Energy Switch

Solar and Wind: Success or Failure?

We hear conflicting information about solar and wind energy. They’re the cheapest form of electricity. But they make electricity more expensive. They’re the fastest growi

Ecomodernism vs Degrowth

Degrowth advocates say we’re overusing Earth’s resources, which will degrade living standards and harm the environment, so we must reduce. Ecomodernists say we’re fine: T

Shipping, part 2

In part 1, we learned the basics of the industry. Now we look at CO2 emissions and the UN’s goals to reduce them, alternative low-carbon fuels and challenges to adopt tho

Shipping, part 1

Shipping brings us almost every product because it’s the lowest cost of any transport. This makes it extremely important globally, yet it faces many challenges, especiall

Arctic Climate

The Arctic is warming faster than the rest of the planet. Melting sea ice has opened northern shipping lanes but exposes more water to the warming sun. Melting land ice r

Energy PhDs

Two very promising PhD candidates discuss their energy research, federal funding cuts and how they may affect the academic and science environments today and tomorrow, an

Efficiency and Conservation

Using less energy saves money and can even reduce prices. It also reduces emissions and frees up energy for other uses without building more power plants and power lines.

Public Opinion on Climate

Two veteran pollsters tell us not what they think, but what we think -- Democrats, Republicans and Independents -- about the environment, climate and energy. Some of thei

Tribal Energy

There are 10 million Native Americans in the U.S. Those on reservations are often the last customers on the power line, getting the worst service at the highest prices. B

Senators Talk Energy

Energy and climate have become increasingly partisan, resulting in slow, or no, political progress. Our guests discuss subsidies, climate and energy strategy, recall a ti

King Coal

Coal is still the dominant source of electricity worldwide. That’s because it’s available domestically in many countries, and is cheap and easy to mine, transport and bur

Investing in Alternative Energy

Twenty years ago, wind, solar, grid-scale batteries, and the powerlines to connect them were rare. Now they’re mainstream. Our two guests have been there since the beginn

Fertilizers

Fertilizer drives modern agriculture, to feed the world. It turns natural gas, nitrogen from the atmosphere, and mined minerals into plant nutrients, which end up on our

Air Quality in America

The Clean Air Act has reduced particulate matter pollution, ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides, ushering in capture technologies tha

Russian Energy

Russia’s energy exports fund its government and war efforts. It’s the world’s 2nd largest producer of oil and natural gas, behind the US, and has avoided energy sanctions

Air Conditioning

Air conditioning has changed the world, allowing hot regions to develop, with increased comfort, health, and productivity. But these benefits come with challenges -- grea

Extreme Weather part 2

Last episode, our experts referenced IPCC data to explain that heat, heat waves and precipitation are trending up. While floods, fires and storms are flat or down. Howeve

Extreme Weather part 1

We often hear that climate change is driving extreme weather. To understand the trends, our guests dug into the IPCC data for heat waves and cold spells. Historic rainfal

Data Centers

Every text, email and social media post. Every digital photo, web search and credit card transaction. Every online purchase. Every streaming show. Nearly everything in ou

Unconventional Wisdom

Our guests argue against conventional wisdom, that oil companies must be part of decarbonization. That solar and wind will never replace them. And that we don’t value our