Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode

She’s on a Mission From: God Suing Big Oil Companies for Damages

Missy Sims and Richard Wiles take on Big Oil for causing the climate crisis Jul 16, 2024

Show notes

Oil companies have known about their enormous and “catastrophic” contribution to climate change since the 1950s. They lied about it for as long as they could and are now lying about their newfound commitment to solving the problem they created. Who will hold them accountable? Melissa “Missy” Sims, a lawyer from Illinois, is currently representing 52 Puerto Rican municipalities against Big Oil for hurricane-related damages caused by the climate crisis. Richard Wiles is the president of the Center for Climate Integrity, which helps state and local elected leaders, including state attorneys generals hold Big Oil companies accountable for climate damages through litigation.

In today’s episode, Ken, Missy and Richard talk about how they got to the front lines of protecting our planet by working together on a mission to sue Big Oil and what their hope for the future looks like.
Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below:

Center for Climate Integrity

The Global Climate Science Communications Action Plan “The Victory Memo”

T.I.N.A. Group Sceanarios 1998

Exxon’s 1978 report “The Greenhouse Effect”

Exxon’s 1979 report “Controlling Atmospheric CO2”

Exxon's 2019 Corporate Strategic Planning memorandum

Shell’s 2020 “Let’s Talk Energy Transition” emails and deck

House Oversight documents reveal Big Oil’s “greenwashing” climate claims to hide investments in fossil fuels
Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.

“Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry”

Austin Frerick on the corruption of America’s food industry Jul 02, 2024

Show notes

Local businesses and local farms are being lost in this era of monopolizing America’s food system, but the food industry didn’t become corrupt overnight. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by Austin Frerick, expert on agricultural and antitrust policy.

His debut book, “Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry” profiles a series of powerful magnates to illustrate the concentration of power in the food system. Policy language used effectively by the food industry is designed to wall people off, Austin’s book let’s people in.

During the 2020 presidential campaign, Austin advised candidates Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Pete Buttigieg on agricultural policy before ultimately serving as Co-Chair of the Biden campaign’s Agriculture Antitrust Policy Committee. He now works at Yale University, collaborating on research related to competition policy and antitrust enforcement.

Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below:

EWG's Meat And Dairy Product Labels Decoder
EWG’s quick tips for reducing your diet's climate footprint

EWG’s Meat Eater’s Guide to Climate & Health

Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.

Paracelsus Revisited: The Dose Concept in a Complex World

Chemical exposure in people and how companies conceal risks from the public, with investigative reporter Sharon Lerner and Professor Philippe Grandjean Jun 18, 2024

Show notes

In a recent New Yorker article, investigative reporter Sharon Lerner writes about former 3M scientist Kris Hansen who conducted a study in the 90s where she found PFAs forever chemicals in the general public's blood. 3M executives told her PFAS chemicals weren't harmful, she believed them. Decades later she would learn the truth about the serious risks of PFAS exposure, and why she decided to speak out against the company she worked at for decades.

We are aware of the harmful effects of PFAs because of Professor Philippe Grandjean, a Danish Toxicologist. In the first part of today’s episode, Ken is joined by Sharon Lerner and talks about the human experience 3m scientist Kris Hansen has gone through since finding out her employer lied to her and the general public for decades. Sharon Lerner refers to Professor Philippe Grandjean’s groundbreaking work in her article and in the second part of today’s episode, Ken is joined by Professor Grandjean to speak about one of his own articles that explores the vested interest in keeping facts about chemical exposure a secret from the public.

Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below:

How 3M Discovered, Then Concealed, the Dangers of Forever Chemicals (The New Yorker)
Sharon Lerner's work at ProPublica

Is Pollution Value-Maximizing? The Dupont Case (National Bureau Of Economic Research)

EWG’s PFAS resources

Lead: Celebrate its ban, but don't cross it off your list (EWG)
Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.

Mark Jacobson’s Book, No Miracles Needed

Mark Jacobson & Greg Jaczko on clean energy alternatives to nuclear power Jun 04, 2024

Show notes

Climate change, air pollution, jobs! These are buzzwords that have helped the nuclear energy industry stay in power. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by author and environmental engineering professor, Mark Jacobson and former Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and author, Greg Jaczko to discuss why we continue to waste so much money in nuclear power, what the new clean energy alternatives are and why we are still using both.

Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below:

Greg Jaczko’s Book, Confessions of a Rogue Nuclear Regulator

EWG’s Green Energy Guide

The Economic Viability of Nuclear Power Is Only Going Down

Why Small Modular Nuclear Reactors Won’t Help Counter the Climate Crisis

Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.

EWG's Dirty Dozen: Cancer Prevention Edition

Dr. Mark Hyman on treating toxic chemicals in our bodies May 21, 2024

Show notes

Almost 100% of Americans have toxic substances in our bodies and it negatively affects our health in numerous ways. In today’s episode, Ken is joined by functional medicine pioneer and EWG board member, Dr. Mark Hyman. Functional medicine is a complete approach to your whole interconnected biological system. Dr. Hyman came to functional medicine after being diagnosed with mercury poisoning and after using functional medicine to detoxify his body, he became determined to help as many people as possible.

Ken and Dr. Hyman discuss why we are exposed to so many toxic substances, where we are exposed to them, and what you can do to help yourself reduce exposure and increase detoxification.

Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below:

functionhealth.com/mark

Mark's Instagram

Dr. Mark Hyman’s Website

EWG's 2024 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce™

Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.

Disruptors Diane Cotter and Peter Arlein are determined to protect their communities, stretching from Massachusetts to Colorado, against toxic 'forever chemicals' Apr 30, 2024

Show notes

In today’s episode, Ken is joined by two guests, Diane Cotter and Peter Arlein who both came into environmentalism as a way to protect their families, friends, and communities from toxic ‘forever chemicals.’

Worcester, MA native Diane, wife of firefighter Paul Cotter, plunged into the PFAS rabbit hole when she questioned whether Paul’s exposure to the chemicals contributed to his prostate cancer. Her relentless pursuit for the truth revealed numerous sick firefighters and afflicted firefighter communities nationwide.

Former ski-shop wax tech Peter took matters into his own hands by creating the Colorado-based company MountainFlo dedicated to making ski wax and bicycle lubricants without PFAS and petroleum, to protect the Rocky Mountains he cherishes and the outdoor sports community he belongs to.

Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below:

Peter’s Company: Mountain Flow & Mountain Flow Take Back Program

Diane’s Documentary Burned: Protecting the Protectors

What are PFAS chemicals?

Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.

Secret “Paraquat Papers” reveal corporate tactics to protect weed killer linked to parkinson’s disease

Carey Gillam on how corporations conceal the dangers of toxic weed killers from consumers Apr 23, 2024

Show notes

When buying or eating food, we don’t often think about the chemicals used in weed killers…but we should. In today’s episode, we go in-depth with Carey Gillam, Managing Editor of The New Lede, EWG’s journalism initiative, and the widely used commercial toxic pesticides found in weed killers. Ken and Carey discuss their link to Parkinson's, non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, and childhood leukemia, and her ground-breaking investigations that have exposed corporations like Monsanto and Syngenta that have concealed health risks from the public for decades.

Earlier this month, EWG partnered with California assembly member Laura Friedman to introduce Assembly Bill 1963 which would end the use of Paraquat on fields and orchards in California by January 2026. The passing of this bill could enormously impact the lives and the health of California’s farmworkers, their families, and agricultural communities across the state.

Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below:

Toxic Weed Killer Found in Breast Milk, Infant Formula

The New Lede’s ‘Paraquat Papers’ scoop recognized by agriculture journalists

Cary Gillam’s Website

Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.

The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare

25 Years in the Making: EPA Cracks Down on “Forever Chemicals” in Tap Water Thanks to Rob Bilott Apr 16, 2024

Show notes

For decades the American people have been exposed to toxic forever chemicals known as PFAS with no protection from our government.

Until now… In today’s monumental episode, Ken travels to Fayetteville, North Carolina to join the EPA as they announce the first-ever legal limit on PFAS in the drinking water of tens of millions of Americans.
In anticipation of this announcement, Ken spoke with environmental attorney, Rob Bilott, who has worked tirelessly for 25 years to make this legal limit on PFAS possible.
Want a deeper dive on today’s episode? Check out the links below:

Dark Waters featuring Mark Ruffalo

The Devil We Know

EPA Says ‘Forever Chemicals’ Must Be Removed From Tap Water

Ruffalo: PFAS drinking water standard delivers justice to poisoned communities

Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode every other week.