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.
223: How Dr. James Danoff-Burg Helped Stop Poachers Without Guns
Matt speaks with Dr. James Danoff-Burg of The Living Desert about community-centered conservation in South Africa, highlighting the Black Mambas - an unarmed, all-female anti-poaching unit reducing rhino poaching.
222: Making Sustainability Make Sense with Cecilia Rios
Matt Matern speaks with Cecilia Rios, co-host of Sustainability Defined, about her path into climate work, sustainability podcasting, business and culture, and how consumers and policy together can drive more sustainable, equitable change.
221: How AI and Satellites Are Unmasking the Biggest Ocean Polluters, with Nick Wise
Matt Matern speaks with Nick Wise on how satellites and AI are transforming ocean protection—tracking illegal fishing, shipping emissions, and strengthening global climate accountability.
220: Why Millions Are Plugging Into Solar and America Is Falling Behind
BrightSaver cofounder Cora Stryker joins Matt Matern to reveal how balcony solar could revolutionize clean energy access for renters and low-income households - cutting costs, carbon, and red tape across the U.S.
219: Kelly Bills’ Plan to Save Pollinators Worldwide
Pollinators are declining fast - and it threatens our food systems and ecosystems. Matt talks with Kelly Bills of Pollinator Partnership about climate impacts, habitat loss, Bee Friendly Farming, and what communities and individuals can do to help restore pollinator health.
218: The Green Girl Changing Climate Activism with Leah Thomas
Leah Thomas, award-winning environmentalist, author, and founder of Intersectional Environmentalist, shares how her Midwest roots and racial justice movements shaped her path. She discusses climate justice, launching her nonprofit, and producing the new season of As She Rises on rewilding.
217: Stephen Lezak Challenges Bill Gates’s Climate Argument
Matt Matern talks with Arctic climate justice scholar Stephen Lezak about a rapidly warming North Pole, indigenous-led solutions, rights of nature, and how to balance climate risk with practical, people-centered action.
216: The Science They Tried to Silence, Naomi Oreskes on Climate Truth
Matt talks with Harvard historian Naomi Oreskes about the decades-long climate consensus, political attacks on science, early Congressional awareness, the EPA’s crucial endangerment finding, and rising threats to academic freedom and universities.
215: From AI Stunts to EV Smarts: What Actually Matters for the Climate
Comedian Bill Kessler joins Matt Mattern for a lively, unfiltered take on climate politics, clean energy setbacks, and the moral choices shaping our planet. From $700M project losses to “Cancer Alley,” they mix humor with hope and smart ideas for a sustainable future.
214: Why Renewables Are Beating Fossil Fuels on Cost with Dr. Gernot Wagner
Renewables are now cheaper than fossil fuels - solar 41% and wind 53% less costly. Dr. Gernot Wagner explores how carbon pricing, green hydrogen, and smart policy are driving the global clean energy transition.
