Climate One

When most people hear the phrase renewable energy, they imagine fields full of solar panels or giant spinning wind turbines. But another source may be heating up: geothermal. Twenty years ago it was thought that geothermal could provide at most 10% of any given area’s electricity, and only in very limited regions. There were also environmental concerns about depleting groundwater. But new technological advances may have unlocked the potential for scalable geothermal energy just about anywhere. And in a bit of irony, those technological advances came from the oil and gas industry.Guests: Amanda Kolker, Laboratory Program Manager for Geoscience and Geothermal Technologies, NRELJamie Beard, founder of Project InnerSpaceLauren McLean, Mayor of BoiseContributing Producer: David CondosFor show notes and related links, visit our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Exploring the repurposing of abandoned coal mines and power plants for renewable energy. Transitioning from coal to clean energy. The devastating impact of coal mining. The acceptance of solar energy in coal fields. Transitioning to solar energy in multi-story buildings. Transforming Superfund sites into solar farms. Ensuring environmental justice through clean energy transition. Achieving equitable outcomes through an equitable process.

A settlement for the largest civil penalty resulting from the Clean Air Act has just been reached. The EPA, DOJ and the State of California have agreed to a $1.7 billion fine for engine maker Cummins Inc. The fine is the result of Cummins being caught using “defeat devices” to fool emissions testers into thinking the engines pollute less than they really do. Does that sound familiar? It’s exactly what Volkswagen was caught doing nearly 10 years ago. VW and Cummins aren’t the only ones; it’s an industry wide problem. So how do we stop the deception? What have we learned since the infamous VW “Dieselgate” scandal? Guests: Rachel Muncrief, Acting Executive Director, ICCTHector De La Torre, Member, California Air Resources BoardMargo Oge, Former Director, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, U.S. EPAAlberto Ayala, Executive Director, Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management DistrictSupport Climate One by going ad-free! By joining Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and even periodic engagements with Climate One staff. Join today for just $5/month.For show notes and related links, visit our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jane Fonda has spent the last several decades fighting for Indigenous peoples' rights, economic justice, LGBTQ rights, peace, gender equality and more. Now, she is devoting herself to the climate emergency, beginning with Fire Drill Fridays, the national movement to protest government inaction on climate change she started in October 2019. Through the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, she is focused on defeating political allies of the fossil fuel industry. At 85, Fonda continues to fight for the most vulnerable among us, consistently pointing out the intersection between the myriad of causes. What keeps the iconic Jane Fonda going strong? Revisit our discussion with this activist icon today.Guest:Jane Fonda, actor, activistSupport Climate One by going ad-free! Subscribe to our Patreon for just $5/month to get all future episodes free of ads, as well as opportunities to engage with Climate One staff and fellow listeners for episode discussions and live event streams.For show notes and related links, visit our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Exploring the challenges and opportunities of renewable energy on Indigenous land, highlighting the importance of a just transition and empowering tribal communities. Delving into the hurdles faced by tribes in collaborating for sustainable energy projects and the potential for clean energy to align with native ethos. Embracing solar power initiatives within tribes and discussing the complexities of transitioning away from fossil fuels to prioritize people and the planet over profit.

The podcast explores the environmental and social consequences of the clothing industry, including water pollution, exploitation of workers, and emissions. It emphasizes the need for individual consumers to reduce clothing consumption and highlights the importance of knowing where our clothes come from. The conversation also addresses the challenges of recycling clothing, capitalism's influence on consumerism, and the concept of extended producer responsibility in promoting sustainable fashion.

Learn about the significance of community science and how it can help communities address climate impacts. Hear personal stories of individuals supporting their communities after the 2004 tsunami. Discover the important role of trees and indigenous knowledge in tackling climate change. Explore community advocacy projects and the importance of building authentic relationships between scientists and community advocates.

From the climate movement’s earliest days, young people have been at the forefront of activism. But the first major international climate conferences took place 30 years ago. The first cohort of youth activists are now adults, some with children of their own. The emotional cost of seeing so little payoff for years spent fighting can be agonizing at any age, but perhaps more so for young people who put so much of themselves into the effort. Many youth activists burned out along the way, frustrated by participating in actions that rarely led to meaningful and lasting change. How do former youth activists now view the work of their younger selves? And what advice do they have for the next generation?Guests:Alec Loorz, Writer, Photographer, former youth climate activistSlater Jewell-Kemker, Director, “Youth Unstoppable;” former youth climate activistVictoria Loorz, Founder, Center for Wild Spirituality; Author, “Church of the Wild: How Nature Invites Us into the Sacred” Abrar Anwar, Chief Technology Officer, Rebel Force Tech Solutions; former youth climate activistKyle Gracey, Strategy Consultant, Future Matters; former youth climate activistFor show notes and related links, visit our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you imagine if everything you needed in your everyday life was just a walk or bike ride away? That’s the goal of the 15-minute city, a new name for an old idea. Reducing the need for cars cuts emissions and gets autos off of the roads, which is a boon for safety, air quality and the climate. But, as is often the case, good ideas become a lot more difficult when you have to implement them in real places, with real people, who don’t always share the enthusiasm for the idea. What will it take to make compact, walkable cities a reality in the U.S., where the car is king?Guests: Beth Osborne, Director, Transportation for AmericaDavid Miller, Former Mayor of TorontoJustin Bibb, Mayor of ClevelandHenry Grabar, Author of Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World.For show notes and related links, visit our website.📞 Call us at (650) 382-3869 to share your clothing story for a chance to be featured on an upcoming episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ben Santer has spent decades researching and identifying the human fingerprints on the climate system changes we’re now all seeing. He was lead author on the historic 1995 conclusion of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which proclaimed that “the balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence on global climate.” That was the first time the IPCC authoritatively stated humans are causing climate change. At the time, Stephen Schneider told Ben Santer that the sentence he wrote would change the world. Santer’s foundational work also laid the groundwork for the expanding field of attribution science, which enables activists and lawyers to ascribe proportionate blame to specific polluters in lawsuits demanding damages for climate-disrupting emissions. Climate One is delighted to present the 2023 Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication to atmospheric scientist Ben Santer.Guests:Ben Santer, Fowler Distinguished Scholar in Residence, Woods Hole; Visiting Researcher, UCLAKassie Siegel, Director, Climate Law Institute, Center for Biological DiversityFor show notes and related links, visit our website.📞 Call us at (650) 382-3869 to share your clothing story for a chance to be featured on an upcoming episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices