Climate Break
Episodes
RERUN: The Clean Energy Potential of Nuclear Fusion, with Annie Kritcher
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is nuclear fusion?Nuclear fusion produces energy by fusing atoms together. Atomic cores (nuclei) merge together to form a heavier—though unstab...
Educating Kids about Climate Change through Musical Storytelling
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Climate Education for YouthClimate education has the potential to drive the public towards climate science literacy, an individual’s understanding o...
Rerun: Sequestering Carbon using Compost and Grasslands, with Whendee Silver
03 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Carbon SequestrationCarbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide to slow the pace of climate change. There ...
Rerun: Recharging Aquifers with Flood Waters, with Daniel Swain
27 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Climate change is increasing flood risk worldwide. Climate change is intensifying flood risk around the world, with potentially devastating consequ...
Rerun: Using Groundwater to Heat and Cool Buildings
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is the GeoGrid?The Geo Grid is a network of heating pumps that harnesses the geothermal energy stored under the Earth’s surface to heat and coo...
Balancing the Grid: California's Shift to Renewable Energy Sources
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How does transitioning to renewable energy challenge the electric grid?As of 2022, renewable and non-greenhouse gas emitting sources accounted for 52%...
Hip Hop 4 Change: Using Art Activism to Combat Climate Change
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What are Art and Music Activism?Art activism refers to the use of artistic expression and creative endeavors to advocate for and educate others on soc...
International Monetary Fund Reform, With Kelly Varian
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is the IMF?The International Monetary Fund (IMF) provides aid to developing countries to promote global economic and monetary growth. IMF inv...
RERUN: Community as antidote to climate despair, with Teo Grossman
27 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why Community?It’s easy to feel despair about climate change and environmental destruction. But despair can make it hard to forge connections and ta...
Salt Marshes: Ecosystem Powerhouses in Climate Regulation and Biodiversity
08 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Vital Role of WetlandsWetlands are critical ecosystems that play a fundamental role in maintaining the stability and well-being of both local and ...
Resilience Hotspots: Nature's Role in Urban Climate Adaptation
01 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What are “Resilience Hotspots”?Technology and high-tech solutions are not the only responses to climate change. Nature can also be a powerful form...
Green Ammonia: Pioneering a Sustainable Future in Food Production
25 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is “Green Ammonia”?Ammonia is a vital chemical that sustains half of all food production around the world (through the creation of agricultur...
RERUN: Could We Use CRISPR to Fight Climate Change? with Professor Kris Niyogi
17 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is CRISPR?DNA contains the fundamental information about an organism, and is used as an instruction manual to guide organism structure and functi...
Geothermal Power: Tapping Earth's Heat for a Carbon-Free Future
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is Geothermal Energy?Geothermal energy is heat generated in the earth. It is a renewable source of energy, and it is extracted from the inner ear...
Matching Demand for Zero-Emissions Public Transportation in Scotland, with Ed Thomson
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Zero-Emissions Public Transportation: Demand and SupplyGlobally, transportation accounts for approximately one quarter of all CO2 emissions and grew b...
Carbon-Free Trucks on the Road to Zero Emissions, with Sophie Defour
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Carbon-Free TrucksThe European Green Deal, passed in 2020, sets policy initiatives approved by the European Commission to boost efficient use of resou...
Lithium mining in Southern California’s Salton Sea geothermal system, with Dr. Pat Dobson
20 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Lithium BatteriesWhile the use of lithium to power electric vehicle batteries has been around for close to a decade, and while car manufacturers and s...
Corporate Lobbying as an Ally in the Fight Against Climate Change
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Editorial NoteThe interview for this episode was recorded in June 2021. The basic point of the episode remains relevant, but the mentioned campaign is...
The “30 by 30” Conservation Movement, with Jennifer Norris
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is the “30 by 30” Movement?The 30 by 30 movement is a global initiative aimed at conserving 30 percent of the Earth’s land by the year 2030...
Raising the Bar: Brewing a Greener Future with Concentrated Beer, with Gary Tickle
29 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What are the problems with current beer production methods?Beer is primarily composed of water—making up about 90 percent of its content. Annually, ...
Educating Girls to Address Gendered Impacts of Climate Change
22 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Educating Girls is a Climate SolutionToday, an estimated 80 percent of people displaced by climate disasters are women and girls, and women living bel...
Learning from Luxembourg's Approach to EVs with Minister of Mobility Francois Bausch
18 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Background on LuxembourgLuxembourg is a tiny country in Western Europe wedged between Belgium, France, and Germany. It has one of the highest vehicle ...
Climate Change Litigation on Behalf of Young People, with Julia Olson (extended version)
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Youth-Led Climate LitigationWorldwide, litigants are turning to the courts as a forum for fighting climate change, filing lawsuits against government...
Tackling the Plastic Crisis, with Martin Bourque
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is plastic? Plastic is a material derived primarily from carbon-based sources like natural gas, oil, and even plants. It is created by treating ...
Hydrogen Fuel’s Potential to Decarbonize Aviation
08 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Carbon Cost of AviationTransportation is a leading contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, with air travel playing a significant role. In ...
Using Mobile Apps to Improve Air Quality Awareness in Ghana, with Dr. Collins Gameli Hodoli
01 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the state of air quality in Ghana?Over the last century, environmental pollution and air quality have been worsening in Africa. An estimated ...
Using Paleo Valleys to Recharge Aquifers, with Dr. Rosemary Knight
25 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What are Paleo Valleys? Paleo Valleys were created at the end of the last ice age by melting glaciers that carved into the sediments deposited in the...
Electrifying Motorcycle Taxis in Africa to Reduce Emissions and Save Drivers Money
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What are motorcycle taxis? Motorcycle taxis are indispensable in East Africa and other developing countries. In large cities experiencing unplanned ...
Prescribed Burns with Bill Tripp
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is a Prescribed Burn?Prescribed burns “reduc[e] excessive amounts of brush, shrubs, and trees, encouraging the new growth of native vegetation,...
Rerun: Using Windows to Capture Solar Power with Professor Stephen Forrest
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What are solar windows? Solar windows, also known as building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), are windows that generate electricity from sunlight. ...
Climate Change Litigation on Behalf of Young People
27 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Youth-Led Climate LitigationWorldwide, litigants are turning to the courts as a forum for fighting climate change, filing lawsuits against government...
Shifting Public Opinion with Warning Labels on Gas Pumps, with Rob Shirkey
21 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What are Climate Change Disclosure Labels?Highlighting the link between a product’s consumption and its carbon footprint could potentially alter har...
Cool surfaces: Reflecting heat and reducing emissions, with Ronnen Levinson
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is a cool surface?Cool surfaces are roofs, walls, or pavements that are generally light-colored and highly reflective. When sunlight hits a white...
Improving on 100% Renewable Portfolio Standards through Hourly Matching, with Jan Pepper of Peninsula Clean Energy
07 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Peninsula Clean EnergyPeninsula Clean Energy is a community choice aggregation (CCA) founded in 2016 that serves about 310,000 customers in San Mateo ...
Growing a Conservative Youth Environmental Movement, with Karly Matthews from the American Conservation Coalition
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
History of Republican EnvironmentalismThe history of Republican environmentalism spans decades. On January 1, 1970, just a few months before the very ...
Municipal Investment in Clean Energy Tech through Community Choice Aggregation, with Rob Shaw
24 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is Community Choice Aggregation?Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) is a system that allows local governments to purchase power directly from an e...
The Clean Energy Potential of Nuclear Fusion, with Annie Kritcher
16 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is nuclear fusion?Nuclear fusion produces energy by fusing atoms together. Atomic cores (nuclei) merge together to form a heavier—though unstab...
Recharging Aquifers with Flood Waters, with Daniel Swain
09 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Climate change is increasing flood risk worldwide. Climate change is intensifying flood risk around the world, with potentially devastating consequ...
How International Trade Policy Can Boost Climate Action, with Joseph Shapiro
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Existing Carbon Tariffs Subsidize Polluting IndustriesAccording to new international environmental economic research, most countries’ existing trade...
State Wildlife Management and Resilience, with Chuck Bonham
25 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Climate Change Exacerbates California’s WildfiresNearly all of California’s landscapes are naturally fire-dependent or fire-adapted, and this bene...
Sequestering Carbon using Compost and Grasslands, with Whendee Silver
18 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Carbon SequestrationCarbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide to slow the pace of climate change. There ...
Optimizing Food Waste Recovery through Algorithms, with Maen Mahfoud
11 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Food Waste is a Global Problem with a Big Carbon FootprintOne-third of all food produced is wasted every year – approximately 1.3 billion tons. The ...
Collaborating with farmers on climate-friendly practices, with Alameda County Resource Conservation District
04 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is Carbon Farming?Carbon farming refers to a wide range of agricultural practices that increase carbon sequestration in soil, vegetation, and for...
Community as antidote to climate despair, with Teo Grossman
28 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why Community?It’s easy to feel despair about climate change and environmental destruction. But despair can make it hard to forge connections and ta...
A role for hydrogen in decarbonization? with Nick Connell
21 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is “green” hydrogen?Green hydrogen is an industry term for hydrogen produced using renewable energy sources such as wind or solar power throu...
Using Oyster Reefs to Protect Shorelines, with Claire Arre
14 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Oysters' Role in Living ShorelinesOysters can serve as an important environmental solution to shoreline restoration. Oyster reefs can provide habitat ...
Induction Ranges, No Rewiring Required, with Sam Calisch
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Induction-Range Stoves:Gas stoves have recently been in the news as a source of harmful pollutants in the home and generators of greenhouse gas. The a...
Protecting Drinking Water from Agricultural Pollutants with Des Moines Water Works
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do Climate Change and Agriculture Affect Drinking Water?Throughout the US, agricultural and livestock runoff are some of the largest contributors ...
Using Groundwater to Heat and Cool Buildings
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is the GeoGrid?The Geo Grid is a network of heating pumps that harnesses the geothermal energy stored under the Earth’s surface to heat and coo...
RERUN: Transforming Food Waste Into Vegan Leather with Polybion's Axel Gómez-Ortigoza
14 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Three Birds with One Stone: Addressing Three Environmental ProblemsPolybion’s fabric technology addresses three major environmental problems: livest...
Rebroadcast: Building Tribal Communities' Energy Independence with Indigenous Energy Initiative
08 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
At the time of recording, Indigenized Indigenous Energy Initiative was named Indigenous Indigenized Energy Initiative.Indigenous Energy Initiative:Ind...
Local Textile Recycling with Material Return's Bobby Carswell
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is mechanical textile recycling?Mechanical textile recycling is a process by which used textiles, particularly those made with natural fibers suc...
Could We Use CRISPR to Fight Climate Change? with Professor Kris Niyogi
17 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is CRISPR?DNA contains the fundamental information about an organism, and is used as an instruction manual to guide organism structure and functi...
How Carbon Emission Registries Can Help Organizations Reduce Their Emissions with Dan Krekelberg
10 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What are carbon registries? Carbon registries work with companies, organizations, and government agencies to identify, measure, and report their gree...
Electric Vehicle Retrofitting with Dr. Aly El Tayeb
04 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is electric vehicle (EV) retrofitting and why does it matter? ‘EV retrofitting’ refers to the process of converting a gas-powered vehicle in...
What Advanced Clean Cars II Means for Zero Emission Vehicles with Dr. Steve Cliff
09 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Advanced Clean Car II RuleThe Advanced Clean Car II proposal requires that all new passenger vehicles, trucks, and SUVs sold in California be zero emi...
Why Smart Land Use Can Reduce the Need to Drive with Dr. Steve Cliff
02 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Land Use ChangesOne solution to reduce vehicle usage, and in turn, carbon emissions are land use changes. Changing cities' relationship with land use ...
Equitable Policy for Energy Efficient Homes with Dr. Steve Cliff
18 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
California is the first state to ban the sale of new gas furnaces and water heaters, which will begin in 2030. In efforts to fight climate change, all...
California's Plan to Decarbonize Trucks with Dr. Steve Cliff
11 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
California Air Resources Board: Zero-Emission Trucking GoalsThe California Air Resources Board (CARB) is the agency responsible for reducing Californi...
How to Think About the Transition to Zero Emission Commercial Vehicles with CALSTART's Cristiano Facanha
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Global Commercial Vehicle Drive to Zero Program aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create a world with zero-emission commercial vehicles....
Designing Cities for a Car Optional Future with Mobycon's Lennart Nout
09 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is Mobycon?Mobycon is a sustainable mobility consultancy based in the Netherlands with offices in Canada and the United States. For the past thre...
What Can California’s Experience Tackling Climate Change Teach the Federal Government? With Richard Corey
07 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/what-can-californias-experience-tackling-climate-change-teach-the-federal-government-with-rich...
Building Tribal Communities' Energy Independence with Indigenized Energy Initiative
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/building-tribal-communities-energy-independence-with-indigenized-energy-initiative/
Using Concrete for Carbon Removal with Dr. Erica Dodds
07 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is Carbon MineralizationCarbon mineralization is a naturally occurring chemical process that occurs when carbon dioxide becomes “mineralized”...
Adapting Ocean Governance for a World of Rising Seas with Dr. Nilufer Oral
30 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Climate Change and the Law of the SeaSea level rise due to climate change will directly impact at least 70 countries, many of them small, low-lying is...
Zero Emission Zones with Arjan Oranje
23 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What are zero-emission zones?A zero-emission zone (ZEZ) is a designated area where only zero-emission vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists are permitte...
Using Cryptocurrency to Reward Sustainable Transportation with Paulo Humanes
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
AYR is the world’s first virtual digital platform that provides users with credits for carbon emissions saved. Created by the Center for Engineeri...
Using Solar Energy to Power Composting with Chris Seney
04 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 2018, nearly one-third of the 39 million tons of waste in California landfills was compostable organic material. Organic material – food and agri...
Using Geothermal Technology to Replace Natural Gas in Homes with HEET
31 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is the GeoGrid?The Geo Grid is a network of heating pumps that harnesses the geothermal energy stored under the Earth’s surface to heat and coo...
What is Environmental Justice? with Dr. Robert Bullard
26 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/environmental-racism-with-dr-robert-bullard/
What Does Effective Climate Communication Look Like? with Dr. Candice Howarth
26 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is “place-based” climate change communication?Climate change can feel overwhelming and impersonal when discussed on a global or national scal...
How do Oyster Reefs Protect Shorelines with Claire Arre
15 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/how-do-oyster-reefs-protect-shorelines-with-claire-arre/
How to Protect Water Supply from Agricultural Pollutants with Des Moines Water Works
08 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/how-to-protect-water-supply-from-agricultural-pollutants-with-des-moines-water-works/
Wildfire Resilience in California with Chuck Bonham
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/wildfire-resilience-in-california-with-chuck-bonham/
Carbon Farming with Ian Howell
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/carbon-farming-with-ian-howell/
Short: What W.Va v EPA means for US Climate Action, with Dan Farber
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
West Virginia v. EPAThe U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency on June 30, 2022, determining (in a...
What Does W. Virginia V. EPA Mean for Environmental Policy? with Dan Farber and Ken Alex
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
West Virginia v. EPAThe U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency on June 30, 2022, determining (in a...
Why does Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Matter for Energy Policy
07 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/why-does-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-matter-for-energy-policy/
Environmental Racism with Dr. Robert Bullard
02 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/environmental-racism-with-dr-robert-bullard/
What U.S.-China diplomacy relationship means for fighting climate change with Kevin Rudd - California China Climate Institute
16 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/what-u-s-china-diplomacy-relationship-means-for-fighting-climate-change-with-kevin-rudd-califo...
Electric Vehicle-Grid Integration with Dr. Carla Peterman - California China Climate Institute
12 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/ev-vehicle-grid-integration-with-dr-carla-peterman-california-china-climate-institute/
The Importance of Merging Humans and Nature with Dr. Liz Hadly - California China Climate Institute
06 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/the-importance-of-merging-humans-and-nature-with-dr-liz-hadly-california-china-climate-institu...
Climate 101 S1E1 - Lessons from California: Where we’ve gone wrong that other states can learn from, as well as where we’ve gone right
02 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit the episode's webpage: https://climatebreak.org/climate-101-s1e1-lessons-from-california-where-weve-gone-wrong-that-oth...
Climate Disaster Mitigation Through Political Action with Dr. Michael Mann - California China Climate Institute
29 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/climate-disaster-mitigation-through-political-action-with-dr-michael-mann-california-china-cli...
Decarbonization in the Short Term with Christiana Figueres - California China Climate Institute
13 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/decarbonization-in-the-short-term-with-christiana-figueres-california-china-climate-institute/...
How Policy Change Boosts Electric Vehicle Transformation in Europe with Laurence Tubiana - California China Climate Institute
24 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/how-policy-change-boosts-electric-vehicle-transformation-in-europe-with-laurence-tubiana-calif...
International Climate Finance with Mary Robinson - California China Climate Institute
18 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/intergovernmental-pressure-on-climate-finance-with-mary-mary-robinson-california-china-climate...
How Environmental Voters Can Influence Climate Policy with Dr. Martin Rees - California China Climate Institute
09 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/how-environmental-voters-can-influence-climate-policy-with-dr-martin-rees-california-china-cli...
What You Need to Know About COP26
01 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/what-you-need-to-know-about-cop26/
President Biden has Signed the Infrastructure Bill. What will Happen Next? (Extended Version)
20 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/president-biden-has-signed-the-infrastructure-bill-what-will-happen-next/
President Biden has Signed the Infrastructure Bill. What will Happen Next?
20 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/president-biden-has-signed-the-infrastructure-bill-what-will-happen-next/
How Seaweed Helps Scientists Reduce Methane Emissions
18 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/how-seaweed-helps-scientists-reduce-methane-emissions/
Corporate Climate Policy Advocacy with Bill Weihl
09 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/corporate-climate-policy-advocacy-with-bill-wiehl/
Large-scale Solar with Shannon Eddy
31 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/large-scale-solar-with-shannon-eddy/
Regenerating food systems with Grizzly Corps
27 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/regenerating-food-systems-with-grizzly-corps/
Nature-based Solutions with Dr. Deborah Brosnan
14 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/nature-based-solutions-with-dr-deborah-brosnan/
To Keep the Warming Limited with Dr. Veerabhadran Ramanathan
26 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/to-keep-the-warming-limited-with-dr-veerabhadran-ramanathan-california-china-climate-institute...
Cap-and-Trade Market for Carbon Credits with Mary Nichols
26 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/cap-and-trade-market-for-carbon-credits-with-mary-nichols-california-china-climate-institute/
Shifting to Renewable Energy with Hal Harvey
26 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/shifting-to-renewable-energy-with-hal-harvey-california-china-climate-institute/
Prescribed Burns with Bill Tripp
16 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/prescribed-burns-with-bill-tripp/