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We're in a massive climate crisis, but it's hard to think about it, isn't it? It's a great temptation to shut our eyes to climate change. It's overwhelming. This week on the show, climate activist and author Bill McKibben on facing the reality of the climate crisis, understanding what needs to change, and what you can do - not just to change the course of humanity and the planet, but to feel more hopeful and connected as this all unfolds. In this episode we cover: Is halting climate change really dependent on personal recycling and whether we use plastic straws? Is it okay to have intense emotional responses to wildfires, floods, and the inaction of those “in charge”? How the boomer generation is using their experience and wealth to revisit the activism of their youth (and supporting younger activists at the same time) How talking about our fears and our ecological grief gives us common ground to fight for our future - and our present. We're re-releasing some of our favorite episodes from the first 3 seasons. This episode was originally recorded in 2023. Looking for a creative exploration of grief? Check out the best selling Writing Your Grief course here. For more on activism in the face of impossible odds listen to these related episodes: Women, Life, Freedom: Grief and Power In Iran, with Nazanin Nour Wonder in an Age of Violence with Valarie Kaur & See No Stranger About our guest: Bill McKibben is an American environmentalist, author, and journalist who has written extensively on the impact of global warming. His books include The End of Nature, about climate change, and Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?, about the state of the environmental challenges facing humanity. Bill is a contributing writer to The New Yorker (read his latest piece here), and founder of Third Act, which organizes people over the age of sixty for progressive change. About Megan: Psychotherapist Megan Devine is one of today's leading experts on grief, from life-altering losses to the everyday grief that we don't call grief. Get the best-selling book on grief in over a decade, It's Ok that You're Not OK, wherever you get books. Find Megan @refugeingrief Additional Resources: Terry Tempest Williams' book Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place, and her recent NYT article on Utah's great Salt Lake (gift link, no subscription needed) Explore Joanna Macy's work on the intersection of grief and activism at her website, or her books, including Coming Back to Life: The Updated Guide to the Work That Reconnects, World as Lover, World as Self, and Widening Circles: A Memoir Want to talk with Megan directly? Join our patreon community for live monthly Q&A grief clinics: your questions, answered. Want to speak to her privately? Apply for a 1:1 grief consultation here. Check out Megan's best-selling books - It's OK That You're Not OK and How to Carry What Can't Be Fixed Books and resources may contain affiliate links. Follow our show on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok @refugeingrief For more information, including clinical training and consulting and to share your thoughts, visit us at refugeingrief.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We're in a massive climate crisis, but it's hard to think about it, isn't it? It's a great temptation to shut our eyes to climate change. It's overwhelming. This week on the show, climate activist and author Bill McKibben on facing the reality of the climate crisis, understanding what needs to change, and what you can do - not just to change the course of humanity and the planet, but to feel more hopeful and connected as this all unfolds. In this episode we cover: Is halting climate change really dependent on personal recycling and whether we use plastic straws? Why don't we take action when the evidence of the climate crisis is literally everywhere? Is it okay to have intense emotional responses to wildfires, floods, and the inaction of those “in charge”? How the boomer generation is using their experience and their wealth to revisit the activism of their youth (and supporting younger activists at the same time) Why the “will to act” is so important to sustained change How talking about our fears and our ecological grief gives us common ground to fight for our future - and our present. Related episodes: For more on activism in the face of impossible odds: Women, Life, Freedom: Grief and Power In Iran, with Nazanin Nour Wonder in an Age of Violence with Valarie Kaur & See No Stranger Notable quotes: The climate crisis is a really interesting test of whether or not (our) big brain was a good adaptation or not. It can get us into a lot of trouble, but can it get us out? My intuition is that it's actually going to be less the size of the brain that matters than the size of the heart that it's attached to. - Bill McKibben About our guest: Bill McKibben is an American environmentalist, author, and journalist who has written extensively on the impact of global warming. His books include The End of Nature, about climate change, and Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?, about the state of the environmental challenges facing humanity. He's a contributing writer to The New Yorker (read his latest piece here), and founder of Third Act, which organizes people over the age of sixty for progressive change. About Megan: Psychotherapist and bestselling author Megan Devine is recognized as one of today's most insightful and original voices on grief, from life-altering losses to the everyday grief that we don't call grief. She helms a consulting practice in Los Angeles and serves as an organizational consultant for the healthcare and human resources industries. The best-selling book on grief in over a decade, Megan's It's Ok that You're Not OK, is a global phenomenon that has been translated into more than 25 languages. Her celebrated animations and explainers have garnered over 75 million views and are used in training programs around the world. Additional resources: Read Bill latest piece in The New Yorker - “To Save the Planet, Should We Really Be Moving Slower?” Check out Bill's Third Act community - Elders working together for a fair and stable planet. Terry Tempest Williams' book Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place, and her recent NYT article on Utah's great Salt Lake (gift link, no subscription needed) Explore Joanna Macy's work on the intersection of grief and activism at her website, or her books, including Coming Back to Life: The Updated Guide to the Work That Reconnects, World as Lover, World as Self, and Widening Circles: A Memoir Want to talk with Megan directly? Join our patreon community for live monthly Q&A sessions: your questions, answered. Want to speak to her privately? Apply for a 1:1 grief consultation here. Check out Megan's best-selling books - It's OK That You're Not OK and How to Carry What Can't Be Fixed Books and resources may contain affiliate links. Get in touch: Thanks for listening to this week's episode of It's OK that You're Not OK. Tune in, subscribe, leave a review, tag us on social with your thoughts, and share the show with everyone you know. Together, we can make things better, even when they can't be made right. Follow the show on TikTok @itsokpod and use the hashtag #ItsOkPod on all social platforms For grief support & education, follow us at @refugeingrief on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok, and follow Megan on LinkedIn For more information, including clinical training and consulting and to share your thoughts, visit us at megandevine.coSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Collapse is not a single event that occurs everywhere, once and for all. It occurs in fits and starts, unevenly distributed across communities. When there are floods and fires, when there are supply chain disruptions, when there is war and strife – these are expressions of collapse. Recognizing them is not in any way saying we shouldn't bother to try and stop them, or reduce their severity! But it is a necessary acknowledgement of reality.Making plans for collapse in all its manifestations is a solid way to mitigate their effects on you and your family or community. It's also good for your mental & emotional health in the meantime!These plans must include community. No one can go it alone for very long, even in the best of circumstances. When there's disaster, we need each other even more. Stockpiling supplies is not a long-term solution. Building skills, and developing a community of people who are enthusiastic about learning these skills, is the best way forward. (Check out makerspaces, skillshares, & mutual aid collectives to find like-minded folks.) And that's where herbalism comes in!Start today: build yourself a list of herbs which grow in your ecosystem and can play important roles in a situation where medical care isn't available. Getting to know your local antiseptic herbs, nutritives, herbs for emotional support, digestives, and respiratory support herbs is a great foundation to begin with – that's what we're focusing on in this episode.We have online video herbalism courses that can help you develop these skills, too!Our Herbal First Aid course teaches you all the fundamentals of working with herbs for acute care. Wounds, burns, sprains, bites & stings, and emotional first aid eeds can all be addressed with herbs!The Emergent Responder program is a complete guide to holistic disaster response & preparedness. Learn how herbal first aid, long-term care strategies, and emergency clinic management unfold in austere environments. Get the skills you need to be confident and ready to care for yourself, your family, and your community – even if help never comes.Our Herbal Community Care Toolkit is chock full of low-cost, abundantly accessible herbs for addressing common health issues. Students in this program learn our most inexpensive strategies for improving health and well-being. This course is available by donation, but if you can't afford it, email us and we'll send you a coupon code so you can get it for free!Once enrolled in any of our courses, your access never expires – and you get any updated material we add in the future, free of cost!Other resources we mentioned in this episode:Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?, by Bill McKibbenThe Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters, by Juliette KayyemFEMA Training & Education and CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) ProgramIf you have a moment, it would help us a lot if you could subscribe, rate, & review our podcast wherever you listen. This helps others find us more easily. Thank you!!Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)
Last week, the United States announced it was banning all imports of Russian oil and gas. Bill McKibben, educator, environmentalist, and co-founder of 350.org, and author of several books including Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out? (Henry Holt and Co., 2020), talks about why climate activists are saying this is a good time to pivot to a clean energy replacement. Read all of Bill's most recent reporting on Substack.
Last week, amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the United States announced it was banning all imports of Russian oil and gas. On Today's Show:Bill McKibben, educator, environmentalist, and co-founder of 350.org, and author of several books including Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out? (Henry Holt and Co., 2020), talks about why climate activists are saying this is a good time to pivot to a clean energy replacement.
Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by asking listeners their thoughts on incentives and disincentives to raise vaccination rates, like free doughnuts or higher health insurance. Bill McKibben reviews the apocalyptic climate film “Don't Look Up,” and talked about the state of climate change as parts of the world see record temperatures. McKibben is co-founder of 350.org and the author of numerous books about climate change. His latest book is “Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?” Callie Crossley talks about Maya Angelou becoming the first Black woman to appear on a U.S. quarter, laws requiring beauticians to undergo domestic violence prevention training and Oreos turning 110 years old. Crossley hosts GBH's Under the Radar and Basic Black. Andy Ihnatko explains a chip shortage affecting printer companies and allegations of bullying over green and blue chat bubbles on iPhones. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com. Christopher Muther shares tips on weighing the risks of travel with Omicron on the rise, the costs and benefits of travel insurance and why he loves Ronnie Spector. Muther is a Boston Globe travel columnist and travel writer. Sue O'Connell discusses Amy Schneider becoming the first woman to break $1 million on Jeopardy, and Buckingham Palace forcing Prince Andrew to relinquish military and honorific titles amid a sexual-abuse lawsuit and ties with Jeffrey Epstein. O'Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and the South End News, as well as NECN's political commentator and explainer-in-chief. Sue O'Connell on BPR | Jan. 14, 2022 We end the show by asking listeners for their thoughts on an email platform that intentionally slows down email delivery to provide a work-life balance.
Tom Bowman has never bought the idea that some problems are too complex to solve. In his book, Resetting Our Future: What if Solving the Climate Crisis Is Simple? Bowman slices through the Gordian knot of dispiriting misperceptions surrounding climate change with razor-like precision. In the process, he offers a solution that is as accessible and inspiring as it is practical and achievable. “Too often people dismiss climate change as a “wicked” (unsolvable) problem. As Tom Bowman explains, we have the ability to surmount this mentality…and just do it.” — Michael Mann, Distinguished Professor, Penn State University and author of The New Climate War: The Fight to Take Back Our Planet “The premise of this book is crucial: though climate change is complicated, the most important solution is very clear. We have to stop burning fossil fuels and do it fast. Stated that way, we can get to work.” — Bill McKibben, author of Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out? “Drawing on a nuanced understanding of human behavior, design thinking, and experience driving organizational change, Bowman cuts through the Gordian knot of climate change with simple, straightforward, and practical solutions. A very useful guide to anyone seeking to make a difference.” — Anthony Leiserowitz, Director, Yale Program on Climate Change Communication https://www.johnhuntpublishing.com/changemakers-books/our-books/resetting-our-future-what-if-solving-climate-crisis-is-simple
Today on Boston Public Radio: Shirley Leung talks about what GE's split will mean for Massachusetts, and Tito Jackson's seven-story cannabis venture near Faneuil Hall. Leung is a business columnist for The Boston Globe and a Boston Public Radio contributor. Then, we ask listeners about if the latest surge in COVID-19 cases is changing their behavior at this point in the pandemic. Bill McKibben reports back from the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, and why the summit did not rise to his hopes without a strong climate agenda passed from the U.S. McKibben is co-founder of 350.org and the author of numerous books about climate change. His latest book is “Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?” Andy Ihnatko updates listeners on the latest news from the tech industry, including new accessibility tools in development for speech-impaired smartphone users, and smartphone features that allow users to designate people to access their data when they die. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com. Sue O'Connell talks about the US Navy launching a ship named for gay rights leader Harvey Milk, and long-time anchor Brian Williams announcing his exit from NBC. O'Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and the South End News, as well as NECN's political commentator and explainer-in-chief. Octavia Bennett, Jen McMahon and Jen Millis share the meaning behind their group name, Skate Hags, and how they built community around roller skating during the pandemic. Bennett, McMahon and Millis are the founders of the roller skating collective Skate Hags. We end the show by talking with listeners about what vintage trends – in addition to roller skating – have made a comeback in recent years.
Today on Boston Public Radio: We start the show by asking listeners their thoughts on vaccine mandates and people threatening to quit their jobs before getting the shot. Trenni Kusnierek updates listeners on all things sports, including rifts in the NBA over vaccines and Tom Brady's return to Gillette Stadium. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston, as well as a Boston Public Radio contributor. Dr. Renee Crichlow calls out remaining healthcare workers who are not yet vaccinated, and talks about latest data on vaccine efficacy months after vaccination. Crichlow is the Chief Medical Officer at Codman Square Health Center and the Vice Chair of Health Equity at the Boston University Department of Family Medicine. Bill McKibben discusses what it would mean for the plant if President Joe Biden fails to pass his economic agenda, and previews his new project, Third Act, which seeks to engage older individuals with climate activism. McKibben is co-founder of 350.org and the author of numerous books about climate change. His latest book is “Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?” Nia Grace opens up about her newest restaurant at Northeastern, The Underground Café, and talks about the challenges of keeping restaurants afloat during the pandemic. Grace is the owner and operator of Darryl's Corner Bar and Kitchen in the South End, and one of the founders of the Boston Black Hospitality Coalition. She is also the owner of The Underground Café and Lounge, which opened last week on the campus of Northeastern University. John King goes through top political headlines, including Republican threats to Biden's economic agenda and persisting allegiances to Donald Trump. King is CNN's Chief National Correspondent and anchor of "Inside Politics,” which airs weekdays and Sunday mornings at 8 a.m. We end the show by asking listeners about their thoughts on Tom Brady's upcoming return to Boston Sunday night.
#024: Bill McKibben offers his thoughts on how a big movement can succeed in fighting big power. Beyond the importance of pairing global policy with local, grassroots action, he also speaks to the role of industrial agriculture and the dismantling of the organic brand in the coming climate blows we all face. Bill McKibben is an environmentalist, journalist, author, and the co-founder and leader of the climate action group 350.org. He is the Schumann Distinguished Scholar at Middlebury College. In addition to writing for the New York Times, The Atlantic, Mother Jones, Harper's, National Geographic and more, he is known for his books about Climate Change, including The End of Nature, Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet, and Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?To watch a video version of this podcast please visit:https://www.realorganicproject.org/bill-mckibben-winning-climate-argument-losing-fight-episode-twenty-fourThe Real Organic Podcast is hosted by Dave Chapman and Linley Dixon, engineered by Brandon StCyr, and edited and produced by Jenny Prince.The Real Organic Project is a farmer-led movement working towards certifying 1,000 farms across the United States this year. Our add-on food label distinguishes soil-grown fruits and vegetables from hydroponically-raised produce. It also identifies pasture-raised meat, milk, and eggs as compared to products harvested from animals in horrific confinement (CAFOs - confined animal feeding operations).To find a Real Organic farm near you, please visit:https://www.realorganicproject.org/farmsWe believe that the organic standards, with their focus on soil health, biodiversity, and animal welfare were written as they should be. But the current lack of enforcement of those standards is jeopardizing small farms that follow the law. The lack of enforcement is also jeopardizing the overall health of the customers who support the organic movement; customers who are not getting what they pay for at market but are still paying a premium price. The lack of enforcement is jeopardizing the very cycles (water, air, nutrients) that Earth relies upon to provide us all with a place to live, by pushing extractive, chemical agriculture to the forefront.If you like what you hear and are feeling inspired, we would love for you to join our movement by becoming one of our 1,000 Real Fans!https://www.realorganicproject.org/1000-real-fans/To read our weekly newsletter (which might just be the most forwarded newsletter on the internet!) and get firsthand news about what's happening with organic food, farming and policy, please subscribe here:https://www.realorganicproject.org/email/
Today on Boston Public Radio: We begin the show by opening phone lines, asking listeners whether they've ended relationships due to disagreements on masking and vaccines. Corby Kummer shares his thoughts on Tyson requiring workers to get vaccinated, and Attorney General Maura Healey's lawsuit against GrubHub for allegedly charging illegal fees to Massachusetts restaurants. He also remembers the life of inventor and pitchman Ron Popeil. Kummer is the executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu discusses her run for mayor of Boston, sharing her plans to close the city's wealth gap and highlighting her support for rent control. She also weighs in on the investigation into former Boston Police officer Patrick Rose over claims of child sexual abuse. Boston City Councilor Wu is running for mayor of Boston. Bill McKibben updates us on the latest news on the climate crisis, from the United Nations' upcoming climate report to President Joe Biden's executive order on electric vehicles. McKibben is a contributing writer to The New Yorker, a founder of 350.org, and the Schumann Distinguished Scholar in environmental studies at Middlebury College. He also writes The Climate Crisis, The New Yorker's environmental newsletter. His latest book is “Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?” Callie Crossley explains Rep. Cori Bush's (D-MO) personal connection to extend the eviction moratorium, and shares her thoughts on the lack of performers of color in the 20 years of the Fenway Concert Series. Crossley hosts GBH's Under the Radar and Basic Black. Sue O'Connell talks about increasing calls for Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David to step down over his ties to Gov. Andrew Cuomo. She also weighs in on Matt Damon revealing he had only recently stopped using a homophobic slur. O'Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and the South End News, as well as NECN's political commentator and explainer-in-chief. We wrap up the show by talking with listeners about President Biden's executive order on electric vehicles.
Everything your friends, family, colleagues, journalists and elected representatives need to know about Earth Overshoot Day. Every other week, another scientific report is added to the stack of evidence human civilization has outgrown the planet. What are we doing about it? Earth Overshoot Day is the point in time during the year at which we've already burned through the renewable resources it takes the Earth a year to regenerate. Earth Overshoot Day in 2021 is July 29. Global Footprint Network continuously analyzes UN data and satellite imagery to estimate the planet's capacity to meet our needs (biocapacity), and humankind's footprint - or demand (ecological footprint) - on that capacity. According to their analysis, we're demanding almost twice what the planet can sustainably provide. In the U.S. and a few other nations, we're engaged in 5-planet living (U.S. Overshoot Day was March 14). Every year as Earth Overshoot Day approaches, we dedicate an episode of the GrowthBusters podcast to playing an audio documentary we produced in 2019. Welcome to Overshoot: Have a Nice Day explores overshoot's causes, effects, and possible solutions, as well as some of the barriers to solving the problem. LINKS: Earth Overshoot Day https://www.overshootday.org/ The Limits to Growth http://donellameadows.org/the-limits-to-growth-now-available-to-read-online/ Conversation Earth - Radio Series/Podcast http://www.conversationearth.org/episode-list Reported by: Dave Gardner Interviews: William Catton, author of Overshoot: The Ecological Basis of Revolutionary Change Brian Czech, author of Supply Shock: Economic Growth at the Crossroads and the Steady State Solution, and executive director of the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy Herman Daly, author of Beyond Growth: The Economics of Sustainable Development Paul Ehrlich, Stanford Biologist, author of The Population Bomb Kerryn Higgs, author of Collision Course: Endless Growth on a Finite Planet Ian Johnson, former World Bank vice president, former secretary general of Club of Rome Bill McKibben, environmental journalist, author of Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?, co-founder of 350.org. Dennis Meadows, lead scientist, The Limits to Growth Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics: 7 Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist William Rees, co-originator of ecological footprint analysis Bill Ryerson, President of Population Media Center and Chair of Population Institute Juliet Schor, Professor of Sociology at Boston University and author of Plenitude: The New Economics of True Wealth John Seager, CEO of Population Connection Gus Speth, former chair, White House Council on Environmental Quality Mathis Wackernagel, founder of Global Footprint Network and co-author of Ecological Footprint: Managing Our Biocapacity Budget Rex Weyler, environmental journalist On the GrowthBusters podcast, we come to terms with the limits to growth, explore the joy of sustainable living, and provide a recovery program for our society's growth addiction (economic/consumption and population). This podcast is part of the GrowthBusters project to raise awareness of overshoot and end our culture's obsession with, and pursuit of, growth. Dave Gardner directed the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, which Stanford Biologist Paul Ehrlich declared “could be the most important film ever made.” Join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GrowthBustersPodcast/ Make a donation to support this non-profit project. https://www.growthbusters.org/donate/ Archive of GrowthBusters podcast episodes http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/ Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/umptf6w/signup See the film – GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth http:www.growthbustersmovie.org Explore the issues at http://www.growthbusters.org View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube Follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode:
Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd updates us on the latest political headlines, from President Joe Biden's infrastructure bill to Rep. Matt Gaetz's (R-FL) questioning of critical race theory in the U.S. military. Todd is the moderator of “Meet The Press” on NBC, host of “Meet The Press Daily” on MSNBC and the political director for NBC News. Next, we talk with listeners about Gov. Charlie Baker's proposal to make August and September sales tax free. Gov. Charlie Baker discusses his proposal to make August and September sales tax free, and the Spotlight investigation into the leadership at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home. He also updates us on the status of COVID-19 testing and vaccination rates across the state. Bill McKibben talks about increasing instances of extreme weather across the nation, explaining its relation to climate change. He also discusses the protests against Enbridge's Line 3 pipeline. McKibben is a contributing writer to The New Yorker, a founder of 350.org, and the Schumann Distinguished Scholar in environmental studies at Middlebury College. He also writes The Climate Crisis, The New Yorker's environmental newsletter. His latest book is “Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?” Paul Reville speaks about the GOP's focus on critical race theory in schools, and Massachusetts' new regulations on vocational schools' admissions policies. Reville is the former Massachusetts secretary of education, and a professor at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education, where he also heads the Education Redesign Lab. His latest book, co-authored with Elaine Weiss, is: "Broader, Bolder, Better: How Schools And Communities Help Students Overcome The Disadvantages Of Poverty.” Shirley Leung shares her thoughts on Gov. Baker's proposal for a sales tax free August and September, and explains how the #MeToo movement is impacting the craft beer industry. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. We wrap up the show by continuing our discussion with listeners on Gov. Baker's proposal to make August and September sales tax free.
Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd talks about the sex trafficking investigation into Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz. He also shares his thoughts on President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan. Todd is the moderator of “Meet the Press” on NBC, host of “Meet the Press Daily" on MSNBC, and the Political Director for NBC News. Next, we opens the phone lines, talking with listeners about distracted walkers. Andrea Cabral discusses the witnesses in the Derek Chauvin trial, and the trauma they’ve faced and are now revisiting in court. She also argues that people who don’t know about violence against Black Americans are intentionally ignoring history. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Bill McKibben weighs in on the climate aspects of President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plans, and the University of Michigan’s decision to divest from fossil fuels. McKibben is a contributing writer to The New Yorker, a founder of 350.org, and the Schumann Distinguished Scholar in environmental studies at Middlebury College. He also writes The Climate Crisis, The New Yorker’s environmental newsletter. His latest book is “Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?” Paul Reville explains how the American Rescue Plan Act might be used to help reopen schools across the U.S. He also touches on the low positivity rate in pooled COVID-19 testing in Massachusetts schools. Reville is the former Massachusetts secretary of education, and a professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where he also heads the Education Redesign Lab. His latest book, co-authored with Elaine Weiss, is: "Broader, Bolder, Better: How Schools And Communities Help Students Overcome The Disadvantages Of Poverty.” Corby Kummer talks about the increase in online grocery orders due to the pandemic, and the need for more cold food storage to meet these demands. He also shares his thoughts on Krispy Kreme’s decision to give away free donuts to vaccinated individuals. Kummer is the executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. We wrap up the show by asking listeners if they were opting into April Fool’s Day after a year of gloom.
If we were on a spaceship, the end really would be near – August 22. That is Earth Overshoot Day for 2020. We all know we can’t graze 100 head of cattle for long on a one-acre patch of land. We’d have a barren wasteland and a bunch of dead cattle in no time. It’s a little more challenging for us to make this calculation about meeting the needs of 7.8 billion people on a larger patch of land – the entire planet. But the laws of physics equally apply. Analysts at Global Footprint Network do an impressive job of performing this worldwide calculation. Since 2003, they’ve been analyzing UN data and satellite imagery to estimate the planet’s capacity to meet our needs (biocapacity), and humankind’s footprint - or demand (ecological footprint) - on that capacity. Their analysis suggests we have been in overshoot since about 1970. If you have too many people, consuming resources faster than the planet can regenerate them, and generating waste faster than the planet can convert that waste, you are in overshoot. This bonus episode of GrowthBusters features the Conversation Earth special, Welcome to Overshoot: Have a Nice Day. This is a 2020 update of the special we shared a year ago. Welcome to Overshoot explores overshoot’s causes, effects, and possible solutions, as well as some of the barriers to solving the problem. It features a who’s who of environmental and economic experts: William Catton, author of Overshoot: The Ecological Basis of Revolutionary Change Brian Czech, author of Supply Shock: Economic Growth at the Crossroads and the Steady State Solution, and executive director of the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy Herman Daly, author of Beyond Growth: The Economics of Sustainable Development Paul Ehrlich, Stanford Biologist, author of The Population Bomb Kerryn Higgs, author of Collision Course: Endless Growth on a Finite Planet Ian Johnson, former World Bank vice president, former secretary general of Club of Rome Bill McKibben, environmental journalist, author of Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?, co-founder of 350.org. Dennis Meadows, lead scientist, The Limits to Growth Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics: 7 Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist William Rees, co-originator of ecological footprint analysis Bill Ryerson, President of Population Media Center and Chair of Population Institute Juliet Schor, Professor of Sociology at Boston University and author of True Wealth: How and Why Millions of Americans Are Creating a Time-Rich, Ecologically Light, Small-Scale, High-Satisfaction Economy John Seager, CEO of Population Connection Gus Speth, former chair, White House Council on Environmental Quality, Co-Chair of the Next System Project Mathis Wackernagel, founder of Global Footprint Network and co-author of Ecological Footprint: Managing Our Biocapacity Budget Rex Weyler, environmental journalist LINKS: Earth Overshoot Day The Limits to Growth Conversation Earth podcasts Ecological Footprint: Managing Our Biocapacity Budget by Mathis Wackernagel and Bert Beyers Footprint Calculator Move the Date Solutions to accelerate the shift to one-planet living Past Earth Overshoot Days OTHER LINKS: Join the conversation on Facebook Make a donation to support this non-profit project. Archive of all episodes of the GrowthBusters podcast Subscribe to GrowthBusters email updates See the film – GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth Explore the issues at www.growthbusters.org View the GrowthBusters channel on YouTube Subscribe (free) so you don't miss an episode:
The best scientific estimates tell us human civilization is in overshoot. Were you aware of this? Do you know what overshoot is? Earth Overshoot Day in 2020 is August 22. Computer modeling by a team of MIT scientists in 1972 estimated the scale of human activity on the planet would cause systems to fail within a hundred years. Such failure is expected when humanity’s footprint on the planet consistently exceeds its carrying capacity. Since 1972, study after study, and report after report, has warned we are in overshoot – the sum total of human activity is too much for the Earth’s ecosystems to bear. Since 2003, scientists at Global Footprint Network have been analyzing UN data and satellite imagery to estimate the planet’s capacity to meet our needs (biocapacity), and humankind’s footprint - or demand (ecological footprint) - on that capacity. Their analysis suggests we have been in overshoot since about 1970. Welcome to Overshoot explores overshoot’s causes, effects, and possible solutions, as well as some of the barriers to solving the problem. Reported by: Dave Gardner Interviews: William Catton, author of Overshoot: The Ecological Basis of Revolutionary Change Brian Czech, author of Supply Shock: Economic Growth at the Crossroads and the Steady State Solution, and executive director of the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy Herman Daly, author of Beyond Growth: The Economics of Sustainable Development Paul Ehrlich, Stanford Biologist, author of The Population Bomb Kerryn Higgs, author of Collision Course: Endless Growth on a Finite Planet Ian Johnson, former World Bank vice president, former secretary general of Club of Rome Bill McKibben, environmental journalist, author of Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?, co-founder of 350.org. Dennis Meadows, lead scientist, The Limits to Growth Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics: 7 Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist William Rees, co-originator of ecological footprint analysis Bill Ryerson, President of Population Media Center and Chair of Population Institute Juliet Schor, Professor of Sociology at Boston University and author of Plenitude: The New Economics of True Wealth John Seager, CEO of Population Connection Gus Speth, former chair, White House Council on Environmental Quality Mathis Wackernagel, founder of Global Footprint Network and co-author of Ecological Footprint: Managing Our Biocapacity Budget Rex Weyler, environmental journalist Links: Earth Overshoot Day https://www.overshootday.org/ The Limits to Growth http://donellameadows.org/the-limits-to-growth-now-available-to-read-online/ Conversation Earth http://www.conversationearth.org/episode-list GrowthBusters Podcast about sustainable living http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast
“I always say the most important thing an individual can do is be a little less of an individual and come together with others to form the kind of movements big enough to change the basic underlying ground rules here, the economic and political ground rules.” - Bill McKibben America’s most prominent environmentalist sits down for a deep talk with the Mother Earth Podcast. Bill McKibben was the first American author to warn the general public of the dangers of climate change in his 1989 book, The End of Nature. With this publication, Bill embarked on a three-decade journey from an introverted author to America’s leading environmental journalist and a trailblazing global climate activist. Bill is the founder of 350.org, the organization that created the first global, grassroots climate movement. In 2009, 350.org organized 5,200 simultaneous climate demonstrations in 181 countries. The organization has staged twenty thousand rallies around the world and continues to be at the cutting edge of the climate crisis today. In our two-part conversation with Bill, he recounts the humble beginnings of 350.org, the reasons he felt compelled to launch a climate change protest movement, the formative moment of his youth, the role of non-violent protest and the solar panel as the most important inventions of the Twentieth Century, the key takeaways from his latest book, Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?, and how we can get involved to help solve the climate crisis. This is a rare long-form interview with Bill, and listeners will be rewarded with a deep conversation on both the climate crisis and on Bill’s journey from young New Yorker staff writer to global leader of climate activism. While working overtime to save humanity and creation from the climate crisis, including by getting himself arrested, Bill has continued his writing career and is America’s foremost writer on the environment. He has written seventeen books including Eaarth, Deep Economy, Enough, Oil and Honey and published a compilation of essays, The Bill McKibben Reader. Bill has contributed to publications including The New York Times, The Atlantic Monthly, Harper's, Orion Magazine, Mother Jones, The Rolling Stone, and Outside. He seems to be everywhere these days, with an article or op ed on the climate crisis in a prominent publication coming out nearly every week, which makes the Mother Earth Podcast even more grateful for our time with Bill. Welcome to the show. (Please note that this episode was recorded prior to the pandemic). Visit motherearthpod.com for show notes with more information about Bill and how you can get involved in helping to solve the climate crisis.
From his 1989 book The End of Nature, which was the first to explain global warming to a general audience, to co-founding the climate-change activism group 350.org, there are few people with more experience in taking on powerful interests to create change than Bill McKibben. In this interview, Bill talks to Doug about divestment from fossil fuels, what the worldwide response to COVID-19 can teach us about fighting climate change, and how to build successful movements to make cities work better for people who aren't in cars. Plus, Bill tells the story of a determined Brazilian mayor who took on an angry car lobby using the power of open streets and adorable children. Support The War on Cars on Patreon. Rate and review the war effort on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. SHOW NOTES: More on Bill McKibben at his official site. Subscribe to The Climate Crisis Newsletter. Bill McKibben tells the story of Mayor Jaime Lerner's fight to make streets for people in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. (Mother Jones) Buy Bill's latest book, Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out? This episode was edited by Ali Lemer. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke. Questions? Comments? Drop us a line: thewaroncars@gmail.com https://thewaroncars.org
We’re talking to veteran climate activist and founding father of the fossil fuel divestment movement Bill McKibben about his book, ’Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?’. Bill chats about the climate crisis, Ayn Rand’s lasting influence, and why solar panels and direct action could still save the world. Cheerful Book Club is brought to you by VINTAGE books (https://penguin.co.uk/vintage). See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Historically, a booming economy means the incumbent will be re-elected -- but NOT in 2020, says Harold Meyerson of the American Prospect: 'Trump Trjumps the Economy," and will not be reelected in 2020. Next up, we talk with Bill McKibben about the Green New Deal and his new book "FALTER: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?" Plus: Rick Perlstein on impeachment -- Nixon's and Trump's.
Historically, a booming economy means the incumbent will be re-elected -- but NOT in 2020, says Harold Meyerson of the American Prospect: 'Trump Trjumps the Economy," and will not be reelected in 2020. Next up, we talk with Bill McKibben about the Green New Deal and his new book "FALTER: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?" Plus: Rick Perlstein on impeachment -- Nixon's and Trump's.
“I’m optimistic, save for the fact that climate change is the first time-limited problem that we’ve ever really run into. Dr. King would say at the end of speeches ... ‘The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. This may take a while, but we’re going to win.’ The arc of the physical universe is short, and it bends toward heat. We win soon, or we don’t win.” Bill McKibben is the author and environmentalist credited with penning the first book on climate change written for a general audience, The End of Nature. He is also a founder of 350.org, the first global, grassroots climate change movement. Bill was awarded the 2014 Right Livelihood Prize, the 2013 Gandhi Prize and the 2013 Thomas Merton Prize, and he was named to Foreign Policy magazine’s inaugural list of the world’s 100 most important global thinkers. Today, Bill joins Ryan and Christophe to discuss his role in the climate movement, explaining what inspired him to start 350.org and why he chose that particular number as a target. He shares his view of the fossil fuel industry’s ability to divert the debate on climate change with money and power and addresses the global economy’s continued dependence on fossil fuels. Listen in for Bill’s insight on the powerful history of nonviolent social movements and learn how we can get back to a safe CO2 level of 350 ppm. Key Takeaways [0:59] Bill’s role in the climate movement Wrote first book on climate change for general audience Losing fight to money and power of fossil fuel industry Started 350.org with intention to build movement [4:59] Why Bill chose the number 350 Asked Jim Hansen to identify number for global campaign Established that climate change not problem for later [9:50] Bill’s insight around getting back to 350 ppm No one solution enough to scale (e.g.: planting trees) Must make transition away from coal, gas and oil [14:28] The role oil and gas companies might play in the solution Incumbents never initiate technological transition Unlikely to see selves as energy service provider [18:15] The connection between big banks and oil and gas Dramatic increase in lending to fossil fuel industry Financial markets may be lever to pull in climate fight [20:23] The global economy’s dependence on fossil fuels Capable of shutting off much sooner than planning Need to rapidly replace things we use fossil fuels for [23:04] Bill’s take on the top two inventions of the 20th century Solar panels Nonviolent protest [28:35] The history of victory in social movements Need 4% of people engaged in fight (apathy cuts both ways) First Earth Day led to Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, etc. [30:59] How Bill thinks about communication strategies No one key to pitch every message Honesty as useful trait over time [33:24] Bill’s view of the opposition to the climate movement No serious argument on basic points of climate change Fossil fuel industry diverted debate effectively Connect with Ryan & Christophe Nori Nori on Facebook Nori on Twitter Nori on Medium Nori on YouTube Nori on GitHub Nori Newsletter Email hello@nori.com Nori White Paper Subscribe on iTunes Carbon Removal Newsroom Resources Bill’s Website 350.org Oil and Honey: The Education of an Unlikely Activist by Bill McKibben The End of Nature by Bill McKibben Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out? by Bill McKibben Prairie Festival The Land Institute The Land Institute on RCC EP062 Dr. James Hansen American Geophysical Union Dr. Hansen’s Paper on the 350 PPM Target Bill Moomaw’s Article on Forests & Climate Change Amory Lovins Bill’s Piece on Big Banks in The New Yorker Clean Air Act Clean Water Act Endangered Species Act The Paris Agreement Bill’s Piece on 2050 in Time Magazine Green New Deal Sunrise Movement
Emma and Chloe discuss the recent election result in Australia and what it means for the environment. What should people worried about climate change do now? To explore that question, they go back and look at former PM Bob Hawke’s environmental legacy and the role he played in saving Antarctica from mining. They discuss how environmental wins come about and how the landscape has changed since Hawke. How do we talk about climate change today and why isn’t that translating into action? What kind of communication works, and why? Why are we so obsessed with market solutions and tech billionaires? Chloe goes deeper into a discussion of the role of social movements, and what the long historical threads of nonviolent action might tell us about the way forward.Reading ListOn environmentalism and climate change:Micha Frazer-Carroll, “On environmentalism, whiteness and activist superstars,” gal-dem, 25 September 2019http://gal-dem.com/on-individualism-whiteness-and-activist-superstars/?fbclid=IwAR2nZWGp9zqK04FGukcFIddz1HTLoQEWG5bDUPStAxwTIwMFG_18yl6TTRQMartin Gelin, “The Misogyny of Climate Deniers,” The New Republic, 29 August 2019.https://newrepublic.com/article/154879/misogyny-climate-deniersChristopher Jones, “The Delusion and Danger of Infinite Economic Growth,” The New Republic, 2 October 2019.https://newrepublic.com/article/155214/delusion-danger-infinite-economic-growthBill McKibben, Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out? (2019)Noami Klein, This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate (2014) and On Fire: The Burning Case for a Green New Deal (2019)David Wallace-Wells, The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming (2019)Maia Wikler and Thanu Yakupitiyage, “11 Young Climate Justice Activists You Need to Pay Attention to,” Vice, 1 October 2019https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/8xwvq3/11-young-climate-justice-activists-you-need-to-pay-attention-to-beyond-greta-thunbergOn tech billionaires:Luke Darby, “Private jets, parties and eugenics: Jeffrey Epstein's bizarre world of scientists,” The Guardian, 19 August 2019https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/18/private-jets-parties-and-eugenics-jeffrey-epsteins-bizarre-world-of-scientistsJustine Musk, "I Was a Starter Wife": Inside America's Messiest Divorce, Marie Claire, 10 September 2010https://www.marieclaire.com/sex-love/a5380/millionaire-starter-wife/Adam Rogers, “How Rich Donors Like Epstein (and Others) Undermine Science,” Wired, 15 September 2019https://www.wired.com/story/the-problem-with-rich-people-funding-science/James B. Stewart, Matthew Goldstein and Jessica Silver-Greenberg, “Jeffrey Epstein Hoped to Seed Human Race With His DNA,” New York Times, 31 Juy 2019https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/31/business/jeffrey-epstein-eugenics.htmlOn Antarctica:Emma Shortis, “Lessons from the Last Continent: Science, Emotion, and the Relevance of History,” in Communicating the Climate: From Knowing Change to Changing Knowledge, Perspectives, Issue 2019/4, Rachel Carson Centre.http://www.environmentandsociety.org/perspectives/2019/4/communicating-climate-knowing-change-changing-knowledgeEmma Shortis,“History repeating as Greenpeace returns to the Antarctic,” Greenpeace Australia Pacific, 18 April 2018.https://www.greenpeace.org.au/news/historyrepeatingasgreenpeacereturnsto-the-antarctic/Emma Shortis,“Saving Antarctica, the last continent,” Daily Review, 17 December 2016.https://dailyreview.com.au/saving-antarctica/53885/
The future of the planet is in question this week, or at least, humanity's place on it, as Gabrielle Walker discusses possible solutions to climate change and why we don't need to panic - yet - but we do need to act, together. The TLS's fiction editor, Toby Lichtig, talks us through the hype and hoopla around Margaret Atwood's sequel to The Handmaid's Tale - and what the book itself is like. And are you Team Scott or Team Zelda? Joanna Scutts looks at 'the messy intertextuality of a marriage', and the question of influence within the Fitzgerald ménage. Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out? by Bill McKibbenLosing Earth: The Decade We Could Have Stopped Climate Change by Nathaniel RichDown to Earth: Politics in the New Climatic Regime by Bruno LatourThe Testaments by Margaret AtwoodThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott FitzgeraldSave Me The Waltz by Zelda Fitzgerald See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Since 1972, study after study, and report after report, has warned we are in overshoot – the sum total of human activity is too much for the Earth’s ecosystems to bear. Welcome to Overshoot explores overshoot’s causes, effects, and possible solutions, as well as some of the barriers to solving the problem. This is an in-depth follow up to episode 31 of the GrowthBusters podcast, which included a lengthy conversation with Mathis Wackernagel, co-originator of ecological footprint analysis and founder of Global Footprint Network. The best scientific estimates tell us human civilization is in overshoot. Were you aware of this? Do you know what overshoot is? This one-hour special is particularly relevant in the days leading up to, and immediately following, Earth Overshoot Day on July 29, 2019. Computer modeling by a team of MIT scientists in 1972 estimated the scale of human activity on the planet would cause systems to fail within a hundred years. Such failure is expected when humanity’s footprint on the planet consistently exceeds its carrying capacity. Since 1972, study after study, and report after report, has warned we are in overshoot – the sum total of human activity is too much for the Earth’s ecosystems to bear. Since 2003, scientists at Global Footprint Network have been analyzing UN data and satellite imagery to estimate the planet’s capacity to meet our needs (biocapacity), and humankind’s footprint - or demand (ecological footprint) - on that capacity. Their analysis suggests we have been in overshoot since about 1970. Welcome to Overshoot explores overshoot’s causes, effects, and possible solutions, as well as some of the barriers to solving the problem. Participants: Reported by: Dave Gardner Interviews: William Catton, author of Overshoot: The Ecological Basis of Revolutionary Change Brian Czech, author of Supply Shock: Economic Growth at the Crossroads and the Steady State Solution, and executive director of the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy Herman Daly, author of Beyond Growth: The Economics of Sustainable Development Paul Ehrlich, Stanford Biologist, author of The Population Bomb Kerryn Higgs, author of Collision Course: Endless Growth on a Finite Planet Ian Johnson, former World Bank vice president, former secretary general of Club of Rome Bill McKibben, environmental journalist, author of Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?, co-founder of 350.org. Dennis Meadows, lead scientist, The Limits to Growth Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics: 7 Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist William Rees, co-originator of ecological footprint analysis Bill Ryerson, President of Population Media Center and Chair of Population Institute Juliet Schor, Professor of Sociology at Boston University and author of Plenitude: The New Economics of True Wealth John Seager, CEO of Population Connection Gus Speth, former chair, White House Council on Environmental Quality Mathis Wackernagel, founder of Global Footprint Network and co-author of Ecological Footprint: Managing Our Biocapacity Budget Rex Weyler, environmental journalist Links: Earth Overshoot Day The Limits to Growth Conversation Earth Ecological Footprint: Managing Our Biocapacity Budget by Mathis Wackernagel and Bert Beyers (pre-order the book now, publication date is September 3, 2019) Footprint Calculator Move the Date Solutions to accelerate the shift to one-planet living Overshoot Index Past Earth Overshoot Days Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Support this Vital Work Subscribe (free) so you don't miss an episode:
In this week’s episode, Tom Vander Ark is speaking with Greg Smith, a former Professor of Teacher Education at Lewis & Clark for 28 years. Greg’s background with teaching in a Quaker school in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains gave him a powerful sense of place — both in meaning and community. It drew students into mutual responsibility, social justice, peace, and environmental responsibility. He took that spirit into his Ph.D. studies at the University of Wisconsin and then into a teaching career at Portland, Oregon’s Lewis & Clark, where he taught ‘Envisioning a Sustainable Society’ and the ‘Theory and Practice of Environmental and Ecological Education.’ Together, Greg and Tom serve on the Advisory Committee at the Teton Science Schools — a leader in place-based education. At an April meeting, Tom noticed a new sense of urgency about climate change in Greg’s advice. When he inquired, Greg said that he had been part of a climate change study group for several years and that a growing number of books said the situation is far worse than people think. In addition to climate change, Greg has compiled a list of several important books and papers that he reviews with Tom in this podcast. Listen in as they discuss his background, climate change, and these several important books and papers! Key Takeaways: [:14] About today’s episode. [1:28] Tom welcomes Greg Smith to the podcast! [1:45] Greg speaks about the Quaker school in California that led to his appreciation of the power of place. [3:32] Greg speaks about his observations over the last two years and his growing concern about climate change. [6:06] Greg summarizes and gives his thoughts on David Wallace-Wells’ book, The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming. [8:54] Tom and Greg discuss Elizabeth Rush’s book, Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore. [12:25] Greg explains both Dahr Jamail and Jem Bendell’s vision of our future due to climate change. [16:36] Greg and Tom look at a slightly more helpful vision of climate change: The Archipelago of Hope. [20:36] Greg gives his thoughts on perhaps the most optimistic book on climate change: Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming, by Paul Hawken. [25:15] As a longtime teacher of ecology, Greg gives his advice to teachers on how they can better educate and inform students about the world they are going to inherit. [30:18] Greg explains the sentiment — that his crisis should be responded to in love rather than in fear — that he expressed at the recent Advisory Committee meeting at Teton Science Schools. Mentioned in This Episode: Greg Smith Quaker Education University of Wisconsin Lewis & Clark Teton Science Schools John Woolman School The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming, by David Wallace-Wells New America New York Magazine Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore, by Elizabeth Rush Brown University The End of Ice: Bearing Witness and Finding Meaning in the Path of Climate Disruption, by Dahr Jamail Dahr Jamail on Truthout Jem Bendell on Deep Adaptation (Video) “Deep Adaptation: A Map for Navigating ClimateTragedy,” by Jem Bendell (Paper) The Archipelago of Hope: Wisdom and Resilience from the Edge of Climate Change, by Gleb Raygorodetsky Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?, by Bill McKibben Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming, by Paul Hawken Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Social Movement in History Is Restoring Grace, Justice, and Beauty to the World, by Paul Hawken “100 Solutions to Reverse Global Warming,” TED Talk Video by Chad Frischmann The City of Portland’s Climate Action Plan Want to Hear More? Check out episode 168 where Tom, Emily, and Nate McClennon give you a tour of the Teton Science Schools and its important history in environmental education! Get Involved: Check out the blog at GettingSmart.com. Find the Getting Smart Podcast on iTunes, leave a review and subscribe. Is There Somebody You’ve Been Wanting to Learn From or a Topic You’d Like Covered? To get in contact: Email Editor@GettingSmart.com and include ‘Podcast’ in the subject line. The Getting Smart team will be sure to add them to their list!
Bill McKibben, founder of the environmental organization 350.org, talks about whether technology can save us from climate change, the dangers of human genetic engineering and artificial intelligence, and what we should say to our kids about navigating the world moving forward. Bill's latest book is Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?
American author, climate activist and co-founder of 350.org, Bill McKibben discusses his latest book, 'Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?' Amy and Bill explore the pivotal moment when the course of environmental history could have changed and our climate protected. They also explore the reasons why there is as much reason for optimism as there is for despair. Broadcast on 4 June, 2019.
American author, climate activist and co-founder of 350.org Bill McKibben speaks about his latest book, Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?
Philosopher John Gray started his 2007 book “Black Mass” with this declaration: “Modern politics is a chapter in the history of religion.” Now, Gray is an atheist, but he realized that so much of modern politics is an attempt to re-inspire a world originally inspired by religion, especially Christianity. Gray specifically pointed to the political “utopian projects,” like Marxism and Nazism, that came with an eschatological promise of a perfected world, just like Christian theology. But even beyond Marx and Hitler, Gray considered any political project that aspired to “an all-encompassing transformation of human life,” including the Enlightenment belief in progress, to be a “secular reincarnation of early Christian beliefs.” Today, secular political discourse includes not only utopian substitutes of the New Heaven and New Earth, but also secular versions of the Apocalypse. Just consider the tenor of our current debates around climate change and the environment. For example, the new book by Bill McKibben, entitled “Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?” comes across like a “Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God” for climate-change activists. The excerpt just published in Rolling Stone magazine brings to mind certain visions that Jesus gave John on the island of Patmos. In McKibben's first scenario, the oceans warm to the point that by 2100, “it stops oxygen production by phyto-plankton by disrupting the process of photosynthesis'” which, he says, would likely result in the “mass mortality of animals and humans.” The boiling seas scenario is just one of his apocalyptic horsemen. Others ways that world could end by rising temperatures include melting glaciers and permafrost that unleash “Spanish flu virus, smallpox, and bubonic plague buried in Siberia and Alaska.” Of course, no apocalyptic scenario is complete without earthquakes and famine, so McKibben tells us that as “ice sheets melt, they take [the] weight off [the] land, and that can trigger earthquakes.” In addition, the added weight of the new seawater starts to bend the Earth's crust. ‘That will give you a massive increase in volcanic activity. It'll activate faults to create earthquakes, submarine landslides, tsunamis, the whole lot.'” Meanwhile back on land, increasing global temperatures could bring to a halt all the gains in agricultural productivity we've had since the end of World War II. Even if crop yields aren't affected that much by all the catastrophe, climate change could still affect our ability to transport what we're still able to grow. Now it may sound like I'm mocking McKibben, but I'm not. At least not entirely. While many of his scenarios are far-fetched, and filled with the sort of “mights,” “mays,” and “could haves” we've be hearing for a very long time, no one, least of all Christians, should be indifferent to the human impact on the environment. Still, I'm struck by how often secular, scientific garb is adorned with pseudo-religious appeal. Throughout "Falter," McKibben uses the language of sin and punishment, judgment and condemnation. The sins are against “nature” or “the planet” instead of God, but the argument is the same: “Be careful to obey all these words that I command you, that it may go well with you and with your children after you forever.” Failure to do so risks not only punishment but permanent exile, i.e., extinction. I'm also struck by how people can be more open to “secular reincarnations of Christian beliefs” than they are to the real thing. If you talk about Christ's coming again in glory to judge the living and the dead to readers of Rolling Stone, eyes will roll. Talk about climate change causing human extinction, and we'll demand immediate action. It turns out John Gray was right, but I'd say modern politics isn't just a “chapter in” the history of religion. Often it's a parody of it.
The Mueller Report--we have the evidence, especially on obstruction; now Congress needs to do its part. John Nichols reports. Plus: Our Climate Moment: we talk with Bill McKibben about balancing fear and hope in the face of the grim realities of climate change -- his new book is "Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?" Also: Gary Stewart, activist, organizer, and popular music maven, passed away last week -- we remember him, with an interview from 2005--on Girl Groups.
The Mueller Report--we have the evidence, especially on obstruction; now Congress needs to do its part. John Nichols reports. Plus: Our Climate Moment: we talk with Bill McKibben about balancing fear and hope in the face of the grim realities of climate change -- his new book is "Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?" Also: Gary Stewart, activist, organizer, and popular music maven, passed away last week -- we remember him, with an interview from 2005--on Girl Groups.
Thirty years ago, BILL McKIBBEN’s THE END of NATURE was the first popular book about climate change. Since then the effects have exceeded our expectations, while our response has lagged what’s needed. Bill has done his part - with books, articles, and as co-founder of the climate movement 350.org, which has held 20,000 rallies in 182 countries and spearheaded the fight against the XL pipeline and the movement to divest from fossil fuel companies. We talk about the latest findings, warnings, and global activism in his new book FALTER: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out? www.billmckibben.com
This week, Liberty and María Cristina discuss Miracle Creek, The Binding, Alice's Island, and more great books. This episode was sponsored by Libro.fm, ThirdLove, and The Fall of Crazy House. Pick up an All the Books! 200th episode commemorative item here. Subscribe to All the Books! using RSS or iTunes and never miss a beat book. Sign up for the weekly New Books! newsletter for even more new book news. Books discussed on the show: Miracle Creek by Angie Kim The Binding by Bridget Collins Alice's Island: A Novel by Daniel Sánchez Arévalo Magical Realism for Non-Believers: A Memoir of Finding Family by Anika Fajardo How To Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow Pilu of the Woods by Mai K. Nguyen Amnesty: Book 3 in the Amberlough Dossier by Lara Elena Donnelly Flowers over the Inferno (A Teresa Battaglia Novel) by Ilaria Tuti, Ekin Oklap (translator) What we're reading: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: A Flavia de Luce Mystery by Alan Bradley Murder by Milkshake: An Astonishing True Story of Adultery, Arsenic, and a Charismatic Killer by Eve Lazarus More books out this week: The Beneficiary: Fortune, Misfortune, and the Story of My Father by Janny Scott The Mister by E.L. James Swimming for Sunlight by Allie Larkin The Velvet Rose by Susan Holmes McKagan A Change of Time by Ida Jessen, Martin Aitken (Translator) Monsters I Have Been by Kenji C. Liu The Raven's Tale by Cat Winters Permission by Saskia Vogel When You Learn the Alphabet (The Iowa Prize in Literary Nonfiction) by Kendra Allen August Isle by Ali Standish The Parrot's Perch: A Memoir by Karen Keilt The Better Sister: A Novel by Alafair Burke City of Flickering Light by Juliette Fay Thomas and Beal in the Midi: A Novel by Christopher Tilghman Before She Was Found by Heather Gudenkauf Whatever Gets You Through: Twelve Survivors on Life after Sexual Assault by Jen Sookfong Lee and Stacey May Fowles The Rose by Tiffany Reisz No Country for Old Gnomes: The Tales of Pell by Kevin Hearne and Delilah S. Dawson The Murmur of Bees by Sofia Segovia and Simon Bruni The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez: A Border Story by Aaron Bobrow-Strain Old Baggage by Lissa Evans Feast Your Eyes: A Novel by Myla Goldberg An Anatomy of Beasts by Olivia A. Cole The Meaning of Birds by Jaye Robin Brown Before We Were Wicked by Eric Jerome Dickey The Limits of the World by Jennifer Acker Southern Lady Code: Essays by Helen Ellis Roar by Cecelia Ahern Lost Without the River: A Memoir by Barbara Hoffebeck Scoblic Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out? by Bill McKibben The House of the Pain of Others: Chronicle of a Small Genocide by Julián Herbert The Next Great Paulie Fink by Ali Benjamin Upon a Burning Throne by Ashok K. Banker Perihelion Summer by Greg Egan Winds of Marque by Bennett R. Coles Diary of a Murderer: And Other Stories by Young-Ha Kim, Krys Lee Normal People: A Novel by Sally Rooney Dark Constellations by Pola Oloixarac, Roy Kesey (translator) Under the Table: A Novel by Stephanie Evanovich The Human Swarm: How Our Societies Arise, Thrive, and Fall by Mark W. Moffett Eating the Sun: Small Musings on a Vast Universe by Ella Frances Sanders The Department of Sensitive Crimes: A Detective Varg Novel by Alexander McCall Smith Down from the Mountain: The Life and Death of a Grizzly Bear by Bryce Andrews Relight My Fire by Joanna Bolouri The Time Collector: A Novel by Gwendolyn Womack Autumn Light: Season of Fire and Farewells by Pico Iyer Hitler's Last Plot: The 139 VIP Hostages Selected for Death in the Final Days of World War II by Ian Sayer and Jeremy Dronfield The Question Authority by Rachel Cline
To replace coal and oil, do we need nuclear power? Is switching from coal powered electric plants to natural gas a step in the right direction? And what lessons can we draw from the recent victories—and setbacks--for the climate movement in California? Bill McKibben comments--and talks how to get to a Green New Deal. Bill's new book, “Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?” will be published on April 16. Also: what can we do to reduce the death toll in the current epidemic of opioid overdoses? Maia Szalavitz suggests our focus should be on harm reduction, and especially on the creation of safe injection sites—Philadelphia may be the first US city to follow the example of Vancouver and many West European cities.
To replace coal and oil, do we need nuclear power? Is switching from coal powered electric plants to natural gas a step in the right direction? And what lessons can we draw from the recent victories—and setbacks--for the climate movement in California? Bill McKibben comments--and talks how to get to a Green New Deal. Bill’s new book, “Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?” will be published on April 16. Also: what can we do to reduce the death toll in the current epidemic of opioid overdoses? Maia Szalavitz suggests our focus should be on harm reduction, and especially on the creation of safe injection sites—Philadelphia may be the first US city to follow the example of Vancouver and many West European cities.
To replace coal and oil, do we need nuclear power? Is switching from coal powered electric plants to natural gas a step in the right direction? And what lessons can we draw from the recent victories—and setbacks--for the climate movement in California? Bill McKibben comments--and talks how to get to a Green New Deal. Bill’s new book, “Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?”, will be published on April 16. Plus: The House Judiciary Committee is moving toward impeachment proceedings, and asking what kind of precedents—and what kind of lessons--can be found in the Republican effort to impeach Bill Clinton 20 years ago. Sean Wilentz comments--he’s an award-winning historian who teaches at Princeton. He writes for the New York Times, the New Republic, Rolling Stone, and the New York Review, where he wrote recently about the Clinton impeachment. Also: what can we do to reduce the death toll in the current epidemic of opioid overdoses? Maia Szalavitz suggests our focus should be on harm reduction, and especially on the creation of safe injection sites—Philadelphia may be the first US city to follow the example of Vancouver and many West European cities.