Operation Climate

Welcome to Season 9! In this series, we are talking about the positive role of big institutions, universities and governments, in the climate movement.

It’s been a year since the Climate Commitment was announced, but a question still floats in the mind of much of the Duke community: “What exactly is the Climate Commitment?” In this episode, we unravel the layers of the Duke Climate Commitment. Though it might sound complex, the commitment aims to address the climate crisis through impactful, sustainable, and equitable solutions based right here at Duke. The Climate Commitment website talks about Duke's goal of community climate fluency, operations sustainability and broader community engagement beyond Duke. However, questions arise: How do instructors, administrators, and students engage with the commitment? Is the commitment a catalyst for change, or a strategic marketing scheme?

To address these questions, we are joined by a special guest, Katie Douglas, Duke’s Climate Program Manager. Katie provides invaluable insights into the commitment's significance for the Duke community. Join us as we demystify the Duke Climate Commitment and explore its real-world implications in this enlightening conversation with Katie Douglas.

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Visit our website to keep up with the OC team! ⁠⁠https://operationclimatepo.wixsite.com/operationclimate⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram at ⁠⁠@operationclimate⁠⁠!

Follow us on Twitter at ⁠⁠@opclimate!⁠⁠

Subscribe to us on ⁠⁠Youtube!⁠⁠

To contact us, DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

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Guest: Katie Douglas

Host: Ryan Lou

Reporters: Sophia Liang and Erin Chen

Audio Editor: Karina Huang

Executive Producer: Mira Polishook

Music Credit: Cali by Wataboi, other music coming soon!

Get ready for Season 9 of Operation Climate: Green Horizons. This season we’re focusing on big institutions like universities and government… what role do they have in the climate movement? We’ll focus on Duke University and their now one year old Climate Commitment, which aims to tackle the whole spectrum of sustainability from operations to eduction. Then, we’ll zoom out to take a look at an exciting new government-sponsored program: the American Climate Corps. Modeled off of FDR’s Civilian Conservation Corps, the American Climate Corps will mobilize citizens to work in sustainable industries, green energy in particular. 

We can’t wait to share these episodes with you all, so make sure to stay tuned for Season 9: Green Horizons! And if you aren’t already, give us a follow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts as well as instagram at @operationclimate. 

Audio from: 

Duke University. (2022, September 21). Duke Climate Commitment | In it for Life [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mUK3caob6w 

MSNBC News. (2023, September 21). Biden launches Climate Corps; pairs new jobs with climate, infrastructure work [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnDfCa4iHoI&t=6s

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Visit our website to keep up with the OC team! ⁠⁠https://operationclimatepo.wixsite.com/operationclimate⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram at ⁠⁠@operationclimate⁠⁠!

Follow us on Twitter at ⁠⁠@opclimate!⁠⁠

Subscribe to us on ⁠⁠Youtube!⁠⁠

To contact us, DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

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Host: Mira Polishook, with help from Kendra Rentz

Audio Editor: Emily Nagamoto

Music Credit: Cali by Wataboi, Inspired by Kevin Macleod

Welcome to Season 8! In this miniseries, we will look at different avenues of environmental art.

Looking for alternative routes to advocate for the environment, aside from research and policy? Perhaps you should turn to art and engage in the growing phenomenon of environmental artivism. Like the saying goes, a picture (or in this case, a sculpture) can say a thousand words. Art can be an extremely powerful tool in conveying a message.

Today we will be hearing from Courtney Mattison, a ceramic artist who creates expansive ceramic coral reefs to call attention to the detrimental effects of climate change and pollution on these sea creatures. She will discuss how she discovered the intersection between her two passions, marine biology and ceramics, as well as offer advice on how others can find their own passions. 

See Courtney’s work here!: https://courtneymattison.com/ 

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Visit our website to keep up with the OC team! ⁠https://operationclimatepo.wixsite.com/operationclimate⁠

Follow us on Instagram at ⁠@operationclimate⁠!

Follow us on Twitter at ⁠@opclimate!⁠

Subscribe to us on ⁠Youtube!⁠

To contact us, DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

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Guest: Courtney Mattison

Host: Charlotte Caddell

Reporters: Charlotte Caddell, Emily Nagamoto, Kendra Rentz, Mira Polishook

Audio Editor: Mira Polishook

Music Credit: Orbiting Knowhere - The Whole Other

In this episode, we had the privilege of talking with Trevor Schoonmaker, the current director and former curator of contemporary art at the Nasher Museum of Art in Durham, North Carolina. Together, we will delve into Trevor's remarkable journey as an art curator and discuss his most recent exhibition, Spirit in the Land. Spirit in the Land is a contemporary art exhibition that examines today's ecological concerns from a cultural perspective, demonstrating the interconnection between nature and our identities. Through diverse artworks, it emphasizes the importance of environmental justice, preservation of marginalized histories and communities, and the restoration of our collective relationship with the natural world. Join us as we go beyond the canvas and explore Schoonmaker’s motivations, challenges, stories, and insights in bringing this incredible exhibit to life.

See the Nasher’s website here!: https://nasher.duke.edu/ 

Visit Spirit in the Land yourself before it closes on July 9th!

Welcome to Part 2 of Season 8! In this miniseries, we will look at different avenues of environmental art. Check out Episode 1 for dive into coral ceramics.

Guest: Trevor Schoonmaker

Host: Mira Polishook

Reporters: Charlotte Caddell, Emily Nagamoto, Kendra Rentz, Mira Polishook

Audio Editor: Kendra Rentz

Music Credit: Sunshower by LATASHA

What does it take to save a species that is functionally extinct in the wild? Well, it turns out… a lot. Species conservation is not as simple as protecting ecosystems. In this episode, we explore how species and habitat conservation differ, using the story of the American Chestnut tree to illustrate how complex and multi-faceted species conservation can be. We had the pleasure of speaking with Jamie Van Clief, a staff scientist from The American Chestnut Foundation, about the strategies the foundation and its partners are employing to save this iconic native species from extinction. With an optimistic outlook, Jamie provides insight into the evolving world of chestnut conservation and what the future may hold for the American chestnut tree. 

For more information about the American Chestnut Foundation, please visit acf.org and follow them on Instagram @tacf1983 and Twitter @chestnut1904. 

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Guest: Jamie Van Clief

Written, produced, edited, and hosted by Mira Polishook, with help from Emily Nagamoto.
Music: Coming Soon!

In North Carolina, there are almost as many pigs as people. With millions of pigs packed into industrial scale facilities, the question of what to do with the waste has become a huge problem and a prime example of environmental racism. 

In this episode, we explore the concepts of environmental justice and environmental racism through the lens of hog farming. We talk with Jamie Berger, producer of the new documentary, The Smell of Money, explore how individuals in eastern North Carolina are fighting against the pork industry, and discuss ways you can use your passions to work for environmental justice!

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Visit our website to keep up with the OC team! https://operationclimatepo.wixsite.com/operationclimate

Follow us on Instagram at @operationclimate!

Follow us on Twitter at @opclimate!

Subscribe to us on Youtube!

To contact us, DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

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Guest: Jamie Berger 

Host: Jessie Goldblatt and Marissa Sims

Reporters: Jessie Goldblatt, Ryan Luo, Sarah Porter, Marissa Sims, and Clare Sparling 

Audio Editor: Clare Sparling 

Music: Coming soon!

Are schools doing enough to educate the next generation on climate change and the environment? How can we make sure future generations are prepared to handle environmental changes safely and effectively?

In this episode, we continue exploring environmental education on a national level and take a deep dive into Durham Public Schools’ environmental education programs. We continue our discussion on educational standards with Blake Touchet: from the National Center for Science Education. Then, we uncover how these standards are implemented firsthand from Emma Refvem and Erin Carroll of Durham Public Schools. Listen to learn about the state of environmental education and how we can improve the curriculum to better educate future climate leaders!

Welcome to Season 7! This season we are looking at a case study for circular economy and climate education. Join us on this much shorter season for bite size glimpses into these sustainability topics!

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Visit our website to keep up with the OC team and for a full transcript of this episode! https://operationclimatepo.wixsite.com/operationclimate

Follow us on Instagram at @operationclimate!

Follow us on Twitter at @opclimate!

Subscribe to us on Youtube!

To contact us, DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

Is climate misinformation truly prevalent in schools? What barriers do students face in receiving a comprehensive environmental education? What can you do to combat these barriers?

In this episode, we will learn about the state of environmental education in US public schools. We will talk to reporter Katie Worth, the author of Miseducation: How Climate Change is Taught in America. Next we will introduce Blake Touchet from the National Center for Science Education who will discuss the type of support available for teachers attempting to better educate their students about environmental issues. Tune in and learn what students are learning about climate change and what can be done on the local level to improve the state of climate education in schools!

Katie Worth’s book: Miseducation: How Climate Change Is Taught in America

Welcome to Season 7! This season we are looking at a case study for circular economy and climate education. Join us on this much shorter season for bite size glimpses into these sustainability topics!

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Visit our website to keep up with the OC team and for a full transcript of this episode! https://operationclimatepo.wixsite.com/operationclimate

Follow us on Instagram at @operationclimate!

Follow us on Twitter at @opclimate!

Subscribe to us on Youtube!

To contact us, DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

Welcome to Season 7! This season we are looking at a case study for circular economy and climate education. Join us on this much shorter season for bite size glimpses into these sustainability topics!

Is the age of mass consumption upon us? Judging from the quantities of overconsumption and consumer waste that the Earth is seeing daily, it may appear so. Yet as products are being produced and discarded at unsustainable speeds, a counter economic model is emerging. The solution to a more sustainable future may be found with a circular economy in which material lifespans are maximized and economic activities are regenerative.

On today’s episode we hear from Rachel Classi, founder and CEO of Tiny Earth Toys, a business that has approached children’s toys and early education tools from a circular economic angle. Hear directly from a sustainable business owner on the process of smart business model innovation, and think through the steps you could take to engage with sustainability initiatives in your own life!

Learn more about Tiny Earth Toys here!

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Visit our website to keep up with the OC team and for a full transcript of this episode! https://operationclimatepo.wixsite.com/operationclimate

Follow us on Instagram at @operationclimate!

Follow us on Twitter at @opclimate!

Subscribe to us on Youtube!

To contact us, DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

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Hosts: Renee Urtusastegui and Jessie Goldblatt

Reporters: Renee Urtusastegui, Jessie Goldblatt, Clare Sparling, Franny Lee

Guest: Rachel Classi

Audio Editor: Franny Lee

Art is a powerful tool to call people into the climate movement.

Science has shown that our brains are wired to respond to stories. When we hear a story, we naturally engage with the characters, and imagine ourselves in their shoes. This creates an emotional connection to the story and the issue it represents.

Marte Skaara, a co-founder of Climate Illustrated, couples climate stories with artwork depicting bright beautiful futures. In this episode, we discuss the impact that Climate Illustrated's work has had, why art and stories transcend facts/statistics in climate communication, and how to find your climate story.

Season 6 takes the creative liberty to explore topics our podcasters are passionate about. From individuals to communities impacting the climate landscape, take a listen to the episodes that speak to you!

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Visit our website to keep up with the OC team and for a full transcript of this episode! https://operationclimatepo.wixsite.com/operationclimate

Follow us on Instagram at @operationclimate!

Follow us on Twitter at @opclimate!

Subscribe to us on Youtube!

To contact us, DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected]!

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Host: Katherine Li

Guest: Marte Skaara

Audio Editor: Katherine Li