Episodes
Oct. 24, 2022
You get an XPRIZE, and YOU get an XPRIZE!
Throughout history, kings, queens, governments, churches, and donors have funded contests and awarded prizes for solving the most difficult problems of the day. Today, as we stand on the precipice of huge problems and opport…
Oct. 21, 2022
Newsletter #296: Fake meat, fake profits?
This week: Plant-based meat stocks Another COVID winter is coming A long-term plan for the baby formula shortage The uncertain future of telehealth Willfully shunning data privacy Here's What You Can Do: Help elect progressi…
Oct. 17, 2022
Automated Synthetic Biology (I'm sure it's fine)
Let's talk robots. But first: There’s a very particular bottleneck where groundbreaking science is more applicable than ever but inaccessible to many. The tools are unaffordable to the schools and groups who could use them t…
Oct. 10, 2022
Fight Fire With...Vortex Cannons?
How lucky are we? How lucky are we that we live in a time of such great opportunity – when, yes, we’re teetering on the edge of a global climate calamity, still reeling from a pandemic, knowing that our problems and challeng…
Oct. 7, 2022
Newsletter #295: Insurance, for when climate change comes at you fast
This week: What climate change means for insurance Pregnancy and the COVID vaccine Food insecurity in America What wildfire smoke means for air quality Internet blackout in Iran What we can do Understand your flood risk with…
Sept. 30, 2022
Newsletter #294: Look for the helpers (that's us)
This week: It's hurricane season Viral levels in wastewater spiking What the world might look like in 2050 Results from the biggest-ever Alzheimer's study Asking better questions about our apps Action Steps Send disaster rec…
Sept. 26, 2022
How to Electrify Your Home
For decades Americans have relied on wood, oil, and gas to power, heat, and cool our homes, and the water we use to drink, cool, and bathe in. But these things have helped fuel our climate crisis – by some estimates, residen…
Sept. 23, 2022
Newsletter #293: Is COVID "over"?
This week: The companies building a new clean economy (and the pretenders) The "I" in COVID Defrauded pandemic funds for hungry kids Preventing overdoses with safer supply programs Increasing surveillance Action Steps Read P…
Sept. 19, 2022
When You REALLY Need a Clinical Trial
Let’s say you get sick. Diabetes. Cancer. Heart disease. Long COVID. PTSD. MS. Depression. Alzheimer’s Despite the best efforts of your physician, nothing’s working. They’re out of answers, and you’re out of questions. You m…
Sept. 16, 2022
Newsletter #292: A love letter to my e-bike
This week: What's happening with cars and micro-mobility in America Brain fog A food system rundown The corporations backing a national abortion ban Border agents are taking your phone data Action Steps Watch this short abou…
Sept. 9, 2022
Introducing "A Matter of Degrees" Season 3
Curious about the climate? Then there’s a show I want to tell you about— A Matter of Degrees , where Dr. Leah Stokes and Dr. Katharine Wilkinson tell stories about the powerful forces behind climate change — and the tools we…
Sept. 9, 2022
Newsletter #291: When climate change happens to you
This week: Corporate clean energy purchases go down as temperatures go up The current status of COVID-19 vaccines Moving towards a healthier, climate-friendly diet A promising new malaria vaccine Back to the drawing board fo…
Sept. 2, 2022
Newsletter #290: Life at 1.2°C
This week: The cost of electrification The end of free COVID tests The water crisis in Jackson Minimizing cancer treatment side effects The companies selling your location data to the police Action Steps Read Rewiring Americ…
Aug. 26, 2022
Newsletter #289: The new arms race (where everybody wins?)
This week: Heat in China ramping up a clean economy arms race How to learn more about Long COVID Cleaning up after coal Magic mushrooms and depression Better data for pregnant people Action Steps Check out CTVC's rundown on …
Aug. 19, 2022
Newsletter #288: What $200,000 buys you
This week: What IRA means for cars Centralizing data for the next pandemic A parched Earth Big Pharma is Big Mad about IRA Fingers crossed that Big Tech will protect democracy Action Steps: Listen to a very-Ira episode of "T…
Aug. 15, 2022
Fellowship of the Climate
“What can I do?” This is the question I get most often. It’s the question that early on pivoted our newsletter and then this podcast towards measurable action steps that help you feel better and drive systemic change. I don’…
Aug. 12, 2022
Newsletter #287: France has *how many* EV mail trucks??
This week: Ira’s here and ready to fund the future It’s back to school and the air’s still not clean Our relationship with water is changing everywhere Monkeypox folks are helping each other Facebook’s liable for a whole lot…
Aug. 1, 2022
Episode X: A Far Out Geek Girl Rises
In a world where trust in institutions and in news is falling and the role of influencers is growing, finding the connective tissue between you and your audience is key to, well, connecting. To establish a rapport, which can…
July 29, 2022
Newsletter #286: Holy sh*t what a week
This week: A surprise for climate development that isn't terrifying? Facebook might relax their COVID misinformation policies Less land, more rice Alzheimer's under a microscope A treasure trove of biological proteins Get mo…
July 22, 2022
Newsletter #285: How to beat the heat and avoid quacks
This week: How to beat the heat in your city COVID quackery Introducing "Explainers"! A blockbuster depression study A new federal privacy bill is comin' Get more: Get more news, analysis, and Action Steps at newsletter.impo…
July 15, 2022
Newsletter #284: How to beat plastic
This week: Manchin fuels more heat waves COVID reinforcements on the way India and California fight plastic How we fight monkeypox Wow Ring doorbells are not great Get more: Get more news, analysis, and Action Steps at newsl…
July 11, 2022
Vaginas and Friends
We have ignored vaginas for so long. Hear me out. On the one hand, history and popular culture, from god-kings to love songs to movies to fan fiction, are littered with supposedly straight men with a single pursuit: intercou…
July 8, 2022
Newsletter #283: What Google's hiding (for you)
This week: What's a chief heat officer? Fixing schools in the time of COVID Why plant-based meat is a massive 80/20 move for the climate (and your health) Uh, Juul is back? Google's hiding your "sensitive" location data Get …
July 4, 2022
Life Finds A Way
I think about time a lot. Some days I feel ancient, some days I can’t believe how old I am. I’ve got kids, too. I can’t believe how fast they’ve grown up already. They love so many things. Swimming. Cooking. Plain pasta. The…