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Speaking of Resilience

Speaking of Resilience

By Groundwork and MiCAN

Speaking of Resilience, with host Kate Madigan, explores the rapid and just transition to a carbon neutral economy for Michigan and the globally rare Great Lakes. National, state, and local leaders examine the multitude of issues and opportunities we face as we move along this exciting path: equity, investment, jobs, infrastructure, land use, and many more. Tap in and share the journey! Created by Michigan Climate Action Network and Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities.
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Community Solar Bill Speeds Renewables, Boosts Local Economies

Speaking of ResilienceOct 20, 2021

00:00
32:26
Community Solar Bill Speeds Renewables, Boosts Local Economies
Oct 20, 202132:26
Climate Impacts of Line 5 Oil Pipeline Tunnel
Sep 28, 202137:06
Michigan and the Build Back Better Legislation
Sep 14, 202159:49
Driving a Just Energy Transition in Detroit
Aug 31, 202138:49
Warning, hope, action—Insight for the 2021 IPCC report
Aug 17, 202131:07
Health Impacts of Global Warming
Aug 05, 202150:59
What Future-Energy Looks Like in the U.P.
Jul 22, 202149:44
The Challenge of Our Lives
Jul 08, 202115:24
Michigan Legislative Roundtable
Jul 01, 202101:05:14
Michigan Leading on Climate
Jun 24, 202156:57
The Pillars of Biden’s Clean Energy & Jobs Plan, Kelly Speakes-Backman
Jun 17, 202125:59
Building a Movement: Featuring Young Leaders
Jun 10, 202152:06
Climate Action: What Can We Expect from Congress?
Jun 03, 202101:12:43
2021 Michigan Climate & Clean Energy Summit Promo
May 13, 202111:51
Nancy Wang-How They Beat Gerrymandering in Michigan
Apr 29, 202139:24
Esosa Aimufua-Why Global Warming Matters for Line 5 Permitting

Esosa Aimufua-Why Global Warming Matters for Line 5 Permitting

Enbridge is trying to keep climate impacts from being considered as the State reviews their proposed oil tunnel. Esosa is one of the attorneys leading the fight to get the state of Michigan to consider the climate impacts of Enbridge’s massive oil tunnel as part of its review.

In this episode we interview Esosa Aimufua, an associate attorney at Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC). We talk about how Enbridge Energy, the Canadian company that owns and operates the 68 year old Line 5 oil pipeline, is trying to build an oil tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac that could operate for another 99 years. Enbridge is trying to keep climate impacts from being considered as the State reviews their proposed oil tunnel. Esosa is one of the attorneys leading the fight to get the State of Michigan to consider the climate impacts of Enbridge’s massive oil tunnel as part of its review. She is one of the attorneys representing MiCAN as we intervene in this case before the Michigan Public Service Commission.

To support this work, add your name to the sign-on letter to the MPSC to include climate change. Support the work of Esosa and her colleagues at ELPC. Sign up to get involved in important events this spring and summer with the Oil & Water Don’t Mix Campaign.

Speaking of Resilience is created by the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities and the Michigan Climate Action Network. This episode was produced by Taylor Cramer of Cold Shower Media in collaboration with Nick Loud of the Boardman Review, and hosted by Kate Madigan.

Apr 15, 202126:19
LaUra Schmidt: Turning Climate Grief and Eco-Anxiety Into Meaningful Action

LaUra Schmidt: Turning Climate Grief and Eco-Anxiety Into Meaningful Action

This episode of Speaking of Resilience features LaUra Schmidt, co-founder of the Good Grief Network, a nonprofit organization that creates community space to process the painful feelings and realities of our time, and to help participants orient their lives toward meaningful action. Many come into these spaces to process climate grief and eco-anxiety. So, to help people connect and heal, Good Grief Network uses a unique 10-Step program, modeled after 12-Step programs, like Alcoholics Anonymous.

We’ve invited Laura onto the show to discuss the spread of this kind of anxiety in our culture and how important it is for advocates to acknowledge the pain and difficulty that is a natural part of that work. But to be an effective advocate, it’s equally essential, she explains, to be present with the joy that does exist in today’s world, and to seek community with like-minded people to share both grief and joy.

Laura, a native of Michigan, has been studying personal resilience strategies for nearly a decade. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology, Environmental Studies and Religion from Central Michigan University and holds a Master of Science degree in Environmental Humanities from the University of Utah. She is trained in nonviolent civil disobedience, and is the granddaughter of a holocaust survivor.

Speaking of Resilience is created by the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities and the Michigan Climate Action Network. This episode was produced by Taylor Cramer of Cold Shower Media in collaboration with Nick Loud of the Boardman Review, and hosted by Kate Madigan.

Apr 01, 202134:16
Jim MacInnes: Michigan's Changing Winters

Jim MacInnes: Michigan's Changing Winters

We invite Jim MacInnes, CEO of Crystal Mountain Resort, in Benzie County, Michigan, to discuss the impact of warmer winters on the people, culture and business of Michigan—and what we must do now to slow global warming. Jim is among the best people in the nation to explore this topic because prior to running a ski resort he was an electric power engineer working with some of the nation’s largest electric utilities. Crystal Mountain is a 1500-acre four-season resort near Traverse City, Michigan. The resort employs up to 650 people and offers skiing, golfing, fine dining, meetings and conferences, spa services and accommodations for over 1,600 guests. Prior to joining Crystal Mountain in 1985, Jim developed renewable power plants in California and worked as a power engineer for the company that designed the Ludington Pumped Storage facility. Crystal Mountain has a history of investing in clean energy initiatives, including purchasing wind-energy offsets to cover the energy use of a chairlift in the late 1990s; installing public charging stations for electric cars in 2011; re-lamping its conference center with 300 LED’s in 2012, and in 2017 installing a closed-loop geothermal heat-pump system for a multi-unit lodging project. In 2009 Crystal built the Midwest’s first LEED certified spa. In 2010 Jim was recognized by the Detroit Free Press as one of 16 “Green Leaders” in Michigan, and he has been appointed by governors of both parties to various boards and committees including: by Governor Granholm to serve on the Great Lakes Offshore Wind Council; by Governors Snyder and Whitmer to chair the Michigan Utility Consumer Participation Board, and by Governor Whitmer to the Michigan Travel Commission. In 2017 he received an Environmentalist of the Year award from the Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council for his work on land conservation and clean energy, and in 2019 he was inducted into the Michigan Energy Innovators Business Council’s Hall of Fame.Jim has testified on energy issues before Michigan House and Senate energy policy committees. He is a Life senior member of the electrical engineers professional association, the IEEE, and served as vice-chair of its national energy policy committee. He is a member of the Michigan Conservative Energy Forum leadership committee and holds BSEE and MBA degrees from the University of California, Irvine.

Speaking of Resilience is created by the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities and the Michigan Climate Action Network. This episode was produced by Taylor Cramer of Cold Shower Media in collaboration with Nick Loud of the Boardman Review, and hosted by Kate Madigan.

Mar 18, 202143:23
Douglas Jester: A Carbon Neutral Michigan—What It Will Really Take

Douglas Jester: A Carbon Neutral Michigan—What It Will Really Take

On September 24, Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer took executive action that, among other things, sets a goal for Michigan to be carbon neutral by 2050 and cuts climate emissions 28% by 2025. This bold goal makes Michigan a national leader on climate. A  Council on Climate Solutions is now beginning to meet to create and implement a plan for achieving this ambitious goal.

In this episode, we talk to Douglas Jester, a partner at 5 Lakes Energy and one of the most knowledgeable energy experts in the state, about what achieving carbon neutrality for Michigan’s entire economy means, and what we need to do in the shorter term to be on track to meet this goal. We also talk about the devastating power outages that happened recently in Texas, and his work on the UP Energy Task Force - including how the UP can transition to clean electric heat sources and save money.

Speaking of Resilience is created by the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities and the Michigan Climate Action Network. This episode was produced by Taylor Cramer of Cold Shower Media in collaboration with Nick Loud of the Boardman Review, and hosted by Kate Madigan.

Mar 04, 202155:16
Gillian Giem: Rapidly Reducing Buildings' Carbon Footprint

Gillian Giem: Rapidly Reducing Buildings' Carbon Footprint

This episode of the Speaking of Resilience Podcast was recorded right before Governor Whitmer announced and signed her climate executive directive, which sets a goal for the State of Michigan to be carbon neutral by 2050, and to cut emissions by 28% within 5 years. These goals are economy-wide, meaning our electricity generation, transportation sector, and the heating and cooling of our buildings must all be carbon neutral. We can think of these as three pieces of the pie. 

Achieving these goals and doing it equitably is possible and is necessary if we are to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.  In today’s episode we are going to talk about how to rapidly reduce the carbon footprint of our buildings, and focusing on Grand Rapids, which has been leading a lot of this work in MI.   

Our guest is Gillian Giem, the Program Manager for the U.S. Green Building Council of West Michigan, where she works to accelerate equitable investment in Michigan's carbon drawdown through smart energy management, mobility, and the adoption of high-performance buildings.    We talk about how green buildings not only make a huge impact on reducing climate pollution, but also save money and can enormously improve people’s quality of life. And we talk about specific programs Gillian works on like the Michigan Battle of the Buildings, bilingual Energy Assistance Program, and Grand Rapids Zero Cities Project.

Watch this episode on Youtube

Speaking of Resilience is created by the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities and the Michigan Climate Action Network. This episode was produced by Miriam Owsley and Jeff Smith, hosted by Kate Madigan.

Dec 16, 202036:27
Oil & Water Don't Mix Coalition: Line 5 Oil Pipeline Easement Revoked

Oil & Water Don't Mix Coalition: Line 5 Oil Pipeline Easement Revoked

Dec 02, 202056:52
Charles Griffith: Electrifying Vehicles & the Climate Crisis
Nov 11, 202052:41
Justin Snowden: Micro-Mobilty in Detroit
Aug 26, 202032:08
Marnese Jackson & Grover Easterling: Turn Oakland County Green

Marnese Jackson & Grover Easterling: Turn Oakland County Green

Oakland County is ground zero for Michigan's conservative movement, the place where power brokers and big donors reside. Is there reason to hope that the county can also be a place that embraces clean energy and the environmental justice opportunities that can blossom from a transition to a carbon free economy?

This week's Speaking of Resilience podcast guests, Marnese Jackson, of Mothers Out Front, and Grover Easterling, of Michigan League of Conservation Voters, are working hard to make that answer "yes" through the Turn Oakland County Green campaign. The good news: they see signs of positive change.

Marnese is an environmental and climate justice advocate who works as the Frontline Organizing Program Director with Mothers Out Front, and she is the former Midwest Regional Organizer for NAACP’s Environment and Climate Justice Program. Grover is the SE Michigan field organizer for Michigan League of Conservation Voters, and previously worked as a legislative assistant to Detroit City Council, and led events and direct actions with a group of organizations known as the Coalition for Black Struggle.  

Watch this episode on Youtube

Speaking of Resilience is created by the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities and the Michigan Climate Action Network. This episode was produced by Miriam Owsley and Jeff Smith, hosted by Kate Madigan.

Aug 19, 202039:57
Dr. Sarah Mills: Local Governments and Renewable Energy Siting, Part 2
Aug 11, 202041:41
Ed Rivet: Local Governments and Renewable Energy Siting, Part 1

Ed Rivet: Local Governments and Renewable Energy Siting, Part 1

Aug 04, 202029:19
Dr. Laura Sherman: Michigan's Clean Energy Future
Jul 28, 202048:47
Larry Bell & Beth Wallace: 10 years since Enbridge's Kalamazoo River Oil Spill

Larry Bell & Beth Wallace: 10 years since Enbridge's Kalamazoo River Oil Spill

Jul 21, 202050:28
Justin Onwenu: Environmental Justice & Responding to the Community's Needs

Justin Onwenu: Environmental Justice & Responding to the Community's Needs

In this episode of the #SpeakingofResilience podcast, Kate Madigan, director of the Michigan Climate Action Network #MICAN and Clean Energy Program Director at the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, interviews Justin Onwenu.   

Justin is a passionate advocate for environmental justice and a rising star in Michigan. In our interview, Justin and Kate discuss climate change and extreme weather events and its disproportionate impacts on low income communities and communities of color - including his experience with Hurricane Harvey and the devastation that storm caused he observed while he was in college that inspired a lot of his current work. We also talk about water shut offs in Detroit and their significance during the #COVID crisis, and how his work has changed to respond to community needs.   

Justin is a 4th generation Detroiter and environmental justice organizer for the  @NationalSierraClub . As a #Detroit based organizer he fights for clean air, clean and affordable water and a just economy for all communities. He currently serves on the Inaugural Michigan Advisory Council on Environmental Justice, appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. He was also recently appointed to the Democratic National Committee’s Environment and Climate Crisis Council Platform Committee where he is one of 12 nationwide members responsible for helping develop recommendations for the climate, environment and energy planks of the 2020 Democratic Party Platform. 

Watch this episode on Youtube

Speaking of Resilience is created by the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities and the Michigan Climate Action Network. This episode was produced by Miriam Owsley and Jeff Smith, hosted by Kate Madigan.

Jul 15, 202044:44
Dr. Brandy Brown: Climate Action at the State Level
Jul 08, 202037:02
Chairman Bryan Newland: Line 5 & Defending Tribal Treaty Rights

Chairman Bryan Newland: Line 5 & Defending Tribal Treaty Rights

Kate Madigan and Jim Lively interview Bryan Newland, Chairman of the Bay Mills Indian Community of the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. There is a lot going on with Line 5 right now, and our interview with Chairman Bryan Newland about Line 5 could not be more timely. The conversation focuses on the impacts of the aging Line 5 pipeline owned by Canadian oil company Enbridge, which sits in the open waters at the Straits of Mackinac. We hear from Bryan about the backroom deals made by an outgoing Republican-led Michigan Legislature from the perspective of Michigan's native communities, whose treaty rights are at stake, especially in the event of a catastrophic oil spill. 

On June 30, 2020 we learned that a Line 5 anchor support was damaged, and as a result of that discovery, Michigan's Attorney General Dana Nessel was successful in getting a judge to issue a temporary restraining order, temporarily shutting down Line 5. In the legal hearing about this issue, we also learned that there were two additional incidents where ships anchors or cables struck Line 5 in the Great Lakes, unbeknownst to Enbridge, only to be discovered when they were fixing damaged coating on the pipeline. This alarming revelation raises increased concern about this 67 year old pipeline and highlights the need for Gov. Whitmer to join the AG to act to revoke the easement.

In the coming weeks we’ll continue to cover this issue in more depth. 

Don’t forget, go to miclimateaction.org to urge the Governor to take action to revoke the easement and shut down Line 5.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Speaking of Resilience is created by the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities and the Michigan Climate Action Network. This episode was produced by Miriam Owsley, hosted by Kate Madigan and Jim Lively.

Jun 30, 202045:01
Dr. Jonathan Foley: Project Drawdown
Jun 23, 202059:17
Dr. Missy Stults: A2Zero & Setting Carbon Neutral Goals
Jun 16, 202049:02
Speaking of Resilience Podcast Trailer

Speaking of Resilience Podcast Trailer

Join Dan Worth and Kate Madigan for a series of interviews with experts to explore how we solve the climate crisis while creating economic stimulus in this changing landscape. If you care about our overheating planet, and want to rebuild the economy to be more resilient, just, and sustainable, Speaking of Resilience is the podcast for you.

May 20, 202002:05