocates.
If you have good news you want to share on the show, or if you have an idea for the art house, email Peterson. Radio @ CitizensClimate.org.
in episode Episode 9, Quaker activist Eileen Flannagan told us about four roles change agents can play. Advocate, Rebel, Organizer, and Helper. Most of you who listen to Citizens Climate Radio are advocates volunteering your time trying to convince the public and members of congress that we need a price on carbon. You approach congressional members and staff with respect and cordiality as you educate and persuade them to support climate solutions.
And the rebel? The rebel exists to put pressure on those lawmakers to get them to act. This doesn’t mean we all need to use these rebel tactics.
As Bayard Rustin, the Black Gay Civile Rights leader said, “We need, in every community, a group of angelic troublemakers.”
In this episode you will hear about UK-based climate change rebel, Caroline Harmon and the non-violent and very disruptive direct actions she and Christian Climate Action use. From kneeling for prayer and halting traffic in front of the Prime Ministers’s residence at 10 Downing Street to holding a worship service outside a coal. They even helped shut down bridges all over London.
ART HOUSE Today we feature Sophie and Josies Davis, sisters who grew up on the Coast of Maine who after studying classical violin at conservatory, they are back in Maine. They seek to fuse their love of music and the natural world along with their growing concern for climate change.
Founding members of Halcyon String Quartet based in Maine, USA, they choose to be good citizens as they remain faithful to their art. In speaking with them, we identified six principles for artists addressing climate change might find helpful.
- Know your Stuff
- Think Locally
- Pursue Collaboration
- Pivot to Solutions (Focus less on the many horrible impacts of climate change and instead help your audience experience the future with the beneficial impacts of climate solutions in place.)
- Promote Action (As Katie Patricks, the author of the book and podcast How to Save the World stressed for us on Citizens Climate Radio episode 61—Artists and event organizers have to find ways to offer people the next meaningful step for themselves and their communities.
- Remain Faithful to the Art
LINKS Christian Climate Action https://christianclimateaction.org Halcyon String Quartet https://www.halcyonstringquartet.com/
Deciding what one wants to do and be in life has often been hard for young people in high school and college. Now with a global pandemic in a time of climate change, it is more difficult than ever to answer the questions, What do you want to be when you grow up?
Many graduation speeches exhort us to Pursue our Passions, and many a parent worry that such a pursuit will lead their child into a jobless future. Flannery Winchester was not put off by the concerns of others. She wanted to study English literature. She had no idea her skills and passion would lead her to taking on a national role in communicating to people about climate change.
As Citizens Climate Lobby’s Communications Director, Flannery Winchester trains and supports volunteers to publish written pieces in local media, appear on TV and radio. She also pitches national media, manages and edits the CCL blog, and keeps our volunteers informed and inspired through social media and regular newsletters.
Flannery came to CCL after content and marketing roles at an email marketing agency, an international software company, and a local women’s magazine in Atlanta. She began volunteering with CCL in 2015 and joined the communications department in 2017. When she’s not working, she’s probably gardening, reading, or spending time outside with her dogs. The Art House
Krista Hiser is back with another instalment of the Ultimate Cli-Fi Book Club. This time she looks at a book that hits very close to home. She dives into the Pandemic and climate change in Emily St. John Mandel’s novel, Stations Eleven.
You can hear standalone versions of The Art House at Artists and Climate Change
Good News Report
Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz, and this is Climate Connections shares good news. Electric trucks could save lives: Pollution from diesel trucks is associated with health problems, and it disproportionately harms low-income people and communities of color.
Originally from the UK, Caroline moved to Houston, Texas, 18 years ago. She explains that a story about drowned forest thousands of years ago in the UK, along with recent flooding in her city, inspires and informs her artistic work.
“The installation consists of 60 11-feet high panels, each one representing a year of Houston weather data and encircling the Back BOX like a grove of trees. Each varies in width based on the rainfall intensity, as measured by the number of days on which the total rainfall was greater than three inches: the point at which street flooding occurs. The panel color, from ice-blue to blue-black, represents the average nighttime temperature for that year. At first glance the immersive nature of this cyanotype installation provides a cool environment as Houston temperatures fall into autumn. However, a closer look gives the bigger picture: more shocking than any graph, this forest-like environment shows the story of rising temperatures and intensifying rain events.”
While Caroline started her career as a chemical engineer with the faith that science would save the environment, she soon realized that many fields and talents could contribute to environmental advocacy.
Caroline has always relied on science, and after crunching the numbers about the future of the country’s coastline due to climate-related flooding, she found herself in a state of horror and shock for weeks.
Caroline wanted people’s jaws to drop when they saw her art, which visualizes the overwhelming information she has seen predicted for the near future. As environmental conditions over time have grown worse, her installation’s fabric coincides, growing heavy and darker and colder as the fabric winds through history and to the present.
Caroline says that viewers were “gobsmacked” by her forest of fabric, and hopes that all who see her piece will contemplate the view of their own life under trees.
For more information on the data behind this installation please continue to the story and data page.
The Art House For this month’s segment, you will hear a dramatic reading of Kamil Haque’s play, “Confessions of the Little Match Girl to the Star.” Kamil explains that in creating this piece, he chose to fracture a fairy tale, a nursery rhyme and the calling out to one’s “mama.” These common symbols of innocence form the spine of the play.
To create the heart and soul of this piece, Kamil examined and extracted pieces from the transcripts of Greta Thunberg’s 2019 U.N.'s Climate Action Summit and George Floyd’s final moments in 2020. Through these channels he explores how two people on opposite ends of the age and racial spectrum express grief and anguish at their circumstances. How might their spirit and the spirit of their message live on literally and metaphorically?
“Confessions of the Little Match Girl to the Star” was performed at The BTS Center’s Climate Change Theatre Action 2021 event. It is read by Dr. Natasha DeJarnett, a public health expert and the chair of Citizens’ Climate Education board.
Our good news story this month comes from Solemi Herandez, the Southeast coordinator for Citizens’ Climate Lobby. She tells us about her experiences at COP26 and shares good news about Climate Empowerment Article 12 of the Paris agreement. Solemi is hopeful for the future because of the involvement that she saw at COP26, and is hoping that more citizens will get engaged in climate work.
Citizens’ Climate Radio host Peterson Toscano speaks with public theologian Jayme R. Reaves and public health expert Dr. Natasha DeJarnett.
Jayme R. Reaves is the director of academic development at Sarum College in Salisbury, England. She teaches in areas such as biblical studies, and feminist and liberation theology.
Jayme discusses the roles that scarcity and abundance play in making sure that those most impacted by the environment in the community around us are cared for. She calls on churches to work in their own communities to make congregations aware of sharing with those who don’t have as much. She's the author of Safeguarding the Stranger: An Abrahamic Theology & Ethic of Protective Hospitality (Wipf & Stock, 2016) and co-editor of When Did We See You Naked?: Jesus as a Victim of Sexual Abuse (SCM, 2021).
Dr. Natasha DeJarnett is an assistant professor in the Christina Lee Brown Environment Institute at the University of Louisville Division of Environmental Medicine, researching the health impacts of extreme heat exposure and environmental health disparities. Additionally, she is a professorial lecturer in Environmental and Occupational Health at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. Previously, Dr. DeJarnett was the interim associate director of Program and Partnership Development at the National Environmental Health Association, leading research, climate and health, and children’s environmental health.
Dr. DeJarnett emphasizes that more than ever before, people are being displaced as a result of severe weather phenomena caused by climate change. In 2018, 16 million people were displaced due to climate, 1.2 million of which were American. She points out that in 2020, more hurricanes and tropical storms made landfall than ever before, to the point where letters in the Greek alphabet were being used to name them, as the list of hurricane names had been used up. Dr. DeJarnett says that church communities are presented with the opportunity to provide hospitality more than ever by turning churches into cooling centers, and by educating the community about staying safe through weather phenomena.
The Art House Joining us in the Art House is Dr. Krista Hiser with The Ultimate Cli-Fi Book Club. The purpose of the book club is to look at climate-themed literature and consider how it can help us engage differently with interdisciplinary topics and existential threats related to the planetary predicament of climate change.
In this month’s episode, Krista tells us that the protagonist of “A Rain of Night Birds” is a scientist that also relies on feeling to gauge the environmental phenomena around her. With themes of spiritualism and indigenous culture, this “literature of restoration” focuses on the concept of doing no harm, based on the importance of the world around us.
Good News Report Our good news comes from Anthony Leiserowitz at Yale Climate Connections. In tune with the theme of hospitality, Anthony discusses a disaster resiliency program geared toward Spanish-speaking residents in Sonoma County, California.
Whether people lose power or work as a result of climate and weather disasters, many nonprofits are developing plans and guides to help Spanish speakers in the west prepare. These programs help residents sign up for emergency alerts, prepare for emergencies, and make financial arrangements needed to safely leave during severe weather.
We always welcome your thoughts, questions, suggestions, good news, and recommendations for the show. Leave a voicemail at (518) 595-9414 (+1 if calling from outside the U.S.). You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org
Kathy Baughman McLeod, SVP, Atlantic Council & Director, Adrienne Arsht - Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center reveals the many risks that come with extreme heat. She also provides multiple solutions, including innovative ways to use insurance to change the way we build and respond to extreme weather.
Kathy Baughman McLeod leads the Center’s work to reach one billion people worldwide with climate resilience solutions by 2030. She also chairs the Extreme Heat Resilience Alliance which partners with climate-forward Mayors around the world to appoint Chief Heat Officers. Additionally, Kathy is spearheading the global push to name and categorize heat waves. She was formerly Global Executive for Environmental and Social Risk at Bank of America, Managing Director for Climate Risk & Resilience at The Nature Conservancy, and a Florida Climate Commissioner. She is the recipient of the Duke University Fuqua School of Business 2021 “Leader of Consequence” award.
www.atlanticcouncil.org/
The Art House Joining us in the Art House is Marissa Slaven. In 2019 we featured her in Episode 33 to talk about her young adult climate themed novel, Code Blue. Now Marissa is back with the squeal, Code Red. She was inspired by her daughter to write this series of eco-fiction thriller, where a teenage girl and her friends battle climate change. I sat down with her to talk about the new book and to hear her read an excerpt. To learn more about Marissa and her books, visit Stormbird Press. https://stormbirdpress.com
You can hear standalone versions of The Art House at Artists and Climate Change
Good News Report
Our good news story this month comes from Flannery Winchester, communications director at Citizens Climate Lobby. Because of the many efforts by CCL volunteers, the needle is moving towards carbon fee and dividend as one of the ways to address climate change. She talks about the budget reconciliation process and volunteer lobbying and how politicians and the press are responding.
We always welcome your thoughts, questions, suggestions, good news, and recommendations for the show. Leave a voice mail at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
How does an American Hindu approach the climate crisis? What ancient values and teachings apply to modern life in America today? And how does this relate to LGBTQ issues and public health? Hari Venkatachalam connects his faith, work, heritage, and even his sexual orientation to living in a climate-changed world.
In the episode Hari reveals how extreme weather, which affects everyone, disproportionally impacts LGBTQ homeless youth. Citizens Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano, explains,
Up to 40% of youth living on the streets in the United States and Canada are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and non-binary. Many of them avoid going to shelters because they assume they will received the same discrimination and hostility they escaped. This is especially true for transgender and gender non-binary young people. This puts them at extra risk during extreme weather events.
Hari Venkatachalam also talks about his faith and the principles handed down to him from his father. Hari is an active member of Sadhana: A Coalition of Progressive Hindus, and his activism focuses on environmental justice, LGBTQ+ issues, and public health. He currently works in Tampa, Florida as a public health researcher for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Kathy Baughman McLeod, SVP, Atlantic Council & Director, Adrienne Arsht - Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, also weighs in to talk about the dangers of extreme heat.
Joining us in the Art House is Dr. Krista Hiser, with the first in a series of an occasional feature called The Ultimate Cli-Fi Book cCub. The purpose of the book club is to look at climate-themed literature and consider how it can help us engage differently with interdisciplinary topics and existential threats related to the planetary predicament of climate change.
In this episode Krista reflects on the cli-fi novel, Blaze Island by Catherine Bush, and lets her imagination run wild, as she pulls together some of the greatest minds in climate fiction.
Dr. Krista Hiser is Professor at Kapiʻolani Community College. Her PhD is in Educational Administration from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. She has published on community engagement, service-learning, organizational change, post-apocalyptic and cli-fi literature.
You can read a written version of Krista’s essay at The Ultimate Cli-Fi Book Club for Sustainability in Higher Education on Medium.
You can hear standalone versions of The Art House at Artists and Climate Change
Good News Report
Our good news comes from Anthony Leiserowitz at Yale Climate Connections. You will hear about a new fund which aims to bring more people into the climate conversation.
Chantal Bilodeau tells us about Climate Change Theatre Action (CCTA) 2021. Founded in 2015, CCTA is a worldwide series of readings and performances of short climate change plays presented biennially to coincide with the United Nations COP meetings.
CCTA was originally founded by Elaine Ávila, Chantal Bilodeau, Roberta Levitow, and Caridad Svich following a model pioneered by NoPassport Theatre Alliance. It has since evolved into a U.S.-Canada collaboration between The Arctic Cycle and the Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Arts.
Chantal is a playwright and translator originally from Tiohtiá:ke/Montreal, but now based in New York City, the traditional land of the Lenape People. In her capacity as artistic director of The Arctic Cycle, she has been instrumental in getting the theatre and academic communities, as well as audiences in the U.S. and abroad, to engage in climate action through programming that includes live events, talks, publications, workshops, national and international convenings, and a worldwide distributed theatre festival.
To tell us about one of the plays is Dr Zoë Svendsen, Lecturer in Drama and Performance in the Faculty of English, University of Cambridge. Dr. Svendson’s play comes out of a larger project called Love Letter to a Livable Planet. Through collaboration with members of METIS Arts, Zoe created a short play called Love Out of Ruins, where we get to decide many of the details.
Think of it as a much more sophisticated version of Mad-Libs with the aim to create a vision of the future worth pursuing. The play begins in the present time and moves forward. You get to decide the details that shape the character’s world.
You can read Love Out of Ruins by Zoë Svendsen at one of your CCL events. In fact, having a group of friends, students, or climate advocates sit and each fill in the lines can be a mind and heart expanding activity. Then you can share the results at a Climate Change Theatre Action event you host and read some of the plays by the 49 other playwrights from around the world.
Learn more about how you can get your hands on these plays and host your own event. Visit climatechangetheatreaction.com.
As a podcaster and radio producer, our host, Peterson Toscano listens to many climate change podcasts. Every now and then though he hears a well designed podcast that hits him in the heart and the gut. It becomes a transformative audio experience. This is exactly what happened when he first listened to Claude Schryer’s Conscient podcast. As a sound designer, he is able to reach deep into a listener’s mind and even our bodies. Sound has that power. Peterson chatted with Claude about his podcast and his own journey as an artist addressing climate change. From that recorded conversation, Claude wove in sound effects and personal reflection. We encourage you to listen with headphones on.
The conscient podcast / balado conscient is a bilingual series of conversations about arts, conscience and the ecological crisis.You will find it wherever you listen to podcasts.
You can hear standalone versions of The Art House at Artists and Climate Change
Good News Report
Our good news story this month comes from the US State of Utah. Tom Moyer shares How 25 Republicans in Utah came to endorse carbon fee and dividend. If you have good news to share, email us radio @ citizensclimate.org
Geraldo Cadava is the author of The Hispanic Republican: The Shaping of An American Political Identity, from Nixon to Trump published by Ecco. He chatted with Citizens Climate Radio about the long history of Hispanics and the Republican party. He reveals what is often misunderstood about the political diversity of Latinos in America. The most asked question he gets is why any Latino voted for Donald Trump. He talks about this and a lot more. He also considers the question about Hispanic Republicans and climate change.
Geraldo Cadava is a professor of History and Latina and Latino Studies at Northwestern University. He received a Ph.D. in History from Yale University in 2008, and he received a B.A., also in History, from Dartmouth College in 2000. His areas of expertise are Latino History, the United States-Mexico Borderlands, Latin American immigration to the United States, and American politics.
Listen Now! (embed podbean)
The Art House
Over 10 years ago Elli Sparks was struggling to make sense of climate change. She said “…that summer in Virginia was insanely hot. I remember being in the community pool and when I popped my head out of the water, the water evaporated so quickly I felt downright cold! I also remember walking with coworkers to the cafeteria and thinking, ‘Why in the world are none of these people alarmed about climate change??!!’”
She was really struggling, so she wrote a story for herself. Tell Me A Story is a conversation between a parent and a child, a story within a story. Elli, who is now Citizens Climate Lobby’s Director of Field Development, has shared the story with friends, fellow climate advocates, and at public gatherings. She gave Citizens Climate Radio permission to turn the story into a short radio play. Tell Me a Story is performed by Zeke and Anna Loomis-Weber.
Anna Weber-Loomis (she/her) just finished her first year at Sterling College in Vermont. She is studying outdoor education and sustainable agriculture. Zeke Weber-Loomis (she/her) just finished her first year of high school. She spends her free time drawing, playing ukulele, and running cross-country and track.
You can hear standalone versions of The Art House at Artists and Climate Change
Good News Report Hunter Thomas, a Latino and a Conservative Outreach Fellow for Citizens Climate Radio shares good news about productive meetings he is having with CCL’s Latino Action Team. He is excited about reaching out to Latino Conservatives, especially in promoting carbon fee and divided as a bold and effective solution that appeals to the Right and Left.
If you have good news to share, email us radio @ citizensclimate.org
This episode is designed to help you improve your climate communication and outreach. Amanda Ripley, author of the new book, High Conflict—Why We Get Trapped and How to Get Out, explains how easy it is to fall into the high conflict trap. She provides insights about how to avoid these traps, and how to hear, truly hear, what an opponent is saying.
Amanda Ripley is an investigative journalist for The Atlantic and other magazines and a New York Times bestselling author. Her other books include The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way, and The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes—and Why. Ripley spent a decade writing about human behavior for Time magazine in New York, Washington, and Paris. Her stories helped Time win two National Magazine Awards.
The Art House Katie Patricks is the the author of the book and podcast How to Save the World, and a TEDx speaker on the critical role of creativity, optimism, and imagination in the craft of social and environmental change. She shares with us industry secrets about how to motivate people to action. She also reveals The Big Mistake so many of us make in our climate work.
She designs "Fitbit for the planet" apps that help social impact entrepreneurs and sustainability professionals implement powerful data, game design and behavior-change techniques that create real and measurable change. She is the co-founder of Energy Lollipop and Urban Canopy in San Francisco — startups that are devoted to bringing down the peak CO2 released by the electricity grid.
You can hear standalone versions of The Art House at Artists and Climate Change
Good News Report Our good news story this month is about a very special conference Citizens Climate Lobby organized for Catholics in the USA and beyond. Madeleine Para, president of CCL shares this good news along with Jon Clark. Jon is Citizens Climate Lobby’s Appalachia Regional Coordinator and he developed the idea for the conference. Learn more about Catholics in CCL and beyond.
If you have good news to share, email us radio @ citizensclimate.org
As impacts of climate change affect the places where we live, conflicts and questions arise. This is what happened to Jacques Kenjio and his family in the costal city of Douala, Cameroon. Although a tribal chief provided them with legal documentation to occupy the land, the government forced them and hundreds of others to leave without providing any compensation. This motivated Jacques to learn about social justice and to pursue higher education in the United States.
Jacques Kenjio is a Ph.D. Candidate in environmental studies at Antioch University New England (AUNE) with a focus on two key areas: Government-Driven land dispossession and land policy reform in Sub-Saharan Africa at large, and specifically in his country of birth, Cameroon. His other research interests include: environmental justice and policy (especially climate change policy), multi-stakeholder participatory processes, social justice and community building.
In looking for ways to get involved in the climate movement, he stumbled upon Citizens Climate Lobby. At first he could not believe citizens were able to approach lawmakers and their staffs directly. This type of access just does not happen in Cameroon. In addition to taking part in CCL activities in the USA, Jacques is now active in Citizens Climate International in supporting CCL volunteers in French speaking African countries.
Jacques reveals the challenges CCLers in many African countries face in part because of the daily challenges that come from poverty, underemployment, and political instability. He also tells us the moving story of Bunyui John Njabi, a CCL volunteer who was killed because of political unrest in Cameroon. In addition to his work wtih CCL Bunyui John Njabi sang original songs about climate change and environmental justice. His song and music video Water Time Bomb and highlights the urgent need to address water shortages and pollution. You will hear the song in this episode.
Mary Kathryn Nagle is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation. She is also a partner at Pipestem and Nagle Law, P.C., where she works to protect tribal sovereignty and the inherent right of Indian Nations to protect their women and children from domestic violence and sexual assault. She is also a successful playwright who has been using the stage to raise awareness about land sovereignty issues and the epidemic violence against women.
From 2015 to 2019, she served as the first Executive Director of the Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program. Nagle is an alum of the 2013 Public Theater Emerging Writers Program. Productions include Miss Lead (Amerinda, 59E59), Fairly Traceable (Native Voices at the Autry), Sovereignty (Arena Stage), Manahatta (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Return to Niobrara (Rose Theater), and Crossing Mnisose (Portland Center Stage), Sovereignty (Marin Theatre Company), and Manahatta (Yale Repertory Theatre). She has received commissions from Arena Stage, the Rose Theater (Omaha, Nebraska), Portland Center Stage, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Yale Repertory Theatre, Round House Theater, and Oregon Shakespeare Theater.
Many thanks to CCL volunteer Melissa Giusti for introducing me to Mary Kathryn Nagle.
Good News Report
Our good news story today comes from a filmmaker in the United States. INHABITANTS: An Indigenous Perspective brings essential stories to screens and has been well received. It premiered at the DocLands Film Festival earlier this month. For screening details and more info visit inhabitantsfilm.com
If you have good news to share, email us radio @ citizensclimate.org
As the government affairs coordinator at the National Audubon Society in Washington, DC. Tykee James has a special role—organizing bird walks with members of Congress and congressional staff! Birding has been important to him ever since he started as a teen in Philadelphia.
Last year, after a racist incident against a Black birder in New York’s Central Park, Tykee James and fellow birders decided to create #BlackBirdersWeek. They had only hours to organize the event which included using social media to reveal a whole world of birding by people of color. During that week, the #BlackBirderWeek campaign had more than 600 million impressions on social media sites. It also generated national press coverages.
Tykee joins us to talk about the incredibly successful campaign and the need to tell stories about Black experiences that go beyond narratives of trauma. He also shares his plans for this year’s Black Birders Week.
Citizens Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano, shares some of his own climate story. In doing so, he evokes the spirit of American poet, Walt Whitman. He reveals there was a lot more to the bard than just his famous book, Leaves of Grass. Whitman evolved from an aimless young man to a dynamic new poetic prophet to a tender and faithful caregiver to young men devastated by the American Civil War.
Like the need to increase our empathy during this time of the Coronavirus Pandemic, Peterson stresses how climate change requires an opening of the heart. Whitman models this beautifully in the ways he cared for wounded and dying soldiers.
Influenced by Gary Schmidgall’s book, Walt Whitman: A Gay Life, Peterson recreates the moment of Whitman’s first breakthrough. It happened at an evening in the Opera when he heard the Italian diva Madame Marietta Alboni. Her voice pierced Whitman and opened up his artistic soul. You will hear Fac ut Portem from Rossini’s Stabat Mater available on Archive.org as Peterson narrates the moment.
Our Good News Story comes out of Portland, Oregon. Lane Shaffer is a 15 year old high school student. He is one of several students seeking to change public transportation policy in the Portland area.
In addition to working on this public transportation project, Lane is also one of the hosts of All in My Head podcast. It is produced by a group of teens that are making a podcast for youth, by youth. They counter stereotypes around mental health in the teen BIPOC (Black, and Indigenous, People of Color) and LGBTQ+ community.
If you have good news to share, contact Peterson radio @ citizensclimate.org
Dr. Krista Hiser is teaches at Kapiʻolani Community College and is currently serving as the Director of the Center for Sustainability Across the Curriculum in Hawaii. Her research uses focus groups, interviews, and reflective writing to learn more about student and faculty perspectives on climate change and sustainability. To share the findings she and her colleague Matthew K. Lynch co-wrote the paper, Worry and Hope: What College Students Know, Think, Feel, and Do about Climate Change. It appears in the Journal for Community Engagement and Scholarship.
This study is being replicated at universities in the USA and reveals how students are feeling about climate change and where they are learning about it. With this data, Kr. Hiser leads workshops to help faculty expand their teaching strategies in order to help students manage complex emotions related to our climate predicament. Dr. Hiser has published on community engagement, service-learning, organizational change, post-apocalyptic and cli-fi literature. She is also the author of Field Notes: Teaching Climate Change in Higher Education, a blog available through Medium.com
The Art House
Sarah Jaquette Ray is a professor of environmental studies, a writer, and a mom. She doesn’t necessarily see herself as an artist. In taking on climate change though, she recognizes the essential role of the arts. On Earth Day 2020, in the midst of an urgent Coronavirus pandemic, she published a book that is helping people navigate their strong feelings about climate change.
A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet, provides practical insights and proven techniques for keeping focused on pursuing solutions for a complicated and challenging topic. With warmth, humor, and expertise, Sarah Jaquette Ray will help you better know how to stay engaged without becoming overwhelmed.
Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz from Yale Climate Connections shares some good news in addressing a long history of injustice. He chats with Cate Mingoya of Groundwork USA, a network of environmental justice organizations. In order to fight inequality in their neighborhoods, some city residents are using maps to reveal what they have known for a long time. They show how racist housing policies of the past have left residents more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change today.
Citizens Climate Education encourages bipartisan support for climate solutions. While people on the Left, Right, and in the Middle might disagree on many issues, Climate Change is one that can bring us together. But this is not always easy to do. It requires listening deeply to others who hold views on issues and policies that differ from my own.
Bob Inglis is the Executive Director of republicEn.org. He was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1992, having never run for office before and he served a pair of six-year terms (1993-98, 2005-10). In 2011, Inglis went full-time into promoting free enterprise action on climate change and launched the Energy and Enterprise Initiative (“E&EI”) at George Mason University in July 2012. In the fall of 2014, E&EI rebranded to become republicEn.org. republicEn.org is an online grassroots community of over 10,000 Americans educating the country about free-enterprise solutions to climate change.
Bob shares some of his own journey about how he got into the climate work, and he tells us about the lessons he learned in reaching out to fellow conservatives. He also reveals to us his thoughts and feelings about the January 6th storming of the US Capitol by supporters of then President Donald Trump.
The Art House In the Art House we feature song leaders Annie Patterson and Peter Blood. They are liberal Quakers in New England who have been leading singing for over 30 years. They talk about the songs that motivate and inspire climate advocates. Some are protest songs and others are beautiful ballads. They discuss the role of music in social movements as they offer up their own tiny desk concert.
Annie and Peterson are the creators of the Rise Up Singing and Rise Again Song Books. These songbooks take on social justice issues like racism, poverty, inequality, and sexism. See them in action on the Rise Up and Sing YouTube channel. https://riseupandsing.org
You can hear standalone version of The Art House at Artists and Climate Change.
Good News Report We partnered with Yale Climate Connections to bring us good news out of Hammond, Indiana. After a coal-fired power plant shut down in 2012, the city had to figure out what to do with the site while also replacing the lost tax revenue the plant closure created. They came up with a creative solution. https://yaleclimateconnections.org
Rev. Tony Campolo has written over 50 books on topics that have educated and challenged his Evangelical Christian audience. He has been ahead of his time on a variety of social issues. In 1992 he published the book, How to Rescue the Earth Without Worshiping Nature, A Christian Call to Save Creation. In the book, he seeks to help believers see they have a role to play in caring for creation.
Rev. Campolo, who is 85 and has never retired, suffered a stroke in 2020. He is at home recovering with the help of his wife Peggy. Before the Pandemic and his stroke, Citizens Climate Radio’s host, Peterson Toscano, was fortunate enough to sit down with Tony and ask him about his 1992 book.
Rev. Campolo reveals his frustration with fellow ministers and accuses them of not listening to God’s voice in regard to the mandate to care for creation.
The Art House Returning to the Art House is Jennie Carlisle, the curator and director of the Smith Gallery at Appalachian State University along with Laura England, a senior lecturer. They are two of three co-facilitators of ASU’s Climate Stories Collaborative. Both Jennie and Laura appeared in Episode 49 and told us about how in spring 2020 they quickly adapted to the Covid Global Pandemic by putting their annual Student Climate Stories Showcase onto Instagram.
Some climate leaders see art straightforward communication tool. But art overloaded with messages about issues and politics can turn out clunky and preachy. How does an artists stay in a creative space? When producing climate arts, what is more important the process or the product?
You can hear standalone version of The Art House at Artists and Climate Change.
Good News Report This episode we begin a new feature, The Good News Report. Listeners share their climate successes with us. Good news this month comes from Cathy Orlando in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. She is the International Outreach Manager for Citizens Climate Lobby and also the Canadian Director. Slow, steady, and relentless climate advocacy has paid off!
If you have good news to share, contact Peterson Toscano: radio @ CitizensClimate.org
In a followup to our most downloaded episode, What Does the Bible Say About Climate Change?, host, Peterson Toscano speaks with two Christian women about their faith, their commitment to creation care, and why they see Citizens Climate Lobby as a place where they can pursue meaningful solutions. They talk about their values, the Bible, the spiritual charge to do the work of reconciliation, especially in a contentious and politically divided country. They speak with conviction about the need for Christian believers to take creation care seriously.
Kelsey Grant served as a CCL fellow with the Mountain West Higher Education Region. Currently she is a CCL Conservative Fellow and member of the Conservative Caucus Executive Team. At the University of Colorado-Boulder she is a pre-law student, double majoring in Political Science and Philosophy. She discovered Citizens’ Climate Lobby through her church, where she co-founded environmental ministries, taught about environmental stewardship as a Sunday School teacher, and occasionally served as a guest preacher.
Andrea Zink is from Tennessee and has spent her professional career working in the non-profit sector for mission-driven organizations such as The Salvation Army, Vanderbilt University, and Nashville Opera. She attends the United Methodist Church and serves on the United Methodist Circle of Grace prison ministry music team and on several UMC Creation Justice work committees. Andrea joined CCL in 2016 when she discovered CCL's bipartisan approach to climate change solutions.
The Art House In the Art House you will meet Lindsay Linsky. A Bible-believing Christian in Georgia, she is the author of the book, Keep It Good—Understanding Creation Care through Parables. Through her book she seeks to break through environmental apathy and partisan noise to show Christians God’s simple yet beautiful message of creation stewardship. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32080425-keep-it-good?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=c2hCzNJnRy&rank=1
We always welcome your thoughts, questions, suggestions, and recommendations for the show. Leave a voice mail at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org
See our show notes:https://citizensclimatelobby.org/category/citizens-climate-radio/
A recent episode of Lew Blaustein’s Green Sports Pod featured a riveting interview with National Football League player, Garry Gilliam.
Blaustein writes: "Garry Gilliam experienced this hope-squashing system firsthand during his childhood in the opportunity-deprived section of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Now, the ex-NFL offensive lineman is using his resources and his seemingly boundless energy to try to break that system, replacing it with a more equitable, hopeful one.
His system-breaking tool is The Bridge Eco-Village, an innovative start-up that provides opportunities for African-Americans and other marginalized people to “Work, Eat, Live, Learn and Play” in affordable, high quality mixed-use developments. The pilot is being built in — where else — Harrisburg."
Lew Blaustein gave us permission to rebroadcast an edited version of his interview with Garry Gilliam. You will also hear Citizens Climate Radio’s host, Peterson Toscano check in with Gilliam to find out how things stand with the Bridge Eco-Village today in light of the Covid-19 Global Pandemic. Garry Gilliam has good news to share about the progress of the project. https://greensportsblog.com/episode-6-nfler-garry-gilliam-tackles-systemic-oppression-environmental-injustice-with-the-bridge-eco-village/ https://www.thebridgeecovillage.com
As the Coronavirus pandemic shut everything down, Sharona Shnayder, a college student, simply could not stay inside any longer. One Tuesday she joined a friend at neighborhood park. Together, while maintaining a safe physical distance, they picked up trash at a park in Portland, OR near their university. Not only did people in her community begin to notice and join in; word quickly spread. Now there are Tuesdays for Trash events happening all over the world.
Sharona, who grew up in Nigeria and now lives in the USA, shares how picking up trash is bringing people together, lifting spirits, and getting people engaged in climate work. In fact, this may be a project your own climate group wants to take on in order to connect in a new way with your own community. https://tuesdaysfortrash.com
We always welcome your thoughts, questions, suggestions, and recommendations for the show. Leave a voice mail at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org
Feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
Andrew Stuhl, an associate professor of environmental studies and sciences at Bucknell University, has been interviewing residents from Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna River Valley about what they remember of the fall of 1972.
He keeps hearing about the powerful smell of flood mud. This was the pungent odor throughout the Susquehanna Valley after Hurricane Agnes brought historic rainfalls and a massive flood which upended lives and reshaped towns and waterways.
“It reminds me of the connection between smell and memory, and how quickly a memory can come back to you if you smell something in the present day,” Andrew tells podcast host, Peterson Toscano. "I like to think about that as a metaphor for the importance of history and the importance of moments like Hurricane Agnes. They’re always with us, and sometimes they don’t come to our immediate senses, but they can be triggered, and they can be brought up really quickly. I like to believe in the power of memory and history, to mine those experiences, to reflect on them, and recognize and regard them, so we that can walk today in the difficult moments, and get through them.”
Andrew talks about his community-based research, the Agnes Flood Project. You will learn why this one storm is still so important, not just for the region, but for the entire country. Lessons drawn from 1972 and the resiliency modeled by local residents during and after the storm will help us in coping and caring for each other during the Coronavirus Pandemic and with the growing risks of climate change.
If you or someone you know have Hurricane Agnes stories to share for the Agnes Flood project, contact Andrew Stuhl and the team. They are also looking for pictures from the hurricane and its aftermath. Email agnesrevisited@gmail.com. This story was made possible through a collaboration with Susquehanna Life Out Loud podcast.
The Art House How does an artist decide to do the work she does? How does that work evolve overtime? What impact does it have on the audience and how can an artist deepen that impact? During a recent conversation with dancer and choreographer, Lynn Neuman, Peterson Toscano encountered an artist with boundless curiosity. This curiosity drives her work.
As director of Artichoke Dance Company, Lynn recognizes the vital role art plays in addressing issues like climate change. Entertaining and Educating not enough though for Lynn and her company, though. They always want to do more to get people to act. Through community engagement and direct outreach to lawmakers, they are training community members how to change legislation.
And in this time of the Coronavirus pandemic Lynn Neuman and Artichoke Dance Company have been adjusting and adapting once again. https://www.artichokedance.org
Doug Parsons, the host of the America Adapts Podcast talks to us about what he has learned from nearly 100 episodes interviewing adaptation experts. He will discuss the difference between adaptation and resiliency. He highlights efforts to adapt to sea level rise, wildfires, and flooding, and points out an impact of climate change that will affect almost everyone at some point in their lives—extreme heat. You will also hear an excerpt from a conversation Doug Parsons has with s Dr. Carolyn Kousky, the Executive Director at the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center at the University of Pennsylvania. They discuss how wildfires in California drove their utility into bankruptcy and what policy reforms are needed to prevent this from happening again. Doug also reflects climate adaptation in light of the Coronavirus Global Pandemic. What lessons are climate adaptation experts learning? What challenges do they face? https://www.americaadapts.org
The Art House Joining us in the Art House is Musician and composer Jason Davis. Jason curates ClimateStoriesProject.org. The site hosts videos from people all over the world. They reveal the impacts of climate change in their lives, and how they are responding. Jason takes some of these stories and composes music to accompany them.
You will hear a moving and powerful testimony from John Sinnok, Inuit elder in Alaska. Woven around the story is Jason’s haunting and beautiful composition for the double bass. He calls the piece Footsteps in Snow. You will also learn how you can share your own story on the website. Jason wants to hear your climate story. He invites you to explore his site to read other climate stories then consider contributing your own. That website is climatestoriesproject.org
Artists take on a unique role in helping the public better understand the many issues connected to climate change. They also play an important part in helping us process our strong emotions about our rapidly changing world.
Poet and climate advocate Clara Fang shares her powerful and moving poem, The Children on Why They are Striking for the Climate. She also tells us about the poetry she reads and how it connects her to the natural world. Clara serves as Citizens’ Climate Lobby Student Engagement Coordinator. In her role, she engages students in climate advocacy and helps members conduct outreach to higher education. https://residenceonearth.net
Photographer, writer, and climate advocate, Princella Talley tells us about the vital role of art in her life and her work. Her interests in visual art and storytelling started at a young age when observing dolphins in the ocean.
After a successful career as a professional writer, Princella worked on a freelance writing assignment that ultimately drew her into the world of climate change and her role as diversity outreach outreach coordinator at Citizens’ Climate Lobby. In her conversation with host, Peterson Toscano, Princella speaks candidly about the challenges of being a person of color in predominately white climate spaces. https://www.princellatalley.com/
Princella is also a business owner of Louisiana Food Fellow, a cohort of change leaders working within local food systems. In Central Louisiana, she partners with community leaders to provide environmental education and implement sustainable and eco-friendly programs in economically disadvantaged communities.
Krista Hiser, PhD is a professor of composition and rhetoric at Kapi'olani Community College in Honolulu, Hawaii. She also directs the Center for Sustainability Across Curriculum within the University of Hawaii System. In the spring she taught the course, Landscapes in Literature—Cli-Fi, Sci-Fi, and the Culture of Sustainability. In this episode, Dr. Hiser outlines for us the difference between science fiction and climate fiction and provides examples for each.
She also raises concerns about the many apocalyptic narratives that flood the Cli-Fi market and that play a prominent role in climate conversations. She believes there are batter ways to talk about climate change. https://medium.com/@hiser
Climate Fiction and Science Fiction discussed in this episode
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Generation Z by Peter Meredith We Are Unprepared by Meg Little Reilly The Man with the Compound Eyes by Wu Ming-Yi A Rain of Night Birds Dsena Metzger Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver Mr. Eternity by Aaron Thier — Hear him speak and talk about his novel on CCR Ep 10 Code Blue by Marissa Slaven — She discusses the book and does a reading from it in CCR Ep 33
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
Think of this as a patchwork quilt. Instead of one long main segment, the Art House, and the Puzzler Question, we have sewed together five shorter segments from around the world that each stand alone. Together they tell a larger story.
Olivia Oguadinma in Nigeria discusses the role of storytelling in motivating her peers to meaningful action. Through her Gems on Earth podcast she reaches young people throughout Western Africa and beyond.
Doerte Wihan, a mother of five and a kindergarten teacher in Berlin, Germany had not given climate change much of a thought. Then she attended a student climate strike with one of her children. This one event launched her into the world of extreme climate change activism. She is now a member of the climate protest group, Extinction Rebellion. She talks about her dramatic transformation and the strength she has found being in community with fellow climate activists.
Artist Shane Petzer in Barrydale, South Africa talks about turning trash into art. Through the Magpie Art Collective, he and fellow artists create breathtakingly beautiful chandeliers all made from trash. Two of these hung in the White House in the Obama’s private quarters. During this time of Coronavirus lockdown, Magpie Art Collective have partnered with the Quakers in the Western Cape to create #QuakerPeaceDoves. Find out about how you can take part in the collective remotely and turn your trash into art.
And in the USA we feature Solomon Goldstein-Rose. In 2017 at the age 22 Solomon was elected to Massachusetts legislature. After a two year term, he decided he would not run again. Instead he has been ramping up his efforts to get us thinking and acting about climate change. In March just as the Covid-19 Global Pandemic shut everything down, Solomon published his first book: The 100% Solution. A Plan for Solving Climate Change. The book is filled with whimsical and technically accurate illustrations by visual artist and writer, Violet Kitchen. She tells us about the role art can play in change movements.
As climate change advocates, our ability to imagine a better future sometimes requires supernatural skills. Still engaging our imagination is essential to stirring up the kind of hope and excitement that inspires others to action. We need to articulate what it is we are fighting for? What is the world we want to create? Through a mind-expanding thought experiment, three guests join us to help unleash our imagination potential. Imagine a world without fossil fuels. What does it look like? What does it sound like? What does it smell like?
Hannah Pickard at Boston’s New England Aquarium shares proven insider tips about effective communication strategies. As a leader in NNOCCI, the National Network of Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation she trains aquarium and zoo professionals how to speak about climate change. NNOCCI is a network of individuals and organizations in informal education, the social sciences, and climate sciences.
Dr. Natasha DeJarnett has been a leader in environmental health research for over 10 years. Her positions in national environmental and public health associations as well as academia has advanced research agendas for the environmental health workforce, established successful national climate change and health initiatives, and inspired the next generation of environmental health professionals. In addition, she serves on the Boards of Citizens’ Climate Education and Physicians for Social Responsibility.
Sean Dague is software engineer by day, and the group leader for the Mid Hudson South chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby He came to climate action after seeing the impacts of Hurricane Irene and Sandy in the north east. In addition to his work with Citizens Climate Lobby, he's also an En-ROADS Climate Simulation tool ambassador. He's a huge fan of trains, heat pumps, and electric vehicles.
Can you imagine a world without fossil fuels? What will it look, smell, sound, and feel like? Share your answers with host, Peterson Toscano. Leave a voice mail at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org
Listen Now! (podbean embed code)
The Art House
Jennie Carlisle and Laura England are both part of the Climate Stories Collaborative at Appalachian State University in North Carolina.
“The Climate Stories Collaborative is our response to the growing call for more trans-disciplinary and creative approaches to climate change communication,” they explain. “Our mission is to grow the capacity of our faculty and students to be more creative and compelling climate storytellers.”
While many of the students finish with completed pieces of art, Jennie stresses that the process required to produce the art is their primary goal. Of course, they also want to reach out to the wider world whenever possible.
At the end of the school year, the Climate Stories Collaborative hosts a showcase for the student artists. This provides them with an opportunity to engage with the wider public in a large gallery space. Laura explains that in the past, students, faculty, and community members would mingle in the gallery to view the art and see performances.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the school closed and the showcase had to be canceled. But like so many others, they adapted and took the showcase online. As a curator, Jennie initially worried about creating a virtual showcase but quickly saw multiple benefits, including seeing viewers become deeply engaged with the art and the artists through their comments. The Climate Stories Collaborative now reaches many more people all over the world through this Instagram online showcase.
For a long time climate advocates faced skepticism and resistance coming from Republican lawmakers. That is changing. In February Citizens Climate Radio host Peterson Toscano traveled to Washington DC for the first ever Conservative Climate Training and Lobby Days. Nearly 100 people showed up from all over the country, young and older. They met with Republican staff and members of congress to talk about climate change and a path forward.
In this episode you will hear excerpts from interviews with volunteer lobbyists Carlos Simms, Mary Lawing, Katie Zakrzewski, Isuru Seneviratne, and Cindy Burbank. On a panel of Republican climate leader Alex Flint, the Executive Director at Alliance for Market Solutions spoke during the February event. Mr. Flint previously served as staff director of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. He was the senior vice president of governmental affairs at the Nuclear Energy Institute, and he was a member of President Trump’s transition team. He outlines for us the dramatic shifts he has witnessed while speaking with lawmakers.
Jim Tolbert, Citizens Climate Education Conservative Director and Jacob Abel, a Citizens Climate Conservative fellow, provide insider glimpses to the conversations about climate change they have with fellow Conservatives.
You will learn what has changed in the Republican party, and the new landscape climate advocates lobbying Conservative members of Congress now face. Guests will share what Republicans bring to the climate conversation and the Conservative values that compel them to pursue effective ways to transform our energy economy. You will also receive advice and learn the ways these conservatives are speaking with their family, friends, and elected leaders about climate change.
Puzzler Question
We updated last month’s puzzler question and made it more personal. He is the question slightly restated:
In a Zoom call you share your renewed commitment to promote climate solutions and ask your friend, Gretchen, to join your group. Gretchen slowly shakes her head and says, “I am concerned about the planet too, but with so many people affected by Covid-19, I think we are just going to have to deal with that first. Climate action is very important but for so many people right now, there are more pressing issues to address.”
The dilemma so many of us face right now is that climate action has been eclipsed by an immediate threat to humanity. How are you dealing with this? How are you navigating this new landscape? How are you adapting? What is a resource you have found helpful?
Share your answers with Peterson by June, 17, 2020. Leave a voice mail at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
How are the impacts of climate change similar to what we are experiencing with the Coronavirus global pandemic? Eight women talk about working through grief to a place of action. They use their expertise to connect the impacts of climate change to what we are now seeing with Covid-19.
Guests include: --Dr. Nathasha DeJarnett, Interim Associate Director Program & Partnership Development National Environmental Health Association --Dr. Lise VanSusteren, an American psychiatrist in private practice in Washington, DC with a special interest in the psychological effects of climate change. --Elizabeth Rush, author of Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore --Solemi Hernandez, Citizens Climate Lobby Southeast Regional Coordinator --Edie Lush, co-host of Global GoalsCast podcast --LaUra Schmidt and Aimee Lewis-Reau, co-founders of the Good Grief Network --Anna Jane Joyner, co-host of No Place Like Home podcast
See our full show notes: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/category/citizens-climate-radio/
LaUra Schmidt and Aimee Lewis-Reau from the Good Grief Network, share the tools they use to help climate advocates face the eco-grief that often slows us down. Through their 10-Step Program, Personal Resilience and Empowerment in a Chaotic Climate, they have seen climate advocates breakthrough so they are more energized to do their work.
All of the guests share best practices and strategies to help process grief and cope with stress in this time of Coronavirus.
Art House In the Art House, writer Elizabeth Rush returns with good news. Her book Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore has garnered awards and was chosen as the Read Across Rhode Island pick. At the kick off event Elizabeth watched an excerpt of a play based her book. Observing herself portrayed on stage gave her a chance to realize something about her own grief process she had not noticed before.
She talks about what she learned and reads selections from her book.
Thank you to Raul Diaz Palomar for music from his album Musica Para Poder Contra La Verdad
New Puzzler Question On Earth Day in an on-line conversation with your friend, Gretchen, you share your renewed commitment to promote climate solutions. Gretchen slowly shakes her head and says, “You know I am concerned about the planet too, but with so many people affected by Covid-19, I think we are just going to have to deal with that first. Climate action is very important, but for so many people right now, there are more pressing issues..”
Gretchen is correct. When people are struggling to pay bills, put food on the table, and as they recover from so many different losses, they often don’t have space for climate conversations. In fact, this has been true for lots of marginalized people for a long time, even before Coronavirus. So this puzzler question is for you to answer for yourself. How do you navigate your climate work as we deal with the impacts of Coronavirus?
Send Peterson your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from. Email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
The issue on most everyone’s mind right now is Coronavirus or Covid-19. We are witnessing a massive social and political transformation as we respond to the outbreak of the virus. Individuals have rapidly and radically changed their behaviors—from washing hands to self-isolating. Nations and local authorities are each taking their part to stop the spread of this disease. We see in real time how quickly and effectively we can adapt to a crisis. We also are discovering where we have failed to anticipate this crisis that is upon us.
The resilience and adaption we see happening all over the world, in our governments, and in our homes, have gotten some climate advocates reflecting on the preparations & rapid responses needed to address extreme weather events and other impacts from global warming. How is Coronavirus similar to climate change? How is it different?
Host, Peterson Toscano convenes a panel of experts to consider these questions. --Dr. Natasha DeJarnett, the interim Associate Director of Program & Partnership Development at the National Environmental Health Association. In previous episodes she has helped us better understand public health issues and climate change. Whether she is discussing environmental racism and pollution, the illnesses afflicting coal miners in Appalachia, or promoting mental health in a time of Climate Change, Dr. DeJarnett provides well sourced and grounded information.
--Leonardo Martinez-Diaz, the director of the Sustainable Finance Center at the World Resources Institute. He leads the Center’s work to help drive finance into activities that promote sustainability and combat climate change. He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy and Environment at the US Department of the Treasury. --Alice. C Hill, a senior fellow for Climate Change Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations. Over 10 years ago she joined the Obama administration as senior legal counsel to Homeland Security director, Janet Politano. As a climate change resilience expert, She believes we possess the tools to respond to the impacts of climate change. She and Martinez-Diaz co-authored the book, Building a Resilient Tomorrow: How to Prepare fo the Coming Climate Disruption.
In discussing the connections they see regarding our preparations for and responses to protecting the public from Covid-19 and the impacts of climate change, they point out that governments do not properly plan for unexpected future events because of a collective failure of imagination. Martinez-Diaz explains the idea of availability bias, “the difficulty that we all have to imagine things we have never seen before. Therefore, we have a lot trouble planning and getting ready for things for which we have no living memory.” This was true of Coronavirus and is also true for climate change.
The Art House
Survivor Generations 2165 An original radio drama by the Climate Stew Players.
Hear the story of Yuri Ivanovich Petrov. As a boy he survived the infamous 900 Days Siege of Leningrad during World War II. Though he experienced the unimaginable hardships, he also developed inventive ways to survive. The lessons he learned during the greatest crisis of his generation, can help give us hope and guidance for our own.
Puzzler Question You are talking to your. friend, Charles. Charles is concerned about climate change but doesn’t know what we could do about it. You explain carbon pricing is a powerful tool to help us decrease fossil fuel emissions. Before you could say more your Charles interrupts, “Are you out of your mind? Did you see what happened in France when they tried that. Those Yellow Vest Protest! It was a political disaster! You really expect that to work here?”
How would you respond to Charles?
Send your answers to Peterson by April, 15, 2020. You can email your responses to radio @ citizensclimate.org r leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
Concerned about climate change, Princeton University student, Jonathan Lu, and his friends became excited about a particular solution: Carbon Fee and Dividend. Through Citizens Climate Lobby they learned about a proposed national policy to price carbon and give the revenue back to households. That inspired them to ask, Could this be done in New Jersey?
Having a good idea is one thing, but doing all the hard work to make it a reality is quite another. Jonathan and his friends realized they needed help researching New Jersey state law. They also needed to speak with over 100 stake-holders all over the state. They wanted to make sure idea for legislation would appeal to as many different groups as possible.
Luckily they found a group of hard-working, intelligent, and creative people who enthusiastically joined the cause. People like Ahan Raina and Aurora Yuan. At the time they were both 15 years old.
Our host, Peterson Toscano, chats with Jonathan, Ahan, and Aurora, members of New Jersey Student Climate Advocates NJSCA. They and scores of high school and college students are working on the New Jersey Climate Investment and Carbon Cashback policy. In addition to applying what they are learning in school about climate change, economics, and civics, they are discovering just how challenging it is to devise a bill that appeals to as many people as possible. They are committed to seeing households benefit once carbon pricing begins in the state.
You can follow them on Instagram: instagram.com/njclimateadvocates
The Art House
Irish author, Shirley McMillan wanted nothing to do with climate change. A busy mom with a young child, she recoiled when Peterson Toscano first initiated a conversation with her about climate change six years ago. She did not deny the reality or seriousness of climate change, but it all felt too much. She was also uninspired by the many suggestions for how women can do all the hard work to lower the family’s carbon footprint.
Then something changed; Shirley began to see climate change as something more than just an environmental issue; she realized how it is also a human rights issue.
Learn more at https://shirleyannemcmillan.com
Puzzler Question Like Shirley, your friend, Heather, told you she wanted nothing to do with your climate work. She also had a limited view of what that work looks like: “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t have time for climate work. I feel bad saying that but I work full time and I have two children still in school. I don’t have time for protesting right now”
Hear what listeners had to say to Heather.
New Puzzler Question
You are talking to your friend, Charles. Charles is concerned about climate change but doesn’t know what we can do about it. You explain how carbon pricing is a powerful tool to help us decrease fossil fuel emissions.
Before you could say more Charles interrupts, “Are you out of your mind? Did you see what happened in France when they tried that. Those Yellow Vest Protest! It was a political disaster! You really expect that to work here?”How would you respond to Charles? Send Peterson your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from. Get back to him by March, 15, 2020. You can leave a voice mail of 3 minutes or less at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) or email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org
On October 20th 2007, after having a revelation about the severity of climate change, Marshall Saunders launched Citizens Climate Lobby. He then inspired over one hundred thousand everyday citizens to appeal directly to members of congress. He helped empower them to offer a bold and straight forward solution to address climate change. Everyone who met Marshall, heard him speak, and worked beside him walked way with determination and a deeper belief in their own ability to change in the world. On December 27th, 2019 at the age of 80, Marshall Saunders passed away at his home in Coronado, California.
As host of Citizens Climate Radio, Peterson Toscano had the pleasure of sitting down to record interviews with Marshall multiple times. In these lively conversations, Marshall's voice is filled with kindness, wisdom, tenderness, insights, and mirth. Whenever Marshall spoke about CCL, he expressed an unshakable faith in individuals to do far more than they ever imagined possible. As a leader, he influenced hundreds of thousands of volunteers to believe something outrageous—that cooperation in the US congress leading to bipartisan climate legislation was not only possible, but inevitable.
For our main section we return to the beginning and bring you an intimate, moving, and at times hilarious conversation with Marshall Saunders, founder of Citizens Climate Lobby, and Mark Reynolds, the executive director. They reveal their origin stories. Highly ambitions and successful businessmen, they seemed unlikely candidates to head up an organization that puts relationship-building and climate advocacy at its heart.
The Art House
Days after the 2016 US presidential election, Peterson interviewed Marshall again and asked if Marshall book recommendations for listeners. Instead of suggesting books of non-fiction about climate, policy, or civics, Marshall immediately pointed to a 19th Century novel. He encouraged listeners to consider Leo Tolstoy’s Resurrection. The book is about a man who loses his way in the midst of a quickly changing industrial world. Tolstoy’s most philosophical work, Resurrection reveals flawed characters in need of redemption and the wisdom they discover as they find their way back to the places where they belong. South African author, Glen Retief reads excerpts from the novel.
Puzzler Question
You are at a political rally chatting with a new friend. Let’s call her Heather. When you ask her if she wants to join your climate group, she says, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t have time for climate work. I feel bad saying that but I work full time and two children still in school, I don’t have time for protesting right now.
It sounds like Heather as a limited view of what climate work looks like. How would you respond to Heather?
Send Peterson your answer by February 15, 2020, along with your name, contact info, and where you are from. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
If you listen on iTunes, please consider rating and reviewing us!
For a complete blog post with links visit: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/category/citizens-climate-radio/
In this episode you will meet a fellow climate action figure. Solemi Hernandez finds great joy and fulfillment in the climate work she does. In hearing some of her own story, we hope it inspires you in your own.
Originally from Venezuela, Solemi has lived in the US state of Florida for the past 17 years. She seeks to improve conditions for immigrant farm workers. She is also raising her two sons, and Solemi has taken on a very big mission. She wants to save the world starting in her own community.
Like her father and grandfather before her, Solemi worked for the oil industry in Venezuela. In fact, she grew up in an oil town and saw firsthand the environmental and health hazards that came with the well-paid oil jobs. Once the oil industry became nationalized, Solemi moved to the USA and started on a very different pat—as a social justice minded environmentalist. She began to volunteer with various groups including the Water Keepers Alliance and the Sierra Club. She helped create a local chapter of The Pachamama alliance, an umbrella organization that connects environmental and social justice organizations to work in the community. She also volunteered for Citizens Climate Lobby.
Her concerns for her community and her passion to address climate change deepened in 2017 when she and her family endured a category 5 storm, Hurricane Irma. For three days the family lived in an emergency shelter in a public school that eventually also flooded. They returned to a devastated neighborhood. Their house survived the storm the region was without electricity for three weeks. With sweltering temperatures and limited supplies and resources, she and her community worked together to take care of each other. Solemi speaks about the added risks marginalized people face who do not have the income and mobility necessary to escape the storms and then to rebuild.
Solemi admits that climate work is challenging, but she has found purpose and meaning in the climate work she is doing. Her enthusiasm is contagious, and her story is inspiring.
The Art House
Playwright Chantal Bilodeau returns to the Art House. Every two years to coincide with the UN COP meetings, Chantal and her team organizes an international event, Climate Change Theatre Action. They select 50 short climate change themed plays from 50 playwrights around the world. This fall over 200 communities organized events in 30 countries where they read some of these plays. Chantal shares highlights along with good news about how the movement is growing both in and outside of the theatre community. A book with all 50 of the 2019 plays will be published in 2020. The collection of 50 plays from 2017 is available now.
Puzzler Question
We hear your answers to a question about what household might do with a carbon dividend. Your friend Darren thinks given out a dividend is a bad idea. He says, "People will just use the dividend they get to continue paying for fossil fuels. Giving them money enables them to stay in their fossil fuel lifestyles. Hear what listeners had to say.
New Puzzler Question You are at a political rally chatting with a new friend. Let’s call her Heather. When you ask her if she wants to join your climate group, she says, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t have time for climate work. I feel bad saying that but I work full time and two children still in school, I don’t have time for protesting right now.
How would you respond to Heather?
Send Peterson your answer by January 15, 2020, along with your name, contact info, and where you are from. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
Adam Rosenbalm and Austin Ramsey study at East Tennessee State University (ETSU.) After the 2016 election it seemed the country was more polarized than ever. Conversations quickly became debates that led to arguments. Both Adam and Austin wanted to do something about the partisan divide between Conservative and Liberal Americans. Fortunately they learned about a new group called Better Angels.
After attending a Better Angels’ event, Adam and Austin decided to bring the Better Angels’ style of debate to the ETSU campus. They hosted the first-ever Better Angel’s debate on a college campus. They chose a hot button topic that drew a large audience: guns on campus. Throughout the debate students were given space to share their feelings about the topic and raise questions.
What often becomes a heated debate where people walk away angry and further divided instead became a space of deeper understanding and friendship. Because of skillful facilitation and clear guardrails that kept the conversation moving forward, the ETSU Better Angels gun debate was a huge success.
After that initial success, Adam and Austin organized debates on other topics. They share with Citizens Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano, some of the insights they have learned that help them to foster civil discourse that results in genuine understanding and appreciation of people on the other side of an issue. They also talk about climate change and the challenges that must be overcome when organizing an effective dialogue between Conservatives and Liberals.
The Art House Being a climate advocate can be very difficult. How do you maintain hope in the face of bad news and apathy from those around you? Where do you find encouragement and inspiration? What role can faith play in our climate work? These are the questions Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade and Rev. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas the editors of a new anthology of essays by climate change faith leaders, wanted to answer. They bring together 21 climate leaders in the book, Rooted & Rising: Voices of Courage in a Time of Climate Crisis.
Contributors include Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, Rev Fred Small, Cristina Leaño, and Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman.
In the Art House the editors speak briefly about the book, and then contributors, Dr. Nathasha DeJarnett, a research coordinator at the National Environmental Health Assocation reads a portion of her essay, “The View from My Window. Corina Newsome, from Young Evangelicals for Climate Action shares how her hope was rekindled through the process of writing her piece, “The Thing with Feathers.” Once she received her copy of the book and read the other essays, she found even more hope. Get your copy here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45834238-rooted-and-rising
Puzzler We hear answers to last month’s puzzler: System Change, Not Climate Change. What does that even mean?
New Puzzler Question
You are talking to your neighbor, Darren. You explain the many possible ways of we can address climate change. One proposal is to charge energy companies a fee when they extract fossil fuels. The money collected then goes to households. You say this carbon fee and dividend plan will serve as an incentive to switch over to cleaner sources of energy. Darren replies, “Well that’s stupid. People will just use the dividend they get to continue paying for fossil fuels. Giving them money enables them to stay in their fossil fuel lifestyles?”
What do you have to say to Darren?
Send Peterson your answer by December 15, 2019, along with your name, contact info, and where you are from. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
Tuskegee University is a historically Black University in Alabama founded in 1881. From the early work of George Washington Carver, Tuskegee has trained generations of researchers who are unraveling mysteries from the natural world. Dr. Carver wrote, “I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.”
Two researchers have been tuning in and made a series of extraordinary discoveries all from agricultural waste. Out of the muck Dr. Michael L Curry, Dr. Donald White, and a team of other researchers found a natural alternative to plastics, one that will biodegrade in less than 100 days. This will keep us from adding even more pollution to a very polluted world. Further researched revealed this material also has other extraordinary properties.
According to Business Alabama, "Scientists working at Tuskegee University have found a bio-based material that shows promise for capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere — a more immediate solution to climate change than revamping land and forestry usage or geo-engineering.”
Host Peterson Toscano chats with Dr. Curry and Dr. White. They discuss their findings and the important ethical issues that must be considered when introducing a new product into the marketplace. Hear an informative and inspiring conversation with two researchers who are actively seeking solutions for the challenging problems we face. Dr. Curry and Dr. White continue in the tradition of George Washington Carver and the many curious, well trained, and highly skilled researchers at Tuskegee University.
The Art House
Helping the public engage in climate change requires skillful communication and a lot of creativity. One troupe of performers in Northern Europe decided to break out of the box altogether. In the Summer of 2019 they presented a performance piece in Norway and Denmark. Instead of bringing the audience into a theatre, Acting for Climate took their show to eight different harbor. For a stage, they used a very large wooden boat. Into the Water is a theatrical circus performance aimed at raising ecological awareness. In addition to the performance, they organized festivals at each of the harbors.
Acting for Climate members Abigael Rydtun Winsvold and Nathan Biggs-Penton recreate the performance for our listening audience. Hear about the circus artists and their amazing feats as they climb the eight-story high mast, do acrobatics, and take the audience on a wild and moving ride. After each performance, the troupe connected with the audience for further discussion.
Abigael found the response to be better than she imagined, "People came up to us and said that they were really really touched. Even sixty-year-old men, which I don’t normally see crying. I barely have seen anyone I don’t know crying in this age group. They came up to us and said, 'Wow! I’m really touched. I’m just going to take a walk and cry for myself right now.' That was really touching for us to hear people were touched by the performance, not only excited, but also shaken a bit somehow." https://www.actingforclimate.com
Puzzler Question We will extend the puzzler question from last month.
After attending the recent climate strikes, imagine you run into your cousin, Kristan. She saw news reports about events around the world. She says, “I love the sign ‘system change not climate change,’ but it seems like a total fantasy. They expect everyone to go vegan or something? What systems can we change that will make any difference with climate change? ” Kristan needs some help envisioning the kind of change that you are pursuing. How would you answer her? Send Peterson your answer by November 15, 2019, along with your name, contact info, and where you are from. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
Tatiana Schlossberg is the author of the new book, Inconspicuous Consumption. She highlights just how good we are at being bad, and outlines how much polluting happens in four major industries, Fuel, Food, Internet, and Fashion.
In looking at the vast world of fashion, Tatiana focuses on specific sectors. First she dives into the world of denim and synthetics. She also talks about the growing industry of fast fashion. https://www.tatianaschlossberg.com
The Art House Poet Catherine Pierce describes the process she took to create her poem, Anthropocene Pastoral. She co-directs the Writing Program at Mississippi State University and comes not the podcast to reveal the often secret world of poetry.
Host, Peterson Toscano was Inspired by the podcast, Song Exploder. They invite a musician to unpack a song and talk about almost every aspect of it and the creative process. In the Art House, Catherine does something similar for us with her climate change themed poem, Anthropocene Pastoral. She then reads the poem. https://www.aprweb.org/poems/anthropocene-pastoral http://www.catherinepierce.net
Puzzler Students from Susquehanna University answer the puzzler question. Victor, a middle school student is freaking out because of climate change. What does he need to hear?
We also get inspiration from elementary students at the River Valley Nature School who gave a presentation at the Climate Strike event held in Lewisburg, PA.
New Puzzler Question: After attending the recent climate strikes you ran into your cousin, Kristian. She saw news reports about events around the world. She says, “I love the sign—system change not climate change, but it seems like a total fantasy. They expect everyone to go vegan or something? What systems can we change that will make any difference with climate change? ”
Kristian needs some help envisioning the kind of change that you are pursuing. How would you answer Kirstian?
Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from. Get your answer in by October, 15, 2019. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio.
Climate Communication experts Blair Bazdarich from the San Francisco Zoo and Hannah Pickard at Boston's New England Aquarium share proven insider tips about effective communication strategies. They are both leaders at NNOCCI, the National Network of Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation. They train aquarium and zoo professionals how to speak about climate change.
NNOCCI is a network of individuals and organizations in informal education, the social sciences, and climate sciences. They are currently working in 170 institutions in 38 states. NNOCCI members reach over 190 million people each year.
In this episode Hannah and Blair share the techniques they have been using, including a “values-first” approach. Through NNOCCI’s research, they identified two motivating values that prove highly effective in opening up conversations with members of the public. The first value is Protection—we feel a strong need to protect the people and places we love. And the second is Responsible Management. We value solving problems earlier before they become too big.
Hear this conversations to gain value lessons from leaders in the field of climate communication.
The Art House
We need to reduce localized pollution and heat-trapping greenhouse gases globally. So how do we build the political will so that the public clamors for legislation and policy that will change how we get and use energy? We need to communicate to the public what success looks like. Envisioning success in our climate work though requires imagination.
To help us with this task Sean Dague, the group leader for the Mid-Hudson South chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby, leads us through a powerful exercise. He asks us, What does a decarbonized world look like? What does it smell like? What does it sound like?
Once you hear Sean’s vision of a successful future, we invite you to continue the exercise. Try some creative writing. Write a short story or a letter from the future about what you see, smell, and hear. Maybe create visual art, a drawing or painting. If you can’t draw or paint, get images from magazines and on-line then create a collage. Write a song, create a map, choreograph a dance. Use art to capture a vision of a decarbonized world. Even if you do not see yourself as an artsy person, just try it.
Towards the end of his life, writer Kurt Vonnegut would say, "Everyone should practice art because art enlarges the soul."
PLEASE feel free to share your art with our host, Peterson Toscano, and let him know if I can share it with listeners, on the podcast, Facebook, and Twitter.
If you have art from this exercise to share or if you have idea for the Art House, feel free to contact Peterson at radio @ citizensclimate.org
Puzzler
Joining us to answer last month’s question about climate adaptation is Doug Parsons, the host of the America Adapts podcast.
New Puzzler Question
You just spoke to a group of middle school students about your climate change work. During the Q&A a student named Victor says, “I am freaking out because of all the bad stuff I am seeing and it seems like it is just getting worse and worse. I really do not see the point of even trying anymore. I think we are too far gone. What difference does this make?”
Lots of people young and old feel the same way. So how do you respond to Victor? How can you validate his fears while also giving him reasons to hope and pursue solutions.
Send us your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from.
Get back to Peterson by September, 15, 2019 Email: radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less: 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio.
Lew Blaustien, editor of Green Sports Blog, is very concerned about climate change. A sports nut since childhood, Lew began a career in sportscasting, and eventually settled into the marketing side of professional sports. There was nothing in his background to suggest he would turn into a passionate climate advocate. The 911 attacks on New York City in 2001 though changed everything for him. You will hear about how that traumatic event set him on a new career path.
In this lively interview you will hear Lew brimming with enthusiasm as he reveals a growing trend in the professional sports world. More and more athletes, teams, and leagues are working hard to address environmental concerns. You will also hear from professional skier, Angel Collinson. Through Protect Our Winters she has been speaking to members of congress. In speaking with lawmakers and how many are concerned about climate change, she has become more determined than ever to speak out about the issue. Inspired by athletes like Angel Collinson and Milwaukee Brewers pitcher, Brent Suter, who we featured on Episode 37, Lew and other in the green sports movement are urging teams and players to take the next step—speak directly about climate change and endorse the policies that will address our dangerous pollution problems.
The Art House
Poet liz gonzález joins us in the Art House. Her background is important to her work. She describes herself as “a fourth generation Southern Californian on my mother’s side and the daughter of a Mexican immigrant father who died when I was three.” A teacher of creative writing through the UCLA Extension Writers Program, liz writes poetry and creative non-fiction. Through her writing liz captures the beauty and the challenges of a rapidly changing landscape. For the Art House she reads from her book, Dancing in the Santa Ana Winds: Poems y Cuentos New and Selected. She explains how the power of the Santa Ana winds serves as a metaphor for the early years of liz’ marriage. She also reads a poem from the anthology, Fire and Rain: Ecopoetry of California.
Though she is very passionate about the suffering that comes from pollution and climate change, liz reveals how difficult it is for her to write about social justice issues. “It has to just happen naturally. I can’t sit down and decide I want to write it. It always ends up sounding preachy, and there are people who do it so much better.” Experience the natural beauty liz recreates in her writing and learn about some of the challenges artists like liz face in a time of climate change.
New Puzzler Question
On Facebook you reconnected with a childhood friend, Lydia. She has become worried about climate change and is wondering about what she can do right now to prepare for the effects of climate change. While she admires your work in mitigating climate change, she feels a growing interest in adaptation. Lydia asks you, “What are ways I can help my community to get ready for climate change?”
This is a big question and hopefully the beginning of a larger discussion about climate adaptation. What are some ideas you have for Lydia? Where might she start in adapting to climate change?
You’re welcome to answer either or both. Send Peterson your answers by July 15, 2019, along with your name, contact info, and where you are from. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 518.595.9414 (+1 if calling from outside the USA).
We feature two people with very unconventional jobs. Milwaukee Brewers pitcher, Brent Suter is concerned about climate change. He is using his platform to speak out. Circus artist and podcaster, Eliana Dunlap, "does circus" and is using circus arts to raise awareness about climate change.
Brent Suter received a scholarship to play baseball at Harvard University, where he studied environmental science. He learned about the effects of climate change and what how we need to drastically reduce our pollution. At first that meant making individual lifestyle choices to lower his own personal carbon footprint, but he has been expanding his efforts. Through his Strike Out Waste initiative, he got professional baseball players to use reusable water bottles during spring training.
That’s just a start. Brent understands we need to change national energy policy. In a recent interview for the Green Sport Blog he said, "At this point in time, a carbon pricing program and higher incentives for clean energy are absolutely imperative towards the goal of stabilizing our climate and ensuring a healthy and viable future for our planet. The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act would not only help achieve these goals, but would give the funds raised back to the people, save countless lives, and create millions of jobs! ”
The Art House
Eliana Dunlap was not born into a circus family; instead she learned circus arts at a circus school in Quebec. Her circus skill set is impressive and includes acrobatics, juggling, dance, and her speciality, the German Wheel. She has been performing circus arts in non-traditional spaces. She is also someone who is creatively responding to climate change. Through her podcast, Changing the World and Other Circus Related Things, she is connecting with other concerned circus artists. She is also one of the founding members of the Circus Action Network.
Eliana likens the high stakes world of circus arts to the challenges we face with climate change. She also sees examples from the circus world about how we can get people from various backgrounds to work together. This summer she and a friend will do street performances of a new circus art show called, High Stakes--What's the Plan(t)?In addition to lots of juggling and acrobatics, the show features a live plant as part of the action.
In this fascinating interview, Eliana opens up about the world of circus and how she and other concerned artists are creating avenues for a deeper conversation about climate change.
Puzzler
In answer to last month's question, high school student, Jerome Foster II, explains why in his climate work he is more of an advocate than a rebel.
New Puzzler Question
It’s a weird one, but there is a method in Our madness. We need to expand the ways we talk about climate change. Here is the question:
What color do you associate with climate change and why? or What sound do you associate with climate change and why?
Answer either or both.
Try answering the puzzler question. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from. Get back to host, Peterson Toscano by July, 15, 2018.You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
See our show notes over at https://citizensclimatelobby.org/category/citizens-climate-radio/
Sam Daley-Harris helped develop a model of advocacy that empowered citizens to connect directly with lawmakers. He reveals the sources for his inspiration. Lessons learned from his parents, their faith and public witness along with insights he gained from his twelve years playing in the Miami Philharmonic orchestra directly contributed to his success in addressing world hunger, promoting micro-loans for the poor, and in training climate advocates. Another climate advocate, Glen Retief, had the opportunity to take on the rebel role during the anti-Apartheid struggle in South Africa. He stood up to the racist policies of his government, but did so through the role of advocate. You will hear about the seemingly impossible task of turning his country around and the extraordinary lessons learned that he now applies to his work in promoting solutions to climate change. Read Sam Daley-Harris' book Reclaiming Our Democracy: https://www.reclaimingourdemocracy.com Learn more about Glen Retief and his book, The Jack Bank--A Memoir of a South African Childhood: http://glenretief.com
Art House Elizabeth Doud takes on the role of Siren Jones in her one-person performance, The Mermaid Tear Factory. Based in Miami, Florida, she has been a catalyst to engage other artists in conversations around climate change. Each year she helps organize Climakaze Miami. https://www.climakazemiami.org
She explains why she sees Miami as the city of the future. She also explains why artists need to break away from telling the story of climate science and instead dig deep into the hard emotions around climate change.
Puzzler Question You attended one of the recent student walk-out demonstrations. While there you spoke to a parent, Claire. Claire’s daughter was a protest organizer. You tell Claire how you speak to legislators about laws that will address fossil fuel pollution. You see yourself as an advocate, working in the system to bring about change. Claire confesses, “I would never have the patience for that. I am so angry and I need to protest.” She then asks, “So why do you do that kind of advocacy work instead of protesting and civil disobedience?”
Try answering the puzzler question. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from. Get back to host, Peterson Toscano by June, 15, 2018. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
Nicole Chatterson at the University of Hawaii and Dominic Scicchitano at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania have spent a lot of time in the water. Nicole talks about plastic pollution she has been hauling up in the Pacific Ocean while Dominic shares his findings regarding micro-plastics in the Susquehanna River. The segment helps listeners connect plastic production and pollution with climate change. What happens to our trash once we throw it out?
Nicole discusses the complications of the waste to energy incinerator on the island of Oahu. Both guests also talk about the need to advocate for systems changes that will reduce plastic waste especially from single use plastics. Discover the individual and larger policy changes that will help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Art House
Peter Buckland is a local politician, a sustainability expert at Penn State University, and a poet. He also loves to listen to music. He talks about the powerful environmental messages he hears in heavy metal music. Discover how this loud and very fast music speaks directly to the climate change problems we created and must address.
The Puzzler
We hear answers to the puzzler question, "If global warming is happening, why did we just have such cold weather this past winter in the USA?"
New Puzzler Question
This puzzler is for people in groups like Citizens Climate Lobby that speak to members of congress.
You attended one of the recent student walk-out demonstrations. While there you spoke to a parent, Claire. Claire’s daughter was a protest organizer. You told Claire about the work you do speaking to legislators about laws that will address fossil fuel pollution. You see yourself as an advocate, working in the system to bring about change. Claire confessed, “I would never have the patience for that. I am so angry and I need to protest.” She then asked, “Why do you do that kind of advocacy work instead of protesting and civil disobedience?”
Send Peterson your answers by May 15, 2019, along with your name, contact info, and where you are from. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of three minutes or less at 518.595.9414 (+1 if calling from outside the USA).
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
If you listen on Apple Podcasts, please consider rating and reviewing us!
Rebels are organizing. We are witnessing a growing global student protest movement around climate change. In episode nine our host, Peterson Toscano, chatted with Quaker author, speaker, and activist, Eileen Flanagan ( https://eileenflanagan.com/ .) She described the four different roles change agents take—Helper, Organizer, Advocate, and Rebel. This month we dig deeper into the role of the rebels—groups and individuals who disrupt business as usual in order to bring about systems change.
In addition to capturing voices of protesters from the recent student walk-out in Honolulu, Hawaii, which was part of similar actions around the world, Peterson chats with Robin Boardman, from the British group Extinction Rebellion. (https://rebellion.earth/ )Robin and his friends are planning major disruptive actions in London and other parts of the UK in mid-April. What are their goals, values, and methods? Join us for this insightful and moving conversation.
The Art House
Returning to the Art House is Hope Clark. She is a dancer concerned about climate change. In episode 18 she told us how she decided to engage her community in the Washington DC area through a public art project. To do so, she used giant parachutes. https://vimeo.com/hopeclark
Creating an art piece can help us process our thoughts and feelings about a topic as large and challenging as climate change. No surprise then, once she completed the Make a Movement Parachute Community Project, Hope began to go deeper into her own feelings. She found herself returning to an old comfort—an addiction to cigarette smoking. Hope is making powerful connections between her own addictions and society's addiction to fossil fuels. Through spoken word and dance, she is exploring the comforts we seek that have failed us.
Puzzler Question
We have been getting excellent answers to our puzzler question. We want to hold this one out for another month. We look forward to hearing from you. Puzzler Question You are at a family dinner when you mention your excitement about more and more people becoming concerned about climate change. Your Uncle Ralph interrupts, “Global warming? Seriously? What about all this record cold weather we have had? It doesn’t seem its warming at all?”
So what do you say? How can you open up a conversation about climate change that doesn’t just turn into a debate? Send Peterson your answers by April 15, 2019, along with your name, contact info, and where you are from. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of three minutes or less at 518.595.9414 (+1 if calling from outside the USA).
Dig Deeper
--Extinction Rebellion on Twitter @ExtinctionR --Erica Chenoweth, author of Civil Action and the Dynamics of Violence, inspiration to Extinction Rebellion https://www.ericachenoweth.com/ --Gandhi's Civil Disobedience http://www.crf-usa.org/black-history-month/gandhi-and-civil-disobedience --Environmental Organizations Outreach Training https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/336 --Addiction as a Metaphor for Climate Change: An Interview with Charles Eisenstein(The Fix)https://www.thefix.com/addiction-metaphor-climate-crisis-interview-charles-eisenstein
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
If you listen on iTunes, please consider rating and reviewing us!
Gael Henry Carlut grew up in the Philippines on what was once a desert island. Gael's father is from France and his mother is from Iloilo in the Philippines. They fell in love and in 1986 settled on Pandan Island. Their goal was to protect the extraordinary coral reef that surrounds the island and then share it with others. Gael left the Philippines and settled in France to study environmental science and water treatment processes. He felt a strong pull though to return not only to the Philippines, but to this remote island. On a recent visit to Pandan Island, Citizens Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano chatted with Gael about the island, climate change, and the pursuit of happiness. https://www.pandan.com
Art House
Marissa Slaven talks about her novel, Code Blue, an eco-mystery. Drawing on her love of the coast in New England and even her background a palliative care physician, Marissa has created a near future world that is stressed by climate change in a society has chosen to respond creatively to it. She expertly weaves in various mysterious her main characters, Atlantic or Tic, a high school student, must solve. These mysterious are both personal and scientific. Her book is one you cannot easily put down once you start reading it. https://marissaslaven.com
Puzzler
We hear answers to last month’s puzzler question: Your cousin Dan is discouraged because world leaders do not want to respond to climate change; he wonders if we should just wait it out until we have better leaders.
New Puzzler Question
You are at a family dinner when you mention your excitement about more and more people becoming concerned about climate change. Your Uncle Ralph interrupts, “Global warming? Seriously? What about all this record cold weather we have had? It doesn’t seem its warming at all?” So what do you say? How can you open up a conversation about climate change that doesn’t just turn into a debate?
Send Peterson your answers by March 15, 2019, along with your name, contact info, and where you are from. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 518.595.9414 (+1 if calling from outside the USA).
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
If you listen on iTunes, please consider rating and reviewing us!
Two coal miners from Appalachia open up about the risks and challenges of mining. Michael Ray Whitten from West Virginia and Nick Mullins from Kentucky come from families that have been mining for generations. They talk to show host, Peterson Toscano, about the physical toll mining had on their fathers. After seeing the damage to miners and to the land, they are now speaking out about the need to transition away from coal mining jobs. Dr. Nathasha DeJarnett from the National Environmental Health Association joins the conversation to talk about Black Lung Disease and the health risks miners in rural communities face. Listen in to this informative and moving discussion.
Art House In the art house you will meet Michelle Irizarry. She a visual artist living in Orlando, Florida, USA. Michelle is is also a civil engineer. As a result of climate change, she has seen a big transformation in her work as a artist. Hear about her powerful new paintings and the role of art in her life as she deepens her understanding of climate change. She her art at https://miriza.squarespace.com
Puzzler We also have answers to last month’s puzzler: What do you say your co-worker, Janet, wants nothing to do with your bipartisan climate group because it includes Conservatives? Two listeners share how they would address Janet’s fears and doubts.
New Puzzler Question At a family gathering you are chatting with your cousin, Dan. You mention climate change and he has a meltdown. He says, “I feel so discouraged. All over the world you have leaders in Brazil, the US, and parts of Canada opposing any action on climate change. I hate to give up but maybe we just have to wait a couple of years before we can do anything about it.”
What do you say to Dan to help address this discouragement she has? If national leaders are not acting on climate change, what can we do? Send your answers to Peterson by February 15, 2019. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from.
You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
Dig Deeper --Nick Mullins and Breaking Clean https://www.breakclean.com --Michael Ray Whitten speaks about his coal mining family https://youtu.be/CopU8exgcUI --Prevalence of Black Lung Continues to Increase among U.S. Coal Miners (NIOSH) https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/updates/upd-07-20-18.html --4th National Climate Assessment Rural Communities Section (USGCRP) 2018) https://nca2014.globalchange.gov/report/sectors/rural-communities --An Epidemic is Killing Thousands of Coal Miners—Regulators Could have Stopped It (NPR) https://www.npr.org/2018/12/18/675253856/an-epidemic-is-killing-thousands-of-coal-miners-regulators-could-have-stopped-it --Pneumoconioses Fact Sheet (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/pneumoconioses/default.html --Breaking Clean https://www.breakclean.com
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
Dr. Katharine Hayhoe is a climate scientist, a professor in the Department of Political Science and director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University. She is also a brilliant climate communicator and the host of the Global Weirding web series. She chats with show host, Peterson Toscano, about what has changed since she her famous address at the 2015 Citizens Climate International Conference. There is no more speculation; climate change is here. She talks about the many ways people are adapting, and she provides excellent climate communication tips. Dr. Hayhoe also reveals where she finds hope in these troubling times.
The Art House
Dr. Jeffrey Bennett and illustrator Roberta Collier-Morales created the whimsical and moving illustrated children's book, The Wizard Who Saved the World. While most of his Dr. Bennett's Max the Dog books are about space travel, Jeff felt it was time to write about what was happening on earth with global warming. Not only did he need to tap into deep emotions, he had to find a new illustrator who could capture the story of Diego, a boy suddenly alarmed by climate change and motivated to do something about it. To create the vibrant images about Diego's inner and outer world, Roberta Collier-Morales drew on her own childhood struggles with dyslexia and the role imagination played in her young life.
Puzzler Question
Listener Sherri Michalovic answers the question, What does your faith have to do with climate change? She makes connections to a changing climate, asthma among children in her city, and the mandate she feels as a Christian to love her neighbor.
New Puzzler Question
You are part of a group that pursues bi-partisan economic solutions to address climate change. One of your co-workers, Janet is a Progressive Liberal who also wants to see us do something about climate change. But she is pushing back against your ideas. She says, “Right now I don’t trust any plan that has Conservatives involved. How do I know this is not some group that is lying, greenwashing, and is an enemy of environmental justice?”
Janet has fears and doubts that need to be addressed. How would you respond?
Send your answers to Peterson by January 15, 2019. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from.
You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
Feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
Links Dr. Katharine Hayhoe http://katharinehayhoe.com/wp2016/ Dr. Jeffrey Bennet http://www.jeffreybennett.com Illustrator Roberta Collier-Morales http://robertacolliermorales.com Global Weirding https://www.pbs.org/show/global-weirding/ Story Time from Space http://storytimefromspace.com Fourth National Climate Assessment Vol 1 https://science2017.globalchange.gov Fourth National Climate Assessment Vo1 2 https://nca2018.globalchange.gov
Three American Evangelicals consider faith, theology, and global warming. Kyle Meyaard Schaap, National Organizer and spokesperson for Young Evangelicals for Climate Action (YECA) and Corina Newsome, YECA steering committee member on the diversity and civic engagement subcommittees, along with Rev. Josh Gibson, pastor of Emmanuel Bible Fellowship Church in Sunbury, PA, chat with host, Peterson Toscano about the Bible, stewardship, loving our neighbor, heaven, and earth. Discover how these Evangelicals approach the often political topic of climate change, and learn how to connect with Bible believers, who may not be environmentalists but care very much for what happens to people and to our earthly home.
Here is a listing to the various Bible passages referenced in Ep 30. You can look up these verses at BibleGateway.com Genesis 1:26, Genesis 2:15, Leviticus 25:4, Pslam 24:1,2, Psalm 104:10-15, Colossians 1:15, Revelation 21, Matthew 25:31-46, Romans 8:19-21
Art House
In response to the question, What Does the Bible Say About Climate Change? Tony Buffusio from the Bronx, NY (a comic creation of Peterson Toscano) tells the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis. Joseph lives in Egypt during a time of temporary regional shifts in the climate. Not only does he predict changes in weather patterns, he developes a plan of how to look after the people. Peterson is a Bible scholar with a passion for looking after the welfare of people who are affected by extreme weather events.
Puzzler Question
We hear from Jay Greene in Salisbury, England. She tells us what her faith has to do with climate change.
Since this is such a rich question, we want to keep it open another month.
Louis, someone you know from your faith community asks why are you involved in climate change work. You say, Lots of reasons, but a big part is because of my faith. Louis looks puzzled. He asks, Climate Change? What’s faith got to do with it?
So what do you say to Louis? How is climate change connected to your faith or religion or spiritual practice? How is climate change connnected to your faith or religion or spiritual practice? What do you have to add to this topic?
Send your answers to Peterson by December 10, 2018. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from.
You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, right here on SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio.
Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
When telling climate change stories, truth is more important than facts. Host, Peterson Toscano shares his own bizarre climate change coming out story. Like many people, he was aware of climate change, but it never hit him in the heart or the gut, until one day. Moving, funny, and unexpected, his awakening came when climate change hit him and his Italian-American/South African family close to home. In addition to telling how he woke up to the reality of climate change, he shares listeners responses to the Puzzler Question—What Does Climate Change Mean to You?
Art House We learn about climate fiction or “cli-fi” with Elizabeth Rush. ( http://elizabethrush.net ) Although she is the author of the bestselling and critically acclaimed non-fiction book, Rising—Dispatches from the New American Shore, she also teaches cli-fi at Brown University. She reveals the differences and important contributions both humanities and science students bring to the course. She also provides us with a reading list and discusses: --Gold, Fame, Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins. --10:04 by Ben Lerner --New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson
Puzzler The puzzler question is such an important part of this show. These questions are designed to help you improve in your climate communication skills. Ready for the new puzzler?
New Puzzler Question (especially designed for people of faith) You are at a place of worship and you have fliers about an upcoming climate change event. You hope to get some folks involved. Louis, someone you know from your faith community asks why are you involved in climate change work. You say, Lots of reasons, but a big part is because of my faith. Louis looks puzzled. He asks, Climate Change? What’s faith got to do with it? So what do you say to Louis? How is climate change connected to your faith or religion or spiritual practice?
Send Peterson your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from. Get back to him by November, 15, 2018. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or better yet leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
University campuses in the USA are the training grounds for collective action leading to systems changes. Since 2012 a group of students at the University of Delaware have taken on a big idea--to transform their large lush heavily chemically treated lawns into an organic public green. The Green the Green initiative has required thoughtful strategy, community building, public education, and lots of persistence. Climate advocates can learn a lot from their methods. Show host, Peterson Toscano, speaks with Sophie Phillips, a senior and the outgoing head of Students 4 the Environment. Sophie is in the process of handing over the work to sophomore, CJ Krulewitch who also talks about strategies and successes. They both offer advice for climate advocates.
Art House
In the USA one of the most dramatic encounters happens around the Thanksgiving holiday table. In the USA one of the most dramatic encounters happens around the Thanksgiving holiday table. In his play, Dad, theater student Dante Flores decides to magnify the tension. He talks about the setting, tone, and structure of his play. By putting the action on a repeat loop, he deepens the theater experience.
Puzzler
You are talking with your neighbor, Tabitha. She seems interested in your work as a climate advocate. You tell her about large solutions like carbon fee and dividend. You are so excited to find someone who wants to know more. But then you notice Tabitha's eyes start to glaze over. She interrupts you, "This all sounds so important and overwhelming. But What does it mean for you and for me?"
Send Peterson your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from.
Get back to him by October 15, 2018. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less. Leave your message at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
Sara Peach, the senior editor at Yale Climate Connections has only 90 seconds to tell a compelling and inspiring climate change related story. She sits down with show host, Peterson Toscano, to discuss the kind of stories that move people closer to climate advocacy. Based on extensive research from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, Sara and her team have produced hundreds of short radio pieces. She brought two of these stories with her to share on this episode. Sara also talks about where she is finding hope these and what she does when she hears discouraging climate news.
Art House Singer Song writer Dan Dewald produces music as Hayride Casualties. His album Fossil Fuel Kid is all about climate change. The songs explore how climate change affects us. They point to the complications of feeling complicit in contributing to the pollution. In addition, they have songs that point to the fierce passionate response needed to address our growing fossil fuel problem.
Citizens Climate Radio Puzzler Many listeners wrote in to say they want more puzzler questions. We have set up a new listener call line, so can share you answers with us. How about you take a stab at the puzzler.
New Puzzler question You are talking with your neighbor, Tabitha. She seems interested in your work as a climate advocate. You tell her about large solutions like carbon fee and dividend. You are so excited to find someone who wants to know more. But then you notice Tabitha's eyes start to glaze over. She interrupts you, "This all sounds so important and overwhelming. But What does it mean for you and for me?"
Tabitha wants to better understand climate change. She doesn't need more facts right now. She needs to hear some of your own story. How might you begin to shift the tone and and get personal with her? What does climate change mean for you? Let's personal.
Send Peterson your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from.
Get back to him by October 15, 2018. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less. And don't be anxious about the voicemail. You can leave as many versions of your answer as you like. If you stumble, try again until you feel comfortable with your answer. Leave your message at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
Super Storm Sandy shocked the New York Metropolitan area in 2012. By some freak coincidence, right before this epic storm hit, Edgar Westerhof, moved to New York City from the Netherlands. Not only does he come from a country that knows a lot about flooding, Edgar is an expert in integrated urban water management.
Since Sandy, Edgar has become the National Director for Flood Risk and Resiliency for Arcadis North America. He talks about his experiences with Sandy and how this devastating storm could have been even worse. What role does cultural identity have in developing a relationship with the sea?
Host, Peterson Toscano, also checks in with his friend Julia Wallace, who experienced the storm and lived without power in NYC for five days.
Art House
Author Elizabeth Rush reads from her new book Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore. She traveled to US coastal communities to hear from residents about sea level rise. The encroaching waters threaten these communities but the crisis is also waking people up to the growing risks of climate change. Elizabeth Rush: http://elizabethrush.net/
Dig Deeper
The Brooklyn Battery Tunnel flood protection doors designed by Arcadis -- http://abc7ny.com/exclusive-look-at-new-floodgates-for-nyc-tunnels/2562628/
NYC EDC - Southern Manhattan Coastal Protection Study -- http://www.nycedc.com/press-release/nycedc-and-mayors-office-recovery-and-resiliency-release-southern-manhattan-coastal
National Disaster Resiliency Competition -- http://www.dutchwatersector.com/news-events/news/17318-flavour-of-dutch-dialogues-gets-into-1-billion-dollar-us-disaster-resilience.html
NYC East Side Coastal Resiliency Flood Protection Design -- http://www.nycgovparks.org/planning-and-building/planning/neighborhood-development/east-side-coastal-resiliency
Verizon Flood Protection Study & Design -- http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/31/nyregion/a-modern-flood-barrier-aims-to-protect-verizons-landmark-building.html?_r=0
New York City Health and Hospital Corporation – Flood Protection Studies & Design -- http://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/507-14/mayor-de-blasio-senator-schumer-fema-commitment-at-least-1-6-billion-repair-and#/0
New York City Transit – Flood Protection Analyses and Design -- https://www.arcadis.com/en/united-states/news/press-releases/arcadis-selected-tofix-fortifynew-york-city-s-subway-system/1873470/
Coney Island Creek Barrier & Wetland Feasibility Study -- http://www.nycedc.com/project/coney-island-creek
USACE NY District - Jamaica Bay Reformulation Study -- http://www.nan.usace.army.mil/Media/FactSheets/FactSheetArticleView/tabid/11241/Article/487597/fact-sheet-east-rockaway-inlet-to-rockaway-inlet-rockaway-beach.aspx
Nassau County Sewage Treatment Plant Flood Protection Design -- https://www.arcadis.com/es-cl/latin-america/news/press-releases/nassau-county-selects-arcadis-for-hurricane-recovery-wastewater-program-management/1734159/
NYC EDC – Special Initiative for Rebuild and Resilience (SIRR) -- http://www.nyc.gov/html/sirr/html/report/report.shtml
Federal HUD - Rebuild by Design, BIG U Protection Lower Manhattan -- http://www.archdaily.com/493406/the-big-u-big-s-new-york-city-vision-for-rebuild-by-design
Puzzler
Do you enjoy the Puzzler section of our show? We are considering replacing it with another segment, but we would love to hear from you before we do. Let Peterson know if you want him to continue offering the Puzzler. Email him radio @ citizensclimate.org
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
After 10 years of reporting on race, culture, and civil rights, Brentin Mock embraced environmental issues as his new beat. That was in 2008. He has since become a leading voice highlighting environmental racism in America. He joins show host, Peterson Toscano to talk about pollution and segregation.
Brentin also speaks candidly about failures of predominately white environmental organizations who attempt to reach out to people of color. He shares why these attempts fails and what climate advocates can do to build a more diverse coalition. Also joining us is Dr. Natasha DeJarnett, environmental health policy analyst from the American Public Health Association. She shares with us the statistics on historical and contemporary pollution and how air and water pollution pose severe health risks for everyone, but espeically people of color in the USA.
Art House Joining us in the Art House today is poet Tyree Daye. As an African-American man living in the the US South, Tyree weaves together stories and voices from his family. He artistically expresses the collective trauma they have experienced and the deep insights passed down. Rivers, water, and flooding continually come up in his book of poetry called River Hymns. We will talk about his work and Tyree will read some for us.
Puzzler You are on a break with a co-worker, let's call him Murphy. You tell Murphy about a climate change conference you attended hoping to engage him in conversation. Murphy blurts out, "Seriously. I never pegged you as one of those save the whales and the polar bears kinda person. The way I see it, humans are the most adaptable beings on earth. Whatever is coming our way, we will be able to handle it. Sucks for other creatures, but humans will be just fine." Murphy has put just you in a certain environmental box. It may or may not be a fit for you. But how can you respond to Murphy to help crack open the conversation? Send Peterson your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from.
Get back to him by July, 15, 2018. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or better yet leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
Dig Deeper: Brentin Mock -- Twitter: @brentinmock Tyree Daye -- http://www.tyree.work Dr. Natasha DeJarnett -- Twitter: @DrDeJarnett CityLab: https://www.citylab.com Dr. Robert Bullard: http://drrobertbullard.com How Environmental Injustice Connects to Police Violence by Brentin Mock: https://www.citylab.com/equity/2016/07/how-environmental-injustice-connects-to-police-violence/492053/
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
All music is royalty free and purchased thorough PremiumBeat.com and AudioBlocks
Conversations about climate change can get downright dire and dreary. But isn't there room for comedy? Brian Ettling is a comic who is not ashamed to pull out a rubber chicken for a gag. He joins show host, Peterson Toscano for a lively conversation about climate comedy.
Art House
Playwright Chantal Bilodeau returns to the Art House. This time she tells us about two visual artists whose work helps make the invisible worlds of pollution and climate change visual in very visceral ways. Learn about American artist, Eve Mosher with her flood lines, and Chinese artist, Brother Nut and his pollution bricks.
Puzzler
Should we just wait for a technical fix to climate change? We hear what you have to say to Samantha who believes geo-engineering will solve all of our climate woes.
New Puzzler Question
You are on a break with a co-worker, let's call him Murphy. You tell Murphy about a climate change conference you attended hoping to engage him in conversation. Murphy blurts out, "Seriously. I never pegged you as one of those save the whales and the polar bears kinda person. The way I see it, humans are the most adaptable beings on earth. Whatever is coming our way, we will be able to handle it. Sucks for other creatures, but humans will be just fine."
Murphy has put just you in a certain environmental box. It may or may not be a fit for you. But how can you respond to Murphy to help crack open the conversation?
Send Peterson your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from.
Get back to him by July, 15, 2018. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or better yet leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
Dig Deeper
Brian Ettling's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIoGmX31KwCd6Lcesqv4Jrw
The Arctic Cycle: https://www.thearcticcycle.org
Chantal Bilodeau: http://www.cbilodeau.com
Eve Mosher, visual artist: http://www.evemosher.com
Brother Nut's Pollution Bricks (New York Times): https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/02/world/asia/beijing-smog-air-pollution-artist-brick.html
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
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How does climate change affect us psychologically? How do extreme weather events impact our mental health? What can we do to protect ourselves and our family from the mental health risks that come with extreme weather? How can climate advocates avoid being overwhelmed by the work and address the anxiety, the anger, and the despair? You will hear answers to these questions and much more on our latest episode.
Dr. Lise Van Susteren, a leading expert in looking at the psychological effects of climate change, and Dr. Natasha DeJarnett, a policy analysis in environmental health at the American Public Health Association, join show host, Peterson Toscano, for a thought-provoking and insightful conversation.
Art House Artist Fritz Horstman shares the story of his trip to the Arctic Circle to take underwater photographs. The visual landscape of the frozen and thawing North captivated him, but the sounds really inspired him. He asked his fellow artists on the voyage to recreate the creaks and groans of the glaciers for his video, Ice Voices. Learn more over at www.fritzhorstman.com
Puzzler On FB you you encourage people engage in climate action and join your group. A friend of yours, let's call her Samantha, comments, "That's very noble of you, but really the only solution is going to be a technical one. It's gone too far and they are going to have to geoengineer a solution. Don't stress about it. They are working on a fix somewhere." So what do you say to Samantha who believes geoengineering will solve all of our climate woes and we should just live our lives until the patch is available?
Get back to Peterson by May, 15, 2018. Email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org You can also leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
See the full show notes for and links over at https://ccl.podbean.com/e/ccr-ep-23-your-mental-health-and-climate-change/
Claire Vaye Watkins, author of the cli-fi novel, Gold Fame Citrus, is Peterson Toscano's special guest. Claire talks about her book and the importance of storytelling in this time of climate change. With her writing and imagination, she allows herself to go to places many climate advocates avoid. In doing so, she raises important questions about our work and this critical time in history.
Wise, insightful, and witty, hearing this interview will help you hone your own skills as a storyteller.
Art House This month Claire Vaye Watkins is both our main guest and our Art House guest. Stay tuned for upcoming Art House episodes featuring artist, Fritz Horseman, and climate change-themed band, Hayride Casualties.
Puzzler We share multiple responses to January's puzzler--which was really an accusation: What are you actually doing to address climate change? What does an climate advocate say when someone dismisses you as a hypocrite?
New Puzzler Question On FB you you encouraged people engage in climate action and join your group. A friend of yours, let's call her Samantha, comments, "That's very noble of you, but really the only solution is going to be a technical one. It's gone too far and they are going to have to geo-engineer a solution. Don't stress about it. They are working on a fix somewhere."
So what do you say to Samantha who believes geoengineering will solve all of our climate woes and we should just live our lives until the patch is available?
Get back to Peterson by April, 15, 2018. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
What happens when a city of four million people suddenly runs out of water? Our host, Peterson Toscano, chats with two Cape Town residents, Helen Moffett and Judy Abrahams. Together they explore "Day Zero," the day when this South African city will turn off the water to the taps. Discover the causes to this crisis and the responses, both ugly and beautiful. Funny, insightful, and well informed, Helen and Judy talk about many aspects of the crisis that are being overlooked in the media.
Puzzler Question The story of the water crisis is so big we will share the many answers to the popular puzzler question next month when writer Claire Vaye Watkins talks about her cli-fi novel--Gold Fame Citrus.
Listen, Rate, and Share! You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher Radio, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
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Grant Samms was curious about the expansion of wind energy in Western Oklahoma, especially in the oil town of Woodward. He expected to see a lot of conflict there. Turns out there was no conflict. Because of their identity as energy producers, the citizens of Woodward found a way to weave wind energy extraction into their lives and enconomy.
Grant is currently at Washington College's Center for Environment and Society in Chestertown, Maryland, where he is witnessing tensions in rural Maryland over proposed windmill farms. He chats with Citizens' Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano, about what he learned in Western Oklahoma and how it essential for climate advocates to understand how "sense of place" plays a major role in affecting how communities respond to new ideas.
Art House Sila_hunting.jpgChantal Bilodeau is a playwright originally from Quebec Province in Canada. Her award winning plays take on climate change. Set in the Arctic, they are beautiful, original, and are moving audiences all over the world. In her Arctic Cycle plays, she has roles for human and non-human characters. Chantal believes live theater experiences create special opportunities for audiences.
In order to address the lonliness and isolation that can come with doing creative work around global warming, Chantal created Artists and Climate Change, a website that is connecting artists all over the world and making their work known to climate advocates. She is also committed to bringing original quality climate theater to many communities. She talks about Climate Change Theatre Action. Learn how you can easily and inexpensively host a reading of short climate plays.
Puzzler Question The Puzzler is BACK! Our latest question is one that often is thrown in the face of climate advocates in order to silence us.
You are at a community event talking to a neighbor, let's call him Greg. You reveal your passion about climate change and climate solutions. Greg looks you up and down and says, "So I guess you don't use any fossils fuels yourself. You don't drive a car, travel by plane, or heat and cool your home? What are you actually doing to address climate change in your life?" Greg's question sounds more like an accusation. How do you answer the question while also addressing the accusation?
Send Peterson your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from. Respond by February, 15, 2018. Email radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of three minutes or less at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
Listen, Rate, and Share! You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook groupor on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
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Being a climate advocate can be an emotional rollercoaster. This is especially true for millennials. From childhood they heard about the many impending dangers threatening their future happiness. How do these feelings affect each of us? How do we cope? How do we move past paralyzing despair to a place of hope and action?
Podcast host, Peterson Toscano, shares a conversation he had with Marlo Firme, a Canadian CCL volunteer climate lobbyist. Marlo powerfully reveals the many ways climate change has affected him personally and professionally. From his boyhood in the Philippines to living in British Columbia, Canada, Marlo could not ignore climate change. Still he found a beautiful way forward. He shares is insights and wisdom.
The Art House Can art save the bees? Sculptor Emily Puthoff is a attempting to do just that through the Hudson Valley Bee Habitat. She along with her fellow artists are engaging their community in a large scale art project that builds bee habitats. Learn about this ambitious project and about the essential roles bees play in our everyday life.
Puzzler Question Do you find having a puzzler question is a helpful feature in the podcast? Tell us if you want to continue with the puzzler question section or if you think we should try something different. Contact Peterson: radio @ citizensclimate.org
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
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Today on the show you are going to meet an unlikely climate advocate, Aaron Telitz--an Indy car racer. Originally from Birchwood, WI, Aaron grew up at a fishing resort and could filet a bluegill fish in 25 seconds. Wanting to experience the thrill of more speed, Aaron turned to amateur car racing which led to professional racing. This past season he did something radical--he charged himself a carbon fee for all of the oil, gas, and tires he used. Host, Peterson Toscano interviews Aaron about this incredibly fast car yet surprisingly effiecient car, carbon pricing, Aaron's favorite foods, and much more.
Art House Hope Clark is the director of Wheebarrow Productions. A trained dancer from the USA, Hope began doing community art in Northern Africa. Now based in Kent County Maryland, USA, Hope has turned her attention towards climate change. She is working on a community art piece called Make a Movement. This is a work in progress. Learn how she is attempting to use movement and a very large parachute to help community members young and old to explore climate change.
Puzzler Hear an answer to last month's puzzler question: Are these recent extreme weather events in the USA and beyond caused by climate change?
New Puzzler Question
It is actually not a puzzler, just a question. Do you like this puzzler question segement? Is it helpful? Should we continue with it? Do you have puzzler question suggestions.
Get back to Peterson by December 20, 2017. Write him: info @ citizensclimate .org
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
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Show host, Peterson Toscano traveled to the island of Manhattan and met with someone engaged in hurricane recovery efforts in Puerto Rico. Ofelia Mangen, an Educational Designer and Technologist at New York University, talks about climate change and Resilient Power Puerto Rico. This NY-based project has brought emergency solar power to the Puerto Rico. In addition, they are engaged in a project to provide long-term solar production. Ofelia talks about her own experiences in Rockaway, NY during Superstorm Sandy, and useful lessons she learned about resiliency.
Art House Peterson shares three books that look back at Hurricane Katrina. Learn about a graphic novel, a work of non-fiction, and a book of poetry
A.D New Orleans After the Deluge by Josh Neufeld Zeitoun by Dave Eggers Blood Dazzler by Patricia Smith Puzzler Question We hear your voicemail answers to last month's puzzler question regarding Larry, who thinks windmills are downright ugly.
This month's puzzler
You are chatting with a neighbor. Let's call her Joan. Joan has family in Florida who were affected by Hurricane Irma. You start talking about climate change and the connections you see to these current weather events. Joan interrupts you, "No you are wrong. Climate change has nothing to do with these hurricanes. They have always had hurricanes. Scientists make it clear that there is no way you can say climate change has anything to do with these storms."
So, is Joan right? How can you effectively and accurately talk about these weather events and climate change?
Get back to Peterson by November, 15, 2017. You can also email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
What do people of color concerned about climate change and environmental impacts to their communities want white climate advocates to know? What roles do climate organizations with mostly white members play in environmental justice work? How do you define "the environment," and what is climate justice? Today we take on a big story. Bigger than any single extreme weather event, we explore the topics of environmental justice and climate justice. We look at how injustice in society, particularly in the USA, deepens suffering during a time of climate change. Peggy Sheppard, the co-founder and executive director of WE ACT For Environmental Justice and Dr. Beverly G Ward, Field Director for Earthcare for the Southeastern Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, talk about their work pursuing environmental and climate justice.
Art House/Puzzler We did not want to rush the conversations with our guests, so we do not include an Art House segment or a new puzzler. Peterson will share the answers from last month's puzzler on Ep 17. You still have time to send in your answers.
Puzzler Question
You are chatting with an acquaintance, let's call him Larry. Somehow you get to talking about windmills and the rapid advances in renewable technology. Larry is sympathetic but bothered by something. He says to you, Yeah, I understand that these windmills can help to get us off of coal and gas, but they look so ugly! I hate how they are destroying the countryside.
So What would you say to Larry? Try to think of something that will open up the conversation and get him to better understand climate change. Get back to Peterson by October, 15, 2017. You can also email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, Google Play, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
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An American doctor becomes a sailor which leads her to climate advocacy in Panama. Hear some of Dr. Tami Kellogg's extraordinary journey. Tami sat down with Citizens' Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano. She explains why she feels hopeful pursuing climate solutions in Central America.
Art House Singer Songwriter Anna Fritz is a classically trained cellist. She fuses her artistry with her passions for justice and the environment. The result is a moving duet between this Portland, OR-based musician and her cello. Anna creates a whole new style of folk music. She talks about the inspiration for her songs and her role in encouraging climate advocates. Hear two songs from her new album, On a High Hill. Follow her on Twitter: @annaplayscello
Puzzler We hear from three listeners who answered last month's puzzler: When I think of climate change, it reminds me of when ______. They dug deep into their past experiences to bring us powerful metaphors to help wrapped our minds and hearts around climate change today.
New Puzzler Question
You are chatting with an acquaintance, let's call him Larry. Somehow you get to talking about windmills and the rapid advances in renewable technology. Larry is sympathetic but bothered by something. He says to you, Yeah, I understand that these windmills can help to get us off of coal and gas, but they look so ugly! I hate how they are destroying the countryside. So What would you say to Larry? Try to think of something that will open up the conversation and get him to better understand climate change. Get back to Peterson by September, 15, 2017. You can also email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) Dig Deeper CCL Spanish language resources CCL Panamá City Chapter FB page CCL Panamá on Twitter Panama.ClimaVivible.org Institute of America's Panama and Energy report (PDF) US energy sources as of April 2017 Anna Fritz' music You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Podbean, Northern Spirit Radio, and TuneIn Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
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Recently some climate communication experts have been freaking out about freaking out. In reaction to a New York Magazine article, The Uninhabitable World, by David Wallace-Wells, a big debate is raging about fear tactics when talking about climate change. We look at the different sides and some of the social science around fear and rhetoric. Joining host, Peterson Toscano, is Halldor Björnsson, the Head of the Atmospheric Research Group at Veðurstofa Iceland also known as the Icelandic Met Office. Also, we hear from Dr. Kristian Bjørkdahl who has earned a PhD in rhetoric and continues his studies at the Centre for Development and the Environment, at the University of Oslo. Oh, and Aristotle makes a surprise cameo appearance.
Art House
Sung to the tune of Be Our Guests, the Beauty and the Beast classic song, Jason Zeikowitz, a master of sustainability at Arizona State University, performs a showstopper about Scientists. Check out his videos on YouTube and follow Science Sigh on Twitter
Puzzler
Last month's question was about food. What is a food you love that is threatened by Climate Change? We hear from three different Citizens' Climate Lobby volunteers who attended the International Conference in Washington, DC.
New Puzzler Question
Using metaphor to talk about climate change is very important. We can relate the effects of climate change or our response to it to our own lives in many ways, including our childhood experiences. So here is your puzzler question: Fill in the blank. When I think about climate change, it reminds me of when ___________ Think back to your childhood. The memory may have absolutely nothing to do with climate change. It might be aobut a loss you experienced, a sudden change in your life, or a revelation about your role in the world. When I think about climate change, it reminds me of when _________. Fill in the blank and explain. Send Peterson your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from. Get back to him by August, 15, 2017. You can also email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org that’s radio @ citizensclimate.orgText Peterson or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Podbean, and now on Northern Spirit Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
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Being forever curious about climate change, podcast host Peterson Toscano asks, How are pets affected by global warming? How is pet care a climate issue? In Episode 13 of Citizens' Climate Radio we explore the many ways pets and climate rub up against each other. Veternarian, Dr. Steva Stowell-Hardcastle, sits down with Peterson and explains how global warming is already affecting pets and farm animals. You will learn how to protect your pet in a time of climate change. You will also discover how to engage pet owners in climate conversations.
Art House In the Art House we travel back to the future with Timothy Meadows and That Day in Climate History. Reporting form the year 2167, he reveals the pets of the future.
Puzzler Listener Eve Simmons answers last month’s puzzler about arctic warming and why it is such a big deal when it comes to climate change.
New Puzzler Question
What is a food you love that is affected by climate change? How exactly is global warming threatening it?
Get back to Peterson by July, 15, 2017. You can also email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org that’s radio @ citizensclimate.org Text Peterson or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) That number again is 570.483.8194
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Podbean, and now on Northern Spirit Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
All music is royalty free and purchased thorough PremiumBeat.com and AudioBlocks
Our individual values shape us. They help us make decisions and influence our relationships. They keep us on the right path. Organzitions and movements are also be guided by values. As climate advocates, we come to this work with our own set of values. Citizens' Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano speaks with marketing researcher and volunteer climate advocate, Lesley Beatty about the Citizens' Climate Lobby's Core Values. CCL founder Marshall Saunders joins in the conversation with a burst of optimism.
Art House Marshall Saunders sticks around to help with our Art House segment. He has a book recommendation to share, a novel written in 1899 by Leo Tolstoy. Marshall tells us why he thinks climate advocates should read Tolstoy's Resurrection. South African author, Glen Retief reads excerpts from the novel.
Puzzler In answer to last month's puzzler question listeners wrote and left voice memos to share the climate change resources for people just getting involved in climate advocacy. Find links in Dig Deeper section below.
New Puzzler Question
You are at a family event. Everyone is catching up and having a good time. You have cornered your uncle and are updating him about your climate work. Your Uncle, let's call him Jim, says, "Ok, maybe this is a stupid question, but what is the big deal with melting glaciers? It seems everything I read about climate change, they are freaking out about these glaciers. Why the obsession?"
So, how do you respond to Uncle Jim? In addition to the science behind glacial melting, what will you say to deepn the conversation? Send Peterson your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from.
Get back to him by June, 15, 2017. If you see Peterson at the Citizens' Climate International Conference June 11 and 12th, say hi and he can record your answer. You can also email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org that’s radio @ citizensclimate.org Text Peterson or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) That number again is 570.483.8194
Dig Deeper List of Climate Themed podcasts: The Elephant Podcast No Place Like Home Podcast Our Warm Regards Podcast Terrestrial Podcast
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Podbean, and now on Northern Spirit Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
How do some people land on a path that leads them to climate action? Host, Peterson Toscano explores this question by featuring two passionate climate advocactes. Dr. Hugh Sealy, is an environmental engineer in the Caribbean. He has influenced environmental policy in Barbados, Grenda, St. Lucia, and Dominica. In addition to his work in helping low-lying island nations in a time of climate change, Dr. Sealy also served as a member of the Clean Development Mechanism or CDM for the UN Framework on Climate Change. He shares some of his story, discusses the CDM carbon pricing. Adia Samba-Quee, is just begining her career as a climate advocate. A 14 year old student in Springfield, MA, Adia makes connection between local pollution, asthma, and climate action. She hopes to use comedy to engage people in deeper conversations about climate.
Art House We travel back to the future to hear from climate historian, Dr. Timothy Meadows. He broadcasts from the year 2176 to look back to our time. In this segment he highlights the incredible acheivements of three engineers known as The Three Beans. Starting around 2028 they made their mark as creative and skilled designers of major adaptation projects. They also operated with style and playfulness. The Three Beans stirred up hope in a difficult time. They became three of the biggest celebrities of the mid-21st Century. Hear from an eye-witness from the future and also discover what they are advertizing 150 years from now.
Puzzler Last month Peterson asked listeners, In addition to the welcome of animal species and future generations, why are you passionate about climate change/ We hear from listener, Dr. Stephen Hanson who talks about climate change and health. Dave Barbier, the Sustainability coordinator for University of Wisconsin in Stevens Point, connects climate action with national security.
New Puzzler Question
You are talking to someone named Barbara. You helped her see that climate change is a serious issue that needs her attention. Barbara then asks you, What should I do next? This is the question climate communicators long to hear. So what do you say when someone wants to know more about climate change? What are resources you recommend that help people better undertstand the issues and how we can respond? Tell me about books, websites, video series, podcasts, and more.
Send Peterson your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from.
Get back to him by May, 15, 2017. You can email your answers to radio@citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Podbean, and now on Northern Spirit Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
Storytelling is a vital skill to have when talking about climate change. In this episode podcst host, Peterson Toscano, introduces you to Aaron Thier, a master storyteller. In his book Mr. Eternity, novelist Aaron Thier takes readers on a 1,000 year odyssey. The main character calls himself Daniel Defoe. We never learn his real name. Old Dan can't seem to die. Five different narrators in five different periods from 1500 to 2500 bump into this traveler. The book is brilliant, hilarious, deeply moving, weird. It is essential reading for climate advocates. Learn why Aaron wrote the book and the challenges novelists face when telling climate stories. Aaron also reads extended excerpts from the book.
Art House Joining us in the Art House is Clara Fang. Clara is a writer, environmentalist, and a photographer currently based in Detroit, Michigan. She is also the higher education liaison at Citizen’s Climate Lobby.
Her poems have been published in numerous journals. She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She won The Lyric poetry contest, and was a finalist for the Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award. Clara was born in Shanghai, China and immigrated to the United States when she was nine years old. She reads the poem, Love in the Time of Climate Change.
Puzzler We feature two excellent answers to Crusty Ole Charlie's complaint that we can't "play nice" when dealing with business and government.
New Puzzler Question
Believe it or not many people are not all that concerned about animal extinction or the plight of future generations. For them there needs to be another climate hook--one that is closer to home. So here is your question: Besides the welfare of animal species and future generations, why are you passionate about climate change?
Send Peterson your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from.
Get back to him by April, 15, 2017. You can email your answers to radio@citizensclimate.org or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Podbean, and now on Northern Spirit Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
All music is royalty free and purchased thorough PremiumBeat.com and AudioBlocks
So much protesting, marching, and disruption happening these days. What are the best ways to get governments to address pollution and the effects of global warming? Eileen Flanagan, a writer, a social change teacher, a Quaker, and an activist, chats with host, Peterson Toscano about the four different roles people have traditionally taken in change movements. Are you a rebel, an advocate, an organizer, or a helper? Maybe a little bit of each. How do these models apply to organizations. Amani Thurman, a college student who has spent time protesting but has begun to do volunteer lobbying weighs in. You will also hear under-reported good news happening with American Conservatives and climate change.
Art House And now for some climate comedy... Elizabeth Jeremiah, a comic character created by Peterson, talks about blessings and curses. To help drive her point home, she explains how carbon dioxide polluted by humans acts as a generational curse, one that falls upon the heads of the childresn "and the children's children's children." Drawing on lessons she learned in church, Elizabeth Jeremiah issues a call for national repentance. Turn away from that flamboyant, sinful, fossil fuel lifestyle!
Puzzler Last month Simon asked, "But is all warming bad? Can't a little global warming be a good thing in colder places?" We hear your answers and present you with a new puzzler question. This one is inspired by a question Charles Ashurst sent in.
You are at meeting with other climate advocates. There are the fresh young faces. There are also the seasoned older faces. And there's Charlie, a crusty old curmudgeon who's been on the climate change band wagon since the 1970s. You just heard a presentation about the need build on shared values with lawmakers and leaders in the fossil fuel industry. Charlie blurts out, "Shared values? Really? These are determined folks we're up against. They don't play nice. We are not going to win by playing nice with them." What do you say to crusty old Charlie?
Send in your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from.
Get back to Peterson by March, 15, 2017. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org that’s radio @ citizensclimate.org You can also text or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) That number again is 570.483.8194
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Podbean, and now on Northern Spirit Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
All music is royalty free and purchased thorough PremiumBeat.com and AudioBlocks
We like to share perspectives from many parts of the world through the guests on our podcast. In today's show Peterson Toscano interviews two men from two very different climates and cultures. Still they have some real similarities. 24 year old Aryan Uprety, lives 1400 meters above sea-level in the city of Katmandu, the capital of Nepal. Chris Balos is a 28 year old man in the American South, but he is originally from the Marshall Islands. Both men are passionate about addressing climate change. They speak about how global warming is affecting their home countries. But they are not one issue guys; various issues move them to action. In fact, it is their ability to pursue answers to intersecting problems that make them successful in their climate advocacy.
Art House Ashley Mazanec, a singer/songwriter from Encinitas California, joins us in the art house. She not only tells us about some of the songs on her new album, Let's Talk about the Weather, she fills the segment with her powerful and lively music. In addition to making music, Ashley is holding regularly monthly events that bring together other eco artists.
Puzzler Jean Johnson from Alexandria, Minnesota sent in an excellent answer to last month's puzzler about carbon dioxide. Not only does she accurately address Luncinda's question, (Wait is CO2 good or bad for the planet?) she models a warm and friendly response that no doubt will open up the conversation.
Here is our new puzzler: You are at a party, and you mention to a neighbor your renewed commitment to address climate change. Your neighbor, let's call him Samuel, says, "Wait a minute, I kinda like the idea of a little warming. We could sure use more more heat up North. Think of the opportunities for agriculture. I don't know; seems like global warming has some real upsides to it."
Samuel is not alone in thinking this. So what would you say to Samuel?
Send Peterson your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from.
Get back to him by February 15th 2017. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org that’s radio @ citizensclimate.org You can also text him or leave a voicememo of 3 minutes or less at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Podbean, and now on Northern Spirit Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
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When addressing climate change, we need all hands on deck including citizens and lawmakers who are politically conservative. Host, Peterson Toscano interviews Chandler Green, a graduate student at American University researching strategic communications. Chandler shares her insights about climate communication and the need for Republican voices in the USA. She also tells us about the growing #PutAPriceOnIt Campaign on college campuses. Then to model climate communication for conservatives, Elke Arnesen reads the Gibson Resolution, a document created in 2015 by US Republican members of congress. It provides a conservative call to address the causes and affects of climate change
Art House Joining us once again in the Art House is environmentalist and poet, Lilace Mellin Guignard, with a timely and moving poem about winters present and future.
Lilace teaches poetry and creative nonfiction writing and women’s studies at Mansfield University. Her poetry has appeared in the journals Calyx, poemmemoirstory, Louisiana Literature, Paterson Literary Review, Ecotone and Poetry magazine. Her chapbook, “Young at the Time of Letting Go” http://eveningstreetpress.com/8203lilace-guignard-2015.html was published by Evening Street Press in 2016. She is writing a creative nonfiction book about women outdoors for Texas A&M Press. She enjoys climbing and biking with her husband, eavesdropping on her children, and shaking things up in adult Sunday school.
Puzzler Many people responded to the Citzens’ Climate Puzzler about the new Trump Administration. Hear two answers that address both local and national responses.
Here is our new Puzzler: You are chatting with a neighbor and you mention your commitment to addressing carbon pollution because of dangers it poses. Your neighbor, let’s call her Lucinda, is genuinely confused. She says, “But back in school I learned how important carbon dioxide is for plants and photosynthesis. Our teacher said that without carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, we couldn’t survive.” What would you say to Lucinda?
Send in your answers by January 15, 2017, along with your name, contact info, and where you are from. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or leave a voice memo of 3 minutes or less at 570-483-8194 (+1 if calling from outside the USA).
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Podbean, and now on Northern Spirit Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group.
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On a rapidly changing planet we are already seeing risks to public health. Dr. Natasha DeJarnett from the American Public Health Association sits down with Peterson Toscano to outline some of these risks, but also the community building opportunity. We will also hear from Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome, senior program officer from the Kresge Foundation who provides a new framework for looking at resiliency.
As a special feature we will also hear voices from the 2016 Citizens’ Climate Congressional Education Days including Marshal Saunders, Mark Reynolds, and some very hopeful high school and college students.
Art House Joining us in the Art House is Dr. David R. Bowne, Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Elizabethtown College. Using his scientific expertise and tapping into his creative side, David created a short story, Henry Ford Hated Glaciers, and shares an excerpt with us. You can read the complete story here.
Puzzler Sabrina Fu, the Mid-Atlantic Coordinator for CCL answers last month’s puzzler: What happens when we put a price on carbon, won’t it negatively affect lower income people and the working class?
Here is our new puzzler: You are at an community event and people are talking about the historic upset as they speculate on what a Trump Presidency will look like. You pipe up, ‘Well, as you know I am concerned about climate change, so I am going to work that much harder to raise awareness and get the government to change energy policy.” People laugh. They snort. One says, “Oh, nothing is going to happen for the next four years. We are back to coal and other fossil fuels. Might as well take up new hobby.” So what do you say? How do you respond? How can you share what’s in your heart as well as what’s in your head.
Send Peterson your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from. Get back to him by December 15th 2016. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org that’s radio @ citizensclimate.org You can also text or leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) That number again is 570.483.8194
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, and Podbean. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group.
All music is royalty free and purchased thorough PremiumBeat.com and AudioBlocks
Ah, Climate Denial, a constant companion. Climate advocates have sought for the silver bullet, that one talking point that will extinguish all climate doubts and dismissals. In this episode host, Peterson Toscano, brings in climate advocates from around the world and climate communication experts to explore what might be behind the denial and how to respond.
Main Section Climate denial has distracted climate advocates and slowed down the public discussion and political action. As a result, climate activists and comics have gotten downright snarky and angry at people, particularly politicians, who are skeptical of climate science. Sharing insights about what they have discovered about climate denial, we hear from professional skier, Angel Collinson, and Chilean climate advocate, Andres Forno. We also get some good news from Bessie Schwarz at the Yale Program on Climate Communications. Peterson then raises some questions including, What if starting 10 years ago there were no more climate skeptics in the world? What would we be talking and writing about today? And how do we engage the 29 million Americans who say they are alarmed by climate change? As always your input and responses are welcome. Art House In the Art House you will meet Marvin Bloom, a comic creation who takes a serious look at climate denial. Through his playful meditation on the issue, Marvin humanizes the denial experience and considers various types of climate denial. He also reveals a weird issue that keeps him stuck in denial. Puzzler We received many excellent and downright inspiring answers to last month's puzzler. As an added bonus, Cathy Orlando, from Citizens Climate Lobby Canada (featured in Episode Two) talks about the recent success in Canada. After years of lobbying, the Canadian government has agreed to place a fee on carbon starting in 2018. Cathy shares some of the many ways she and her fellow Canadian Citizens' Climate volunteers engaged lawmakers and the public. Here is our new puzzler submitted by Chris Wiegard from Citizens’ Climate chapter in Richmond, Virginia. When I blog on climate change or go to public hearings on it, I often hear or read fossil fuel defenders say that "shifting to renewable energy is unrealistic because low income people are dependent on low energy prices. The cheapness of fossil fuel is all that keeps certain people alive." And Chris is right, poor and working class people cannot easily afford buying expensive energy hybrid cars and installing solar panels and the other alternatives currently on offer. So how might you respond to argument that shifting to renewable energy is unrealistic because low income people are dependent on low energy prices.
Send Peterson your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from. Get back to him by November 15th 2016. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org that’s radio @ citizensclimate.org You can also text Peterson or leave a voice memo of 3 minutes or less at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) That number again is 570.483.8194
You can hear Citizens' Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, and Podbean. We would love it if you rate and review the show. This will make it easier for new listeners to find us. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs by visiting the Citizens' Climate Radio Facebook page.
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Want to be a better climate change communicator? Then listen to this episode! Learn essential lessons about connecting with others about climate change as host, inspired by Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, Peterson Toscano leads you through an exercise that connects climate change to passions and people in your life.
Main Section She is not only an internationally renowned climate scientist, Dr. Katharine Hayhoe is a brilliant climate change communicator. Peterson revisits Dr. Hayhoe’s excellent keynote address from the 2015 Citizens’ Climate International Conference. In it Dr. Heyhoe busts two myths that trip up scientists and climate advocates in our quest to connect with others. Jumping off from Dr. Hayhoe’s talk, Peterson leads listeners through a simple exercise that will help you in your own climate communication. As an added plus, you will hear a little bit about how a changing climate affects pets.
Art House This month we get musical as we meet singer/songwriter Michael Levy and hear some of his climate-themed music. Michael musically explores a range of emotions, from silly to serious, that he feels climate advocates need to address in order to avoid burnout. As an environmentalist, he has been stretched by the vastness of climate change. This has opened him up to consider large scale solutions. He also reveals he is a big fan of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.
Citizens' Climate Puzzler People had a lot to say about last month’s puzzler and suggested many ways to respond to Simon who doesn’t want to act on climate while China (or the USA) is such a big polluter. You will hear three different answers that explore ethics, economics, and spilt milk. Even a trained therapist weighs in to consider Simon’s psychological needs.
Here is our new puzzler question: You are at an event with folks concerned about climate change and the environment. There you meet someone, let’s call her Margaret. You tell Margaret about your work as a volunteer lobbyist. You explain how you connect with lawmakers and offer climate solutions with the goal to change policy. In response Margaret rolls her eyes. She let’s out a big sigh and says, “Oh, please, those bozos can’t even rename a post office without shutting down the government. There is no way they are going to get anywhere with something as big and bold as climate policy. Why even bother?
Get back to Peterson by October 15th, 2016. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org You can also text leave a voicemail at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) He will then share the best answers in our next episode which airs October 24th, 2016.
Help Spread the Word! Citizens’ Climate Radio is available on podbean, iTunes, and Stitcher Radio. Please rate and review. If you like what you hear, please share the show with your friends. Citizens’ Climate Radio is a project of Citizens’ Climate Education.
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Climate Change—what’s faith got to do with it? To dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and respond to a rapidly changing planet, people of faith and religious leaders play essential roles. Citizens’ Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano, introduces you to two people of faith who are active climate advocates.
Main Section
Rachel Lamb, an American, is the national organizer and spokesperson with Young Evangelicals for Climate Action. David Michael Terungwa, a Catholic from Nigeria, is a leader in the African GREEN Movement and Africa Regional Coordinator for Citizens’ Climate Lobby. Both Rachel and David Michael stand as witnesses to their communities about the dangers of climate change and the need to act. The Art House
In the Art House we conduct an audio brain experiment. What will they be saying about us in the future? We take a trip to the future to look back at the present day about the role that Christian missionaries can take as witnesses to their churches at home about how climate change affects the people in the countries where they serve. Citizens' Climate Puzzler
Also, we review listeners' answers to the Citizens’ Climate Puzzler and introduce a new puzzler. Citizens Climate Puzzler. Check it out and and send us your best answer.
You are talking to someone who you think could be an effective climate advocate. This may be a lawmaker, a faith leader, or a friend. After sharing your passion and what you are doing to address climate change, the person you are talking to, let’s call him Simon, shrugs and replies.
What difference does it make if we do something in our country when it’s China that’s doing most of the polluting? Now Simon’s answer sounds to me like a very American reaction. If Simon does not live in the USA, he might instead ask: Why on earth should we do anything when the USA has done much of the polluting and is doing so little to act?
In addition to his actual question—why should my country do something when others do not--what do you hear in Simon’s words? What emotions, fears and beliefs might his question reveal? How might you answer Simon’s question while also addressing what is unsaid. Get back to Peterson by September 15th, 2016. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org You can also text leave a voicemail at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) He will then share the best answers in our next episode which airs September 26, 2016.
Help Spread the Word!
Citizens’ Climate Radio is available on podbean, iTunes, and Stitcher Radio. Please rate and review. If you like what you hear, please share the show with your friends. Citizens’ Climate Radio is a project of Citizens’ Climate Education.
All music is royalty free and purchased thorough PremiumBeat.com and AudioBlocks
For those of us who want to motivate our friends to climate advocacy, we are often looking for a silver bullet—that perfect talking point that will get people on board. One of the most popular is, “We need to think about future generations. We must act on behalf of the children and the grandchildren.” In this episode we explore this climate pitch.
Main Section
Host Peterson Toscano speaks with three women whose lives have been affected by pollution particularly in their childhood. Piper Christian is a 16 year old climate advocate from Utah who was moved by an even younger person from Malaysia she met at the Paris Climate Summit last November. Clara Fang is an ecologist and poet, who as a girl experienced extreme pollution in her homeland of China. Now living in the USA, she is seeking global solutions to climate change. Cathy Orlando a Canadian had an epiphany about climate change when she was pregnant at age 40. She brought her instincts, knowledge, and sass with her to the climate advocacy table.
The Art House
We also hear from ecologist and poet Lilace Mellin Guignard who during our Art House section of the program asks the profound question, “How do we raise children in a time of climate change?” She answers this question with a poem.
Puzzler
Many people wrote in with their answers to last month’s Citizens’ Climate Puzzler. Hear how people responded to Claire, who is concerned about climate change but feels there are bigger issues to address. In addition to hearing from listeners, we are joined by Joanna Huxster, PhD, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Bucknell University who does research on the public’s understanding of climate change. She shares her expert opinion on what sort of responses might be most effective.
This month’s Puzzler Imagine you are chatting with someone while traveling somewhere—bus, train, plane, camel—however you travel with others. You reveal that you are concerned about climate change. You say you are pursuing a variety of solutions. The person you are speaking with, let’s call him Sven, replies, “I could not agree more. In fact, I am doing so much to address global warming—I recycle, take shorter showers, ride my bike to work, and I have become a vegan. If we each would just do our own part, we will tackle this problem.” What do you think about Sven’s response? Is he correct to assume that if enough people change their individual consumption habits, we will tackle this problem? He clearly cares about addressing climate change and is putting lots of effort into cleaning up his personal lifestyle. How would answer Sven?
Send in your answers. Leave your name, contact info, and where you are from. Get back to Peterson by August, 15th 2016. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org You can also text leave a voicemail at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) Citizens’ Climate Radio is available on podbean, iTunes, and Stitcher Radio. Please rate and review. If you like what you hear, please share the show with your friends. Citizens’ Climate Radio is a project of Citizens’ Climate Education.
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Welcome to the first episode of Citizens Climate Radio. In this podcast we highlight people’s stories, we celebrate your successes, and together we share strategies for talking about climate change.
Our theme this month is Beginnings and Transformations. We bring you an intimate, moving, and at times hilarious conversation with Marshall Saunders, founder of Citizens Climate Lobby, and Mark Reynolds, the executive director. They reveal their origin stories. Highly ambitions and successful businessmen, they seemed unlikely candidates to head up an organization that puts relationship-building and climate advocacy at its heart.
We also go to the Art House, a section in the show where we highlight creative ways to talk about climate issues. Show host, Peterson Toscano, shares a comic monologue with five of his wackiest characters. Together they reveal the Five Stages of Hot Climate Action!
Also, hear about our monthly Citizens Climate Puzzler. Check out this month's puzzler and send us your best answer!
You are at a party, perhaps a graduation party or something for work or it really doesn’t matter. You are chit-chatting, and you let drop that you are concerned about climate change. You say you are involved in a group that is pursuing solutions. The person you are chatting with, let’s call her Claire, smiles and says, “Well, I too am concerned about climate change, but really I think there are much more pressing issues that we need to address.”
How might you respond in a way that opens up the conversation? See if you can offer an answer that affirms Claire while moving her closer to climate change advocacy.
Get back to Peterson by July 15, 2016. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or call and leave a voicemail at 570.483.8194. Peterson will read/listen and respond to all of your messages. He will then share the best answers in our next episode which airs July 25, 2016.
Citizens Climate Radio is a monthly podcast and a project of Citizens Climate Education. Please subscribe to the Citizens Climate Lobby iTunes channel or wherever you listen to audio programs, and please share, rate, and review.
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