Alex Blumberg

Shows

Episodes

  1. Electrify This!

    01/06/2022

    Electrify This!

    We asked for your weirdest alternative energy ideas, and you delivered. This week, Alex — plus climate journalists and experts Brian Kahn and Amelia Urry — vet some wacky new ways we could power our planet in the future. Join us as we assess the good, the bad, and the viable… in our very first HTSAP game show. Oregon State University's wave energy testing site The Detroit Zoo’s biodigester updates (plus, this NPR segment on the Brooklyn wastewater treatment site Alex mentioned, and the EPA’s list of far digester projects) Adam Boesel’s Green Microgym initiative Miguel Wattson on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  2. Feeling Doomed? How to Tackle Climate Anxiety

    05/12/2022

    Feeling Doomed? How to Tackle Climate Anxiety

    “We’re all doomed.” If you’ve ever thought this to yourself while looking down at the remnants of your paper straw floating in your plastic coffee cup (just me?), you may be experiencing climate anxiety. Climate feelings, like anxiety and grief, are on the rise all over the world. And researcher Britt Wray started feeling them herself when she was newly married and started thinking about having children. So she started to study these feelings to learn more about the roots of her climate anxiety, how common it was, and why learning to cope with it is an important step towards taking climate action. Guest: Britt Wray Calls to Action If you’re looking for climate related mental health treatment, the Climate Psychology Alliance has a directory of climate-aware therapists in North America and the UK If you’re looking to connect with others over climate anxiety, check out some Climate Cafe directories here and here, or search “my city + climate cafe” to find one near you. If you want to host your own Climate Cafe, here’s a discussion guide. The Good Grief Network and Climate Awakening also host virtual ways to connect. If you want to try some of the mindfulness techniques that Britt mentioned as a way of stretching your window of tolerance, check out the Free Mindfulness Project and Headspace If you want to check out Britt’s work on climate anxiety, you can subscribe to her substack Gen Dread or check out her book Generation Dread 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. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Kendra Pierre-Louis, Rachel Waldholz, Daniel Ackerman, Hannah Chinn, and Meg Driscoll. Our supervising producers are Katelyn Bogucki and Matt Shilts. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Sound design and mixing by Peter Leonard with original music from Peter Leonard and Emma Munger. Our fact checker for this episode was Stephanie Abramson.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  3. Episode 124: Alex Blumberg

    01/14/2015

    Episode 124: Alex Blumberg

    Alex Blumberg is a former producer for This American Life and Planet Money. Last year he founded Gimlet Media, a podcast network, and hosts its first show, StartUp. “When someone starts talking about something difficult, when they get unexpectedly emotional, your normal human reaction is to sort of comfort and steer away. To say, ‘Oh I’m sorry, let’s move on.’ What you need to do, if you want good tape, is to say, ‘Talk more about how you’re feeling right now.’ It feels like a horrible question to ask. It feels like you're going against your every instinct as a decent human being to go toward the pain that this person is experiencing.” Thanks to TinyLetter, Lynda and Alarm Grid for sponsoring this week's episode. Show Notes: @abexlumberg gimletmedia.com Blumberg’s archive on This American Life [2:00] Longform on Reply All #7: This Website Is For Sale [2:00] Longform Podcast #23: Starlee Kine [4:00] "Company Eight" (Matthew Pearl • The Atavist • Jan 2015) [20:00] "91: 33 Million Dollar Box" (This American Life • Jan 1998) [20:00] "115: First DayFirst Day" (This American Life • Nov 1998) [27:00] "236: Stock Making Sense" (This American Life • Apr 2003) [30:00] "355: The Giant Pool of Money" (This American Life • May 2008) [34:00] "365: The Day The Market Died" (This American Life • Oct 2008) [36:00] StartUp Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  4. Introducing How to Save a Planet

    Trailer

    Introducing How to Save a Planet

    Does climate change freak you out? Want to know what we, collectively, can do about it? Us too. How to Save a Planet is a podcast that asks the big questions: what do we need to do to solve the climate crisis, and how do we get it done?  Join us, journalist Alex Blumberg and scientist and policy nerd Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, as we scour the Earth for solutions, talk to people who are making a difference, ask hard questions, crack dumb jokes and — episode by episode — figure out how to build the future we want. Check out our Calls to Action archive here for all of the actions we 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 and Anna Ladd. Our supervising producer is Lauren Silverman. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Sound design and mixing by Peter Leonard with original music from Peter Leonard and Emma Munger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  5. The Evangelical Christians Taking On Climate Change

    12/09/2021

    The Evangelical Christians Taking On Climate Change

    In public opinion polls, one group of Americans stand out, telling researchers they are particularly skeptical about climate change: white Evangelical Christians. That skepticism has had a major influence on American politics and policy. So how do we bring more people of faith into the climate movement? We talk to a Christian climate scientist about how she became a climate skeptic whisperer, by convincing others not only that climate change is real, but that taking action should be central to their faith. We also talk to a young Evangelical who shares what it’s like to come to believe in climate change...and have to tell your parents. Guests: Katharine Hayhoe, Chief Scientist at The Nature Conservancy, Abigail Zoccola Calls to Action If you’re a Christian listener and you want to bring the conversation about climate change to your church, check out these resources and a bible study from YECA, as well as Katharine Hayhoe’s website Check out Katharine Hayhoe’s new book, Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World Abigail recommends reading Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home by Pope Francis, and Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer Check out our episode Trying to Talk to Your Family About Climate Change? Here’s How. for tips on having conversations with people you disagree with 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. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Kendra Pierre-Louis, Rachel Waldholz, and Hannah Chinn. Our supervising producer is Lauren Silverman. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Our intern is Nicole Welch. Sound design and mixing by Peter Leonard and Lonnie Ro with original music from Emma Munger. Our fact checker for this episode was James Gaines. Special thanks to Kyle Meyaard-Schaap and Tori Goebel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  6. Is Biden’s Jobs Plan a ‘Skinny Green New Deal’?

    05/13/2021

    Is Biden’s Jobs Plan a ‘Skinny Green New Deal’?

    The Biden Administration's American Jobs Plan is billed as an "infrastructure" package. But it's also something else: the most ambitious climate plan a U.S. president has ever proposed. So what's in it? And how can we make sure this plan avoids the fate of the last big climate bill (hint: it didn’t go well)? We talk to an architect of the Green New Deal and one of our favorite energy policy experts — and then Alex and Ayana make a terrifying phone call. Guests: Leah Stokes, Julian Brave NoiseCat Take Action: Call your members of Congress! As Ayana says, this is "a once in a lifetime opportunity to pass comprehensive, ambitious federal climate policy.” And as Dr. Leah Stokes said in our episode, now is the time! So call your members of Congress! If Alex and Ayana can do it, so can you! Don’t know who your member of Congress is? No problem! You can find out who your representative is here: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative  This site has information on your senators: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm  You’ll find phone numbers for members’ D.C. offices on their websites — or just call the Capitol switchboard! They can connect you directly with the office of your representative or senator: (202) 224-3121 Tips for calling: Make a plan! Jot down some notes to remember what you want to say. Introduce yourself and tell them you’re a constituent! Let them know that you’re a voter in their district — and your opinion matters. Tell them why you’re calling: It’s crucial that Congress take serious action on climate change this year to meet the U.S. target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030. Ask for something specific! Maybe: I’m really excited about the American Jobs Plan, and I think it’s really important to pass a strong clean electricity standard to get us on the path to 100% clean power / I love the idea of a Civilian Climate Corps and Congress should fully fund it / It’s really important to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles / Choose your own climate priority! Maybe it’s kelp farming... Leave your contact information. That’s it! You did it! Learn More Want to learn more about the American Jobs Plan? You can find the White House fact sheet here. Want to learn more about clean electricity standards? Our guest this week, Dr. Leah Stokes, laid out her vision along with Sam Ricketts of Evergreen Action in a Vox article: This popular and proven climate policy should be at the top of Congress’s to-do list: The case for a national clean electricity standard. You can find their full report advocating for a national clean electricity standard here: A Roadmap to 100% Clean Electricity by 2035 . And you can hear more from Leah on her podcast, A Matter of Degrees. We also talked about the clean electricity standard in Party Like It’s 2035. Want to learn more about the Green New Deal? We told the story of the Green New Deal in our episodes How 2020 Became a Climate Election and The Green Wave. 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 and what it felt like. 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. Check out our Calls to Action archive for all of the actions we've recommended on the show. Sign up for our newsletter here. And follow us on Twitter and Instagram. This episode of How to Save a Planet was produced by Rachel Waldholz. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Kendra Pierre-Louis and Anna Ladd. Our intern is Ayo Oti. Our senior producer is Lauren Silverman. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Sound design and mixing by Peter Leonard with original music from Emma Munger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  7. Sacrifice Zones: ProPublica Takes Us Inside America’s Toxic Hotspots

    04/28/2022

    Sacrifice Zones: ProPublica Takes Us Inside America’s Toxic Hotspots

    All across the United States, industrial polluters are emitting toxic air... and people who live near those polluters are breathing it in. Kendra spoke to journalists from investigative newsroom ProPublica about the communities most affected by carcinogenic air pollution, often referred to as “sacrifice zones”: where they are, why they matter, and how you can find out if you and your loved ones are living in one. Guests: Al Shaw, Maya Miller, John Beard Jr. Calls to Action: If you want to learn more about Propublica’s series and the sacrifice zones they studied, you can see the entire project on their site here. If you’re interested in finding out whether the place YOU live is on ProPublica’s map, you can see that, too— just search this map by address, city, or zipcode, and see the industrial pollution risks in your area.  The EPA data that Propublica’s investigative team used when they made the site is from the Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators model. You can check it out for yourself here. Finally, if you’re interested in going beyond just industrial pollution, Al recommends looking at a database called the National Air Toxics Assessment, put out by the EPA. 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 Hannah Chinn. Our star moderator, is Kendra Pierre-Louis. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Anna Ladd, Rachel Waldholz, Daniel Ackerman, and Meg Driscoll. Our supervising producer is Katelyn Bogucki. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Our fact checker for this episode is James Gaines. Sound design and mixing by Peter Leonard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  8. The Fight to Stop Oil Pipelines: "For Water. For Treaties. For Climate."

    04/15/2021

    The Fight to Stop Oil Pipelines: "For Water. For Treaties. For Climate."

    This week, we’re talking about oil pipelines. From the fight against Keystone XL to Standing Rock, pipeline protests have been central to the climate movement in the U.S. But they’ve always been about more than just the climate -- they’ve also been a battle for Indigenous rights, demanding that Native American people and Tribes should have a say over what happens in their historic territories. This week, we look back at how pipeline protests have transformed climate activism in the U.S., and we go to the front lines of the latest protests, where organizers are fighting, in their words, “For water. For treaties. For climate.” Guests: Melina Laboucan-Massimo, Joye Braun, Jenni Monet, Jamie Henn and Tara Houska. Learn More For more about Tara and her work, you can:  Check out the Giniw Collective on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram  Watch Tara’s TED Talk: The Standing Rock resistance and our fight for Indigenous rights You can find more information, including ways to get involved from home, here: https://linktr.ee/stopline3 You can find out about the divestment campaign aimed at companies that fund fossil fuel infrastructure here: https://stopthemoneypipeline.com/  Further Reading You can read or listen to Tara’s essay in the anthology co-edited by Ayana, All We Can Save Check out the ongoing reporting on Line 3 from Minnesota Public Radio and Indian Country Today. There’s also great reporting from The Guardian, and Emily Atkin at Heated. Read Louise Erdrich’s essay about Line 3 in The New York Times 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 Rachel Waldholz. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Kendra Pierre-Louis and Anna Ladd. Our intern is Ayo Oti. Our senior producer is Lauren Silverman. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Sound design and mixing by Peter Leonard with original music from Emma Munger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  9. Presenting: Science Vs. Joe Rogan: The Malone Interview

    02/11/2022

    Presenting: Science Vs. Joe Rogan: The Malone Interview

    Today, we’re sharing an episode from another Gimlet Media podcast, Science Vs. This episode fact-checks some claims made in a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience, featuring Dr. Robert Malone. As you may know, this episode has caused an uproar: Many scientists have called out the show for spreading false information about the Covid-19 vaccines and some 270 scientists and medical professionals called on Spotify (our employer!) to adopt better policies to mitigate misinformation. Our colleagues at Science Vs jumped in to, in their words, “fact check the bejesus out of it.” This issue is close to home for us at How to Save a Planet because, as a podcast about climate change, we’re acutely aware of the impact of false information and misinformation in muddying the waters and confusing the public – for instance, about climate science. So we’re proud to share this episode from our colleagues, which not only digs into some of the claims made in the Malone interview, but also zooms out to talk about the bigger picture: how misinformation works, and what to watch for if you’re worried about getting sucked in by false information online.  It’s also just a great, informative, fun listen. We hope you enjoy it, and we’ll be back next week with a new episode of How to Save a Planet.  You can check out more episodes of Science Vs. for free on Spotify. You can also find the full transcript of this show, including footnotes listing all the studies cited in the episode, here. UPDATE 2/11/22: When Science Vs first published this episode, they said that in more than 60 papers they'd gone through, they'd found only one reported case of someone dying from myocarditis after a Covid-19 vaccine. Some listeners questioned this, and they re-checked their work and found several more deaths. The episode has been updated — and thanks to the listeners who picked this up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  10. Mind Your Mines: The Push to Make Mining Safer and Cleaner

    03/24/2022

    Mind Your Mines: The Push to Make Mining Safer and Cleaner

    To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, we need to stop digging up fossil fuels. But the switch to renewables doesn’t mean we stop digging altogether. Wind turbines contain literal tons of copper and iron. Batteries for electric vehicles contain lithium, cobalt and nickel. All those materials come out of the ground—and we need to dig up more of them to power the switch to renewables. In other words, we need more mining. But mines can wreak havoc on the environment and on communities living nearby. One group of unlikely allies is trying to change that. Today on the show: the global push to make mining cleaner and safer. Guests: Aimee Boulanger, Executive Director of the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance Nuskmata, Land Defender, Nuxalk and Secwepemc Nations Jon Samuel, Global Head of Responsible Business Partnerships at Anglo American Jessica Duran, Social Responsibility Coordinator for Carrizal Mining The U.S. Department of the Interior is working to strengthen mining regulations. In the coming months, you can provide public comment on these efforts and make your voice heard! Check out this map of mines—past, present and proposed—from the U.S. Geological Survey. So many mines! 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 a Spotify original podcast and Gimlet production hosted by Alex Blumberg. This episode was produced by Daniel Ackerman. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Kendra Pierre-Louis, Rachel Waldholz, Anna Ladd and Hannah Chinn. Our supervising producer is Katelyn Bogucki. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Our intern is Nicole Welch. Sound design and mixing by Peter Leonard, with original music by Peter Leonard and Emma Munger. Our fact checker for this episode is Claudia Geib. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  11. The Tragedy Expert

    04/08/2019

    The Tragedy Expert

    In the days after September 11, 2001, Kenneth Feinberg took on an unenviable task. Congress had created the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, and it was his job to figure out who should receive money and how much they should get. But much of his time was spent doing something else: listening to people’s stories. Nearly two decades later, he’s still the person we turn to in the wake of our worst catastrophes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  12. Golden State Warrior Andre Iguodala

    10/29/2018

    Golden State Warrior Andre Iguodala

    NBA player Andre Iguodala plays for one of the most dominant teams in the league, the Golden State Warriors. Before that, he was the number one option for the Philadelphia 76ers. Andre talks with Alex about playing for a team where everyone loves you...and what it’s like when they don’t. He says what he really thinks about teammate Steph Curry, and Andre answers an age-old question: are sports really a metaphor for life? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

    08/25/2022

    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

  14. Presenting: Windfall

    09/30/2021

    Presenting: Windfall

    Offshore wind’s potential in the United States — both as a renewable resource and as a job creation tool — is enormous. But the sector’s current reality is tiny. There are just seven wind turbines operating off the coast of the US. The few attempts to build large scale wind farms on par with those in Europe have run into long delays. And yet, now, after decades of political gridlock, the U.S. is picking up speed on plans to install thousands of wind turbines off the Atlantic coast. The story of this exciting turning point is being told by our friends at the podcast Outside/In from New Hampshire Public Radio. We’re sharing the first episode of their series, Windfall, which looks at the early stages of what it's like to build a massive new green energy industry.  Check out the rest of Windfall, from Outside/In on Spotify or wherever you listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  15. Introducing Michelle Obama and Her Mentees

    09/15/2020

    Introducing Michelle Obama and Her Mentees

    What's it like to have Michelle Obama as your mentor? In this preview of The Michelle Obama Podcast, she sits down with some of her mentees to talk about the fear of failure, working in the White House and what it's like to be a Black woman in the workplace. Listen to the rest at spotify.com/themichelleobamapodcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  16. The 32 Seconds that Changed This Mayor’s Life

    11/18/2019

    The 32 Seconds that Changed This Mayor’s Life

    Normally, being the mayor of Dayton, Ohio, means paying attention to everyday issues, from garbage pickups to municipal budgets. But in the early morning hours of August 4, 2019, a gunman opened fire at a downtown bar in the city, and Nan Whaley’s role as mayor immediately shifted. She found herself thrust into the national spotlight as all eyes turned to Dayton. And it wasn't long before she was face-to-face with President Donald Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  17. How We Got our Grid and How We Get a Better One

    09/16/2021

    How We Got our Grid and How We Get a Better One

    Wind and solar are now some of the cheapest ways to make electricity. So, what’s standing in the way of using more of these renewable energies? One of the biggest barriers is something all around us that we rarely notice – our electricity grid. Not just the wires and technology that make up the grid, but also the people and institutions that run it. In this episode we talk with anthropologist Gretchen Bakke, author of The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and our Energy Future, about how we got our grid, and how we get a better one. Guests: Gretchen Bakke, anthropologist and author of The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and our Energy Future Call to Action The infrastructure bill has $73 billion proposed to update our electricity grid so that it will be ready for more renewable energy. Let your legislators know that you think it’s important! Visit call4climate.com for more information and a script to help you with the call. Learn More Check out Gretchen Bakke’s book The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and our Energy Future – here’s an excerpt Check out the Edison Tech Center’s tour through the history of light Read this article on the War of the Currents between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla Read this report on grid resilience in the transition to renewables Read this post to learn more about microgrids Greetings Earthlings, Ayana here.  Big, melancholy news: Next week will be my last week co-hosting How to Save a Planet. [weeping emoji] Gosh will I miss this show and this crew of ace folks who make it. Over the past few months, you might have noticed Alex hosting more episodes solo while I was away working on other projects. Turns out I’m a human not a robot, and that I can’t do everything all at once –speaking of not sustainable! Alas. So after one glorious year of co-hosting, it’s time for me to write the solo book I failed to write last year, and (while we have a window of opportunity for federal policy change) to spend more time nerding out on ocean climate policy work with Urban Ocean Lab. (Shoutout to our Blue New Deal episode, my second favorite!) So stay tuned while I go hibernate, emerging periodically to make it rain policy memos. Most importantly, the show must and will go on! Alex, Kendra, Rachel, Anna, Caitlin, Lauren, Peter and the rest of the team will keep bringing you deep takes, spicy climate facts, and charmingly awkward moments. Tune in next week for my grand finale as co-host – about why gender equality is critical to addressing the climate crisis. Hellooooo All We Can Save and guest co-host Dr. Katharine Wilkinson. Also, I hear there’s a montage of some of the most absurd things I’ve said on mic over the last year… Shoutout to Alex for being like “Yeah, sure, person I just met, I’ll create a climate podcast with you, ya weirdo. Let’s take this convo to the whiteboard.” Thank you, each of you, for listening. Y’all warm my weary heart. And definitely keep listening because I still have access to the spreadsheet with all the plans for future episodes, and let me tell you, there is some extremely good content coming your way.  I miss you already! xo Ayana Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  18. Is My Lawn Bad for the Climate?

    09/08/2022

    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

  19. Kelp Farming, for the Climate

    03/31/2022

    Kelp Farming, for the Climate

    Seaweed and giant kelp are sometimes called “the sequoias of the sea.” Yet at a time when so many people are talking about climate solutions and reforestation — there aren’t nearly enough people talking about how the ocean can be part of that. In part one of our two-part series, we go out on the water to see how seaweed can play a role in addressing climate change, and how a fisherman named Bren Smith became kelp’s unlikely evangelist. (This episode originally aired Feb 18, 2021.) Calls to action:  Check out Bren Smith's book, “Eat Like a Fish.” A simple and direct way to help kelp farmers like Bren is to support GreenWave’s work, whose team is building 10 reefs and sponsoring 500 farms in the next five years. Want to start your own hatchery, farm, or underwater garden? Check out the University of Connecticut and Ocean Approved manuals and GreenWave’s Regenerative Ocean Farming toolkit.  Finally, 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 and what it felt like. Record a short voice memo on your phone and send it to us at howtosaveaplanet@spotify.com. We might use it in an upcoming episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  20. Presenting: The Journal - Shein Took Over Fast Fashion. Then Came the Backlash.

    08/04/2022

    Presenting: The Journal - Shein Took Over Fast Fashion. Then Came the Backlash.

    WSJ’s Fashion Director Rory Satran explains how Shein-- now valued at $100 billion-- rose to dominate the fast-fashion industry via social media, and why it's now facing intense criticism from sustainable shoppers. To learn more about the climate impacts of fast fashion and ways to mitigate them, be sure to check out our episode Fast Fashion’s Dirty Little Secret (Hint: It’s Oil). 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

Alex Blumberg on Apple