How to Save a Planet

Latest Episodes:

Fighting Fire with Fire Oct 15, 2020

Show notes

From California's crimson skies to smoke so thick along Colorado's front range that sent people indoors for days, this year has been an especially bad one for extreme wildfires. On today's episode, we ask, how did the wildfires get so bad – and what can we do to address them?

Call(s) to action

Help build fire adapted communities. If you're interested in learning more about the range of small, wonky, zoning-type solutions to reduce pressures driving people to the WUI (pronounced wooie!)and make managed retreat a more palatable option, check out fireadaptednetwork.org, where you can keep track of all the little policy changes that would actually help make a big difference.
Prepare Your Home for Fire. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, better known as CalFire, has a great resource to teach you how to prepare your home for wildfire. You can find it at readyforwildfire.org.
Learn More about Fires from Bobbie Scopa through the audio stories she tells on her website, Bobbie on Fire

Check out our Calls to Action archive here for all of the actions we've recommended on the show. And if you take any of the actions we recommend, tell us about it! Send us your voice message, ideas or feedback with our Listener Mail Form. We might use it in an upcoming episode. Sign up for our newsletter here. And follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Special thanks to our guests: Bobbie Scopa and Suzy Cagle

This episode of How to Save a Planet was produced by Kendra Pierre-Louis. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Rachel Waldholz, Anna Ladd and Felix Poon. Our senior producer is Lauren Silverman. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Sound design and mixing by Peter Leonard with original music by Emma Munger.

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How 2020 Became a Climate Election Oct 08, 2020

Show notes

For years, American politicians have failed to take climate change seriously. The 2016 presidential debates didn’t even include a single climate question. Fast-forward four years, and climate change is a major election issue. So how did 2020 become a climate election? This week, how a bunch of outsiders turned the Green New Deal into a national rallying cry — and pushed Joe Biden to adopt the most ambitious climate platform in U.S. history.

Want to take action?

Most important: VOTE! Check out Vote.org to make sure you’re registered to vote and find information on polling stations, early voting or absentee voting in your state
You can check out the Sunrise Movement and read the THRIVE Agenda
You can read Joe Biden’s climate plan and environmental justice plan (they’re short!) or watch his recent big speech on climate change
You can check out the Blue New Deal
Or read the original Green New Deal resolution - again!

Special thanks to our guests: Varshini Prakash, Rhiana Gunn-Wright, Maggie Thomas and Saikat Chakrabarti

How to Save a Planet is a Spotify original podcast and Gimlet production hosted by Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Alex Blumberg.

This episode of How to Save a Planet was produced by Rachel Waldholz. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Kendra Pierre-Louis, Anna Ladd and Felix Poon. Our senior producer is Lauren Silverman. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Sound design, mixing and original music by Emma Munger. Additional music by Peter Leonard, Catherine Anderson, and Billy Libby. Full music credits can be found on our website. Our fact checker this episode is Claudia Geib. Special thanks to Rachel Strom.

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Making Republicans Environmentalists Again Oct 01, 2020

Show notes

The Republican Party has been almost uniformly opposed to climate action for years – nobody more so than President Donald Trump. But it wasn’t always like this. On today’s episode, we look back at how conservatives came to see the denial of climate science as a kind of badge of honor – and we talk to two conservative activists who are trying to change that.

Want to take action?

Check out the American Conservation Coalition and read their American Climate Contract
You can find more information at republicEN.org and check out their podcast, EcoRight Speaks.
You can also read the full memo we mentioned in the episode - the Global Climate Science Communications Action Plan (get ready to be mad)
Or listen to the podcast Drilled for a deep dive on the fossil fuel industry’s long misinformation campaign
Don’t forget to VOTE! Check out vote.org to make sure you’re registered to vote, find your polling station or get information on absentee ballots in your state.

Want to know more? We have a reading list!

Losing Earth by Nathaniel Rich
Merchants of Doubt by Naomi Oreskes & Eric Conway
The Republican Reversal by James Turner and Andrew Isenberg
Dark Money by Jane Mayer

Special thanks to our guests: Benji Backer, Bob Inglis, Jay Turner and Andrew Isenberg

How to Save a Planet is a Spotify original podcast and Gimlet production hosted by Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Alex Blumberg.

This episode of How to Save a Planet was produced by Rachel Waldholz. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Kendra Pierre-Louis, Anna Ladd and Felix Poon. Our senior producer is Lauren Silverman. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Sound design and mixing for this episode by Sam Bair with original music by Emma Munger. Full music credits are available on our website.

Our fact checker this episode is Claudia Geib. Special thanks to Rachel Strom.

Thanks to Anthony Leiserowitz for helping us understand some of this history. This episode also relied on phenomenal reporting from a number of places, including the books Losing Earth by Nathaniel Rich, Merchants of Doubt by Naomi Oreskes and Eric Conway, Kochland by Christopher Leonard, Dark Money by Jane Mayer, and the podcast Drilled, hosted by Amy Westervelt.

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Black Lives Matter and the Climate Sep 24, 2020

Show notes

Black Lives Matter is the largest movement in U.S. history, and it’s had environmental justice as part of its policy platform from the start. In today’s show, Alex and Ayana talk about why the fight for racial justice is critical to saving the planet, and what the broader climate movement can learn from the Black Lives Matter movement.

Calls to action

Check out the Movement for Black Lives: m4bl.org
Read the BREATHE Act: breatheact.org
Check out Ayana’s OpEd: Racism derails our attempts to fight the climate crisis
Pick up a copy of the book Ayana co-edited, All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, which includes an essay by Colette Pichon-Battle.

Special thanks to our guests: Colette Pichon Battle and Maurice Mitchell

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Unnatural Disasters Sep 10, 2020

Show notes

As this summer has made clear: from hurricanes to wildfires, climate change is exposing more of us to extreme weather. This week we hear what it's like to survive a life-changing disaster, get tips on how to prepare — from a disasterologist — and learn why you should never call a disaster “natural.”

Call(s) to action

Build a go bag or preparedness kit. You can check out www.ready.gov/kit for some tips on how to build your own bag. Remember it's a guide - not a rulebook - so think through what you will really need in a disaster. Kendra packed a spare pair of glasses, just in case, for example.
Create your own disaster plan. The kit is only the first step in disaster preparedness. While building your bag also think through your disaster plan. You can check out ready.gov/plans to think through things like if you had to evacuate what your route would be and where you would go. If you have children, www.ready.gov/kids , helps you incorporate your kids into your disaster planning - which is important because they will be going through this with you.
Prepare your home for your disaster. We'll link to specific tips on doing this in the additional reading, but prepping your home for the inevitable increases the odds it will survive. If you're a homeowner it's worth checking out what your insurance policy says. If you are a renter, it's worth getting renters insurance, though it's typically less comprehensive than homeowners insurance.
Find out what your local government and community organizations are doing to prepare for disaster. This is everything from attending meetings that your emergency managers are holding (and if they aren't holding them, why not?) And if you want to go even further consider getting community emergency response team or CERT training.

For more info on the climate anthology that Ayana has co-edited, All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, and to order a copy, head to allwecansave.earth. It includes poignant essays by Christine Nieves Rodrigues, our own Kendra Pierre-Louis and 40 other women climate leaders.

Special thanks to our guests: Samantha Montano and Christine Nieves

This episode of How to Save a Planet was produced by Kendra Pierre-Louis. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Rachel Waldholz and Anna Ladd. Our senior producer is Lauren Silverman. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Sound design and mixing by Peter Leonard with original music by Emma Munger.

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20 Million Trees Sep 03, 2020

Show notes

Climate change is a big problem — and we’re going to need a big team to solve it. That means reaching people who might not think of themselves as climate activists. This week, we explore what the climate movement can learn from YouTubers... starting with MrBeast.

Want to plant a tree? Here are some treesources:

Find the right tree for the place you live with the National Wildlife Federation’s Plant Finder: nwf.org/nativeplantfinder

Learn how to plant and take care of your tree: arborday.org/trees

Some cities will give you a tree to plant for free! Here are a few:

Los Angeles, CA: cityplants.org

Denver, CO: theparkpeople.org/what-we-do/denver-digs-trees

Portland, OR: portlandoregon.gov/parks/73498

St. Louis, MO: moreleaf.org

Philadelphia, PA: treephilly.org

Fort Worth, TX: fortworthtexas.gov/forestry/free-trees

Austin, TX: treefolks.org/free-trees

If you aren’t able to plant a tree, you can adopt one! Take care of a street tree in your neighborhood in these cities:

NYC: https://www.nyrp.org/about/programs/tree-giveaway/

Miami, FL: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/service.page?Mduid_service=ser1467835324112359

Richmond, CA: http://www.groundworkrichmond.org/adopt-a-tree.html

Cambridge, MA: https://www.cambridgema.gov/iwantto/adoptatree

Lexington, KY: https://ufi.ca.uky.edu/adopt-a-tree

Minneapolis MN (get a free beer when you adopt!): http://www.brewingabetterforest.com/adopt-a-tree.html

Pinecrest, FL: https://www.pinecrest-fl.gov/our-village/green-initiatives/adopt-a-tree-programs

Fairview Park, OH: https://www.fairviewpark.org/service-department/adopt-a-tree/

Stafford Township, NJ https://www.staffordnj.gov/418/Adopt-A-Tree

If your city has a tree planting program too, send it to us and we’ll add it to the list!

Send us pictures of you hugging your saplings on Instagram and Twitter @how2saveaplanet.

Learn How to Stop a Bird Murdering Cat

Special thanks to our guest: Matt Fitzgerald

This episode of How to Save a Planet was produced by Anna Ladd. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Rachel Waldholz and Kendra Pierre-Louis. Our senior producer is Lauren Silverman. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Sound design and mixing by Peter Leonard with original music by Emma Munger.

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The Green Wave Aug 27, 2020

Show notes

It started with students walking out of school to demand more action on climate change, built into an international movement – and then was propelled forward by a pandemic. Today on the show, the surprising story behind Europe’s climate plan, and what the rest of us can learn from it.

Want to get involved? Find your local chapter of the Sunrise Movement or Fridays for Future. Or check out the Global Day of Climate Action on Sept. 25, 2020.

Want to read the Green New Deal resolution for yourself? You can find the full text here. Don’t be scared, it’s only 14 pages.

Special thanks to our guest: Thomas Pellerin-Carlin

How to Save a Planet is a Spotify Original Podcast and Gimlet Production. It’s hosted by Alex Blumberg and Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. This episode of How to Save a Planet was produced by Rachel Waldholz. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Kendra Pierre-Louis and Anna Ladd. Our senior producer is Lauren Silverman. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Sound design, mixing and original music by Emma Munger. Additional music by Bobby Lord.

Thanks to Manon Dufour and Annika Hedberg for talking with us about the European Green Deal. Special thanks to Sandra Riaño, Rachel Strom and Whitney Potter.

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The Witch of Wind Aug 20, 2020

Show notes

For decades, coal fueled the town of Somerset, MA. But when the coal plant went bust -- taking with it millions in tax dollars -- the town struggled. That’s when a local politician, the self-proclaimed Queen of Coal, learned that an unexpected industry could revive the economy. Today on the show how Somerset, MA went from a town of coal to a launching point for the burgeoning offshore wind industry.

Want to help speed the transition away from coal? Check out the Beyond Coal Campaign.

Want to nerd out on wind policy and how to jumpstart this industry? Check out the policy memo, polling and graphics by Urban Ocean Lab, Data for Progress, and Evergreen Collaborative.

Send us an email to via our Listener Mail Form.

Find us on Twitter and Instagram @how2saveaplanet.

Special thanks to our guests: Rep. Pat Haddad, Jeff Grybowski, Ted Wheeler and Mary Anne Hitt

How to Save a Planet is a Spotify Original Podcast and Gimlet Production. It’s hosted by Alex Blumberg and Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson.

This episode of How to Save a Planet was produced by our senior producer Lauren Silverman. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Kendra Pierre-Louis, Rachel Waldholz and Anna Ladd. Our senior producer is Lauren Silverman. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Sound design, mixing and original music by Emma Munger. Additional music by Bobby Lord, Catherine Anderson, and Billy Libby. Our fact checker this episode is James Gaines.

Special thanks to Holly McNamara, Blythe Terrell and Devon Taylor.

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How screwed are we? Aug 06, 2020

Show notes

How screwed are we? When it comes to climate change, that’s the question on a lot of people’s minds. Alex and Ayana ask experts and regular folks about what worries them most and what we can do to avoid that future.

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Introducing How to Save a Planet Jul 31, 2020

Show notes

Does climate change freak you out? Want to know what we, collectively, can do about it? Us too. How to Save a Planet is a podcast that asks the big questions: what do we need to do to solve the climate crisis, and how do we get it done?

Join us, journalist Alex Blumberg and scientist and policy nerd Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, as we scour the Earth for solutions, talk to people who are making a difference, ask hard questions, crack dumb jokes and — episode by episode — figure out how to build the future we want.

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