Not a Climate Scientist podcast provides an inside look at how climate change is transforming our lives

Today on Earth Day, Woodwell Climate Research Center is launching a podcast for everyone who is not a scientist, but is worried about the effects of climate change and wants to understand how others are taking action in their daily work and lives. As the consequences of the climate crisis increasingly impact our economy, infrastructure, public health, and communities, Not a Climate Scientist will provide listeners with a window into how industry leaders and everyday individuals are working to adapt and plan for the future. 

“Science provides critical information about how fast our climate is changing, what’s driving that, and how we can change course. But scientists alone can’t solve this problem,” said Dr. R. Max Holmes, President and CEO of Woodwell Climate Research Center. “Climate action is for everyone, whatever your passion or profession. Not a Climate Scientist provides examples of people who have figured that out, and can help others find their first step.” 

New episodes will be released every other week on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, Amazon, and iHeartRadio. The first three episodes are available now and feature:

• Fire Chief John Butler of Fairfax County, Virginia Fire Rescue Department, who says climate change is an unavoidable part of daily conversations for those who respond to natural disasters;
• Therapist Leslie Davenport, author of Grist’s “Ask a Climate Therapist” column, who used her own personal climate crisis to develop an approach that can help others cope with climate anxiety and grief; 
• Rancher Jim Howell, CEO of Grasslands, LLC, who pushes back on blaming cows for climate change and says ranches can be climate solutions.

The podcast is hosted by Dr. Heather Goldstone, Senior Fellow at Woodwell Climate. Goldstone joined Woodwell Climate in 2020 after nearly a decade at GBH, where she founded and hosted a weekly science-focused radio show, Living Lab Radio. Her science and environmental reporting has appeared in a range of outlets, including the Cape Cod Times, Commercial Fishery News, NPR’s Morning Edition, The Takeaway, and PBS NewsHour.

“Climate change is not just a distant threat or political flash point, it’s a reality that is showing up in people’s lives and jobs across the U.S. on a daily basis,” said Goldstone, executive producer and host of Not a Climate Scientist. “The vast majority of Americans are worried about climate change, but relatively few are talking about it. This podcast brings this looming issue down to earth and opens up conversations that are personal, relatable, and actionable — an antidote to the doom and gloom so many people are trying to avoid.”

For 40 years, Woodwell Climate Research Center has led groundbreaking scientific research and solutions to help leaders, communities, and policymakers across the world respond to the climate crisis. Not a Climate Scientist will notably talk to everyone except climate scientists, highlighting the ways in which we all, regardless of profession, geography, or socioeconomic status, can be part of shaping a more positive climate future. 

Follow Not a Climate Scientist on TikTok and Instagram @NotAClimateScientist.