2 Degrees Out West – Details, episodes & analysis

Of all the states in our region, Arizona is particularly affected by climate change. It's hotter and drier than ever. Arizona is at the center of a battle when it comes to energy regulation. It's a battle happening behind the scenes hidden by regulatory language and process. But it is one of WRA's top clean energy priorities.

Arizona is falling behind the rest of the West with its progress on decarbonizing its economy, but it's not for lack of natural resources. Arizona receives an incredible amount of sunshine - over 330 days per year. It could easily be the solar capital of the country.

It's due to issues in a little known, but unbelievably important, actor in Arizona's regulatory and energy planning process: The Arizona Corporation Commission.

Energy regulation is a key element in the process of decarbonizing our region, and a lot of meaningful change happens in places like the Arizona Corporation Commission.

This podcast explores some of the recent issues at the Arizona Corporation Commission (or the ACC). It is one of the institutions that has the most power and ability to implement climate positive energy regulation in Arizona.

On this episode of 2 Degrees Out West learn what a public utility commission does, why you should care, how Arizona’s public utility commission, the Arizona Corporation Commission, is hurting Arizonans, and what WRA is doing about it.

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Tell Arizona utilities to transition to clean energy! - Western Resource Advocates

2 Degrees Out West is a podcast from Western Resource Advocates, an environmental conservation organization that's focused on the Interior West. WRA works across seven states to protect our climate, land, air, and water. WRA protects and advocates for Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming.

2 Degrees out West is a podcast for advocates and decision makers who want to fight climate change and its impacts across the West.

On 2 Degrees Out West we talk with climate experts and advocates to bring you stories, experiences, and insights from their work in the places we call home.

It is Hosted by Dave Papineau

Want to be part of 2 Degrees Out West?

• Email us with thoughts, suggestions, and interviewees at dave.papineau@westernresources.org.
• Follow us @westernresourceadvocates on Instagram.
• Create a clip sharing "our Bright Climate Future for the West" and send it to us at dave.papineau@westernresources.org. to be included in one of our next episodes.
• Join our email list to stay updated on when new episodes are released and calls to action on how you can help the West.
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Climate change is a large scale problem. It’s bigger than any one of us, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the scale of the issue. How can we make a difference? In the West where we can watch the winters get shorter and increasingly the effects of wildfire and drought are harder to ignore, it’s difficult not to be overwhelmed.

But, there’s hope. It doesn’t have to be this way. The best science says we haven’t missed our opportunity to do something.

At WRA we believe the opposite of climate despair is climate action.

In this episode of Two Degrees Out West, we explore some of the tangible things we can do to address climate change and its impacts. We talk with a variety of the WRA experts who help advance those goals.

You'll hear about WRA's work to decarbonize the economy and transportation of the West, our work with the White Mountain Apache Tribe to save water, and our efforts to develop new management guidelines for the Colorado River.

If you want to find more detailed information about our work in 2023, check out our 2023 impact report where we detail the different layers of our work in the West.
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(00:24:00) Kim Mitchel's Podcast with the White Mountain Apache Tribe: Find out more about WRA's work with the White Mountain Apache Tribe here.

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2 Degrees Out West is a podcast from Western Resource Advocates, an environmental conservation organization that's focused on the Interior West. WRA works across seven states to protect our climate, land, air, and water. WRA protects and advocates for Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming.

2 Degrees out West is a podcast for advocates and decision makers who want to fight climate change and its impacts across the West.

On 2 Degrees Out West we talk with climate experts and advocates to bring you stories, experiences, and insights from their work in the places we call home.

It is Hosted by Dave Papineau

Want to be part of 2 Degrees Out West?

• Email us with thoughts, suggestions, and interviewees at dave.papineau@westernresources.org.
• Follow us @westernresourceadvocates on Instagram.
• Create a clip sharing "our Bright Climate Future for the West" and send it to us at dave.papineau@westernresources.org. to be included in one of our next episodes.
• Join our email list to stay updated on when new episodes are released and calls to action on how you can help the West.
• ...

What if you could uncover the often-overlooked environmental challenges faced by Latino communities? Today, we're excited to bring you a crucial conversation with Juan Roberto Madrid from Green Latinos, an organization tirelessly working towards addressing climate justice. This compelling episode invites you to join us on Juan Roberto's extraordinary journey from his 33-year healthcare career aiding minority communities, to his pursuit of a Masters in Public Health and eventually embracing the realm of policy and climate justice.

 We'll also take a deep dive into the heart of Green Latinos' operations, shedding light on their mission to support initiatives like transportation electrification and addressing the disproportionate impact of climate change on Latino communities. The conversation switches gears to spotlight their nationwide advocacy for Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities, who bear the brunt of environmental issues like ozone pollution. 

Finally, we'll delve into the intricate dynamics of Green Latinos' stakeholder outreach strategies, particularly their efforts to dispel misinformation about the Clean Trucks Rule. So, tune in, and together, let's make a difference!

Visit the podcast blog page for photos of Juan Roberto and Green Latinos!

Further Reading

• Learn more about Advanced Clean Trucks in Colorado on the WRA blog
• Sign up to be a member of Green Latinos
• Check out the Green Latinos Sustainable Communities Fact Sheet
• Provide Comment for the Air Quality Control Commission 
• Try out the new Colorado EnviroScreen Tool
• Get an overview of Air Pollution at Airnow.gov

2 Degrees Out West is a podcast from Western Resource Advocates, an environmental conservation organization that's focused on the Interior West. WRA works across seven states to protect our climate, land, air, and water. WRA protects and advocates for Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming.

2 Degrees out West is a podcast for advocates and decision makers who want to fight climate change and its impacts across the West.

On 2 Degrees Out West we talk with climate experts and advocates to bring you stories, experiences, and insights from their work in the places we call home.

It is Hosted by Dave Papineau

Want to be part of 2 Degrees Out West?

• Email us with thoughts, suggestions, and interviewees at dave.papineau@westernresources.org.
• Follow us @westernresourceadvocates on Instagram.
• Create a clip sharing "our Bright Climate Future for the West" and send it to us at dave.papineau@westernresources.org. to be included in one of our next episodes.
• Join our email list to stay updated on when new episodes are released and calls to action on how you can help the West.
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Are you prepared for wildfire season? Today, we're joined by Brendan Witt, former host of Two Degrees Out West and current Western Lands Policy Fellow at WRA, to help us better understand the increasing risk of wildfires in the western US. Brendan shares his unique journey from the world of craft beer to working on land use planning, prescribed fire, and wildfire mitigation. Discover how his personal experience with the East Troublesome Fire in Colorado shaped his perspective on wildfire resilience.

We dive deep into the factors contributing to the growing risk of wildfires, such as climate change, beetle-kill pines, and the interconnectedness of our environment. Brendan also sheds light on the complex role of historical forest management and the ecological role of fires in shaping our western landscapes. Learn about the challenges and opportunities presented by prescribed burning as a tool for managing wildfire risk and how Indigenous fire practices can be incorporated into state and federal forest management.

In this fascinating conversation, we also explore the importance of intentional growth and land use planning in creating wildfire-resilient communities. From evacuation plans to preserving open spaces, this episode is packed with valuable information for anyone living in or loving the Western US. Tune in and learn how we can all be better prepared for wildfire season.

Further Reading

• Use the US Government Wildfire Map to learn about prescribed burns and wildfires across the USA.
• Watch the East Troublesome fire map on the Colorado Public Radio website.
• Read Climate Change and Aridification in North America by Jonathan T. Overpeck and Bradley Udall.
• Use the FAC Self-Assessment Tool to find out how prepared your community is for wildfire.
• Learn more about the Camp Fire and how that fire can teach us

2 Degrees Out West is a podcast from Western Resource Advocates, an environmental conservation organization that's focused on the Interior West. WRA works across seven states to protect our climate, land, air, and water. WRA protects and advocates for Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming.

2 Degrees out West is a podcast for advocates and decision makers who want to fight climate change and its impacts across the West.

On 2 Degrees Out West we talk with climate experts and advocates to bring you stories, experiences, and insights from their work in the places we call home.

It is Hosted by Dave Papineau

Want to be part of 2 Degrees Out West?

• Email us with thoughts, suggestions, and interviewees at dave.papineau@westernresources.org.
• Follow us @westernresourceadvocates on Instagram.
• Create a clip sharing "our Bright Climate Future for the West" and send it to us at dave.papineau@westernresources.org. to be included in one of our next episodes.
• Join our email list to stay updated on when new episodes are released and calls to action on how you can help the West.
• ...

How can we reduce our water use and support local ecosystems? Easy, turf replacement, water wise landscaping and planting native gardens. It can seem like an overwhelming task for homeowners and businesses but there are many resources, tools and financial support. The end result are beautiful spaces that support the surrounding plants and animals and make people happier too. 

On this episode of 2 Degrees Out West, we talk with two water wise landscaping experts, Maria Fox in Utah and Kate Larson in Colorado, to discuss the benefits of turf replacement and how you can get started. 

Tune in today to learn how these programs are making a big difference. 

Further Reading

• Check out the WRA Colorado turf replacement guide
• Learn more about the Resource Central Garden in a Box Program
• Book a garden coach consultation with Maria Fox
• Watch some Resource Central Water Wise Seminars
• Learn more about turf replacement in Utah with Localscapes
• Read about turf replacement efforts in Nevada
• Test your knowledge with our turf replacement quiz

Love the show and the climate solution work we’re doing every day with Western Resource Advocates? Become a sponsor of WRA and the 2 Degrees Out West podcast. Show your support for the land, air, water, and people of the West today!

2 Degrees Out West is a podcast from Western Resource Advocates, an environmental conservation organization that's focused on the Interior West. WRA works across seven states to protect our climate, land, air, and water. WRA protects and advocates for Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming.

2 Degrees out West is a podcast for advocates and decision makers who want to fight climate change and its impacts across the West.

On 2 Degrees Out West we talk with climate experts and advocates to bring you stories, experiences, and insights from their work in the places we call home.

It is Hosted by Dave Papineau

Want to be part of 2 Degrees Out West?

• Email us with thoughts, suggestions, and interviewees at dave.papineau@westernresources.org.
• Follow us @westernresourceadvocates on Instagram.
• Create a clip sharing "our Bright Climate Future for the West" and send it to us at dave.papineau@westernresources.org. to be included in one of our next episodes.
• Join our email list to stay updated on when new episodes are released and calls to action on how you can help the West.
• ...

Austin Campbell is a Denver-based fly fishing guide that works with Trouts Fly Fishing and runs the non-profit Community Fly Fishing, to introduce inner-city kids and underserved Denver residents to the joys of fishing and the serenity of the outdoors.

In this episode of 2 Degrees Out West, we chat about the joys of fly fishing, how climate change is affecting the sport and the work Austin is doing to create more outdoor equity in the fishing world.

Further Reading

• Book a fly fishing trip with Austin
• Reach out to Austin directly to get more involved with Community Fly Fishing
• Check out this Outdoor magazine feature on Austin
• Learn more about Community Fly Fishing
• Watch some Fly Fishing for Beginners videos on Youtube
• Read about Autumn Harry the Indigenous fly fishing guide at Pyramid Lake

Love the show and the climate solution work we’re doing every day with Western Resource Advocates? Become a sponsor of WRA and the 2 Degrees Out West podcast. Show your support for the land, air, water, and people of the West today!

2 Degrees Out West is a podcast from Western Resource Advocates, an environmental conservation organization that's focused on the Interior West. WRA works across seven states to protect our climate, land, air, and water. WRA protects and advocates for Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming.

2 Degrees out West is a podcast for advocates and decision makers who want to fight climate change and its impacts across the West.

On 2 Degrees Out West we talk with climate experts and advocates to bring you stories, experiences, and insights from their work in the places we call home.

It is Hosted by Dave Papineau

Want to be part of 2 Degrees Out West?

• Email us with thoughts, suggestions, and interviewees at dave.papineau@westernresources.org.
• Follow us @westernresourceadvocates on Instagram.
• Create a clip sharing "our Bright Climate Future for the West" and send it to us at dave.papineau@westernresources.org. to be included in one of our next episodes.
• Join our email list to stay updated on when new episodes are released and calls to action on how you can help the West.
• ...

Crystal Tulley-Cordova, PhD, MWR is the principal hydrologist in the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources Water Management Branch. She's an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation and she received a doctoral degree in geology and an interdisciplinary graduate certificate in sustainability from the University of Utah.

In this episode, we speak with Crystal about water in the Navajo Nation as well as some climate challenges and collaborative solutions facing the Tribal Nation today.  We also discuss how the conservation mindset of indigenous thinking is helping to find innovative ways to face climate change.

Further Reading

• Learn more about the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program
• Read about the Colorado River Water Users Association and how you can support
• Check out how the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project is helping to supply more Navajo communities with water from rectified water rights
• Read about Dr. Karletta Cheif and the Indige-FEWSS project at the University of Arizona
• Bookmark the Navajo Times for future browsing

Love the show and the climate solution work we’re doing every day with Western Resource Advocates? Become a sponsor of WRA and the 2 Degrees Out West podcast. Show your support for the land, air, water, and people of the West today!

2 Degrees Out West is a podcast from Western Resource Advocates, an environmental conservation organization that's focused on the Interior West. WRA works across seven states to protect our climate, land, air, and water. WRA protects and advocates for Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming.

2 Degrees out West is a podcast for advocates and decision makers who want to fight climate change and its impacts across the West.

On 2 Degrees Out West we talk with climate experts and advocates to bring you stories, experiences, and insights from their work in the places we call home.

It is Hosted by Dave Papineau

Want to be part of 2 Degrees Out West?

• Email us with thoughts, suggestions, and interviewees at dave.papineau@westernresources.org.
• Follow us @westernresourceadvocates on Instagram.
• Create a clip sharing "our Bright Climate Future for the West" and send it to us at dave.papineau@westernresources.org. to be included in one of our next episodes.
• Join our email list to stay updated on when new episodes are released and calls to action on how you can help the West.
• ...

Public Utility Commissions play a major role in the clean energy future, utility rates and more but what do we really know about these regulating bodies? Listen in as we take a look behind the curtain at PUCs with transportation electrification policy analyst Deb Kapiloff.

Further Reading

• Learn more about electricity regulation in the U.S.
• Take a deeper dive into the different types of utilities (public vs. cooperate vs. investor owned etc.) 
• Check out the NAACP guide to engaging with PUCs 
• Read more about WRA's work with PUCs
• Learn about the new Silverhawk powerplant in Nevada
• Leave a public comment for the Colorado Public Utility Commission
• Visit the PUC podcast episode page on our website for photos, links and more.

Love the show and the climate solution work we're doing every day with Western Resource Advocates? Become a sponsor of WRA and the 2 Degrees Out West podcast. Show your support for the land, air, water and people of the West today!

2 Degrees Out West is a podcast from Western Resource Advocates, an environmental conservation organization that's focused on the Interior West. WRA works across seven states to protect our climate, land, air, and water. WRA protects and advocates for Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming.

2 Degrees out West is a podcast for advocates and decision makers who want to fight climate change and its impacts across the West.

On 2 Degrees Out West we talk with climate experts and advocates to bring you stories, experiences, and insights from their work in the places we call home.

It is Hosted by Dave Papineau

Want to be part of 2 Degrees Out West?

• Email us with thoughts, suggestions, and interviewees at dave.papineau@westernresources.org.
• Follow us @westernresourceadvocates on Instagram.
• Create a clip sharing "our Bright Climate Future for the West" and send it to us at dave.papineau@westernresources.org. to be included in one of our next episodes.
• Join our email list to stay updated on when new episodes are released and calls to action on how you can help the West.
• ...

Tahlia Bear is the Indigenous Peoples Engagement Manager at WRA. Her work focuses on building relationships with Tribes, identifying ways we can support one another and making sure that Indigenous voices are always heard.

In this episode, we discuss some of the challenges facing Tribes in the context of climate change and beyond. We chat about Tribal sovereignty, regional energy markets, Tribal utilities and more.

Tahlia is an enrolled member of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and she is also half Navajo. During our conversation, Tahlia speaks about her Navajo family living in Northern Arizona and how her aunt only recently got electricity in her home. Lack of water and electricity in rural Indian Country is still a major issue and one that is often overlooked in the conservation and environmental justice space.

Further Reading

• Check out the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority website to learn more about this Tribal utility
• Learn more about Tribes that are directly affected by climate change and rising sea levels
• Visit the Western Navajo Fair
• Take a look at the NPR coverage on Senegal and climate refugees
• Read more about Tribal Nations in the United States
• Bookmark Indian Country Today as your Indigenous Peoples news source
• Learn how the ghost town of Empire, NV was revitalized by a new mining operation in 2016
• Become a sponsor of 2 Degrees Out West
• Check out the full podcast blog page here

Love the show and the climate solution work we're doing every day with Western Resource

2 Degrees Out West is a podcast from Western Resource Advocates, an environmental conservation organization that's focused on the Interior West. WRA works across seven states to protect our climate, land, air, and water. WRA protects and advocates for Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming.

2 Degrees out West is a podcast for advocates and decision makers who want to fight climate change and its impacts across the West.

On 2 Degrees Out West we talk with climate experts and advocates to bring you stories, experiences, and insights from their work in the places we call home.

It is Hosted by Dave Papineau

Want to be part of 2 Degrees Out West?

• Email us with thoughts, suggestions, and interviewees at dave.papineau@westernresources.org.
• Follow us @westernresourceadvocates on Instagram.
• Create a clip sharing "our Bright Climate Future for the West" and send it to us at dave.papineau@westernresources.org. to be included in one of our next episodes.
• Join our email list to stay updated on when new episodes are released and calls to action on how you can help the West.
• ...

We asked the WRA community to submit Little Love Letters to the West to celebrate the West and our new brand launch. In this episode, we talk with WRA president, Jon Goldin-Dubois about the new brand, the future of WRA, and his favorite part of the West. We've also included nine of the Love Letters we've received from various staff members, board members, and supporters of WRA.

Further Reading

• Read all of our Love Letters to The West
• Listen to Jon Goldin-Dubois's 2 Degrees episode about trail magic
• Learn about how climate change is affecting the West
• Plan a trip to one of Jon's favorite places - Utah - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument | Bureau of Land Management (blm.gov)
• Check out Javelina, the brand agency that helped us develop our new look
• Help WRA create more climate solutions in the West
• Visit the podcast blog page

Love the show and the climate solution work we're doing every day with Western Resource Advocates? Become a sponsor of WRA and the 2 Degrees Out West podcast. Show your support for the land, air, water and people of the West today!

2 Degrees Out West is a podcast from Western Resource Advocates, an environmental conservation organization that's focused on the Interior West. WRA works across seven states to protect our climate, land, air, and water. WRA protects and advocates for Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming.

2 Degrees out West is a podcast for advocates and decision makers who want to fight climate change and its impacts across the West.

On 2 Degrees Out West we talk with climate experts and advocates to bring you stories, experiences, and insights from their work in the places we call home.

It is Hosted by Dave Papineau

Want to be part of 2 Degrees Out West?

• Email us with thoughts, suggestions, and interviewees at dave.papineau@westernresources.org.
• Follow us @westernresourceadvocates on Instagram.
• Create a clip sharing "our Bright Climate Future for the West" and send it to us at dave.papineau@westernresources.org. to be included in one of our next episodes.
• Join our email list to stay updated on when new episodes are released and calls to action on how you can help the West.
• ...