Boiling Point

Latest Episodes:

Can a Perfect Bagel Be Made Without Fossil Fuels? Mar 13, 2025

Show notes

Berkeley’s Boichik Bagels helped defeat a climate-friendly gas tax, arguing that great bagels need gas ovens. We talk with owner Emily Winston about tradition, business, and whether the future of cooking can be electric.

https://www.latimes.com/environment/newsletter/2024-11-21/column-why-californias-favorite-bagel-shop-is-defending-fossil-fuels-boiling-point

Join Boiling Point in its second season as independent investigative reporter Miranda Green walks listeners through the climate challenges and solutions facing our natural world. Produced by LA Times Studios, the weekly series will feature interviews with Los Angeles Times reporters, state officials, business leaders and scientific experts discussing the latest news and trends impacting Californians and the country.

Reporting the Truth About Water in California Mar 06, 2025

Show notes

Ian James is a veteran climate and water reporter at the Los Angeles Times. His recent stories have exposed misinformation surrounding California’s water supplies and wildfire response — including a political stunt by President Trump. Together, he and Sammy break down the facts that will shape our climate future, and our ability to survive it.

How John Francis Became a Planetwalker Feb 27, 2025

Show notes

Sammy Roth sits down with environmental activist John Francis, also known as the "Planetwalker." John shares his extraordinary journey, from a 17-year vow of silence to walking and bicycling across continents, all in the name of environmental justice. He explains how hope, empathy, and kindness aren’t just virtues—they’re a form of protest.

Link to the “Planetwalker” short doc:

https://www.latimes.com/00000193-55c8-d42e-a99f-5fd8041b0000-123

Climate Change Is No Joke. Or Is It? Feb 20, 2025

Show notes

Comedian Esteban Gast talks with Sammy about using humor to alleviate climate anxiety, while making clean energy and other environmental solutions more interesting — and even fun. From punchlines to policy, they explore laughter as a powerful tool for change.

Baseball, Brought to you by Oil and Gas Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Bill McKibben is an acclaimed environmental activist and journalist, and the co-founder of 350.org. As spring training gets underway, Sammy and Bill discuss fossil fuel advertising at Dodger Stadium, and how oil and gas industry “sportswashing” is taking advantage of America’s national pastime.

The Future of Solar on Public Lands Feb 06, 2025

Show notes

This week, Sammy goes for a hike in one of America’s newest national monuments, designated last month by President Biden. He’s joined by retired federal wildlife biologist Russell Scofield, who spent years working to balance renewable energy development and conservation on public lands.

Link to the Boiling Point newsletter:

https://www.latimes.com/environment/newsletter/2025-02-06/column-forget-trumps-wrecking-ball-heres-how-to-treat-americas-public-lands-boiling-point

California’s Shapeshifting Coastline Jan 30, 2025

Show notes

Los Angeles Times environmental reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist Rosanna Xia joins Sammy to discuss her book, “California Against the Sea. They talk about the need to adapt to climate change as rising temperatures and a shifting coastline create a different California than the one we know and love.

Link to Rosanna’s book, “California Against the Sea”: https://www.heydaybooks.com/catalog/california-against-the-sea/

Link to an excerpt of Rosanna’s book: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2023-08-22/the-california-coast-is-under-siege-how-can-we-save-it-from-sea-level-rise

Link to the trailer for “Out of Plain Sight”: https://www.outofplainsight.com/about

Link to tickets for Santa Barbara International Film Festival and the Slamdance Film Festival in Los Angeles:

https://www.outofplainsight.com/tickets

Drill, Baby, Drill…Again Jan 23, 2025

Show notes

What will the second Trump administration mean for climate and clean energy – and is there still hope for a better future? Sammy interviews Ann Carlson, an environmental law professor at UCLA and former Biden administration official. They talk about President Trump’s inaugural address, his Day 1 executive orders and his planned exit from the Paris climate agreement. They also discuss what California and other states and cities can do to keep making progress on climate. Join Boiling Point in its second season as independent investigative reporter Miranda Green walks listeners through the climate challenges and solutions facing our natural world. Produced by LA Times Studios, the weekly series will feature interviews with Los Angeles Times reporters, state officials, business leaders and scientific experts discussing the latest news and trends impacting Californians and the country.

L.A. Wildfires: Rebuilding for a Hotter, Drier Future Jan 16, 2025

Show notes

Sammy is joined by Kelly Sanders, an engineering professor at USC and former White House advisor on energy policy. They talk about what the fires mean for the future of Los Angeles, and how the city might adapt as the planet heats up and the climate crisis worsens. Join Boiling Point in its second season as independent investigative reporter Miranda Green walks listeners through the climate challenges and solutions facing our natural world. Produced by LA Times Studios, the weekly series will feature interviews with Los Angeles Times reporters, state officials, business leaders and scientific experts discussing the latest news and trends impacting Californians and the country.

Introducing: Boiling Point Jan 07, 2025

Show notes

Climate change is battering California. Can the state find a way forward? Listen every Thursday as award-winning L.A. Times columnist Sammy Roth breaks down the many complexities of today's climate challenges and solutions with top experts in the field. Join Boiling Point in its second season as independent investigative reporter Miranda Green walks listeners through the climate challenges and solutions facing our natural world. Produced by LA Times Studios, the weekly series will feature interviews with Los Angeles Times reporters, state officials, business leaders and scientific experts discussing the latest news and trends impacting Californians and the country.

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