The Climate Guru

Brent Probinsky
  • 0.0 (0)
  • NATURE
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Welcome to The Climate Guru podcast. Join Brent as he embarks on a journey to unravel the intricacies of environmentalism, travel, and climate change. In this podcast, he will explore the intersections of sustainability, adventure, and activism through engaging conversations, insightful interviews, and firsthand experiences. Whether you're a seasoned eco-warrior or a curious traveler looking to make a positive impact, Brent's passion and expertise will inspire you to take meaningful action towards a more sustainable future. Tune in as we navigate the global landscape of environmental challenges and discover how each of us can play a role in preserving our planet for generations to come. Join the movement with Brent, The Climate Guru!

  1. FEB 27

    The Climate Guru Ep. 37 - Greenland, Climate Change, and Shared Responsibility

    Greenland is 80% ice and home to 58,000 people, most of them Indigenous Inuit whose communities and culture depend on the stability of Arctic ice. That ice is disappearing at an alarming rate. In this episode, we explore what is happening in Greenland and how global emissions, particularly from the United States, are shaping its future. The U.S. has contributed more cumulative greenhouse gases than any other nation in history, roughly 22% of all emissions still in the atmosphere. Today, it remains the second largest emitter after China, despite representing only a small percentage of the world’s population. Arctic temperatures are rising three to four times faster than the global average due to Arctic amplification. Greenland’s ice sheet is melting seven times faster than it did in the 1990s. Coastal villages are eroding. Infrastructure is collapsing. Fisheries that supply the majority of local income and protein are under threat. Wildlife such as polar bears, walrus, and seals are losing habitat. Oceans are acidifying. Sea levels have already risen about 10 inches globally, and Greenland accounts for a significant share of the ice driven contribution. This episode looks at climate responsibility, Indigenous resilience, Arctic tipping points, and why Greenland’s transformation matters far beyond the Arctic. Climate change is not distant. It is happening now. #ClimateChange #Greenland #Arctic #IndigenousRights #ClimateJustice #GlobalResponsibility

    10 min

  2. FEB 13

    The Climate Guru Ep. 36 - Venezuelan Oil, and the Collapse of One of the World’s Richest Ecosystems

    Hi, this is Brent, the Climate Guru. Venezuela sits on the largest proven oil reserves in the world, even larger than Saudi Arabia, but it’s also home to some of the dirtiest, heaviest crude on the planet. Thick, sulfur-laden oil that must be heated and diluted is only the beginning of the story. Over the last 20 years under the Chavez and Maduro regimes, Venezuela has gone from a major oil producer to an environmental and humanitarian disaster. Oil infrastructure was neglected after international companies were expelled, leading to widespread spills, pollution, and collapsing production. As oil revenues dried up, the government turned to gold mining, allowing thousands of legal and illegal mines to invade the most sensitive ecological regions, including Venezuela’s portion of the Amazon rainforest. Mercury contamination, deforestation, poisoned rivers, and the destruction of national parks are accelerating the loss of biodiversity in one of only 17 mega-diverse countries on Earth. Jaguars, dolphins, rare birds, and endemic species are disappearing as ecosystems unravel. Economic collapse has forced over six million people to flee the country, while wildlife trafficking and bushmeat hunting surge as desperate survival strategies. This podcast breaks down how corruption, resource mismanagement, and environmental neglect are destroying Venezuela’s natural systems, undermining carbon storage in the Amazon, and fueling one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world today. Let’s get into the details.

    17 min

  3. JAN 30

    The Climate Guru Ep. 35 - Planning Ahead: Where to Move to Avoid Climate Change Fall-Out in the US

    In this episode of the Climate Guru, Brent breaks down one of the biggest questions people are asking as climate change accelerates: where is the safest place to live in the United States over the coming decades. Rising temperatures sea level rise stronger storms wildfires drought and water scarcity are already reshaping where communities can safely and sustainably exist. Brent walks through the science behind these risks and explains how different regions of the US are being affected now and what climate scientists project through the end of the century. The conversation explores why some regions are emerging as relative climate havens including the Great Lakes and upper Midwest inland Northern New England and parts of the inland Pacific Northwest. Brent explains what makes these areas more resilient including access to fresh water lower extreme heat risk reduced exposure to hurricanes and sea level rise and fewer wildfire threats. This episode also goes beyond physical climate risks to examine social and economic resilience. Brent discusses why community support infrastructure healthcare housing insurability and economic diversity matter just as much as geography when choosing where to live in a changing climate. You will also hear about regions facing the greatest risk including coastal and Gulf states low lying areas vulnerable to sea level rise regions experiencing extreme heat and humidity and places where insurance markets and local tax bases are already under strain. This is a clear grounded guide for anyone thinking about climate migration long term planning or understanding how climate change will reshape where and how we live. Listen to the full podcast episode or watch the video to learn how climate science geography and social resilience intersect and what to consider when planning for the future.

    10 min

  4. JAN 23

    The Climate Guru Ep. 34 - East Asian Flyway Under Threat

    The East Asian Australasian Flyway is one of the most important bird migration routes on Earth. Every year, more than 50 million migratory birds representing over 200 species travel from the frozen reaches of Alaska and Siberia to Australia and New Zealand. Along the way, they depend on mangroves, mudflats, peatlands, and coastal wetlands across Southeast Asia to rest, feed, and survive the journey. In this episode, Brent the Climate Guru explains why Southeast Asia is a global biodiversity hotspot and a climate stronghold. The region contains roughly one third of the world’s mangroves and nearly forty percent of tropical peatlands, making it one of the most powerful natural carbon storage systems on the planet. The episode explores how shrimp farming, aquaculture, palm oil plantations, coastal development, and land conversion are rapidly destroying these critical ecosystems. These losses are pushing species like the Spoon billed Sandpiper toward extinction and transforming peatlands and mangroves from carbon sinks into major sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Brent also breaks down why Indonesia consistently ranks among the top greenhouse gas emitting countries and how wetland destruction is a major driver. The conversation highlights real world conservation success stories across China, Thailand, and Malaysia that show large scale wetland restoration can work when governments, development banks, and conservation groups act together. This episode is about more than birds. It is about climate stability, biodiversity, and protecting the natural systems that keep carbon out of the atmosphere. Subscribe for more conversations on climate, biodiversity, and environmental justice. Share this episode to help protect the world’s migratory lifelines. #ClimateChange #Biodiversity #Mangroves #Peatlands #Wetlands #MigratoryBirds #EnvironmentalJustice #NatureBasedSolutions

    12 min

  5. JAN 9

    The Climate Guru Ep. 33 - Chaco Canyon Is Not for Sale: The Fight to Stop Oil & Gas Drilling

    Chaco Culture National Historical Park is one of the most important archaeological and cultural sites in North America. Built over a thousand years ago, it was the ceremonial, economic, and administrative heart of the ancient Pueblo world. It remains a sacred ancestral homeland for Pueblo peoples, the Hopi, and the Navajo Nation. Chaco’s massive great houses, some rising five stories high with hundreds of rooms, were engineered with extraordinary precision and aligned to the sun, moon, equinoxes, and solstices. Roads stretched for miles across the high desert, connecting ceremonial centers, trade networks, and communities across the Southwest. Today, Chaco is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest collections of ancestral Native sites in North America. In 2023, the federal government established a 10 mile protective buffer zone around Chaco to prevent oil and gas leasing near this sacred landscape for the next 20 years. The Trump administration, through the Department of the Interior, is now attempting to allow new oil and gas leasing within that protected buffer zone, effectively rolling back the safeguards put in place to protect Chaco and surrounding public lands. This move has sparked strong opposition from tribal leaders and members of Congress, including Melanie Stansbury, who argue that opening the area to drilling would violate the intent of the buffer zone and threaten one of the most sacred Indigenous sites in North America. Tribal leaders have been clear. Chaco Canyon is not for sale. Protecting Chaco is not just about preserving ancient structures. It is about respecting living cultures, sacred landscapes, and thousands of years of Indigenous history that continue to matter today. #ChacoCanyon #ProtectChaco #SacredSites #IndigenousRights #PublicLands #EnvironmentalJustice #NativeAmericanHistory #StopDrilling

    9 min

  6. JAN 2

    The Climate Guru Ep. 32 - Interview with Ashley Schaffer from Friends of the Earth

    In this conversation, Ashley Schaeffer Yildiz discusses the significant impact of factory farming on climate change, public health, and social justice. As the Agriculture and Climate Finance Program Manager at Friends of the Earth, she highlights the role of multilateral development banks in financing industrial livestock production and the urgent need to shift towards sustainable food systems. The discussion covers the environmental consequences of factory farming, case studies of specific projects, and the strategies employed by activists to combat these practices. Ashley emphasizes the importance of community engagement and the potential of agroecology as a solution for a more equitable food system. ‪@FriendsoftheEarthInt‬ Takeaways: Factory farming is a major driver of climate change. Multilateral development banks are funding industrial livestock production. Animal agriculture generates more greenhouse gas emissions than transportation. Factory farms contribute to deforestation and biodiversity loss. Public health is at risk due to factory farming practices. Community engagement is crucial in resisting factory farming. Agroecology offers sustainable solutions for food production. Activism can influence the decisions of financial institutions. The majority of meat and dairy products come from factory farms. There is a growing global movement against factory farming. Keywords: factory farming, climate change, multilateral development banks, environmental justice, sustainable agriculture, animal welfare, food systems, agroecology, social justice, public health

    24 min

  7. 11/28/2025

    The Climate Guru Ep. 31 - Mega Diverse Countries Pt. 2: Madagascar

    Madagascar: A World Apart: The Climate Guru Megadiverse Countries Series Episode 2 Madagascar is one of the most extraordinary places on Earth - a true world apart. In this episode, Brent the Climate Guru explores why this island, separated from Africa by 250 miles of open ocean and millions of years of evolution, has become one of the planet’s most important megadiverse hotspots. With 90% of its species found nowhere else, Madagascar is home to: • Over 100 species of lemurs • Two-thirds of the world’s chameleons • Hundreds of endemic reptiles, frogs, butterflies, insects, and plants • The smallest chameleon on Earth and the giant (now-extinct) elephant bird • Entire ecosystems shaped by isolation, evolution, and deep cultural history We dive into the island’s: • Ancient geologic origins • Unique species and bizarre evolutionary paths • Human arrival and the extinction of giant lemurs & elephant birds • Ongoing threats from poverty-driven deforestation, slash-and-burn farming, and the illegal wildlife trade • The Malagasy people’s blended heritage from Southeast Asia, Oceania, and East Africa • Current conservation efforts - national parks, mangrove restoration, community-led eco-solutions, and global NGO partnerships Despite losing 90% of its forests, Madagascar still holds some of the rarest species and ecosystems left on Earth. This episode highlights both the urgency and the hope: how local communities, scientists, and conservation groups are fighting to protect a place that exists nowhere else in the natural world. 🌍 Watch to learn why protecting Madagascar matters - for biodiversity, for climate resilience, and for the future of irreplaceable life on our planet. #Madagascar #ClimateGuru #Documentary #Biodiversity #ClimateChange #Conservation #MegaDiverseCountries #Lemurs #WildlifeConservation #EnvironmentalEducation #NatureDocumentary

    18 min

  8. 10/31/2025

    The Climate Guru Ep. 30 - Interview with Kimberly Haley-Coleman of Globe Aware

    In this episode, Brent welcomes a truly inspiring guest - Kimberly Haley-Coleman, founder and CEO of Globe Aware, an organization redefining what it means to travel with purpose. Kimberly’s mission is simple yet profound: to make “voluntourism” - the combination of travel and meaningful community service - accessible, sustainable, and life-changing for both volunteers and the local communities they serve. Since 2001, Globe Aware has been helping families and individuals from around the world spend their vacations giving back - whether it’s building fuel-efficient stoves in Peru to combat deforestation, supporting Buddhist communities in Bhutan, or creating safe marketplaces and schools in remote villages. In their conversation, Brent and Kimberly explore: 🌱 The philosophy behind responsible volunteer travel 🏡 How projects are designed to empower local communities rather than disrupt them 💚 The connection between environmental sustainability and cultural understanding ✈️ How travel can open hearts, break stereotypes, and spark real-world change Kimberly also shares beautiful stories from Bhutan, where volunteers are helping build small-scale projects alongside Buddhist monks - and where “Gross National Happiness” replaces GDP as a measure of success. If you’ve ever wondered how to make your travels matter, this episode is a must-listen. #ClimateGuru #GlobeAware #SustainableTravel #Voluntourism #EcoTourism #ClimateAction #CommunityEmpowerment #EnvironmentalEducation #GlobalCitizenship #Bhutan #Peru #TravelWithPurpose

    12 min
See All (37)

About

Welcome to The Climate Guru podcast. Join Brent as he embarks on a journey to unravel the intricacies of environmentalism, travel, and climate change. In this podcast, he will explore the intersections of sustainability, adventure, and activism through engaging conversations, insightful interviews, and firsthand experiences. Whether you're a seasoned eco-warrior or a curious traveler looking to make a positive impact, Brent's passion and expertise will inspire you to take meaningful action towards a more sustainable future. Tune in as we navigate the global landscape of environmental challenges and discover how each of us can play a role in preserving our planet for generations to come. Join the movement with Brent, The Climate Guru!

Information

  • Creator
    Brent Probinsky
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 - The Climate Guru
  • Show Website
    The Climate Guru