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Climate Talk on the Radio

Updated 7/16/2023

CCL Tacoma member, John Doherty, gives a regular program, Climate Talk, on RadioTacoma, KTAH 101.9 FM. You can listen to these talks at this archive.  John also produces a Climate Minute which is aired regularly on RadioTacoma and now on the Voice of Vashon, KVSH 101.9 FM.

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If you would like to reach out to John, please email him at john@ccltacoma.org.

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Documents and websites to which John refers during his programs:

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2023 Climate Talk Program Links

July 17: Altinay Karasapan from the Washington non-profit Climate Solutions guides us through Washington's Climate Commitment Act and the benefits there for us.

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July 4: Deepa Sivarajan of the Climate Solutions on Energy Codes

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  • A study by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance showing that because the 2018 energy code itself required such high levels of efficiency, and because electric heat pumps are so much more efficient than even the newest gas appliances, 88% of new homes in Washington are being built with electric space and water heating anyway, regardless of the most recent code update  

  • Two cost-benefit analyses showing that new all-electric homes are cheaper to build than mixed fuel buildings 

    • A report prepared for the Washington State Department of Commerce in May 2022 found all-electric residential new construction cost-effective across the state. Compared to a mixed-fuel new home that needs air conditioning, an all-electric new home saves about $2,000 in upfront costs.

    • A cost-benefit analysis conducted by RMI for Washington’s 2021 residential energy code process found that new mixed-fuel homes in both Seattle and Spokane cost more than $7,200 more to build than all-electric homes. 

  • Information on the Seattle Building Emissions Performance Standard (BEPS) which, if passed, will tackle emissions from existing buildings over 20,000 square feet, and will cut building emissions in Seattle by 27% by 2050

  • An Op-ed on Seattle Building Emissions Performance Standard for the Seattle Times that was published today

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May 15: Don Marsh of the Washington Clean Energy Coalition outlines how Puget Sound Energy is proposing to the Utilities Commission that PSE continue present levels of methane pollution for 26 more years and via the link below provides a simple way for citizens and ratepayers to comment on PSE’s proposal.

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2022 Climate Talk Program Links

September 25: Dr. Sam Calisch of Rewiring America on electrifying (almost) everything and how you can save money and reduce your emissions by using the Rewiring America Inflation Reduction Act savings calculator.

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Dr. Calisch and Rewiring America articles on:

Books:

August 14 (Part 1), August 21 (Part 2): Seattle-based nuclear engineer Nick Touran discusses how nuclear energy can fit in with green energy sources - and how to manage the risks. 

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August 7: Dr. Lowell Wyse, Executive Director of the Tacoma Tree Foundation fills us in on why Tacoma is at the bottom of the stack for tree canopy and what we can do about it - and why we should.

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  • Tacoma Tree Foundation: focused on bringing trees and plants to the areas where they can have the most social and environmental impact.

  • Tacoma Community Forestry Stories: Amazing resource from City of Tacoma on connections between racist development patterns, tree coverage, and urban heat.

  • Tree Equity Score: Nonprofit map of all Puget Sound region that shows which areas need trees the most.

  • Trees For Tacoma: All the different ways folks can get free and reduced-cost trees for their properties.

July 18: Community activist and South Tacoma resident Tim Smith brings us up to date on burgeoning resources supporting development of an Economic Green Zone in South Tacoma

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  • American Geophysical Union is an international, nonprofit scientific association whose mission is to promote discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity. They are planning to provide professional support for the development of an Economic Green Zone in South Tacoma. AGU: Thriving Earth Exchange

  • Next South Tacoma update will be the Planning Commission meeting on 20 Jul 22 where the South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District Moratorium [STGPD] and current aspects of the STGPD will be presented to the Planning Commission.

  • Agenda and meeting details include an overview of the existing code/protections. See AGENDA Item F-1  and background slides at page 3.  Includes links to 27 Jul STGPD Moratorium community meeting zoom.

June 27: Community activist Tim Smith helps us understand what’s going on with the South Tacoma “David vs. Goliath” mega-warehouse permitting process

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April 17: Tim Smith on the South Tacoma Warehouse Project

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March 12: Community activist and South Tacoma resident Tim Smith sketches out the details and climate change impacts of the proposed South Tacoma warehouse project

 

 

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