The Sweaty Penguin

Latest Episodes:

Tip of the Iceberg E35: The big banks got subpoenaed… for going too green Oct 26, 2022

Show notes

Last Wednesday, nineteen states announced that they had subpoenaed JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs, asking for documents relating to the companies’ involvement with the UN Net-Zero Banking Alliance. These states felt it was against their best interests for these banks to blackball the fossil fuel industry, going so far as to call the banks “corporate activists.” But after doing some digging, it appears these companies are far from “corporate activists,” ranking number 1, 2, 3, 4, 12, and 14 in the world in fossil fuel financing. Ethan argues why the banks’ decision to join the NZBA was more a financial decision than a political one, and how this subpoena has already caused damage to the global banking community’s climate ambitions in this week’s “Tip of the Iceberg.”

The Sweaty Penguin is presented by Peril and Promise: a public media initiative from The WNET Group in New York, reporting on the issues and solutions around climate change. You can learn more at pbs.org/perilandpromise.

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

CREDITS

Writer: Ethan Brown, Maddy Schmidt

Fact Checker: Megan Crimmins

Editor: Megan Antone

Producers: Ethan Brown, Megan Crimmins, Shannon Damiano, Maddy Schmidt

Ad Voiceover: Maddy Schmidt

Music: Brett Sawka

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

104. The Orinoco Belt Oct 21, 2022

Show notes

A few months ago, The Guardian did a five-month investigation into “carbon bombs,” or fossil fuel projects that would, over the course of their life, emit over one billion tons of carbon. They found that there are 195 planned oil and gas carbon bombs around the world, and if they proceed as planned, these projects alone would blow past internationally agreed upon climate targets. For our fifth deep dive on carbon bombs, we take a look at the Orinoco Belt: a 21,357 square mile territory in Venezuela’s Orinoco River Basin home to the highest emitting carbon bomb in South America. In addition to being the source of Venezuela’s oil economy, the Orinoco Belt faces a number of environmental and human rights challenges, many of which are tied back into this fossil fuel industry. Today, we explore the impacts of oil drilling in the Orinoco Belt, what other challenges surround it or arise from it, and how this region could move forward. With special guest Dr. Luisa Palacios: Senior Research Scholar at the Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy.

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

Writers: Dain Kim, Isabel Plower, Maxwell Pociask, Ethan Brown

Fact Checker: Sarika Sawant

Editor: Trevor Snow

Producers: Ethan Brown, Megan Crimmins, Shannon Damiano, Maddy Schmidt

Ad Voiceover: Sabrina Rollings

Music: Brett Sawka

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

Tip of the Iceberg E34: How bad can it get? Oct 19, 2022

Show notes

The latest natural disasters in an unrelenting few months of climate catastrophes include Hurricane Julia in Central and South America and deadly floods in Nigeria and Australia. After all this damage, it’s challenging to envision how climate change gets any worse from here. But scientists have started imagining worst case scenarios, and in September, published a study on climate “tipping points” that brought both good news and bad news. Ethan breaks down what climate trajectory we’re on and where we’ve seen significant progress in this week’s “Tip of the Iceberg.”

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

CREDITS

Writer: Ethan Brown, Madeleine Salman, Maddy Schmidt

Fact Checker: Megan Crimmins

Editor: Megan Antone

Producers: Ethan Brown, Megan Crimmins, Shannon Damiano, Maddy Schmidt

Ad Voiceover: Sabrina Rollings

Music: Brett Sawka

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

103. Phytoplankton Oct 14, 2022

Show notes

Phytoplankton are microscopic plants floating around in marine and aquatic ecosystems that produce 50-80% of the world’s oxygen, provide food for countless other organisms, and are so effective at absorbing carbon dioxide that some have suggested growing phytoplankton as a solution to climate change. But sometimes, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Agricultural runoff containing fertilizer and animal waste can create massive blooms of phytoplankton, which can have devastating effects on ecosystems, harm human health, and put a strain on the economy. Today, we explore the good and bad of phytoplankton, how climate change plays into this conversation, and where we go from here. With special guest Dr. Ajit Subramaniam: Lamont Research Professor of Biology and Paleo Environment at Columbia University.

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

CREDITS

Writers: Ysabel Wulfing, Maddy Schmidt, Ethan Brown

Fact Checker: Owen Reith

Editor: Trevor Snow

Producers: Ethan Brown, Megan Crimmins, Shannon Damiano, Maddy Schmidt

Ad Voiceover: Sabrina Rollings

Music: Brett Sawka

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

Tip of the Iceberg E33: Sackett v. EPA Oct 12, 2022

Show notes

Next Tuesday, October 18th marks the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. What’s its anniversary present? A 15 year long legal battle that is now being decided in the Supreme Court. The case in question is called Sackett v. EPA, and it concerns whether or not Chantell and Michael Sackett were allowed to build a home on a wetland in Idaho, or if they first needed a permit under the Clean Water Act. Many observers predicted the Supreme Court would definitively rule against the EPA in this case, but after oral arguments on October 3, the outcome may turn out to be more nuanced. Ethan breaks down the history of Sackett v. EPA and the key takeaways from oral arguments in this week’s “Tip of the Iceberg.”

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

CREDITS

Writers: Ethan Brown, Maddy Schmidt

Fact Checker: Megan Crimmins

Editor: Megan Antone

Producers: Ethan Brown, Megan Crimmins, Shannon Damiano, Maddy Schmidt

Ad Voiceover: Sabrina Rollings

Music: Brett Sawka

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

102. Eastern Hemlocks Oct 07, 2022

Show notes

The state tree of Pennsylvania, the Eastern Hemlock is a majestic, ancient tree species found across the Eastern United States and Canada that offers shelter, food, and protection for over 120 vertebrates. It also has special characteristics that make it much more effective at storing carbon than most other tree species. But unfortunately, an invasive insect called the hemlock woolly adelgid has been wreaking havoc on the Eastern Hemlock, and as climate change worsens, these pests have been able to invade further and further north. Today, we explore why Eastern Hemlocks are declining, why it matters, and how we can protect them moving forward. With special guest Dr. Danielle Ignace: Assistant Professor of Indigenous Natural Sciences at the University of British Columbia.

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

CREDITS

Writers: Owen Reith, Maddy Schmidt, Ethan Brown

Fact Checker: Ysabel Wulfing

Editor: Trevor Snow

Producers: Ethan Brown, Megan Crimmins, Shannon Damiano, Maddy Schmidt

Ad Voiceover: Sabrina Rollings

Music: Brett Sawka

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

Tip of the Iceberg E32: Climate change did affect Hurricane Ian Oct 05, 2022

Show notes

Hurricane Ian proved to be a catastrophe, causing several dozen casualties, millions of power outages, and billions of dollars in damage. Based on wind speed, it was one of the five most powerful hurricanes in recorded history to hit the United States. And though there seemed to be some confusion on this point stemming from a viral CNN clip from September 27th, climate change did play a role. Ethan breaks down the story of Hurricane Ian, the ensuing media chaos, and some key takeaways in this week’s “Tip of the Iceberg.”

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

CREDITS

Writers: Ethan Brown, Maddy Schmidt

Fact Checker: Hallie Cordingley

Editor: Megan Antone

Producers: Ethan Brown, Megan Crimmins, Shannon Damiano, Maddy Schmidt

Ad Voiceover: Will Andronico

Music: Brett Sawka

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

101. The Permian Basin Sep 30, 2022

Show notes

A few months ago, The Guardian did a five-month investigation into “carbon bombs,” or fossil fuel projects that would, over the course of their life, emit over one billion tons of carbon. They found that there are 195 planned oil and gas carbon bombs around the world, and if they proceed as planned, these projects alone would blow past internationally agreed upon climate targets. For our fourth deep dive on carbon bombs, we take a look at the Permian Basin: a large region of Western Texas and Southeastern New Mexico home to the highest emitting carbon bomb in the world. The Permian plays a major role in driving global climate change, but is also home to local issues from air and water pollution to land disputes to a struggle since the pandemic to find enough workers to keep the oil and gas industry moving. Today, we explore the issues posed by the oil and gas industry in the Permian Basin, how the region is responding to related climate and economic impacts, and how this region can move forward in a way that maintains the economic successes, but without the environmental costs. With special guest Dr. Joonghyeok Heo: Assistant Professor of Geosciences at the University of Texas Permian Basin.

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

CREDITS

Writers: Hallie Cordingley, Naomi Rubin, Ethan Brown

Fact Checker: Ysabel Wulfing

Editor: Trevor Snow

Producers: Ethan Brown, Megan Crimmins, Shannon Damiano, Maddy Schmidt

Ad Voiceover: Maddy Schmidt

Music: Brett Sawka

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

Tip of the Iceberg E31: Why weren’t we prepared? Sep 28, 2022

Show notes

September has seen a long list of historic extreme weather events, from a record-breaking heat wave in the American west to a storm surge in coastal Alaska to Hurricane Fiona in the Caribbean. While each of these events was a different weather phenomenon affecting different regions, they did share some things in common, chiefly a strain on power grids and an overall lack of preparedness. Ethan breaks down how each of these historic weather events happened, what role climate change likely played in each of them, and what lessons we could take away from this intense month of extreme weather in this week’s “Tip of the Iceberg.”

Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.

CREDITS

Writers: Ethan Brown, Maddy Schmidt

Fact Checker: Hallie Cordingley

Editor: Megan Antone

Producers: Ethan Brown, Megan Crimmins, Shannon Damiano, Maddy Schmidt

Ad Voiceover: Maddy Schmidt

Music: Brett Sawka

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

EPISODE SWAP! “Hazard NJ” Episode 2: America’s Biggest Crime Scene Sep 23, 2022

Show notes

“Hazard NJ” is another environmental podcast from The WNET Group covering Superfund sites in New Jersey. They will be releasing four new episodes this fall to take fresh looks at the relationship between these Superfund sites and climate change, starting on September 28th. We hope you enjoy this episode, and encourage you to subscribe to “Hazard NJ” wherever you get your podcasts.

Our regularly scheduled “Tip of the Iceberg” and “Deep Dive” episodes will resume next week.

About the episode:

The chemical company Diamond Alkali, one of the nations main producers of Agent Orange, spent years dumping chemical waste into the Passaic River and polluting Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood. In the early 80’s, state and federal authorities pledged to clean the mess up but today, nearly 40 years later, toxic mud still lies beneath the water. Now the cleanup is facing a $1.8 billion price tag, an uncertain timeline, and the growing threat that intense storms fueled by climate change could stir the pollution up.

About the show:

New Jersey is home to the largest number of Superfund sites in the country — and while federal cleanup is underway — the bigger threat to them now is climate change. Flooding, fires, and rising sea levels could make life even harder for those who live nearby. Hazard NJ digs through the muck of each contaminated site to give a clearer picture of what the threat is and what it will take to clean it up before it’s too late. Hosted by journalist Jordan Gass-Poore’, produced by NJ Spotlight News.

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