The Most Important Question

Latest Episodes:

#38: Is It Harder to Build Clean Power Plants or Play in a Reputable Cover Band? Oct 09, 2018

Show notes

Our guest is Sean Casten, a scientist, clean energy entrepreneur, and cover band member who is running for Congress in Illinois’ 6th district.

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#37: Why Does Congress Need a Female Air Force Officer / Engineer / Chemistry Teacher / Mom? Oct 02, 2018

Show notes

Our guest is Chrissy Houlahan, a candidate for Pennsylvania District 6 on Nov. 6th. Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message!

#36: Can Latinos Save the Planet? Sep 25, 2018

Show notes

Our guest is Mark Magana, the Founding President & CEO of GreenLatinos, a national coalition of Latino environmental, natural resources, and conservation advocates.

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#35: Can These Scientists Really Save Congress? Sep 18, 2018

Show notes

Our guest is Shaughnessy Naughton. She is the President & Founder of 314 Action, an organization founded by members of the STEM community; grassroots supporters and political activists who believe in the power of SCIENCE!

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#34: Electrocuting the S#!t Out of Cancer. Sep 11, 2018

Show notes

In Episode 34, Quinn & Brian discuss: Electrocuting the S#!t Out of Cancer.

Our guest is Theo Roth, an MB/PhD student candidate at UCSF who spends his days running experiments in the Marson Lab, and contributing to kick-ass research like the development of new tools for efficient CRISPR genome engineering in human cells.

The topic of this episode is extremely close to us and particularly relevant right now because September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Childhood cancer, unfortunately, only receives 5% of the total federal research funding, which means we need more people like us supporting cancer researchers and hospitals that are working to help children with cancer. So our goal with this episode is to not only explain all of the awesome work that Theo does and how in the hell he electrocutes cancer cells – although we definitely get all up in that – but also to identify some steps you can take RIGHT NOW to support people like Theo who are fighting the good fight and working to eliminate cancer.

On that note: f#$k cancer in the face.

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Trump’s Book Club:

The 8th Day of Creation by Horace Freeland Judson

Links:

Support Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Support Alex’s Lemonade Stand

Learn more about Marson Lab: marsonlab.ucsf.edu

The Emperor of All Maladies by by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli

Watch: The Knick

Read: "Why Daydreaming is Good for Us"

Connect with us:

#33: This is Zero Hour... So What The Hell Are You Doing? Sep 04, 2018

Show notes

Our guests are Elsa Mengistu and Emelly Villa, two of the young people behind Zero Hour, a movement that is bringing the voices of diverse youth into the conversation on climate and environmental justice. They’re doing incredible things to make this the world they want to (and can) live in – and they’re only 17 and 18!

Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message!

#32: Are You Ready for Some Radical Environmental Justice? Aug 28, 2018

Show notes

Our guest is Shantha Ready Alonso, Executive Director of Creation Justice Ministries, whose mission is to “educate, equip, and mobilize Christian communities and individuals to protect, restore, and rightly share God's Creation,” focusing on providing support to the vulnerable and marginalized.

Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message!

#31: Can Texas Go (Clean Energy) Independent? Aug 21, 2018

Show notes

In Episode 31, Quinn & Brian ask: Can Texas Go (Clean Energy) Independent?

Joining us this week is candidate for Texas district 21, Joseph Kopser. He’s a military vet and clean energy entrepreneur on the hunt for enemy of science Lamar Hunt’s seat.

This is the first in our series of conversations with candidates supported by 314 Action, the largest pro-science advocacy organization committed to electing scientists and STEM professionals to public office.

Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message!

Links:

Joseph Kopser on Twitter

Kopser for Congress

314 Action

Town Hall Project

Republicans for Carbon Tax, Fortune magazine

Operation Free

Rocky Mountain Institute

Stealth Power

Trump’s Book Club: How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie

Quinn Emmett on Twitter

Brian Colbert Kennedy on Twitter

Intro/outro by Tim Blane

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Ok that’s enough good lord

#30: What’s the Business Incentive for Climate/Clean Energy Action? Aug 14, 2018

Show notes

In Episode 30, Quinn & Brian ask: what’s the business incentive for climate/clean energy action?

In light of the Paris Agreement and all the bullshit that’s gone down since, we drafted Will Hackman to be our guest and explain it all. Will’s been a campaign manager for the House and Senate, he’s worked as a marine fisheries conservation advocate, he represented Georgetown University at the UN climate change conference, and he’s an author on various energy, environmental, and climate change topics. He’s also leaving immediately after this call to go to Alaska and potentially never come back.

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Links:

Will Hackman on Instagram

Will on Medium

US leading on carbon reduction

The Paris Agreement

Bank of America and Wells Fargo climate funding

McDonald’s reducing emissions

COP24

America’s Pledge

We Are Still In

ITC tax credit

Most effective steps to tackle climate change as an individual

Quinn Emmett on Twitter

Brian Colbert Kennedy on Twitter

Intro/outro by Tim Blane

Subscribe to our newsletter at ImportantNotImportant.com!

Like and share us on Facebook!

Check us on Instagram!

Pin us on Pinterest!

Tumble us or whatever the hell you do on Tumblr!

Ok that’s enough good lord

#29: The Pope Has Decided to Defeat Climate Change with His Own Bare Hands. Aug 07, 2018

Show notes

In Episode 29, Quinn & Brian ponder the fact that the Pope Has Decided to Defeat Climate Change With His Own Bare Hands.

Our guest — Jose Aguto. Jose is the Associate Director of the Catholic Climate Covenant, where he works to lead Catholicism into climate action, which includes building and providing the tools to do so.

We’re excited to continue our streak of talking to and hopefully not insulting the last segments of the population that we (desperately) need to get on board with climate action — whatever their beliefs. Cracking this little problem is gonna take every single last one of us, and yes that means you too, Steve.

Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message!

Links:

Jose on Twitter (j/k he’s not on Twitter because he’s smart)

Catholic Climate Covenant

Catholic Energies

Care for Creation

Catholic Climate Declaration

Pope Francis’ fresh new mixtape aka Laudato Si

Trump’s Book Club: The Imitation of Christ

Quinn Emmett on Twitter

Brian Colbert Kennedy on Twitter

Intro/outro by Tim Blane