In Citizens Climate Radio's latest installment of our policy series, hosts Elissa Tennant and Dana Nuccitelli dive deep into the latest updates from Capitol Hill. With the Senate Finance Committee’s budget proposal now public, they unpack what it means for the clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act.
How do the House and Senate versions compare? What would repealing these tax credits cost American households and jobs? What role does energy security—and even AI—play in the clean energy conversation? Elissa and Dana bring clarity to a complex policy moment and offer listeners tangible next steps for action.
You’ll also hear about upcoming CCL leadership changes, summer conference plans, and two thoughtful listener voicemails—including one from someone who really wants to bring back Energy Star.
🎧 Topics Covered:
Senate vs. House proposals on clean energy tax credits
The mysterious “bird bath” process
Projected increases in household energy costs
Threats to clean energy manufacturing and jobs
What to expect next in Congress
How you can make your voice heard
📞 Call or text us with your questions or comments: +1 (619) 512-9646
🗳️ Take action to defend clean energy tax credits: https://cclusa.org/IRAdefense
🎟️ Join us at the Summer Conference in Washington, D.C., July 20–22: https://cclusa.org/conference
🎙️ Citizens Climate Radio is a project of Citizens’ Climate Education.
All content for Citizens Climate Radio Climate Change Podcast is the property of The CCR Team of Eco Communicators and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
In Citizens Climate Radio's latest installment of our policy series, hosts Elissa Tennant and Dana Nuccitelli dive deep into the latest updates from Capitol Hill. With the Senate Finance Committee’s budget proposal now public, they unpack what it means for the clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act.
How do the House and Senate versions compare? What would repealing these tax credits cost American households and jobs? What role does energy security—and even AI—play in the clean energy conversation? Elissa and Dana bring clarity to a complex policy moment and offer listeners tangible next steps for action.
You’ll also hear about upcoming CCL leadership changes, summer conference plans, and two thoughtful listener voicemails—including one from someone who really wants to bring back Energy Star.
🎧 Topics Covered:
Senate vs. House proposals on clean energy tax credits
The mysterious “bird bath” process
Projected increases in household energy costs
Threats to clean energy manufacturing and jobs
What to expect next in Congress
How you can make your voice heard
📞 Call or text us with your questions or comments: +1 (619) 512-9646
🗳️ Take action to defend clean energy tax credits: https://cclusa.org/IRAdefense
🎟️ Join us at the Summer Conference in Washington, D.C., July 20–22: https://cclusa.org/conference
🎙️ Citizens Climate Radio is a project of Citizens’ Climate Education.
Hot Mess Part Four: The 1990s: When Climate Change Became a Partisan Issue
Citizens Climate Radio Climate Change Podcast
28 minutes 58 seconds
1 year ago
Hot Mess Part Four: The 1990s: When Climate Change Became a Partisan Issue
By the 1990s, momentum for climate action was growing, but so was opposition. In Episode 4 of Hot Mess: How Climate Consensus Turned Into Political Chaos, host Peterson Toscano examines how fossil fuel interests, economic priorities, and cultural shifts began to unravel bipartisan efforts. Featuring insights from Chelsea Henderson and Katie Zakrzewski, this episode dives into the psychological and cultural barriers that fueled climate skepticism, the emergence of echo chambers, and the rise of polarization. Despite these challenges, the episode highlights leaders like Senator John McCain, whose bipartisan efforts provided hope for climate solutions.
Key Topics:
The cultural and psychological roots of climate skepticism in the 1990s.
How values of individualism and economic freedom clashed with environmental regulation.
The role of cognitive dissonance and echo chambers in shaping public opinion.
The rise of Senator John McCain as a climate advocate.
Insights into the McCain-Lieberman Climate Change Bill of 2003.
Featured Guests:
Chelsea Henderson: Host of Eco Right Speaks and author of Glacial: The Inside Story of Climate Politics.
Katie Zakrzewski: Co-host of Green Tea Party Radio and climate advocate.
Standout Quotes:
Katie Zakrzewski: "This is where the polarization really begins...economic priorities took precedence, creating a divide between regulation and free-market values."
Chelsea Henderson: "John McCain made a promise to New Hampshire voters: I will learn about climate change, and he kept his word."
Episode Highlights:
[00:02:15] How cultural values in the 1990s paved the way for climate skepticism.
[00:06:30] The role of cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias in resisting climate science.
[00:15:40] The bipartisan McCain-Lieberman Climate Change Bill and its challenges.
[00:20:50] Katie Zakrzewski’s perspective on the importance of engaging conservatives in climate action.
Call to Action
Want to learn how you can get involved in bipartisan climate solutions? Visit cclusa.org/action. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with friends or on social media. Every share helps inspire more people to take meaningful action on climate change.
Join the Conversation
Engage with other listeners and share your thoughts on our social media channels. Follow and connect with us on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and TikTok.
Tune in next month for more inspiring stories, expert insights, and actionable climate solutions. Together, we can make a difference, one story at a time.
We Want to Hear from You
Email: radio @ citizensclimate.org
Text/Voicemail: 619-512-9646 (+1 if calling from outside the USA.)
Credits
Research: Horace Mo Mo, Lily Rushen, Peterson Toscano
Editorial Assistance: Flannery Winchester, Elise Silvestri, Brett Cease
Production: Peterson Toscano, Elise Silvestri
Music: Our theme music is Chasing Stories by Elise Silvestri. Other music byEpidemic Sound.
Citizens Climate Radio Climate Change Podcast
In Citizens Climate Radio's latest installment of our policy series, hosts Elissa Tennant and Dana Nuccitelli dive deep into the latest updates from Capitol Hill. With the Senate Finance Committee’s budget proposal now public, they unpack what it means for the clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act.
How do the House and Senate versions compare? What would repealing these tax credits cost American households and jobs? What role does energy security—and even AI—play in the clean energy conversation? Elissa and Dana bring clarity to a complex policy moment and offer listeners tangible next steps for action.
You’ll also hear about upcoming CCL leadership changes, summer conference plans, and two thoughtful listener voicemails—including one from someone who really wants to bring back Energy Star.
🎧 Topics Covered:
Senate vs. House proposals on clean energy tax credits
The mysterious “bird bath” process
Projected increases in household energy costs
Threats to clean energy manufacturing and jobs
What to expect next in Congress
How you can make your voice heard
📞 Call or text us with your questions or comments: +1 (619) 512-9646
🗳️ Take action to defend clean energy tax credits: https://cclusa.org/IRAdefense
🎟️ Join us at the Summer Conference in Washington, D.C., July 20–22: https://cclusa.org/conference
🎙️ Citizens Climate Radio is a project of Citizens’ Climate Education.
