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PODCAST

Climate Break

Climate change is upon us. Fires, droughts, hurricanes, sea level rise, and melting ice caps are all part of our new normal. But something else is happening as well. Scientists, innovators, organizations, cities, companies, and citizens are taking action, making progress, and finding solutions. Climate Break brings you stories of climate progress and interviews with climate innovators from California and around the world, in under 2 minutes. Our solution-oriented, radio-ready shows are produced by

science nature

All Episodes

00:01:45

Rerun: Raising the Bar: Brewing a Greener Future with...

Climate Break ·

2024/06/19

What are the problems with current beer production methods?Beer is primarily composed of water—making up about 90 percent of its content. Annually, over 100 billion gallons of beer are produced and shipped, meaning nearly 90 billion gallons of water are being transported in the form of beer. This is significant because approximately 20 percent of a beer’s carbon footprint is attributed to transportation. In response, Sustainable Beverage Technologies (SBT) has proposed a new type of beer that can

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00:01:45

Generating Electricity from Air, with Jun Yao

Climate Break ·

2024/06/11

A Need for Clean EnergyEnergy harvesting from environmental sources is key to mitigating the harm associated with fossil fuels. Renewable energy is generated from naturally replenishing resources, and common sources include solar, wind, and water. Currently, renewable energy only makes up roughly 20% of all U.S. electricity, and many of these sources are intermittent – they do not produce continuous energy on a 24/7 basis. These sources of clean energy often require a large amount of land and

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00:01:45

Rerun: Equitable Policy for Energy Efficient Homes...

Climate Break ·

2024/06/04

California is the first state to ban the sale of new gas furnaces and water heaters, which will begin in 2030. In efforts to fight climate change, all homes will be required to use zero-emission electric appliance alternatives. The Sierra Club and American Lung Association have supported this move to reduce the building sector’s carbon footprint and improve public health. The building sector accounts for 5% of California's nitrogen-oxide pollution, a key component in producing smog. The California

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00:01:45

Adapting Coffee Production for Climate Resilience,...

Climate Break ·

2024/05/28

The Environmental Impacts of Coffee ProductionFor most of us, coffee is a part of our daily lives. 62% of Americans drink coffee every day, with 7 in 10 drinking coffee every week. In 2024, the coffee market amounted to over $86.7 billion in gross revenue, with numbers only predicted to rise. Americans consume over 400 million cups of coffee each day, leading many to wonder of the harms of such rapid consumption. Unfortunately, for coffee-lovers, the reality is that coffee has a poor environmental

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00:01:44

Improving Lithium-Ion Batteries: the Magnesium Solution

Climate Break ·

2024/05/21

Lithium Ion BatteriesLithium ion batteries are a popular type of rechargeable battery, used in a variety of devices from laptops and cell phones to hybrid and electric vehicles. Lithium ion batteries have grown in use due to their light weight, high energy density, and ability to recharge. While these batteries are used to store electricity and, therefore, as an element of alternative to fossil fuels, the process to mine and obtain lithium has harmful effects on the environment. Lithium is a soft,

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00:01:45

Alleviating Urban Heat Traps, with Jeff Goodell

Climate Break ·

2024/05/14

What Does Extreme Heat Do?Since the pre-industrialized era, the global temperature has increased by about one degree Celsius. Although one degree may not seem significant, the consequences are increases in the intensity of heatwaves and drier conditions. In addition, in dense urban settings buildings trap and absorb this heat and cause even a higher area of heat relative to surrounding areas. The heat island effect is also exacerbated by the lack of greenery. With current fossil fuel emissions,

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00:01:46

Rerun: Corporate Lobbying as an Ally in the Fight...

Climate Break ·

2024/05/07

Editorial NoteThe interview for this episode was recorded in June 2021. The basic point of the episode remains relevant, but the mentioned campaign is no longer active. ClimateVoice’s current campaign is Escape the Chamber, which calls on companies to leave the US Chamber of Commerce and to speak up and lead on climate policy at local, state, and federal levels. What is Corporate Lobbying for Climate Action?While lobbying—and corporate lobbying in particular—can often have negative connotations, it

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00:01:44

Converting Food Waste into Energy Through Anaerobic...

Climate Break ·

2024/04/30

If you’ve ever been near a farm with livestock, you might agree that farm odors can be carried far from the farm itself. Farms often face criticism from nearby residents over the offensive odor of manure. While manure is an unavoidable part of raising livestock, there is one technological innovation that can remove the smell from manure. Anaerobic digesters are a simple concept—instead of leaving manure rotting outside, the digester encloses the manure as bacteria decompose it, keeping the odor in

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00:01:45

E-Mobilization and Renewable Energy in Kenya, with...

Climate Break ·

2024/04/23

Renewables and E-mobilityE-mobility, the use of electric powertrain technologies in-vehicle transformation, allows for the use of electricity to enable the electric propulsion of various forms of transportation. Powertrain technologies refer to full electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, which can be less carbon-intensive than conventional diesel counterparts. Such technologies provide countries an opportunity to reduce their total emissions while still meeting transportation demands. As e-mobility

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00:01:46

Designing Road Infrastructure to Promote Active...

Climate Break ·

2024/04/17

Zero-Emission TransportElectric vehicles and other transportation-based climate solutions have made a big splash in recent years, and for good reason – transportation accounts for about a fourth of global carbon dioxide emissions. In the U.S, it’s the economic sector with the single largest contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. With such a large global impact, sustainable transportation has become an issue of international importance, and no-emission methods of transport, like walking and

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00:01:45

Rerun: Cool surfaces: Reflecting heat and reducing...

Climate Break ·

2024/04/09

What is a cool surface?Cool surfaces are roofs, walls, or pavements that are generally light-colored and highly reflective. When sunlight hits a white surface, its rays bounce off the surface rather than being absorbed, and are reflected back into space. Darker surfaces tend to absorb sunlight, trapping heat. Cool surfaces release this heat back into the atmosphere and space. What are the benefits of switching to a cool surface?Something as simple as painting the roof white has the potential to

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00:01:45

Using Climate Journalism to Connect Weather Events...

Climate Break ·

2024/04/03

Staying Educated About Climate ChangeAs climate change intensifies, the heightened frequency of natural disaster weather-related events is quickly becoming the new reality. Whether it be prolonged wildfire seasons in Northern California or destructive hurricanes off the Florida coast, citizens across the country are beginning to bear the burden of a changing climate. For those of us yet to experience the full force of such events, our primary means of gathering information on natural disasters is

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00:01:44

Advancing Sustainable Steel Production, with Adam...

Climate Break ·

2024/03/26

Steel ProductionGlobally, 1.9 billion metric tons of crude steel were produced in 2022. Over the past 15 years, the global demand for steel production has nearly doubled, as this versatile product can be found in nearly all modern infrastructure such as buildings, ships, vehicles, machines, and appliances. Conventionally, steel is made from iron ore (the world’s third most produced commodity by volume), which is a compound derived from iron, oxygen, and other minerals. Through a blast or electric

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00:01:45

Tracking Emissions with Remote Sensing, with Gavin...

Climate Break ·

2024/03/20

The Need to Accurately Quantify EmissionsAs we begin to come to terms with the reality of the fossil fuel industry’s role in climate change, many policymakers are looking towards market-based mechanisms to curb the level of emissions released by harmful polluters. Market-based mechanisms include taxing pollution directly (through a carbon tax) or implementing a cap and trade system. Under the Clean Air Act and other laws, power plants must report air emissions from their operations. Unfortunately,

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00:01:44

Rerun: Tackling the Plastic Crisis, with Martin Bourque

Climate Break ·

2024/03/13

What is plastic? Plastic is a material derived primarily from carbon-based sources like natural gas, oil, and even plants. It is created by treating these organic materials with heat and catalysts to form various polymers. Producing plastic is energy-intensive, often relying on the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas, both for power and as a primary source.As a product of fossil fuels, plastic itself is unsustainable because of its fundamental connection to nonrenewable energy.

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00:01:45

Calculating Threats from Rising Temperatures Using...

Climate Break ·

2024/03/05

Extreme Heat: More Dangerous Than We Think?Extreme heat, one of the adverse consequences of climate change, exacerbates drought, damages agriculture, and profoundly impacts human health. Heat is the top weather-related killer in the United States, contributing to deaths that arise from heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases. As temperatures are projected to increase, so will the risk of heat-related deaths. Urban heat islands, cities with large numbers of buildings, roads, and

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00:01:45

Bidirectional Charging: Vehicles as a Portable...

Climate Break ·

2024/02/29

Renewable Energy is The FutureCalifornia is no stranger to power outages. In 2019, for example, over 25,000 blackout events were recorded across the state, leaving homeowners and businesses without electricity. In recent years, most blackouts are the result of wildfire, wildfire risk (leading to utility shutdowns), and extreme heat (leading to high electricity usage). When the electricity grid is stressed, California relies primarily on gas-powered peaker plants and diesel generators to keep

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00:01:45

Pedaling Towards A Sustainable Future, with Manuel de...

Climate Break ·

2024/02/20

Increasing Sustainable Modes of TransportationIn 2022, global emissions from transportation reached nearly 8 gigatons of carbon. To achieve the Net Zero Scenario, transportation emissions need to drop by nearly 25% by 2030. Within the Global South, auto-centric planning, transport authorities’ structures, and alternatives to cars and buses are some of the challenges in sustainable transportation. Transforming transportation is Mayor Manuel de Araújo’s vision for his city, Quelimane, Mozambique. To

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00:01:45

Making Electric Heating Accessible and Affordable for...

Climate Break ·

2024/02/16

Electric Heat: A Hot Topic in ChicagoIn cold winter months, many people have to rely on fossil gas to heat their homes and power cookstoves. Yet all-electric appliances, including heat pumps to heat homes, are quickly becoming a cheaper alternative over the long term, though they often entail higher upfront costs compared to gas appliances.In Chicago, the switch from natural gas to electricity is moving forward, but it is also revealing unintended challenges for low-income residents that are

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00:01:45

Restoring Urban Waterways to Create Climate...

Climate Break ·

2024/02/07

What’s interesting about urban rivers?Urban rivers play many important roles in our cities. They maintain the health of coastal and estuarine ecosystems and they are part of larger catchment ecosystems that are nested within wider, interconnected systems. Urban rivers are also essential to the quality of our drinking water, playing central roles in cultural and traditional preservation. Urban rivers offer an ecological record of what was in place before excessive human impacts as they maintained and

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