The Climate Pod

Latest Episodes:

Heather McTeer Toney on Building An Equitable Environment, Climate, and Future For All Children Nov 25, 2020

Show notes

This week, Heather McTeer Toney, Senior Director of Moms Clean Air Force, joins the show to discuss raising the next generation for climate action and the "mom-partisan" approach to the environment. She also discusses her prior work in the EPA, addressing the BP oil spill with the impacted local communities, environmental justice initiatives, and her early days fighting water issues as Mayor of Greenville, Mississippi.

Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss John Kerry's new climate envoy role and the new focus on climate in various agencies and for cabinet officials.

As always, follow us @climatepod on Twitter and email us at theclimatepod@gmail.com. Our music is "Gotta Get Up" by The Passion Hifi, check out his music at thepassionhifi.com. Rate, review and subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and more! Subscribe to our new YouTube channel! Check out our updated website!

Further Reading:

With John Kerry Pick, Biden Selects a 'Climate Envoy' With Stature

John Kerry's Appointment as Climate Envoy Shows the World We're Back in the Game

As The World Burns

Are We Insane?

Black Women are Leaders in the Climate Movement

Jamil Smith on How the Biden Administration Should Fight Environmental Racism Nov 18, 2020

Show notes

This week, Jamil Smith, Senior Writer at Rolling Stone for national affairs and culture and an Emmy winner, joins the show to discuss his piece "Another Reason We Can't Breathe" and the importance of fighting environmental racism during the Biden Administration. We discuss the president-elect's plan, the role of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, and how experience with frontline communities should be prioritized when choosing leadership.

Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss Ron Klain's selection as chief of staff and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Further Reading:

Trump Administration, in Late Push, Moves to Sell Oil Rights in Arctic Refuge

The Crisis that Forged Biden's Chief of Staff

What likely voters want to see in a Biden Cabinet

Kamala Harris Is the Right Pick for Every Reason That Should Matter

'RS Interview: Special Edition' With Al Gore

Dr. Mark Hyman on the Food Fix Our Planet Needs Nov 11, 2020

Show notes

This week, Dr. Mark Hyman, author of Food Fix: How to Save Our Health, Our Economy, Our Communities, and Our Planet—One Bite at a Time, joins the show to discuss how to fix our broken food system, sequester more carbon from soil, and eat better for the planet.

Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss the 2020 election results and proof that climate organizing and pushing climate action is a winning strategy.

Further Reading:

https://drhyman.com

https://foodfixbook.com

The Doctor's Farmacy: Meat That Is Good For You And For The Planet

The Green New Deal Didn't Sink Democrats

Pulitzer Prize Winner Chris Hamby on the Abandoned Miners In "Soul Full Of Coal Dust" Nov 03, 2020

Show notes

This week, Chris Hamby, New York Times investigative reporter and author of "Soul Full of Coal Dust: A Fight for Breath and Justice in Appalachia," joins the show to discuss his new book on how coal companies endangered coal miners and prevented workers from receiving health benefits.

Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss false promises made to coal mining towns and the need for a just transition in a clean energy economy.

Further Reading:

This Is What a Just Transition Looks Like

"The Coal Industry Is Back," Trump Proclaimed. It Wasn't.

"Sea Fever" Is A Nightmare Climate Allegory (w/ Director Neasa Hardiman) Oct 30, 2020

Show notes

This week, Neasa Hardiman, writer and director of Sea Fever, joins the show to discuss her ecological thriller film and why she was thinking about the climate crisis while telling the story. We explore how science and scientists are portrayed in film and why environmental destruction can be some of the scariest stories to tell.

Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel are also joined by special guest Cody Benefiel (total coincidence on the name), who talks about climate change in film.

Sean McElwee of Data For Progress on Changing Climate Politics Oct 28, 2020

Show notes

This week, Sean McElwee, Co-founder and Executive Director of Data for Progress, joins the show to discuss how the political landscape is changing to affect climate issues. How should Democrats talk about fracking? How do we pass progressive climate legislation? What are the biggest political shifts in climate? We dig into it all.

Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss the better presidential debate questions on climate, the distorted debate coverage on oil, and turning Texas blue.

Further Reading:

Climate news Trump can use

How down-ballot candidates could help Democrats flip Texas

As the World Burns (How the Senate and the White House missed their best chance to deal with climate change)

The Supreme Court and Climate Change Law (w/ Michael Gerrard of Columbia University) Oct 21, 2020

Show notes

This week, Michael Gerrard of Columbia University's Sabin Center for Climate Change Law joins the show to discuss the changing Supreme Court, Judge Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation hearing and comments on climate change, the EPA, climate liability lawsuits, and how climate action can be accomplished in the courts.

Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss the rising costs of the California wildfires and the federal response to relief.

Further Reading:

TRUMP V. THE CLIMATE, ROUND TWO: WHAT FOUR MORE YEARS OF TRUMP MIGHT MEAN FOR CLIMATE REGULATION

Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the United States

How Does Climate Change Affect Individual Extreme Weather Events? (w/ "Angry Weather" author Dr. Friederike Otto) Oct 14, 2020

Show notes

This week, Dr. Friederike Otto, author of Angry Weather, and acting director of the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford and co-investigator on the international project World Weather Attribution, joins the show to talk about how climate change impacts individual extreme weather events like wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, heatwaves, and more.

Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss the President's ability to ban fracking, the number of fracking jobs in Pennsylvania, and how a clean energy transition can generate a ton of new jobs.

Buy Angry Weatherhere: https://greystonebooks.com/products/angry-weather

Join our book club and read All We Can Save: https://www.theclimatepod.com/post/join-us-for-the-climate-pod-book-club-all-we-can-save

Further Reading:

Data for Progress Memo: https://www.dataforprogress.org/memos/battlegrounds-gnd

CBS/YouGov Poll:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/joe-biden-leads-wisconsin-pennsylvania-covid-opinion-poll/

Frack Check: Trump Inflates Pennsylvania Fracking Job Numbers by 3500 Percent:

https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/frack-check-trump-inflates-pennsylvania-fracking-job-figures-by-3500-percent/Content?oid=17937555

Trump Administration Formally Rolls Back Rule Aimed at Limiting Methane Pollution:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/18/climate/trump-methane-rollback.html

Want some eco-friendly tips? A new study says no, you don't.

Zephyr Teachout on Why Breaking Up Big Business is Critical to Climate Action Oct 07, 2020

Show notes

This week, Zephyr Teachout, Fordham law professor and author of Break 'Em Up, joins the show to discuss how weakened antitrust regulations have led to environmental and employee harm, how fossil fuel subsidies have prevented stronger competition from renewables, and why breaking up monopolies is good for the planet.

Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss the 60 Minutes segment on climate change and the differences between the Green New Deal and Joe Biden's Clean Energy Plan.

Buy Zephyr Teachout's Break 'Em Up here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250200891

Join our book club and read All We Can Save: https://www.theclimatepod.com/post/join-us-for-the-climate-pod-book-club-all-we-can-save

Further Reading:

What Joe Biden was trying to say about the Green New Deal

How Joe Biden's climate plan compares to the Green New Deal

Dr. Genevieve Guenther on Ending Climate Silence in Media Sep 30, 2020

Show notes

This week, Dr. Genevieve Guenther, founder and director of End Climate Silence, joins the show to discuss how to improve media coverage on climate topics. She tells us what strategies she uses, explains how language plays an important role in climate action, and why her past non-climate career helps her better understand how to communicate the crisis.

Co-hosts Ty Benefiel and Brock Benefiel also discuss Australia's medical costs due to the 2020 bushfire smoke pollution and efforts to commercialize an Alaskan national forest.

Check out the End Climate Silence website

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