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Episode 29: Truth, Fact, and Cli-Fi

Peterson Toscano

Citizens’ Climate Radio is a monthly podcast hosted by CCL volunteer Peterson Toscano. Browse all our past episode recaps here, or listen to past episodes here, and check out the latest episode in the post below.

When telling climate change stories, truth is more important than facts. Host Peterson Toscano shares his own bizarre climate change coming out story. Like many people, he was aware of climate change, but it never hit him in the heart or the gut—until one day. Moving, funny, and unexpected, his awakening came when climate change hit him and his Italian-American/South African family close to home. In addition to telling how he woke up to the reality of climate change, he shares listeners’ responses to the Puzzler question, “What does climate change mean to you?”

 

 

Art House

We learn about climate fiction or “cli-fi” from Elizabeth Rush. Although she is the author of the bestselling and critically acclaimed non-fiction book, “Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore,” she also teaches cli-fi at Brown University. She reveals the differences and important contributions both humanities and science students bring to the course. She also provides us with a reading list and discusses “Gold, Fame, Citrus” by Claire Vaye Watkins, “10:04” by Ben Lerner and “New York 2140” by Kim Stanley Robinson. 

Elizabeth Rush

Elizabeth Rush

Puzzler

The puzzler question is such an important part of this show. These questions are designed to help you improve in your climate communication skills. This month’s puzzler question is especially designed for people of faith:

You are at a place of worship, and you have fliers about an upcoming climate change event. Louis, someone you know from your faith community, asks why are you involved in climate change work. You say, “Lots of reasons, but a big part is because of my faith.” Louis looks puzzled. He asks, “Climate change? What’s faith got to do with it?” What do you say to Louis? How is climate change connected to your faith or religion or spiritual practice?

Send Peterson your answers by Nov. 15, 2018, along with your name, contact info, and where you are from. You can email your answers to radio @ citizensclimate.org or, better yet, leave a voicemail of 3 minutes or less at (518) 595-9414 (+1 if calling from outside the USA).

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