Episodes
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Most people are not climate deniers. It is an unreasonable and frankly, a stupid position to take.
Recent polling shows that the majority (73%) of Americans strongly believe that climate change is happening and that it is caused by humans. You would think that with that much agreement, we would vote in politicians with similar convictions. But we don't. Why? Could Everyday Denial, the denial that virtually every one of us engages in multiple times a day, be even a greater threat than climate denial? In the United States, we have the largest and most influential group of climate deniers the world has ever seen. They are single handedly the greatest threat to human civilization and to life on earth as we know it. Who are they? Could there be a more immediate hazard to our global environment than climate change itself?
Tune in to find the explanations, and more importantly, the answer to what you can do about it.EPISODE 10 WEBPAGE
"A CALL TO ACT" : A Comprehensive On-line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions -
SHOW NOTES
UPDATED INFORMATION: In this acclaimed classical rebroadcast we take the news-media to task for its appalling lack of coverage in this critical time of climate and ecological breakdown.We need to hold the media accountable for their miserable record of reporting on our fossil fuel-driven climate emergency.
The news media is powerful, influential and should be a substantial and reliable source in our increasingly unlivable world.
This episode’s webpage (linked below) includes updated information on what you can do to shift environmental and climate news coverage from being just a reactionary SOURCE to being a valuable RESOURCE of information.
Why are climate and environmental stories such a ratings killer? How cozy is mass media and the fossil fuel corporations? Which news outlets are doing an exceptional job of covering this – the biggest story in the world? How can we get the best minds in media to give sustained attention to this most important story in a way that will create change?The climate and extinction crises are barreling toward us like a run-away freight train. What do we hear in the media – crickets. How can we turn that around?Remember, the main purpose of the media is to hold those in power accountable. Can we use that knowledge to hold those medial authorities accountable? What does Taylor Swift's cat have against climate change?Episode Webpage New-Media Part 1 (updated)
Episode Webpage: News-Media Part 2 (updated)
"A CALL TO ACT" : A Comprehensive On-line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions -
Missing episodes?
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UPDATED INFORMATION: In this acclaimed classical rebroadcast we take the news-media to task for its appalling lack of coverage in this critical time of climate and ecological breakdown.
We need to hold the media accountable for their miserable record of reporting on our fossil fuel-driven climate emergency.
The news media is powerful, influential and should be a substantial and reliable source in our increasingly unlivable world.
This episode’s webpage (linked below) includes updated information on what you can do to shift environmental and climate news coverage from being just a reactionary SOURCE to being a valuable RESOURCE of information.
SHOW NOTESYou will be shocked to learn about how little time broadcast news gives to climate and environmental stories. And, as low as that is, they give virtually no time to explain what we should be doing about it.
There has been a recent uptick in eco-reporting, considering this summer has been like a hike through the Book of Revelations.Arguably the news industry is one of the most powerful forces for influencing and shaping human thought and culture.
Now of course, things have gotten a little wacka-doodle with the blatant lies and deceptions of the Right-Wing media.
The most popular cable station in the country, Fox Noise, recently expressed a teeny-tiny amount of remorse for their distorted disinformation campaign against the Covid pandemic.
Considering their deceitfulness have costs tens of thousands of lives over the last year, the question is, why did it take this long to wake up and smell the caffeinated?
In this episode Part 1, we briefly look at the use, function, and importance of the news. We explore the question: what if there was no media? And we go looking for the Age of Missing Information.
And finally we make the case that the News Media maybe our only hope to stop the daily climate horrors we are witnessing today. It's a hard case to make.
Episode Webpage New-Media Part 1 (updated)
Episode Webpage: News-Media Part 2 (updated)
"A CALL TO ACT" : A Comprehensive On-line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions -
In this episode we revisit the complicated human emotion of FEAR. In our last episode we argued that fear could be the driving motivational factor for inciting eco-action.
We took another look human psychology of fear, and found out, even though we’re living through an unprecedented climate and ecological disaster, it is shocking that most Americans and global citizens aren’t cowering in fear every day about the future of their loved ones and our planet.
You would think that the prospect of humankind radically altering the Earth’s ecosystems that it depends on for survival would merit a little more than ticking off a box that says “Climate Concerned.”
The recent and ongoing catastrophic weather events globally indicate we have crossed a dangerous threshold of warming.
WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE? WHY ARE WE NOT FREAKING OUT?
Listen in for some lively insights about how millions are dying annually from pollution, wildlife and whole ecosystems on the verge of collapse, combined with the scale and speed with which this whole drama is unfolding, are we simply overwhelmed? Is it easier just to ignore the whole mess?
Stay tuned to the end where we deliver, oh, maybe just only a thousand hands-on opportunities to shape our climate future rather than become its whimpering victims.Episode Webpage
"A CALL TO ACT" : A Comprehensive On-line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions
Mentioned in the Podcast Episode
Citizen Science Volunteer Opportunities
Eco-Adoption Programs -
We are caught in an economic and political system that encourages our collective participation in our planet’s daily disintegration. Why would we expect to feel good, and good about ourselves, while we are a part of the decimation of life on Earth, including ourselves and everyone we love?
On one hand, we are the victims. No one asked to be born into this broken system that treats human and other life as disposable, allows for unprecedented levels of inequality, and has ignored the climate and ecological crises for decades.
We have been failed by the people and institutions that were tasked with protecting us — first and foremost our governments and elected representatives. Our government’s failure could not be more complete.
But the governments are not alone: Media outlets, schools, universities, churches, labor unions, professional associations, even environmental organizations and countless others have also failed to acknowledge and protect us from the climate emergency.
The Quintessential Question: WHAT DO YOU REALLY THINK IS GOING TO BE THE SOLUTION TO OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS? CO2 sucking machines? Electric cars for all? Everybody on Earth holding their breath and jumping?
You are not alone. The only resolution is for a small percent of dedicated global citizens to kick-start the renewal of our planet. It is the only chance we have.
THE GOOD NEWS: Once the few get the ball rolling, the majority of global citizens with support their efforts.
How do we go about this monumental effort? The Green Elephant has designed a Comprehensive On-line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions. "A Call to Act" it is a well-organized, thoughtfully laid-out resource of hundreds of climate groups to join, and eco-action activities to be taken. It is packed with people and organizations DOING something. This is your grand opportunity to join them in our literal fight with fire and water.
It is one click away— in the Show Notes of this episode.
EPISODE WEBPAGE
"A CALL TO ACT" : A Comprehensive On-line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions. -
In our last episode we explored this question: Is it possible that individual actions will move the needle on large scale eco-issues such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and widespread habitat loss, or is individual action virtually pointless?
In researching this question, not surprisingly, we have uncovered a basic truth, our eco-issues are complex, and humans are complicated.
Covering a topic that will be impacting us for centuries, and involves every person, and most every other living creature on the planet, is bound to be convoluted and problematic.
On-line Carbon Calculators — Are we Deceiving Ourselves?How Much do Individual Actions Really Matter?How do we Achieve Systematic Climate Action?How You and the Earth can Benefit From the Largest Climate Bill Ever Passed.What are the Top High-Impact Climate Actions for Households and Individuals?
What we have concluding is, yes, individual actions are essential, and can and do make a difference, but in the end, we must collectively work together to have any hope of limiting the tremendous changes happening to our home planet.
IN THIS EPISODE WE TACKLE:Episode Webpage
"A CALL TO ACT" : A Comprehensive On-line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions. -
SHOW NOTES
In this very special episode we are addressing, what may be, one the most conflictual. but essential issue concerning environmentalism and the planet.
There is a great conundrum that has gripped the environmental movement for decades. Many, many well-meaning people have bought into this controversy, including myself.
That is what is more meaningful, Individual Action or Systemic Climate Action? Lifestyle Change vs. System Change? Personal Choices to Collective Power.
Is it possible that individual actions will move the needle on large scale eco-issues such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and widespread habitat destruction, or is individual action virtually pointless?
Listen in to what is effectively is our greatest hope and best opportunity to truly advance with any momentum as we confront the most imposing challenge that humanity will ever encounter.
Episode Webpage
"A CALL TO ACT" : A Comprehensive On-line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions. -
The U.S. electrical grid that delivers energy to us is a marvel of engineering. It was designed to carry energy from coal and gas-powered quickly and cheaply to our homes and businesses.
But the system is old and antiquated. Although this power grid system supplies coal and gas-powered energy to homes relatively well, it is a major obstacle to supporting solar and wind energy capacity.
The demands from the new clean energy renewables is going to overwhelm this system.
At the moment it is functioning. However, as of 2022, 60% of energy generated in the U.S. was still from fossil fuels. To go clean and green by the prospective date of 2035 is going to be challenging.
The climate stakes are high. In 2020, President Biden proposed, and Congress approved hundreds of billions of dollars for solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles, and other technologies to tackle global warming.
But if the United States can’t build new transmission at a faster pace, roughly 80 percent of the emissions reductions expected from that bill might not happen.
The energy revolution poised for takeoff in the United States amid this record investment is facing a serious obstacle: The volume of projects has overwhelmed the nation’s antiquated systems to connect new sources of electricity to homes and businesses.
So many projects are trying to squeeze through the approval process that delays can drag on for years, leaving some developers to throw up their hands and walk away.
Listen in to learn about ways to overcome these complications and the ways you and your community could be crucial in fighting climate change and playing a leading role in piloting our future of clean energy.
Electricity transmission is key to unlock the full potential of the Inflation Reduction Act.
EPISODE WEBPAGE
"A CALL TO ACT" : A Comprehensive On-line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions. -
What do you think is the most common form of human infrastructure in the world? Not only does it cover vast tracts of the earth’s surface, but it is also virtually invisible. Worldwide, our wild lands are laced with countless stretches of fences.
The total length of all fencing around the globe is 10 times greater than the total length of roads. If our planet’s fences were stretched end to end, they would likely bridge the distance from Earth to the Sun multiple times.
From the western United States to Mongolia to Africa, fences are going up rapidly as border barriers and livestock farming increase. On every continent, from cities to rural areas and from ancient to modern times, humans have built fences. But we know almost nothing about their ecological effects..
There has been more interest recently in a new discipline: fence ecology that is revealing a world that has been utterly reorganized by a rapidly growing latticework of fences.
Now, a growing number of studies are exposing the impact of these fences, from impeding wildlife migrations to increasing the genetic isolation of threatened species. Listen in and find out what you can do about it.
Episode Webpage
"A CALL TO ACT": A Comprehensive On-line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions. -
SHOW NOTES
As societies get richer, they consume more resources. That also means they generate more pollution, driving climate change and destroying natural ecosystems. We need to somehow break this link between material wealth and environmental catastrophe.There are no realistic scenarios to make the economic growth demanded by capitalism compatible with a safe climate. We can’t just grow our way out of this climate and ecological mess.
"Green Economic Growth" is a myth. The only reasonable path is degrowth.But this does not mean we need to give up on the very idea of prosperity. Rather it means recognising that there are other ways of creating prosperity which do not require endless growth. It does require us to dramatically reduce our material consumption of Earth's resources. This is probably the greatest obstacle to climate action and the restoration of our living biosphere: the idea that we have to do with less.
It may sound like doom-speak, but we need to find ways to fundamentally restructure our economies and production relations to transition to new forms of prosperity that leave endless growth in the dust.
Ultimately, degrowth is inevitable. We will either choose this path voluntarily, or we will be forced into it violently and uncontrollably as a result of environmental disasters. If we want to prevent the suffering and tragedies that accompany such drastic shifts, we must bring about a culture of degrowth.
Listen in and discover how this can be accomplished and what your role is in the finding a balance between our clean-green energy future and fueling the renewables transition that is our last great hope.
This Podcast's Webpage
Three Podcasts in a series revealing time tested, research proven methods of tackling the twin eco-crises of climate and ecosystem devastation. If you are truly concerned about solving these issues, and what your role will be, this is a must listen.
Podcast # 62: The 3.5% Climate Solution (Part 1 of 3)
Podcast #63. Climate Hope: The 3.5% Rule of Nonviolent Protest (Part 2 of 3)
Podcast #64: This Could be the Key to Climate and Ecological Success (Part 3 of 3)
"A CALL TO ACT": A Comprehensive On-line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions.
Discover, join, act with other passionate, talented people and groups where you will discover hundreds of eco-activities where you can be part of shaping our climate positive future."A CALL TO ACT" Feature:
Use Less- Live More: Best Eco-Practices -
SHOW NOTES
For most of humanity, we have lived outside of cities. It has only been in the last decade where populations have split evenly between rural and urban living. As soon as 2030, 70% of us will live in cities.
There are now 33 megacities worldwide with over 10 million inhabitants — but by 2030, six new mega cities will arise, including in the U.S.Only a small percent of the total surface of the planet is occupied by cities, yet they are home to more than half of the world's population.
Many think of cities as polluted, crowded, and dangerous. That may be true in some cases, but those living in cities have access to better education and employment opportunities, which allows them to demand better living conditions. Even now, city dwellers use significantly less water and energy, and create less waste.
If designed thoughtfully, urban areas have the potential to be a major antidote for the environmental and climate crises.
Listen in and learn how you can drive the future by making your city a model of sustainability.
Podcast Episode Website
A CALL TO ACT: A Comprehensive on-line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions -
An Imagined Scenario from 2024—2028.
Presenting a very special Green Elephant Podcast Episode.
Having just come off a 3-Part Podcast Series entitled: “The Most Dangerous Organization in History: The Republican Party” we wanted to give the GOP a chance to redeem themselves.
At this moment in time, the only way to accomplish this was to write a fictional account about how that could happen. You will recognize the names; you will recognize the issues. It takes place in the near future and begins with the worst possible outcome — Donald Trump winning his second presidential election. Not to worry, it ultimately has a happy ending with the Republicans as the eco-heroes.
CALL TO ACT: A Comprehensive On-Line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions
EPISODE WEBSITE -
This the third and final podcast episode covering the wake of destruction executed by the “Most Dangerous Organization in History: The U.S. Republican Party.
The Republicans in Congress and their brethren in state governments are using their power to sabotage democracy and eliminate any environmental protections – for good. It's hard to state how serious this is.
In this explosive episode we explore:
Republican interference by passing regulations against investing in improvements for ESG: Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance – using money to improve the lives of people and the health of the planet is now against the law in many states. As of 2022, the U.S. had 955 billionaires. While some are very generous in donating to worthy causes, the majority are conservative, or rabidly right-wing who support an aggressive form of religious and political activism. Even though the Right to Protest has always been one of the fundamental bedrocks of American democracy, Republicans view it as a danger to themselves and have passed a slew of laws that not only come with hefty fines and jail time, but with laws to allow their supporters to cause great bodily harm or even murder of protesters – with no consequences!And most disturbing of all, Republicans already have a nearly 1,000-page written plan, that if Trump or a like-minded conservative wins the presidency in 2024, there will be a radical restructuring of our government, with devastating consequences. The worst part? If Trump’s forces do change enough electoral rules and personnel to guarantee victory in 2024, there is zero chance the US government will take the strong climate action needed to avert global catastrophe.
CALL TO ACT: A Comprehensive On-Line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions
Episode Website -
Just a few years ago, the Republican Party was a thoughtful and important counterpoint to the Democrats, keeping American democracy strong. In less than 10 years they have radically altered into an organization that worships a mob-boss, traffics in the most absurd conspiracy theories, and wholly hallucinates about “tyranny” taking over their freedoms.
In Part 1 (episode 80) we expose the GOP’s culture and woke wars on teachers, libraries, woman, abortion, child-labor laws, trans-kids, and the uptick in right-wing violence.
While all those issues matter, Part 2 (episode 81) uncovers how they are no longer denying climate and the associated ecological crises, they are actively undermining it. This could not be any more critical for the collective planetary ystems that play a vital role in the function and sustainability of Earth’s system.
In Part 3 (episode 82) we will reveal the written 700+ page exhaustive manifesto for the next conservative US president that details how the radical right is systematically preparing to march into office and bring a new army, aligned, trained, and essentially weaponized conservatives ready to do battle against against democracy and launch a War on Nature.
CALL TO ACT: A Comprehensive On-Line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions
Episode Website -
One of the two major political parties in America has gone off the rails.
In the three hundred and fifty years of parliamentary democracy, there’s been nothing like what we’re seeing now in Washington. The GOP is redefining extremism. Republicans have become a party largely focused on symbolism, not substance. That’s easiest to see in their crusade against “woke” Democrats, which is almost entirely symbolic. The real enthusiasm among right-wing conservatives is in its efforts to punish Democrats as well as groups and individuals they don’t like.
In Part 1 of this two-part series, we explore conservative outrages, such as what is happening in our schools, libraries, crime, child labor laws, the uptick in violence, and the horror show in store for us and the planet if Trump gets a second-term. In the next episode, part 2, we sound the alarm on want makes the Republicans truly dangerous – their unrelenting support of the fossil fuel industry and their War on Nature.
A CALL TO ACT: A Comprehensive On-Line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions
Episode Website -
1. Why is it so hard to fully address climate change? Is it because it is mind-crushingly beyond any human scale? Climate change is the ultimate hyper-object – something so vast that it is impossible to hold in our mind. A hyper-object, even as it surrounds us, we can’t perceive it – it is invisible, yet it exists. Climate change despite being so definitely caused by humans is so profoundly non-human; so expansive that our understanding is continually outpaced and exhausted. Maybe by viewing this phenomenon through a different interpretation will unleash the immense capacity of human creativity, even bravery in moving forward.
2. Speaking of mind-boggling, we dissect the greatest entity in the known universe – the human brain. Nothing compares. But if we are so smart, why are we not taking collective action on a pending apocalypse that is unfolding right in front of our eyes?
3. Using the tragic events in Lahaina, Maui as a lens to focus on the miserable job the news media is doing on reporting on the environmental problems that are beginning to overwhelm the planet. And more importantly, what they – and you can do about it.
A CALL TO ACT: A Comprehensive On-Line Encyclopedia of Accessible Eco-Solutions
Episode Webpage -
Why is Climate Change so Hard to Fix?
Major obstacles are conflict of interests, vast cultural differences, competition between economies, infrastructure discrepancies, lack of information, climate-change denial, the economics of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, disagreement over sharing the burden of the climate change costs, and the politics of actively legislating climate laws and regulations, which are, unfortunately, going backwards.
Climate is a globally complex and an often invisible issue. Because it is intangible and abstract, it is difficult for people to engage with the topic and to not feel uncertain about it. In fact, in our experience – virtually nobody even talks about it!
Back to the original question: Why is Climate Change so Hard to Fix?
The short answer is that people are complicated. Their beliefs and judgements can be clouded by their religious upbringing, political leaning, their ideologies and self-interests, what news channels they watch and what news-sources they read. Together, these factors all contribute to differences in opinion and social conflicts over science. In this episode we explore the barriers to action, by examining the practical, psychological, and political challenges of climate change.A CALL TO ACT: A Comprehensive On-Line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions
PODCAST INDEX
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There has never been a summer like this in recorded history.
This is not the first time we have confronted the harsh realities of unrelenting planetary heat, but most would agree, this has been a summer like no other.
The role of climate change in our lives now and in the future is revealing itself, and it’s absolutely terrifying. We’ve passed into a ferocious new phase of global heating with much worse to come. It’s way pass time for bold action as earth's climate enters dangerous phase.
The world must declare a climate emergency.
A logical place to start would be with the United States of America.A fundamental question that is looming over humanity is, can the rest of the world save itself from climate breakdown if the richest, most powerful nation on earth is not taking the leadership role it must?
The world’s wealthiest, most influential, and by far, the greatest polluter of all time needs to jump-start what could be a world-winning strategy by declaring a climate emergency that would unlock the prestige, power, and purse of the U.S.
Most importantly, it would put the issue front and center on the world stage.
Which is the second portion of this podcast episode. The news media is failing us. Sure they report on the crazy climatic events happening – they have to! It’s too gigantic to ignore. But they are still treating it as weather news, and not the unstable planet-shifting crisis it is revealing itself to be.
Research into media coverage of climate change has demonstrated that the news media are an important source of information about climate change. They have significant potential to influence public understanding and perceptions of the issue.
And more importantly, affect public opinion directly through determining climate policy laws.
And more than that, there should be glaring and blaring headlines EVERY SINGLE DAY, and the reporting should place the blame squarely where it belongs – on the fossil fuel industry and its lackeys in the Republican Party.
– THIS IS TOO BIG A MOMENT TO PASS UP –
A CALL TO ACT: A Comprehensive On-Line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions
PODCAST INDEX
EPISODE WEBPAGE
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Most of us our very close to our pet pals, and often treat them like part of the family.
I personally am very fond of both fido and Felix, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore all the impacts that pets have so we can have an honest conversation about them. Pets have many benefits, but also a huge environmental impact.
Most of that impact is from we feed them – meat.
If all the dogs and cats in America comprised a separate country, their fluffy nation would rank fifth in global meat consumption, behind only Russia, Brazil, the United States and China.
No, you don't have to turn your companion animal into a vegan.We focus on keeping your pet healthy while maintaining a lean body weight. We share choices about your pet’s diet can have implications for its health, your wallet, and the planet.
We also go full cycle and look at our pet’s poop and all the wonderous things on that end.
Also, a fascinating exploration of how we created the modern domestic dog, and we make some suggestions about the one little nasty habit free roaming cats have, and how it could save billions of wild animals’ lives.
A CALL TO ACT: A Comprehensive On-Line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions
Episode Webpage -
The global economy is still so dependent on relatively inexpensive fossil fuels that a quick transition to renewable sources would likely be costly in the short term.
What that means, in effect, is that climate policy asks the present to sacrifice for the future. Human beings tend not to be very good at that kind of planning, even when their own future selves stand to benefit. That's why we need “win-win” climate policies — like innovative investments that can lead directly to cheap clean energy, rather than policies that make dirty energy more expensive — are likely to be the most effective ones.
Also, Climate Denialism is so knuckle-dragging and prehistoric. Step-up to the hip new cool catchphrase called Delay-ism. All the cool fossil CEO’s and Billionaires are doing it, doing it.
Finally, to take on capitalism, what would a serious climate strategy include? We consider the following six arenas: public infrastructure, economic planning, corporate regulation, international trade, consumption, and taxation.
A CALL TO ACT: An Incredible On-Line Encyclopedia of Eco-Solutions
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