Dominion Energy, Virginia's largest utility, is seeking approval for a plan to build a massive polluting project in Chesterfield county that will harm communities, increase monthly electric bills, and undermine Virginia's climate progress. This episode features special guest, the intrepid and brilliant Dr. Mary Finley-Brook. Dr. Finley-Brook connects the local to the global, highlighting how Dominion gas-plant follows a playbook the fossil fuel industry has used for years to stifle efforts to curb pollution while they rake in massive profits at customers and taxpayers expense.

Offshore wind represents a lot of good for Virginia. It's a clean energy source, an economic vehicle, and an industry powerhouse if we develop it correctly. This episode Paige explores what offshore wind is (and isn't) and all that this exciting concept has to offer.

To learn more about offshore wind, visit

This episode features a very special guest McKenna Dunbar, Electrification lead at the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter. Electrification is the notion that every home and building can be powered without any connections to fossil fuels. McKenna and Tim talk about how fossil fuel appliances release pollution outside and inside our homes that are harmful to climate, health, and financial wellbeing. It's also cheaper than any before to electrify your home because of the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. McKenna talks with Tim about the many benefits of electrification and how it is vital to a livable future.

More information:

https://www.rewiringamerica.org/app/ira-calculator

https://www.sierraclub.org/virginia/building-electrification-everywhere

https://vasierra.club/questions

Misinformation represents a major obstacles between us and a livable future. This week's episode features a special guest, Kierra Johnson from Progress Virginia, who walks us through the problem of misinformation, where it comes from, how to identify it, and how to combat it. Huge thanks to Kierra for sharing their lengthy knowledge on the subject!

If you don't follow Progress Virginia, you should.

https://www.instagram.com/progress_va/

https://twitter.com/ProgressVA

https://www.facebook.com/ProgressVA/

https://www.tiktok.com/@progress_va

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is a program that makes the power sector pay money to the state for how much they pollute. The money raised by RGGI is invested back into communities. RGGI has been wildly successful in Virginia, raising over a billion dollars to strengthen Virginia's communities and lower our electric bills through energy efficiency programs. It's also popular with everyone except the fossil fuel industry and their pro-polluter allies like Governor Glenn Youngkin. This episode both describes the massive benefit of Virginia keeping the RGGI program and details how Governor Youngkin is trying to get rid of it.

Sierraclub.org/Virginia/support-RGGI

https://vasierra.club/updates

https://www.instagram.com/vasierraclub/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/vasierraclub

Utilities that lock-in natural gas infrastructure are harming communities in more ways than just air pollution. This episode explores the many harms to health, financial wellbeing that is caused by public utilities who can't break their addiction to natural gas. This topic is discussed using Richmond, Va as a case study and explained by two guests representing Beyond Methane RVA.

Climate change is a global issue, but  the harms caused by the crisis aren't felt equally. In fact, those who shoulder the greatest impact of pollution are those who contribute the least amount. This week, the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter breaks down the concept of environmental justice and how it does -- and doesn't -- manifest in our state.  

The regulatory system for approving pollution-intensive projects in Virginia benefits industry at the expense of communities. Tim and Paige explore the unjust elements of how polluters secure permits and explain how people-power can influence the process in ways that put the needs of communities over polluter's profits. Plus, an overview of name suggestions for the show!