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How Tariffs, Wildfire and Climate Change Threaten California Wine Aug 05, 2026

Show notes

With domestic demand down and retaliatory tariffs from Canada hurting international sales, California’s wine industry is struggling. But beyond this year’s challenges, grape growers and winemakers are confronting the broader threat of climate change, which is already transforming places like Napa and Sonoma and could ultimately threaten the entire industry. We’ll talk to researchers and winemakers about the looming threats and what changes are necessary.

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Flipping the Switch: What Will it Take for California to Meet Its 100% Green Energy Goal? Aug 05, 2026

Show notes

California is racing toward the ambitious goal of a 100% clean energy grid by 2045. But trading fossil fuels for zero-carbon power isn’t as simple as flipping a switch—it means overhauling the appliances, vehicles, and energy systems we’ve relied on for decades. We’ll talk with state and local leaders about where we’re making real progress and where we’re falling short. And we’ll hear from you: how is California’s green energy transition impacting your daily choices and utility bills?

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‘Skill Nostalgia’ and the Appeal of Craftsmanship Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

From woodworking to ceramics to baking, people are increasingly stepping away from their devices and embracing manual arts. This desire to work with our hands may speak to an anxiety with modern technology, but professor Joshua Habgood-Coote argues that the preoccupation with ancient crafts dates back thousands of years. Habgood-Coote calls this trend “skill nostalgia,” and he joins us to discuss what happens when we long for the past.

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Trump Administration Backs Off Regulating Environmental Toxins Despite MAHA Demands Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

For decades, grassroots activists have led the way in pushing the government to regulate toxins that harm our health and wellbeing. The MAHA, or Make America Healthy Again, movement has taken up some of that activism to fight the growing prevalence of environmental toxins such as pesticides, PFAS and microplastics. Though MAHA has lobbied U.S. health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and President Trump to reduce the pollutants, many have been disappointed by the administration’s inaction. We’ll talk about efforts to regulate environmental toxins and the Trump administration’s approach.

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Why Don’t Americans Trust the News? Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

A trusted press is essential to a thriving democracy, but recent studies show that Americans’ confidence in news media has hit record lows — regardless of factors like geography and political affiliation. To blame are growing perceptions of bias and a sense that news reporting that doesn’t feel applicable to everyday life. We look at why so few people trust the media — and what could be done to change that.

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Former Google Employee Recounts Path From Enchantment to Disillusionment in ‘Don’t Be Evil’ Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

When Claire Stapleton started working at Google in 2007 she was a true believer, becoming known as the “Bard of Google,” by spinning positive narratives of the company. But by 2018, she was so disillusioned by the company culture that she helped organize the company’s largest walkout to protest how Google handled sexual harassment cases. We talk to Stapleton about her takes on the myths and the reality of Google and her new book “Don’t Be Evil: Bad Bosses, Fake Promises, and my Escape from Big Tech.”

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More California Kids Are Getting Hurt on E-Bikes, Study Finds Jul 31, 2026

Show notes

E-bike crashes and injuries in California are increasing, a new study out of UC San Diego finds. And those injuries are not only more severe compared with conventional bikes, they’re
disproportionately involving kids age 14 and younger. We’ll hear how doctors, lawmakers and
biking advocates are responding to the risks posed by e-bikes – and by what some call emotorcycles – and we’ll hear your takes about how we can make our roads safer for all.

Guests:

Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman, reporter, KQED

Asha Weinstein Agrawal, professor and researcher, Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University

John Maa, governor and former president, American College of Surgeons; former trauma surgeon, MarinHealth Medical Center; co-author of the new study from UCSD, “An exponential increase in e-bike injuries in California”

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What’s on Your Summer Reading List? Jul 31, 2026

Show notes

Summer reading season is here. What belongs in your beach bag — or on your nightstand? We talk with Bay Area booksellers and authors about the books that they recommend, from light, breezy reads to delicious mysteries to the doorstopper you’ve been putting off. And we hear from you: what are you reading?

Guests:

Vanessa Hua, author, “Coyoteland,” “Forbidden City” and “A River of Stars”

Brad Johnson, owner, East Bay Booksellers in Oakland

Kit Fitzgerald, co-founder, bookseller, Noe Valley Books

Hannah deBree, founder, Tender Buttons Books, an online indie book site

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Global Dissidents Give Lessons In Courage Jul 30, 2026

Show notes

How can ordinary people stand up to authoritarianism? For a new book called “On Courage,” investigative journalist Julia Angwin and political strategist Ami Fields-Meyer interviewed more than 100 dissidents from around the world about how they overcome fear, protect themselves against intimidation and persuade others to join their cause. We’ll talk to the authors about the practical lessons they uncovered—and why they think courage is not innate, but learned.

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‘American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez’ Documentary Gives A Chicano Icon His Due Jul 30, 2026

Show notes

Luis Valdez has spent his life unapologetically telling Chicano stories. Born in Delano, he found his footing in the Bay Area and went on to produce “Zoot Suit,” the first Chicano play to make it to Broadway, direct “La Bamba,” one of the most successful Latine films ever. In a new documentary, “American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez,” director David Alvarado put the camera in front of Valdez to tell his story. Valdez and Alvarado join us to talk about the documentary, the importance of capturing the Chicano experience and the stories they still want to tell.

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