Currently, the dominant framing of climate in our media and policy ecosystems centers stories, experiences, and thus solutions that serve privileged communities. The Hip Hop Caucus is working to help rewrite this narrative and center the climate movement in a justice framework. V asks Hip Hop Caucus’ Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer Liz Havstad ... Show More
May 21
In Georgia, Energy Affordability Is on the Ballot
What if you could lower your utility bill at the polls? In Georgia, that’s exactly what voters have had the opportunity to do. By flipping two Public Service Commission seats in 2025, they’ve shown that elected officials can be held accountable for rising energy costs. In this ep ... Show More
27m 12s
Apr 30
Ohio Citizens Are Standing up for Wind and Solar
Richland County, Ohio used to be a major manufacturing hub. Now, as the plants have closed, residents are looking to renewable energy to revive jobs and development. There’s just one problem: their board of county commissioners issued a blanket ban on large-scale solar and wind p ... Show More
34m 43s
Mar 19
Listen Now: How California Is Proving Climate Solutions Are Possible
Climate solutions aren’t out of reach. They’re already here, and California is leading the way. In 2025, the state hit a historic milestone: for more than 200 days, its grid hit 100 percent clean energy, often for hours at a time, making it the largest economy in the world to rea ... Show More
35m 25s
Sep 2020
Black Lives Matter and the Climate
Black Lives Matter is the largest movement in U.S. history, and it’s had environmental justice as part of its policy platform from the start. In today’s show, Alex and Ayana talk about why the fight for racial justice is critical to saving the planet, and what the broader climate ... Show More
49m 3s
May 2023
Bonus: From Action to Empathy to Impact
Welcome to another episode of Outrage + Optimism, where we examine issues at the forefront of the climate crisis, interview change-makers, and transform our anger into productive dialogue about building a sustainable future. Okezue Bell, a high school senior, activist and a socia ... Show More
22m 16s
Feb 2024
Climate Leninism w/ Jodi Dean and Kai Heron
<p class="MsoNormal">Transition is inevitable, we're past the point of literal climate denialism. Even the fossil fuel industry, which has known about the dangers of climate change for decades now, has a plan for transition. In fact, one could argue that when it comes to being pr ... Show More
1h 4m
Feb 2023
Social Justice and Climate Justice: How One Environmental Leader Is Moving Forward
The Sierra Club has been at the forefront of the American environmental movement for decades. However, the group has also face criticism for racist and exclusionary attitudes embedded in some of its founding ideals. The Sierra Club's new executive director, Ben Jealous, explains ... Show More
8m 2s