Youth-Led Climate Action

Oct 27, 2025

Children’s Environmental Health Month is almost over, but youth-led climate action is still going strong! In this episode, Lonnie and Jaron are joined by Shiv Soin, Founder and Co-Executive Director of TREEage to learn how young people have helped shape the climate justice movement and ways for more young people to get involved.

Want to support climate action in your community? Check out upcoming TREEage events!

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Duration: 00:34:16

Green Healthy Schools

Oct 13, 2025

October is Children’s Environmental Health Month! Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn about the Green Healthy Schools campaign with help from Faiza Azam, Climate & Labor Organizer at ALIGN.

Take Action!

Join the Climate Works for All coalition and sign the petition to tell our next mayor: we need Green, Healthy Schools to ensure the future of New York City’s climate, children, education system, and workforce. www.alignny.org/greenhealthyschools

You can also find ALIGN on Instagram: @align_new_york

Learn more about the Green Healthy Schools Report

You c...

Duration: 00:27:48

Air Quality Monitoring: Congesting Pricing, Pollution and More

Sep 29, 2025

Need some fresh air? Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn about air quality monitoring projects in Northern Manhattan and how you can help promote environmental justice in New York with help from Valentina Rojas, WE ACT’s Environmental Health Manager.

Extra Resources:

Learn more about the EJNYC Report Check out WE ACT’s Air Quality Monitoring Projects

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Duration: 00:34:08

Flooding

Sep 08, 2025

It’s raining, it’s pouring! Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn how different types of flooding impact communities across New York, and what is being done to reduce those impacts with help from Tyler Taba, Director of Resilience at Waterfront Alliance.

Guest Information: Tyler Taba, Director of Resilience - Waterfront Alliance

Extra Resources:

Sign up for Notify NYC to get important updates about flooding and other climate-related hazards. Live in Northern Manhattan? Check out WE ACT’s Climate Ready Uptown Plan

You can also listen to this episode on YouTube.

Got que...

Duration: 00:30:43

Fifty First Episodes

Aug 25, 2025

It is our fifty-first episode! Join Lonnie and Jaron as they reflect on highlights and lessons from their first fifty episodes of the podcast with the help of Karla Cordero, WE ACT’s Chief of Staff.

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Duration: 00:33:47

Uptown Chats Book Club: Powerless (Part 2)

Aug 11, 2025

The story continues! Join Jaron and Lonnie for the second part of their first Uptown Chats Book Club featuring a discussion with Dr. Diana Hernandez about her new book, Powerless: The People’s Struggle for Energy. No reading required!

Check out this Uptown Chats Book Club read: Powerless: The People’s Struggle for Energy

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Duration: 00:22:27

Uptown Chats Book Club: Powerless (Part 1)

Jul 28, 2025

Energy insecurity is real! Join Jaron and Lonnie for their first Uptown Chats Book Club featuring a discussion with Dr. Diana Hernandez about her new book, Powerless: The People’s Struggle for Energy. No reading required!

Note: This is a two-part episode. Stay tuned for the rest of the interview in our next episode!

Check out this Uptown Chats Book Club read: Powerless: The People’s Struggle for Energy

You can also listen to this episode on YouTube.

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Duration: 00:38:53

Renewable Energy of the Future

Jul 14, 2025

Welcome to the future! Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn about some emerging renewable energy technologies ranging from totally plausible to way out there with help from Jama Joseph, WE ACT's Communications Associate. Be warned - this one may get a little silly!

DISCLAIMER: This episode is for entertainment and educational purposes only. WE ACT does not endorse any of the technologies discussed in this episode. Discussion of investments in any of the aforementioned technologies is fictitious and does not reflect any investments of real monies by WE ACT or any affiliated parties.

You can a...

Duration: 00:35:58

Right Direction Reflection

Jun 30, 2025

That’s a wrap! Join Jaron and Lonnie as they reflect on lessons from their Right Direction mini-series and share some of their highlights.

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Duration: 00:25:20

Geothermal Energy and Thermal Energy Networks (TENs)

Jun 09, 2025

This episode is a TEN out of TEN! Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn about geothermal energy and thermal energy networks, also known as TENs, with help from Jon Furlong, Clean Buildings Campaign Manager at New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV).

Extra Resources:

Overview of Thermal Energy Networks (TENs) Examples of Thermal Energy Networks Geothermal Energy Basics

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Follow us on Facebook Duration: 00:31:20

Wind Energy

May 26, 2025

Are you a big fan of wind energy? Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn more about the growing offshore wind industry in New York and the workforce development that is needed to support it with help from the City University of New York’s Offshore Wind Advisory Network. Special guests include Robert Zandi (Kingsborough Community College) and Alexander Seki (LaGuardia Community College).

Extra Resources:

Learn about the offshore wind industry in New York through CUNY’s Bridges to Offshore Wind program. Career Skills & Workforce Training at LaGuardia Community College Offshore Wind 101 Renewable Energy Generation in the U.S...

Duration: 00:31:12

Heat Pumps

May 12, 2025

Pump it up! In this episode, Lonnie and Jaron are joined by Jordan Bonomo from the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) to talk about how they have been piloting heat pumps in their buildings to reduce their energy usage and improve the comfort of their residents.

Extra Resources:

Heat Pump 101

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Duration: 00:35:50

Solar Energy

Apr 28, 2025

Solar energy is everywhere! Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn about how New York State is using the power of the sun to help meet its climate goals with help from Stephan Roundtree, Deputy Program Director for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic at Vote Solar.

Extra Resources:

Learn more about Vote Solar! Check out the Manhattan Clean Energy Hub!

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Follow us on Facebook Duration: 00:33:39

Just Transition

Apr 14, 2025

Lonnie and Jaron are kicking off their Right Direction mini-series by exploring what it means to promote a just energy transition with special guest Shalanda Baker, Vice Provost for Sustainability & Climate Action at the University of Michigan, and former Director of the Office of Energy Justice and Equity at the Department of Energy.

Resources:

Just Transition: History, Principles, and Examples

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Duration: 00:29:22

Announcing Right Direction Mini-Series

Mar 31, 2025

Starting on April 14th, Jaron and Lonnie will be launching a new mini-series where they’ll be joined by some incredible guests to take a look at technologies, like solar, wind, geothermal, and heat pumps that can help support environmental justice. They will also talk about what’s going on with these technologies here in the United States and how the ever-changing political landscape impacts our ability to bring them to our communities. Sound interesting? Stay tuned to learn more!

Duration: 00:01:18

PFAS

Mar 24, 2025

PFAS - only four letters, but it includes 15,000 chemicals that are found in products we use every day. Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn more about what New York and other states are doing to ban these chemicals with help from Kate Donovan, Director of Northeast Environmental Health at NRDC.

Extra Resources:

Visit pfasfreeny.org to learn more about the PFAS-Free NY campaign. Check out PFAS Free NY on Instagram @pfasfreeny

You can also listen to this episode on YouTube.

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Duration: 00:29:29

New York Beauty Justice Act

Feb 24, 2025

Are your personal care products safe to use? Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn about WE ACT’s Beauty Justice campaign, which aims to ban dangerous toxic chemicals from products we use every day. Featuring special guest Elizabeth Reyes, WE ACT’s Toxics Policy Campaign Coordinator.

Extra Resources:

Not sure if your products are safe? Check out the apps and resources below to learn more.

Clearya - Nontoxic Shopping Made Easy EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database

Check out our previous episode Don't Be Toxic, Be Beautiful to learn more about WE ACT's work on b...

Duration: 00:26:24

Affordable and Renewable Energy with NY HEAT

Feb 10, 2025

Is your energy bill too expensive? Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn about WE ACT's campaign to help make energy more affordable and support New York’s transition to renewable energy, featuring Cameron Clark, WE ACT's NY HEAT Campaign Coordinator.

Extra Resources:

How a Bill Becomes a Law (New York State)

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Duration: 00:31:34

Congestion Pricing

Jan 28, 2025

Congestion pricing is here! What is it, and why should you care? Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn about the pros and cons for environmental justice communities with help from New York State Senator Liz Krueger.

Extra Resources:

What Is Congestion Pricing? (NRDC) Congestion Pricing Myths and Facts (NRDC)

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Duration: 00:35:52

Looking Back, Thinking Forward: Building on the Success of 2024

Jan 13, 2025

Goodbye 2024, Hello 2025! Join Jaron and Lonnie as they reflect on some of WE ACT's major wins from 2024 and discuss some exciting advocacy efforts coming in 2025 with the help of WE ACT's new Acting Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs.

Resources:

Check out WE ACT's 2025 Policy Agenda at weact.org/policy! Get involved with WE ACT's Climate Justice Working Group

You can also listen to this episode on YouTube.

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Duration: 00:30:06

Holiday Special with WE ACT Chair Jeff Jones

Dec 23, 2024

In the spirit of the holidays, Lonnie and Jaron are joined by long-time activist and Chair of WE ACT’s Board of Directors, Jeff Jones to tell stories and reflect on this moment in the environmental justice movement.

Guest Information:

Jeff Jones, Jeff Jones Strategies

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Duration: 00:30:16

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Dec 09, 2024

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been working to keep our air, water, and soil clean since 1970. Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn more about how the EPA supports environmental justice with help from the Administrator for EPA Region 2, Lisa Garcia.

Resources:

You can learn more about WE ACT’s Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center supported by the EPA at weact.org/tctac. Check out the EPA’s EJSCREEN tool to explore maps and data about environmental justice in your area at epa.gov/ejscreen.

You can also listen to this episode on YouTu...

Duration: 00:36:14

Community Land Trusts

Nov 25, 2024

Public land for public good! In this episode, Lonnie and Jaron are joined by WE ACT’s Climate Justice Campaigns Manager, Annie Carforo, to talk about community land trusts and how they can help address the housing affordability crisis in NYC.

Want to get involved? Join WE ACT’s Climate Justice Working Group on the third Tuesday of every month from 7:00-8:00 PM.

Want to learn more? Check out these helpful resources:

Affordable Housing (NYT) What is a Community Land Trust? Community Land Trusts Explained

You can also listen to this episode on YouTu...

Duration: 00:31:57

Waste

Nov 11, 2024

It’s time for more trash talk! Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn more about the history of waste management in New York City and how it impacts environmental justice communities with help from Julio Lopez Torres, a member of WE ACT’s Climate Justice Working Group.

Resources:

Want to reduce your waste? Check out this 3 Step Guide to Zero Waste! The Absurd Problem of New York City Trash (NYT)

You can also listen to this episode on YouTube.

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Duration: 00:35:11

Wrong Direction Wrap-Up

Oct 28, 2024

That’s a wrap! Join Jaron and Lonnie as they reflect on important themes from the Wrong Direction mini-series, and drop some not-so-subtle hints about future episode topics.

Anyone who missed WE ACT’s Webinar on the Implementation of New York State’s Cumulative Impacts Law can find a recording on our YouTube channel.

You can also listen to this episode on YouTube.

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Duration: 00:24:02

Cumulative Impacts

Oct 14, 2024

New York and New Jersey have both passed landmark laws to address cumulative impacts. What does that mean for environmental justice communities? Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn how these laws can help reduce pollution with help from Dr. Nicky Sheats, co-founder of the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance.

Join our Cumulative Impacts Webinar on October 16, 2024: https://www.weact.org/event/cumulative-impacts-implementation-webinar/

Can’t attend the webinar on October 16? Check out this recording of our previous webinar on Cumulative Impacts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7DdpxQl-8o&

References in the Show:

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Duration: 00:35:35