
The Climate Pod
The Climate Pod is a wide-ranging conversation with leading experts on the politics, economics, activism, culture, science, and social justice issues at the heart of the climate crisis. Hear from guests like Jane Goodall, Bill McKibben, Al Roker, David Wallace-Wells, Katharine Hayhoe, Adam McKay, Bill Nye, Robert Bullard, Catherine Coleman Flowers, Ted Danson, Gina McCarthy, Paul Krugman, and many more. Hosted by Brock Benefiel and Ty Benefiel.
Latest episodes

Nov 18, 2020 • 1h 3min
Jamil Smith on How the Biden Administration Should Fight Environmental Racism
This week, Jamil Smith, Senior Writer at Rolling Stone for national affairs and culture and an Emmy winner, joins the show to discuss his piece "Another Reason We Can’t Breathe" and the importance of fighting environmental racism during the Biden Administration. We discuss the president-elect's plan, the role of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, and how experience with frontline communities should be prioritized when choosing leadership. Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss Ron Klain's selection as chief of staff and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. As always, follow us @climatepod on Twitter and email us at theclimatepod@gmail.com. Our music is "Gotta Get Up" by The Passion Hifi, check out his music at thepassionhifi.com. Rate, review and subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and more! Subscribe to our new YouTube channel! Check out our updated website! Further Reading: Trump Administration, in Late Push, Moves to Sell Oil Rights in Arctic Refuge The Crisis that Forged Biden’s Chief of Staff What likely voters want to see in a Biden Cabinet Kamala Harris Is the Right Pick for Every Reason That Should Matter ‘RS Interview: Special Edition’ With Al Gore

Nov 11, 2020 • 58min
Dr. Mark Hyman on the Food Fix Our Planet Needs
This week, Dr. Mark Hyman, author of Food Fix: How to Save Our Health, Our Economy, Our Communities, and Our Planet—One Bite at a Time, joins the show to discuss how to fix our broken food system, sequester more carbon from soil, and eat better for the planet. Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss the 2020 election results and proof that climate organizing and pushing climate action is a winning strategy. As always, follow us @climatepod on Twitter and email us at theclimatepod@gmail.com. Our music is "Gotta Get Up" by The Passion Hifi, check out his music at thepassionhifi.com. Rate, review and subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and more! Subscribe to our new YouTube channel! Check out our updated website! Further Reading: https://drhyman.com https://foodfixbook.com The Doctor's Farmacy: Meat That Is Good For You And For The Planet The Green New Deal Didn't Sink Democrats

Nov 3, 2020 • 53min
Pulitzer Prize Winner Chris Hamby on the Abandoned Miners In "Soul Full Of Coal Dust"
This week, Chris Hamby, New York Times investigative reporter and author of "Soul Full of Coal Dust: A Fight for Breath and Justice in Appalachia," joins the show to discuss his new book on how coal companies endangered coal miners and prevented workers from receiving health benefits. Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss false promises made to coal mining towns and the need for a just transition in a clean energy economy. As always, follow us @climatepod on Twitter and email us at theclimatepod@gmail.com. Our music is "Gotta Get Up" by The Passion Hifi, check out his music at thepassionhifi.com. Rate, review and subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and more! Subscribe to our new YouTube channel! Check out our updated website! Further Reading: This Is What a Just Transition Looks Like "The Coal Industry Is Back," Trump Proclaimed. It Wasn't.

Oct 30, 2020 • 52min
"Sea Fever" Is A Nightmare Climate Allegory (w/ Director Neasa Hardiman)
This week, Neasa Hardiman, writer and director of Sea Fever, joins the show to discuss her ecological thriller film and why she was thinking about the climate crisis while telling the story. We explore how science and scientists are portrayed in film and why environmental destruction can be some of the scariest stories to tell. Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel are also joined by special guest Cody Benefiel (total coincidence on the name), who talks about climate change in film. As always, follow us @climatepod on Twitter and email us at theclimatepod@gmail.com. Our music is "Gotta Get Up" by The Passion Hifi, check out his music at thepassionhifi.com. Rate, review and subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and more! Subscribe to our new YouTube channel! Check out our updated website!

Oct 28, 2020 • 1h 18min
Sean McElwee of Data For Progress on Changing Climate Politics
This week, Sean McElwee, Co-founder and Executive Director of Data for Progress, joins the show to discuss how the political landscape is changing to affect climate issues. How should Democrats talk about fracking? How do we pass progressive climate legislation? What are the biggest political shifts in climate? We dig into it all. Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss the better presidential debate questions on climate, the distorted debate coverage on oil, and turning Texas blue. As always, follow us @climatepod on Twitter and email us at theclimatepod@gmail.com. Our music is "Gotta Get Up" by The Passion Hifi, check out his music at thepassionhifi.com. Rate, review and subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and more! Subscribe to our new YouTube channel! Check out our updated website! Further Reading: Climate news Trump can use How down-ballot candidates could help Democrats flip Texas As the World Burns (How the Senate and the White House missed their best chance to deal with climate change)

Oct 21, 2020 • 55min
The Supreme Court and Climate Change Law (w/ Michael Gerrard of Columbia University)
This week, Michael Gerrard of Columbia University's Sabin Center for Climate Change Law joins the show to discuss the changing Supreme Court, Judge Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation hearing and comments on climate change, the EPA, climate liability lawsuits, and how climate action can be accomplished in the courts. Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss the rising costs of the California wildfires and the federal response to relief. As always, follow us @climatepod on Twitter and email us at theclimatepod@gmail.com. Our music is "Gotta Get Up" by The Passion Hifi, check out his music at thepassionhifi.com. Rate, review and subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and more! Subscribe to our new YouTube channel! Check out our updated website! Further Reading: TRUMP V. THE CLIMATE, ROUND TWO: WHAT FOUR MORE YEARS OF TRUMP MIGHT MEAN FOR CLIMATE REGULATION Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the United States

Oct 14, 2020 • 1h 19min
How Does Climate Change Affect Individual Extreme Weather Events? (w/ "Angry Weather" author Dr. Friederike Otto)
This week, Dr. Friederike Otto, author of Angry Weather, and acting director of the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford and co-investigator on the international project World Weather Attribution, joins the show to talk about how climate change impacts individual extreme weather events like wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, heatwaves, and more. Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss the President's ability to ban fracking, the number of fracking jobs in Pennsylvania, and how a clean energy transition can generate a ton of new jobs. Buy Angry Weather here: https://greystonebooks.com/products/angry-weather Join our book club and read All We Can Save: https://www.theclimatepod.com/post/join-us-for-the-climate-pod-book-club-all-we-can-save Further Reading: Data for Progress Memo: https://www.dataforprogress.org/memos/battlegrounds-gnd CBS/YouGov Poll: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/joe-biden-leads-wisconsin-pennsylvania-covid-opinion-poll/ Frack Check: Trump Inflates Pennsylvania Fracking Job Numbers by 3500 Percent: https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/frack-check-trump-inflates-pennsylvania-fracking-job-figures-by-3500-percent/Content?oid=17937555 Trump Administration Formally Rolls Back Rule Aimed at Limiting Methane Pollution: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/18/climate/trump-methane-rollback.html Want some eco-friendly tips? A new study says no, you don’t.

Oct 7, 2020 • 1h 7min
Zephyr Teachout on Why Breaking Up Big Business is Critical to Climate Action
This week, Zephyr Teachout, Fordham law professor and author of Break 'Em Up, joins the show to discuss how weakened antitrust regulations have led to environmental and employee harm, how fossil fuel subsidies have prevented stronger competition from renewables, and why breaking up monopolies is good for the planet. Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss the 60 Minutes segment on climate change and the differences between the Green New Deal and Joe Biden's Clean Energy Plan. Buy Zephyr Teachout's Break 'Em Up here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250200891 Join our book club and read All We Can Save: https://www.theclimatepod.com/post/join-us-for-the-climate-pod-book-club-all-we-can-save Further Reading: What Joe Biden was trying to say about the Green New Deal How Joe Biden's climate plan compares to the Green New Deal

Sep 30, 2020 • 1h 14min
Dr. Genevieve Guenther on Ending Climate Silence in Media
This week, Dr. Genevieve Guenther, founder and director of End Climate Silence, joins the show to discuss how to improve media coverage on climate topics. She tells us what strategies she uses, explains how language plays an important role in climate action, and why her past non-climate career helps her better understand how to communicate the crisis. Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss Australia's medical costs due to the 2020 bushfire smoke pollution and efforts to commercialize an Alaskan national forest. As always, follow us @climatepod on Twitter and email us at theclimatepod@gmail.com. Our music is "Gotta Get Up" by The Passion Hifi, check out his music at thepassionhifi.com. Rate, review and subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and more! Subscribe to our new YouTube channel! Check out our updated website! Check out the End Climate Silence website

Sep 23, 2020 • 1h 14min
Kurt Andersen on "Evil Geniuses" and The Unmaking of Environmental and Climate Protections
This week, Kurt Andersen, best-selling author, co-founder of Spy magazine, former editor-in-chief of New York magazine, and legendary journalist, joins the show to discuss his new book, Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America - A Recent History . Kurt discusses how a paradigm shift in recent decades has radically transformed the American economy for the worse and set the conditions to accelerate the climate crisis. Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss the Sébastien Roblin's recent piece on how the U.S. military will have to respond to climate change at home. As always, follow us @climatepod on Twitter and email us at theclimatepod@gmail.com. Our music is "Gotta Get Up" by The Passion Hifi, check out his music at thepassionhifi.com. Rate, review and subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and more! Subscribe to our new YouTube channel! Buy Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America - A Recent History