How does an American Hindu approach the climate crisis? What ancient values and teachings apply to modern life in America today? And how does this relate to LGBTQ issues and public health? Hari Venkatachalam connects his faith, work, heritage, and even his sexual orientation to living in a climate-changed world.

In the episode Hari reveals how extreme weather, which affects everyone, disproportionally impacts LGBTQ homeless youth. Citizens Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano, explains, 

Up to 40% of youth living on the streets in the United States and Canada are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and non-binary. Many of them avoid going to shelters because they assume they will received the same discrimination and hostility they escaped. This is especially true for transgender and gender non-binary young people. This puts them at extra risk during extreme weather events.

Hari Venkatachalam also talks about his faith and the principles handed down to him from his father. Hari is an active member of Sadhana: A Coalition of Progressive Hindus, and his activism focuses on environmental justice, LGBTQ+ issues, and public health. He currently works in Tampa, Florida as a public health researcher for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Kathy Baughman McLeod, SVP, Atlantic Council & Director, Adrienne Arsht - Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, also weighs in to talk about the dangers of extreme heat. 

Joining us in the Art House is Dr. Krista Hiser, with the first in a series of an occasional feature called The Ultimate Cli-Fi Book cCub. The purpose of the book club is to look at climate-themed literature and consider how it can help us engage differently with interdisciplinary topics and existential threats related to the planetary predicament of climate change. 

In this episode Krista reflects on the cli-fi novel, Blaze Island by Catherine Bush, and lets her imagination run wild, as she pulls together some of the greatest minds in climate fiction. 

Dr. Krista Hiser is Professor at Kapiʻolani Community College. Her PhD is in Educational Administration from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. She has published on community engagement, service-learning, organizational change, post-apocalyptic and cli-fi literature. 

You can read a written version of Krista’s essay at The Ultimate Cli-Fi Book Club for Sustainability in Higher Education on Medium. 

You can hear standalone versions of The Art House at Artists and Climate Change

Good News Report

Our good news comes from Anthony Leiserowitz at Yale Climate Connections. You will hear about a new fund which aims to bring more people into the climate conversation.

Citizens Climate Radio

Ep 64 Hinduism and LGBTQ climate work with Hari Venkatachalam

Originally from the UK, Caroline moved to Houston, Texas, 18 years ago. She explains that a story about drowned forest thousands of years ago in the UK, along with recent flooding in her city, inspires and informs her artistic work. 

“The installation consists of 60 11-feet high panels, each one representing a year of Houston weather data and encircling the Back BOX like a grove of trees. Each varies in width based on the rainfall intensity, as measured by the number of days on which the total rainfall was greater than three inches: the point at which street flooding occurs. The panel color, from ice-blue to blue-black, represents the average nighttime temperature for that year. At first glance the immersive nature of this cyanotype installation provides a cool environment as Houston temperatures fall into autumn. However, a closer look gives the bigger picture: more shocking than any graph, this forest-like environment shows the story of rising temperatures and intensifying rain events.”

While Caroline started her career as a chemical engineer with the faith that science would save the environment, she soon realized that many fields and talents could contribute to environmental advocacy. 

Caroline has always relied on science, and after crunching the numbers about the future of the country’s coastline due to climate-related flooding, she found herself in a state of horror and shock for weeks.

Caroline wanted people’s jaws to drop when they saw her art, which visualizes the overwhelming information she has seen predicted for the near future. As environmental conditions over time have grown worse, her installation’s fabric coincides, growing heavy and darker and colder as the fabric winds through history and to the present.

Caroline says that viewers were “gobsmacked” by her forest of fabric, and hopes that all who see her piece will contemplate the view of their own life under trees.

For more information on the data behind this installation please continue to the story and data page.

The Art House
For this month’s segment, you will hear a dramatic reading of Kamil Haque’s play, “Confessions of the Little Match Girl to the Star.” Kamil explains that in creating this piece, he chose to fracture a fairy tale, a nursery rhyme and the calling out to one’s “mama.” These common symbols of innocence form the spine of the play. 

To create the heart and soul of this piece, Kamil examined and extracted pieces from the transcripts of Greta Thunberg’s 2019 U.N.'s Climate Action Summit and George Floyd’s final moments in 2020. Through these channels he explores how two people on opposite ends of the age and racial spectrum express grief and anguish at their circumstances. How might their spirit and the spirit of their message live on literally and metaphorically?

“Confessions of the Little Match Girl to the Star” was performed at The BTS Center’s Climate Change Theatre Action 2021 event. It is read by Dr. Natasha DeJarnett, a public health expert and the chair of Citizens’ Climate Education board.

Our good news story this month comes from Solemi Herandez, the Southeast coordinator for Citizens’ Climate Lobby. She tells us about her experiences at COP26 and shares good news about Climate Empowerment Article 12 of the Paris agreement. Solemi is hopeful for the future because of the involvement that she saw at COP26, and is hoping that more citizens will get engaged in climate work.

Ep 67 Experiencing climate data through art

Even when he is being serious, comedian, storyteller, and podcast host, Esteban Gast is hilarious. And for climate advocates looking for some hope, perhaps the sweetest spot in the climate change podcast scene right now is Esteban’s new show, Comedians Conquering Climate Change. 

Only 15 minutes each episode, he features fellow comedians who learn along with the listener. The show is made in collaboration with Generation180. 

Comedians Conquering Climate Change is the funniest, friendliest, and shortest podcast addressing today’s critical climate and clean energy topics. Join comedian, writer, and teacher Esteban Gast as he enlists the help of fellow comedians to single-handedly save the planet.

Esteban joins Citizens Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano, for a lively conversation about the podcast, Esteban’s personal journey into climate communication, and creative ways to engage people who are aware of climate change but do not know where to start. You will also hear excerpts from Esteban’s podcast.

You will laugh, learn, and feel more connected to others taking on climate change.

The Art House

Inspired by Esteban’s comic storytelling, Peterson Toscano shares his own comic story as he grapples with The Weight of Carbon Dioxide and Chihuahuas. He even tries to figure it all out by using his limited math skills, which may be a mistake. How many chihuahua does it take to make a gallon of gasoline? And how can we help people see what is invisible? His math might be a little off, but when it comes to putting a price on carbon, Peterson makes total sense!

Good News Report

Lori Byron a co-chair of the Citizens Climate Health Team,The team has hundreds of CCL health care professionals, along with Robert Byron and Lisa Delbuono. Lori serves the point person between the American Academy of Pediatrics and the AAP Chapter Climate Advocates.

If you have good news you want to share on the show, or if you have an idea for the art house, email Peterson. Radio @ CitizensClimate.org.

Ep 70 Comedy, Climate, and Chihuahuas with Esteban Gast

In this episode you will hear a lively conversation between our host, Peterson Toscano, and four South African veterinarians. Like many climate advocates, Peterson couldn’t help himself, and asked Kristine and Roy Page along with their friends and fellow veterinarians Adrian and Ashleigh Tordiffe about climate change in South Africa and how it is affecting household pets and wild animals. 

The conversation is rich, informed, and at times hilarious. You will learn about pets in South Africa, and about the many ways animal lovers everywhere can protect their pets from extreme heat, extreme cold, and vector-born illness spread by fleas and ticks. You will hear about the North American ticks that strikes fear in the hearts of all meat-loving South Africans.  

Adrian is an academic and researches wildlife populations, and tells us about the adorable and very loud bush baby (also known as galago.) It is one of the very few nocturnal primate, and has two completely diets. In the rainy season it eats fruits and insects, and in the dry month it consumes plant gums produced by certain trees. Twice a year it has to completely transform its digestion system to accommodate its diet. 

The Art House
Krista Hiser is back with another installment of The Ultimate Cli-Fi Book Club. Every few months Krista Hiser shares with us her thoughts about climate-themed literature. This episode Krista looks at the 2010 satirical novel Solar by Ian McEwan. 

Krista is also responding to a hard-hitting research paper Through the Eye of a Needle: An Eco-Heterodox Perspective on the Renewable Energy Transition by Megan K. Seibert and William E. Rees. https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/15/4508

This research reveals just how tricky it is to take on climate change. It is a wicked problem with many moving parts we often do not want to see or acknowledge, but Krista encourages us to see the problems in their fullness so we respond with significant and effective solutions. 

Dr. Krista Hiser is Sustainability Curriculum Coordinator for the University of Hawaii Office of Sustainability, where she facilitates change management, interdisciplinary dialogue, and professional development opportunities for faculty to design, update and transform courses to integrate sustainability across the curriculum. She serves on the advisory board for the Sustainability Curriculum Consortium (SCC) and on the Steering Committee for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).

You can read a written version of Krista’s essay at The Ultimate Cli-Fi Book Club for Sustainability in Higher Education. medium.com/the-ultimate-cli-fi…-for-sustainability

You can hear standalone versions of The Art House at Artists and Climate Change. 

Good News Report

Our good news report comes from State College, PA, the home of Penn State University.  
CCL volunteer Dick Jones and the State College CCL chapter is pleased to report that State College Bureau Council unanimously passed a resolution calling on congress to pass Energy and Innovation Act. It is one of over 100 city councils to pass such a resolution including Allentown, Bethlehem, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and York, PA.  

If you have good news you want to share on the show, or if you have an idea for the art house, email Peterson. Radio @ CitizensClimate.org. 

Or leave a message our NEW listener voicemail (619) 512-9646

Ep 71 Pets, African Wildlife, and Climate Change

In today’s show we hear from Conservatives who are concerned about climate change. Not only are they concerned, they are engaged in meaningful action. Hannah Rogers, Trevor Jones, and Kaleb Christensen are three young people with ties to the State of Utah who are part of a growing movement in that State. They are each members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Fusing faith, hope, love for humanity and all nature, these young Conservative Christians are finding their places in the climate movement.

For full show notes & links visit: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/citizens-climate-radio-ep-72-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints-and-climate-climate/

To some they may seem like outliers, Conservatives concerned about climate change. According to a recent Gallup poll of Republican and right-leaning people ages 18-29 reveal that almost two thirds of them acknowledge climate change is caused by humans. Many of these young Conservatives are concerned about this. Older Conservatives though are not on the same page. And Progressives can be dismissive of Conservatives in the climate movement. Hannah, Trevor, and Kaleb believe the LDS Church has a unique role to play in the Republican party and the Conservative movement.

The Art House
You will learn about The Cli-Fi Imaginarium. A group of climate advocates in the UK were tired of so much talk about dreadful climate impacts, and not enough conversations and resources that address actual solutions. They decided that they are over dystopia. Using some of the solutions outlined in Project Drawdown, they organize free monthly on-line workshops for anyone to come and they imagine, What if? https://www.withmanyroots.com/cli-fi-imaginarium/

Our Good News Story today comes from Nate Abercrombie, Conservative Outreach Coordinator for Citizens Climate. He has good news to share with us about a recent event that brought Conservatives from all over the country to Washington, DC to talk about climate solutions.

In other Good News, Eric Fine, the  group leader of the CCL chapter in Greater New Haven, CT told us about a new limited series podcast all about carbon pricing. We hear from Casey Pickett and Naomi Shimberg, hosts of Pricing Nature. https://pricingnature.substack.com/

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Climate Change

We are celebrating the sixth anniversary of Citizens Climate Radio, and a big theme you will hear in this episode is about break-throughs and transformations. From the very beginning, Citizens Climate Lobby’s mission has been to create the political will for a livable world by enabling individual breakthroughs in the exercise of personal and political power. That was definitely the theme in the very first interviews Citizens Climate Radio’s host, Peterson Toscano, conducted with Marshall Saunders, founder of CCL, and Mark Reynolds, the organization’s first executive director. 

Peterson decided to revisit these interviews, remaster them, and share them with you. Marshall and Mark’s personal stories of transformation are inspiring and at times hilarious, especially when they talk about the first tentative and even ridiculous steps they took to start the organization. Their belief in the power of everyday people doing extraordinary things will move you. In fact, you may want to have some tissues nearby as you listen to Marshall and Mark share their stories, and the story of Citizens Climate Lobby’s beginnings. 

From the recent past we bring the story forward to today. You will meet one of the newest Citizen’s Climate staff members. Steffanie Munguía is a PhD student researching Coastal Wetlands Management in the Caribbean, her first home. She gives us an update of the many ways the organization has changed over the years all while staying faithful to CCL’s core values of Optimism, Integrity, Relationships, Personal Power, Diversity, and a constant commitment to bipartisanism.

The Art House
Singer/Songwriter Jodi Heights was moved to write a song about our world, which is being rocked by the impacts of climate change. In The Iceberg she imagines an alien classroom in the future looking back to the history of earthlings and the lessons they can draw from human error. Jodi tells us about The Iceberg and then performs it for us. https://jodiheights.com/

Good News Report
You will hear about a brand new climate curriculum for schools. It will provide engaging, informed, and action-driven lessons for middle-school teachers and students. Sharon Bagatell, Citizens Climate’s National Youth Action Team Coordinator first announced the completion of the new curriculum at this month’s Citizens Climate International Conference. She tells us about the project and just how special the curriculum will be for teachers and learners.

Beginnings & Transformations with Marshall Saunders, Mark Reynolds, and  Steffanie Munguía

Speaking with five different guests, host, Peterson Toscano, takes a deep dive to explore how climate change and extreme weather affect lesiban, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender non-binary, and queer (LGBTQ+) people. 

full show notes, links. transcript: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-74-what-are-lgbtq-responses-to-climate-change/

Leo Goldsmith (he/him) is one of the co-authors of Queer and Present Danger: Understanding the Disparate Impacts of Disasters on LGBTQ+ Communities. Together with Dr. Michael Mendez, Assistant Professor of Environmental Planning and Policy at the University of California, Irvine Vanessa Raditz from Out in Sustainability who is a PhD student at the University of Georgia, they researched the unique vulnerabilities of this community in disaster relief; the myth of gay affluence; how faith-based groups have a history of discriminatory practices in disaster relief; how cohesive is the LGBTQ community and how race is a problem even in LGBTQ groups. Leo also provides practical ways community members and leaders can build stronger, more resilient LGBTQ+ communities that can bounce back from extreme weather events. 

Nokwanda Maseko (she/her/they) is a South African economist who identifies as a Queer Black person. As senior economist at Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies, she has written position papers about what a just transition can look like, especially for women and the large sector of the Black South African population who because of unemployment and informal employment are not often part of the conversations around just transition. 

Isaias Herandez (he/him) aka Queer Brown Vegan was born in Los Angeles, California, also known as Tongva Land. As someone who grew up in a community that faced environmental injustices, Isaias developed an interest to learn about his environment. Living in Section 8 affordable housing, using food stamps growing up, and witnessing pollution affect his body. Isaias turned his anger and sadness to becoming an environmental educator. He earned a B.S. in Environmental Science at the University of California, Berkeley. He works on a variety of diversity inclusion work in environmental spaces, academic research, and creative work. Isaias’ work is centered on environmental justice with a lens of localization. Isaias works as a full-time content creator and public speaker on QueerBrownVegan.
The Art House

EJ Baker (they/them)  and Rae Binstock (she/her) tell us about Good Energy Stories, a story consultancy for the age of climate change. Their mission is to inspire, support, and accelerate stories in scripted TV and film that reflect the world we live in now–and help us envision a better tomorrow. 

They talk about the kind of stories and approaches to storytelling that move audiences to feel empathy for those suffering an enthusiasm for solutions that make the world a better place.

Good News Report
Leo Goldsmith tells us about QReady, a new resource created by Out for Sustainability (Out4S.) Qready began as a disaster-preparedness packing list specific for the LGBTQ+ community, which you can access below. They are now planning to expand the program to provide multi-scale offerings for individuals, organizations, and disaster professionals to foster the resilience of LGBTQ+ communities, with a focus on the needs of queer and trans Black and Indigenous people of color (QTBIPOC).
This program expansion was developed by Vanessa Raditz through a multi-year fellowship with Out4S and serves as the official Qready Project Director. Vanessa is also the director of Out4S’ first fiscally-sponsored project: “Fire & Flood: Queer Resilience in the era of Climate Change”. The completion of this project is the first step of Out for Sustainability’s expanded Qready initiative!

We always welcome your thoughts, questions, suggestions, and recommendations for the show. Leave a message on our listener voicemail line: (619) 512-9646. +1

LGBTQ+ Responses to Climate Change

In today’s show we will talk about resiliency for you and me as individuals doing climate work. You will learn about ways you can prepare yourself for a variety of emotional, psychological, interpersonal, and even physical impacts you may experience as a climate worker. 
Show notes, transcript, and links: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-76-building-personal-resilience-in-your-climate-work/
Laureline Simon is the founder and executive director of One Resilient Earth, an international non-profit organization that designs transdisciplinary educational projects for communities impacted by climate change, youth and sustainability professionals, to respond to the climate and biodiversity crises through resilience, regeneration and transformation.To help meet the emotional needs of fellow climate workers, Laureline now hosts a weekly on-line gathering. The hour-long Climate Workers Circle takes place every Tuesday at 2:00 pm Eastern Time.

The Art House
In the Art House American photographer and poet, Susan Currie tells us about a new book she wrote for fellow artists, especially when we feel stuck. In Super Flow she provides insights, practices, and practical advice on how to maintain a fresh, creative, sustainable artistic flow. 

Susan Currie is a West Palm Beach-based poet with a camera. Her words and images have been widely exhibited and published. She met her muse some time ago when she discovered the ancient eight-limbed practice of yoga. Its way of life continues to inform and imprint the art she makes.Her new works of visual art are on exhibit in a number of private collections, and at Chase Edwards Contemporary in Bridgehampton, NY.

NEW Resilience Corner
Tamara Staton premieres the first in series designed to help us stay strong and focused in our climate work. Tamara is the Education and Resilience Coordinator for Citizens Climate Education, and in this first installment of the Resilience Corner, she outlines for us the Five Steps to Resilience Building. 

-Notice what you're needing, feeling or experiencing right now. 
-Accept that what you need is what you need.  Allow yourself to be free from judgment about what that means about you or your upbringing or your surroundings.
-Seek Help with those needs that you struggle to meet yourself. 
-Practice meeting your needs. It will naturally look different for everyone. And, It may take some trial and error to see what will meet your needs and how. 
-Repeat these five steps regularly.

Good News Report
Flannery Winchester, communications director at Climates Climate explains that while the Inflation Reduction Act will not solve all of our climate change problems, it is a significant step with benefits for all American citizens on the Right, Left, and Center. 
 
If you have Good News to share, email radio @ citizensclimate.org

Building Personal Resilience in Your Climate Work

Julio Victor Cochoy Alva grew up in Guatemala and speaks about his mountain village with great affection. It is a place of beauty. It also continues to be a site of deep trauma. In fact, you will hear details about the war Julio witnessed as a boy. These mountainous communities were often hidden away. Many times you could only reach them through narrow mountain trails on horseback. As a result, Julio was shielded from a major conflict happening in Guatemala. A Civil war broke out in 1960 five years before he was born.

This content may not be suitable for all audiences.

Full notes, transcript, & links: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-77-bearing-witness-and-speaking-up-with-julio-cochoy-anne-therese-gennari/

Julio talks about the impacts the Guatemalan Civil had on indigenous people, the land, and communities. Today he is a witness to the impacts of climate change. He talks about the ways these impacts are similar and how they are different. He raises important questions. When it comes to Climate Change, who is the enemy? Who do we resist? How do we make peace and pursue justice?

10 years ago, Julio and his partner Doris Kizinna began World Pilgrim Global Education. Though the Covid-19 Pandemic interrupted tours to Guatemala, they will resume in February 2023.  Learn how individuals, families and groups can visit Julio’s village. https://worldpilgrim.ca/

Originally from Sweden Anne Therese Gennari came to New York City to speak up about the issues that moved her. First step, become a model. She quickly learned the model agencies wanted her to keep her mouth shut. She was there to represent the brand, not speak her truth. 

From a young age Anne Therese Gennari felt connected to the natural world. She carried this passion for sustainability and caring for the planet into her adulthood. She realized if she wanted to speak out as a model, she needed to create a new kind of model agency, one that makes room for models with a message..  

Anne Therese talks about challenges facing social media influencers and gives practical tips on being authentic and true to yourself. She also produces the Climate Optimist newsletter. She agreed to read an excerpt from her upcoming book, The Climate Optimist--How to shift the narrative on climate change and find the courage to choose change.
https://rolemodelsagency.com/
https://theclimateoptimist.substack.com/
https://www.theclimateoptimist.com/book

NEW Resilience Corner
Tamara Staton  is the Education and Resilience Coordinator for Citizens Climate Education, and in this installment of the Resilience Corner she has us consider what we need. 

What you need and want is exactly that - at least for right now.  While there’s nothing wrong with wanting or even trying to change those needs and wants, you’re likely not going to get very far in this moment when what you actually need is acceptance.

Next month Tamara will take a closer look at asking for help.  Get more tips and resources by visiting The Resiliency Hub.https://community.citizensclimate.org/topics/resilience-hub

Our good news story is about a billionaire who is giving his billions to help take on climate change. The Good News Network reports, Patagonia Gives Away Its Entire $3 Billion Worth To Fight Climate Change. Watch a clip on YouTube from The Daily Show about this incredible good news.  
If you have Good News to share, email radio @ citizensclimate.org

Click here for full show notes: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/category/podcast/
Click link for full transcript of this episode: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/nrnq3f/CCR_77_Bearing_Witness_and_Speaking_Up_Julio_Colchoy_and_Anne_Therese_Genari8rj5c.pdf

Bearing Witness and Speaking Up with Julio Cochoy & Anne Therese Gennari

In this episode of Citizens Climate Radio we will consider stories that focus on the impacts of climate change. These include incidents of extreme weather, and stories of changes you have witnessed over time and the ways these changes affect you and everything and everyone you love. Plus you will hear one climate solution story from the future. 

To see full show notes & links, visit: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-79-how-to-tell-a-climate-change-solution-story/

Most importantly, you will hear an example of “the climate story pivot.” The pivot happens when you jump off of your story into the climate solution you are proposing.

For full notes visit: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/category/podcast/

What you will learn in this episode

---We can tell effective climate stories. 
---The most common story is  the climate change impact story--A story that reveals the dangers of climate change induced extreme weather and other impacts on our lives and the world. 
---Make your story compelling with specific details and emotions.
---Once you tell your story, switch to the climate change pivot. This is when you connect your story to the climate work you are doing or a particular solution you are pursuing.
---Finally, give them something to do. Suggest a meaningful and achievable next step. 

An extreme weather story by Dr. Natasha DeJarnett
Dr. DeJarnett is an assistant professor in the Christina Lee Brown Environment Institute at the University of Louisville Division of Environmental Medicine. She researches the health impacts of extreme heat exposure and environmental health disparities. If you ever heard one of Dr. DeJarnett’s presentations, you know she is excellent at sharing data and highlighting the many ways we can protect our loved ones and communities. She is also a powerful storyteller. For this episode she tells us a dramatic story from when she was 12 years old.  

Poems about parenting and climate change by Lilace Mellin Guinard. 
As a parent, Lilace Mellin Guinard weaves in emotions that may be familiar to some listeners.  For The BTS Center in Portland, Maine, Lilace led a poetry workshop for climate change leaders. She recorded readings of her poetry, and Citizens Climate Radio host Peterson Toscano  added music and sound effects. You will hear Lilace read two poems, “After the Magi Depart'' and “Evergreen.” For people in North America who enjoy winter weather and feel a pang about the warming of warming winters, Lilace expresses both grief and determination. 

A story from the future by Allison Whitaker
Peterson collaborated with Allison Whitaker, one of the facilitators of the Intro to Climate Fiction Workshop offered by With Many Roots. She wrote a story immersed in a solution. Together they created a radio drama version of her story Forest at the End of the Lane. 

Next month we will do a deep dive into another type of climate change story--a story that reveals the impacts of climate change solutions. 
Do you want to learn more about climate storytelling and get some experience in a group? 

Resilience Corner
Tamara Staton is the Education and Resilience Coordinator for Citizens Climate Education, and in this installment of the Resilience Corner she has us accepting what we need. 

There are two aspects of acceptance that can help us deepen our resilience. 
1. involves making space and allowing for our thoughts, feelings and needs. Because, when it comes right down to it, what you need is what you need. 
2.  involves a willingness to see our surroundings and circumstances exactly as they are in the moment. Acceptance in this way, free from judgment, allows us to focus our energy and attention on what matters most

Next month Tamara will take a closer look at asking for help.  Get more tips and resources by visiting The Resiliency Hub.

What is an Effective Climate Change Story?

In this episode we look at climate stories that reveal the impacts of climate solutions.  

There are three different types of Climate Solution Impact stories you can tell.
1. The Current Solution Success Story
2. The Future Solution Success Story
3. The Solution Motivation Story

For full notes, transcript, & links, visit https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-79-how-to-tell-a-climate-change-solution-story/

For examples of Current Climate Change Solution Success Stories, we hear from Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz and Yale Climate Connections. 
A new solar-powered car designed to travel up to 40 miles on sunshine alone: That’s enough to cover many people’s daily commutes.

Eight states, 30 cities team up to reduce flooding threat along the Mississippi: They’ve partnered with Ducks Unlimited to restore more than 60 wetlands that will hold floodwaters during storms.

To hear and read more of these stories visit Yale Climate Connections. 
https://yaleclimateconnections.org

The Future Climate Change Solution Success Story
 For examples of these, head over to the Clifi Imaginarium. Allison Whitaker tells us about the ways they take seemingly dry information about solutions, and turn them into compelling stories. Check out www.WithManyRoots.com to read these Cli-fi solution stories and to learn about the free monthly Introduction to Climate Fiction on-line workshops. 

The Climate Change Solution Motivation Story
This story reveals why I am motivated to do the climate work I am doing. The story itself may not seem to have anything to do with climate change. Still this story goes right to the heart of my work. I will tell you one of my climate solution motivation stories. 

Citizens Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano, shares one of his motivation stories, and shows us how to then pivot to climate change solutions and specific meaningful action. 

Check out our full show notes: 
https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/category/podcast/
Tha Art House
Alan Gratz has written nearly 20 books for young adults including PRISONER B-3087, about  World War Two holocaust survivor and Refugee, which weaves togethers stories of three children from three countries escaping their countries in search of a new home.  In his latest book, Two Degrees, Alan takes on climate change.
He tells us about the challenges he had to overcome in writing about climate change, and how this book was much harder to write than his previous ones. He also gives us a reading from the book. 
13-year-old Juno gives a review of Two Degrees. Learn more: https://www.alangratz.com/

Resilience Corner
Tamara Staton is the Education and Resilience Coordinator for Citizens Climate Education, and in this installment of the Resilience Corner she helps us to ask for the help we need.  
Get more tips and resources by visiting The Resiliency Hub.

How to Tell a Climate Change Solution Story

As climate advocates, we need to articulate what it is we are fighting for. What is the world we want to create? Engaging our imagination is essential to stirring up the kind of hope and excitement that inspires others to action. 

For full show notes, transcript, & links visit: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-80-unleashing-our-imaginations-for-climate-solutions/
In this episode of Citizens’ Climate Radio, 3 guests join us to help unleash our imagination potential: Hannah Pickard from the National Network of Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation; Dr. Natasha DeJarnett, a leader in environmental health research and board member of Citizens’ Climate Education and Physicians for Social Responsibility; and Sean Dague, a software engineer by day, a CCL group leader, and an En-ROADS Climate Simulation tool ambassador. 

These three guests conduct a thought experiment: 
Can you imagine a world without fossil fuels? What will it look, smell, sound, and feel like? 

You will also hear three new voices who have joined the Citizens Climate Radio team. Ruth Abraham, Lila Powell, and Zach Torpie are each recent college graduates. They share their reactions and responses to what Sean and Hannah have to say about engaging our imaginations in our climate change work. 

You can imagine this, too! Share your answers with host Peterson Toscano. Leave a voicemail at 518.595.9414. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org

Once we are able to notice, accept and get help where we need it, we are more able to take action in ways that support our well-being.  Which brings us to our focus today on the next step: Practice.

Tamara Staton is the Education and Resilience Coordinator for Citizens Climate Education, and in this installment of the Resilience Corner she helps us to ask for the help we need.  
Get more tips and resources by visiting The Resiliency Hub.
https://community.citizensclimate.org/topics/resilience-hub

Unleashing Our Imaginations for Climate Change Solutions

In this month’s episode of Citizens’ Climate Radio, we feature two women so compelled by their experiences in the wilderness, they published books about their experiences.

For show notes, transcripts, links, visit https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-81-women-in-wild-places/

Lilace Melin Guinard, is a poet and  non-fiction writer. CCR host Peterson Toscano walks alongside Guinard in northern Pennsylvania’s Hill Creek State Park as the two discuss the unique experiences that women face alone in nature. As a young woman who was fed up by non-communicative boyfriends, Guinard sought out solace in wild spaces and places. Backpacking and solo-trips equipped her with autonomy and released her from the fear of the outdoors she was taught while growing up in suburbia in the 1980s. https://www.tentofonesown.com/

In her memoir,  When Everything Beyond the Walls Is Wild: Being a Woman Outdoors in America, Guinard explores the challenges and rewards of exploring wilderness alone. https://www.tamupress.com/book/9781623497644/when-everything-beyond-the-walls-is-wild/

We spotlight poet, writer, and editor Hila Ratzabi. http://www.hilaratzabi.com/ In her recent book There are Still Woods Ratzabi writes both for herself as well as others who need to process the strong emotions around climate change. Her advice? Recognize there are ways to get involved. Beyond political actions she recognizes the importance of cultivating our creative sides. https://www.juneroadpress.com/there-are-still-woods

Tamara Staton, CCL’s Education and Resilience Coordinator shares the fifth and final step to building resilience: Repeat. Get more tips and resources by visiting The Resiliency Hub. https://community.citizensclimate.org/topics/resilience-hub

Full Transcript: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/aemdvv/TranscriptCCREP81Womeninwildplaces.pdf

To learn more about creative climate action, visit cclusa.org

Women In Wild Places

In this month’s episode of Citizens’ Climate Radio, Peterson Toscano and Ruth Abraham feature four high school students who reveal the secret world of teenage lobbying. Brionna Dulay, Saachi Sharma, Cole Cochrane, and Anna Xie all volunteer for Citizens’ Climate Lobby. We asked them, Are lobbyists evil? 

See our full show notes and transcript: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-82-are-lobbyists-evil/

Brionna Dulay is a high school senior in Washington State, who discovered a passion for climate advocacy after she was an eyewitness to severe flooding in her community. As a Punjabi-American, Brionna recognized the lack of her community’s representation in climate advocacy and climate change's disproportionate effects on minority communities. This has pushed Brionna to speak to US senators and representatives along with local, regional, and state members of congress. 

Saachi Sharma, also from Washington State, has been involved with Citizens’ Climate Lobby since middle school, and she is now a high school junior. She believes that the work done by today's youth helps make the world a better place, and says, “There's really no age to when you can start being more climate-conscious”. 

Cole Cochrane started his advocacy at age 11 as a volunteer on campaigns for local candidates. Cole is now a senior in high school and has co-founded a nonprofit organization called Maine Youth Action. He serves as the Policy Director. Maine Youth Action aims to empower youth in politics and have their voice heard in critical areas like climate action.

Anna Xie lived in China till she was 11 and is now a senior in high school in Washington State. Anna is the statewide leader of Citizens’ Climate Lobby Youth and previously worked on team recruitment. Anna was struck by the positive feedback from new team members, who told her that CCL has changed their lives and given them more confidence in their public speaking and in the future of our plant.

We decided to call a professional lobbyist to find out more. 

Ben Pendergrass has worked in Washington for over 14 years as a Congressional staff and a government relations professional. He is CCL’s Vice President of Government Affairs and works to advance the policy goals of CCL in Congress. Ben gave us the inside scoop on professional lobbying and had some advice for youth lobbyists. Ben suggests that “being informed, being polite, and really connecting the issues back to the state or district is always very important.”

CCR’s very own intern, Lila Powell, tells us about two young climate advocates' successes in sustainability. Franziska Trautmann and Max Steitz were students at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. While sipping wine in their backyard, Franziska and Max pondered the future of the glass bottle it came in, since NOLA doesn’t have a government-funded glass recycling program. Tune in to hear how they turned that into a happy ending for their whole community!

Are Lobbyists Evil?

In this month’s episode of Citizens’ Climate Radio, Eric Dean Wilson fills us in on the not-so-cool history of air conditioning and its complicated relationship to climate change. He is the author of After Cooling: On Freon, Global Warming, and the Terrible Cost of Comfort. Lila Powell and Ruth Abraham join Peterson Toscano in hosting this deep dive into air conditioning’s past, present, and future.

Eric walks us through the creation and history of AC. Despite what all of us at CCR thought, AC was not first used for human comfort or health. Eric says, it was about money. From movie theaters to segregation to a mad scientist, the history of AC covers it all. Join us to learn about how AC got its start in the world of finance and how racism keeps exposing some people in American cities to more heat than others.

Nerd Corner
In this episode, we premiere a new section in our podcast- The Nerd Corner! Citizen Climates Research Coordinator, Dana Nuccitelli, fills us in on the environmental impacts of renewable energy. Dana highlights climate research (and makes it understandable) for fellow nerds and the nerd curious! Check out Dana’s recent post about The little-known physical and mental health benefits of urban trees.

Good News 

CCR’s very own intern, Ruth Abraham, shares her experience attending the CCL Southeast Regional Conference. The conference took place at the Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design on Georgia Tech’s campus. It was the 28th building to receive a Living Building Certification. She heard from various climate continuous figures such as Georgia Senator, Raphael Warnock, and Atlanta’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Candra Farley. Ruth even joined a book club!

The Not-So-Cool Effects of Air Conditioning on Climate Change

In this episode of Citizens’ Climate Change, we explore the intersection between the Bible and climate change. More specifically, we discuss the Christian faith and how it inspires its followers to advocate for the planet. 

Visit our show page for full notes, links, and transcript: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-84-unraveling-the-bibles-message-on-climate-change/

Pastor Kyle Meyaard Schaap, husband, father, and self-described disciple of Jesus, is Vice President of the Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN). EEN is a ministry that educates, inspires, and mobilizes Christians in their effort to care for God’s creation. Pastor Schaap is also of the book, Following Jesus in a Warming World: A Christian Call to Climate Action. It was published by Intervarsity Press, and is a memoir and theological field guide written for millennials and Gen Z believers. His message is that there is a space for Christians in the environmentalist movement. 

In fact, Pastor Schaap reminds us that the Bible starts off with Genesis where God gives man authority over creation. Schaap reveals to us how his faith as a Chrisitan inspires his climate work. Jesus asked his followers to love their neighbor as themselves, and Schaap asks Christians to extend this invitation to love all things including the natural world. Even further, Pastor Schaap suggests as Christians strive to be like Jesus, they must be impatient for the Kingdom of God. He urges fellow Christians to commit to creation care.

See full show notes and links over at www.cclusa.org/radio

A Climate Life Verse
Ruth Abraham, a member of the Citizens Climate Radio team, shares with us the Bible verse that speaks to her about creation care and our need to clean up the pollution in the world. She is inspired by the Christman hymn, Joy to the World, which was written by Isaac Watts, and a verse in Luke’s Gospel.

Resilience Corner 

“Resilience is about recognizing a challenge and moving through it, so that we’re a little bit stronger on the other side of it.”

Tamara Stanton, returns this episode with a new series: Resilient Climate-teering through Unexpected Climate Connections. The goal is to have you, the listener, worry less and act more. 

After revealing the motivation behind the name “Climate-Teering.” Staton begins to equip us with the tools necessary to combat the inevitable challenges that come alongside climate change. She reminds us that resilient minds respond to conflict with an, “I got this,” attitude.


Good News 

CCR’s very own intern, Lila Powell, delivers a story about various faith groups who are collaborating to advance a climate preservation mission. In 2022, Egypt hosted COP27. In attendance were several religious institutions and a wonderful demonstration of interfaith conversations in support of climate policy. In addition to committees, some faith groups have gone as far as publically divesting from fossil fuels. It is a great step forward. 

Links: https://kylemeyaardschaap.com/
https://www.ivpress.com/following-jesus-in-a-warming-world

Unraveling the Bible’s Message on Climate

Ruth Abraham and Lila Powell, interns for Citizens Climate Radio, take over the show, and take a deep dive into the world of carbon pricing. 

For all links, show notes, and full transcript, visit https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-85-economics-justice-and-carbon-price-solutions/

Citizens Climate Lobby's Carbon Pricing page states: “A strong, economy-wide price on carbon could reduce America’s carbon pollution by 50% by 2030, putting us on track to reach net zero [carbon production] by 2050.”

Carbon pricing is an economic solution to climate change. When Marshall Saunders first envisioned the creation of CCL, Cap-and-Trade was the primary way lawmakers heard about carbon pricing. But through relentless messaging and volunteer lobbying, the discussion has shifted to carbon fee and dividend. 

The ultimate goal? Incentivize both businesses and individuals to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Citizens’ Climate Lobby advocates for a carbon fee and dividend, an economy-wide fee that is then returned to citizens. At the point of extraction, a fee will be placed on fossil fuels. This collected store of cash will then be distributed back to individuals and in turn, flow through the economy, incentivizing both businesses and people to slowly but surely rely on renewables. 

Naomi Shimberg is a self-described aspiring economist who hopes to research the design of environmental and energy policy. 
A recent graduate at Yale with a B.A. in Ethics, Politics, and Economics, Shimberg was the senior producer at Pricing Nature where she produced and hosted episodes of Pricing Nature, a podcast on the economics of climate change. She spends her time explaining externalities and the infamous  “social cost of carbon.” Shimberg also establishes that environmental inequities are essential to determining an appropriate climate price. Furthermore, she mentions that while it is efficient in reducing pollution it’s not an entirely equitable tool. 

Nokwanda Maseko is now a Senior Economist at Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies' with a background in development economics. Nokwanda conducts economic research, with a focus on industrial policy, trade, and climate change. Gender and the Just Transition in South Africa is a topic Nokwanda enjoys and is able to work on professionally. In this episode, Nokwanda says that although carbon pricing can help reduce emissions and promote innovation, it can also potentially increase costs for marginalized communities. Nokwanda discusses how general development as well as the transportation, agriculture, and energy production sectors in South Africa have several factors to consider when envisioning a green and equitable future. 

The benefits of carbon pricing include but are not limited to affordable clean energy, saved lives due to the restoration of clean air, and the innovation of American businesses.

Nerd Corner  Dana Nuccitelli highlights climate research (and makes it understandable) for fellow nerds and the nerd curious! In this episode Dana explains the basics behind addressing pollution and equity through carbon fee and dividend.   

Check out Dana’s post about how far and fast a price on carbon can drive down emissions within the United States here.   

Good News Story  Citizens Climate Radio host, Peterson Toscano, shares good news about the Conservative Climate Caucus in the House of Representatives. It is much bigger than most people could have ever imagined!

Citizens climate Radio

Economics, Justice, and Carbon Price Solutions

As climate advocates, we want to get everyone engaged in some sort of climate action. When it comes to taking on global climate change, people can feel overwhelmed with the scale of the problem, and then they shut down. Brandi Robinson, Associate Teaching Professor in Energy and Mineral Engineering at Penn State University says, “You don't have to make climate change someone's top priority. You have to connect climate change to what they already care about, and figure out how you can work together on that.” She recommends we begin locally. 

(Find links to guests, full show notes, and transcript at www.cclusa.org/radio )

Brandi has been collaborating with her colleagues, Dr. Peter Buck, a sustainability and climate change professional, public servant, and educator. Together they co-direct the Centre Region Climate Action Program. Their work focuses on the local responses to global climate change, with specific interest in community-scale climate action planning.

Resilience Corner

There is no need to be overwhelmed in your climate work, especially when we use the resiliency tool at hand. In her latest installment of the Resilience Corner Tamara Staton connects our climate work with an emotion that doesn’t often come up–Joy. And speaking of joy, check out the silly TikTok host, Peterson Toscano made with Tamara in Portland, Oregon’s Forest Park. 

The Resilience Corner is made possible through a collaboration with Tamara Staton, Education and Resilience Coordinator for Citizens Climate Education. For more tips, strategies, and practices to stay strong and steady in your climate work, visit The Resiliency Hub.

Good News 
Singer Songwriter Dane Meyers hung out with volunteer climate lobbyists in DC. Together they created the Live, Laugh, Lobby song and music video.

Blending the mediums of music, video and climate activism, Dane has a long history of making sustainability feel less like a nightmare and more like a creative adventure. Beginning in 2019, his converted Tesla Model 3 became his home and recording studio for 18 months. The project showcased the unique capabilities of electric vehicles and led to a 17-song album entitled "The New American Dreamers."

Eager to connect with others, Dane is gearing up for his next adventure-a series of intimate living room concerts along the east-coast. These performances aim to spark interest in sustainability and inspire audiences to both process the deep losses of environmental devastation while celebrating the adventure into sustainability. Learn more at his website. https://danemyers.com/

Harnessing Local Political Power for Climate Change Solutions

Creative communicators are harnessing TikTok to engage their followers with climate change messages. TikTok is known for its short, engaging videos, and we talk to two content creators who are using the platform to reach and educate younger audiences in a fun and creative way.

For complete show notes with links and transcript visit www.cclusa.org/radio

Preeta “Prach” Banerjee is better known as @Prachonearth, a passionate climate activist who aspires gain a TikTok following as she shares her day-to-day life while promoting climate change awareness. A pre-med student at Purdue University, Prach volunteers with Citizens Climate Lobby and the Carbon Fee and Dividend Movement, Prach speaks with Citizens Climate Radio team member, Ruth Abraham and offers insights into her creative process, which involves spontaneity, authenticity, and connecting with viewers on a personal level.

Cyrus Ferguson is a NYC based strategist, digital creator, and writer. He produces and hosts TikTok shows that imagine new paths for brands to connect to viewers, and if you’re on Art-Tok, you’ve likely seen his “Unintentional Sculpture Analysis.” Cyrus playfully analyzes everyday scenes as if they were works of art, bringing a fresh perspective to mundane objects and encouraging viewers to engage with climate change through imagination and play. With nearly 200,000 likes and over 2400 comments, Cyrus’ Unintentional Sculpture Analysis #13 REFORM is engaging viewers in a ridiculously serious conversation about climate change. He explains his process and shares expert tips and guidance for content creators.

Nerd Corner

Citizens’ Climate’s Research Coordinator, Dana Nuccitelli, delves into the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Dana breaks down the financial incentives offered by the IRA to encourage household electrification and energy efficiency improvements. From tax credits to upfront rebates, the IRA aims to make sustainable choices more accessible and affordable for households across the United States. Dana emphasizes the significance of these incentives in reducing building emissions and promoting cleaner energy solutions. Oh, and you can see Dana talking about Permitting Reform on Citizens Climate’s TikTok channel. 

Visit The Nerd Corner for more easy-to-understand explanations by Dana and the team. 

Good News Story Eco Warrior Barbies: Daryl Hannah's Major Announcement!

After actress and eco-activist Daryl Hannah shared a groundbreaking announcement on behalf of the Mattel Corporation, the company behind Barbie dolls, Citizens Climate Radio host spoke with Daryl about this big bold move. 

Earlier this month at Los Angeles press conference, Daryl announced that Mattel has committed to going 100% plastic-free by 2030 and aims to support a global ban on plastics. To celebrate this important shift in toy production, Mattel will release a line of fully biodegradable Eco-Warrior Barbies, including one made in Daryl Hannah’s likeness. 

She shared some of the details with us, “I have a few accessories. Well I have a mermaid tail so I can do my work in the ocean. I have a monkey wrench. I have some handcuffs but actually I used chains when I changed myself to a tree at the South Central farm. I have a snorkel so I can also you know go and check out under the ocean. I have a few more toys but I definitely have a few non plastic biodegradable tools.” 

If this story sounds too good to be true, it is because it is. It was all a hoax orchestrated by the fictional Barbie Liberation Organization (BLO). The real people behind this political satire is the infamous Yes Men, who for decades have fooled the press and public with their elaborate stunts.

TikTok, Daryl Hannah, and Barbie Take on Climate Change

In episode 88 of Citizens Climate Radio, we dive into the passion and action of young climate activists, exploring their journeys from concern to meaningful action. Host, Peterson Toscano leads the conversation, spotlighting the endeavors of students like Emily O’Keefe and Helen Tiffin in fostering awareness about climate change and feasible solutions, focusing particularly on the carbon fee and dividend policy.

See full show notes and transcripts plus links: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-88-the-college-carbon-fee-and-dividend-climate-change-movement/

From Concern to Action

Emily O’Keefe, a student at the College of William and Mary, candidly shared her progression from a state of existential concern about climate change to actively seeking out impactful solutions. Emily’s journey started with a realization about the importance of sustainable living and protecting the environment. This ultimately led her to a gap year where she could detach and reconnect with nature by hiking the Appalachian Trail.

"I want to do something really big about climate change. And I'm just trying to figure out how can I do that?" - Emily O’Keefe

Evolving Ideas & Shared Enthusiasm

Emily’s initial idea to start a social movement was supported and molded by her friends, like Helen Tiffin. They delved deep into discussions about the nature of the movement and the message it should convey. Eventually, she was introduced to the carbon fee and dividend policy by a friend, Philip Ignatov. This policy became the focal point of their movement due to its effectiveness and tangible impact.

Helen Tiffin supported Emily’s enthusiasm, remarking on the nonpartisan nature and wide appeal of the carbon fee and dividend idea, noting, “It really is something that we can all agree upon.”

Building a Movement

Emily, Helen, and their friends engaged in creating signs which read

Most Effective Climate Policy #carbonfeeanddividend bit.ly/writecongresshere

They raised awareness on their campus, and beyond and fostered a ‘snowball effect’, enabling more and more students and people to recognize and understand the carbon fee and dividend policy, spreading across multiple universities and leveraging online platforms like Instagram for greater reach.

Resilience Corner
In this installment Tamara illustrates a parallel between the mental and physical benefits of high-intensity exercises like burpees and the sense of hope derived from proactive climate actions. This connection emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balance between mental stimulation and actionable insight to foster hope and resilience against the adverse effects of climate change.

Citizens Climate Radio is welcoming three new team members, Lily Russian, Horace, and Karina Taylee, who will be regular voices on the platform.

Good News 
Shelterwood Collective, a non-profit focusing on communal healing and ecosystem restoration on 900 acres in Northern California, is the focus of this month’s Good News Story. CCR team member Lila Powell researched, wrote, and recorded the story about the indigenous, black, and queer-led group that uses Kashia and southern Pomo traditions in forest restoration, involving controlled burns and invasive species removal. In 2022, they received a $4.5 million grant to enhance their restoration efforts. The collective also uses art, focusing on interconnected ecosystems, to inspire community involvement and is developing a center to foster environmental relationships and inclusivity.

Special tribute to Madeline Para who recently retired from CCL staff. You heard Cody Francis singing Weather Any Storm. https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/RZI7R4iUkt/

The College Carbon Fee and Dividend Climate Change Movement

As a climate advocate, you want to stay well informed, up to date, and equipped in the work you do. On today’s show the Citizens’ Climate Radio Team willI help you do just that. In today’s show they feature the newest and best books and podcasts related to climate advocacy. They also speak to the creators behind these excellent new resources. 

Find full show notes and transcript here: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-89-the-best-new-climate-change-books-and-podcasts/

1. "The Twenty-One, The True Story of the Youth Who Sued the U.S. Government over Climate Change" by Elizabeth Rusch: This book delves into the ongoing landmark federal climate change lawsuit Juliana versus the United States of America. It focuses on 21 young people who sued the US government for not addressing the causes of climate change and explores their courage and the significance of this case.

2. "California Against the Sea: Visions for our Vanishing Coastline" by Rosanna Xia: The author discusses the themes of her book, which explores issues related to California's coastline, including private ownership, public accessibility to nature, and the need for resilient communities and infrastructure.

3. "Am I Too Old to Save the Planet? A Boomer’s Guide to Climate Action" by Lawrence MacDonald: This book reflects on how older generations can contribute to climate action and emphasizes the need for collective action and bipartisan consensus to address climate change.

4. "The Quickening: Creation and Community at the End of the World" by Elizabeth Rush: The book chronicles a scientific expedition to Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica, highlighting the potential consequences of sea level rise. It also explores personal questions about bringing a child into a changing world.

Additionally, the text provides a list of climate fiction (Cli-Fi) books recommended by Dr. Krista Hiser, aimed at deepening understanding and empathy for the impact of climate change. It mentions other books and authors featured on the Citizens Climate Radio podcast.

The Ultimate Climate Fiction (Cli-Fi) List

Dr. Krista Hiser has been a regular guest and contributor to Citizens’ Climate Radio. She helps educators find creative ways to incorporate climate change into the curriculum. She does this work in several ways. Currently she is the Senior Lead and Advisor for advancing Sustainability Education over at the Global Council for Science and the Environment. She is also a professor of Composition & Rhetoric. But perhaps one of her most exciting endeavors is a successful online group she started. It’s called The Ultimate Cli-Fi Book Club. She shares four books that will help deepen your understanding of climate change and empathy for everyone impacted by extreme weather and global warming. 

Night in the World by Sharon English
A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.
The Man with the Compound Eyes by Wu Ming-Yi, Darryl Sterk (Translator)
The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson
The Memory of Water by Emmi Itžranta 

Here are some books and authors that have been featured on Citizens Climate Radio
Mr. Eternity by Aaron Thier, Episode 10.
Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins, Episode 22.
Code Blue and Code Red by Marissa Slaven, Episodes 33 and 65.

These nonfiction books and Cli-Fi recommendations offer valuable insights into climate change and its effects on the environment and society.

The Best New Climate Change Books and Podcasts

This episode delves deep into the essential role of forests in both urban and rural landscapes, exploring their impact on our planet's health and our collective efforts to mitigate climate change.

See complete show notes, transcripts, and links at www.cclusa.org/radio

🌲
- Peterson Toscano shares his personal connection with forests, setting the stage for a profound exploration of trees in climate regulation and sustainability. From his childhood experiences in the Catskill Mountains to his urban explorations in New York City, Peterson's narrative weaves a tapestry of personal and environmental interconnectedness.

- Allegheny College Students' Initiative: Discover the groundbreaking Food Forest project, conceptualized and implemented by a group of visionary students. Listen as they detail their journey from conception to realization, highlighting the steps taken to gain approval, cooperation, and the eventual flourishing of their eco-friendly project.

- Van Wagner's Wisdom: Meet Van Wagner, a former forester and coal miner turned educator and storyteller. His insights into historical and current forestry practices offer a unique perspective on sustainable forestry and environmental stewardship. Wagner's experiences and storytelling bring to life the rich history and future potential of forests.

- Taylor Lightman's Urban Insights: Delve into the urban aspect of tree planting with Taylor Lightman. From Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, Taylor discusses the multifaceted benefits of urban trees in creating healthier, vibrant communities, and their role in climate resilience.

- Dana Nuccitelli's Nerd Corner: Enhance your understanding with compelling research insights on the crucial role of urban trees in carbon sequestration and the broader benefits they offer to urban environments and public health.

The Impact of Forests in our Climate Change Fight

Citizens Climate Radio Your Climate Change Podcast

Climate Change Good News

Are you ready for a dose of optimism in the climate change dialogue? The latest bonus episode of Citizens Climate Radio is here to deliver just that. Host Peterson Toscano steps away from the script to bring you a candid and uplifting update on climate action that's happening right where it matters: in Congress.

The episode includes the announcement of a significant legislative win—the passage of the PROVE IT Act through the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. This bipartisan effort signifies a crucial step toward using trade policy to curb global emissions. It's a testament to the power of collective advocacy, highlighting the tireless efforts of volunteers who pushed the agenda forward.

But the good news doesn't stop there. Peterson offers a tantalizing preview of the 2024 season, promising a lineup of extraordinary guests and innovative segments. We're talking about climate change comedy that strikes a balance between laughter and learning, the return of the Resilience Corner, and the debut of the CCL Youth Corner. 

The blog post delves into the upcoming special series, including "Voces del Cambio," a Spanish language podcast focusing on climate issues in Latin America, and a true crime podcast that investigates the sinister turn in the US political climate regarding environmental issues. These series not only aim to entertain but also to educate and inspire action.

Citizens Climate Radio continues to emphasize its role as a platform for its audience, seeking input and engagement from listeners to shape the show's future. The episode serves as a call to action, inviting everyone to contribute their voices to the climate advocacy movement.

We invite you to engage with a community that's making real change. It's a reminder that amidst the daunting news that often overshadows environmental discourse, there are victories to be celebrated and progress to be acknowledged. Visit www.cclusa.org/action to find out how you can take part in monthly actions along with thousands of others. 

Don't miss out on this inspiring episode. Tune in to Citizens Climate Radio, get involved, and let's continue to move the needle together in the fight against climate change.

Climate Change Wins: Celebrating Bipartisan Progress

Have you ever thought that climate change and comedy could go hand in hand? Episode 92 of Citizens Climate Radio is here to prove that they can! Our latest episode introduces you to Brian Etling, an extraordinary man who transformed his climate change anxiety into a comedic career. His journey from a park ranger to the Climate Change Comedian is not only fascinating but also a testament to the power of humor in advocacy.

For our full show notes, transcript, links, and more visit https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-92-theres-something-funny-about-climate-change/

But that's not all! This episode is a treasure trove of stories and insights. We take you on a personal tour of a pioneering package-free store in Portland, Oregon, led by Damon Mots-Storey of the Sierra Club. Imagine a place where sustainability isn't just a concept but a practical, everyday reality. It's a glimpse into a future where shopping aligns with our environmental values—a future that's already here.

Then, we turn the spotlight to the youth, the driving force behind significant changes in the climate movement. Veda Ganesen shares the critical role young activists played at the COP28 meeting, proving that when it comes to fighting for our planet, age is just a number. These passionate individuals are not just sitting at the table; they're leading the conversation.

But what about the spaces we occupy? Tamara Staton, with the resilience corner, invites us to consider the connection between our climate work and space. Not the outer space, but the space we need in our lives to be effective advocates. It's a reminder that taking a step back to breathe and create room for rest is not only beneficial but necessary for sustained action.

We also take you through two New York City museums—the Museum of Modern Art and the Climate Museum—each offering unique perspectives on climate change and sustainability. Whether it's through the dynamic design of Solar Ivy or the actionable steps provided by the Climate Museum, these institutions are shaping the narrative and inspiring visitors.

So, why should you listen to Episode 92? Because it's not just a podcast episode. It's a journey through the stories of individuals and communities making a real difference in the climate movement. It's an invitation to laugh, learn, and be inspired. It's a call to action that resonates with the urgency of our times, yet reminds us of the joy and creativity that can be found in the fight for a sustainable future.

Join us on Citizens Climate Radio and be part of a conversation that's changing the world, one story, one laugh, and one action at a time.

There's Something Funny about Climate Change

In this month’s episode of Citizens Climate Radio, Eileen Flanagan, a writer, social change teacher, Quaker, and activist, dives deep with host Peterson Toscano into four different roles people have traditionally taken in change movements. In addition, Erica Valdez and Horace Mo join Peterson for a vibrant discussion about their personal experiences in taking one of these roles. 

See our complete show notes including links to guests, a full transcript, and possible action steps you can take. Visit www.cclusa.org/radio

Finding Your Role 

In Eileen Flanagan’s words, the four recurring roles in change movements include rebels, advocates, organizers, and helpers. One of the best ways to understand these four roles is through their different orientations. Eileen says, “The helpers’ orientation is: what can I do to improve things without messing with the system?” She mentions climate change helpers who take the initiative to help insulate houses or help put solar panels on a neighbor’s roof. A helper also prepares food for events, provides rides for volunteer lobbyists, and donates money to a climate organization.  

Elieen further explains, “An advocate takes the role of trying to use the tools of the system to change things.” Advocates often capitalize on lobbying and lawsuits to convince elected officials and people in power to make decisions. 

Good News Story

Horace Mo in Chongqing shares a good news story about China’s new carbon trading regulations.

If you have a good news story to share, email radio @ citizensclimateradio.org or leave a message at our visiting voicemail line: (619) 512-9646‬

Nerd Corner

Citizens’ Climate’s Research Coordinator Dana Nuccitelli discusses the geeky world of permitting reform. Dana highlights climate research (and makes it understandable) for fellow nerds and the nerd curious! Visit The Nerd Corner to see the Chart of the Week, regular blog posts, and an active forum to connect with other nerds. 


Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich

What is Your Climate Change Role?

In this episode of Citizens Climate Radio, co-hosts Peterson Toscano and Erica Valdez explore the theme of climate change and its impact on Antarctica. They interviewed Elizabeth Rush, author of “The Quickening, Creation, and Community at the Ends of the Earth,” who shares her experiences and insights from a research expedition to Thwaites Glacier. They also spoke with Brett Cease, Vice President of Programming for Citizens' Climate Lobby, who traveled to Antarctica and shared his observations. Additionally, they discuss sustainable fashion, resilience, and the Great School Electrification Challenge.

PLUS A Good News Story about Sustainable Fashion, Resilience and Puppies, and The CCL Youth Corner and the Great School Electrification Challenge. 

For full show notes, links, photos, and transcript, visit https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/podcast/episode-26-in-deep-water/

CCL Youth Corner with Veda Ganesan
Veda tells us about the Great School Electrification Challenge, an initiative spearheaded by CCL National Youth Action Team that aims to transform schools into hubs of sustainability by advocating for the electrification of various systems, including HVAC, transportation, and energy sources like solar panels. Through the stories of youth teams in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Dallas, Texas, Veda showcases the grassroots efforts to engage school boards, policymakers, and the community in adopting clean energy practices. Highlighting the recent success of the Cincinnati team in getting their electrification resolution unanimously passed, she encourages listeners to join the cause and participate in the challenge. 

Veda Genesan is a high school student from Texas and the host of the Sustainable Cents podcast.

Resilience Corner
Tamara Staton explores the surprising relationship between puppies and climate change. Through her experience with her puppy, Mica, Tamara highlights how pets contribute to our well-being, from reducing stress to promoting physical activity and combating loneliness. She emphasizes how the positive effects of pet ownership can indirectly support climate action by fostering healthier, happier individuals. Tamara invites us to consider pet ownership or pet-sitting as a means of experiencing these benefits. 

To learn more about building resilience in the face of climate challenges, visit the Resilience Hub. Share your resiliency questions with Tamara via email at radio @ citizensclimate.org or you can text or leave a message at 619-512-9646.

Monthly Question
If you could advocate for the climate through art, what kind of art piece would you create? 
This can be music, dance, film, writing, or other mediums you've used in rural climate work. We want to hear about it. Please email your answer to radio @ citizens climate.org. You can also text or leave a voicemail at 619-512-9646. Tell us your story of using art in your climate work.

Antarctic Awakenings: Unveiling Climate Change at the Ends of the Earth

Want to be a better climate change communicator? Then listen to this episode! Learn essential lessons about connecting with others about climate change as host, inspired by Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, Peterson Toscano leads you through an exercise that connects climate change to passions and people in your life.  

Main Section
She is not only an internationally renowned climate scientist, Dr. Katharine Hayhoe is a brilliant climate change communicator. Peterson revisits Dr. Hayhoe’s excellent keynote address from the 2015 Citizens’ Climate International Conference. In it Dr. Heyhoe busts two myths that trip up scientists and climate advocates in our quest to connect with others. Jumping off from Dr. Hayhoe’s talk, Peterson leads listeners through a simple exercise that will help you in your own climate communication. As an added plus, you will hear a little bit about how a changing climate affects pets. 

Art House
This month we get musical as we meet singer/songwriter Michael Levy and hear some of his climate-themed music. Michael musically explores a range of emotions, from silly to serious, that he feels climate advocates need to address in order to avoid burnout. As an environmentalist, he has been stretched by the vastness of climate change. This has opened him up to consider large scale solutions. He also reveals he is a big fan of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.  

Citizens' Climate Puzzler
People had a lot to say about last month’s puzzler and suggested many ways to respond to Simon who doesn’t want to act on climate while China (or the USA) is such a big polluter. You will hear three different answers that explore ethics, economics, and spilt milk. Even a trained therapist weighs in to consider Simon’s psychological needs. 

Here is our new puzzler question:
You are at an event with folks concerned about climate change and the environment. There you meet someone, let’s call her Margaret. You tell Margaret about your work as a volunteer lobbyist. You explain how you connect with lawmakers and offer climate solutions with the goal to change policy. In response Margaret rolls her eyes. She let’s out a big sigh and says, “Oh, please, those bozos can’t even rename a post office without shutting down the government. There is no way they are going to get anywhere with something as big and bold as climate policy. Why even bother?

 
Get back to Peterson by October 15th,  2016. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org  You can also text  leave a voicemail at 570.483.8194. (+1 if calling from outside the USA.) He will then share the best answers in our next episode which airs October 24th, 2016.

Help Spread the Word!
Citizens’ Climate Radio is available on podbean, iTunes, and Stitcher Radio. Please rate and review. If you like what you hear, please share the show with your friends. Citizens’ Climate Radio is a project of Citizens’ Climate Education.

All music is royalty free and purchased thorough PremiumBeat.com and AudioBlocks

Ep 4  Katharine Heyhoe and Communication Myths

What does it take to create a poetic masterpiece that is also able to express the complex emotions we feel around climate change? Poet Catherine Pierce describes her process crafting her moving poem, Anthropocene Pastoral  Host, Peterson Toscano produces an Art House segment heavily influenced by the podcast Song Exploder. They invite a musician to unpack a song and talk about almost every aspect of it and their creative process. In the Art House, Pierce does something similar for us with Anthropocene Pastoral. The poem first appeared in the American Poetry Review. 

Inspired by the California Super Bloom of 2017, Pierce captures the strangeness of living in a world that is rapidly and dangerously changing but at the same time can be unseasonably pleasant and beautiful. (Tatiana Schlossberg wrote about a Super Bloom for the New York Times.) 

Pierce opens the poem with the line, "In the beginning the ending was beautiful.”

In the conversation she reveals the many choices she made as a poet to create the haunting mood of the poem and the lush landscape in it filled with a riot of images, animals, and life. She explains some of the techniques and devices she uses to construct the poem. Then she reads the poem for us.

You can read more of Catherine Pierce's climate change themed poetry online including High Dangerous and Planet.  Pierce’s last book of poetry, The Tornado is the World  is about an EF-4 tornado/extreme weather. The filmmaker Isaac Ravishankara produced a beautiful short film out of one of the poems in the collection, "The Mother Warns the Tornado.” 

Catherine Pierce is the co-director of the Writing Program at Mississippi State University, and the author of the award winning collection of poetry, Famous Last Words. She is working on a new book of poetry, Danger Days, which continues her exploration of climate change.

Learn more at http://www.catherinepierce.net

The Art House -- Catherine Pierce and Anthropocene Pastoral

Doug Parsons, the host of the America Adapts Podcast  talks to us about what he has learned from nearly 100 episodes interviewing adaptation experts. He will discuss the difference between adaptation and resiliency. He highlights efforts to adapt to sea level rise, wildfires, and flooding, and points out an impact of climate change that will affect almost everyone at some point in their lives—extreme heat. 
     You will also hear an excerpt from a conversation Doug Parsons has with s Dr. Carolyn Kousky, the Executive Director at the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center at the University of Pennsylvania. They discuss how wildfires in California drove their utility into bankruptcy and what policy reforms are needed to prevent this from happening again.
     Doug also reflects climate adaptation in light of the Coronavirus Global Pandemic. What lessons are climate adaptation experts learning? What challenges do they face? https://www.americaadapts.org

The Art House
Joining us in the Art House is Musician and composer Jason Davis. Jason curates ClimateStoriesProject.org. The site hosts videos from people all over the world. They reveal the impacts of climate change in their lives, and how they are responding. Jason takes some of these stories and composes music to accompany them. 

     You will hear a moving and powerful testimony from John Sinnok, Inuit elder in Alaska. Woven around the story is Jason’s haunting and beautiful composition for the double bass. He calls the piece Footsteps in Snow. You will also learn how you can share your own story on the website.  
     Jason wants to hear your climate story. He invites you to explore his site to read other climate stories then consider contributing your own. That website is climatestoriesproject.org

Ep 52 Doug Parsons on Adaptation, Resilience, and Bouncing Forward

A monthly podcast for climate advocates hosted by Peterson Toscano & the CCR Team, high school and college-aged climate change action figures. We help you talk about global warming: its causes & impacts.

Popular tracks by Citizens Climate Radio -- A Climate Change Podcast