Operation Climate

Welcome back to Season 9: Green Horizons! In the season finale, we are moving out of the classroom and into the realm of government to continue our exploration of what a climate-conscious future looks like. The Biden administration announced the creation of the American Climate Corps back in September, which aims to train a new generation of workers for jobs in the clean energy economy. The initiative draws heavily on AmeriCorps, an existing national service organization that was created in 1993 to teach youth professional skills through community service projects. We were lucky enough to sit down with Jonathan Wiener, a current Duke Law professor who was an environmental advisor to the Clinton administration and helped organize AmeriCorps's environmental efforts. Join us as we learn from Wiener about AmeriCorps's early days and what lessons the decades-old program has to offer the nascent American Climate Corps.

______

Welcome to Season 9: Green Horizons! In this series, we are talking about the positive role of big institutions, universities and governments, in the climate movement.

As we continue our conversation of climate education and action at Duke University, in this episode, we are sitting down with two esteemed Duke University professors, Dr. Valerie Sabol, a clinical professor in the Duke School of Nursing, and Robin Kirk, a professor in the practice of cultural anthropology at Duke. Join us as we delve into a discussion about their involvement in the brand new Climate and Sustainability Teaching Fellows program at Duke, uniquely designed to infuse climate change and sustainability education into classes’ curriculum that are not centrally focused on the issue. From exploring the intersection of human rights and environmental issues to integrating sustainable healthcare practices, Kirk and Sabol share the innovative approaches they developed through the program and the profound impact on students' perspectives and engagement. Don't miss this conversation on reshaping education for a sustainable future.

______

Welcome to Season 9: Green Horizons! In this series, we are talking about the positive role of big institutions, universities and governments, in the climate movement.

In today's episode, we shift gears from the overarching view to the nitty-gritty details. We're joined by Dr. Emily Bernhardt, a biogeochemist and a professor at Duke as well as Lindsay Batchelor, and Jason Elliott from the Sustainable Duke team. We explore how Duke is translating its commitment into action, focusing on course offerings and campus facilities. Dr. Bernhardt shares insights into University 102, a unique cross-disciplinary course that empowers students not just to learn about climate change but actively contribute their perspectives. Join us as we uncover the concrete steps Duke has taken and get a glimpse of the sustainable future it envisions. 

______

Welcome to Season 9! In this series, we are talking about the positive role of big institutions, universities and governments, in the climate movement.

It’s been a year since the Climate Commitment was announced, but a question still floats in the mind of much of the Duke community: “What exactly is the Climate Commitment?” In this episode, we unravel the layers of the Duke Climate Commitment. Though it might sound complex, the commitment aims to address the climate crisis through impactful, sustainable, and equitable solutions based right here at Duke. The Climate Commitment website talks about Duke's goal of community climate fluency, operations sustainability and broader community engagement beyond Duke. However, questions arise: How do instructors, administrators, and students engage with the commitment? Is the commitment a catalyst for change, or a strategic marketing scheme?

To address these questions, we are joined by a special guest, Katie Douglas, Duke’s Climate Program Manager. Katie provides invaluable insights into the commitment's significance for the Duke community. Join us as we demystify the Duke Climate Commitment and explore its real-world implications in this enlightening conversation with Katie Douglas.

______

Get ready for Season 9 of Operation Climate: Green Horizons. This season we’re focusing on big institutions like universities and government… what role do they have in the climate movement? We’ll focus on Duke University and their now one year old Climate Commitment, which aims to tackle the whole spectrum of sustainability from operations to eduction. Then, we’ll zoom out to take a look at an exciting new government-sponsored program: the American Climate Corps. Modeled off of FDR’s Civilian Conservation Corps, the American Climate Corps will mobilize citizens to work in sustainable industries, green energy in particular. 

We can’t wait to share these episodes with you all, so make sure to stay tuned for Season 9: Green Horizons! And if you aren’t already, give us a follow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts as well as instagram at @operationclimate. 

Audio from: 

Welcome to Season 8! In this miniseries, we will look at different avenues of environmental art.

Looking for alternative routes to advocate for the environment, aside from research and policy? Perhaps you should turn to art and engage in the growing phenomenon of environmental artivism. Like the saying goes, a picture (or in this case, a sculpture) can say a thousand words. Art can be an extremely powerful tool in conveying a message.

Today we will be hearing from Courtney Mattison, a ceramic artist who creates expansive ceramic coral reefs to call attention to the detrimental effects of climate change and pollution on these sea creatures. She will discuss how she discovered the intersection between her two passions, marine biology and ceramics, as well as offer advice on how others can find their own passions. 

In this episode, we had the privilege of talking with Trevor Schoonmaker, the current director and former curator of contemporary art at the Nasher Museum of Art in Durham, North Carolina. Together, we will delve into Trevor's remarkable journey as an art curator and discuss his most recent exhibition, Spirit in the Land. Spirit in the Land is a contemporary art exhibition that examines today's ecological concerns from a cultural perspective, demonstrating the interconnection between nature and our identities. Through diverse artworks, it emphasizes the importance of environmental justice, preservation of marginalized histories and communities, and the restoration of our collective relationship with the natural world. Join us as we go beyond the canvas and explore Schoonmaker’s motivations, challenges, stories, and insights in bringing this incredible exhibit to life.

In North Carolina, there are almost as many pigs as people. With millions of pigs packed into industrial scale facilities, the question of what to do with the waste has become a huge problem and a prime example of environmental racism. 

In this episode, we explore the concepts of environmental justice and environmental racism through the lens of hog farming. We talk with Jamie Berger, producer of the new documentary, The Smell of Money, explore how individuals in eastern North Carolina are fighting against the pork industry, and discuss ways you can use your passions to work for environmental justice!

______

Are schools doing enough to educate the next generation on climate change and the environment? How can we make sure future generations are prepared to handle environmental changes safely and effectively?

In this episode, we continue exploring environmental education on a national level and take a deep dive into Durham Public Schools’ environmental education programs. We continue our discussion on educational standards with Blake Touchet: from the National Center for Science Education. Then, we uncover how these standards are implemented firsthand from Emma Refvem and Erin Carroll of Durham Public Schools. Listen to learn about the state of environmental education and how we can improve the curriculum to better educate future climate leaders!

Welcome to Season 7! This season we are looking at a case study for circular economy and climate education. Join us on this much shorter season for bite size glimpses into these sustainability topics!

------------------------

Is climate misinformation truly prevalent in schools? What barriers do students face in receiving a comprehensive environmental education? What can you do to combat these barriers?

Welcome to Season 7! This season we are looking at a case study for circular economy and climate education. Join us on this much shorter season for bite size glimpses into these sustainability topics!

Is the age of mass consumption upon us? Judging from the quantities of overconsumption and consumer waste that the Earth is seeing daily, it may appear so. Yet as products are being produced and discarded at unsustainable speeds, a counter economic model is emerging. The solution to a more sustainable future may be found with a circular economy in which material lifespans are maximized and economic activities are regenerative.

On today’s episode we hear from Rachel Classi, founder and CEO of Tiny Earth Toys, a business that has approached children’s toys and early education tools from a circular economic angle. Hear directly from a sustainable business owner on the process of smart business model innovation, and think through the steps you could take to engage with sustainability initiatives in your own life!

Art is a powerful tool to call people into the climate movement.

Science has shown that our brains are wired to respond to stories. When we hear a story, we naturally engage with the characters, and imagine ourselves in their shoes. This creates an emotional connection to the story and the issue it represents.

Gender equality and women’s empowerment have a lot of ties to climate change. In addition to being leaders of the climate movement, women and girls are often more vulnerable to climate effects.

Ilinca Drondoe is a student at Wellesley college who is passionate about the intersection of climate justice and women’s empowerment. Ilinca works with the organization Girl Up and the UN Foundation on projects related to the intersection of gender and climate. In this episode, we talk to her about the importance of gender equality in the movement, her role as a young person in climate advocacy, and tips to advance gender equality in the environmental space.

Intersectionality, a term coined by Kimberle Crenshaw, talks about the interconnectedness of different identities, and how the overlapping of them can create disadvantages in society. For example, a white woman can experience gender discrimination, but her experience is entirely different than that of a black woman’s, who also experiences racial discrimination on top of gender discrimination.

The same thing applies to the climate movement. Someone who is affluent has a much different experience navigating the climate crisis than someone who is of a lower socioeconomic status. BIPOC folks and those living in the Global South experience environmental discrimination in ways that white people or those living in richer countries don’t. When we acknowledge the different ways that people experience the climate crisis and work towards creating a radically inclusive and better future for all, that is called intersectional environmentalism. Intersectional environmentalism. The term was coined by Leah Thomas, a young environmental activist who you may also know as greengirlleah and the founder of the non-profit organization Intersectional Environmentalist. She also happens to be our guest on today’s episode of Operation Climate, and we are so excited to have her!!

These days, the kids are stressed. I mean, how can we not be? We spent some of our most formative years navigating a pandemic, keeping up with controversial supreme court decisions, and literally worrying about world peace. And on top of that, there’s the climate crisis. It’s no wonder why eco-anxiety is a phenomenon affecting people all over the world.

With climate effects becoming more intense and frequent, many young people are struggling with mental health effects having to do with worries about ecological destruction.

Circularity is looking to do something about that. 

According to the EPA “Although E-waste represents 2% of America's trash in landfills, it equals 70% of overall toxic waste”.According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, it takes roughly 500 lbs of fossil fuels, 50 lbs of chemicals, and 1.5 tons of water to manufacture one computer and monitor. We have an E-waste problem. But, scientists and engineers are making strides to create more environmentally friendly electronics, including our guest, Dr. Aaron Franklin of Duke University.

Dr. Franklin and his lab caused a lot of hype recently, because they developed the world’s first fully recyclable printed electronics. Electronics are very difficult to recycle, because the silicon chips they use can’t be recycled. But Dr. Franklin’s work developed a recyclable electronic component using this material called nanocellulose, which can be recovered and reused without losing much of their performance variability. We’ll hear from Dr. Franklin about this work, the implications that it has on solving the e-waste problem, and next steps we need to take to make electronics more eco-friendly.

Producing waste is convenient. Many of the systems that produce the resources we consume use materials that eventually become landfilled. Grocery stores and their plastic bags. Restaurants and their styrofoam takeout containers. Fast fashion clothing stores and their garments that only last for a few months. It’s convenient for these places to use disposable materials. They can get it in bulk and they can get it for cheap. So we use them because they are what is offered to us.

But what if the systems that we participated in made being zero-waste the default? This is what we’re talking about on today’s episode of Operation Climate. More specifically, we’re talking about zero-waste grocery shopping and how the first zero-waste grocery store in San Diego came to fruition.

Our guest today is Isabelle Demillan, the founder of The Mighty Bin, the first zero-waste store in San Diego.

As part of Duke University's Climate Commitment Weekend, OC hosted our first LIVE podcast recording! Tune in as we talk to Claire Wang - Senior Policy Advisor to US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, Rhodes Scholar, and Duke Alum - about her journey in the climate movement, how she stays motivated, and exciting things that are currently happening in the world of climate policy!

We have a media problem. Not just in the echo-chamber of social media but in the mainstream media world as well. So how do we fix it?

As our guest for this episode, Elson Bankoff, puts it, “Imagine a world where there aren’t simply IPCC reports, but after each clause, a demand. Imagine a world where after each local broadcast, there are four events to attend to address the issue.”-- wow, imagine that world! This is what she defines as “Proactive media”. Educational media that is coupled with direct opportunities for action. Proactive media is needed to forward all kinds of social movements, including the climate movement because too often we’re failed by mainstream media that doesn’t connect the dots between world events and the climate crisis. And social media “activism” that begins and ends on a screen.

Welcome to Season 6 of Operation Climate! This season takes the creative liberty to explore topics our podcasters are passionate about. From individuals to communities impacting the climate landscape, take a listen to the episodes that speak to you!

There are 2 men CONTROLLING YOUR LIFE. No, not Harry Styles or Timothee Chalamet. They’re actually much older (and actually one of them’s dead). They are the Koch brothers – Charles and David Koch.

The Koch brothers are best known for their political activities and their control of Koch Industries, the 2nd largest privately owned company in the United States. Koch Industries is a huge conglomerate that owns a bunch of companies – they do everything from producing military equipment to oil & gas pipelines to spandex.

When you think of biodiversity loss, your first thought might be related to our waterways -- plastic pollution killing fish and turtles, coral reef bleaching, ocean acidification -- the list goes on. For all communities, water is life. But the health of our waterways is under attack due to climate change and unsustainable human practices. What does this mean and what can we do about it?

Images and news of wildfires and smoke-filled skies are becoming a common occurrence in the news and on social media. Why is this happening? What can we do to stop this dangerous trend? In the second episode of our Threats to Nature series, we cover these questions and more, investigating the history of fire mitigation as well as emerging tools brought about by research and technological innovation. To cover this information, we welcome two speakers: Dr. Toddi Steelman, the Stanback Dean at the Nicholas School of Environment at Duke University, and Dr. Jason Schatz, a Data Scientist manager at Descartes Labs.

Biodiversity. What is it and why is it important? In the first episode of our Threats to Nature series, we introduce the topic of biodiversity and then take a deep dive into palm oil in the Amazon. You’ve probably heard that palm oil is bad and the Amazon is in danger, so what happens when these issues collide? In this episode, we hear from Dr. Stuart Pimm, a world leader in conservation ecology from Duke University, and Francisco Naranjo, the Latin America lead for the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) as they break down this complex topics of biodiversity and palm oil in the Amazon region.

Running a divestment movement on your campus doesn’t have to be super complicated. In this episode, we break down the steps to running a divestment campaign, from how to do research on the financials of your school, to how to assemble an effective team, and more. We also hear tips from divestment organizers from colleges around the U.S., including Harvard University, De Anza College, and The Better Future Project.

Duke University has a long history of students fighting for fossil fuel divestment, but it hasn't happened yet. Why is this? What do we need to do to get Duke to divest? If you're a student, alumni, or faculty member of Duke University, this episode is directly related to your community. If you don't have ties to Duke, this episode is STILL relevant for you because Duke's position on divestment is similar to challenges that colleges all over the world face in terms of the fossil fuel divestment movement. Why might some colleges not want to divest? What can we do to aid the divestment movement at our schools? Listen to find out!

In this episode, we cover the basics of fossil fuel divestment: the money lingo you need to know, the impact that divestment can make, the history and origins of the divestment movement, and more. We also break down some common arguments against the push for divestment so that you can be prepared to advocate for divestment at your school/institution. If you're new to divestment, this is the perfect episode to get started in the divestment movement!

Catching up with climate news, it’s impossible not to hear about Greta Thunberg. She who started her climate strike as a 15 year old is sometimes described as a “teenager who should work on her anger management” by people like Former President Trump.

These types of statements stem from the belief that young people aren’t politically active or that we shouldn’t be because of the idea that we lack sufficient knowledge or awareness. But at other times Greta is characterized as an inspirational, powerful, global climate leader.

So with all this attention from the media, politicians, and the public, some questions are posed. In what ways can young people join the political conversation? How are youth climate activists portrayed in the media and what needs to change? Do the voices of young people have an impact? In this episode, we’ll be answering these questions, joined by youth climate activist Sarah Goody.

Sarah is the founder of an  environmental organization called Climate NOW that focuses on youth climate education and equipping young people with resources to be environmentally conscious. Sarah is the Chair of the Corte Madera Climate Action Committee, she is making history as the youngest person to Chair a committee in her town. She is a published author, with work in Teen Vogue and The San Francisco Chronicle. In 2020 Sarah received the Princess Diana Award, the highest accolade a young person can achieve for social action or humanitarian efforts.

We all have different roles in our lives -- you could be a sibling, parent, student, educator, someone at some kind of decision making table... All these roles are interconnected and we all have our own specific ways that we can contribute to the climate movement. So what's yours?

In this episode, we'll be exploring the roles and responsibilities that different stakeholders hold in the fight against the climate crisis -- specifically, we'll be examining the roles of youth activists, environmental educators & students, and politicians. 

To talk with us about the role of youth in the climate movement are youth activists Allie Rougeot and Irene Lam who are both organizers with the Fridays for Future Toronto branch.

To talk about environmental education with us is Dru Harrison, who has tons of experience as an environmental educator with the New Hanover soil & water conservation district in North Carolina.

Finally, to chat with us about the role of politics in the climate movement is Heather Taylor-Miesle, the executive director of the Ohio Environmental Council. She has had experience working at the forefront of environmental politics and previously served as an Capitol Hill aide working on energy and natural resources issues.

____________

A clean energy transition is an essential part of combatting the climate crisis, and the clean energy revolution is already here. But it may not be happening at the speed that we need. In this episode, we'll delve into why we need a clean energy transition, why we’re not seeing it at the scale that we need, what role the government plays, and how we can ensure that this transition is socially just (ie. fossil fuel workers and other people affected by the transition don't have the livelihoods taken away).

Joining us to talk about the clean energy revolution is Dr. Timothy Johnson, Professor of the Practice of Energy and the Environment at Duke University, Associate Dean of Professional Programs, and Chair of the Energy & Environment Program. His research expertise lies in the intersection of energy system planning, design of the built environment, and natural resource management, with a particular interest in how we can leverage interactions among these areas to improve environmental quality and human health. Also joining us to talk about the just transition is Allie Rougeot, the founder of Fridays for Future Toronto and who works on the just transition in Canada.

____________

Being a sustainable consumer is hard. What's with all these products claiming to be "all natural" and "100% sustainable"? Who do we even believe? With sustainability being a more important factor that consumers take into consideration when shopping, companies are engaging in greenwashing. In 2007, Terrachoice published a report titled "The Six Sins of Greenwashing", in which Scot Case was a lead author. The six sins are as follows:

1) The Sin of the Hidden Trade-Off -- cool, this product uses recycled content! oh wait, the manufacturing process isn't that energy efficient... the marketing of this product only talks about the recycled content it uses, which paints a misleading picture.

2) The Sin of No Proof -- companies can't claim that their product is "emissions-free" without any proof!

3) The Sin of Vagueness -- what exactly does "environmentally friendly" mean? without anything to back that claim up, it really means nothing.

4) The Sin of Irrelevance -- a CFC-free product! That would be cool, except it's irrelevant because CFCs have been banned for over 30 years already.

5) The Sin of Less of Two Evils -- marketing a product as "green", but distracting the consumer from the greater environmental impacts of the product as a whole (eg. reduced methane beef, organic tobacco, etc.)

6) Sin of Fibbing -- this is companies just straight up lying about their sustainability practices. not cool.

To amplify COP26, we've teamed up with the UN Foundation and the Innovating for Social Impact class at Duke University to bring you a special episode all about bringing climate change to the center of attention and combatting climate misinformation through having impactful conversations. Why do we need to talk about climate change? How do we go about having those conversations? How can we combat climate misinformation?

In the Season 4 finale of Operation Climate, we continue our deep dive into Duke Energy, a company that controls much of the energy that we use at Duke University. How much power does Duke Energy really have? How can we make sure that they commit to a clean energy shift?

Jillian Riley has been an environmental justice activist for over a decade. Some of her activism efforts include leading protests against Duke Energy to get them to clean up their coal ash waste (a case in which she and her fellow activists won!).

Randy Wheeless works in media relations for Duke Energy, one of the largest electric and natural gas companies in the US.

In this episode, we explore Duke Energy’s carbon neutrality plan and whether they are on the right path with experts William Powers and Randy Willis weighing in with their differing views on the topic.

William Powers is an engineering consultant with over 30 years of experience in electric power generation. In his career, he has advised state and federal governments, nonprofits such as NC WARN, and institutions like Duke University. He is based in San Diego, California.

Randy Wheeless works in media relations for Duke Energy, one of the largest electric and natural gas companies in the US.

Stefan Schäfer is a researcher at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies at Potsdam, Germany. He also holds fellowships at Harvard University and Oxford University. His research draws on approaches from Science and Technology Studies to develop new questions about the intersection of democratic politics, sustainability science, and global governance.

In this episode, we'll be discussing the highlights of the Paris Agreement, its shortcomings, and how we can get the world to commit to ambitious climate targets.

Note: The Paris Agreement was signed in 2015 and ratified in 2016!

Shannon "Parker" Parker is a young sustainability professional focused on supply chain sustainability and environmental entrepreneurship. She is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of carbIN, a carbon accounting tool that translates spending behavior into a carbon footprint score and provides best courses of action for carbon footprint reduction. She is also completing her dual-degree Master of Environmental Management and MBA at Duke University.

In this episode, we'll be discussing the role of businesses and corporations in the climate crisis, keeping corporations accountable, and whether carbon accounting is a way to do that.

Adam Met is the A in AJR, the Founder and Executive Director of Sustainable Partners Inc., host of Planet Reimagined podcast, and a PhD candidate at the University of Birmingham, where he is studying the intersection of sustainability and human rights. With more than 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Adam uses his platform to advocate for excitement, positivity, and action in the climate movement.

In this episode, we'll be delving into how the music industry impacts climate change, from touring to music streams to artists' followings. What can you do to help ?

Dr. Drew Shindell is a faculty member at the Nicholas School of the Environment and at Tel Aviv University. His area of interest is focused broadly on the societal impact of climate change and action needed against climate change, including the link to air pollution. He has testified in front of Congress and has helped lead two IPCC reports.

In this episode, we cover an overview of international climate relations and the international political steps we need to reach carbon neutrality.

Climate simulators:

Jillian Johnson is the Mayor Pro Tempore of the City of Durham, and a long-time community organizer and activist. She was first elected to the Durham City Council in 2015 on a platform of racial, economic, and environmental justice, police accountability, equitable development, broadening democracy, and centering the voices of those who are most impacted by the issues facing Durham.

In this episode, we talk about the role of local politics in the fight against the climate crisis. How do we navigate policy barriers, community engagement, and connecting climate policy to people?

Rebecca Hoeffler is the Communications Coordinator for Sustainable Duke, whose mission is to educate and empower the Duke community to create a more sustainable future. She works with student groups and employee workshops to further this mission.

In this episode, we get the details of Duke's 2024 Climate Action Plan. Plus, how do the impacts of individual vs. institutional change differ? And how can students contribute to this goal of carbon neutrality?

Dr. Prasad Kasibhatla is a faculty member in the Nicholas School of the Environment, and the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University. And his expertise lies in atmospheric chemistry, how humans have changed it over time, what that means for climate change, and in turn, what that means for us.

In this episode, we get down to the basics. How does climate change even work? Why should we care? Can carbon neutrality fix climate change? And what can we do to help?

Jamal Burns (he/him) is originally from Saint Louis, Missouri, and is a current senior at Duke studying History with a concentration in Women and Sexuality Studies. Much of Jamal's work focuses on making education more equitable for systemically neglected populations. He conceives of activism as a community-oriented project that is fundamentally inclusive.

In this episode, we talk to Jamal about shaping an activist identity, what makes a movement, and how to sustain your activism efforts.