Your Brain On Climate
A show about climate change and climate psychology. But sideways. Explore human brains doing amazing or awful things, learn why, then see what it means for the planet.
Your Brain On Climate
Make Environmentalism Dangerous Again, with Nicholas Beuret
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**Warning: this episode contains swears**
My guest on this episode of Your Brain on Climate says it's time environmentalism grew some teeth. He wants YOU to actively disrupt destructive activity – to sabotage the machines that are destroying the Earth – because asking politely isn't getting us where we need to be fast or fair enough. But yet hardly anyone is prepared to do stuff like this, despite rising temperatures and a planet on fire. So I ask: what does it take to get people taking disruptive direct action - and what stops the rest of us?
Joining me is academic, author and activist Nicholas Beuret. Nic's the author of Or Something Worse: Why We Need to Disrupt The Climate Transition. Nic thinks modern environmentalism has got too polite, and accuses the environmental movement of not doing enough to force a transition that is making life better for everyday people.
Nic is thoughtful, principled and funny - I think you'll like him - and just maybe you'll leave this chat reflecting on what it would take for you to chain yourself to a pipeline.
Join me on the 4 October for Your Brain on Climate LIVE in Crystal Palace - tickets here.
Let me know your thoughts on the show - hello@yourbrainonclimate.com. Please rate, review and subscribe, and share the show on socials. And do consider chucking this humble indie podcaster a few quid at www.patreon.com/yourbrainonclimate.
Owl noises = references below.
- 21:23 - How climate change is pushing up food inflation, from Carbon Brief.
- 29:52 - Inside the anti-fracking protests in Lancashire.
- 39:23 - John Jost's System Justification Theory.
- 50:21 - an interview with Jane McAlevey about how to organise for power.
Your Brain on Climate is a show about human brains vs the climate crisis. It's hosted and produced by me, Dave Powell. You can follow the show on instagram @yourbrainonclimate, and I occasionally put up a Substack.
YBOC theme music and iterations thereof, by me. Thanks as always to Ruth Everett for the voices. Show logo by Arthur Stovell at https://mondial-studio.com/.
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