Advertise on podcast: EcoRight Speaks

Energy affordability is a hot topic of late, which is why a recent analysis on heat pumps caught our eye. This established technology is having something of a renaissance, especially with findings that they can indeed perform well in cold climates, making way to replace costly propane and home heating oil systems in places like New England.  Joining us this week is Rocky Mountain Institute's Ryan Shea, who shares some basics about heat pumps and discusses the prospects for reducing energy bills and carbon emissions. Catch this great energy discussion with guest Ryan Shea!

Clean energy is not just supported by environmentalists; American corporations are eager to procure clean energy and the Corporate Energy Buyers Association's (CEBA) is there to help them do it. With a vibrant membership that includes the world’s largest companies advocating for market reforms that enable buyers to access clean power, CEBA is on the front lines of today’s energy sector. CEBA's Sarah Mihalecz is focused on leading and paving the way for those transactions. In this episode, host Chelsea Henderson talks with Mihalecz about why clean energy is so important to American corporations and how we can put the pieces of the puzzle together for a thriving energy paradigm.

One of the obstacles to electric vehicle adoption is the availability of charging (not to mention ease, reliability and affordability). This is where PowerUp America comes in. After buying an EV truck and taking it on a road trip,  Josh Turner quickly learned that EV charging stations provided less than an optimal user experience. Long lines. No overhead coverage from the weather. And cumbersome apps and memberships that complicate transactions. And he set out to change the course. Fast forward to today, PowerUp has charging stations throughout the U.S. (in rural and urban settings) that more resemble the trip to the gas station that many Americans are familiar with. We talk about his efforts to bring EV charging stations to a community near you—and more!

For the third year in a row, republicEn.org was honored to participate in the Volo Foundation’s Florida Climate Week. FCW is a free, annual statewide week of climate activities where advocates and stakeholders host events (both virtual and in-person) to discuss the climate issues impacting the Sunshine State.  This year, we were joined by two of the state’s preeminent water quality experts, Nicole Kirchhoff and Brandon Shuler, who describe the significant challenges that climate change poses to water quality, from economic to environmental. Check out this awesome conversation with two outstanding climate leaders in Florida!

Our favorite and most prolific writer is coming back into the fold. After two years on the editorial board of the Miami Herald, EcoRight favorite Mary Anna Mancuso (victim of a massive downsizing, like so many journalists today) will be picking her opinion-writing pen back up.  In this episode, we talk about what Mary Anna learned over the last two years, what’s going on in the state of Florida, and what she plans to do next. Don't miss Mary Anna's return to the podcast on this week's episode!

George Mason University's Center for Climate Change Communication Postdoctoral Fellow Doran Tucker knows a thing or two about communicating climate risk. An undergraduate degree in international affairs at Penn State sparked his interest in how investments in military infrastructure (for example, remote sensing) can become tools we use in everyday life (GPS).  From this inquiry, Tucker went on to explore in his masters and doctoral work the nexus of identity, policy and the environment with a particular emphasis on effective climate change communication in Appalachian and military contexts. Host Chelsea Henderson talks with the Mason 4C Postdoctoral Fellow about the effectiveness of communicating climate risk through a national security lens, including a very personal example from his family.

The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) made a historic investment in protecting and maintaining popular federal lands in part by establishing the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) to address billions of dollars in overdue maintenance needs. From 2021-2025, the LRF provided more than $9 billion to tackle priority repairs in national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, BLM areas and more. Unfortunately, the fund expired in August 2025, and the combined deferred maintenance backlog across federal land agencies is now estimated at over $35 billion.  As the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, lawmakers have an opportunity to renew the fund and support continued repair of our most beloved landscapes and historic places. During its five-year lifespan, the Legacy Restoration Fund supported more than 1,500 Interior Department and U.S. Forest Service projects across all 50 states and D.C., reaching every corner of the country. Pew Charitable Trusts' Rebecca Knuffke joins us this week to discuss the importance of renewing the LRF, if we want to protect America’s greatest idea.

National Clean Energy Week 2026 is here and we're excited to welcome Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) Founding President James Dozier to set the stage for this year's event. Dozier shares more about the week-long celebration of clean energy innovation with conversations to help solve the world’s most pressing challenges in nuclear, solar, wind, wave, hydropower, geothermal, natural gas, biomass, carbon capture, storage and waste-to-energy technologies. This year's NCEW lineup of speakers includes a robust list of Governors including Mike Dunleavy (Alaska), Kelly Ayotte (New Hampshire), Kelly Armstrong (North Dakota), Spencer Cox (Utah), Jared Polis (Colorado) and Mikie Sherrill (New Jersey). Hear more about this year's event and so much more from James Dozier!

Despite different upbringings, the hosts of the "We've Got To Talk" podcast, Jolene Conway (a self-identified conservative from Pleasantville, Iowa) and Nicole Fonarow (a self-professed liberal from San Francisco) became fast friends at the University of Iowa. And they're tighter than ever 40 years later.  Living in a world that often seems intent on drawing lines in the sand and choosing political sides, they launched their "We've Got To Talk" podcast to inspire others. In this deeply divided society, the power of conversation can unite us. Their goal isn't to change each other's opinions, but to listen with curiosity, kindness, and empathy. And yes, to also have a good time while doing it!

The power grid is old and it is being asked to do things it wasn’t built to do. Luckily, there are a lot of smart people on the task of updating the grid. Pat Wood is one of those people. Co-chair of The Pew Charitable Trusts Distributed Energy Resources Initiative Advisory Council, Wood has spent three decades building more competitive, resilient energy systems — first as a regulator in the state of Texas and now as an entrepreneur. He is also Executive Chairman of Hunt Energy Network, deploying distributed resources across the Texas power grid, and chairs Luma Energy's board, overseeing the rebuild of Puerto Rico's power system after decades of underinvestment.  Previously, as Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under President George W. Bush, Wood helped shape the nation's wholesale energy markets and strengthen grid reliability. As Chairman of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, he helped engineer the restructuring that made Texas one of the most competitive electricity markets in the world. Wood also led the recent Pew report, "Distributed Energy Can Unleash the Resilient, Affordable Grid of the Future," a comprehensive policy playbook with recommendations and examples from throughout the country and around the globe for deploying distributed energy resources and virtual power plants. Catch the interview with Pat Wood!

How do we keep the lights on during extreme weather such as Winter Storm Yuri, the Texas ice storm of five years ago? This week's two guests lived through the debilitating storm and hope to never repeat that experience, NextGen Energy founder Kimberly Johnston and Vice President of Public Partnerships Shannon Fitzgerald O’Shea.  A community energy infrastructure company focused on catalyzing public and private-sector collaborations and mobilizing capital investment towards transformative U.S. clean energy economic development projects, NextGen Energy was founded to build a safer, more resilient America by ensuring that families, communities, and critical services never lose power. Check out what Kimberly Johnston has to share about clean energy on this episode!

AI is changing the shape and scope of the world as we know it. While many talk about the negatives of AI, including the energy demands, the Climate Leadership Council’s Greg Bertelsen sees an opportunity to take advantage of the largest investments being made probably in our lifetimes.  Clean energy and renewables can attract significant investment to fuel AI needs, potentially making AI a force for a new energy paradigm. In Bertelsen's essay "An Optimist’s Case on AI and Climate," he delves into the transformative prospects AI has to drive us toward a decarbonized world. Don't miss this interesting conversation with the CLC's Greg Bertelsen!

Host Chelsea Henderson was recently asked to join the steering committee of the Thriving Economy Project, a coalition of members of Congress, former senior congressional aides, officials from multiple presidential administrations and leading energy and environmental policy experts. The group is collaborating on a new policy blueprint aimed at strengthening economic competitiveness, creating jobs, and delivering affordable and reliable energy for American families and businesses. An upcoming report in September 2026 will outline a blueprint to build a thriving economy for all Americans. Joining us this week is the Congressional lead for the section of the report advising on 21st-century agricultural opportunities. Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski, a Democrat from Illinois, is leading the recommendations that will help farmers have stable, diversified income streams; drive innovation and adaptation; and make farming more sustainable, more lucrative, and healthier for all. She brings a wealth of experience both in her district, which features a strong agricultural constituency, and her work protecting workers and strengthening the middle class.

American Action Forum's Shuting Pomerleau explains what the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is and how it works.

After joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) in 2021 before leaving in 2023, the state of Virginia recently re-entered the environmental pact. In this episode, Shuting Pomerleau of the American Action Forum shares research that shows the pressure Virginia is putting on itself and the utility sector, pressure borne by ratepayers, by rejoining the carbon pricing pact, while also adhering to the strict greenhouse gas emissions cuts currently on the state’s books and trying to meet the demands of the AI energy boom.