Best Commonwealth Partners Podcasts (2025)

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Faith in Climate Progress 1:02:35

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38m ago1:02:35

1:02:35

It’s been ten years since Pope Francis issued his landmark encyclical on climate and caring for our common home, Laudato Si’. With the election of the new Pope Leo XIV, many are hopeful he will follow in Francis' path. Three-quarters of the global population follow a major religion. And the Catholic Church is far from alone among religious institut…

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#64 How to Start a Story People Want to Hear 4:12

2d ago4:12

4:12

The hardest part of storytelling is knowing where to begin. Most people start with way too much setup… or none at all. Use one simple formula to fix it: “So…” + Specific Time + Person + Action + Place + Goal/Tension Why it works: your listener instantly knows what’s happening and why it matters. A good opening line buys you attention for the next 9…

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ENCORE: Small Dollar, Big Impact 1:00:01

7d ago1:00:01

1:00:01

The climate doesn’t care where emissions cuts come from; what matters is that the world transitions to renewable energy quickly and cheaply. If it’s significantly cheaper to install solar panels in India than on a rooftop in California, then isn’t that where they should be built? Similarly, transferring money directly to local people with the great…

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Joe Manchin: Coal, Climate, and ‘Common Sense’ 59:21

15d ago59:21

59:21

Joe Manchin grew up in the coal fields of West Virginia, the grandson of a miner and the son of a small-town grocer. His worldview was shaped by a place where energy isn’t an abstract policy debate; it’s the identity of the community and vital for economic survival. Manchin was portrayed as a bit of a villain in liberal circles for his role in bloc…

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Reports from COP30: Climate Talks in the Amazon 1:01:22

23d ago1:01:22

1:01:22

The UN climate convention known as COP30 is now underway in Brazil. As the nations of the world gather to discuss their efforts to rein in climate disruption, the facts are clear: we’re not doing enough, fast enough, to meet the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. Climate-fueled disasters are …

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#63 Focus on What We Control 2:42

25d ago2:42

2:42

Summary Over the last 25 years, American politics has swung back and forth like a pendulum—every “permanent majority” has proven temporary. From Bush’s “thumpin’” in 2006 to Trump’s return in 2024, one truth stands out: no single win defines the next one. This episode is a reminder to focus on what we can control. Key Points 2000: Florida recount a…

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Environmental Peacebuilders Working in the Midst of War 1:04:06

29d ago1:04:06

1:04:06

Fossil-fueled climate disruption is driving political instability around the world. The relationship between climate disasters and conflict are well-established — and also complicated. Even in war-torn regions like Israel and Palestine, people work across political and ethnic divides to address humanitarian and climate crises. The Arava Institute f…

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When Climate Work Comes at a Cost: Dispatches From the Upside Down 1:04:26

1M ago1:04:26

1:04:26

Human-caused climate change is fueling extreme floods, wildfires, rising seas, and record-breaking heat all around the world. At the same time, some of the most senior U.S. government officials and other powerful actors are actively defunding climate programs, dismantling research institutions, erasing decades of environmental data, and launching d…

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#62 Letting Voters Change Their Minds 4:30

1M ago4:30

4:30

Twenty days before the 1980 election, Reagan’s team debated one question: should he face Carter again? A memo warned his biggest hurdle was proving he was competent, compassionate, and not dangerous. In the final debate, Reagan asked, “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” That single question swung the race and gave voters permission t…

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Adaptation: When Prevention Isn’t Enough 59:30

1M ago59:30

59:30

So much of the conversation about the climate crisis focuses on prevention. But no matter how well we succeed on that front, climate-induced disasters are already causing hundreds of billions of dollars of damage worldwide every year — not to mention destroying livelihoods and causing deaths. We're seeing those impacts today, and we need to be read…

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Ani Dasgupta on Moving From Promises to Progress 1:02:37

2M ago1:02:37

1:02:37

We know what needs to be done to ward off the worst impacts of global climate disruption: rein in heat-trapping pollution, reverse deforestation, build resilient systems. But how we do those things is the trick. Every second counts. The sooner we act, the more lives saved, the more jobs protected and the more futures secured. So how do we orchestra…

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#61 Spiking Your Audience’s Attention 5:15

2M ago5:15

5:15

Even the best speakers lose people after 90 seconds. To keep attention high, use attention spikes—moments that re-engage your audience. Think of attention like a power line: if you go too long between interesting moments, it sags. Add “power poles” every 6–10 minutes to lift energy and reset focus. Five ways to create attention spikes: Tell a Story…

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PARTNER POD: Speed & Scale: Electrifying the grid with Amol Phadke 29:31

2M ago29:31

29:31

Today, we have a special episode to share with you from TED’s brand new podcast, Speed & Scale. Speed & Scale was created to help combat the doom and gloom that comes when thinking and learning about climate change. The hosts Anjali Grover and Ryan Panchadsaram interview experts from around the world on the measurable changes they’re making to comb…

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De-Hyping Hydrogen 1:05:29

2M ago1:05:29

1:05:29

For decades, hydrogen has held promise as a revolutionary tool in the clean energy transition. It can be a fuel and energy carrier, and when made with renewable energy and burned in a fuel cell, its only byproduct is water. President Biden’s administration invested billions into proposed clean hydrogen hubs. But as we’ve seen dramatic technological…

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Remembering Dr. Jane Goodall 23:07

2M ago23:07

23:07

By Climate One from The Commonwealth Club

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Taylor Brorby and Suzie Hicks Tell The Stories We Don’t Always Hear 57:46

2M ago57:46

57:46

Finding one's voice in climate action can come in many forms. Author and activist Taylor Brorby grew up in Center, North Dakota as a fourth-generation member of a fossil-fuel family. He struggled to find his place as a young gay kid who loved art, music, nature and poetry. Over time, he turned that tension into writing that challenges the fossil fu…

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#60 The Power of a Memorable Line 4:06

2M ago4:06

4:06

In June 1984, Hal Riney sat at a bar and began to write. Over the course of a few hours, he drafted the scripts for what would become the most iconic ads of Ronald Reagan’s reelection campaign. One of them was Morning in America. The ad came out at a precarious moment. Over the past four years, the U.S. economy had started to recover from a deep re…

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Scientists Who Won’t Be Silenced 1:10:31

2M ago1:10:31

1:10:31

Within the federal government, science — especially climate science — has taken a beating. The Trump administration has moved from climate denial to climate erasure, firing thousands of career scientists across departments, rolling back established landmark protections, and undermining its own authority to regulate pollutants like carbon emissions.…

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Policy Whiplash: Checking In With Labor Unions 57:20

3M ago57:20

57:20

The past few years have seen a seismic shift in energy and industrial policy in the United States. Under Biden, laws like the Inflation Reduction Act led to money pouring into clean energy manufacturing and deployment. The Trump administration has reversed course, cutting off incentives in instituting massive tariffs. As a result, entire clean ener…

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#59 Why the Person with Paper Wins 5:31

3M ago5:31

5:31

In this episode, we revisit the power of the one-pager as a persuasion tool. No matter how much things change, the person with a piece of paper usually wins. We walk through the core elements of an effective one-pager: Start with the bottom line. Write one sentence to summarize and one to state the action you want. Define the problem from your audi…

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Gloria Walton and Wawa Gatheru Believe in Grassroots Change, Not Just Charity 1:05:35

3M ago1:05:35

1:05:35

Those standing up to climate and environmental injustice face challenges they weren’t seeing a year ago. But Gloria Walton, head of The Solutions Project, sees a bigger picture: "The reality is that the same systems that created the climate crisis, whether that's colonialism, white supremacy, racism, and the patriarchy, those are the same ones that…

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How Students and Teachers Are Talking About Climate 57:59

3M ago57:59

57:59

Students are heading back to school, and in addition to all of the usual challenges of the school year, some children are carrying an extra weight: climate anxiety. Teachers are also swimming in tricky waters as conversations around the climate crisis — and renewable energy — become more polarized. Yet there are educators who have worked to create …

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Nathaniel Stinnett: Climate Disruption Is a Homicide, Not a Suicide (Bonus Episode) 16:22

3M ago16:22

16:22

According to one recent survey, Americans think about climate change more than abortion, immigration, or gun violence. And yet, while they care deeply about the issue, they don’t see it as a political issue. When asked by the Environmental Voter Project what actions should be taken to rein in climate disruption, those surveyed suggest taking small,…

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#58 Mini Golf for Email: Fun, Fast, and Memorable 5:52

3M ago5:52

5:52

The Mini Golf Story: Garnet Carter created first Tom Thumb Golf course as temporary solution for delayed full golf course Added obstacles: logs, rocks, things to shoot around More popular than full-size course when it opened Franchised thousands of courses across the country Success: simple, affordable, easy to replicate Why Mini Golf Worked: Took …

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Small Dollar, Big Impact 1:00:53

3M ago1:00:53

1:00:53

The climate doesn’t care where emissions cuts come from; what matters is that the world transitions to renewable energy quickly and cheaply. If it’s significantly cheaper to install solar panels in India than on a rooftop in California, then isn’t that where they should be built? Similarly, transferring money directly to local people with the great…

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Batteries Now Included 56:05

4M ago56:05

56:05

The Trump administration has taken aim at green energy, but one technology has largely been left untouched: batteries to store wind and solar electricity. California alone surpassed 13GW of battery storage last year, and Texas has become the fastest growing market for the technology. But producing batteries isn’t without its downsides, especially w…

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#57 Say It Till It Sticks 4:00

4M ago4:00

4:00

The Rock City Story: 1936: Garnet Carter needed to advertise his tourist attraction on Lookout Mountain During the Depression, couldn't afford traditional advertising Hired painter Clark Byer to paint "See Rock City" on 900 barns across 19 states Offered free barn painting in exchange for advertising space Win-win: farmers got painted barns, ticket…

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Cause of Death: Air Pollution 56:08

4M ago56:08

56:08

In 2013, 9-year-old Ella Roberta died from a severe asthma attack. She became the first person in the United Kingdom (and possibly the world) to have “air pollution” listed as the cause of death on her death certificate. Her mother, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, founded the Ella Roberta Foundation and has become a global voice for clean air. Globally…

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Young People Are Bringing Climate To Court. And Winning. 1:02:43

4M ago1:02:43

1:02:43

We’re all feeling the effects of the fossil-fueled climate crisis, but young people will not let this threat to their future go unchallenged. They’re taking it to the courts. In the last year, youth plaintiffs have had notable legal successes in Montana and Hawaiʻi, challenging that those states were violating their constitutional rights in continu…

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#56 Being Popular Doesn’t Balance the Budget 3:44

4M ago3:44

3:44

"Being Popular Doesn't Balance the Budget": The Challenge: Governor Josh Shapiro positions himself as moderate but governs as liberal Most popular politician in PA due to political talent and millions spent on public persona Voters don't like his policies, especially the budget Largest proposed budget in PA history: over $50 billion with $5 billion…

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Scorching Premiums: Climate Costs Hit Insurance Market 1:03:58

4M ago1:03:58

1:03:58

Climate disruptions and growing risk are upending insurance markets, leading many insurers to abandon parts of the country all together. Due to fires, floods and other extreme events, more and more homeowners are facing rapidly rising premiums or being dropped from their insurance plans altogether. Increasing numbers of homeowners are taking refuge…

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ENCORE: AI’s Power Demands: Do We Really Have the Energy for This? 59:52

4M ago59:52

59:52

In a previous Climate One episode, we discussed the good, the bad, and the ugly impacts of artificial intelligence. But AI isn’t going away. Humans rarely give up a nifty new tool unless something better comes along. AI’s share of energy consumption is enormous, and the Department of Energy estimates that data center energy demands will double or e…

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#55 How You're Being Lied to with Statistics 5:39

5M ago5:39

5:39

Historical Context: 1965: Darrell Huff testified before U.S. Senate about misleading statistics Author of "How to Lie with Statistics" - best-selling statistics book ever Secret: Tobacco industry paid him to discredit smoking-cancer studies Was working on unpublished book: "How to Lie with Smoking Statistics" Three Quick Tests to Spot Misleading St…

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Trump’s Megabill Comes for the Clean Energy Transition 1:06:33

5M ago1:06:33

1:06:33

Three years ago, Congress passed President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in climate action in U.S. history. The IRA set in motion a sweeping set of investments in nearly every aspect of energy and climate, mostly in the form of subsidies and tax credits, to boost domestic production of electric vehicles, batteries and carb…

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Biomimicry & Green Burial: Living and Dying with Nature in Mind 53:46

5M ago53:46

53:46

Nature can feel distant from our everyday lives. Maybe it’s a place we visit on the weekends, a getaway from the hustle and bustle, something “out there,” just beyond the edges of our neighborhoods. But we are part of it, and as more and more people consider their impact on the Earth, sustainable practices are extending even to death, where green a…

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#54 The $50 Billion Budget That Outgrew PA 3:31

5M ago3:31

3:31

The Scale of Growth: Pennsylvania's population: grown only 10% in 50 years State government budget: increased over 40% in just 5 years Governor Shapiro's budget: crosses $50 billion mark for first time in history The Challenge: Big budget numbers are hard for voters to understand Few people grasp the difference between millions and billions Need to…

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ENCORE: Drag Queen Pattie Gonia on Bringing Joy to Climate Action 54:41

5M ago54:41

54:41

When individuals want to take action on climate, it’s often in the form of electrifying a home, voting, or maybe even traditional activism. Those are very important, but we often overlook how individual skills and talents can also make a difference. This week we’re highlighting creative forms of climate action. Pattie Gonia is a drag queen, environ…

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BONUS: He Started Tesla Employees Against Elon. Then Got Fired. 20:58

5M ago20:58

20:58

Matt LaBrot was the Tesla sales manager who got so fed up with how Elon Musk’s public persona affected the brand that he published a website called “Tesla Employees Against Elon.” He was subsequently fired, allegedly for "using company resources to build a website that did not align with the company’s perspective." For our pod audience, we’re dropp…

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Is the EV Transition Stuck in Neutral? 58:59

5M ago58:59

58:59

In 2024, BloombergNEF predicted electric vehicles would make up nearly half of U.S. new car sales by 2030. Now, they’ve revised their projection down to less than 30%, just one year later. In a time when we need to be speeding up the energy transition, EV sales in the U.S. are stagnating. Sales of Teslas, once the king of electric vehicles, are col…