How To Cope with All the Climate Feels

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1. 

   S3 · E8 · 19 Jan 2023 · 49 min

   The Case of the Killer Heat

   In this episode, we explore the growing impact of heat on people and the planet. We talk to scientists and "climate detectives" trying to hold the perpetrators of this unprecedented global temperature increase accountable. Leah and Katharine speak with Neza Xiuhtecutli , executive director of the Farmworker Association of Florida ; Kate Marvel , climate science writer and physicist at Columbia University and NASA ; and Richard Heede , co-founder and director of the Climate Accountability Institute . Kate mentions the very first climate attribution study , which links human activity to the…

2. 

   S3 · 5 Jan 2023 · 56 min

   New Year's Reflections, Resolutions, and Inspiration from Sherri Mitchell

   At the start of 2023, we're reflecting on past progress and setting climate intentions, both small and large, for the year ahead. And we want to hear from you! Has A Matter of Degrees shifted your perspective or moved you to action? Do you have climate goals for 2023? Share your story with us. To inspire and ground us for the new year, we share a powerful audio essay from the bestselling anthology All We Can Save : "Indigenous Prophecy and Mother Earth" by Sherri Mitchell, Weh'na Ha'mu Kwasset. Sherri points humanity back toward life in this powerful piece, read by Alfre Woodard. Sherri…

3. 

   S3 · E7 · 15 Dec 2022 · 43 min

   Petrochemicals and Plastics: A Fossil Fuel Lifeline?

   The fossil fuel industry is banking its future on petrochemicals — the toxic precursor to plastics. In this episode, Katharine and Leah speak with activists who are fighting back against petrochemicals in "sacrifice zones" across America, from the Ohio River Valley to the Gulf Coast. Learn where petrochemicals come from, how they harm people, places, and the climate, and why the fossil fuel industry wants them as a lifeline. We hear from three guests who are leading us to a world beyond petrochemicals and plastics: Michele Fetting , program director at the Breathe Project in Pittsburgh;…

4. 

   S3 · E6 · 1 Dec 2022 · 37 min

   Bold vs. BS in Corporate Climate Pledges

   In this episode, we investigate corporate climate commitments and how to make them stronger. We get to the root of zero-emissions pledges and greenwashing — specifically in the oil and gas industry. Dr. Paasha Mahdavi , associate professor of political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, joins us to report this story. Paasha talks with Louise Rouse , a consultant who teams up with investors to push corporations for climate accountability. He also speaks with The Science Based Targets Initiative 's head of standards, Emma Watson , and Jill Courtenay , director of…

5. 

   S3 · E5 · 17 Nov 2022 · 46 min

   Crypto Has a Climate Problem

   This episode delves into the murky world of cryptocurrency and its impact on our planet. Join Katharine and Leah as they discover how digital currencies are breathing new life into previously shuttered coal plants across the United States. This episode features Alex de Vries , data scientist and founder of Digiconimist , an online platform that tracks Bitcoin's energy consumption; Anne Hedges , the director of policy and legislative affairs at watchdog organization Montana Environmental Information Center ; and New York State Assemblymember Anna Kelles , who sponsored a bill to establish a…

6. 

   S3 · 20 Oct 2022 · 47 min

   Live Episode: Vice President Kamala Harris on Climate Leadership, Justice, and Solutions

   "We must understand that we are in a very specific moment in time, and this window is going to shut on us. But it doesn't have to shut on us, if we act." — Vice President Kamala Harris on A Matter of Degrees Ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, we had the honor of joining Vice President Harris live in San Francisco for a conversation about climate leadership, justice, and solutions. She underlined the critical importance of the current moment, and the need to act with urgency in service of what's still possible. This episode covers a lot of ground, from electric school buses and job creation…

7. 

   S3 · E3 · 13 Oct 2022 · 47 min

   "What Can I Do?" Part 3 — The Political

   The third and final installment of our miniseries considers the question "What can I do?" from a political perspective. Our expert guests share stories of nailbiter elections for local office and the victorious legislative campaign to ban gas in new buildings in New York City. We lay out a four-step guide to getting pro-climate candidates elected, supporting them in office, and keeping them accountable. This episode features Caroline Spears , founder and executive director of Climate Cabinet , which helps local leaders run, win, and legislate on the climate crisis, and Sonal Jessel , the…

8. 

   S3 · E2 · 29 Sep 2022 · 50 min

   "What Can I Do?" Part 2 — The Professional

   In this episode, we continue to unpack the question "What can I do?" The second installment of our miniseries zeroes in on our professional lives — ways to approach climate action within the workplace. We learn that almost any job can be a climate job. And, if need be, we can pursue "career divestment." This episode features Amanda Suter Gallardo , deputy petroleum administrator for the City of Los Angeles and former Terra.do fellow, and Jamie Alexander , founding director of Drawdown Labs at the climate solutions nonprofit Project Drawdown. For more info on the online climate school Amanda…

9. 

   S3 · E1 · 15 Sep 2022 · 55 min

   "What Can I Do?" Part 1 — The Personal

   As climate people, we hear this question again and again: "What can I do?" Many of us are trying to figure out how to help address the climate crisis. So, we're taking on that critical question in a three-part miniseries. The first episode is all about The Personal — key ways we can act on climate in our own lives and create meaningful, durable change. Hint: it involves stoves and cash. This episode features Sarah Lazarovic, artist, writer, and head of communications and brand at Rewiring America , and Marilyn Waite, managing director of the Climate Finance Fund and author of Sustainability…

10. 

    S3 · 8 Sep 2022 · 3 min

    Welcome to Season 3 of A Matter of Degrees

    Welcome back, climate-curious friends — it's time for Season 3 of A Matter of Degrees. This season we'll tackle some critical topics and big questions, starting with one we're all asking when it comes to the climate crisis: "What can I do?" Season 3 kicks off (September 15!) with a three-part miniseries to answer that question. We'll talk with some brilliant folks and illuminate what we can do personally, professionally, and politically. But that's just the tip of the iceberg...in a good way. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and don't miss a single episode this season! You can follow…