Skip to content
Melo Podcasts Home
CategoriesLanguagesFollowing

Episode · Climate One

How Do I Say This…

24 Jul 2026 · 54 min

Play episode WhatsApp Download

Episode notes

It’s becoming increasingly clear that how we talk about climate change matters as much as the science or policy itself. The words we use carry weight, and climate communicator Susan Joy Hassol says specific word choices, like “heat-trapping pollution” rather than “greenhouse gases,” can cut through polarization and help messages resonate with a wider range of people. Equally important is listening to what people and communities need to better handle the impacts from climate disruption. And different audiences need different approaches. For example: adults can help children process climate…

Podcast

Climate One

Climate One from The Commonwealth Club · Tech & Science · English

We’re living through a climate emergency; addressing this crisis begins by talking about it. Co-Hosts Greg Dalton, Ariana Brocious and Kousha Navidar bring you empowering conversations that connect all aspects of the challenge — the scary and the exciting, the individual and the systemic. Join us. S

More from Climate One All episodes →

  1. 28 Aug 2026 · 54 min

    ENCORE: Protest and Beyond: Annie Leonard On What You Can Do

    Protest is the ultimate in equal-opportunity political action. As Annie Leonard, former executive director of Greenpeace USA says, “Making change is like laying a stone path across the garden. Peaceful protest may be every 4th or 8th or 200th stone; it helps us get where we want to go but also we need a lot of other stones too.” Leonard explores the history of protests in her book “Protest: Respect It. Defend It. Use It.” And while protest is the loudest and most visible tool, it’s only one of many ways to take action. Through community building, civic engagement, elected office, corporate…

  2. 21 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 6 min

    It’s Too Damn Hot… So What Can We Do?

    We all complain about the heat, yet it's a climate threat we routinely underestimate. In the U.S., extreme heat kills more people each year than floods, fires and hurricanes combined. About 16,000 excess deaths were recorded during Europe's June heatwave – a striking and tragic number. What does extreme heat do to our bodies, our wallets and our cities, and what can we actually do about it? From creating insurance programs that pay out before the disaster to protecting workers who labor in the heat, many people are working on solutions. Cities are finding ways to prepare for temperatures…

  3. 14 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 2 min

    ENCORE: Benji Backer and Katharine Hayhoe on Finding Common Ground

    At a time when nearly everything feels polarized, Benji Backer is trying to carve out a different path, one where caring about the natural world isn’t a partisan issue. As the founder of Nature Is Nonpartisan, he’s bringing together voices from across the political spectrum who might disagree on climate policy, but still share a desire to preserve public lands, wildlife, and the outdoors. Similarly, climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe firmly believes conversation – even with people you disagree with – can be one of the most powerful tools for climate action. And it starts from a place of…

  4. 7 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 1 min

    A Cancer Diagnosis Reframed How Ben Santer Thinks About Climate Science

    Atmospheric scientist Ben Santer pioneered the research that connects human activity to specific climate events. Now, pursuing treatment for a rare type of lymphoma, he sees his own diagnosis and his climate science as the same kind of detective work: using essential and basic science to conduct tests, read complex markers, and rule out every other cause. Even while ill, he's calling out efforts by the Trump administration to reject, defund and ignore the science we all depend on. “If we leave basic science behind because the administration doesn't like the results of the science, then as…

  5. 31 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 3 min

    Hollywood, Baseball, Cage Fights, and… Climate

    When it comes to climate, we have the facts, but we aren’t moving fast enough. So we need to get climate education and solutions into the places where people already spend their time. Pop culture offers endless opportunities to influence audiences – your favorite movie or TV character can feel like a friend whose views on climate might affect your own. In this episode, we connect moments like this to the broader media environment shaping how we understand the world. Can you be masculine and care about the climate? Can watching a character take charge of the future onscreen actually change…

  6. 17 Jul 2026 · 56 min

    Cleaner Steel is Coming. Will the Communities That Built the Industry Benefit?

    Making steel accounts for around 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions. But the industry could reduce that number by removing coal from the steel-making process entirely. Three of the U.S.’s last seven coal-based steel mills are situated along Lake Michigan. Together, these facilities produce nearly half of the steel made in the U.S., supplying skyscraper beams, car doors, and appliances across the country. And right now, in Northwest Indiana, a once-in-a-generation decision is on the table. Nippon Steel, the owners of the Gary Works steel mill, can either extend the life of their aging…

  7. 10 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 4 min

    Beyond the Rights of Nature: Land that Owns Itself

    The “rights of nature” is the idea that if a corporation can have legal standing as a person, why can’t a river or a mountain? Thomas Linzey, one of the early architects of a legal framework for granting rights to nature, now believes that structure doesn’t go far enough: Even when ecosystems are granted rights, the land is still owned by someone or some entity, even if that is a land trust or conservancy. Through Linzey’s work in collaboration with the Sacred Contract Coalition, a 30-acre mountain in Colorado was recognized in June 2025 as the first mountain to own itself. What could this…

  8. 3 Jul 2026 · 59 min

    ENCORE Dead Heat: The Danger Of Home Power Shutoffs

    Summer is here, temperatures are rising — and so are electric bills. That also means many people are facing a severely overlooked issue: power shutoffs. According to a report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2024 utility companies disconnected U.S. households from electricity more than 13.4 million times due to a customer’s inability to pay. When that happens, people can’t turn on their lights, keep food refrigerated, or cool down the home. And regulations preventing shutoffs during extreme heat events are woefully inadequate. But when utilities help pay the upfront costs of…

  9. 26 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 2 min

    When Your New Neighbor Is… a Data Center

    Across the country, developers are racing to build huge new buildings to house computers to fuel the AI boom, creating an explosive demand for new energy. While some hyperscalers seek renewable energy, others are turning to fossil fuels. But concerns around high electric bills, air and noise pollution and water depletion have generated widespread community pushback against these giant facilities, and it seems opposing data centers is a bipartisan issue. Many cities and states are working to rapidly update zoning and other local regulations to respond to the dual pressures of developer…

  10. 19 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 4 min

    Making Solar Great Again

    More and more, conservative voices are making the case that the U.S. can’t achieve energy dominance without solar power. Even the leading industry trade group is changing its strategy. Earlier this year, Politico reported that the American Clean Power Association launched the “American Energy First” campaign to engage Kellyanne Conway and conservative influencers like Katie Miller “to amplify the benefits of solar energy” and “note the harm that could result from reckless trade policy.” Meanwhile, conservative groups at the state and federal level are advocating for building out solar power…

Take it with you

The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.

Get it on Google Play