The Climate Conversation

5.2 Powering Up the Electrification Workforce for an Equitable Clean Energy Future

We know that the world needs to rapidly transition from burning fossil fuels towards renewable energy to address the climate crisis. This includes in our homes: switching to electric appliances instead of using natural gas or oil to heat our spaces and cook our food. David Smedick from RMI explains how we have great technology in heat pumps and induction stoves and a pathway of incentives and rebates from the big climate bill, the Inflation Reduction Act, to make this transition happen. But there’s a big missing piece—the people to actually do these electrification installations. Dan and Emma speak with Dr. Janell Hills from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council and Vaughan Woodruff from ReVision Energy about the challenges and opportunities of growing this critical workforce in an equitable way.
Shownotes:
- Inflation Reduction Act incentives article: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/new-climate-law-expands-household-efficiency-and-electrification-incentives
- Reflection on switching to an induction stove: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/i-made-the-switch-from-gas-to-electric-cooking-heres-why-i-love-my-new-induction-stove
- Clean energy educational resources: https://sustainableenergyaction.org/clean-energy-clearinghouse/
- IREC’s Clean Energy Career Maps: https://irecusa.org/career-maps/
- ReVision’s Electricians Will Save the World video: https://www.revisionenergy.com/solar-company/solar-careers-and-training/electricians-will-save-world

5.1 How Biodiversity Research Can Inform Public Policy

Welcome to Season 5 of The Climate Conversation podcast! We are starting off with a discussion about biodiversity and conservation, especially how this work connects with climate change and the role of policymakers in addressing biodiversity loss. EESI’s Dan and Emma speak with Barbara Martinez, a National Geographic conservation biologist and a member of EESI’s Board of Directors. Barbara shares her thoughts on the role of science in the federal government, the outcomes of the recent U.N. biodiversity conference, COP15, in Canada, and how Congress can boost conservation solutions.
Shownotes:
Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss article: https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/climate-change-and-biodiversity-loss-twin-crises-interconnected-solutions
Global Sustainable Development briefing: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/100821unep
Natural Climate Solutions briefing: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/102822cop
Microbes and Climate Change report: https://asm.org/Reports/Microbes-Climate-Change-Science,-People,-Impacts

4.7 Year in Review: Progress on U.S. Climate Action and the Road Ahead

It’s the final episode of season 4! To wrap things up, Dan and Anna are joined by Alejandro Moreno, the Acting Assistant Secretary for the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Together, they recap the federal climate action that took place during the past two years of the 117th Congress, from the climate legislation that passed to new programs launched by federal agencies. Dan, Anna, and Alejandro also discuss where the federal government, and specifically the Department of Energy, will go from here as they work towards meeting national climate goals in a holistic and equitable way.
Shownotes:
Inflation Reduction Act articles: https://www.eesi.org/page/IRA+-+Inflation+Reduction+Act
Energy Efficiency for Nonprofits article series: https://www.eesi.org/energy-efficiency-for-nonprofits
Federal Agencies in Action briefing series: https://www.eesi.org/0203Fed

4.6 From Farm to Table: The Role of the Farm Bill in How We Eat, Farm, and Trade

U.S. agriculture policy deeply influences how we interact with food. If you have ever shopped at a farmers market, eaten a school-provided meal, or bought something using food stamps, then you have seen a massive piece of legislation known as the Farm Bill at work. This bill, which Congress is set to update next year, shapes how the U.S. farms, eats, and trades. Dan and Emma talk with Vanessa García Polanco, policy campaigns co-director of the National Young Farmers Coalition, to understand the history and impact of the Farm Bill. They are also joined by Keefe Keeley, executive director of the Savanna Institute, and Tucker Gretebeck of All Seasons Farm in Cashton, Wisconsin, to explore how a small but important aspect of the Farm Bill, planting trees on farms, can also benefit the climate.
Shownotes:
Farm Bill Resources: https://www.eesi.org/2023-farm-bill
Agriculture and Climate Article Series: https://www.eesi.org/agriculture-and-climate-series

4.5 Love into Action: The Power and Politics of Motherhood in Climate Activism

Across the United States and around the world, motherhood is often the foundation of vital caregiving networks that help make communities more resilient in the face of crisis and conflict. Effective climate adaptation policy should account for the ways in which mothers are disproportionately affected by climate change hazards, while also supporting the essential caregiving role their communities depend upon. With COP27 underway, Dan and Alison sit down with Diana Duarte from MADRE, an international women's human rights organization and feminist fund, to talk about how motherhood empowers climate activism in the global south. They are also joined by Moms Clean Air Force Co-Founder Dominique Browning for her insight on how networks of moms and dads are engaging with climate policy in the United States.
Show notes:
Go-To Resources on Gender Day:
https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/go-to-resources-on-the-key-themes-of-cop27-week-2#Gender
What Congress Needs to Know About COP27 briefing series:
https://www.eesi.org/cop27
COP27 Dispatch newsletter:
https://www.eesi.org/salesforce

4.4 Celebrating Two Years of Coastal Resilience Solutions at EESI!

October 26, 2022 marks the two-year anniversary of EESI’s comprehensive report called A Resilient Future for Coastal Communities. This report is a guidebook for policymakers on coastal resilience, featuring policy recommendations, guiding principles, case studies from across the country, and so much more. To mark this anniversary, Dan and Emma speak with Shana Udvardy, Senior Climate Resilience Policy Analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, to learn about how the climate of the present is affecting our coasts, what the big climate bills in the United States mean for coastal communities, and some examples of coastal resilience in action.
Show notes:
A Resilient Future for Coastal Communities report: https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/a-resilient-future-for-coastal-communities
Regional coastal resilience briefing series: https://www.eesi.org/initiatives/coastal-resilience

4.3 Energy Efficiency Brings Blessings to Delaware Houses of Faith

Many faith buildings across the country are old and inefficient, racking up huge energy bills that faith groups sometimes cannot afford to pay. In Delaware, two state nonprofits have formed a partnership to help address this problem, running energy audits and providing educational outreach to faith communities across the state. Dan and Emma speak with Shweta Arya from Delaware Interfaith Power & Light and Tony DePrima from Energize Delaware to learn about their Faith Efficiencies program and the benefits it can have for houses of worship. They are also joined by Pastor John Graham of Temple United Church in Wilmington, who shares stories of the transformation in his church after completing energy efficiency upgrades.
Show notes:
Energy Efficiency for Nonprofits article series: https://www.eesi.org/energy-efficiency-for-nonprofits
Articles on the Inflation Reduction Act: https://www.eesi.org/page/Inflation+Reduction+Act

4.2 Boosting Innovative Companies to Accelerate Climate Solutions

People are always inventing new climate solutions, but it is challenging to go from an idea to a commercially-viable product. But we urgently need these technologies to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, especially in heavy industries like steel manufacturing. Enter: Third Derivative, a climate accelerator with a mission to help climate start-ups bridge finance and resource gaps to enter the market faster. Dan and Emma speak with Elaine Hsieh, Third Derivative’s co-founder and principal, and Erica Nemser, chief executive of Compact Membrane Systems, a company part of the Third Derivative portfolio that makes membranes to capture carbon from industrial activity. Elaine and Erica discuss the importance of supporting small companies for climate solutions, strategies to address the lack of diversity in climate tech, and how federal policies can support their work.
Show notes:
Scaling Up Innovation to Drive Down Emissions briefing series: https://www.eesi.org/tech2022

4.1 Colorado Cafeterias Serve Up a Healthy Meal Program for Kids and the Climate

Welcome to season 4 of The Climate Conversation! We are heading back to school to learn about reducing cafeteria food waste with Food Policy Researcher Melissa Terry and representatives from the Boulder Valley School District and the Chef Ann Foundation in Colorado. Each day, the school district cooks over 15,000 fresh, cooked-from-scratch meals that kids actually want to eat. At the same time, they have also reduced their food waste by installing bulk milk dispensers, a salad bar, a composting system, and more. Dan and Emma speak with Mary Rochelle from the Boulder Valley School District and Laura Smith from the Chef Ann Foundation about how the district overhauled its school meals with the support of the Chef Ann Foundation, which which works with school systems around the country.
Back to School Briefing: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/092822school
Reducing Emissions by Reducing Food Waste Briefing: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/121021waste
Resources on the 2023 Farm Bill: https://www.eesi.org/2023-farm-bill

S3:E8: Mapping Climate Opinions in America

It’s the final episode of Season 3 of The Climate Conversation, which takes a close look at the newest version of the Climate Opinion Maps developed by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Yale has been publishing these maps since 2014, which display responses to prompts such as “global warming is happening” and “Congress should do more to address global warming” across different geographic levels in the United States. Dan and Emma speak with Dr. Jennifer Marlon, the lead researcher for the Climate Opinion Maps, about how these responses have changed over time, what these maps say about public support for climate policies, and how these opinions might continue to evolve in the future. The Climate Conversation will return for Season 4 in September 2022.