Citizens’ Climate Radio is a monthly podcast hosted by CCL volunteer Peterson Toscano. Browse all our past episodes here, and check out the latest episode in the post below.
Storytelling is a vital skill to have when talking about climate change. In this episode, podcast host Peterson Toscano introduces you to novelist Aaron Thier, a master storyteller. Through his new climate change-themed book, Mr. Eternity, Aaron Thier takes readers on a 1,000-year odyssey. The main character calls himself Daniel Defoe. We never learn his real name. Old Dan can’t seem to die. Five different narrators in five different periods from 1500 to 2500 bump into this traveler. The book is brilliant, hilarious, weird and deeply moving. It is essential reading for climate advocates. Learn why Aaron wrote the book and the challenges novelists face when telling climate stories. Aaron also reads extended excerpts from the book.
Art House
Clara Fang
Joining us in the Art House is Clara Fang. Clara is a writer, environmentalist, and a photographer currently based in Detroit, Michigan. She is also the higher education liaison at Citizen’s Climate Lobby.
Her poems have been published in numerous journals. She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She won The Lyric poetry contest, and was a finalist for the Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award. Clara was born in Shanghai, China, and immigrated to the United States when she was nine years old. She reads the poem, “Love in the Time of Climate Change.”
Puzzler
We feature two excellent answers to Crusty Ole Charlie’s complaint that we can’t “play nice” when dealing with business and government.
Here’s our new puzzler for the month:
Believe it or not, many people are not all that concerned about animal extinction or the plight of future generations. For them there needs to be another climate hook—one that is closer to home. So here is your question: Besides the welfare of animal species and future generations, why are you passionate about climate change?
Send in your answers by April 15, 2017 along with your name, contact info, and where you are from. You can email your answers to or leave a voice memo of 3 minutes or less at 570-483-8194 (+1 if calling from outside the USA).
Dig Deeper
- Hear novelists Aaron Thier and Amitav Ghosh speak about the challenges of climate fiction—Guardian Books Podcast
- Read Rebecca Evanhoe’s interview with Aaron Thier—The Drowned Coast on Burrow Press
- Read more climate-themed poetry—Keep it in the Ground in The Guardian
You can hear Citizens’ Climate Radio on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Podbean, and now on Northern Spirit Radio. Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group or on Twitter at @CitizensCRadio.
