New podcasts about our warming planet are popping up right and left, expanding an already overwhelming list of programs. Don\u2019t believe us? Just search \u201cclimate change podcasts\u201d on Spotify and start scrolling. But you\u2019re probably craving a palate cleanser once you\u2019ve worked through the day\u2019s news of shrinking sea ice, expanding deserts, and politicians who refuse to face reality \u2014 a climate podcast that won\u2019t incite further rage and terror, but will make you feel like something can be done to actually solve the problem.<\/p>\n
Such shows exist, and many of them debuted in 2020, a year that too often felt devoid of hope. We\u2019ve done the hard work of sifting through them to highlight five refreshingly entertaining shows that identify solutions already at work, the leaders behind them, and all the ways you (yes, you!) can take action.<\/p>\n
Temperature Check<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong> We swear this list isn\u2019t an excuse to promote Grist\u2019s own podcast! But we\u2019d be remiss if we didn\u2019t include Temperature Check, which dives deeply into the intersection of race, culture, and climate. Host Andrew Simon<\/a>, director of leadership programming here at Grist, interviews big thinkers about standard solutions like sustainable food and community solar. But his guests, from Kendra Pierre-Louis (a senior reporter for How to Save a Planet, another favorite of ours) to scholar Chelsea Frazier, also dip into more unconventional (for a climate podcast, anyway) takes, like why Beyonc\u00e9 is an environmental leader and how movies like Black Panther<\/em> present a vision of a better society. Who said the climate conversation has to be boring?<\/p>\n How to Save a Planet<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong> Each episode of How to Save a Planet guides listeners through a complex problem, from wildfires to environmental racism, and highlights the experts, activists and even YouTubers spearheading the solutions. Hosts Ayana Elizabeth Johnson<\/a> (a 2018 Grist 50 Fixer) and Alex Blumberg sprinkle witty banter throughout each show as they share guests\u2019 stories instead of simply throwing questions at them. The resulting narratives are as compelling as they are informative. Johnson, a marine biologist and self-described policy nerd, offers her climate expertise, while veteran producer-reporter Blumberg brings his storytelling know-how. The cherry on top: Johnson and Blumberg provide calls to action at the end of each episode and resources that\u2019ll help you do your part.<\/p>\n 52 Hertz:<\/strong><\/a> Lonely Whale, a nonprofit dedicated to ocean conservation, just wrapped the first season of 52 Hertz. The show, hosted by English actor and activist Petrice Jones, explores solutions to the overlapping crises of plastic pollution and climate change. Guests have included ocean-loving entrepreneurs, youth activists, and musicians you\u2019ve likely never heard of. Our favorite eps: \u201cPutting Your Boots On,\u201d a conversation with drag queen and environmental influencer Pattie Gonia, and \u201cEnvironmental Justice & Racism,\u201d starring 2020 Grist 50 Fixer and Rhodes Scholar Wanjiku \u201cWawa\u201d Gatheru<\/a>.<\/p>\n A Matter of Degrees<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong> With hosts as fabulous as policy expert Leah Stokes<\/a> (of the 2020 Grist 50) and writer Katherine Wilkinson, how could we not shout out A Matter of Degrees? This show tackles the big questions around climate change, with an emphasis on identifying solutions. Are you pondering whether individual action really<\/em> matters in comparison to structural change? Or wondering if the climate movement is at a breakthrough moment \u2014 or a breaking point? This show offers plenty of interviews and prioritizes the voices of women and BIPOC figures. But it\u2019s at its best when the hosts (who are friends IRL) shoot the breeze about wrestling with eco-guilt or the experiences that inspired their own climate awakenings.<\/p>\nIf you\u2019re into stories<\/strong><\/h3>\n
If you love the ocean \u2014 and British accents<\/strong><\/h3>\n
If you\u2019re a climate philosopher<\/strong><\/h3>\n
If you want to step up your activism<\/strong><\/h3>\n