Reversing Climate Change

Reversing Climate Change alumnus and founder and president of the American Conservation Coalition, Benji Backer, returns to the show to tell us about The Conservation Coalition's new multimedia project, The Electric Election Roadtrip 2020. Benji and his team are traveling the country in a Tesla X to investigate the multiple overlapping climate solutions being developed. You can follow the show and its video on Facebook, TCC's website, or the podcast via audio in your podcast app of choice. Resources: The Electric Election 2020 Roadtrip website American Conservation Coalition's Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, website The Conservation Coalition website, and Twitter Benji Backer's Twitter The Trump panel with scientists referenced in this episode

“We have not settled America. We have colonized America. Now, we’ve got to figure out … how to actually live here. How are we going to move forward? Everybody needs to be an agrarian now.” — Mary Berry We live in a culture that pushes us to keep moving. Obsessed with upward mobility, we keep searching for something more. But this ‘problem of mobility’ robs us of the opportunity to belong to a place. To develop deep cultural ties with the land and each other. And Mary Berry contends that this disconnection and lack of community is the source of many of our problems here in the US. Mary Berry is the Executive Director of The Berry Center, a nonprofit that advocates for farmers, land-conserving communities, and healthy regional economies. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Mary joins Ross to explain how her family’s history as part of the Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative inspired her to build The Berry Center and describe how the Burley Tobacco program’s principles are at work in her team’s Our Home Place Meat initiative. Mary offers insight around the value of belonging to a place we love, discussing what it means to be part of a community and why we need to initiate small solutions locally—rather than waiting for one big policy or program to save us. Listen in to understand Mary’s argument against our current economy and learn how The Berry Center’s work goes beyond agriculture to foster cultural change. Resources Nori The Berry Center The Berry Center on Facebook Call (502) 845-9200 Agrarian Culture Center & Bookstore Our Home Place Meat Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association Wendell Berry Farming Program at Sterling College Wes Jackson Nick Offerman Becoming Native to This Place by Wes Jackson Gary Snyder Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert D. Putnam Wendell Berry’s Port William Novels The World-Ending Fire by Wendell Berry Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television by Jerry Mander 50-Year Farm Bill Organic Valley Dairy Cooperative

Regardless of where you stand on the ethics of eating meat, the fact is, it’s a big part of the climate math. It provokes strong feelings all around, some of which may be contradictory within one’s self. And so much of the climate analysis is dependent upon how the animals were raised, marketed, and so on. It’s hard to speak (at least for some) with crisp lines. In this episode we wade into these details. Jonathan Safran Foer is the bestselling author of Eating Animals, Everything Is Illuminated, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, and We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast. Today, Jonathan joins Ross to describe his relationship with meat, explaining what inspired him to become a vegetarian at the age of nine and why he is willing to admit to moral failure when he grabs a burger at the airport. Jonathan shares his proposal for reducing our meat consumption as posited in We Are the Weather, weighing in on why it’s dangerous to make our food choices such a big part of our identity. Listen in for Jonathan’s insight on what makes climate change such a difficult story to tell and learn why Jonathan thinks reserving meat for dinner is a productive form of climate activism. Resources: We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast by Jonathan Safran Foer The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan ‘Options for Keeping the Food System Within Environmental Limits’ in Nature Bill Niman Wendell Berry Kate Knibbs on Reversing Climate Change S2EP12 The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by David Wallace-Wells Learning to Die in the Anthropocene by Roy Scranton Peter Singer Purchase Nori Carbon Removals Nori Nori on Twitter Nori on Patreon Email podcast@nori.com Carbon Removal Newsroom

Direct air capture or DAC is one of the many strategies we need to employ to achieve the goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. So, how do we scale up the DAC industry to capture the hundreds of millions of tons of CO2 we need to remove from the atmosphere? And what would that kind of growth mean in terms of business opportunities and job creation? John Larsen is a Director at Rhodium Group, an independent research firm that analyzes global disruptive trends. He leads the firm’s US power sector and energy systems research, specializing in the analysis of clean energy policy and market trends. Today, John joins Ross, Christophe, and Aldyen to discuss his team’s most recent report and associated webinar, Capturing New Jobs and New Business: Growth Opportunities from Direct Air Capture Scale-Up. John outlines the policy recommendations he suggests to ramp up the construction of DAC plants, offering insight around potential government subsidies for decarbonization and sharing what policy solutions work (and which ones don’t). Listen in as John explores the clean tech innovations he finds interesting and introduces us to the most promising commercialization pathways for reaching net-zero emissions by 2050! Resources: Rhodium Group John at Rhodium Group Capturing New Jobs and New Business: Growth Opportunities from Direct Air Capture Scale-Up Capturing Leadership: Policies for the US to Advance Direct Air Capture Technology 45Q Tax Credit for Carbon Sequestration California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard The DOD’s Plan to Produce Jet Fuel from Seawater on Aircraft Carriers Klaus Lackner at Arizona State University Purchase Nori Carbon Removals Nori Nori on Twitter Nori on Medium Nori on YouTube Nori on Patreon Nori Newsletter Email podcast@nori.com Subscribe on iTunes Carbon Removal Newsroom

Ranching has been vilified as a major contributor to climate change. But what if it’s not the cow but the HOW? The fact is, animals have always lived and grazed on grasslands, and when we leverage regenerative grazing to raise livestock, we can rebuild the soil and sequester carbon in the grass and soil, sourcing materials like leather, fiber, and meat in a more responsible way.  Chris Kerston is the Chief Commercial Officer of the Land to Market Program at the Savory Institute, a nonprofit working to regenerate the world’s grasslands through Holistic Management. Today, Chris joins Ross to explain how the Savory Institute promotes regenerative grazing and share their vision of a future where farmers and ranchers work together. Chris walks us through the Land to Market program’s Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV) protocol, describing why they measure a breadth of ecosystem services versus sequestered carbon alone. Listen in to understand how Savory is supporting brands like Timberland and learn how the Land to Market Program can help us make more informed choices about what we consume. Resources: Nori on Patreon Savory Institute Chris at Savory Institute Savory’s Land to Market Program Kiss the Ground Savory’s Partnership with Timberland Diana Rodgers Sacred Cow: The Case for (Better) Meat: Why Well-Raised Meat is Good for You and Good for the Planet by Diana Rodgers and Robb Wolf Peter Donovan at the Soil Carbon Coalition The Whole Foods Diet: The Lifesaving Plan for Health and Longevity by John Mackey, Alona Pulde, MD, and Matthew Lederman MD Joel Salatin Will Harris Gabe Brown The Nature Conservancy Savory’s Land to Market Brand Partners Leather Working Group Wendell Berry Purchase Nori Carbon Removals Nori Nori on Facebook Nori on Twitter Nori on Medium Nori Newsletter Email podcast@nori.com Subscribe on iTunes Carbon Removal Newsroom

We live in a point-and-click society where labor is seen as something to overcome. But what if we’ve got it wrong? Philosopher turned farmer Dr. Scott H. Moore contends that entertainment doesn’t have to be passive. In fact, activities like reading Dante, growing tomatoes or fixing our own plumbing can bring us a lot of joy and satisfaction—and maybe even transform the way we see the world. Dr. Moore is an Associate Professor of Philosophy and Great Texts at Baylor University and the author of How to Burn a Goat: Farming with the Philosophers. Today, Dr. Moore joins Ross to discuss the connections among philosophy, the Classics, theology and farming, explaining how Wendell Berry inspired his decision to become a farmer, and exploring how great works like Dante’s Divine Comedy remain relevant in modern life. Dr. Moore challenges us to rethink our notion of labor, describing the rewards of problem-solving with our hands and engaging in activities like gardening or woodworking—as opposed to just buying the things we want. Listen in for Dr. Moore’s insight on making leisure more intentional and learn how Christian thought and the Classics can help us cultivate a sense of gratitude and initiate meaningful conversations about what really matters. Resources: Dr. Moore at Baylor University How to Burn a Goat: Farming with the Philosophers by Scott H. Moore Books by Wendell Berry The Divine Comedy Volume I: Inferno by Dante Alighieri, translated by Mark Musa The Great Courses: Dante’s Divine Comedy The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis Nick Offerman Good Clean Fun: Misadventures in Sawdust at Offerman Woodshop by Nick Offerman The Unsettling of America by Wendell Berry, narrated by Nick Offerman Joel Salatin on Reversing Climate Change EP072 Quill Robinson on Reversing Climate Change S2EP18 Leisure: The Basis of Culture by Josef Pieper Books by Gregory A. Boyd Books by David Bentley Hart G.K. Chesterton Sorry, ran out of space! Will update these notes with the full list when room is expanded.

There is a temptation to believe that science and technology will save us from climate change, while we continue business as usual. But we have already emitted huge levels of CO2 into the atmosphere, and it’s going to take both carbon capture at the source and direct air capture (DAC) from ambient air to make a dent in the record atmospheric concentration of 415ppm we hit in 2019. Dr. Jennifer Wilcox is the James H. Manning Chaired Professor of Chemical Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the author of the first textbook on carbon capture. Today, Dr. Wilcox joins Ross and Christophe to discuss the distinction between carbon capture in general and direct air capture specifically and explain why we need both strategies to succeed in reversing climate change. Dr. Wilcox goes on to describe the two leading DAC technologies, solvents and solid sorbents, sharing how we might decide where to build plants and what tech to use in a given situation. Listen in for Dr. Wilcox’s insight on conducting a techno-economic assessment on systems that have yet to be deployed and learn how you can get involved in the ongoing advancement of carbon management. Resources: Nori on Patreon Nori on Twitter Purchase Nori Carbon Removals Nori Dr. Wilcox on Twitter Dr. Wilcox on Google Scholar Dr. Wilcox’s TED Talk David Biello at TED ‘Cost Analysis of Carbon Capture and Sequestration of Process Emissions from the US Industrial Sector’ in Environmental Science & Technology ‘Cost Analysis of Carbon Capture and Sequestration from US Natural Gas-Fired Power Plants’ in Environmental Science & Technology ‘Cost Analysis of Direct Air Capture and Sequestration Coupled to Low-Carbon Thermal Energy in the United States’ in Environmental Science & Technology Carbfix Sherwood’s Rule Climeworks Petra Nova Carbon Engineering Global Thermostat American Physical Society 2011 Report Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy Books by Wendell Berry Charles Eisenstein

We know that minority populations bear an unequal burden when it comes to climate change. And yes, Black Americans are concerned about the climate crisis, but they don’t see the environment as a top-tier issue. So, what can advocates and policymakers do to make climate change more relevant to Black communities and ensure their inclusion in a clean energy transition? Jared DeWese is Senior Communications Advisor for the Climate & Energy Program at Third Way, a center-left federal policy think tank based in Washington, D.C. Jared joins Ross to discuss the organization’s recent report, ‘Black Americans Care About Climate Change (But It’s Complicated),’ sharing the top takeaways from their qualitative research and explaining how advocates can mobilize communities of color around climate change by connecting the issue with their daily lives. Jared weighs in on how Black Americans are impacted by climate change, introducing us to the idea of environmental racism and exploring what we can do to confront and transform discriminatory systems and policies. Listen in for Jared’s insight on promoting climate policy in a divided Congress and learn why he is optimistic about the potential for real progress at this particular moment in history. Resources: Third Way Energy on Twitter Jared on Twitter Black Americans Care About Climate Change (But It’s Complicated) Yale Program on Climate Communication Study on Race & Attitudes Toward Climate Change The Environmental Kuznets Curve When Affirmative Action Was White: An Untold History of Racial Inequity in Twentieth-Century America by Ira Katznelson Joe Biden’s Plan for a Clean Energy Revolution & Environmental Justice Otto von Bismarck & the Welfare State The History of Rome Podcast Revolutions Podcast The Life & Legacy of John Lewis on The Daily Podcast James Baldwin on Being Black in America Alexander Hamilton on Slavery as Wasted Potential W.E.B. Du Bois’ Concept of Double Consciousness The Environmental Defense Fund Poll on African Americans & Clean Energy Resources Nori Nori on Twitter

Many indigenous communities see the climate crisis as another form of colonialism. First World countries have colonized the atmosphere with their greenhouse gas emissions. And there is a risk that carbon removal infrastructure reinforces business-as-usual. So, what is the best approach to decolonizing the atmosphere? How can we tackle climate change in a way that fits with broader progressive goals around equity and social justice? Dr. Holly Jean Buck is a postdoctoral fellow at UCLA’s Institute on the Environment and Sustainability and the author of After Geoengineering: Climate Tragedy, Repair, and Restoration. Dr. Buck joins Ross to discuss her recent article in Progressive International, ‘How to Decolonize the Atmosphere.’ She describes how the ideas in The Red Deal: Indigenous Action to Save Our Earth informed her thinking and introduces us to the concept of settler colonialism as it relates to climate change. Dr. Buck walks us through her three progressive goals for carbon removal: 1) link carbon with the managed decline of fossil fuels, 2) ensure public ownership and return on investment, and 3) advocate for a global framework for carbon removal. Listen in for Dr. Buck’s insight on the interconnectedness of the climate crisis with the other major issues we face and find out why she is concerned about the way social media may be influencing scientific research. Resources Dr. Buck’s Website Dr. Buck on Twitter The Red Deal Part 1: End the Occupation Beyond Wiindigo Infrastructure by Winona LaDuke, Deborah Cowen After Geoengineering: Climate Tragedy, Repair, and Restoration by Holly Jean Buck Global CCS Institute Report on Climate Change Rhodium Report on Jobs & Direct Air Capture Rhodium Report on Policies for the US to Advance Direct Air Capture Sad by Design: On Platform Nihilism by Geert Lovink Nexus by Ramez Naam Daniel Schmachtenberger ‘Climate Change is a Waste Management Problem’ in Issues in Science and Technology All Hell Breaking Loose: The Pentagon’s Perspective on Climate Change by Michael T. Klare

Carbon dioxide levels are double what they were prior the Industrial Revolution. And we know that reducing emissions is simply not going to be enough to avoid widespread ecological collapse. We need strategies for removing CO2 from the atmosphere at scale. So, what if green sand beaches could provide a promising solution to climate change that is nature-based, affordable, and can be deployed around the globe? Kelly Erhart and Tom Green are the Cofounder and Executive Director, respectively, of Project Vesta, an organization dedicated to capturing a trillion tonnes of excess CO2 in rock through coastal enhanced weathering. Kelly and Tom join Ross to explain how they are creating green sand beaches with olivine to remove CO2 from the atmosphere faster and store it in limestone on the sea floor. They discuss the benefits and potential risks of enhanced weathering in an aquatic environment as well as the permanence of Project Vesta’s sequestration process. Kelly and Tom share the news of how Stripe came to be their first customer, describing how the nonprofit is funded and what’s behind their decision to make the technology open-source. Listen in to understand how the enhanced weathering process might help solve the ocean acidification problem and how Project Vesta sees their solution's scalability and cost-effectiveness. Resources Project Vesta Project Vesta’s Research Page Project Vesta on Instagram Project Vesta on Facebook Project Vesta on Twitter Eric Matzner on Carbon Removal Newsroom EP018 Climate Change: Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide from Climate.gov ‘Exoskeleton Dissolution with Mechanoreceptor Damage in Larval Dungeness Crab Related to Severity of Present-Day Ocean Acidification Vertical Gradients’ in Science of the Total Environment Stripe’s Negative Emissions Commitment Stripe’s Partnership with Project Vesta Air Miners Purchase Nori Carbon Removals Nori Nori on Facebook Nori on Twitter Nori on Medium Nori on YouTube Nori on GitHub Nori on Patreon Nori Newsletter Email podcast@nori.com Subscribe on iTunes Carbon Removal Newsroom