Grey Matter with Michael Krasny

Fighting Corruption, Waste and Politics to Address Climate Change. Ethan Elkind Explains


Listen Later

Ethan Elkind, a leading climate scientist, led us initially into an understanding of why climate goals were not being met and how that affects overall messaging. From there he spoke of the importance of battery technology, solar and wind renewable energies, and transition to minerals such as lithium, cobalt and graphite. He emphasized the need for care in the mining sector where he sees a window for change and the building of better grids. We then spoke of "lifestyle" changes, the need for more housing and a culture too centered on cars. Ethan spoke about desalination and water and the issue of equity vis-a-vis the carbon imprint of developing countries. Ethan emphasized the importance of addressing climate problems systemically via low carbon biofuels and policy actions. He spoke of AI as being bad for climate but expressed optimism about hydrogen and the progress made in renewables. He addressed the killing nature of heat and stated that air conditioning will become a human right and he suggested other ways around heat but noted the inevitability of fewer habitable places and mass migration. He spoke of L.A. as a leader of mass transit and highlighted the need for a different tax policy and the fact that mangroves matter and corruption in the battery supply chain remains an ongoing problem. Food waste was added as a big issue because of methane. Ethan said, "We can buy a couple of decades if we decrease methane emissions but there is a lot to do." We talked about the Native American non-profit he started and his work with tribes to improve governance. We concluded with discussing environmental work having triage to it and asking what Ethan would advise students. Ethan answered with "Do what you feel most passionate about and match it up to the most urgent needs."
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Grey Matter with Michael KrasnyBy Michael Krasny

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

91 ratings


More shows like Grey Matter with Michael Krasny

View all
Modern Love by The New York Times

Modern Love

8,809 Listeners

Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

38,475 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,543 Listeners

The Gray Area with Sean Illing by Vox

The Gray Area with Sean Illing

10,726 Listeners

Pivot by New York Magazine

Pivot

9,526 Listeners

The Human Upgrade: Biohacking for Longevity & Performance by Dave Asprey

The Human Upgrade: Biohacking for Longevity & Performance

7,205 Listeners

MacBreak Weekly (Audio) by TWiT

MacBreak Weekly (Audio)

2,010 Listeners

Science Friday by Science Friday and WNYC Studios

Science Friday

6,407 Listeners

Upgrade by Relay

Upgrade

1,219 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

112,236 Listeners

The Dr. Hyman Show by Dr. Mark Hyman

The Dr. Hyman Show

9,215 Listeners

Interesting Times with Ross Douthat by New York Times Opinion

Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

7,210 Listeners

The Comedy Cellar: Live from the Table by Comedy Cellar Network

The Comedy Cellar: Live from the Table

372 Listeners

The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway by Vox Media Podcast Network

The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway

5,553 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

15,892 Listeners