Climate Check: Stories and Solutions

Eva is joined by Molly Morabito of the Climate Law Institute at the Center for Biological Diversity. Molly discusses the demands by People vs Fossil Fuels for the Biden Administration to address the climate emergency. With a UN summit on Climate Change taking place in NYC in September, hear what actions you can take further PvFF’s agenda. Links: People vs Fossil Fuels - https://peoplevsfossilfuels...

Most New Yorkers don’t know that they’re footing the bill for expanding the dirty gas infrastructure that runs all across our state. The NY HEAT (the New York Home Energy and Affordable Transition) Act would end this practice along with several others that are allowing New York's utility companies to stay out of step with our climate goals. Through legislation like NY HEAT, Meagan Burton, Seni...

Today's episode contains more of the conversation between Eva and NYS Assembly Member Emily Gallagher, representative of Greenpoint and parts of Williamsburg. They discuss the Newtown Creek Superfund site, the Water Bill Fairness Act, and the Clean Rebate Program for electric bikes and scooters. Emily also gives us a quick civics 101 on how bills get passed in Albany.

NYS Assembly Member Emily Gallagher is the sponsor of the All-Electric Building Act, legislation that would require all new buildings to forego fossil fuel heating and cooking systems in favor of electric. NYC passed similar legislation in 2021, but this bill would apply to the entire state. Eva and Emily discuss how this can become reality, and why it's a safer, greener, and less expensive wa...

Solar One is leading the charge when it comes to proving equitable, affordable, renewable energy to all. In this month’s episode, Angelica Ramdhari, Director of Resilient Solar at Solar One, guides us through the state of play of Solar in New York City: from the contentious nature of greening brownstones, to the ABCD(BG-DR)s of resilient battery funding, to the basic of putting solar on our roofs...

Pete Sikora knows that climate justice and housing justice are two sides of the same coin. That's why he sees Local Law 97 as a unique opportunity to cut the largest source emissions in New York State, while creating fair-wage jobs, and holding real estate owners accountable for their buildings' pollution. On this month's episode, Pete and Eva dive into the nitty-gritty of the world's most im...

For our December episode, Xaver Kandler, Campaigns Coordinator for NY Renews, walks us through the Climate, Jobs, and Justice Package — a series of proposed bills for 2023 that builds on New York State's historic Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). These bills were developed by New York Renews, a broad coalition of hundreds of community groups and activists working with enviro...

In February of 2021, the NYC City Council passed laws that will reshape Rikers, the island off the coast of Queens that is a penal colony built on landfill. These bills are part of a campaign called Renewable Rikers, and was years in the making by a coalition that crossed interests and focus areas.   In this episode, Eva talks with Darren Mack, a co-founder of Freedom Agenda and a surviv...

In this episode, Eva talks with  Liz Moran  about the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and its many environmental and climate provisions. Liz is the Policy Advocate for New York at Earth Justice, the public interest environmental law firm. She gives us a broad picture of the law, walking us through much of the good the law will do in electrification, solar energy, fair-wage jobs....

This week get to know our host Eva Dean, interviewed by our Comms & Marketing Specialist Brynn Fuller-Becker.  Eva is a Brooklyn dance maker who specializes in site-specific and neo-contemporary work. In this episode, Dean talks about how 350 Brooklyn gave her a community to join forces with to change policy on a state and local level to counter climate change. Find out more at evadeandan...

For this episode we bring in Rev. Ana Levy Lyons, a senior minister of First Unitarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn. She was first mentioned in our episode with Jan Thompson when she talked about the “Diorama of Extinct Homosapiens.” We get to talk about that exhibit, the sermon that inspired it, and when the best time to plant a tree is.  Read the sermon here Watch a snapshot of the ex...

On this episode of Climate Check, we get to chat with Chris Nickell, a community organizer and a member of the Northeast Organic Farming Association’s ( NOFA ) Soil Subcommittee. We learn about soil health, farming practices, and the cultural and societal impact of food in today's ecosystem. Take a listen to learn why you should trust your mouth!

"We don't think of the environment in NYC as being this natural wonder", states Pete Malinowski, the Executive Director of the Billion Oyster Project. In this episode we hear about the ways in which the city contains that wonder, and how Billion Oyster Project helps sustain that vision of a healthy, biodiverse New York Harbor with the power of education. Also in this episode: Pete shares his clima...

For this episode, we're joined by Jan Thompson, one of 350Brooklyn's very own. Jan is a lead of 350Brooklyn’s Plastic Free team, a working group within the organization dedicated to changing our future to one without plastics. As she explains in this episode, her family's experience with cancer and refineries have combined with her dedication to the interconnection of all beings to create the advo...

For our 5th episode, we talk with Lynn Neuman, the Artistic Director of Artichoke Dance, a member of 350 Brooklyn's Steering Committee, and a lead within the Gowanus Neighborhood Coalition for Justice. Her choreography and educational work address environmental justice art-based collaborations and integrative community programs.  Lynn is a national leading eco-artist and the first choreograph...

We're back from a winter break, and gearing up to bring you new episodes! In the meantime, here's a quick intro to the team and some insights from our work so far to hold you over until our next drop. Featured in this episode: "I won't wait for the apocalypse to bring you clementines" by Julie Rochlin. Originally published in Chautauqua, Issue 13 .  Meet our team! Michael Dondero, Editor Bryn...

In episode 4 of Climate Check, host Eva Dean chats with Vanessa Barrios about what it will take to make transportation carbon neutral. She emphasizes the need to vote and hold our representatives accountable to make subway and public transportation systems safe, affordable, and reliable as well as to pass congestion pricing. Barrios, an urban planner with the Regional Planning Association, talks a...

In episode 3 of Climate Check, host Eva Dean chats with Dr. Genevieve Gunther, founder and director of End Climate Silence , a volunteer organization dedicated to help the media cover the climate crisis with the urgency it deserves.  Dr. Gunther is a literary and Shakespeare scholar who deep dives into language used in the media about the climate crisis.  She also discusses how reading p...

In episode 2 of Climate Check, host Eva Dean chats with Ceci Pineda on how we can work with nature to combat climate change.  Ceci Pineda is the Executive Director of BK ROT, an organization that offers a youth and bike powered food waste collection and composting service. In this episode you will hear how composting helps counter increased storm surges, carbon dioxide, as well as cooling our...

In our premiere episode of Climate Check , we chat with Sara Gronim, an early member of 350 Brooklyn and pivotal organizer of the Williams Pipeline battle. Eva and Sara discuss the growing movement against creating non-renewable energy infrastructure in New York City, the success of a community-based organizing effort assembled to resist this infrastructure, and how one panel discussion led to yea...

Welcome to Climate Check: Stories and Solutions!  Climate Check is a podcast from 350Brooklyn, a grassroots, community organization of ordinary people who come together to fight the fossil fuel industry, promote sustainable energy and green jobs, and work for climate justice. Join host, Eva Dean, a Brooklyn-based choreographer and climate activist, as she has conversations with activists and...