Climate Change

The CEO of a local green energy company says he’s discouraged that the discussion surrounding climate change and climate action have become about politics and morality. Kevin Schulte is the CEO of GreenSpark Solar, a residential and commercial solar energy company based in Rochester. In a recent op-ed, Schulte argues that the divisive discourse “is a bigger threat to our society than the climate crisis. To truly slow the earth from baking, we need every person to engage.”

Schulte joins us to discuss his ideas for generating productive, inclusive conversations about climate change. We also hear from local climate activists. In studio:

• Kevin Schulte, CEO of GreenSpark Solar
• Larry Torcello, associate professor in the Department of Philosophy at RIT
• Sue Hughes-Smith, member of the leadership team for the Rochester People’s Climate Coalition
• Ben Frevert, partner at Roctricity
  

Astrophysicist Adam Frank recently wrote a piece for the Washington Post that addressed narratives about climate change. In the piece, titled, “Reframing climate change as a story of human evolutionary success,” Frank writes that this new narrative does not let humans off the hook when it comes to their role in causing climate change.

In that spirit, we sit down with Frank to discuss recent climate change narratives from Hollywood – films like “Ad Astra” and television shows like “The Expanse.” He helps us break them down. In studio:

• Adam Frank, author and professor of astrophysics at the University of Rochester

During this conversation, Adam Frank discussed the books "American War," by Omar El Akkad, and "The Water Knife" by Paolo Bacigalup.

C-Change Conversations is a group that formed with a straightforward goal: make talking about climate change non-partisan, non-political. The team has created a traveling presentation that they take to people who are predisposed to doubt climate change. Does it work? Can climate action become nonpartisan, given recent polling showing stark political divides on the issues?

Our guests talk about what they do. They're in Rochester for a presentation at Nazareth College. In studio:

• Sophie Glovier, team member with C-Change Conversations
• Kim Haren, team member with C-Change Conversations

The Seneca Park Zoo Society is gearing up for its second annual Environmental Innovation Awards and Symposium. The event celebrates leadership in environmental stewardship, and honors companies that are creating innovative solutions to complex environmental problems.

This year's keynote speaker, Brett Howell, is an environmental entrepreneur whose work focuses on plastic pollution prevention. He joins us to discuss his recent projects, and our guests from the Zoo Society share updates related to sustainability, green technology, and conservation education in the Rochester and Finger Lakes area.

Our guests:

• Pamela Reed Sanchez, president and CEO of the Seneca Park Zoo Society
• Suzanne Hunt, member of the board of trustees for the Seneca Park Zoo Society, and president of Hunt Green, LLC
• Brett Howell, environmental entrepreneur 

How can different community and governmental entities work together to address environmental health and justice, especially in urban areas? It’s a question University of Rochester Medical Center associate professor Katrina Korfmacher answers in her new book, “Bridging Silos: Collaborating for Environmental Health and Justice in Urban Communities.” She explores examples from three communities, including efforts to address lead poisoning in Rochester. Her work focuses on how collaboration is essential in creating positive outcomes for underrepresented and disadvantaged populations.

She joins us to discuss her research and what cities across the country can learn from programs like those in Rochester. The conversation comes in advance of an upcoming book talk at Writers & Books. In studio:

• Katrina Korfmacher, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center, and author of “Bridging Silos: Collaborating for Environmental Health and Justice in Urban Communities”
• Elizabeth McDade, program coordinator for the Rochester Energy Efficiency and Weatherization (RENEW) initiative at the Rochester Area Community Foundation
• Dina Faticone, director of community health and engagement at Common Ground Health

We sit down with local youth climate leaders who just returned from the climate strike in New York City and the Climate Solutions Summit at SUNY New Paltz. They share their message, what they learned, and how they hope to work with adults in their community and beyond to create a sustainable future.

Our guests:

• Liam Smith, senior at Brighton High School, president of the Brighton High School Climate Club, member of the Citizens Climate Lobby, member of the leadership team for the Rochester Youth Climate Leaders, and intern with the Rochester People’s Climate Coalition
• Lindsay Cody, senior at Honeoye Falls Lima High School, crew leader of the Rochester chapter of Earth Guardians, member of the Rochester Youth Climate Leaders, and member of the planning team for Metro Justice’s Rochester for Energy Democracy campaign
• Hridesh Singh, senior at Brighton High School, board secretary for the Rochester People’s Climate Coalition, co-founder of the Brighton High School Climate Club, and member of the leadership team for the Rochester Youth Climate Leaders
• Terry Smith, head of the Harley School's Lower School
  

The global climate strike, a worldwide event to bring awareness to climate change, was a focus at the University of Rochester on Friday. Students organized a teach-in with speakers from groups working to combat the climate crisis. 

Ashley Bardhan is a senior at the university and one of the organizers of the teach-in. She says she was moved to take action because national and international leaders aren’t doing enough to curb climate change. 

Are you a climate nihilist? Author Jonathan Franzen wrote a piece for the New Yorker arguing that it’s time to spend more effort preparing for climate catastrophe, and less effort to stopping it. Franzen argues that humans are not going to do what is necessary to prevent devastating global warming. He wonders why there isn’t more conversation about this, and what it means.

But climate policy experts respond that Franzen has botched some of the key facts to understanding climate change, and they argue that his position is a dangerous one. We debate it:

• Genevieve Guenther, founder and director of EndClimateSilence.org 
• Reverend Shari Halliday-Quan, senior minister at First Unitarian Church of Rochester
• Abigail McHugh-Grifa, executive director of the Rochester People’s Climate Coalition

Democratic Rep. Joe Morelle announced Wednesday that he is taking action on climate change.

“There is no greater threat facing humanity, and there’s probably never been a greater threat ever to face humanity," Morelle said.

Morelle said he is sponsoring the Climate Emergency Resolution that Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced last month. He’s also endorsing multiple environmental bills.