WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT?

A show about climate solutions, about what we need to do to address the climate crisis, and how to make those things happen — from changing laws, to electrifying buildings, to improving fashion and media. Each week an expert guest joins host Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson to break it down, delightfully, and help us all envision what getting right on climate looks like, so we can reel that vision into reality.

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Latest Episodes:

Connecting the dots with Stacey Abrams Oct 14, 2024

Show notes

I’ve always been impressed with Stacey Abrams from afar, so when I got an invitation to be directly in conversation with her, I was thrilled. In addition to her political leadership, Abrams is also a small business owner, a New York Times best-selling author, and —something far fewer people know — a champion for clean energy and climate justice.

In 2023, Abrams joined the team at Rewiring America as senior counsel. That’s a great nonprofit dedicated to electrifying our homes, businesses, and communities. If you want to ditch fossil fuels and upgrade to electric (and save money doing it!) their website has all the top tips.

I knew the conversation (during Climate Week NYC) would be interesting, but I had not anticipated that it would also be utterly delightful. Enjoy!

CREDITS: This episode was produced and edited by Nora Saks, and me, Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. And, as always, thanks to my chief of staff and tour producer, Jenisha Shrestha. Big thanks to Stacey Abrams and her team, and to the event’s sponsors: Grist, Rewiring America, Mother Jones, and the Tishman Environment and Design Center at the New School.

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Vote Climate ✅, with Nathaniel Stinnett and Whit Jones Oct 06, 2024

Show notes

The environmental movement has a voter turnout problem: 8 million environmental voters did not vote in the 2020 election. Eight MILLION! In a presidential election decided by thousands of votes. This 2024 election is similarly, stressfully close.

On September 20th, at Bowdoin College (where I teach), I sat down with Whit Jones, founder and executive director of Lead Locally, and Nathaniel Stinnett, founder and executive director of Environmental Voter Projectfor a conversation on climate and voting. We got into it, got nerdy and specific, about: fixing this MASSIVE voter turnout problem, how climate voters can influence policy, election wins we should celebrate, and why local elections matter very, very much.

It would be reckless to be on a book tour in September/October 2024 and not use every event to encourage people to #VoteClimate. So I’m taking Environmental Voter Project and Lead Locally on tour with me, at each stop registering volunteers to help with their worthy efforts. 30 days to go… join us!: getitright.earth/voteclimate

This episode was produced and edited by Nora Saks and me, Ayana, with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Special thanks to Bowdoin college for hosting and producing the event.

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Climate Variety Show 🚀 AKA my book launch with Jason Sudeikis Sep 27, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT?: the podcast! Here, we'll continue exploring answers to the big (huge!) question “What if we get it right?”, beyond what’s in the (New York Times bestselling!!! 😮) book. Our vibe is to take climate seriously, but don't take yourself seriously. Irreverent, nerdy, soulful, goofy.

I’m on a 7-week book tour 🫠 across the USA, and I’m taking you with me: 20 cities, 40 events, each one different. I’ll be in conversation with all sorts of fantastic folks, talking climate and policy and politics and culture. I’ll be sharing the best bits of that here. And perhaps I'll get to meet some of you in person along the tour. Details are here: getitright.earth/tour.

This first episode features excerpts from the book launch Climate Variety Show, which I co-hosted with Jason Sudeikis at the Brooklyn Museum on September 17th. It featured: Roy Wood Jr., Wyatt Cenac, Dr. Kate Marvel, Perrin Ireland, Oshima Brothers, Nicole Cardoza, Hila the Earth, Jacqueline Woodson, Amber Tamblyn, Mamoudou N'Diaye, and nine of the people I interviewed in the book.

It was such a hoot – enjoy!

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