How to Save a Planet

Spotify Podcasts
How to Save a Planet

Climate change. We know. It can feel too overwhelming. But what if there was a show about climate change that left you feeling... energized? One so filled with possibility that you actually wanted to listen? Join us, journalist Alex Blumberg and a crew of climate nerds, as we bring you smart, inspiring stories about the mess we're in and how we can get ourselves out of it. Check out our Calls to Action archive here for all of the actions we've recommended on the show. Send us your ideas or feedback with our Listener Mail Form. And follow us on Twitter and Instagram. How to Save a Planet is reported and produced by Kendra Pierre-Louis, Rachel Waldholz, Anna Ladd, Daniel Ackerman, and Hannah Chinn. Our intern is Nicole Welch. Our supervising producers are Katelyn Bogucki and Lauren Silverman. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Sound design and mixing by Peter Leonard with original music from Peter Leonard and Emma Munger.

  1. 06/10/2022

    Should We Mine the Deep-Sea?

    In the coming years, we'll need millions of batteries: batteries to store renewable electricity and power a massive fleet of electric vehicles. But those batteries will require certain metals, and those metals have to be mined. And the mining industry can be a mess, sometimes associated with deforestation, child labor, and deadly floods of toxic waste. Is there a better way? Today we journey to the bottom of the ocean to find out. Along the way, we discover a massive government conspiracy and meet an adorable octopus. Calls to Action: Keep up to date on deep-sea mining news with the Deep-Sea Mining Observer. Learn more about calls for a moratorium on deep-sea mining with the Deep-Sea Mining Science Statement. Check out the Ocean Forum's Ocean Justice Platform (shout-out to our former co-host, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    48 min

  2. 29/09/2022

    Am I The (Climate) A**hole?

    Have you ever wondered if you were on the right side of an argument about climate change? Or just want to understand what everyday climate battles are worth fighting? A panel of expert climate judges take on the infamous Reddit thread ‘Am I The A**hole’ to issue judgments on climate-themed dilemmas. Along the way, we debate the ethics of roommate spats, office politics, baby showers and personal finances. Guests: Rollie Williams Calls to Action Better understand how much electricity the various appliances in your home are using. Check out this electricity calculator, to tell you how much electricity you’re using and how much it will cost you depending on where you are within the U.S. If you're in the market for a new heat pump, check out this Forbes article to get a better understanding of cost. Check out this video from This Old House to understand how heat pumps work. Also check out The Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency. Check out our Calls to Action archive for all of the actions we've recommended on the show. Send us your ideas or feedback with our Listener Mail Form. Sign up for our newsletter here. And follow us on Twitter and Instagram. This episode was produced by Janae Morris. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Anna Ladd, Kendra Pierre-Louis, Rachel Waldholz, and Daniel Ackerman. Our supervising producer is Matt Shilts. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Our intern is Janae Morris. Sound design and mixing by Hansdale Hsu with original music by Peter Leonard and Emma Munger. Our fact checker for this episode is James Gaines. Special thx to Climate ethicist William Lynn. Thanks to all of you for listening. See you next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    39 min

  3. 22/09/2022

    Presenting: The Carbon Copy – Why Heat Waves Become Deadly

    Today we’re sharing an episode of The Carbon Copy, a climate change podcast produced by Canary Media. The topic is extremely timely: heat waves. This summer saw extreme heat blanketing almost every region of the northern hemisphere. And these heat waves aren’t just uncomfortable or inconvenient. They’re deadly. In most years, extreme heat kills more people in the U.S. than any other weather-related disaster. This episode asks: how can we better prepare for these heat waves? Some of the answers are surprisingly simple–and they could help address problems beyond extreme heat. Check out the rest of the series on Spotify or CanaryMedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    33 min

  4. 15/09/2022

    What are YOU Doing To Tackle Climate Change? Four Stories From Our Listeners

    It’s How to Save a Planet’s second birthday! To celebrate, we’re sharing stories of climate action taken by our very own listeners. We'll hear from a listener who ran for an unexpected office, a grandmother who helped save her county’s recycling program, a mom who was inspired to launch a whole new business, and a group of students who took on one of the biggest oil companies in the world – and won.  Calls to Action: Do your climate action Venn diagram! You can find a template and other resources here. Send us pictures of your Venn diagram – and when you take action, tell us about that too! Check out our Calls to Action archive for all of the actions we've recommended on the show. Send us your ideas or feedback with our Listener Mail Form. Sign up for our newsletter here. And follow us on Twitter and Instagram. This episode of How to Save a Planet was produced by Anna Ladd and Janae Morris. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Kendra Pierre-Louis, Rachel Waldholz, and Daniel Ackerman. Our supervising producer is Matt Shilts. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Our intern is Janae Morris. Sound design and mixing by Hansdale Hsu with original music from Peter Leonard and Emma Munger. Our fact checker for this episode was Claudia Geib. Special thanks to Sarah Seidschlag and Soham Ray. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    43 min

  5. 08/09/2022

    Is My Lawn Bad for the Climate?

    America loves its lawns. Altogether, grass lawns in the U.S. cover an area the size of Georgia. So, what does that mean for the climate? And can we do better? To find out, we’re joined by lawn expert and social ecologist Dr. Peter Groffman. He shares some surprising findings from his 20 years studying lawns and the people who tend them. Plus, we address one listener's pet peeve: artificial turf. And we share tips on how to make your yard as climate-friendly as possible. Calls to Action: 1. Check out the Guide to Passing Wildlife-Friendly Property Maintenance Ordinances from the National Wildlife Federation. 2. Ready to tear out your grass lawn? Your state’s university extension service or a local non-profit probably have tips. See examples here from Maryland and Colorado. Check out our Calls to Action archive for all of the actions we've recommended on the show. Send us your ideas or feedback with our Listener Mail Form. Sign up for our newsletter here. And follow us on Twitter and Instagram. This episode of How to Save a Planet was produced by Daniel Ackerman. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Kendra Pierre-Louis, Anna Ladd, and Rachel Waldholz. Our supervising producer is Matt Shilts. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Our intern is Janae Morris. Sound design and mixing by Peter Leonard with original music from Peter Leonard and Emma Munger. Our fact checker for this episode was Claudia Geib. Special thanks to Dr. Cristina Milesi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    28 min

  6. 01/09/2022

    Climate Change is Driving Migration. Could Smarter Ag Help?

    In recent years more and more people from Central America have tried to emigrate north to Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Many leave home not because they want to, but because they have to: Droughts, brought on by climate change, have forced many to choose between staying home – and risking starvation – or migrating. But a different way of farming could change that calculus. We look at how climate change is driving immigration, and how climate smart agriculture could help families stay on their land. Learn more about the work that Catholic Relief Services is doing on climate smart ag. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    40 min

  7. 25/08/2022

    Presenting: Catalyst - Solar Geoengineering: Is It Worth the Risk?

    Today we’re sharing an episode of Catalyst, a podcast hosted by Shayle Kann and produced by Canary Media. The topic is a controversial one: solar geoengineering — the idea that we can quickly cool the planet by blocking a small amount of sunlight from reaching Earth. Doing so could have uncertain ripple effects throughout the world’s ecosystems, so very few climate scientists advocate solar geoengineering. Still, learning about these ideas reminds us, for better or worse, how much power we humans have to radically reshape life on Earth. This episode dives into the science and ethics of it all. Check out the rest of the series on Spotify or canarymedia.com Check out our Calls to Action archive for all of the actions we've recommended on the show. Send us your ideas or feedback with our Listener Mail Form. Sign up for our newsletter here. And follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    49 min

  8. 18/08/2022

    Make Biking Cool (Again)!

    Work. School. The grocery store. We all need to get somewhere. But how we get there has huge implications for the climate. In the United States, transportation - mainly from cars - makes up roughly a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions. It's true, Electric vehicles help reduce emissions. But experts say that to truly give the climate (and humanity) a chance, we need fewer people reliant on cars of any kind. And that means using alternatives like mass transit, walking, and bicycles. But for a long time in the United States, cycling has gotten a bad rep. They're seen as toys and recreation - not transportation. So, we take a look at how cycling developed its dorky reputation. And, then, we counter it with some propaganda of our own. Because bicycling is not just better for the planet, it's fun, and freeing, and accessible for way more people than you might think.  If you like Peter's jingle from the episode, you can download it here. Guests Justin Gonzalez, Bike New York Chantal Hardy,Bike New York     Louis Quinones, Bike New York    Peter Leonard, Gimlet/Spotify   April Streeter, Author, Women on Wheels: The Scandalous Untold Histories of Women in Bicycling Anders Swanson, Plain Bicycle Project  Anna Zivarts, Disability Rights Washington Calls to Action: Go for a bike ride. if it's been awhile since you've ridden a bike, go ride a bike - it's ok to take it slow. If you can't ride a bike, Learn to Ride A Bike. In the United States,  The League of American Cyclists has resources on where you can find classes. Bike shops and a quick search through your favorite search engine are also great ways to find classes. For people with disabilities, iCan Bike an offshoot of the nonprofit iCanShine offers 5 day bike camps around the United States. If you're willing to try on your own, Bicycling Magazine has a guide. Push for better bike infrastructure. People for Bikes has an online "Advocacy Academy," on about on how to advocate for better bike infrastructure. The whole series is worth watching but we especially want to highlight two videos: Making a Better Bike Lane and Slow Streets are Safe Streets. The League of American Cyclists also has advocacy tools, Bicycling magazine also published this advocacy guide. Dig into your auto club. If you have an auto club membership, like AAA, make sure they are supporting cycling. According to news reports AAA has lobbied against public transit and cycling infrastructure. If you're a member, reach out to let them know you're pro cycling. If you're looking to jump ship altogether - there are alternatives. You can try contacting your auto insurance for roadside assistance or try a third party like Better World Club. They, like AAA, also offer roadside assistance for bikes. Further Reading and Listening The nonprofit AdaptAbility works to get adaptive bicycles in the hands of people with disabilities who could not otherwise afford them. The National Association of Transportation Officials has a guide on designing bicycle infrastructure for all ages and abilities.  If you take an action we recommend in one of our episodes, do us a favor and tell us about it! We’d love to hear how it went. Record a short voice memo on your phone and send it to us via our Listener Mail Form.  We might use it in an upcoming episode. You can find all the actions we’ve recommended on our show here! How to Save a Planet is a Spotify original podcast and Gimlet production. It's hosted by Alex Blumberg, and this week by me, Kendra Pierre-Louis. This episode was produced by Kendra Pierre-Louis. The rest of our reporting and producing team includesDaniel Ackerman, Anna Ladd, and Rachel Waldholz. Our supervising producer is Matt Shilts. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Our intern is Janae Morris. Sound design and mixing by Hansdale Hsu(“she”)with original music by Peter Leonard, and Emma Munger. Our fact checker this episode is James Gaines.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    43 min
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4.8
out of 5
78 Ratings

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Climate change. We know. It can feel too overwhelming. But what if there was a show about climate change that left you feeling... energized? One so filled with possibility that you actually wanted to listen? Join us, journalist Alex Blumberg and a crew of climate nerds, as we bring you smart, inspiring stories about the mess we're in and how we can get ourselves out of it. Check out our Calls to Action archive here for all of the actions we've recommended on the show. Send us your ideas or feedback with our Listener Mail Form. And follow us on Twitter and Instagram. How to Save a Planet is reported and produced by Kendra Pierre-Louis, Rachel Waldholz, Anna Ladd, Daniel Ackerman, and Hannah Chinn. Our intern is Nicole Welch. Our supervising producers are Katelyn Bogucki and Lauren Silverman. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Sound design and mixing by Peter Leonard with original music from Peter Leonard and Emma Munger.

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