The Climate Minute

Cost of smog gives new perspective on stopping climate change: The Climate Minute

Air pollution- the particles and smog that come from burning fossil fuels- are even more damaging than we had realized. We can justify moving to renewable energy just on these health costs alone.

Forecasting a stormy election season: The Climate Minute

Complacency about the normalcy of our upcoming election is a danger. From Covid pandemics to mail delays, political dirty tricks and Russian interference, the run up to our election will be turbulent.  On top of that, we should be ready for an election night that is inconclusive, with the count of mail ballots taking many days.  Manipulative narratives promoted during that interval and the possibility of “technically legal” but norm-breaking shenanigans are dangerous. We must be psychologically prepared.

A roadmap of our own: The Climate Minute

As the Massachusetts Climate Roadmap legislation slowly advances on Beacon Hill, we take stock of lessons learned with Craig Altemose of The Better Futures Project. He thinks that climate activists need their own roadmap to traverse the halls of the statehouse. An important take-away: the House should reform its ‘rules’ to allow for public transparency of how bills are treated as they go (or don’t go) through the process of becoming law.  

Next steps for MA Climate Legislation: The Climate Minute

Both the MA House and Senate have passed their own version of climate legislation. Now the differences must be resolve to get a final joint bill. We speak with Tim Cronin to learn about the process, the issues and how climate activists can influence the final bill.

New climate legislation on Beacon Hill: The Climate Minute

Climate legislation moved forward in the Massachusetts legislature recently. Both the House and the Senate have passed slightly different versions of a bill. We talk about what is included and left out of these bills with Tim Cronin of  Climate XChange.  

Representative John Lewis (1940-2020): The Climate Minute

John Lewis’ life is an inspiration to all Americans. As racial justice and climate justice become nearly synonymous,  we try to draw lessons. Also, the recent mind-boggling corruption in Ohio’s energy policy-making teaches us still other lessons. Listen in.

A shift in our politics? The Climate Minute

As the campaign enters its final three months, we look at the climate policies and implications of the candidates. The choice is yours.

Between Dystopia and Utopia: The Climate Minute

The social foundations of the Doughnut Economics model are a baseline standard for human livability that must be achieved for everyone on the planet..  We talk with Cody Harrison about how to use the doughnut to make smarter policies. 

The path beyond gas: The Climate Minute

With the coal industry nearly dead, the battle for the future is between renewable energy (like solar and wind) and natural gas. In electricity generation, that battle will turn on the availability of 'energy storage' systems like large-scale batteries to provide power at peak demand. The good news is a court ruling will allow the storage market to grow nationwide and 'million mile' batteries are on the horizon. But what about the gas we use to heat our homes? States are moving to find ways to replace the leaky gas infrastructure we have, and fresh ideas abound.

Grampa, what was a butterfly? The Climate Minute

Human life is short, geological time is long. It is easy for humans to adapt and accept the losses due to climate change without even noticing. How do we take notice? What should we do?