Were you one of the listeners who requested Niskanen Center be featured on the show? If so, congratulations!
This week’s (super fun) conversation was with Liza Reed, Niskanen’s Director for Climate and Energy. An expert in High Voltage Direct Current, electricity transmission, and technology innovation, she worked on strategic initiatives for the Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office, including permitting and financing for electricity transmission.
We blinked and the middle of March is here. I’m thinking about it being Friday the 13th (good luck!) and the Ides of March, all in one tidy weekend. And let’s not forget St. Patrick’s Day next week! Oh, and March Madness is (truly in many senses) here!
In the first of a series we are calling “what’s next” where we explore where the possible activity or action is on climate change, our friend Alex Flint of Alliance for Market Solutions gives the bad news—we have very little time to save Social Security—but also the good news—a carbon tax can be part of that solution.
The theme of the week is rain and mud, which is very timely given not only the weather, but the podcast topic—and my state of mind!
Last week I had the honor of speaking virutally to a class at Texas A&M taught by one of our long-time members. With a focus on the 1980s-90s era of climate policy, perhaps my favorite part of my book, I appreciated the (nerdy) chance to share how things used to be with a classroom of students who have grown up in this hyper partisan era.
If there is one thing I believe most EcoRighters have in common, it’s a love and appreciation for the great outdoors. And that brings me to today’s guest.
Sam Lovall is the author of a book titled Mud Lake, focusing on wetlands, biodiversity and climate change.
I was thinking about it almost being March and the adage that March is “in like a lion and out like a lamb” but at this point, it feels like the lion of winter is just a permanent fixture in our lives. But next week will be the true test of how long winter intends to roar.
Today’s delightful discussion is with Doctor John Kotcher, a Research Associate Professor and the newly minted Director of the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University. At Mason 4C, he leads a dynamic team of faculty, post-doctoral fellows, and graduate students dedicated to exploring effective strategies for communicating about climate change and air pollution. Together, their work empowers organizations to engage and activate citizens in shaping our society’s response to these important issues.
TGIF… why do the weeks with Monday off sometimes feel like the longest? Is it because we are thrown off our routine? Anyway, after a week of Thursdays, I’m so happy it’s finally weekend eve!
This week’s conversation is with Ross Matzkin-Bridger, Senior Advisor for The Nuclear Scaling Initiative and Senior Director for NTI’s Nuclear Materials Security Program. In these roles, he works at the nexus of clean energy and security, leading efforts to strengthen nonproliferation norms, minimize inventories of weapons-usable nuclear materials, and promote solutions for nuclear waste.
Sorry, not sorry, but the Olympics are all I’m thinking about this week, made even more special because our dear friend Price Atkinson is there covering the U.S. Curling team. And this week, after the mixed doubles team played for gold (and won silver), he provided the English version of the announcing! We are so proud of Price—and of Team USA!
A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away (called Mountain Time) we discovered a young man named Nick Huey, who was profiled in a Utah media outlet for his miraculous feat: convincing students the University of Utah and BYU to agree on the importance of speaking up on climate change. And this agreement between long time rivals was proof positive that we could broaded the feat to achieve widespread bipartisan support for climate solutions.
Well, it happened. Punxsutawney Phil, that pesky groundhog that some people believe while still rejecting climate scientists, saw his shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter. Now, typically I love winter. But we are still encased in ice, which just makes me want to hibernate.