The Sweaty Penguin

Latest Episodes:

Tip of the Iceberg E26: The Inflation Reduction Act Aug 10, 2022

Show notes

Last weekend, the Inflation Reduction Act passed the Senate in a 51 to 50 vote. The bill would invest an estimated 369 billion dollars into climate change and energy security over the next ten years. Ethan breaks down what the bill aims to do and what climate change and inflation (in theory) have to do with each other 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

Fact Checker: Isabel Plower

Editor: Will Andronico

Producers: Ethan Brown, Shannon Damiano

Ad Voiceover: Shannon Damiano

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.

95. The Haynesville Shale Aug 05, 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. One project site is the Haynesville Shale: a sedimentary gas play that lies more than 10,000 feet underground in parts of northwestern Louisiana, southwestern Arkansas, and eastern Texas. Given how far underground it is, the Haynesville Shale never became popular until the fracking boom in 2008. Now, it accounts for almost 13% of natural gas production in the United States. But for all the prosperity Haynesville brought to the region, it also has brought a number of climate, water, health, and justice challenges. Today, we explore why the Haynesville Shale is so special, what issues it has exacerbated, and what a fair and sensible path forward might look like for this significant fossil fuel site. With special guest Keith Hall: Nesser Family Chair in Energy Law at Louisiana State University.

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

CREDITS

Writers: Isabel Plower, Maddy Schmidt, Ethan Brown

Editor: Will Andronico

Producers: Ethan Brown, Shannon Damiano

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.

Tip of the Iceberg E25: Did the UN's newest human right go unnoticed? Aug 03, 2022

Show notes

Among a flurry of major climate news stories last week, one really big one failed to make front page news. The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution declaring that access to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is a universal human right. Ethan breaks down the significance of this resolution and considers the impact of this odd lack of news coverage 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

Fact Checker: Isabel Plower

Editor: Will Andronico

Producers: Ethan Brown, Shannon Damiano

Ad Voiceover: Shannon Damiano

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.

94. Skiing Jul 29, 2022

Show notes

Skiing is a really popular sport around the world, with 6,116 ski resorts worldwide. In the United States, ski and snowboarding resorts are a 3 billion dollar industry. But due to climate change, winters are getting shorter and many regions are feeling a reduction in snowfall, putting ski resorts in a tricky situation. Artificial snowmaking has served as the primary adaptation for the time being, but this process requires massive amounts of energy, water, and money, which lead many to suggest it may not be a viable solution long-term. Today, we explore why climate change affects the ski industry, where snowmaking has presented challenges, and what the future of the ski industry can look like. With special guest Dr. Daniel Scott: Professor of Geography and Environmental Management at the University of Waterloo.

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, Shannon Damiano, Maxwell Pociask, Ethan Brown

Editor: Will Andronico

Producers: Ethan Brown, Shannon Damiano

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.

Tip of the Iceberg E24: Plankton, weather, and national emergency myth-busting Jul 27, 2022

Show notes

Last week saw a list of climate misconceptions floating around the Internet, including a story that 90% of Atlantic Ocean plankton had disappeared, a suggestion that a national emergency on climate would lead the country back into lockdown, text from a 1922 Washington Post article on ice loss in the Arctic, and the idea that this summer’s heat waves have been nothing out of the ordinary. Ethan breaks down why all of these myths are dead wrong 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, Shannon Damiano, Maxwell Pociask, Naomi Rubin, Maddy Schmidt

Fact Checker: Hallie Cordingley

Editor: Will Andronico

Producers: Ethan Brown, Shannon Damiano

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.

93. Almonds Jul 22, 2022

Show notes

Almonds have become the world’s most popular nut, and with almond milk on the rise, that demand is only expected to grow. But 80% of the world’s almonds are grown in California, where drought, climate change, and the loss of honeybees have made it increasingly difficult for the industry to keep up. Today, we explore the relationship between almonds and their environment and consider how this important crop can become more sustainable and resilient in the coming decades. With special guest Dr. Alissa Kendall: Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Davis.

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

Editor: Will Andronico

Producers: Ethan Brown, Shannon Damiano

Ad Voiceover: Naomi Rubin

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 E23: Fun in the Sun? Really?? Jul 20, 2022

Show notes

July heat waves have persisted all over the world, leading to health issues, casualties, and a slew of other issues. The media is covering these events, but are they taking them seriously enough? Are they identifying the links to climate change? Ethan breaks down some analyses from Media Matters and Columbia Journalism Review and contemplates where the news may be falling short 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, Maxwell Pociask

Fact Checker: Hallie Cordingley

Editor: Will Andronico

Producers: Ethan Brown, Shannon Damiano

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.

92. The Ghawar Oil Field Jul 15, 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. Six of those projects are at the Ghawar Oil Field: a site in Saudi Arabia that is considered the largest oil field in the world. This region is home to the government-owned fossil fuel giant Saudi Aramco, but it is also one of the most climate vulnerable regions in the world. Saudi Arabia is now grappling with the question of how to stay relevant in global energy markets as the world transitions toward clean energy and their country is on track to be too hot to inhabit by 2070. Today, we explore what makes the Ghawar Oil Field so lucrative, what environmental and economic challenges face the region, and some possibilities for Saudi Arabia’s energy future. With special guest Dr. Dan Rabinowitz: Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Tel Aviv University.

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

CREDITS

Writers: Isabel Plower, Maddy Schmidt, Ethan Brown

Editor: Will Andronico

Producers: Ethan Brown, Shannon Damiano

Ad Voiceover: Maxwell Pociask

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 E22: Is this TikTok conspiracy, weirdly, a step forward? Jul 13, 2022

Show notes

Last week, 50,000 people in and around Sydney, Australia were ordered to evacuate their homes as eight months worth of rain hit the region in about four days. The magnitude of this flood prompted a TikTok conspiracy theory that the Australian government was controlling the weather via a process called cloud seeding. Ethan breaks down why cloud seeding can’t really drive a flood of this magnitude, how climate change played into the flood, and the significance of the fact that the general public is thinking about the weather in new (if inaccurate) ways 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, Shannon Damiano, Maxwell Pociask, Naomi Rubin, Maddy Schmidt

Fact Checker: Isabel Plower

Editor: Will Andronico

Producers: Ethan Brown, Shannon Damiano

Ad Voiceover: Naomi Rubin

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.

91. Bees Jul 08, 2022

Show notes

The United States has seen numerous waves of lost honeybee colonies in the last few decades, most recently between April 2020 and April 2021 where beekeepers in the United States lost 45.5 percent of their managed honeybee colonies. Bees are facing numerous threats from pesticides, infestations, climate change, and more, and these population declines have a major impact on the agriculture sector, environment, and overall economy. Today, we explore what challenges bees face, why they matter, and how we can better conserve bees moving forward. With special guest Dr. Christina Grozinger, Vergilius Maro Professor of Entomology at Pennsylvania State University.

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

CREDITS

Writers: Dain Kim, Megan Crimmins, Maxwell Pociask, Ethan Brown

Editor: Will Andronico

Producers: Ethan Brown, Megan Crimmins, Shannon Damiano

Ad Voiceover: Maxwell Pociask

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.

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