Talking Climate with Katharine Hayhoe

One of the biggest challenges in climate action is imagining what a better future could actually look like: especially when solutions are so often framed as sacrifices that require loss, instead of opportunities to benefit from. This week's good news and what-to-do takes those on directly— 

🏡 Good news: A new net-zero community in Ontario combines climate-friendly homes with walkable streets, hills and lakes, clean energy, and cold-climate heat pumps. 

🚨 Not-so-good news: A new study from Houston found that climate disasters are making already dangerous prison conditions even worse, with extreme heat, flooding, and loss of basic necessities during storms. 

🚶‍♀️What you can do: Try taking a “climate walk” through your own neighbourhood this week. What makes it livable? What could make it better? Climate solutions become much more tangible once we can actually imagine them around us!

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for narrating this edition of Talking Climate. 

Music by Bradley Myer.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca

What does it actually look like to move beyond fossil fuels — not someday, but now? 

🌍 Good news: In Colombia, 57 countries gathered last week for the first-ever global conference dedicated to transitioning away from fossil fuels. Together, they're creating practical roadmaps for reducing fossil fuel use.

🌊 Not-so-good news: A new study warns that much of coastal Louisiana may eventually be lost to rising seas, erosion, wetland loss, and sinking land. New Orleans could become an island in the Gulf. 

♻️ Inspiration: In Louisiana, Glass Half Full is turning recycled glass into sand and gravel for coastal restoration - reminding us that solutions don’t have to start big to matter, and that we can feed two birds with one scone! 

(yes, you see what I did there) 

Read more in this week’s Talking Climate and don't forget to share what you learn, to make change contagious!

Find volunteer opportunities with Glassroots here.

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for narrating this edition of Talking Climate. 

Music by Bradley Myer.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca

This week, I’m delighted to welcome fellow climate Katharine, Katharine Wilkinson, as guest editor of Talking Climate.

🌍 Good news: The lawyers who contributed to the landmark International Court of Justice climate ruling reminds us how every one of us has unique gifts to bring to climate action.

⚠️ Not-so-good news: Young people are carrying an enormous emotional burden as climate impacts intensify, with many feeling fear and uncertainty about the future.

💚 What we can do: We don’t have to answer this question alone! Katharine's new book, Climate Wayfinding, and the accompanying program helps us move from climate anxiety and uncertainty toward courage, community, and action.

Find a Climate Wayfinding reading group here.

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for narrating this edition of Talking Climate. 

Music by Bradley Myer.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca

Climate change is already reshaping our energy systems, our health, and even the basic medicines we rely on. But progress continues, and we can help.

⚡ Good news: Global investment in clean energy hit a record $2.3 trillion last year, outpacing fossil fuel investment for the second year in a row.

🦠 Not-so-good news: New research suggests that warming temperatures and drought may be fueling antibiotic resistance in soil, making infections harder to treat.

🌿 What we can do: The Nature Conservancy's free guide offers simple ways to get outside, from bird-watching to planting for pollinators to my personal fav: finding new ways to “wander and wonder.” Pick one thing and give it a try this week!

Find The Nature Conservancy's free Earth Day guide here.

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for narrating this edition of Talking Climate. 

Music by Bradley Myer.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca

⛪️ Good news: In the U.K., over 100 church leaders are calling out climate misinformation, making the moral case for why it causes real harm and delays action.

🐍 Not so good news: Climate change is shifting where species live—and in the case of venomous snakes, a new global study finds rising temperatures could increase the likelihood of dangerous encounters for millions.

🌱 What you can do: In the Netherlands, nearly 13M pavement tiles have been replaced with plants through a nationwide “tile flipping” challenge that's cooling neighborhoods, reducing flood risk, and restoring habitat.

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for narrating this edition of Talking Climate. 

Music by Bradley Myer.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca

What if one of the most powerful climate solutions isn’t technology—but conversation?

💇‍♀️ Good news: Hairdressers may be some of the most effective climate communicators we’ve been overlooking. A U.K. study shows that when salons spark climate conversations, nearly 73% of clients say they’d adopt more eco-friendly habits.

⚠️ Not so good news: War doesn’t only devastate lives - it also drives massive emissions. A Climate and Community Institute analysis shows the first two weeks of the Iran conflict alone released about 5 million tonnes of carbon pollution. Rebuilding the damage will add even more.

🌱 What you can do: While negative news spreads faster, it’s positive, actionable stories that actually motivate us to act. Follow at least one source that shares climate solutions this week and share what you learn, on or offline.

Find the walkability map here.

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for narrating this edition of Talking Climate. 

Music by Bradley Myer.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca

🌱 Good news: Cities like London, Paris, and Barcelona are redesigning streets for people instead of cars. This cuts pollution while improving health, local economies, and quality of life.

🌡️ Not so good news: Rising nighttime temperatures are disrupting sleep worldwide, with cascading effects on health, learning, and productivity—especially for the most vulnerable.

🏡 What you can do: Simple steps like adding window film, choosing reflective roofing, and planting trees can keep your home cooler, save money, and reduce the urban heat island effect, if you live in a city.

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for narrating this edition of Talking Climate. 

Music by Bradley Myer.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca

🌎 Good news: One of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems on Earth, the Great Bear Sea, is Canada’s first - and the world's second largest - marine protected area network, co-governed by 17 First Nations.

⚠️ Not-so-good news: A new The Nature Conservancy Science study finds that 35% of the world already lives in areas where extreme heat limits safe outdoor activity for part of the year.

🌱 What you can do: Even small actions like planting native species or supporting community gardens can cool cities, reduce flooding, and support biodiversity. 

And when we talk about climate solutions, anger and worry decreases: and hope rises! By making climate action visible, it can become contagious.

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for narrating this edition of Talking Climate. 

Music by Bradley Myer.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca

Hope isn’t something we wait for: it's something we create. This week's Talking Climate news illustrates why it matters so much, and how innovation and courage can help!

💧 Good news: A solar-powered system can pull drinking water directly from the air—up to 1,000 liters of clean water a day, even in dry areas where billions of people already face water scarcity. 

🧠 Not-so-good news: Climate change is increasingly affecting people's mental health, from Madagascar to Appalachia. In the U.S. alone, rising heat could lead to hundreds of millions additional days of anxiety and depression each year by end of century.

🚶 Inspiration: Three members of New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light recently completed a 320-mile pilgrimage from the oil-producing Permian Basin to the state capitol in Santa Fe to call for climate action. 

Find highlights from my conversation with Christiana Figueres here.

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for narrating this edition of Talking Climate. 

Music by Bradley Myer.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca

🌫️ Good news: London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone cut pollution in half and brought the city into legal air quality compliance 184 years earlier than forecast, proving that climate policy is health policy.

❄️ Not so good news: While average snowfall is declining in many places, a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture: which can mean heavier snow and more dangerous winter extremes where temps stay below freezing. Climate change isn’t eliminating winter; in some places, it’s intensifying it.

🤝 What you can do: One of the most effective climate actions individuals can take is joining a climate group. Collective action reminds us we're not alone, and drives systemic change.

Find Manuel and Pascal's article here.

Find my list of climate action organizations here.

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for narrating this edition of Talking Climate. 

Music by Bradley Myer.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca