Adulting in Turbulent Times

Acting like a responsible adult can be challenging at the best of times. Add dealing with climate chaos to the mix, and keeping it all together can feel like an outright miracle.

Let’s start by acknowledging that all does not feel fine in the world at the present moment. But living through extreme intensity isn’t a completely unique experience. Generations before us have endured existential crises of unimaginable magnitudes.

So how do we navigate this period of uncertainty — regardless of our age? And what tools can we use to build resilience in the midst of what feels like… a lot?

Emily Raboteau

Author, “Lessons for Survival: Mothering Against ‘The Apocalypse’”

Ana Alanis

Founder, Hungry for Climate Action

Andrew Bryant

Co-Director, North Seattle Therapy & Counseling

Climate Heroes In Your Neighborhood with Matt Scott
Tuesday June 25 | 6:00 p.m.
There are climate heroes among us everywhere, but many go unnoticed in the thrum of everyday life. Matt Scott, director of storytelling and engagement at Project Drawdown, has been shining a light on the work of such people in cities across the country in his documentary short series “Drawdown’s Neighborhood.” In Atlanta, Pittsburgh, New Orleans and more, Scott lifts up underrepresented voices of those engaging in climate issues directly in their communities. And that diversity of voices — of women, Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color — is itself the point. “By passing the mic to underrepresented people working on the frontlines of climate change, we hope to share as many of these stories as possible while reshaping who society sees as climate heroes,” says Scott. 

The San Francisco Bay Area is the latest region in Drawdown’s Neighborhood, with full episodes premiering in August 2024. Join us for this unique Climate One event, as Scott hosts a live conversation with local climate heroes and showcases the diversity of people taking action all across the country to meaningfully address climate change.

After nearly a decade of court battles, protests by environmental activists and ballooning construction costs, the 303-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline was approved for operations by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). While supporters hope the pipeline will reduce energy costs for mid-Atlantic states, opponents point out that the pipeline has already registered dozens of environmental violations, including a rupture and water leak just last month.

The environmental concerns about the pipeline stem less from its operational activities and more from where it is located. Winding its way through the rolling hills of Appalachian counties in West Virginia and Virginia, local residents say the Mountain Valley project will forever be at risk of spilling into waterways and expediting erosion. The courts appeared poised to permanently suspend the project due to the excessive runoff it generated during its construction, but Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV) insisted on including a permitting exception for the pipeline in the 2023 law to raise the debt ceiling.

Mountain Valley is the latest example of strong Indigenous and environmental opposition to new pipeline construction. The Dakota Access Pipeline was approved in 2016 despite significant opposition from the Standing Rock Sioux, whose water supply is directly threatened by the project. The tribe continues to fight for the pipeline’s closure in court. On his first day in office, President Biden canceled the Keystone XL pipeline that would have stretched from Canada into Nebraska.

PLUS:

Comedian, YouTuber and recent guest of the pod Rollie Williams takes a unique approach to climate messaging. By leveraging humor, he effectively turns what would otherwise be distressing topics into engaging and easily digestible conversations.

Williams recently tackled the topic of fast fashion for his YouTube channel, Climate Town. After you finish laughing along with his explanation of how and why disposable apparel has become such a problem, check out our episode Wardrobe Malfunction for additional information on the climate threat posed by textile waste. You can listen now on your favorite podcast platform.

Source: Rhodium Group

Our guests made so many insightful comments about wildfire resilience that we couldn’t fit it all in one episode!

As a complement to last week’s full-length release, Rekindling Our Relationship with Wildfire, we also released a special bonus conversation, recorded from a live event during SF Climate Week. Follow along as KQED science reporter Danielle Venton interviews California’s Secretary of Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot about the state’s ever-changing relationship with one of nature’s most fearsome forces. This bonus episode is available wherever you get your podcasts.