Reversing Climate Change is a podcast that bridges science, technology, and policy with the richness of the humanities. From the forefront of carbon removal and...
334: Is Adopting Children a Climate Solution?—w/ Lauren Gifford, Brandon Bowersox-Johnson, & Chris Tolles
It is sometimes claimed that adoption could be a climate solution. After all, if there are kids needing parents and parents wanting kids, adopting might replace the desire to create more children. Is adoption something we should encourage to reduce environmental risk?
Today we have four(!) parents of adopted children on the podcast. Each of them tells their story at the start of the show, including:
Ross Kenyon, Reversing Climate Change host
Lauren Gifford, Associate Director of the Soil Carbon Solutions Center
Brandon Bowersox-Johnson, Carbon Technical Project Manager at Grassroots Carbon
Chris Tolles, CEO and Cofounder of Yard Stick PBC
Then we all discuss if and how adopting children could or should fit into one's vision of climate activism.
This was a fun and big show to do! I hope you enjoy the change-up in format.
Resources
Here are the verses from the Bible that are referenced:
"...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."
- Philippians 2:12
"Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."
- Matthew 6:1-6
All quotes from the King James Version
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1:17:23
333: Coproduction & Additionality: How Do We Draw the Line for Carbon Removal?—w/ Grant Faber, Carbon-Based Consulting
Additionality is typically considered a major marker of quality in carbon removal. But what do we do when carbon removal suppliers are producing other types of products and services that make them less dependent upon voluntary carbon market revenue?
Perhaps even more importantly, how do we have a productive disagreement on this topic? Bringing up some concerns can open one to criticism. But we also depend upon people thinking differently in order to advance our understanding of the world and the types of value we create. How do we make sure we aren't encouraging crackpot analysis while also not hewing so closely to orthodoxy that we might be missing important insights? How can we set the stage to understand the true landscape of disagreement so that we can come to better decisions and not be driven by ideology in improper ways?
Today's podcast features Reversing Climate Change alumnus, Grant Faber, returning to the show. Grant is sui generis in our sector for his deep involvement in life-cycle and techno-economic assessment. He is the Direct Air Capture Hubs Program Manager at the U.S. Department of Energy. Prior to DOE, he ran a consultancy focused on life cycle and techno-economic assessment where he worked with many different startups, accelerators, and investors working on carbon removal and carbon conversion. Before that, he worked with Twelve, Heirloom, and the Global CO2 Initiative.
Importantly, we invite you to engage with this material and come to your own conclusions. Part of what makes carbon removal such an intellectual adventure is just how much room there is for creativity and deep thought!
Resources
Grant's website
Grant's previous RCC appearance
Grant's article, "Carbon removal, co-products, and system boundaries"
Eric Matzner from Metalplant's RCC appearance
"Crediting challenges when carbon removal comes with avoided emissions" by CarbonPlan
The trope of the monkey paw
A few Robert Höglund pieces on temporary carbon removal: #1, #2, and #3
Here's the quote from Gandalf from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Return of the King:
"It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not ours to rule."
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1:01:46
Why You Should Listen to the Reversing Climate Change Podcast: A Reintroduction!
Of all of the world's climate podcasts, here is why you should, with your one wild and precious life, listen to Reversing Climate Change.
The tl;dr is I am a long-time carbon removal and climate tech entrepreneur who comes from the humanities (rather than science) and I am programming shows on climate unlike what you're likely to hear elsewhere. Shows with legendary travel writers to worlds that are disappearing? A Vietnam veteran discussing what Jungian archetypes can teach those thinking of their climate activism as a type of warfare? Survivalism in the age of climate change? What might Dante make of our current predicament?! This show's got it!
If you like the show, would you please become a subscriber here? It makes a huge difference to the show's sustainability. And if you aren't able to do that, would you please give the show a great rating and/or review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or whichever podcast app you use that has that ability?
Thank you so much for listening! Please let me know in the comments if you would like anything in particular.
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7:16
When Heat Makes Us Angry: Free Will, Determinism, and Compatibilism Under Conditions of Stress
This is a (Spotify) video excerpt from episode 332 with Clayton Aldern, Senior Data Reporter at Grist and author of The Weight of Nature: How a Changing Climate Changes Our Brains.
In this video clip, we discuss how we hold people accountable when the heat has a statistically relevant negative impact on decision-making, impulsivity, etc. If we are so embodied as to predictably make worse conditions under stress, what does that mean for a world that will likely encounter more stress as a result of climate change? At what point should we focus less on responsibility, blame, and agency and begin to focus more on background conditions and our physical natures? Or is this even the right question?
Tune in now to learn more, and listen to the rest of the show on audio wherever you listen to podcasts.
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10:46
332: If Climate Change Can Impact Behavior, How Much Agency Do We Actually Have?—w/ Clayton Aldern, author of The Weight of Nature
When we think of climate change, we might think of droughts, floods, wildfires, emigration and climate refugees: but what if the call is coming from inside the house? What if it impacts the way we think and act?
Today's show is with Clayton Aldern, Senior Data Reporter at Grist and author of The Weight of Nature: How a Changing Climate Changes Our Brains.
Clayton explains where additional climate risks will be coming from, and much of it is how much even small changes in heat can increase impulsivity and crime, decrease test scores, and generally make things more difficult.
If human bodies are so susceptible to environmental conditions, what does that say for justice? How are we meant to understand agency and determinism? How do we hold one another accountable while also practicing forgiveness for human frailty?
There are no shortage of big questions today! Enjoy.
Resources
Clayton's writing on Grist
Clayton's website
The Weight of Nature: How a Changing Climate Changes Our Brains
Reversing Climate Change is a podcast that bridges science, technology, and policy with the richness of the humanities. From the forefront of carbon removal and climatetech to explorations of literature, history, philosophy, and geopolitics, we dive deep into the people, ideas, and innovations shaping a better future for the planet and its inhabitants.
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