Show Notes
For this live event at the WBUR Festival, Gina McCarthy and I discussed the EPA, the IRA, what’s at stake for us all... and, why we must never, ever pave paradise. Gina led the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under President Obama, was president of NRDC, and then, under President Biden, became the first ever National Climate Advisor, setting up a climate team in the White House. Perhaps Gina’s crowning achievement was her work on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Congress passed this landmark bill in 2022, which allocated about $400 billion to the clean energy transition and has so far created over 400,000 clean energy jobs. It also reframed climate action as an economic opportunity — America can move away from fossil fuels, while reinvigorating the economy. It was a huge deal, pivotal both in dollars and in shifting the status quo. But much of this climate progress, much of Gina’s work, is now under threat from the Trump administration. 🤬 So, Gina's shared her take on where we go from here. Gina’s Calls to Action * Work in your communities at the local level. Build constituencies. It’s all about working together. * Don’t let young people think they don’t have a future. Show them they have a hand in building the future.
Mentioned in this episode: * EPA’s clean power plant rule * The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 is the largest investment for climate in U.S. history. * Roughly 80% of IRA benefits in republican districts. * More than 400,000 new clean energy jobs have been created since the passage of IRA. * Texas and Iowa lead on wind energy generation. * Utility-scale solar is the cheapest form of energy, in most places. * America is All In initiative * My op-ed in Rolling Stone: What Now for Climate under Trump? Act Locally * Almost half the drinking water in the country is contaminated. * They Poisoned the World: Life and Death in the Age of Forever Chemicals by Mariah Blake Credits: This episode was made possible with the support of Future Being, a grantmaking and special projects studio which supports the healing of our planet and the safeguarding of biological and cultural diversity. This show is produced and edited by Matthew Nelson/Stramash Media and me (Ayana), with help from Jenisha Shrestha. Thank you to WBUR and Grist for hosting us, and many thanks to Gina McCarthy.
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Interviewing politicians can be dull. Just heaps of trite talking points and evasive answers. But when you get the chance to sit down with someone who has not only a strong moral compass but a backbone to match, and who has been not only determined but also creative in using their positions to help advance climate solutions, it’s a delight. Our guest this episode, Brad Lander, is, as we say in his home borough of Brooklyn, a real one. Brad is running for Congress (soon to be repping part of NYC on Capitol Hill), and he ran for mayor in this last cycle against/with Zohran Mamdani. But it was his work as Comptroller of NYC that solidified his reputation as a climate champion. This conversation covers everything from divesting pension funds to making polluters pay for climate solutions, to affordability and accountability, and from investment banks to financed emissions. Plus, a glimpse into what Brad Lander aims to do on climate once he’s in Congress. Can not wait. _____ Phone banking ☎️ w/ Environmental Voter Project Wednesdays at 12p ET we call environmentalists and nudge them to the polls. Only 2 of these left until Election Day! If 12p on Wednesdays doesn’t work for you, I will miss you, but sign up for EVPs many other shifts.👇🏽 _____ Mentioned in this episode * Divesting New York City pension funds, led by NYC Comptroller’s Office * In the last decade, 60 banks have provided $7.9 trillion in financing to fossil fuel companies, with the top four banks alone — JPMorgan Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America — providing more than $1.64 trillion. * NY Climate Change Superfund Act - A bill to make polluters pay $75 billion over 25 years for climate change adaptation. * Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Credits: This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and me (Ayana), with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Original music by Emma Munger. Graphic design by Holly Griffin of Design Hungry, and social media support from Feeling Seen Studio. _____ Enjoying the show? Share it, spread the word! And review 🌟 and follow What If We Get It Right? — that helps more people find us and these timely conversations. Thank you for listening. 💛
Governors are especially critical given the catastrophic presidential scenario. So today we’re re-sharing a conversation recorded in spring with Maine’s democratic gubernatorial candidate Hannah Pingree. (“Gubernatorial” is too good a word not to use!) Hannah is is a longtime public servant and climate leader from a small island off the midcoast of Maine. She served in the Maine House of Representatives from 2002 until she was termed out in 2010. (Shoutout to term limits!) After that, she served on her local school board and managed a sustainable housing nonprofit. And most recently, from 2019 to 2025, she was founding director of Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future. There, she co-chaired the Maine Climate Council and oversaw development of Maine’s ambitious climate plan, called “Maine Won’t Wait.” Hannah said to me, “I want to be one of the best climate governors in the country.” Honestly, in this era of “climate hushing” it’s refreshing to hear a politician say that. In this interview, we cover everything from AI data centers, to clean energy, affordability, bi-partisan climate progress, aquaculture, PFAS (aka forever chemicals), working waterfronts, and the critical role of governors in this era of excruciating federal rollbacks. This conversation had an odd effect on me. I found it... relaxing? To hear a politician speaking competently, calmly, clearly, practically and with nuance about climate policy was so soothing, reassuring. More of this please! Next week we have for two more conversations for ya with climate candidates running for key leadership positions. Stay tuned. _____ CALLS TO ACTION: Get out the vote! ✅ Local and state leadership matter so much, including for implementation of climate solutions. So make sure to vote all the way down your ballot! Wherever you live, it’s definitely not too late pick a candidate, roll up your sleeves and help them win. I’ll be knocking doors for pro-Earth candidates in Maine this weekend. You can just reach out to a campaign via their website and sign up to volunteer. Some resources: * VOTE! Early voting has started in many states. Bill and I have already voted. Have you? * Get a preview of your ballot at ballotpedia.org * Check out candidate endorsements from Lead Locally, League of Conservation Voters and Working Families Party. * Encourage your friends and family to make a plan to vote. Here’s a great tool from Patagonia to help. * Note: In some states it’s not to late to register to vote — some places let you register to vote on Election Day. Also, you know by now, I’m a BIG fan of Environmental Voter Project. Join me on Wednesdays at 12p ET to help make sure all Earth lovers show up to vote. If 12p on Wednesdays doesn’t work for you, I will miss you, but sign up for EVPs many other shifts.👇🏽 Friends don’t let friends not vote. Home stretch, y’all. _____ Credits: This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and me (Ayana), with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Original music by Emma Munger. Graphic design by Holly Griffin of Design Hungry, and social media support from Feeling Seen Studio. Enjoying the show? Share it around, spread the word! And review 🌟 and follow What If We Get It Right? — that helps more people find us and these timely conversations. Thank you for listening. 💛 To support our work, consider becoming a paid subscriber: ayanaelizabeth.substack.com.
This week and next we’ve got two episodes for you, all four are conversations with climate candidates — running for local office, for governor, and for congress. In other words, a sampling of people we’d love to be calling the shots in the halls of power, and a glimpse of the good changes they would lead us toward. Home stretch to Election Day, Earthlings. 🌎 Get involved — no regrets on Nov 4th! Our guest this episode is Clara Pratte, candidate for Arizona Corporation Commission (aka Public Utility Commission (PUC), aka undersung local government entity that’s actually extremely important to the clean energy transition... as this episode explains). Clara is an Arizona-born member of the Navajo Nation, and champion of energy independence and jobs in tribal and rural communities. She is co-founder of Navajo Power (a utility-scale and residential electricity provider) and owner of several small businesses. Clara has also served under three U.S. presidents and four Navajo Nation presidents. This episode covers everything from the critical roles of PUCs like the Arizona Corporation Commission (including electricity rates and power plant permits, and in some cases drinking water and railroad safety), to ensuring a just clean energy transition in the Navajo Nation, how the sunniest state can embrace solar power, and why it’s critical to vote all the way down the ballot! [You can preview what your ballot will look like at Ballotpedia.] Bonus: Listen to the end for Bill’s reactions to more of the clean energy mascot ideas you all submitted for our earlier “Don’t mess with solar” episode with Tom Mattzie. _____ Enjoying our podcast? Share it, spread the word! Review 🌟 and follow What If We Get It Right? on your platform of choice — that helps get the algorithm on our side so more people find these timely conversations. We’ve released 8 episodes so far, with a bunch more coming through Election Day. Thank you for listening — and sharing. 💛 _____ Mentioned in this episode * Arizona Corporation Commission * Project Blue: proposal for data centers in Tuscon * Lead Locally: helping elect local climate champions * The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer Credits: This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and me (Ayana), with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Original music by Emma Munger. Graphic design by Holly Griffin of Design Hungry, and social media support from Feeling Seen Studio. And special thanks to Whit Jones from Lead Locally for recommending and connecting us with Clara. _____ Phone banking ☎️ w/ Environmental Voter Project If you don’t know what to do with your election/democracy anxiety, join us for phone banking! Every Wednesday at 12p ET until Election Day (or many other shifts times available). Sign up: environmentalvoter.org/AEJ
As we know, facts are not enough to win on climate — we need the right messages and the right messengers. So for this episode, we’re taking a step back to talk about climate communication with one of the very best in the biz, Jamie Henn. We cover everything from naming the villains, TikTok against Arctic drilling, Beyoncé as a clean energy acronym, and the under-leveraged power of grandkids. Jamie is a climate organizer, activist, and ace communications strategist — and Bill’s former student! He has been a driving force behind some of the most successful climate campaigns of the last decade, including the fight against the Keystone XL pipeline, the People’s Climate March, the fossil fuel divestment movement, the ExxonKnew campaign, the Global Climate Strikes, and more. Now, Jamie is founder and executive director of Fossil Free Media, a nonprofit communications lab that supports the movement to end fossil fuels and make polluters pay. Bonus: Listen to the end for Bill’s reactions to the various clean energy mascot ideas you all submitted for our earlier “Don’t mess with solar” episode with Tom Mattzie. _____ CALLS TO ACTION ✅ Phone banking ☎️ w/ Environmental Voter Project If you don’t know what to do with your election/democracy anxiety, join us for phone banking! Every Wednesday at 12p ET until Election Day (or many other shifts available). RSVP: environmentalvoter.org/AEJ 11.2 Million Vote Project 🗳️ w/ Patagonia Patagonia launched a project to get the 11.2 million environmentalists who sat out the 2024 election to actually vote this time around. (Data per Environmental Voter Project.) They’ve made it easy to contact your unlikely-to-vote friends and family and get them the info they need to cast their ballots. Do it here: patagonia.org/elections _____ Mentioned in this episode: * Bob Hope (ye olde talk show host) was paid by the fossil fuel industry to popularize the slogan “now we’re cooking with gas.” (Factcheck: In the episode I said it was Johnny Carson, oops.) * Over 90% of the new electricity generation in the US in 2025 came from solar, wind, and batteries storage. * 350.org * Fossil Free Media * Sun Day * Make Polluters Pay: Campaign to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for climate damages. (Instagram: @PollutersPay) * Lead Locally: Helping elect local climate champions * Environmental Voter Project: Getting environmentalists to vote Credits: This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and me (Ayana), with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Original music by Emma Munger. Graphic design by Holly Griffin of Design Hungry, and social media support from Feeling Seen Studio. _____ Enjoying the show? Share it around, spread the word! And review 🌟 and follow What If We Get It Right? on your platform of choice — that helps more people find us and these timely conversations. Thank you for listening. 💛
This episode is a double feature, recorded live during NYC Climate Week in a Patagonia store. It’s about fighting to protect our public lands, leveraging outdoor athletes as effective advocates, and (once again) getting environmentalists to vote. Plus, the scoop on Patagonia’s get-out-the-vote project that will give you a $100 incentive for encouraging friends to vote. Today’s episode features: Erin Sprague, CEO of the non-profit Protect our Winters (POW). POW’s mission: “turn passionate outdoor people into climate advocates, working together to protect a future with clean air, clean water and a healthy planet.” Corley Kenna, the chief impact and communications officer at Patagonia, is responsible for advancing the company’s policy and advocacy priorities. (Disclosure: I proudly serve on Patagonia’s board of directors.) Patagonia and Protect Our Winters have been collaborating for years to protect public lands and rally the outdoor industry — which in 2024 generated $1.3 trillion in economic value and supported 5.2 million jobs. It’s always a thrill to see pro-Earth groups flex their electoral power. _____ Mentioned in this episode * The Trump administration announced plans to dramatically shrink the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments (Chaser: Patagonia: We’re Suing to Protect Public Lands) * Fossil fuel companies spent over $400 million on the last election. * According to the Outdoor Industry Association, nearly 70% of outdoor participants were White, while only 10.3% were Black and 13.4% Hispanic. The majority of participants are women, at 53.4% — the highest ever. * The outdoor industry—in 2024 generated $1.3 trillion in economic value for the outdoor industry and 5.2 million jobs. * Brands for Public Lands * 85% of Montanans polled said they would support a ban on the sale or transfer of public land. * Protect Our Winter’s Stoke the Vote Campaign * 1% for the Planet - businesses contributing 1% of total annual sales to grassroots environmental groups * Patagonia made a commitment to use 100% organic cotton in 1996. * Patagonia Action Works — connect with local environmental action groups. * Time to Vote Campaign — More than 2,000 companies are committed to ensuring people don’t have to choose between earning a paycheck and voting. * Canyon Woodward and Dirt Road Organizing * Caroline Gleich, athlete activist * Patagonia Film: This Is Not A Drill _____ Credits: This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Original music is by Emma Munger, graphic design by Holly Griffin of Design Hungry, and social media support from Feeling Seen Studio. Curtis Brewer captured the audio, and Xavier “Invisionary” Edwards took the photos. Special thanks to Alexa Liccardi, Kathleen Welch, and Kevin Ulnger and the whole team at the Patagonia Upper West Side store for hosting us. _____ Phone banking ☎️ w/ Environmental Voter Project While in New York, amidst the crazy schedule of Climate Week events, we still made time to phone bank (me from my bed in my tiny hotel room). Just like this podcast isn’t on video, neither is phone banking — you can do it in your pajamas! If you don’t know what to do with your election/democracy anxiety, join us! Every Wednesday at 12p ET until Election Day (or many other shifts available). All the cool kids are doing it. 😎 RSVP here: environmentalvoter.org/AEJ _____ Enjoying the podcast? Share it around, spread the word! And be sure to review 🌟 and follow What If We Get It Right? — that helps more people find us and these timely conversations. Thanks for listening. 💛 p.s. If you missed our conversation with Nathaniel Stinnett, founding executive director of Environmental Voter Project, that’s the perfect episode to bop over to next: How the climate movement can build political power 🌎💪🏽 with Nathaniel Stinnett