For decades, Republicans have been echoing the same mantra, that “government is not the solution, it’s the problem.” And for the most part, when the GOP is in power, this aphorism sadly rings all too true. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak with Ann E. Carlson, an environmental law professor and former head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about her new book, Smog and Sunshine: The Surprising Story of How Los Angeles Cleaned Up Its Air. We discuss the sound governmental policies and practices that allowed Los Angelenos to breathe easy again, talk about how private industry lacks sufficient motivation to tackle climate change, and get a glimpse into how today’s law students regard government service.

Most of us aren’t aware of just how much carbon dioxide is emitted from biomass waste such as sawdust, forest thinnings, and agricultural residuals but woody biomass energy production emits roughly double the carbon pollution per unit of electricity of coal, and 4.5 times that of gas. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak to Hannah Murnen, the Chief Technology Officer at a carbon dioxide removal startup known as Graphyte to learn more about the company and the industry as a whole. We discuss how their technology is able to safely store biomass waste that would otherwise decompose or be burned, and get a better understanding of how carbon offsets work.

With all the havoc the Trump administration is currently wreaking on humanity, it’s easy to forget the threat this reign of terror poses for wildlife, as well. Luckily, there are still many people fighting the good fight to protect vulnerable flora and fauna. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak with Ryan Shannon, a Senior Attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. We discuss the landmark case he helped argue to protect four key Endangered Species Act provisions that the Trump administration had weakened, examine the potential impact of the court’s ruling, and learn about a separate case where this administration’s “God Squad” is endangering whales under the guise of national security.