Episodes
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We hope you've enjoyed Season 3 of Climate Conversations, devoted to the question: what does it mean to learn to change, with the speed and scale that can address the climate crisis? In this episode, co-hosts Rajesh, Dave and Curt reflect on their key takeaways, surprising realizations, and nagging questions from the season. Across such varied settings -- personal conversations, community connections, school classes -- we've been inspired by the creative and committed ways people are turning crisis into opportunity and creating the change we all need.
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How can we encourage policymakers and communities to take bolder climate action? We talk with Quinton Zondervan about the generative potential of learning from quick "safe to fail" experiments, and the practical benefits of turning learnings into habits. Quinton is a city councillor in Cambridge MA, an MIT alum, a respected business leader and long-time climate activist.
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Missing episodes?
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In Episode 4, we heard about a pioneering form of climate-related learning in the Boston school system, Youth Climate Action Network (YouthCAN). Need an encouraging story from a young climate action leader? Give a listen in this extended cut to Susan Tang! Susan takes us through her journey from new 7th grade student at Boston Latin School - inspired by a presentation on climate and justice - to 12th grade skilled co-leader of Youth CAN. Along the way we hear plenty of examples to give us hope. Whether it’s bike-powered musicians, partnerships with faculty and advocacy groups, or her insights about reaching the next generation, Susan conveys the power of passionate young people learning to change.
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In Episode 4, we heard about a pioneering form of climate-related learning in the Boston school system, Youth Climate Action Network (YouthCAN). Join us in this episode to hear from Rebecca Park, an alumna of Boston Latin School (BLS), as she opens a window onto the impact of Youth CAN on her life and work. Rebecca’s stories from Youth CAN, learning from BLS history teacher Cate Arnold, and examples from her own teaching make visible the great value of empowering young people.
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In Episode 4, we heard about a pioneering form of climate-related learning in the Boston school system, Youth Climate Action Network (YouthCAN). In this episode faculty member Cate Arnold tells us how as a middle school history teacher at the Boston Latin School she started YouthCAN. Not only did YouthCAN became one of the school's most successful clubs, but it also has provided a wealth of learning opportunities for students and faculty for over 12 years.
Cate shares her inspiring stories and lessons learned along the way, all of great value to anyone interested in joining with young people (and other educators) to learn to change.
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In Episode 3, we heard how Mothers Out Front takes climate action through learning in community, from and with each other. Here's an extended cut of the conversation from that episode with Stacy Levy, a co-founder of the South Bay CA (San Jose) chapter of Mothers Out Front. Stacy tells us about how a deep love for her children, and deep commitment to do anything to protect them, led her to organize a new climate action group with friends. We discuss the growth and connections fostered by house parties, and how mentoring and mutual support leads to continuous learning and leadership.
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In Episode 3, we heard how Mothers Out Front takes climate action through learning in community, from and with each other.
Here's an extended cut of our conversation with Vanessa Rule, a co-founder of Mothers Out Front co-founder and their director of learning and expansion. Hear how their organizing model, built on relationships, stories and continuous learning, empowers "unsuspecting activists" to become climate leaders and build the movement.
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In Episode 2, we heard how MIT's Terrascope program empowers and engages university students through free-choice learning. Here's an extended cut of our conversation with MIT Terrascope alumna Lauren Kuntz, where we dive deeply into that student experience and how it's shaped Lauren's career commitment to eliminate carbon emissions.
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In Episode 2, we heard how MIT's Terrascope program empowers and engages university students through free-choice learning. Here's an extended cut of our conversation with MIT Terrascope lecturer Ari Epstein, where we discuss how Terrascope achieves its powerful results, and how the free-choice learning method can be applied in different classroom and community learning settings.
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What happens when a high school student passionate about climate action shows up at a City Council meeting? In this episode, we talk to Cate Arnold, Boston Latin School history teacher and climate instigator and two of her students, Rebecca Park and Susan Tang.
They are members of YouthCAN, a climate action network designed by and for high school students. Through their experiences, we learn about the trials and triumphs of some of the next generation of climate leaders.
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What does "we're all in this together" really mean? In this episode we're inspired by Mothers Out Front whose work helps answer that question by examples of learning in community, from and with each other. Give a listen to how they're building on the human instincts that glue communities together: bring friends; tell stories, and connect around the shared concern for our kids and future generations. Maybe you'll be inspired too!
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What happens when college students are given a massive problem to solve, and the wide-open space to unleash their full potential? Deep engagement, a healthy dose of frustration, empowerment, and changed lives.
We explore this promising space in conversation with an alum (Lauren Kuntz) and an instructor (Dr. Ari Epstein) of Terrascope, MIT's environmentally-focused freshman learning community.
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Learning to change begins in the personal sphere. How do emotions attached to climate change drive how we communicate and act on the issue?
In this first episode of season 3, we talk with psychologist Renee Lertzman about how we, individually and in our communities, can create the necessary space to listen to others and develop emotional intelligence about climate issues.
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The urgency of the climate crisis demands that we learn so many things, together -- going faster, going bigger, finding new ways to share and build upon what we're figuring out all around the world.
Join us for Season 3 of the ClimateX podcast "Climate Conversations" as we explore: how do we Learn to Change?
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30% of the population lives on or near a coast, and the majority of global trade runs through ports on coasts. How can the impacts of rising sea levels and stronger storms be mitigated?
In this special bonus episode of Climate Conversations, the team sits down with Dr. Alexander Dale, the Senior Officer for MIT Solve’s Sustainability pillar. MIT Solve is a community for connecting innovative solution-makers with the resources to solve global challenges. They seek to connect people across spaces both within MIT and the external, global community to address the world’s greatest environmental, economic, and sociopolitical challenges.
The Climate Conversations group explores how Solve is building this global network of scalable solutions, and what makes for a successful Solver (challenge winner). They discuss Solve’s 2018 “Coastal Communities” challenge, which looks at ways to address the issues coastal communities are facing due to climate change and rising sea levels. Is there a way to harness these issues, and transform them into a solution? Dr. Dale and the team discuss the innovators of the future, and how they are tackling these challenges.
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After a whole season of climate justice episodes, the ClimateX team and podcast producer Dave Lishansky step back and take stock. How has our understanding of climate justice evolved? What voices and stories have stuck with us?
The team discusses recurring themes, such as visibility issues, collaboration across social divides, institutional oppression, and intersectionality.
They also explore areas of difference among the guests (and among themselves), such as whether capitalism is inherently exploitation or can be a force for social good.
The episode and the season end with dreaming big: if you could wave a magic wand to correct one injustice, anywhere in the world, what would it be?
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The Climate Conversations team sits down with the director of the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative, Jason Jay, to discuss the role of market forces and government regulation in climate action. They discuss the theoretical framework of capitalism, and how it can lend itself to benevolent practices as well as exploitative ones. Jay and the team analyze geopolitical interests in fossil fuels and alternative energies, and transitional practices.
Lastly, they discuss Jay’s research and recent book on “breaking through the gridlock” in difficult conversations. How do we move past the certainty of our own perspectives, and really engage with dissenting voices? The team looks at the power of shared values and how to foster authentic connections, in order to unlock new and better solutions.
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The Climate Conversations team sits down with Jacqui Patterson, the Director of the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program. They discuss intersectionality within the climate justice movement, and how global warming disproportionately impacts women of color. Looking at impacts on reproductive rights and poverty, the Climate Conversations team and Patterson analyze how local movements are utilized to combat environmental and racial injustice.
The conversation then looks at capitalism’s role in injustice, and how prioritizing amassing wealth for elites disregards the earth’s well-being and human rights. Finally, the team examines mobilization strategies that take into account the interconnectivity of justice issues across individuals and institutions.
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On this week of Climate Conversations, the team sits down with Ramón Bueno; a MIT alumnus and climate and development specialist. They discuss the devastation in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, in the context of systems failure and intersectional justice.
Bueno outlines the significance of the centralized power system in Puerto Rico, and how its reliance on fossil fuels has failed the people of Puerto Rico. To avoid similar failures in the future, he advocates decentralizing power systems via developing micro grids, as well as developing electricity infrastructure that is more resilient in extreme weather events.
Bueno and the team also look at how the hurricane amplified social and economic justice issues. There are many opportunities in the crisis for addressing those issues while increasing initiatives to reduce poverty. The conversation closes with highlights of what communities both in Puerto Rico and in the greater Boston area, have undertaken to mobilize for immediate needs as well as social and environmental justice longer term.
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In this special podcast, we sit down with Marteen van Aalast to discuss climate resilience and his role in the Climate CoLab A2R contest.
Van Aalst is the director of the Climate Center and coordinates support to climate risk management across the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.
Van Aalst explains how the UN’s A2R initiatives (Anticipate, Absorb, Reshape), which launched at Paris COP21; he helps implement protection and resources for vulnerable communities during environmental crises. He utilizes the scientific capacity to translate forecasts into humanitarian action.
He also discusses the current ClimateCoLab competition on developing climate risk insurance solutions, to help protect those most vulnerable to environmental issues. All are encouraged to explore and contribute to the latest competition, co-sponsored by UN A2R, which seeks new ways to couple climate risk insurance with other social protections to help vulnerable communities absorb climate impacts. Visit climatecolab.org to learn more.
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