252: Why Only 1% of US Farmland Is Organic, with Linley Dixon
Dr. Linley Dixon explains how organic farming can fight climate change, restore soil health, and improve food quality. She discusses chemical agriculture, organic fraud, PFAS contamination, policy challenges, and how consumers can support local, truly organic farms.
247: America’s Best Idea – How the U.S. Invented the National Park
Matt explores the story behind America’s national parks - from Yellowstone’s creation in 1872 and John Muir’s influence on Theodore Roosevelt to today’s battles over public lands. Part of the “250 for 250” series on environmental history and civic action.
245: How 20 Million Americans Got a Republican President to Build the EPA
Earth Day 1970 brought 20 million Americans into the streets, helping create the EPA, Clean Air Act, and Clean Water Act. This episode explores the era’s bipartisan support for environmental protection and asks how that shared commitment was lost.
244: Why Jonathan Criss Left SpaceX After 13 Years to Solve the Water Crisis
Matt speaks with Jonathan Criss, CEO and co-founder of Vital Lyfe, about transforming access to clean drinking water. A former SpaceX engineer, Jonathan explains how his portable desalination technology can produce safe water from nearly any natural source, helping address global water challenges.
243: The Climate Solution Hidden in Every Sidewalk, with Dean Forgeron
Matt speaks with CarbonCure CTO Dean Forgeron about injecting CO2 into concrete, where it mineralizes into limestone-like calcium carbonate. They discuss cutting cement use, storing 768,000 tons of CO2, and reducing emissions at the source.
242: Why a Top Climate VC Is Endorsing Tom Steyer for Governor, with Dan Miller
Matt and Dan Miller of The Roda Group discuss why renewables beat fossil fuels on cost, AI’s climate impact, EV adoption, fossil fuel subsidies, and why Tom Steyer could reshape California’s energy future in the 2026 governor’s race. Plus utility reform plans.
241: Cut 30% of Your Energy Bill Without Spending a Dime, with Ibhade Eigbobo
Matt talks with Budderfly’s Ibhade Eigbobo about energy efficiency, virtual power plants, battery storage, and Budderfly’s energy-as-a-service model helping small and midsize businesses reduce utility costs and modernize aging equipment.
240: Why Protecting Nature Starts With Protecting People, with Brett Jenks
Matt talks with Rare CEO Brett Jenks about scaling climate resilience in 2,000+ coastal communities, why adaptation matters, and how financial, ecological, and social resilience can prevent a global climate migration crisis.
239: Fast Fashion Is Killing the Planet, with Marci Zaroff
Matt Matern talks with sustainable fashion pioneer Marci Zaroff on the true cost of clothing—from cotton in our food supply to organic fibers, greenwashing vs certification, and the shift toward traceable fashion.
238: The Right to Protest Is Under Attack, with Annie Leonard & André Carothers
Annie Leonard and André Carothers, co-authors of Protest: Respect It, Defend It, Use It, join Matt to discuss why the right to protest is under unprecedented attack — and why defending it is inseparable from the fight against climate change.
237: The Environmental Toll of the Iran War, with Doug Weir
Matt talks with Doug Weir (CEOBS) about the overlooked environmental damage of war, tracking Iran conflict incidents, risks to the Persian Gulf, and how military emissions and spending hinder climate accountability.
236: The Man Who Put Carbon Back Underground, with Peter Reinhardt
Matt speaks with Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial on scaling carbon removal by turning wildfire wood into underground bio-oil storage, costs, policy barriers, and climate tech’s future.
235: The Fight for Affordable Energy in Rural America with Michelle Moore
Michelle Moore explains how rising electricity bills, AI-driven data center demand, and federal cuts are straining families, while community solar, efficiency, and rate freezes could protect affordability.
234: Why the War With Iran Is Really About Fossil Fuels, with Miranda Green
Matt interviews Miranda Green on how the U.S.-Iran conflict disrupted 20% of global oil and LNG flows, spiked gas prices, exposed fossil fuel dependence, and tied Trump-era policies to energy politics and donors.
233: The Plan to Flip the 2026 Midterms, with Nathaniel Stinnett
Nathaniel Stinnett explains why climate action is stalled: not a lack of concern, but a lack of voter turnout. He shares how the Environmental Voter Project uses data and behavioral science to mobilize non-voting environmentalists.
232: Can Nature Have Rights? The Legal Movement Reshaping Environmentalism, with Katie Surma
Matt speaks with Inside Climate News reporter Katie Surma about the global rights of nature movement—Indigenous-led protections for whales, Ecuador’s constitutional framework, U.S. legal barriers, and new reporting on environmental inequity.
231: How We Feed the World Without Frying It, with Michael Grunwald
Matt talks with journalist Michael Grunwald about We Are Eating the Earth, arguing food and land use drive about a third of emissions. They examine rising meat demand, limits of vegan and organic fixes, Denmark’s farm policy, and realistic climate solutions.
230: The Colorado River Is Running Out of Time, with Jennifer Pitt
Jennifer Pitt discusses shrinking Colorado River supplies, expiring state agreements, and the urgent need for consensus, conservation, and flexible reservoir management to avoid severe shortages and litigation.
229: How Gen Z Is Rewriting the Climate Playbook
Amelia Southern-Uribe shares how youth-led climate justice, storytelling, and local organizing build power, uplift frontline communities, and turn grief into action against fossil fuels and environmental injustice.
228: The Legal War on Fossil Fuels, with Michael Gerrard
Professor Michael Gerrard discusses his path into environmental law, the Sabin Center’s climate mission, and the key legal tools, legislation, state action, and litigation shaping climate progress.
227: Why Recycling Won’t Save the Planet, with Catherine Weetman
Matt speaks with Dr. Catherine Weetman about why recycling alone cannot solve the environmental crisis and why businesses must adopt circular and regenerative models.
226: How Close We Are to Losing an Entire Species Forever, with Matt Podolsky
Matt speaks with environmental filmmaker Matt Podolsky of Wild Lens Collective about how storytelling drives conservation, from his Sundance-winning Sea of Shadows on the vaquita to new work on bats, policy impact, and making hidden crises visible.
225: Why Climate Adaptation Can’t Wait Any Longer, with Doug Parsons
Matt Matern talks with Doug Parsons of America Adapts on why climate adaptation now rivals emissions cuts, how the Defense Department keeps adapting despite politics, and how storytelling can drive action
224: How Solar Is Now the Cheapest Power on Earth, with Marcius Extavour
Matt speaks with Dr. Marcius Extavour on innovation in climate action, from solar’s economic rise to carbon removal. They explore data, design, and AI as tools to empower communities, policymakers, and practical systems-based solutions.
