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First, a question: Are you helping ensure that pro-Earth candidates win these midterm elections? If not, scroll down to the “Calls to Action” section for some ideas and links. Denizens of Earth, let’s win this thing! _____ This episode’s guest is icon Naomi Klein, one of the most important authors and activists of our time. She helps us all better connect the dots between democracy, fascism, environment, and justice. Her new book, End Times Fascism and the Fight for the Living World, co-authored with Astra Taylor, needs to be bumped to the very top of your to-read list, the top of your nightstand stack. Our conversation covered everything from data center resistance and “climate supremacy”, to our right to an uncluttered night sky, and disaster capitalism. We also talked about what we can learn from activist movements, like Standing Rock and Memphis’s fights against pipelines and for clean water. And we really got into it on AI and data centers. _____ There is so much pontificating on AI and data centers. To supplement this episode, a few resources I’ve found quite helpful: * Kate Gage's new newsletter decoding the jargon: Political AI Field Guide: Factions and Beliefs, and AI Political Field Guide: Terminology Decoder (September 2026 Edition) * A year in, the data center/AI battle starts to clarify, by Bill McKibben * AI’s climate problem is worse than we thought, by Emily Atkin * A warning about ‘model welfare’ by Mustafa Suleyman (who is also interviewed in my book, What If We Get It Right? ) * AI and the Enshittification Era with Cory Doctorow, on The Weekly Show with John Stewart podcast _____ CALLS TO ACTION: Get out the vote! ✅ 1 week until Election Day. What can you do this week so that you don’t have any regrets on November 4th? Some options: * VOTE! 🗳️ (Obviously.) Early voting is underway. See voting dates for your state here. Get a preview of your ballot at ballotpedia.org. * Check out candidate endorsements from Lead Locally, League of Conservation Voters and Working Families Party. Make sure to vote all the way down your ballot. * Pick a candidate you like, go to their website and click the volunteer button. They will put you to work! Knocking doors and talking to voters about close races is super important. * Encourage your friends and family to make a plan to vote. Here’s a great tool from Patagonia to help. * Volunteer with Third Act, the amazing organization Bill founded and leads. * Join me and so many amazing volunteers to phone bank with Environmental Voter Project and help make sure all Earth lovers show up to vote. * Note: In some states it’s not too late to register to vote — and some places let you register to vote on Election Day. _____ Mentioned in this episode: * More than 1,600 institutions have divested more than $41 trillion from fossil fuel stocks. * Memphis Community Against Pollution, led by KeShaun Pearson * Polling on Americans’ attitudes about climate from Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and George Mason University. * Bill’s piece on Nepal’s flooding disaster: The growing rumble * Naomi’s publications: * Newsletter: Patterns by Naomi Klein * Book: End Times Fascism - And the Fight for the Living World * Book: The Shock Doctrine * Naomi’s suggested resources on a working-class climate agenda: * Center for Climate Justice at UBC * Climate and Community Institute _____ Credits: This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and me (Ayana), with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Special thanks to Sharon Nadeem, Naomi’s producer for the making our first(/only?) Substack Live happen. Original music by Emma Munger. Graphic design by Holly Griffin of Design Hungry, and social media support from Feeling Seen Studio. Enjoying the show? Share it, spread the word! And review 🌟 and follow What If We Get It Right? — that helps more people find us and these timely conversations. We’ve got two more episodes left for this season! Thank you for listening. 💛 Get full access to WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT? at ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/subscribe

Before diving into today’s episode, a tiny celebration 🎉: The What If We Get It Right? podcast reached 500,000+ downloads! THANK YOU for listening. More great interviews coming your way. To support the show (1) follow and review 🌟, (2) tell your people to tune in, and, if you can, (3) become a paid subscriber. _____ Our guest for today’s episode is Deb Haaland, one of the most remarkable figures in American politics, currently running to be the Governor of New Mexico. She is a member of the Pueblo of Laguna and a 35th generation New Mexican. Most recently, Haaland was the Secretary of the Interior for the Biden administration, running of one of the largest departments in the federal government. There, among many other things, she made sure big new tracts of land like Bears Ears and Escalante and Utah were added to the public land system. She has also served as a Congresswoman, and chaired the New Mexico Democratic party. Often, she has been the first Native American or first the Native woman in the positions she has held. In this conversation, we talk about her vision for New Mexico’s clean energy transition, a state where half the state's budget comes from oil and gas. We cover everything from water conservation to invasive species management, and the inherent value of nature and majestic landscapes. We also talk about the importance of being a good steward of Earth for future generations — and why we need to hire more lawyers. This conversation got into the nitty gritty (as we do), but above all had lots of heart. _____ CALLS TO ACTION: Get out the vote! ✅ Local and state leadership matter so much for implementation of climate solutions. So make sure to vote all the way down your ballot! And it’s definitely not too late pick a candidate, roll up your sleeves and help them win. Some resources for channeling your election/climate anxiety into productive actions: * VOTE! 🗳️ Early voting has started in many states. Bill and I have already voted. Have you? Have your friends & family? (Get a preview of your ballot at ballotpedia.org) * Check out candidate endorsements from Lead Locally, League of Conservation Voters and Working Families Party. * Volunteer with Third Act, the amazing organization Bill founded and leads. * Pick a candidate you like, go to their website and click the volunteer button. They will put you to work! Knocking doors and talking to people in your community is super important. * Encourage your friends and family to make a plan to vote. Here’s a great tool from Patagonia to help. * Note: In some states it’s not too late to register to vote — and some places let you register to vote on Election Day. _____ As you know by now, I’m a BIG fan of Environmental Voter Project. Join me and so many amazing volunteers to phone bank and help make sure all Earth lovers show up to vote. In my election freakout, I’ve signed up to host 2 more shifts. If these times don’t work for you, sign up for EVPs many other shifts. RSVP here. _____ Mentioned in this episode * New Mexico produces half its electricity from the sun and the wind, and has the second-biggest crude oil production, and the fourth-largest natural gas output in the country. * New Mexico’s Energy Transition Act passed in 2019 to reach net zero by 2050 * Native American Business Incubators Program Act passed in Congress in 2020 * 400 co-stewardship agreements signed by the Biden-Harris administration with Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations and consortiums * New Mexico has the highest-rated system for distributed energy resources (DER) interconnection in the country. _____ Credits: This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and me (Ayana), with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Original music by Emma Munger. Graphic design by Holly Griffin of Design Hungry, and social media support from Feeling Seen Studio. Enjoying the show? Share it, spread the word! And review 🌟 and follow What If We Get It Right? on your platform of choice — that helps more people find us and these timely conversations. Thank you for listening and helping us reach 500,000+ downloads! 💛 Get full access to WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT? at ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/subscribe

Interviewing politicians can be dull. Just heaps of trite talking points and evasive answers. But when you get the chance to sit down with someone who has not only a strong moral compass but a backbone to match, and who has been not only determined but also creative in using their positions to help advance climate solutions, it’s a delight. Our guest this episode, Brad Lander, is, as we say in his home borough of Brooklyn, a real one. Brad is running for Congress (soon to be repping part of NYC on Capitol Hill), and he ran for mayor in this last cycle against/with Zohran Mamdani. But it was his work as Comptroller of NYC that solidified his reputation as a climate champion. This conversation covers everything from divesting pension funds to making polluters pay for climate solutions, to affordability and accountability, and from investment banks to financed emissions. Plus, a glimpse into what Brad Lander aims to do on climate once he’s in Congress. Can not wait. _____ Phone banking ☎️ w/ Environmental Voter Project Wednesdays at 12p ET we call environmentalists and nudge them to the polls. Only 2 of these left until Election Day! If 12p on Wednesdays doesn’t work for you, I will miss you, but sign up for EVPs many other shifts.👇🏽 _____ Mentioned in this episode * Divesting New York City pension funds, led by NYC Comptroller’s Office * In the last decade, 60 banks have provided $7.9 trillion in financing to fossil fuel companies, with the top four banks alone — JPMorgan Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America — providing more than $1.64 trillion. * NY Climate Change Superfund Act - A bill to make polluters pay $75 billion over 25 years for climate change adaptation. * Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Credits: This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and me (Ayana), with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Original music by Emma Munger. Graphic design by Holly Griffin of Design Hungry, and social media support from Feeling Seen Studio. _____ Enjoying the show? Share it, spread the word! And review 🌟 and follow What If We Get It Right? — that helps more people find us and these timely conversations. Thank you for listening. 💛 Get full access to WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT? at ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/subscribe

Governors are especially critical given the catastrophic presidential scenario. So today we’re re-sharing a conversation recorded in spring with Maine’s democratic gubernatorial candidate Hannah Pingree. (“Gubernatorial” is too good a word not to use!) Hannah is is a longtime public servant and climate leader from a small island off the midcoast of Maine. She served in the Maine House of Representatives from 2002 until she was termed out in 2010. (Shoutout to term limits!) After that, she served on her local school board and managed a sustainable housing nonprofit. And most recently, from 2019 to 2025, she was founding director of Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future. There, she co-chaired the Maine Climate Council and oversaw development of Maine’s ambitious climate plan, called “Maine Won’t Wait.” Hannah said to me, “I want to be one of the best climate governors in the country.” Honestly, in this era of “climate hushing” it’s refreshing to hear a politician say that. In this interview, we cover everything from AI data centers, to clean energy, affordability, bi-partisan climate progress, aquaculture, PFAS (aka forever chemicals), working waterfronts, and the critical role of governors in this era of excruciating federal rollbacks. This conversation had an odd effect on me. I found it... relaxing? To hear a politician speaking competently, calmly, clearly, practically and with nuance about climate policy was so soothing, reassuring. More of this please! Next week we have for two more conversations for ya with climate candidates running for key leadership positions. Stay tuned. _____ CALLS TO ACTION: Get out the vote! ✅ Local and state leadership matter so much, including for implementation of climate solutions. So make sure to vote all the way down your ballot! Wherever you live, it’s definitely not too late pick a candidate, roll up your sleeves and help them win. I’ll be knocking doors for pro-Earth candidates in Maine this weekend. You can just reach out to a campaign via their website and sign up to volunteer. Some resources: * VOTE! Early voting has started in many states. Bill and I have already voted. Have you? * Get a preview of your ballot at ballotpedia.org * Check out candidate endorsements from Lead Locally, League of Conservation Voters and Working Families Party. * Encourage your friends and family to make a plan to vote. Here’s a great tool from Patagonia to help. * Note: In some states it’s not to late to register to vote — some places let you register to vote on Election Day. Also, you know by now, I’m a BIG fan of Environmental Voter Project. Join me on Wednesdays at 12p ET to help make sure all Earth lovers show up to vote. If 12p on Wednesdays doesn’t work for you, I will miss you, but sign up for EVPs many other shifts.👇🏽 Friends don’t let friends not vote. Home stretch, y’all. _____ Credits: This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and me (Ayana), with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Original music by Emma Munger. Graphic design by Holly Griffin of Design Hungry, and social media support from Feeling Seen Studio. Enjoying the show? Share it around, spread the word! And review 🌟 and follow What If We Get It Right? — that helps more people find us and these timely conversations. Thank you for listening. 💛 To support our work, consider becoming a paid subscriber: ayanaelizabeth.substack.com. Get full access to WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT? at ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/subscribe

This week and next we’ve got two episodes for you, all four are conversations with climate candidates — running for local office, for governor, and for congress. In other words, a sampling of people we’d love to be calling the shots in the halls of power, and a glimpse of the good changes they would lead us toward. Home stretch to Election Day, Earthlings. 🌎 Get involved — no regrets on Nov 4th! Our guest this episode is Clara Pratte, candidate for Arizona Corporation Commission (aka Public Utility Commission (PUC), aka undersung local government entity that’s actually extremely important to the clean energy transition... as this episode explains). Clara is an Arizona-born member of the Navajo Nation, and champion of energy independence and jobs in tribal and rural communities. She is co-founder of Navajo Power (a utility-scale and residential electricity provider) and owner of several small businesses. Clara has also served under three U.S. presidents and four Navajo Nation presidents. This episode covers everything from the critical roles of PUCs like the Arizona Corporation Commission (including electricity rates and power plant permits, and in some cases drinking water and railroad safety), to ensuring a just clean energy transition in the Navajo Nation, how the sunniest state can embrace solar power, and why it’s critical to vote all the way down the ballot! [You can preview what your ballot will look like at Ballotpedia.] Bonus: Listen to the end for Bill’s reactions to more of the clean energy mascot ideas you all submitted for our earlier “Don’t mess with solar” episode with Tom Mattzie. _____ Enjoying our podcast? Share it, spread the word! Review 🌟 and follow What If We Get It Right? on your platform of choice — that helps get the algorithm on our side so more people find these timely conversations. We’ve released 8 episodes so far, with a bunch more coming through Election Day. Thank you for listening — and sharing. 💛 _____ Mentioned in this episode * Arizona Corporation Commission * Project Blue: proposal for data centers in Tuscon * Lead Locally: helping elect local climate champions * The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer Credits: This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and me (Ayana), with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Original music by Emma Munger. Graphic design by Holly Griffin of Design Hungry, and social media support from Feeling Seen Studio. And special thanks to Whit Jones from Lead Locally for recommending and connecting us with Clara. _____ Phone banking ☎️ w/ Environmental Voter Project If you don’t know what to do with your election/democracy anxiety, join us for phone banking! Every Wednesday at 12p ET until Election Day (or many other shifts times available). Sign up: environmentalvoter.org/AEJ Get full access to WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT? at ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/subscribe

As we know, facts are not enough to win on climate — we need the right messages and the right messengers. So for this episode, we’re taking a step back to talk about climate communication with one of the very best in the biz, Jamie Henn. We cover everything from naming the villains, TikTok against Arctic drilling, Beyoncé as a clean energy acronym, and the under-leveraged power of grandkids. Jamie is a climate organizer, activist, and ace communications strategist — and Bill’s former student! He has been a driving force behind some of the most successful climate campaigns of the last decade, including the fight against the Keystone XL pipeline, the People’s Climate March, the fossil fuel divestment movement, the ExxonKnew campaign, the Global Climate Strikes, and more. Now, Jamie is founder and executive director of Fossil Free Media, a nonprofit communications lab that supports the movement to end fossil fuels and make polluters pay. Bonus: Listen to the end for Bill’s reactions to the various clean energy mascot ideas you all submitted for our earlier “Don’t mess with solar” episode with Tom Mattzie. _____ CALLS TO ACTION ✅ Phone banking ☎️ w/ Environmental Voter Project If you don’t know what to do with your election/democracy anxiety, join us for phone banking! Every Wednesday at 12p ET until Election Day (or many other shifts available). RSVP: environmentalvoter.org/AEJ 11.2 Million Vote Project 🗳️ w/ Patagonia Patagonia launched a project to get the 11.2 million environmentalists who sat out the 2024 election to actually vote this time around. (Data per Environmental Voter Project.) They’ve made it easy to contact your unlikely-to-vote friends and family and get them the info they need to cast their ballots. Do it here: patagonia.org/elections _____ Mentioned in this episode: * Bob Hope (ye olde talk show host) was paid by the fossil fuel industry to popularize the slogan “now we’re cooking with gas.” (Factcheck: In the episode I said it was Johnny Carson, oops.) * Over 90% of the new electricity generation in the US in 2025 came from solar, wind, and batteries storage. * 350.org * Fossil Free Media * Sun Day * Make Polluters Pay: Campaign to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for climate damages. (Instagram: @PollutersPay) * Lead Locally: Helping elect local climate champions * Environmental Voter Project: Getting environmentalists to vote Credits: This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and me (Ayana), with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Original music by Emma Munger. Graphic design by Holly Griffin of Design Hungry, and social media support from Feeling Seen Studio. _____ Enjoying the show? Share it around, spread the word! And review 🌟 and follow What If We Get It Right? on your platform of choice — that helps more people find us and these timely conversations. Thank you for listening. 💛 Get full access to WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT? at ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/subscribe

This episode is a double feature, recorded live during NYC Climate Week in a Patagonia store. It’s about fighting to protect our public lands, leveraging outdoor athletes as effective advocates, and (once again) getting environmentalists to vote. Plus, the scoop on Patagonia’s get-out-the-vote project that will give you a $100 incentive for encouraging friends to vote. Today’s episode features: Erin Sprague, CEO of the non-profit Protect our Winters (POW). POW’s mission: “turn passionate outdoor people into climate advocates, working together to protect a future with clean air, clean water and a healthy planet.” Corley Kenna, the chief impact and communications officer at Patagonia, is responsible for advancing the company’s policy and advocacy priorities. (Disclosure: I proudly serve on Patagonia’s board of directors.) Patagonia and Protect Our Winters have been collaborating for years to protect public lands and rally the outdoor industry — which in 2024 generated $1.3 trillion in economic value and supported 5.2 million jobs. It’s always a thrill to see pro-Earth groups flex their electoral power. _____ Mentioned in this episode * The Trump administration announced plans to dramatically shrink the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments (Chaser: Patagonia: We’re Suing to Protect Public Lands) * Fossil fuel companies spent over $400 million on the last election. * According to the Outdoor Industry Association, nearly 70% of outdoor participants were White, while only 10.3% were Black and 13.4% Hispanic. The majority of participants are women, at 53.4% — the highest ever. * The outdoor industry—in 2024 generated $1.3 trillion in economic value for the outdoor industry and 5.2 million jobs. * Brands for Public Lands * 85% of Montanans polled said they would support a ban on the sale or transfer of public land. * Protect Our Winter’s Stoke the Vote Campaign * 1% for the Planet - businesses contributing 1% of total annual sales to grassroots environmental groups * Patagonia made a commitment to use 100% organic cotton in 1996. * Patagonia Action Works — connect with local environmental action groups. * Time to Vote Campaign — More than 2,000 companies are committed to ensuring people don’t have to choose between earning a paycheck and voting. * Canyon Woodward and Dirt Road Organizing * Caroline Gleich, athlete activist * Patagonia Film: This Is Not A Drill _____ Credits: This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Original music is by Emma Munger, graphic design by Holly Griffin of Design Hungry, and social media support from Feeling Seen Studio. Curtis Brewer captured the audio, and Xavier “Invisionary” Edwards took the photos. Special thanks to Alexa Liccardi, Kathleen Welch, and Kevin Ulnger and the whole team at the Patagonia Upper West Side store for hosting us. _____ Phone banking ☎️ w/ Environmental Voter Project While in New York, amidst the crazy schedule of Climate Week events, we still made time to phone bank (me from my bed in my tiny hotel room). Just like this podcast isn’t on video, neither is phone banking — you can do it in your pajamas! If you don’t know what to do with your election/democracy anxiety, join us! Every Wednesday at 12p ET until Election Day (or many other shifts available). All the cool kids are doing it. 😎 RSVP here: environmentalvoter.org/AEJ _____ Enjoying the podcast? Share it around, spread the word! And be sure to review 🌟 and follow What If We Get It Right? — that helps more people find us and these timely conversations. Thanks for listening. 💛 p.s. If you missed our conversation with Nathaniel Stinnett, founding executive director of Environmental Voter Project, that’s the perfect episode to bop over to next: How the climate movement can build political power 🌎💪🏽 with Nathaniel Stinnett Get full access to WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT? at ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/subscribe

In honor of NYC Climate Week, we’re diving into the climate initiatives happening right here in this city. There is so much going on. Our guest is Louise Yeung, New York City’s Chief Climate Officer. We interviewed Louise to give you a real sense of what we actually get when we elect someone who is committed to climate justice. Spoiler: We get a lot of good stuff! We covered everything from battery-powered food carts, to heat pumps in public housing, to BRT (bus rapid transit, we love it), to social cohesion as a resilience strategy. We also touched on the fact that Mayor Mamdani, despite being informed and committed, doesn’t really talk about climate very much, and asked Louise if she could help change that.🤞🏽 Louise’s Hot Take 🥵🌎 — Policy-making is an act of love. We hope this will help motivate you to go all-in for these last six weeks until Election Day. _____ Mentioned in this Episode * NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice * NYC Gov Press Release: Plan to Lower Subway Platform Temperatures and Harness Thermal Energy in Lower Manhattan * Mayor Mamdani Announces New York City’s First Bus Shelter With a Cooling Green Roof in Brownsville * During Superstorm Sandy, although 85% of the wetlands in New York and New Jersey had already been destroyed by development, what little ­remained prevented $625 million of damage. * Heat stress is the leading cause of weather-related deaths–killing more people than hurricanes, tornadoes and floods combined. * NY plug-in solar bill aka the SUNNY Act * NYC Launches Food Vendor Cart Electrification Pilot in Queens * Investing in resilience before a disaster hits can save $6 to $13 on response and recovery. * Urban Ocean Lab + NYC Comptroller Office’s policy memo: Social Cohesion as a Climate Strategy: Reflections on Superstorm Sandy * UOL‘s current work: Leveraging Public Procurement for Climate Action * One thing inspiring Louise — Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals, by Alexis Pauline Gumbs_____ Phone banking ☎️ w/ Environmental Voter Project We’re growing! In week 2 of our phone banking 52 callers made 19,709 dials, and had a whopping 587 conversations with people who were otherwise unlikely to vote. GO TEAM! If you don’t know what to do with your election/democracy anxiety, join us! Every Wednesday at 12p ET until Election Day. All the cool kids are doing it. 😎 — Sign up: environmentalvoter.org/AEJ _____ Enjoying the show? Share it around, spread the word! And review 🌟 and follow What If We Get It Right? podcast platform — that helps more people find us and these timely conversations. _____ Credits: This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and me (Ayana), with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Original music by Emma Munger. Graphic design by Holly Griffin of Design Hungry, and social media support from Feeling Seen Studio. And thank you for listening. 💛 Get full access to WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT? at ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/subscribe

First, happy 2nd birthday to What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures (the book version). Thank you for welcoming it into the world so warmly (NYT bestseller! 10,000+ of you coming to book tour events!) that it continues on in podcast form. 💛✨ If you haven't yet checked it out, find the (massively updated) paperback edition at your local library or bookstore. The 20 interviews it contains with incredible experts (including, of course, our wise Bill McKibben, star of the “Divest and Protest” chapter) are all still very relevant. Alas, we have not gotten it right, yet. But we are not giving up on life on Earth, right?! Right. _____ And now for today's bonus episode, a delightful conversation with Stacey Abrams from two years ago. It was recorded during Climate Week 2024, when my book was hot of the presses and we were, likewise, in the run-up to an intensely crucial election. 😵‍💫 Stacey was, at the time, senior counsel to Rewiring America, and thinking deeply about what electrification and the clean energy transition could practically look like — especially in communities of color and especially in the South. Some people are surprised with the depth of her expertise on climate but (1) never underestimate Stacey Abrams, and (2) her college thesis was on environmental justice! She’s not new to this. And she connects the dots between climate and democracy like none other. Hot tip: Listen to the end if you want to hear us sing our favorite Prince song together 🎶 _____ Mentioned in this episode: * More than 47 million people in the U.S. — one in seven — live in coastal cities, and nearly 60% of those residents identify as people of color, compared to 37% nationally. * Cancer Alley: The eighty-five-mile stretch along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge is nicknamed “Cancer Alley” because of its concentration of more than 200 petrochemical facilities and associated high rates of cancer. * Sea level rise could displace 410 million people globally, including 13.1 million people in the U.S., by 2100. * About 40% of the U.S.’s energy-related emissions come from decisions our homes and vehicles. * If you have a gas stove in a poorly ventilated rental apartment, you face a climate catastrophe in your home. * Podcast episode with Ari Matusiak, CEO of Rewiring America _____ Be a Climate Citizen: If you don’t know what to do with your election anxiety, join me and the Environmental Voter Project to phone bank every Wednesday at 12p ET. ☎️🌎 Bring the homies. RSVP here. As Stacey Abrams says, “I don’t need purity, I need participation.” _____ Credits: This episode was produced and edited by Remoy Philip and me (Ayana), with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Original music by Emma Munger. Graphic design by Holly Griffin of Design Hungry, and social media support from Feeling Seen Studio. BIG thanks to Stacey Abrams and her team, and to event sponsors Grist, Rewiring America, Mother Jones, and the Tishman Environment and Design Center at the New School. If you’re enjoying our podcast, pass it along. Drop an episode link in your group chats. Follow and review on your platform of choice. Spread the word. And we’ll be back on Tuesday with a new episode. Get full access to WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT? at ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/subscribe

The clean energy industry is getting aggressive, Super PAC style. And, honestly, it’s pretty exciting. Our guest this episode is Tom Matzzie, founder and CEO of Clean Choice Energy, an energy supplier whose mission is to make clean energy accessible to all. Highly relevant: he’s also a veteran political strategist. Clean energy entrepreneurs and advocates have largely relied on affordability, efficiency, and environmental upsides to make their case. You know, the facts. But elections aren’t decided on facts alone. They are about power and influence. Well, now there’s a new super PAC in town: the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition. It’s a pro-clean energy PAC founded in response to right-wing politicians killing the Inflation Reduction Act’s support for the clean energy industry. Their Texas-inspired message? “Don’t mess with solar.” _____ Clean energy mascot competition! 🏆 During this conversation, we found ourselves thinking: The clean energy industry needs a mascot. Ayana came up with Freddy the Photon. Bill came up with Sunny Da Riveter. Certainly you can do better. What should it be? Drop your ideas in our newsletter comments! We will think long and hard about your submissions, and in addition major bragging rights, we’ll send the winner a “don’t mess with solar” t-shirt. _____ Mentioned in this episode: * Invest in Tomorrow Coalition PAC * Merch for “Don’t Mess With Solar” and “Don’t Mess With Wind” * Tom’s company: Clean Choice Energy * Chip Roy,one of the leaders of the House Freedom Caucus, quoted on wanting to kill 90% of all clean energy projects. * There are more people working at Arby's sandwich shops than there are mining coal left in America. * Another podcast we recommend: The Nature of With Willow Defebaugh. Each episode, Willow sits down with artists, scientists, and cultural pioneers, from Robin Wall Kimmerer to Esther Perel, to uncover what nature can teach us about creativity, connection, and change. VERY good. Go listen! _____ PHONE BANK ☎️🌎 with Environmental Voter Project Join me every Wednesday until Election Day, from 12 - 1:30p ET. We’re gonna phone bank with EVP — on repeat — to help make sure Earth lovers show up to vote. Bring your crew. All the cool kids are doing it. Sign up at environmentalvoter.org/AEJ _____ Credits: This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and me (Ayana), with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Original music by Emma Munger. Graphic design by Holly Griffin of Design Hungry, and social media support from Feeling Seen Studio. Get full access to WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT? at ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/subscribe

The environmental movement has a voter turnout problem: 11.2 million environmental voters did not vote in the 2024 election. Over 11 MILLION! That’s over half of the people who say climate/environment is their #1 voting issue. On the one hand: Are you kidding me?! WTF 😖 — especially when elections are often decided by mere thousands of votes. On the other hand: So much room for improvement! So, what can we do about this? Enter Environmental Voter Project. Our guest for this episode is Nathaniel Stinnett, founding executive director of EVP. I’ve been a fan and supporter of EVP since day one. It’s a nonpartisan nonprofit whose entire reason for being is getting non-voting environmentalist to become super voters. ✅ Just imagine the world we could have if those 11+ million Americans actually voted and politicians lived in fear of the enviro voting block. Swoon. So dreamy. In Nathaniel’s words: "What the climate movement needs now more than anything is political power, period. We have a whole bunch of policy solutions. We have a whole bunch of technology. What we are missing is political power." But for me, his real zinger of the episode was: "The fossil fuel industry has convinced us the climate crisis is a suicide rather than a homicide. And we’re all just still blaming ourselves." Hot damn. Well, blame where it’s due. But also, what if we get this right...? Nathaniel’s Hot Climate Take 🥵🌎 — Not only should Democrats be talking about climate change, they should embrace it as a wedge issue. Mentioned in this episode: * EVP Impact Report: 11.2 MILLION environmentalists did not vote in the 2024 election * YouGov Weekly Tracking Poll of issues Americans consider most important: 7.1% of US registered voters rank “climate change and environment” as their top priority. (On the upswing!) * Jess Craven’s Substack newsletter: Chop Wood Carry Water * UCSB 2035 Initiative: Polling: Politicians Shouldn’t Hide From Climate Credits: This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and me (Ayana), with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Graphic design by Holly Griffin of Design Hungry, and social media support from Feeling Seen Studio. _____ PHONE BANK ☎️🌎 with Environmental Voter Project Join me every Wednesday until Election Day, from 12 - 1:30p ET. We’re gonna phone bank with EVP — on repeat — to help make sure Earth lovers show up to vote. If 12p on Wednesdays doesn’t work for you, I will miss you, but sign up for EVPs many other shifts. Bring your crew. All the cool kids are doing it. Register here. Get full access to WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT? at ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Season 5 of What If We Get It Right? 💫 While it may seem counterintuitive given the electoral subject matter, Bill McKibben and I are having a blast gabbing with all these wonderful folks who work on climate and politics. Our first guest is Dr. Leah Stokes, professor of environmental politics, energy policy wonk, activist, and writer. During the Biden administration, she also became a DC insider and was integral to the development and passage of the Inflation Reduction Act – THE biggest climate law in history. With Leah, we reflect/debrief on the IRA, bemoan the empirical absurdity of politicians going quiet on climate, and hear her pitch for abandoning the term “carbon footprint” (that evil/brilliant phrase from the fossil fuel industry) and instead embracing a “carbon wave.” The Carbon Wave is also the title of her new book, well worth reading. Leah’s Hot Climate Take 🥵🌎 — It is cheaper and cleaner to drive an electric vehicle than a gas-powered car and it’s gonna work in every single corner of this country— don't believe the fossil fuel industry lies! If you own a car, it should be an electric car. For more from Leah: * her Substack newsletter Notes from the Electric Era * her podcast A Matter of Degrees, co-hosted with Katharine K. Wilkinson. * her books: The Carbon Wave & Short Circuiting Policy * catch her on book tour Mentioned in this episode: * Inside Climate News: Elected Democrats Have Embraced ‘Climate Hushing.’ Are They Making a Mistake as the Midterms Loom? * Leah’s Substack pieces: Yes, Democrats Should Talk About Climate & No, the Democrats’ Big Climate Law is Not Dead. * Australian’s government has made electricity free during the middle of the day — because solar energy is abundant. * Energy Innovation: “99 percent of existing U.S. coal plants are more expensive to run than replacement by local wind, solar, and energy storage resources.” * The Carbon Wave Calculator _______ PHONE BANK ☎️🌎 with Environmental Voter Project Join me every Wednesday until Election Day from 12 - 1:30p ET. We’re gonna phone bank with the magnificent Environmental Voter Project to help make sure Earth lovers show up to vote. This week we’re calling Maine! Sign up! ______ Credits:This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Graphic design by Holly Griffin of Design Hungry, and social media support from Feeling Seen Studio. Get full access to WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT? at ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/subscribe

Season 5 of the What If We Get It Right? podcast is dedicated to environmental issues in the midterm elections — what’s at stake and how the planet can win. We are going to get INTO IT. Perhaps grappling with this requires a dynamic duo? Well, it can’t hurt. I’m thrilled to be co-hosting this season with the magnificent and wise journalist, activist, and OG climate legend Bill McKibben. We’ve been having a blast recording the episodes and can’t wait to share them with you. Environmental issues never seem to quite get the attention they deserve when the news covers elections. (UGH.) So! Each week through Election Day, we’ll dive into a new topic with expert guests. We’ll be covering everything from the AI data center boom to Super PACs for clean energy, climate hushing, protecting our public lands, and how to get environmentalists to actually vote. 11.2 MILLION ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS FAILED TO VOTE IN THE 2024 ELECTION! Not good. If we’re going to get this livable planet thing right we really need to be electing people who get it on climate, and just overall getting way more politically savvy. Subscribe, follow, etc. so you don’t miss an episode. Get full access to WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT? at ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/subscribe

Earlier this month at College of the Atlantic, I was over the moon to speak alongside the one and only Robin Wall Kimmerer, botanist, teacher, Earth lover and legendary author of Braiding Sweetgrass. Our conversation went deeper than I expected — but that’s on me for not having higher expectations! We discussed everything from the value of books in this age of shrinking attention spans, to how to shift our thinking from competition to collaboration (inspired by the mutualism of ecosystems), to the urgency of reciprocity and gift giving. I shared my spicy take on strawberries and we discussed the magic of photosynthesis. Plants. It’s all about plants. It was such a beautiful, spirited morning with Robin. And it was kicked off with the most thoughtful and lovely introduction, by COA student, Madi DuVarney. Want more from Robin? Of course you do. Find her books at your local library, on your friend’s shelf, or order from an indie bookshop. ✨ ANNOUNCEMENT ✨ For Season 5 of this podcast, I'm bringing in a co-host: the magnificent and wise journalist, activist, and climate legend, Bill McKibben. The midterm elections are right around the corner, in 70 days, and if we’re going to get this livable planet thing right we really need to be electing people who get it on climate. Environmental issues never seem to quite get the attention they deserve when the news media is covering about what’s at stake and now to win. So! We, here, are going to get into it. Each week through Election Day, Bill and I will dive into a new topic with expert guests — everything from the AI data center boom to PACs for clean energy to how to get environmentalists to actually vote. As more and more Americans are hit by the impacts of climate change and are more and more motivated to be part of the solutions, let’s make sure they have the info they need. Can you feel my excitement? Are you stoked too? Do us a favor and help spread the word. Tell your people to subscribe. _____ CREDITS: This podcast is ad-free thanks to the support of Future Being, a grant making and special project studio, which supports the healing of our planet and the safeguarding of biological and cultural diversity.This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and myself with support from Jenisha Shrestha. Special thanks to Luie Dransfield for the technical side of this recording along with Shawn Keeley from the College of the Atlantic. Alright, Earthlings, I’ll be back in September WITH BILL MCKIBBEN(!) and some piping hot new episodes. In the meantime, do your part and be kind and love this planet. Get full access to WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT? at ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/subscribe

This conversation had an odd effect on me. I found it... relaxing? To hear a politician speaking competently, calmly, clearly, practically and with nuance about climate policy was so soothing, reassuring. More of this please! How can we make things happen when your federal leaders are climate deniers in the pocket of fossil fuel industry? One answer is that state government leaders need to majorly step up. So, today’s conversation with Maine gubernatorial candidate Hannah Pingree is an important one. Hannah Pingree is is a longtime public servant and climate leader from a small island off the midcoast of Maine. I would describe her as a strategic problem-solver. Very importantly, in a fiercely independent “purple” state like Maine, Hannah also has a track record of something very rare in American politics right now: an ability to get things done across all sorts of political divides, including on climate issues. In this conversation, we cover everything from AI data centers, to clean energy, affordability, aquaculture, PFAS (aka forever chemicals), working waterfronts, and the critical role of governors in this era of excruciating federal rollbacks. After hearing this interview, you’ll get why I will be ranking Hannah Pingree #1 on my ballot and why Maine Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, and — perhaps most notably — the High School Democrats of Maine have endorsed her. This is an especially timely episode because early voting in Maine’s primary election is open NOW! And Election Day is June 9th. So whether you’re a Maine voter yourself, know someone who is, or are just interested in what state-level climate leadership can look like... this one’s for you. Have a listen and send this episode to all the Mainers in your life so they can make a more informed decision. And wherever you live, it’s a perfect time to pick a candidate, roll up your sleeves and help them win. These midterm elections are an ENORMOUS deal. Don’t know where to begin? Check out which candidates Lead Locally and Working Families Party have endorsed, and sign up to phone bank with Environmental Voter Project. Credits: This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and me, with support from Jenisha Shrestha. That’s it! That’s our small but mighty team. Alright, Earthlings, I’m gonna take the summer off from podcasting. And then! I’ll be back in the fall with an election season of the show. For that I’m going to be teaming up with a magnificent and wise and charming co-host. All will be revealed in due time... but get stoked, and stay tuned, and do your part, and be kind, and keep loving this planet. 🩵 Get full access to WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT? at ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/subscribe