Stay ConnectedReversing Climate Change is a podcast about carbon removal and climatetech that keeps wandering off into literature, history, philosophy, theology, and geopolitics on the theory that the technical and scientific questions stop making much sense without them. Hosted by Ross Kenyon, who did not go past a year of political philosophy PhD coursework and has visibly not let it go.
Paid subscriptions live on Substack @ https://rosskenyon.com.
© Carbon Removal Strategies LLC
Copyright: © Nori
How do you create original content in the carbon removal space?
In its podcast content, the Nori creative team looks for unique voices, encouraging guests on Reversing Climate Change and Carbon Removal Newsroom to explore nuance.
As for their carbon removal memes, the writers are currently mining the movies they watch with their kids and popular online satirical humor (think The Onion and Reductress) for ideas.
On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, Ross sits down with his colleagues in the Nori Meme Lab, Siobhan Montoya Lavender and Asa Kamer, to discuss why ascribing agency to CO2 is funny and describe how they look for meme potential in cinema—not to be confused with Krysten Sinema, though they have insight on her too.
Ross, Siobhan, and Asa offer stories of celebrity sightings and consider who qualifies as a ‘climate celeb,’ sharing examples of the academics and podcast guests they’re guilty of gushing over.
Listen in to understand how we showcase productive disagreement in both Nori podcasts and get in on the Meme Lab team’s latest ideas for carbon removal meme threads, including ClickHole-style headlines and recaptioning existing satirical content.
Connect with Nori
Join Nori's Discord to hang out with other fans of the podcast and Nori
Resources
Carbon Removal Memes on Instagram
Dennis Baldocci on ResearchGate
Elizabeth Kolbert on Reversing Climate Change S2EP50
Mark Bittman on Reversing Climate Change S2EP69
David Ho on Carbon Removal Newsroom S3EP41
Stubborn Little Leisure Lords on ClickHole
Let’s Rank the Religions on ClickHole
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/does-co2-want-to-be-free-or-stored-0ed
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
Direct air capture (DAC) is growing in popularity around the world, and it is an important tool for reducing CO2 in the atmosphere.
But 30% of all the carbon dioxide we’ve emitted to date is stored in the ocean.
So, what can we do to sequester CO2 from ocean water? Is the technology similar to that of direct air capture? How does the process work?
Steve Oldham is former CEO of DAC pioneer Carbon Engineering and current CEO of Captura, a startup working to capture carbon dioxide from our oceans at scale.
On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Steve joins Ross and cohost Radhika Moolgavkar, Head of Supply and Methodology at Nori, to explain what he believes may make direct ocean capture cheaper and easier than DAC.
Steve discusses how the natural equilibrium between the ocean and the atmosphere provides an opportunity for carbon removal and describes how his team evaluates candidate sites with a focus on existing oil and gas infrastructure.
Listen in for Steve’s insight on the greatest challenges facing carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and learn how Captura’s signature electrodialysis process captures CO2 while attempting to avoid disrupting the ocean.
Resources
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard
Frontier’s Carbon Removal Initiative
Net-Zero Emissions Procurement by 2050
CE’s Partnership with Occidental
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/s3e21-direct-ocean-capture-or-direct-891
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
Most carbon removal content is highly technical and very serious.
But it doesn’t have to be.
So, what would it look like to produce carbon removal content that is a little looser? A little less informational? A little more appealing to a lay audience? And a little more fun?
On this bonus episode of Reversing Climate Change, Ross sits down with fellow memeologist and Thanks a Ton Cofounder Siobhan Montoya Lavender to have an informal conversation that infuses some fun in the carbon removal community.
Ross and Siobhan discuss how they think about choosing between science and funny in the context of a meme and describe the value in producing content that is less utilitarian and more accessible to the general population.
Listen in for the story of Ross’ harrowing experience with a group of very aggressive crows and enjoy 30 minutes of lighthearted carbon removal content!
Connect with Nori
Join Nori's Discord to hang out with other fans of the podcast and Nori
Resources
Carbon Removal Memes on Instagram
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/hey-its-a-carbon-removal-meme-writers-826
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
The direct air capture industry is attempting to recreate the oil and gas sector in reverse—at a highly accelerated rate.
And those of us in the space have a tremendous opportunity to build something truly impactful.
But how do we educate the general public around the carbon removal technologies at our disposal? Can a well-crafted meme help people understand the benefits of direct air capture?
Jason Hochman is Cofounder and Senior Director of the recently launched Direct Air Capture Coalition, a global nonprofit working to educate, engage, and mobilize society around the deployment of DAC technology at the pace and scale the climate crisis requires. He also happens to be an accomplished mememaker in the carbon removal space.
On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Jason joins Ross and cohost Siobhan Montoya Lavender to do a live meme workshop, sharing his approach to writing DAC-themed memes for popular Simpsons and Sith Kermit templates.
Jason discusses the early growth of the Direct Air Capture Coalition, describing how it seeks to serve as an educational resource and platform for collaboration among its 44 member organizations.
Listen in to understand the biggest problems facing the mass adoption of direct air capture and learn how Jason is addressing pushback on DAC with resources like the DAC Report Library as well as his CDR 101 meme thread.
Connect with Nori
Join Nori's Discord to hang out with other fans of the podcast and Nori
Resources
Carbon Removal Memes on Instagram
Groundskeeper Willie -- Damn Scots
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/s3e20-advancing-direct-air-capture-d3a
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
As a consumer who cares about climate change, you may be shopping for organic, local, or even regenerative food products. But does your support of sustainable agriculture extend to wine?
How does a winemaker earn the certified sustainable distinction? And what does sustainable viticulture look like?
Steve Lohr is President and CEO of J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines, a winemaking operation with vineyards in Monterey County, Paso Robles, and Napa Valley, California. J. Lohr is dedicated to sustainability and the environment, and Steve’s team earned the 2020 Green Medal Leader Award from the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.
On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Steve joins Ross to discuss J. Lohr’s sustainability practices, describing how an operation of scale can make large investments in sustainable practices in an attempt to move the needle, and why Steve believes in sustainability at any size of business. How much of a business attempting sustainability is cost-saving and how much is brand value?
Listen in for insight on how installing a solar tracking array reduced J. Lohr’s electric bill by an order of magnitude and get Steve’s advice on how to get started with drinking sustainable wines.
Connect with Nori
Join Nori's Discord to hang out with other fans of the podcast and Nori
Resources
J. Lohr’s Sustainability Initiatives
Paul Wagner on Reversing Climate Change S3EP10
California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance
J. Lohr’s Certified Sustainable Merlot
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/s3e19-how-a-large-winemaker-thinks-392
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
Here at Nori, we take climate change very seriously. But we don’t want to take ourselves too seriously.
So, we developed the Memelab as a way to engage with other carbon removal enthusiasts and introduce a new audience the idea of removing CO2 from the atmosphere—with humor.
Asa Kamer is Producer of the Carbon Removal Newsroom podcast. Siobhan Montoya Lavendar is Cofounder at Thanks a Ton. And they are both part of the writing team for Carbon Removal Memes for Climate Restorative Teens.
On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Asa and Siobhan join Ross to share the origin of Nori’s Carbon Removal Memelab and explain why it’s so challenging to identify what makes a successful meme.
Asa, Siobhan, and Ross describe the important role comedy can play in reversing climate change, discussing why self-deprecating humor works better than being mean, and how they iterate on a joke to be funny without being offensive.
Listen in for insight around why it's fun to riff on common objections to carbon removal and learn how to engage with our memes on your social media platform of choice.
Resources
Carbon Removal Memes on Instagram
Jewish Comedy: A Serious History by Jeremy Dauber
Dr. Julio Friedmann on Reversing Climate Change EP016
Jane Flegal on Reversing Climate Change EP005
The Office BFFs by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/s3e18-carbon-removal-memes-for-climate-a1c
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
"We humans are just specks of dust on a slightly bigger speck of dust in the immeasurable vastness of space. We can't cause stars to
explode, we don't set the wheels of galaxies spinning, and it is not we who span the vault of heaven above us. But we can marvel at the
universe and ask questions about it. We can have faith, hope, and love in this world-and this makes us stardust of a very special kind."
—Dr. Heino Falcke
We tend to think that science and spirituality are mutually exclusive. But for Dr. Heino Falcke, a belief in something bigger complements his understanding of the universe.
Dr. Falcke is a Professor of Astroparticle Physics and Radio Astronomy at Radboud University. He is also the author of Light in the Darkness: Black Holes, the Universe, and Us.
On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Dr. Falcke joins Ross and cohost and Nori advisor David Addison to discuss the origin of carbon molecules and describe what drew him to the study of black holes.
Dr. Falcke explains how he captured the first photograph of a black hole through the Event Horizon Telescope project, sharing what he learned from collaborating with 350 other astrophysicists on EHT and how we might apply those learnings to other global challenges like climate change.
Listen in to understand why the complex systems of the universe are inherently unpredictable and learn how Dr. Falcke bridges the gap between the scientific and the spiritual world.
Resources
Light in the Darkness: Black Holes, the Universe, and Us by Heino Falcke
‘Viewing the Shadow of the Black Hole at the Galactic Center’ in The Astrophysical Journal
Press Conference Introducing the First Image of the Black Hole
Peter Brannen on Reversing Climate Change EP087
Event Horizon Telescope Project
Contact: A Novel by Carl Sagan
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/s3e17-black-holes-climate-change-832
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
The Green Revolution in the second half of the 20th century was seen as an important solution to the problem of malnutrition in the developing world at the time.
And while it may have succeeded in staving off hunger, the industrialization of agriculture created a whole new set of problems, chief among them a lack of diversity in our food system.
Why does this matter? What is the food monoculture costing us? And what can we do to bring back some of the diverse foodways we’ve lost along the way?
Dan Saladino is the renowned food journalist behind BBC Radio 4’s The Food Programmeand author of Eating to Extinction: The World’s Rarest Foods and Why We Need to Save Them.
On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Dan joins Ross to explain why we so desperately need biodiversity in our food system, exploring why diverse foods may taste better, and could be better for us.
Dan walks us through several examples of rare foods discussed in his book and offers insight on the people working to revive old foodways.
Listen in to understand how the war in Ukraine is causing a food crisis and learn what we can do to create a system that is more resilient, more robust, and healthier—both for people and the planet.
Resources
Eating to Extinction: The World’s Rarest Foods and Why We Need to Save Them by Dan Saladino
Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew Research
Consider the Axe: Food, Farming and the Wonders of Stonehenge on The Food Programme
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/s3e16-how-to-save-vanishing-foodways-e7f
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
Many of the artists and creators who mint nonfungible tokens (NFTs) are concerned about the environmental impact of the blockchain.
But what if they could pair carbon removal with any given NFT to make it carbon-negative?
Alexander Salnikov is Cofounder and Chief Strategy Officer at Rarible: a multichain, community-centric NFT marketplace.
On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Alexander joins Ross and cohost Alexsandra Guerra, Nori’s Director of Corporate Development, to discuss the partnership between Nori and Rarible, describing how it affords Rarible users the opportunity to address their carbon footprint.
Alexander explains how NFTs function as an effective way to store assets on the blockchain, exploring the many different use cases for NFTs, and how having access to a community is attracting new users to the space.
Listen in for Alexander’s insight around the future of NFTs and learn how blockchain technology might be used to make all our systems more transparent, faster, and more efficient.
Resources
Rarible’s Partnership with Nori
Aspen Ideas Climate Conference
Retina Ghost: creator of the Nori Proof-of-Attendance NFTs from the Miami event
Nori Token Pre-Launch Carnival Recap
Jesse Smith on Reversing Climate Change S3EP12
Ross’s Nori Logo Graveyard NFT
Imogen Heap on Reversing Climate Change S2EP72
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/s3e15-will-nfts-go-carbon-negativew-a21
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
Mónica Guzmán has some difficult conversations with her parents. She’s a liberal Democrat, while her mom and dad voted enthusiastically for Trump both times.
So, how does she bridge the political divide and maintain a loving relationship with her parents, despite their differences of opinion?
And what can you and I do to develop intellectual curiosity and see difficult issues from different points of view?
Mónica is the Digital Director at Braver Angels , the nation’s largest nonprofit working to depolarize America. She is also the author of the new book, I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times.
On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Mónica joins Ross to discuss how she navigates the relationship with her conservative Republican parents, describing why it’s important to maintain connections with friends and family who don’t see things the way you do.
Mónica explains how condescension and curiosity are mutually exclusive, challenging us to begin conversations by believing that the other person’s perspective is valid and asking questions around how they came to their beliefs.
Listen in to understand how the more facets of an issue you see, the closer you are to the truth, and learn how to be open to influence or new information that might change your opinion.
Resources
Resources
This episode's page on the web: https://www.rosskenyon.com/p/s3e14-how-to-have-fearlessly-curious-33e
Subscribe to the Reversing Climate Change Substack: https://www.rosskenyon.com/subscribe
Books from the show, at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/reversing-climate-change
My other show, Climate Workers Anonymous: https://www.climateworkersanonymous.com
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