Not Cool Ep 25: Mario Molina on climate action

Most Americans believe in climate change — yet far too few are taking part in climate action. Many aren't even sure what effective climate action should look like. On Not Cool episode 25, Ariel is joined by Mario Molina, Executive Director of Protect our Winters, a non-profit aimed at increasing climate advocacy within the outdoor sports community. In this interview, Mario looks at climate activism more broadly: he explains where advocacy has fallen short, why it's important to hold corporations responsible before individuals, and what it would look like for the US to be a global leader on climate change. He also discusses the reforms we should be implementing, the hypocrisy allegations sometimes leveled at the climate advocacy community, and the misinformation campaign undertaken by the fossil fuel industry in the '90s.

Topics discussed include:

-Civic engagement and climate advocacy

-Recent climate policy rollbacks

-Local vs. global action

-Energy and transportation reform

-Agricultural reform

-Overcoming lack of political will

-Creating cultural change

-Air travel and hypocrisy allegations

-Individual vs. corporate carbon footprints

-Collective action

-Divestment

-The unique influence of the US