A Matter of Degrees

Gina McCarthy has been at the center of nearly every federal climate fight of the last two decades. She led the EPA during the Obama years. Then, under President Biden, she became the first ever White House National Climate Advisor. 

In this episode of A Matter of Degrees, we sit down with Gina for a sweeping conversation about the victories, the setbacks, and why the climate story is much longer than any single administration. We cover the collapse of the Waxman-Markey Bill, the strange victory of a Clean Power Plan that was stayed before it started, the rollercoaster of getting the Inflation Reduction Act over the finish line, and what it all means now, as we move to defend all of Gina’s hard-won progress.

Back in December,  the Trump administration sent thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents into Minnesota. They terrorized communities, took people from their homes, and murdered two American citizens. Climate groups helped lead the resistance. 

In this episode of A Matter of Degrees, a city stands up to state violence. We bring on Aru Shiney-Ajay, the executive director of the Sunrise Movement, to tell us about leading on the frontlines in Minneapolis. Then we talk to Ben Passer, the McKnight Foundation's Midwest Climate Director, about how preserving democracy is key to climate action. Finally, we chat with Emily Atkin, founder and Editor-in-Chief of HEATED, on the connection between ICE violence and fossil fuels. 

Resources mentioned in the episode:

Read I don't know how to do this and Actually, I do know how to do this by Emily Atkin, and her newsletter, HEATED

Read Ben Passer’s essay in Atmos, Lessons from Minnesota: To Preserve Our Planet, We Must Also Preserve Our Democracy

Learn more about Minnesota’s 100% clean electricity standard in our previous episode, Minnesota’s Climate Breakthrough

Dr. Kate Marvel builds climate models — digital worlds that simulate our possible futures. They can tell us how hot it will get, how high the seas will rise, and which forests will burn. But they can’t tell us what humans will do next — or how we’ll feel as the planet transforms.

In this episode of A Matter of Degrees, we talk with Kate about her new book, Human Nature: Nine Ways to Feel About Our Changing Planet. This conversation has it all: science, feelings, geoengineering, fossil fuel industry mischief, and even witches.

”In the midst of a lot of big, bad things happening, there's one big good thing happening on planet Earth right now.”

Today on A Matter of Degrees, we’re bringing back the podcast’s very first guest — legendary activist and author Bill McKibben. Bill’s latest book, Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization, shows how clean energy can create a healthier, safer, more prosperous world.

Bill is also organizing “Sun Day”  – a national day of action on September 21st to celebrate the power of clean energy. You can get involved in an event in your area by visiting SunDay.earth

In this episode, Bill takes us through the history of solar – how it became the cheapest energy on earth, its potential to transform our lives, and how we can harness it to heal our planet.

Donald Trump’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” took a sledgehammer to U.S. climate policy, including tax credits for clean cars and appliances. These incentives were helping people cut pollution, lower their energy bills, and make their homes more comfortable. Trump’s bill eliminates the credits by the end of this year. 

Wait, don’t change the channel—because these incentives haven’t expired yet! So for the next few months, there is a federally-funded BLOWOUT SALE on clean tech. Shop until your energy bills drop!

In this episode of A Matter of Degrees, we break down which credits are expiring, what they can do for you, and how to take advantage of them before they’re gone. We also dive into how the incentives were cutting pollution, improving people’s lives, and transforming our economy. Finally, we talk about what’s next for household electrification and how we can continue to make progress under the current administration. 

To help tell these stories, we bring on Ingrid Malmgren, the Senior Policy Director at Plug In America. Visit pluginamerica.org to learn more about electric vehicles and how to get one before federal incentives expire at the end of September. We’re also joined by Sarah Gracia, a Senior Go Solar Help Desk Associate at Solar United Neighbors. Visit solarunitedneighbors.org/help-desk to find resources to help you get solar panels on your home and save on your energy bills. Lastly, we hear from Saul Griffith, engineer, inventor, and clean energy entrepreneur. Saul Griffith’s new book “Plug In! The Electrification Handbook” walks you through how to electrify your home, save money, and cut climate pollution.