Dear EarthTalk: What are some of the leading environmental podcasts out there these days?
— Jane Mitchell, Boise, ID
Given the popularity of podcasts these days, it’s no surprise that several have popped up on environmental topics. Whether you are interested in green tech, environmental justice or climate change, there’s no doubt a podcast (or two) for you. Here is a rundown of some of the leading offerings.
Investigative journalist Amy Westervelt’s podcast company, Critical Frequency, has launched some of the most engaging eco-podcasts out there today. One is Inherited, a reported, narrative podcast by, for and about youth climate activists. Each explores a different facet of what the next generation plans to do with the climate-compromised world it is inheriting. Another great listen from Critical Frequency is Drilled, a narrative, investigative climate accountability podcast reported, hosted and produced by Westervelt herself. The most downloaded climate podcast of all time, Drilled, tackles the fossil fuel industry’s role in spreading climate denial. Lastly, the latest offering from Critical Frequency is Damages, a courtroom drama podcast that follows hundreds of climate lawsuits currently underway around the world in order to highlight activists’ quest for justice in perhaps the largest crime against humanity of all time, human-induced climate change. The first season explores “rights-of-nature” laws, which bring Indigenous approaches to nature into Western judicial systems by giving ecosystems the same rights as individuals.
Sea Change Radio is another great source for long-form audio on green topics. This nationally syndicated radio show and podcast—with an archive of 700 shows spanning the last 16 years—focuses on the shift to environmental and economic sustainability. Veteran host Alex Wise interviews activists, entrepreneurs and policymakers to get the inside scoop on various climate and other initiatives in the U.S. and globally. If you’re fascinated with the science of nature, the weekly Nature Podcast highlights research from a recent issue of the scientific journal Nature. Each weekly edition features interviews with the scientists behind some of the most striking environmental research currently underway, with topics ranging from astronomy to zoology.
Another great podcast for keeping your finger on the pulse of environmental activism is How to Save the Planet, a weekly podcast from leading non-profit Friends of the Earth that features stories from the front lines of the climate movement while explaining complex issues—environmental racism, eco-anxiety, fracking, etc.—in language anyone can understand. Yet another, Sustainababble, infuses coverage of climate and environment with humor thanks to the witty repartee of hosts Oliver Hayes and David Powell as they interview a wide range of experts to untangle confusing environmental concepts and highlight the greenwashing that pervades so much of the information sphere.
For those listeners with shorter attention spans, the Climate Connections Podcast might be just the ticket. This daily 90-second audio drop hosted by Anthony Leiserowitz, a human geographer at Yale University who studies public perceptions of climate change, details how the climate crisis is already shaping our lives and what we can do about it. The show aims to highlight positive solutions to reduce climate-related risks and wasteful energy practices.
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