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MY FELLOW PODCAST FANS:
I'm a climate change believer. I believe that the future of our planet is looking more bleak every year, and that part of the problem is the way we humans live our lives these days.
No, I won't scream at you if you use a plastic straw or drive a gas-guzzler. I'll still be your friend. I'll just secretly hope that some of my eco-friendly ways will rub off on you.
When people talk about saving the planet, I'm 100% on board. I'm also the person who chimes in with, "Save the HUMANS!" because I think it's easier for people to wrap their minds around the idea that human suffering will be (and already is) a result of climate change.
A couple of years ago I had personal reckoning about single-use plastic. Some of you might remember that I started another blog back in 2020, all about making the switch from single-use products to more sustainable materials. That was before 2020 became 2020 and all of my blogging took a back seat to coping with daily life.
But even when ordering grocery delivery and purchasing face masks, I never stopped thinking about the effects of single-use products on our planet. And from there, it was a slippery slope into full-on climate concern.
I started looking at everything in my life with a more discerning, eco-friendly eye, and I searched for and listened to every podcast and YouTube video about plastics and climate change.
Sometimes all that climatey knowledge was overwhelming and discouraging. Other times—when the podcasts explained an easy eco-friendly change I could implement into my daily life, or highlighted people and organizations that are making climate change progress—it was inspiring.
I've decided to share just a few of my favorite eco-friendly podcasts with you. These are shows that are educational and entertaining at the same time, and they don't use fear mongering as a tactic to enact change.
If you're interested in more eco-friendly podcast suggestions (many that are specific to plastics), please check out the post on my other blog, SwitchFromPlastic.com.
CLIMATE CHANGE PODCASTS YOU'LL ACTUALLY WANT TO LISTEN TO
Whether you're already a believer in climate change, or you're on the fence and need more convincing, I hope that you'll listen to some of these podcast episodes and start making your own eco-friendly changes.
Terrible, Thanks for Asking podcast episode titled "Saving Us" from October 12, 2021
I will admit this: I downloaded this episode and then didn't listen to it for at least two weeks because I was afraid
it would be depressing. Then, in the first 60 seconds of the episode, host Nora McInerny addressed this exact concern! (Talk about feeling seen.)
If you, too, are worried that learning about climate change is going to be more than your heart and mind can
handle, then this is the episode for you. Nora speaks with author Katharine Hayhoe about her book, "Saving Us: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World.”
This episode isn't too heavy, and as the title of the book suggests, Hayhoe talks about how there's hope, even as we close in on all the highly publicized climate disaster deadlines. She also talks about how to speak with people you love about climate change—especially if they don't share the same views as you.
How to Save a Planet
I absolutely fell in love with this podcast in 2020. It's recently undergone some changes: one of the co-hosts left to focus on her other climate change work, and the podcast moved exclusively to Spotify. It's still available for free, but a bit of a pain in the ass to listen to if you use a different podcast player.
ANYWAY. This is a podcast that is truly entertaining to listen to, even when (sometimes) talking about the most grim topics: pollution, rising ocean levels, all of the energy alternatives we're not using yet. I legit look forward to this podcast coming out every single week.
Here's what the team at How to Save a Planet does so well: they take really complicated topics and break them down into stuff even a kid can understand. Then they provide real-life examples and real-life solutions. The Witch of Wind (the first ever episode of the show & one I wish I could make the whole world listen to!)
Are Electric Cars Really Better for the Climate?
We Can’t Solve the Climate Crisis Without Gender Equality. We’ll Prove It To You.
Mothers of Invention Podcast
Question: What do you get when you ask a female comedian to co-host a climate change podcast with the former president of the country where she grew up?
Answer: A totally entertaining podcast that's got both crass and class, and which tells remarkable stories about women from around the world trying to reduce the effects of climate change.
Maeve Higgins is the Irish comic. Mary Robinson was the first female president of Ireland when Maeve was growing up. Mary is now an active campaigner for climate change justice.
The tagline for this podcast is: Climate change is a man-made problem—with a feminist solution. The stories and guests focus on women who have done/are doing remarkable things to create climate justice for all.
I recommend that you check out the episode titled Taking Over, which is about single-use plastic and zero waste (look at me coming full circle). I also really enjoyed the episode called Against The Grain.
Have you listened to any of these climate change podcasts? Which ones do you recommend/are your favorites? Post a comment below to recommend them to other podcast listeners.