Talk Earthy To Me

You might be eating a credit card’s worth of microplastics every week—yum, not. From plastic’s “miracle” origins to today’s bottled-water nanoplastics, we unpack the recycling myth (cameo, not hero) and how to actually turn off the plastic tap. Quick swaps, community fixes, and policy moves—less doom, more do.

*Email Template to Reach out to your local government to push for Extended Producer Responsibility*

Email Template for Your Local Officials to Push for EPR Laws: 

Hi [Official],

I’m a resident of [City/ZIP] and I’m urging you to support policies that reduce plastic waste at the source.

Back local reuse/return systems and EPR for packaging, so companies—not taxpayers—cover the costs of waste management.

Expand organics pickup to cut landfill methane and plastic contamination.

Push our national delegation to support a strong global plastics treaty that caps virgin plastic production and phases out toxic additives.

These steps lower city costs, protect public health, and help us move toward a cleaner, safer future.

Thank you,

[Your Name]

Works Cited:

Alliance to End Plastic Waste. “Plastic Waste Management Framework.” Alliance to End Plastic Waste, n.d.

Beyond Plastics. “Environmental Justice and Plastics.” Beyond Plastics, n.d.

California Coastal Commission. “Marine Debris.” California Coastal Commission, n.d.

ClientEarth. “Big Oil’s Plan B: Plastic.” ClientEarth, n.d.

Coastal Care. “Pongara Beach, Gabon.” By Andrew G. Cooper and Orrin H. Pilkey. Coastal Care, 2016.

Imperial College London. “Ocean Plastic Could Triple by 2040 without Immediate Action.” Imperial News, 2020.

International Aluminium Institute. “Aluminium Is Infinitely Recyclable.” International Aluminium Institute, n.d.

Marine Debris Program, NOAA. “Ingestion.” NOAA Marine Debris Program, n.d.

—. “Economic Impacts of Marine Debris on Tourism-Dependent Communities.” NOAA Marine Debris Program, n.d.

National Geographic Society. “A Whopping 91 Percent of Plastic Isn’t Recycled.” National Geographic Education, 2018.

National Institutes of Health. “Plastic Particles in Bottled Water.” NIH Research Matters, n.d.

Natural Resources Defense Council. “Microplastics Are a Growing Threat.” NRDC, n.d.

NPR. “Recycling Plastic Is Practically Impossible—and the Problem Is Getting Worse.” NPR, 24 Oct. 2022.

OECD. Global Plastics Outlook: Economic Drivers, Environmental Impacts and Policy Options. OECD Publishing, 2022.

—. “Plastics.” OECD Topics, n.d.

Ocean Conservancy. “Plastics in the Ocean.” Ocean Conservancy, n.d.

The Ocean Cleanup. “Ocean Plastic Pollution, Explained.” The Ocean Cleanup, n.d.

Our World in Data. “Packaging Is the Source of 40% of the Planet’s Plastic Waste.” Our World in Data, n.d.

Pew Charitable Trusts. “Breaking the Plastic Wave: Top Findings.” The Pew Charitable Trusts, 23 July 2020.

RTS. “Recycling Offenders: The Most Difficult Materials to Recycle.” RTS, n.d.

Science History Institute. “History and Future of Plastics.” Science History Institute, n.d.

ScienceDirect. “Article on Microplastics and Human Exposure.” ScienceDirect, n.d.

(Use the article’s exact title and journal details when you have them.)

ScienceDirect. Leslie, et al. “Discovery and Quantification of Plastic Particle Pollution in Human Blood.” Environment International, 2022.

(Add volume/issue/pages if needed.)

UCSF Magazine. “The Plastic Inside Us.” UCSF Magazine, n.d.

UN Climate Change. “Plastics and Climate.” United Nations Climate Change, n.d.

United States, NOAA Fisheries. “Entanglement: Marine Life Risks and Response.” NOAA Fisheries, n.d.

United States, VOA News. “Upcycling Flip-Flops: Kenya-Based Company Turns Discarded Footwear into Colorful Art.” Voice of America, 2023.

World Economic Forum. “Plastic Pollution: A Call for a Global Treaty.” World Economic Forum, 2024.

YouTube. “Plastic and Microplastics Explainer.” YouTube, n.d.

(Replace with the actual video title and uploader name if available.)

4ocean. “Hurricanes Stirring Up Plastic: How Storms Move Marine Debris Inland.” 4ocean Notebook, n.d.

Greenpeace USA. “U.S. Plastic Waste Recycling Rate in 2021.” Greenpeace, 2022.

Method Recycling. “Recycling 101: What Do the Plastic Codes Mean?” Method Recycling Journal, n.d.

Oceans Alive (Ocean Sole). “Our Impact.” Ocean Sole, n.d.

Ocean Sole. “About Ocean Sole.” Ocean Sole, n.d.

NIC&MIC. “How It’s Made: Ocean Sole.” NIC&MIC, n.d.

Stop Poison Plastic. “Plastic Treaty Talks Overrun by Fossil Fuel Lobbyists, Campaigners Say.” Stop Poison Plastic, n.d.

The Guardian. “Only a Tiny Fraction of U.S. Plastic Waste Was Recycled in 2021, Report Finds.” The Guardian, 23 Oct. 2022.

The Ocean Cleanup. “Ocean Plastic Pollution Explained.” The Ocean Cleanup, n.d.

U.S. NOAA. “Why Marine Debris Is a Problem: Ingestion.” NOAA Marine Debris Program, n.d.

You know that satisfying little clunk when you toss a LaCroix can or a plastic Starbucks cup into the recycling bin? That quick rush of eco-pride, like you just saved a sea turtle with a single flick of the wrist?

Hate to break it to you—but most of that stuff isn’t actually getting recycled.

This episode pulls back the curtain on one of the biggest climate lies ever sold: the idea that recycling alone could solve our waste crisis. From carefully rinsed plastic that still end up in landfills, to decades of PR campaigns shifting the blame from corporations onto consumers, we’ll dig into how we got here—and why the system is crumbling before our eyes.

Recycling isn’t worthless, but it was never meant to carry the weight of an industrial-scale problem. Waste is a design flaw, baked into our throwaway economy. So let’s sift through the garbage, uncover the truth behind the blue bin, and talk about what really needs to change if we want a cleaner, more sustainable future.

Works Cited:

Geyer, Roland, et al. “Production, Use, and Fate of All Plastics Ever Made.” Science Advances, vol. 3, no. 7, 2017, e1700782.

Ritchie, Hannah, and Max Roser. “Plastic Waste Trade.” Our World in Data, 2018.

Chen, Meiying, et al. “Microplastics in Aquatic Environments: Occurrence, Distribution, and Ecological Effects.” Marine Pollution Bulletin, vol. 188, 2023, 114619.

Oceana. “Recycling Myth of the Month: Those Numbered Symbols on Single-Use Plastics Do Not Mean You Can Recycle Them.” Oceana Blog, 2020.

U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. “Environmental Justice: Examining the Environmental Protection Agency’s Compliance and Enforcement of Title VI and Executive Order 12,898.” 2016.

Food for Thought. “The Impact of Refill Stores on Household Waste.” Two-Minute Reads, 2022.

U.S. Congress. Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act of 2023. 118th Congress, S.3127.

Closed Loop Partners. The Center for the Circular Economy. Closed Loop Partners, 2023.

Closed Loop Partners. Bringing a Reusable Packaging System to Life. Closed Loop Partners, 2022.

Closed Loop Partners. Plastics & Packaging. Closed Loop Partners, 2022.

Closed Loop Partners. Reuse and Refill Models: NextGen Consortium Impact Report. Closed Loop Partners, 2023.

Closed Loop Partners. Findings on Small Format Packaging Recovery. Closed Loop Partners, 2022.

Closed Loop Partners. Results from the Petaluma Reuse Project. Closed Loop Partners, 2022.

Closed Loop Partners. Closed Loop Partners Advances Major Progress for the Circular Economy with Portfolio Companies Keeping over $5 Billion of Materials and Products in Circulation through Local and Regional Investments. Closed Loop Partners, 2023.

Closed Loop Partners. Reuse Insights. Closed Loop Partners, 2022.

Closed Loop Partners. NextGen Consortium Reports and Insights. Closed Loop Partners, 2023.

Everyday activism isn’t just about reusable cups and recycling bins—it’s about pushing back on a broken waste system.

In this episode, we uncover how corporations shifted blame onto consumers while ramping up single-use everything. From toxic landfills to communities bearing the brunt of pollution, we’ll explore how small daily actions and collective power can add up to real change.

Because trash isn’t inevitable—it’s political. And together, we can rewrite the story.

Cited Sources:

Axios. “Coke, Pepsi Identified as Top Plastic Polluters in Global Waste Study.” Axios, 24 Apr. 2024.

Beyond Plastics. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Beyond Plastics, 2024.

Break Free From Plastic. 2023 Global Brand Audit Results. Break Free From Plastic, 7 Feb. 2024.

Break Free From Plastic. Regional Brand Audit Report Identifies Top Plastic Sachet Polluters in Asia. Break Free From Plastic, 16 Apr. 2024.

Break Free From Plastic. Break Free From Plastic Movement Resources. Break Free From Plastic, 2024.

Brooks, Amy L., Shunli Wang, and Jenna R. Jambeck. “The Chinese Import Ban and Its Impact on Global Plastic Waste Trade.” Science Advances, vol. 4, no. 6, June 2018, eaat0131.

CalRecycle. Food Recovery and Organic Waste Reduction. California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, 2024.

CalRecycle. Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, 2024.

Center for International Environmental Law. Plastic & Climate: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet. CIEL, May 2019.

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Program. Colorado DPHE, 2024.

Composting Council. Composting Resources. U.S. Composting Council, 2024.

Detroit Office of Sustainability. Compost Program Helps Residents Reduce Food Waste. City of Detroit, 2024.

Earth911. Recycling and Sustainability Resources. Earth911, 2024.

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI). “Q&A: Addressing the Environmental Justice Implications of Waste.” EESI, 2024.

Environment America. “A Day at the Landfill.” Environment America, 2024.

Geyer, Roland, Jenna R. Jambeck, and Kara Lavender Law. “Production, Use, and Fate of All Plastics Ever Made.” Science Advances, vol. 3, no. 7, July 2017, e1700782.

Global Plastic Laws. UN Global Plastics Treaty Resources. Global Plastic Laws, 2024.

International Finance Corporation. “The World Has a Waste Problem.” IFC, 2024.

Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Programs. Maine DEP, 2024.

Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. Michigan Food Waste Roadmap. State of Michigan, 2024.

National Public Radio (NPR). “Plastic Wars: Three Takeaways from the Fight over the Future of Plastics.” NPR, 31 Mar. 2020.

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Modernizing Oregon’s Recycling System. Oregon DEQ, 2024.

Reuters. “UN Sets Date for Extra Session to Finalize Global Plastics Treaty.” Reuters, 3 Mar. 2025.

United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Basic Information About Landfill Gas. U.S. EPA, 2024.

United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Waste and Recycling. U.S. EPA, 2023.

United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Preventing Wasted Food at Home. U.S. EPA, 2024.

World Economic Forum. “Every Minute, One Garbage Truck of Plastic Is Dumped into Our Oceans.” World Economic Forum, Oct. 2016.

YouTube. “Plastic Wars | Full Documentary.” PBS Frontline, uploaded by PBS, 2020.

Your banana peel called—it wants a second chance at life.

In this episode of Talk Earthy to Me, we’re digging into the surprisingly spicy world of composting. From why it’s become a political hot potato (yes, even trash is political now) to how your kitchen scraps can save the planet, we’ll spill the tea on how turning waste into rich, fertile soil is one of the simplest, most powerful climate actions you can take.

By the end, you’ll never look at your garbage the same way again. Because, babe, trash isn’t just trash… It’s potential.

HOW TO GUIDE TO COMPOSTING

Compost List: https://compostcrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/The-List-2025.pdf 

Works Cited

Acterra. Composting and Food Waste Reduction Strategies. Acterra, 2024.

Biocycle. Residential Food Waste Collection Access in U.S. Biocycle, 2023.

Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. Methane and Climate Change. Climate and Clean Air Coalition, 2024.

City of Los Angeles. Food Waste and SB 1383 Compliance Guide. LA Sanitation, 2024.

City of Seattle. Food and Yard Services for Multi-Family Properties. Seattle Public Utilities, 2024.

City of Seattle. “New Seattle Law: No More Food in Trash.” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 2015.

Composting Council. Climate Change Benefits of Composting. U.S. Composting Council, 2024.

Compost Crew. About Compost Crew. Compost Crew, 2024.

Compost Crew. DC Food Waste Reduction Program 2024. Compost Crew, 2024.

Drawdown. Improve Landfill Management. Project Drawdown, 2024.

Environmental Protection Agency. Composting Basics. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2024.

Environmental Protection Agency. Facts and Figures About Materials, Waste, and Recycling: National Overview. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2024.

Environmental Protection Agency. Importance of Methane. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2024.

Environmental Protection Agency. Regional Resources to Reduce and Divert Wasted Food Across the U.S. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2024.

Food Empowerment Project. Environmental Racism. Food Empowerment Project, 2024.

Food and Drug Administration. Food Loss and Waste. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2024.

Mitchell, Shandra. “Why Do We Compare Methane and Carbon Dioxide Over a 100-Year Timeframe?” MIT Climate Portal, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2024.

National Center for Biotechnology Information. “Health Impacts of Landfills on Nearby Communities.” Public Health Reports, 2016.

Natural Resources Defense Council. The Environmental Justice Movement. NRDC, 2023.

National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. The Full Circle of Local Food Systems. ATTRA, 2024.

National Public Radio. “Tossing Out Food in the Trash in Seattle? You’ll Be Fined for That.” NPR, 2015.

Project RoadRunner. “Landfills: We’re Running Out of Space.” RoadRunner Waste Management, 2024.

Prnewswire. “Compost Crew Hits New Highs in Tonnage and Customers in 2024.” PR Newswire, 2024.

ScienceDirect. “Household Participation in Organics Collection Programs.” Waste Management, vol. 183, 2024.

Seattle.gov. Seattle Composting Policy Overview. City of Seattle, 2024.

SWEEP Standard. “Time Is Running Out: The U.S. Landfill Capacity Crisis.” SWEEP Standard, 2024.

Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. Managing Organic Materials in Vermont. Vermont DEC, 2024.

Waste360. “Compost Crew Breaks Records for Waste Diversion and Customer Growth.” Waste360, 2024.

Waste360. “Compost Crew Doubles Its Customers in 2023.” Waste360, 2023.

Waste360. “National Landfill Capacity and Waste Management Report.” Waste360, 2024.

YouTube. “How Composting Saves the Planet.” YouTube, uploaded 2024.

Environment America. “A Day at the Landfill.” Environment America, 2024.

That $5 top you bought for brunch? It might have a hidden price tag — one that someone else is paying.

In this episode of Talk Earthy to Me, we’re unravelling the messy truth behind fast fashion. From underpaid garment workers and overflowing landfills to communities in Ghana and Chile drowning in textile waste, we’re exposing the real cost of our cheap closets.

You’ll learn why fast fashion is one of the biggest polluters on the planet, how our donated clothes often become someone else’s environmental nightmare, and what you can do — personally, collectively, and politically — to help turn the tide.

Additionally, we’ll spotlight The OR Foundation, a powerhouse nonprofit organisation fighting textile waste in Ghana, and share easy swaps that keep your closet both cute and conscious.

Because good style doesn’t have to come at a bad cost.

Works Cited

Changing Markets Foundation. Fossil Fashion: The Hidden Reliance of Fast Fashion on Fossil Fuels. Changing Markets Foundation, 2023.

CNN. “Kantamanto Textile Market in Ghana: Fast Fashion’s Waste Crisis.” CNN, 10 Aug. 2023.

Earth.org. “Fast Fashion’s Detrimental Effect on the Environment.” Earth.org, 2023.

Earth.org. “Statistics About Fast Fashion Waste.” Earth.org, 2023.

Earthday.org. “Beneath the Seams: The Human Toll of Fast Fashion.” Earth Day Network, 2023.

Europarl. “The Impact of Textile Production and Waste on the Environment.” European Parliament, 2020.

Fashion Revolution. About Fashion Revolution. Fashion Revolution, 2023.

Forbes. Pinnock, Olivia. “The Plastic Pollution Hiding in Your Wardrobe—and How to Tackle It.” Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024.

Green America. “What Really Happens to Unwanted Clothes.” Green America, 2023.

Greenpeace Africa. “Fast Fashion, Slow Poison: New Report Exposes Toxic Impact of Global Textile Waste in Ghana.” Greenpeace Africa, 2023.

International Labour Organization. Rana Plaza: Country Focus. ILO, 2023.

National Geographic. “Chile’s Desert Is Buried in Unwanted Clothes.” National Geographic, 2023.

National Geographic. “Is There a Better Way to Get Rid of Old Clothes?” National Geographic, 2023.

Nature. “Textile Production and Its Environmental Impact.” Nature Climate Change, vol. 7, 2017, pp. 713–720.

Planetaid. “The Truth About Secondhand Clothes.” Planetaid, 2023.

ScienceDirect. “Environmental Impact of Fast Fashion Supply Chains.” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 277, 2020.

Smith, Matthew. “The Hidden Cost of Fast Fashion: What You’re Really Paying For.” Waste Free Planet, 2023.

The OR Foundation. Work and Impact Report. The OR Foundation, 2023.

Time. “Ghana’s Fight Against Fast Fashion Waste Pollution.” Time, 2024.

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. “UN Alliance Aims to Put Fashion on a Path to Sustainability.” UNECE, 2023.

United Nations Environment Programme. “Fashion’s Tiny Hidden Secret.” UNEP, 2023.

United Nations Environment Programme. “Unsustainable Fashion and Textiles in Focus.” UNEP, 2023.

United Nations Regional Information Centre. “From Petroleum to Pollution: The Cost of Polyester.” UNRIC, 2023.

Wired. “The Growing Problem of Fashion Waste.” Wired, 2023.

World Wildlife Fund. “Handle With Care.” WWF Magazine, Spring 2014.

YouTube. “Fast Fashion and Its Impact.” YouTube, uploaded 2023.

Ever wonder what happens to your trash after you drag it to the curb? Spoiler alert: it doesn’t just disappear. In this episode of Talk Earthy to Me, we dig deep into the messy truth about where our waste really goes — and who pays the price. From landfills in low-income neighborhoods to e-waste scrapyards overseas, we’ll uncover the hidden injustices buried in our garbage system.

This isn’t just about overflowing bins or recycling mistakes — it’s about environmental racism, toxic colonialism, and the communities forced to live with the consequences of everyone else’s leftovers. Tune in to learn why your trash isn’t just trash… it’s a justice issue, and how you can be part of the solution.

Works Cited

American Public Health Association. Environmental Justice. APHA, 2023.

American Society for Microbiology. “Exposure to Landfills and Associated Health Risks.” National Library of Medicine, 2016.

Ban, Basel Action Network. USA Plastic Waste Export Data Annual Summary. Basel Action Network, 2023.

Chavis Jr., Benjamin F. “Warren County and the Birth of a Movement.” Facing South, 2022.

Environmental Defense Fund. Methane: A Crucial Opportunity in the Climate Fight. EDF, 2024.

Environmental Protection Agency. Landfill Methane Outreach Program Database. EPA, 2024.

Environmental Protection Agency. Facts and Figures About Materials, Waste and Recycling. EPA, 2023.

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. “Addressing the Environmental Justice Implications of Waste.” EESI, 2024.

Environment America. Trash in America. Environment America, 2023.

Gibbens, Sarah. “More Than Half of U.S. Landfills May Be Methane Super-Emitters, Study Finds.” Smithsonian Magazine, 2023.

King County Solid Waste Division. Cedar Hills Regional Landfill Information. King County, 2024.

Lifestyle Sustainability Directory. “Toxic Colonialism.” Sustainability Directory, 2023.

Maine Public. “Americans Toss Nearly 5 Pounds of Waste a Day. Repair Cafes Encourage Fixing Broken Items Instead.” Maine Public, 2023.

National Public Radio. “Climate Action and the History of Environmentalism.” NPR, 2023.

Natural Resources Defense Council. Environmental Justice Movement. NRDC, 2023.

Natural Resources Defense Council. What Is Environmental Racism?. NRDC, 2023.

NBC News. “Palo Alto Recycling Exposed: Where America’s Waste Really Ends Up.” NBC News, 2023.

New York City Streetsblog. “Bus Depots: A Symptom of Environmental Injustice.” Streetsblog NYC, 2007.

National Library of Medicine. “Electronic Waste and Health Hazards in Agbogbloshie, Ghana.” National Library of Medicine, 2021.

Pallister, David. “Recycling: Is Exporting It All a Load of Rubbish?” The Times, 2023.

RoadRunner Waste Management. “Landfills: We’re Running Out of Space.” RoadRunner Waste Management, 2023.

Sustainable America. “Wishcycling: What It Is and Why It Matters.” RecycleNation, 2020.

The World Economic Forum. “The Flow of Global Plastic Waste.” World Economic Forum, 2023.

WE ACT for Environmental Justice. About WE ACT. WE ACT, 2023.

University of Alabama at Birmingham Institute for Human Rights. “People of Color Live Disproportionately Close to Superfund Sites.” UAB Institute for Human Rights, 2021.

Wikipedia. “Toxic Colonialism.” Wikipedia, 2024.

YouTube. “The Story of Plastic.” YouTube, uploaded 2023.

Think your trash disappears once you roll the bin to the curb? Think again. Spoiler alert: there is no “away.”

In this kickoff to our Dirty Truth About Waste mini-series, we’re diving headfirst into the messy, surprising, and sometimes downright shady world of garbage. From plastics that never die to food waste fueling climate change, fast fashion filling landfills, and the communities carrying the heaviest toxic burdens — we’re unpacking it all.

This episode is your crash course in what’s to come. You’ll get a quick taste of each waste stream we’ll explore in the weeks ahead, plus real-world examples of how everyday people are making a difference through mindful consumption, repair culture, composting, and collective action.

Tune in, and let’s get trashy — in all the right ways.

Works Cited

“Plastic Pollution Is Growing Relentlessly as Waste Management and Recycling Fall Short.” OECD, 22 Feb. 2022, www.oecd.org/en/about/news/press-releases/2022/02/plastic-pollution-is-growing-relentlessly-as-waste-management-and-recycling-fall-short.html

“Food Loss and Waste Account for 8–10% of Annual Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Cost USD 1 Trillion.” United Nations Climate Change, 29 Sept. 2021, unfccc.int/news/food-loss-and-waste-account-for-8-10-of-annual-global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-cost-usd-1-trillion.

Paritosh, Kumar, et al. “Advances in Waste Management: Treatment Technologies, Energy Recovery, and Circular Economy.” Frontiers in Environmental Science, vol. 9, 2021, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8257395/.

Hoffman, Amy. “The Enormous Opportunity of E-Waste Recycling.” World Economic Forum, 27 Mar. 2023, www.weforum.org/stories/2023/03/the-enormous-opportunity-of-e-waste-recycling/.

“The Problem of Plastic Bags.” Californians Against Waste, www.cawrecycles.org/the-problem-of-plastic-bags.

“Composting at Home.” United States Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/composting.

“Civilian Occupations with High Fatal Work Injury Rates.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024, www.bls.gov/charts/census-of-fatal-occupational-injuries/civilian-occupations-with-high-fatal-work-injury-rates.htm.

What if the biggest climate villains weren’t just our daily choices — but the trillion-dollar industries shaping them? In this episode, we dig into how fossil fuel giants built a decades-long cover-up, how “normal” habits like fast fashion and cheap flights were manufactured, and why personal swaps matter most when they spark collective action. Think less solo mission, more Avengers assemble — because the planet needs the whole team.

Works Cited

“Exxon Knew About Climate Change Almost 40 Years Ago.” Scientific American, 26 Oct. 2015, www.scientificamerican.com/article/exxon-knew-about-climate-change-almost-40-years-ago/.

Union of Concerned Scientists. “Climate Accountability.” Union of Concerned Scientists, www.ucs.org/climate/accountability.

“ClientEarth Takes Legal Action against Shell’s Board for Mismanaging Climate Risk.” ClientEarth, 15 Mar. 2022, www.clientearth.org/latest/news/we-re-taking-legal-action-against-shell-s-board-for-mismanaging-climate-risk/.

“Legal Insight: ClientEarth v. Shell Plc.” Climate Hughes, climatehughes.org/legal-insight-clientearth-v-shell-plc/.

Piggot, Georgia, et al. “Realigning Climate Change Mitigation Targets to Meet the Paris Agreement.” Energy Research & Social Science, vol. 74, 2021, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629621002073.

“Coal Is Not Clean: Exposing Greenwashing in the Coal Industry.” ClientEarth, 25 Apr. 2019, www.clientearth.org/latest/news/coal-is-not-clean-exposing-greenwashing-in-the-coal-industry/.

“Environmental Impacts of Natural Gas.” Union of Concerned Scientists, www.ucs.org/resources/environmental-impacts-natural-gas#:~:text=In%20addition%20to%20gases%2C%20groundwater,wastewater%20pit%20liners%20%5B19%5D.

“Climate-Related Corporate Responsibility and Disclosure.” Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 2025, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S3050475925001939.

Detrow, Scott. “Once Again, the U.S. Has Failed to Take Sweeping Climate Action. Here’s Why.” NPR, 27 Oct. 2021, www.npr.org/2021/10/27/1047583610/once-again-the-u-s-has-failed-to-take-sweeping-climate-action-heres-why.

Hersher, Rebecca. “How Disposable Plastic Pollution Persists.” NPR, 9 June 2024, www.npr.org/2024/06/09/nx-s1-4942415/disposable-plastic-pollution-waste-single-use-recycling-climate-change-fossil-fuels.

Birol, Fatih. “The Global Energy Crisis Pushed Fossil Fuel Consumption Subsidies to an All-Time High.” International Energy Agency (IEA), 2023, www.iea.org/commentaries/the-global-energy-crisis-pushed-fossil-fuel-consumption-subsidies-to-an-all-time-high.

BP Energy Review. BP, carbonreview.bp.com/#/sso/welcome?redirect=/&appId=null.

“Debunking the False Choice between Individual Behavior Change and Systems Change.” ClimateWorks Foundation, www.climateworks.org/blog/debunking-the-false-choice-between-individual-behavior-change-and-systems-change.

“Climate and Development Pathways.” Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, 2025, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352154625000221.

“Pathways toward Global Emission Reduction.” Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, 2024, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352154624001177.

“Harvard-Led Analysis Finds ExxonMobil Internal Research Accurately Predicted Climate Change.” Harvard Gazette, 12 Jan. 2023, news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/01/harvard-led-analysis-finds-exxonmobil-internal-research-accurately-predicted-climate-change/.

Supran, Geoffrey, et al. “Assessing ExxonMobil’s Global Warming Projections.” Science, vol. 379, no. 6628, 2023, doi:10.1126/science.abk0063.

Hersher, Rebecca. “Exxon Climate Predictions Were Accurate Decades Ago. Still, It Sowed Doubt.” NPR, 12 Jan. 2023, www.npr.org/2023/01/12/1148376084/exxon-climate-predictions-were-accurate-decades-ago-still-it-sowed-doubt.

Carrington, Damian. “Climate Change: Oil Industry Was Warned in 1968.” The Guardian, 13 Apr. 2016, www.theguardian.com/business/2016/apr/13/climate-change-oil-industry-environment-warning-1968.

“Exxon Knew – Documentary.” YouTube, uploaded by The Years Project, 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VOWi8oVXmo.

World Resources Institute. WRI, www.wri.org/.

“Climate Action Works Better with Collective Change.” Sentient Media, sentientmedia.org/climate-action-works-better-with-collective-change/.

Global Forest Watch. World Resources Institute, www.globalforestwatch.org/.

Climate Watch Data. World Resources Institute, www.climatewatchdata.org/.

Transformative Partnerships for the SDGs: Summary. World Resources Institute, publications.wri.org/transformative-partnerships-sdgs/summary.

State of Climate Action 2023. World Resources Institute, www.wri.org/research/state-climate-action-2023

Are tote bags and metal straws enough to save the planet? Not quite. This week, we dig into how oil giants and industrial polluters push the “it’s your fault” narrative — and why real change means systemic action, not just personal swaps.

Carrington, Damian. “Just 100 Companies Responsible for 71% of Global Emissions, Study Says.” The Guardian, 10 July 2017, www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/10/100-fossil-fuel-companies-investors-responsible-71-global-emissions-cdp-study-climate-change.

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Berman, Leah. “36 Fossil Fuel Giants Responsible for Half of World’s CO2 Emissions, Report Finds.” Earth.Org, 1 Mar. 2025, earth.org/36-fossil-fuel-giants-responsible-for-half-of-worlds-co2-emissions-report/.

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In this episode, we’re getting to the heart of it: the climate. You know, that long-term pattern of weather that makes life on Earth… well, livable. We’ll break down why a consistent climate matters, how it’s different from weather, what climate change really means, and how global warming — fueled by human activity — is throwing everything out of balance.

If you’ve ever looked at headlines about record-breaking heat, raging wildfires, or catastrophic floods and wondered, “Is this just normal now?” — this one’s for you. Spoiler: the answer is complicated, the stakes are sky-high, and no… this is not fine.

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