Tag Archives: climate

Rebecca Leber: A Brand New Day

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The New York Times recently compiled a list of 104 environmental protections that the Trump administration has rolled back in four short years — they include major climate policies as well as rules that ensured clean air and water, preserved wildlife, and regulated toxic chemicals. With the election of Joe Biden, however, many are hoping for a dramatic and immediate reversal. This week on Sea Change Radio, we unpack some of the key items on our environmental wishlist for the incoming Biden Administration with Mother Jones reporter Rebecca Leber. We talk about restoring our standing in the world by re-entering the Paris Climate Agreement, look at possible variations of a Green New Deal, and ponder what can be done with or without Democratic control of the Senate.

Holy Smoke! Air Quality Meteorologist Scott Landes

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With record-setting wildfires blanketing large swaths of the Western United States in smoke, we thought it appropriate to speak to someone who knows a thing or two about wildfire smoke. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak to the chief air quality meteorologist for the State of Colorado, Scott Landes, to learn more about the cause of these fires, their harmful effects, and what we can do to protect ourselves.

Adam Sobel: Science In The Eye Of The Hurricane

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It’s summertime! That means county fairs, stone fruit, and hopefully a cool body of water in which to dip one’s toes. Of course, it also means record temperatures and the beginning of hurricane season. Today on Sea Change Radio we are talking weather with Adam Sobel, an atmospheric scientist at Columbia University. We discuss the difference between climate and weather, learn about the importance of accurate forecasts in the age of extreme weather, and dispel some preposterous myths about climate scientists.

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Michael Mann: Agency and Urgency

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Back in 1999, a team of scientists published a graphic depiction reconstructing northern hemisphere temperatures for the previous 1000 years. The steep increase from the 1900s on inspired the scientific community to give this visual a clever nickname: the hockey stick graph. This week on Sea Change Radio, we sit down with Michael Mann, the lead researcher on that study that introduced a generation to the notion of climate change. He is widely published and has received a number of awards, the most recent being the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement in April of 2019. In our conversation, we talk about why academics should bust out of the ivory tower, examine the climate change denial movement, and explore how the adage, “the best defense is a strong offense,” has served him well.

Jeremy Hance: From Bottleneck to Breakthrough

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How do you usually react to the stream of dire warnings about climate change and wildlife extinction? Does it motivate you to do more to make a difference, or does it submerge you into depressed inertia? This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak with environmental journalist Jeremy Hance about his ongoing series for Mongabay which shines an encouraging light on the  future of our planet’s flora and fauna. Hance outlines the Bottleneck-to-Breakthrough theory and looks at the driving factors that may save our species and others from extinction. Who knew that earth science prognostications could actually serve as an antidote to climate change malaise?

Jeremy Lent: Human History and the Climate

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As we move into a new year, and try to square 2017 in our rear view mirrors, it’s an opportune moment to contemplate how we avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, both recent and ancient. This week on Sea Change Radio, we get philosophical with Jeremy Lent, whose new book, The Patterning Instinct seeks to explain what has made us tick as a species over the millennia. Lent and host Alex Wise talk about what the patterning instinct is, what we can learn from these human patterns, and how we can apply them to fight climate change.