Reasonable

Kevin Trenberth is a Distinguished Scholar at the National Center of Atmospheric Research or (NCAR) and an Honorary Academic in the Department of Physics, Auckland University in Auckland, New Zealand. 

He has spent his career studying how energy flows through the climate system. If you’re anything like me, this conversation will challenge the way you think about global warming and climate change. 

Kevin’s insight invites you to not think about climate change simply as the earth getting warmer, but how energy moves around the world in various forms and how that affects all of us in big ways and small. 

In addition, you’ll learn how we rely on elephant seals to make sense of what is happening in the oceans. 

Links:

Kevin’s Profile:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Trenberth

https://staff.cgd.ucar.edu/trenbert/

https://www.agci.org/people/0034x000013tCRAAA2/kevin-trenberth

Kevin’s Book:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Changing-Flow-of-Energy-Through-the-Climate-System-Paperback-9781108972468/556634922

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09M8ZZYBY?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

Kristie Ebi is a professor at the University of Washington School of Public Health. 

She has studied the health effects of climate change for more than 30 years. She has supported multiple countries in Central America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific in assessing their vulnerabilities and implementing adaptation policies and programs. She is also the founder and former director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment (CHanGE) at the University of Washington School of Public Health. 

In this episode, we discuss how climate change is affecting our health, how carbon dioxide  affects plants, and some of the things communities can do to prepare. Her calm and even-handed approach to this subject makes a complex issue an easy listen. 

Links:

Kristie Ebi's Profile:

https://sph.washington.edu/sph-profiles/faculty-profiles/kristie-ebi

https://deohs.washington.edu/faculty/kristie-l-ebi

Climate Cafe Substack by the Climate Minders: 

https://climatecafe.substack.com

Kristie’s Ted Talk:

https://www.ted.com/talks/kristie_ebi_how_climate_change_could_make_our_food_less_nutritious

Prof. Peter Orazem is the interim Chair of Economics at Iowa State University and an expert in labor economics. 

He received his Ph.D. in economics from Yale University in 1983 and with a career that spans over 40 years, he has taught and researched the areas of labor economics, entrepreneurship, education and much more.

In this episode, we cover several aspects of labor economics. Peter and I discuss if wages have truly kept up with productivity, how AI could potentially affect labor, and the role immigration plays in the US labor market. We also discuss non-competes and the importance of mobility in a healthy labor market. 

Links: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdZc2b088kM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi9MQfMEm8g

Dr. Warner is a renowned chemist, inventor, and one of the founders of the field of Green Chemistry. He has worked in both academia and the private sector and has over 300 patents. 

With his co-author Paul Anastas, he  wrote the book on Green chemistry and later helped to create the world’s first Ph.D program in Green Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. 

You may also recognize him from the recent Netflix hit documentary, Plastic Detox. 

In this episode, we discuss the idea of Green Chemistry and how we can create better materials that more cost effective and better for industry while also being better for human health and the environment. 

His pragmatic approach to science and economics makes his case for Green Chemistry adoption a compelling one for listeners across the political spectrum. 

Links: 

https://johnwarner.org/

https://www.beyondbenign.org/

https://www.epa.gov/greenchemistry/green-chemistry-challenge-winners

Professor Emerita Elizabeth Hoffman has had an extraordinary career in economics and academia that spans over 50 years. She was a pioneer in the fields of experimental and behavioral economics. In addition, she has held the positions of Dean, Provost, and President - in 2000, becoming the 20th President of the University of Colorado system.

She has served on numerous non-profit and for-profit boards including the National Science Foundation and Target corporation.

In this episode, we discuss the basics of markets, supply and demand curves, externalities, housing, vaccines, and more. We also dig into the importance of higher education and some of current challenges it faces. 

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