The Green Elephant in the Room: Solutions To Restoring the Health of People and the Living Planet

For thousands of years, humans and fire had a deal. Fire exists because of the oxygen generated by life. Civilization exists because it partnered with fire.          Fire had co-evolved with Life.  We carried fire to new places, fire gave us power to reshape the world. That ancient partnership made civilization possible—and breaking it may destroy us. The fires burning today aren't the fires...

How should we think about a world that doesn’t yet exist?                                                            Can you Imagine what a Post-carbon Future would look like? For decades, visions of possible climate futures have been thought of, on the one hand, Pollyanna-like faith that normality would endure, and on the other , an ecological end of days, during which perhaps billions of lives w...

Most people are not climate deniers.  It is an unreasonable and frankly, a stupid position to take.   Recent polling shows that the majority (73%) of Americans strongly believe that climate change is happening and that it is caused by humans.  You would think that with that much agreement, we would vote in politicians with similar convictions. But we don't. Why?  Could Everyday Denial, the de...

This episode explores geo-engineering - humanity's most audacious attempt to technologically control Earth's climate systems. From injecting sulfur particles into the stratosphere to mimic massive volcanic eruptions, to the mind-boggling proposal of moving Earth's entire orbit, these planetary-scale interventions represent our species' ultimate expression of technological overc...

What if everything we've been told about cars and freedom is backwards? Journey into America's first car-free neighborhood rising from the sprawl of Phoenix, where residents know their neighbors' names and community connection replaces isolation.  Explore how e-bikes are outpacing cars in urban areas, why cities are eliminating parking requirements to create affordable housing, and...

Have you noticed how we often rush to create new technologies just because we can, without stopping to ask if we should? Our new episode looks at this dangerous pattern where we innovate without thinking about the consequences. We start by looking at supersonic planes making a comeback. Why are companies building these super-fast luxury jets that are terrible for the climate, especially when we kn...

Ever wonder how our planet became the only known celestial body teeming with life? Our latest episode takes you on a 4.5-billion-year journey from Earth's fiery beginnings to today's interconnected living systems. Discover how microbes shaped continents, plankton created our atmosphere, and animals engineered entire landscapes. This isn't just Earth's story—it's our story,...

As Trump's tariff policies trigger economic uncertainty, consumer confidence is dropping.  With those new tariffs rattling global markets, we're seeing something remarkable: Americans consuming less while becoming more engaged as citizens. This shift—from shopping mall to town hall, from consumer mindset to civic responsibility—creates an opening for environmental progress. Throughout mo...

NOTE: This episode from November 2024, just before he took office, predicted Trump's impact with eerie accuracy. Listen to understand what's happening now—and  more importantly, what comes next. And even more importantly — what you can do about it.  As Trump's second term approaches, this episode explores the staggering scope of environmental rollbacks planned for his administration...

NOTE: This episode from November 2024, just before he took office, predicted Trump's impact with eerie accuracy. Listen to understand what's happening now—and  more importantly, what comes next. And even more importantly — what you can do about it.   How Trump Plans to Remake America In this second of three episodes, we explore how Trump's return to power threatens to fundamentally...

NOTE: This episode from November 2024, just before he took office, predicted Trump's impact with eerie accuracy. Listen to understand what's happening now—and what comes next. Introduction The unthinkable has happened — Donald Trump has been re-elected president. Despite experiencing the most destructive presidency in history, America chose him again. In this series, we'll explore t...

Do you think we owe something to our future descendants who will be painfully aware of our actions, or lack of action? Our radical alteration of the climate does not end in the year 2100. Let's go out eight generations, that is about 200 years. What do you imagine your distant relatives, in the year 2200, will think about the world that they inherited from us? Are we living at peak civilizati...

 It's easy to despair. Too easy.  The future hasn’t already been decided.  The future is as uncertain as it’s ever been. Knowing this, there is still a chance to seize the best-case scenario rather than surrender to the worst. Taking action is the best way to live in conditions of crisis and disruption.   Although individual choices and actions are important, experts say people need to unite...

An Imagined Scenario from 2024—2028. Presenting a  very special Green Elephant Podcast Episode.   Having just come off a 3-Part Podcast Series entitled: “The Most Dangerous Organization in History: The Republican Party” we wanted to give the GOP a chance to redeem themselves.                                                                                                                           ...

1. Meet people whose profession was destroying the planet that had a change of heart. Not only did they quit what they were doing, but became advocates for what they had been working against. Meet a rancher, logger, fisherman, and author who experienced an about-face and made positive contributions to the health of the planet. 2. Unquestionably renewables are better for the environment than fossil...

SHOWNOTES In this, the third podcast in a three-part series, we start buy discussing the fundamental difference between Republican and Democrat voters.  Next, a deep dive on how Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016 — by not winning the popular vote, and how he could easily do it again. Then, insights on how the nation has to prepare itself on election day, November 5th and the following days, t...

SHOWNOTES In this second of three episodes in series, we are delving into what an unnatural force of nature, Donald Trump will be.  Worse than any fire, flood, or hurricane, for the future of our planetary systems, and also on human institutions that will have to deal with the magnitude of the consequences of his policies.  That’s a strong statement, but as evidenced in this episode: first we pres...

This is the first of three episodes about how Donald Trump, if elected, will strangle Climate and Environmentalism in it’s crib.  In this episode: Trump and his party have a new climate-strategy — acknowledging that change is happening, but refusing to actually do anything to stop it. Also, considering how shokingly unfit Donald Trump is for leading the country — what is it about him that allowed...

Hundreds of climate scientists were asked this simple question: “What do you feel about climate change.” The result was poignant, angry, bewildered, and in some cases hopeful letters from climate scientists that most importantly, spell out what we need to do to avoid the calamity that is barreling rapidly toward us. Climate change is a complex and intimidating threat. You can't see it when yo...

This year elections are taking place across the globe covering almost half of the world’s population. It is also likely to be, yet again, the hottest year on record as the climate crisis intensifies. Around the world, nations are choosing to prioritize economic growth and national interest over climate policy. There are worrying signs of a green backlash -  or green lash - are rising, as citizens...

The Climate End-Game is when global temperatures exceed 3°+ Celsius over this next century and beyond. If that were to occur, there could be multiple tipping points sparking each other at the same time, jacking the scorching heat even higher. Scientists say the world needs to think about a worst-case climate senerio. A team of international researchers says we need to start preparing for the possi...

Right at the moment when climate impacts are dramatically manifesting themselves, concern from global citizens is shrinking.  We have lost that loving feeling toward the living world. We have lost any sense of urgency.  As temperature rise, climate change remains a low priority for most individuals.  Polling data shows that, concerning the greatest threat to human civilization and life on earth as...

Science has never been more crucial to deciding the political issues facing the country. Yet science and scientists have less influence with the federal government than at any time in modern history.  Despite that the marvels of scientific progress that has improved our lives immensely, some well-funded groups whose positions fly in the face of overwhelming scientific consensus fiercely fight to p...

Can shaming help mitigate the climate crisis?  As the climate crisis has worsened, experts have put forth numerous solutions to curb greenhouse gas emissions and stop rising temperatures. Could shaming be one of them? Recently, celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Taylor Swift and Drake have been getting flack on social media for how often they fly their private jets. But criticism of these individuals...

SHOW NOTES UPDATED INFORMATION : In this acclaimed classical rebroadcast we take the news-media to task for its appalling lack of coverage in this critical time of climate and ecological breakdown.  We need to hold the media accountable for their miserable record of reporting on our fossil fuel-driven climate emergency. The news media is powerful, influential and should be a substantial and reliab...