Podcasts: we love them! You can listen to them on your morning walk, or you can put them on while you cook/clean/drive/do literally anything. Podcasts can be a great way to listen in on some great conversations about climate from experts and environment enthusiasts alike. Here are five podcasts that are the perfect introduction to the climate side of the podcast-verse:
The climate crisis got you down? Sustainababble is a comedy podcast about the environment, for and by the confused. Why’s everything gotta be so confusing and so dull, they ask. Listen to these topical, funny, and cathartic conversations that cover everything from the silliness of COP21 to the insanity of putting a price on nature.
Unraveling the Anthropocene invites academics, artists, activists and community members at Penn State University to discuss issues at the intersection of race, environment, and pandemic. With topics ranging from ecocriticism in virtual worlds, colonial theft and environmental catastrophe, contagion in Ottoman writing and miniatures, and the relationship between environment, pandemic, race, and spirituality, the podcast is a treasure trove of creative, thought-provoking conversations.
This podcast by TEDxLondon has the tagline “Cool Chats in a Hot City.” It lives up to that promise by making the climate conversation interesting and engaging.. It also has “Climate Quickies” – bite-sized episodes that answer questions such as “What happens in seven years?” “How to make eco dough,” “How to write a climate bill,” and “How to have your burger and eat it too.” By bringing relatable and reliable climate pioneers to the table, it explores climate joy, climate love, intersectionality, the connections between climate and child marriage, the role of AI in mitigation, the potential for creativity in the climate conversation, and more.
Volts breaks the doom loop by tracking the accelerating transition away from fossil fuel. The podcast commits to doing the hard work of sifting through an insane amount of information and only getting the important stuff to you. There’s experts, there’s in-depth analyses of politics and clean energy, and there’s dad jokes galore!
inbalance is a podcast by students at Gonzaga University that covers issues concerning sustainability on campus and in the region. What is the Climate Girl Effect? How can movies such as “Don’t Look Up” help us overcome our indifference to the climate crisis? What does the corporate social responsibility landscape look like and what role do corporations play in creating a sustainable future? The podcast brings together students, staff, faculty, and community members to answer these questions and more.
Looking for more recommendations? Check out these four podcasts to ease your climate anxiety! Happy listening!
Written by Syeda Mahnoor Raza (‘24)
Photo by Charlotte May