The endangerment finding was recently repealed by the US Supreme Court. Almost as soon as that ruling went live, so did a great deal of half-truths and misconceptions on potential applicability. We walk through a number of them on this episode.

The topic of Immigration is an objective reality and challenge that should never have been so politicized. People choose to come to the US for a myriad of reasons, but they can most often boil down to seeking better opportunities for their families. No matter which side of the aisle you fall on, I'd hope that we could treat people with respect and dignity and follow established processes. With that said, there are many flaws in our immigration systems, and rising impacts from climate change will only highlight those areas as we see more people elect to immigrate. Both of our guest speakers came to the US to study climate change and dedicate their lives to affecting positive changes on critical issues. They have both also experienced multiple stages of our immigration system and have important stories to tell.

In this episode we talk about the New Jersey School of Conservation (NJSOC). The property is located in northwest New Jersey in Stokes State Forest, and offers among other things, the sort of transformational getaway experience that was that was one of the first major steps toward my career. New Jersey was named the Garden State for a reason, and the NJSOC is a hidden treasure in the state that I am glad to now support. To learn more about the NJSOC or support their programing please visit https://njsoc.org/.

We would do well to appreciate the fact that our land is one of the most precious resources that we have. We rely on the natural world to support every aspect of our lives, and if our extraction occurs without consideration, it has tangible detrimental impacts. One of the most glaring is exacerbating the effects of climate change. In this episode, we discuss our current trajectory for land use and climate impacts. I started this discussion a bit grumpy but somehow ended it on a hopeful note. My hope is that it will have a similar effect for you.

My guests this week employ a project-based learning model for middle school and high school students in Portland, Oregon that has quickly grown to reach more than 350 teens across six public schools. Climate can feel debilitating, too big to take on, too complex to make a difference. Future Climate Collective helps show us the benefits of hyperlocal action and how they can act as a force multiplier to empower people towards larger collaborative efforts. Sometimes the best thing you can do is just start. Take small steps and seek others around you looking to do the same. You'll be amazed at the results.

We are starting something special with this episode. Many professionals write a book at some point in their careers, but few do so really try to move the needle, really trying to add something positive to the conversation. The Impactful Authors Series will highlight people who I believe are doing just that.

Leah Kral has an interesting background in the Peace Corps and consulting and has dedicated her professional career towards helping nonprofits scale and innovate. Her book, Innovation for Social Change is practical, inspiring, and actionable. We all like to talk about innovation and trying to make a positive impact, Leah helps show you how to make that happen. Over the years I have met so many big-hearted entrepreneurs with ideas on how to help their communities. It can feel too big to get started, or you may doubt that your idea is innovative at all. Leah's book can help you get started and provide useful steps to grow and reach for larger impact.

The 25th Amendment has been in the news quite a lot over the last decade. For how often it has been brought up, do you really know what it says, or the potential implications it has? My guest this week is a friend who recently wrote a compelling book on the topic, Keeping a Finger on the Button: Presidential Continuity and the Nuclear Age. To quote David Greenberg, "The Twenty-Fifth Amendment has once again returned to the center of our political debates. Rebecca Lubot has delivered an authoritative, original, detailed account of how this vital part of the Constitution came into being - and how it continues to play out in our politics today. Keeping a Finger on the Button sheds needed light on presidential power in an era of global tension and democratic crisis."

There is a palpable fear spreading across the country, the fear of data centers and their potential impacts to our society and environment. Much has been written on their energy use, their water use, potential climate impacts, air impacts, impacts to our workforce, impacts to local farmers and food supplies, and the potential for a technological renaissance that alters how we live our lives. For this episode, I chose to focus mostly on the energy and water issues. My guests and I try hard to not take a position on data centers but provide as much technical information as possible to support others in their planning processes. Towards the end of the episode, we also discuss a project that I am developing at Rutgers University to create a policy toolkit that focuses on building better guardrails.