Sea Change Radio

By Alex WiseNews News Commentary Business News

Sea Change Radio episodes

May 19 Lisa Song on EPA Rollbacks and the Dangers of Tear Gas
Several times a day I find myself noting that this administration stinks. It turns out it's not just the stench of cruelty, chaos, and corruption - it's air quality issues, too. This week on Sea Change Radio, we are joined by ProPublica reporter Lisa Song to learn how the Trump administration is affecting the air we breathe. First, we discuss Song’s reporting on the EPA's roll-back of air monitoring systems which allow big polluters to self-report their emissions. Then, we talk about how the EPA is actually questioning its own legal authority to enforce the Clean Air Act. Lastly, we turn to an upsetting story about how the unchecked use of tear gas and pepper spray by federal agents is harming children.
29 min
May 12 Sam Abuelsamid on Autonomous Vehicles (re-broadcast)
If you haven’t yet personally witnessed the very odd feeling of driving up to a four-way stop sign only to realize that the vehicle across the street from you has no driver behind the wheel, chances are you will soon enough. Like it or not, autonomous vehicles are coming, and this week on Sea Change Radio we are speaking with Samuel Abuelsamid, an expert on self-driving technology. We take a look back at the evolution of autonomous vehicles, examine the purported “full self-driving mode” offered by Tesla, and discuss some of the sustainability issues surrounding this technology.
29 min
May 06 John Stoehr: Gut Check Time For Dems
The recent Supreme Court ruling Louisiana v. Callais not only eviscerated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and allowed states to enact discriminatory maps with impunity, it was also a brutal reminder that despite record low approval ratings for the current president, reversing the negative impacts of this administration will be a big job. This week on Sea Change Radio, we enjoy a wide-ranging political conversation with John Stoehr of The Editorial Board. We discuss why holding Trump administration actors accountable should be a primary short-term goal for Democrats, look at how the illegal US/Israeli war against Iran is a bridge too far for many progressives, and touch upon the upcoming Senate race in Maine between Graham Platner and Susan Collins.
29 min
April 28 Wonder Materials: Bryan Guido Hassin of DexMat
Copper and steel were pivotal to the industrial revolution. But these days, it's clear that continued reliance on these substances as our key building materials has devastating environmental implications, including habitat destruction from open-pit mining, water toxification from acid mine drainage, and air pollution from sulfur dioxide emissions. Fortunately there's an emerging array of cutting-edge materials that hold promise for eco-conscious developers. A company named DexMat has developed a material called Galvorn, which is fantastical stuff right out of Spider-Man. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak with Bryan Guido Hassin, the CEO of the Houston-based DexMat, to learn more about Galvorn. Hassin explains how Galvorn is made, what makes it different from conventional materials, and the many exciting potential applications of this futuristic stuff that could get your radioactive blood pumping.
29 min
April 21 Ann Carlson: How Los Angeles Cleaned Up Its Air
For decades, Republicans have been echoing the same mantra, that "government is not the solution, it’s the problem." And for the most part, when the GOP is in power, this aphorism sadly rings all too true. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak with Ann E. Carlson, an environmental law professor and former head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about her new book, Smog and Sunshine: The Surprising Story of How Los Angeles Cleaned Up Its Air. We discuss the sound governmental policies and practices that allowed Los Angelenos to breathe easy again, talk about how private industry lacks sufficient motivation to tackle climate change, and get a glimpse into how today’s law students regard government service.
29 min
April 14 Hannah Murnen of Graphyte on the Quest to Remove Carbon
Most of us aren’t aware of just how much carbon dioxide is emitted from biomass waste such as sawdust, forest thinnings, and agricultural residuals but woody biomass energy production emits roughly double the carbon pollution per unit of electricity of coal, and 4.5 times that of gas. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak to Hannah Murnen, the Chief Technology Officer at a carbon dioxide removal startup known as Graphyte to learn more about the company and the industry as a whole. We discuss how their technology is able to safely store biomass waste that would otherwise decompose or be burned, and get a better understanding of how carbon offsets work.
29 min
April 07 Center For Biological Diversity: Fighting Back One Case At A Time
With all the havoc the Trump administration is currently wreaking on humanity, it’s easy to forget the threat this reign of terror poses for wildlife, as well. Luckily, there are still many people fighting the good fight to protect vulnerable flora and fauna. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak with Ryan Shannon, a Senior Attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. We discuss the landmark case he helped argue to protect four key Endangered Species Act provisions that the Trump administration had weakened, examine the potential impact of the court's ruling, and learn about a separate case where this administration’s “God Squad” is endangering whales under the guise of national security.
29 min
March 31 Energy Expert Daniel Dicker On An Oily War
If you’re still driving a combustion engine vehicle, you’ve probably noticed that within a matter of weeks the price of gas has increased by about a third, courtesy of the illegal war being waged on Iran by the US and Israel. This week on Sea Change Radio, we welcome returning guest and oil expert Daniel Dicker to get an inside perspective on the latest spike in the global price of oil. We discuss the impact the high prices have on the renewable energy industry, ponder how it could affect U.S. domestic oil producers, and examine how the Trump Administration’s manipulation of markets has made oil a very risky commodity to trade.
29 min
March 24 Meera Subramanian: A Novel Graphic Novel
This week on Sea Change Radio we speak with environmental journalist Meera Subramanian about her new YA graphic novel on climate change, A Better World Is Possible, written in partnership with illustrator Danica Novgorodoff. We talk about the need to educate and entertain young people on current events, and discuss the challenges of engaging young readers on heady topics like economics, religion, and science.
29 min
March 17 Alexis Normand of Greenly on F1’s Carbon Footprint
Even casual fans of Formula One, or F1 Racing may have noticed that the popular motor sport has annual grand prix events spanning the globe, from Baku to Shanghai to São Paulo. And this calendar, our guest on this week’s Sea Change Radio argues, comprises a larger portion of F1’s greenhouse gas emissions than the racing itself. Today we speak with Alexis Normand, the CEO of Greenly, to discuss his company’s new report assessing the annual carbon footprint of F1 racing. We compare Greenly’s sustainability report with F1’s own internal one, look at some of the problems with F1’s methodologies, and talk about ways to lessen the sport’s environmental impact.
29 min