EVERYDAY CLIMATE CHAMPIONS PODCAST: BEHIND THE SCENES

Submitted by Dalya Massachi, Climate Reality Leader and Podcast Chair

As a Climate Reality Project Climate Leader, I own my responsibility to use my strengths and talents to address the climate crisis in the best way I can. 

I have been a journalist, author, editor, trainer, and coach for over 25 years. I also have long had a special interest, experience (and academic degrees) in communications about global social issues. In recent years, I have started shifting my focus to climate justice solutions, and did a lot of self-study. Starting the Everyday Climate Solutions Podcast is the natural outgrowth of all of that. 

As it happens, I first engaged with the Communications Team in the Climate Reality Bay Area chapter on September 21, 2021 (my calendar proves it). And the podcast launch date was one year later -- to the day. How did it all come together?

The Volunteer Team

Several passionate, skilled volunteers joined me to form a podcast production team. We have been working together since last March to plan and create episodes of our new monthly podcast series. 

Team members live in all parts of the Greater Bay Area. A few have recording experience, but most are just interested in showing how our Bay Area neighbors are taking effective climate action. We’re featuring inspiring examples of everyday solutions we can all integrate into our lives as we transition to more climate-friendly living.

And the podcast team is still growing! We regularly welcome new Bay Area folks who would like to get involved. We’re always on the lookout for new sound designers, researchers, co-hosts, and others who want to get involved. (Email me to learn more.)

Positive – But Not Pollyannaish

Yes, of course, we all know about the never-ending stream of bad climate news. No denying that. And in some arenas, it is too late to avert all of the negative effects of the climate crisis. 

But we still have a small window of time to turn things around – to prevent the worst. And the Podcast is highlighting the many solutions to do just that.

It’s true that many of us are dealing with some level of climate anxiety. We need to be realistic about what we’re dealing with. And let’s also realize that there is hope: We have opportunities for change.

Fortunately, there are many, many ways to get involved in slowing or even reversing the climate crisis. Everyone alive today can play a role in ensuring that life, as we know it, can continue on Earth for many generations to come.

It’s Now or Never

Right now is often called The Decisive Decade. This is the tipping point moment. It’s clear that our shared future will have to look very different from our past. 

So how can we make that transition, in a way that ensures that all of our neighbors get a just, equitable, and joyful seat at the new table? How can we act on the understanding that our own choices – in our everyday lives – directly affect the well-being of life on Earth?

We need resources, examples, inspiration, and support. That’s what the Everyday Climate Champions Podcast is all about.

We Don’t Have to be “Experts” to be Effective

If you are anything like me, you are intrigued by the many excellent podcasts, webinars, and pother broadcasts featuring recognized climate experts (academics, businesspeople, lawmakers, etc.). I am so glad they are out there, and continue to proliferate in today’s media. We need to understand the facts and urgency.

But it can’t stop there. 

In our daily lives, we all can encourage the social norm or expectation that our actions will be with our climate's health in mind. We can support people around us to start to make a cultural shift by envisioning and pursuing a positive future of climate recovery, restoration, and richness.

On the Podcast we find and feature inspiring local “everyday people” from different walks of life in different Bay Area communities who are finding climate solutions and making them work. We show how our neighbors are addressing the climate crisis (in small and big ways) and how our listeners can do so, too –on a household, family, workplace, school, community, and/or political level. 

These Everyday Climate Champions may not often be heard in the climate conversation, but they should be. Importantly, they are not only acting alone – they demonstrate how local communities are powerful in addressing the climate crisis.

All Hands On Deck 

Thanks to decades of work, most people these days – in the Bay Area and around the world – understand the broad outlines of the climate crisis we face. But the gap between understanding and acting (and doing so swiftly) is often hard to bridge.

Part of that difficulty is knowing exactly HOW to make changes that will both make a real difference for our climate, and make practical sense in our lives. Solutions need to be clear and straightforward (not overwhelming), convenient and affordable, and maybe even enjoyable, rewarding, beautiful and fun. If we can take action alongside our friends, even better! 

That starts with simple swaps in personal lifestyle, and continues all the way through to systemic changes that have political dimensions. We each have the power to help change popular understanding of climate solutions, generate more demand for them, and show how they can start on a small scale and then grow and spread. It’s all about making climate action a part of what it means to live here -- on Earth and in the Bay Area.

Next Steps

Look for the Everyday Climate Champions Podcast to release monthly episodes on a wide range of climate-related topics. We hope to create a model that inspires other communities to do similar podcasts covering their own local everyday climate champions. Stay tuned!