Uptown Chats
Join Jaron and Lonnie as they explore issues in their community through the eyes of everyday people, and discuss how environmental justice is showing up in the news. It’s not just for experts, it's for everyone! The podcast is officially 1 year old! Now that we're older and wiser, we're releasing episodes twice each month - on the second and last Monday of each month. Uptown Chats is the official podcast of WE ACT for Environmental Justice. WE ACT was founded in 1988 and has offices in New York City and Washington, D.C. You can find us online at weact.org.
Episodes
Energy is here, there, everywhere! Join Jaron and Lonnie for the first episode of the Wrong Direction mini-series to learn from WE ACT's Federal Policy Director, Anastasia Gordon, about new energy technologies that are creating environmental justice challenges.
Over the next three months, the Wrong Direction mini-serie...
Green, blue, gray, and brown - so many colors of hydrogen! Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn why WE ACT considers hydrogen a false solution in addressing climate and environmental justice. Guests include WE ACT's Federal Research Manager, Manuel Salgado, and Cecil Corbin-Mark Environmental Justice Research Fellow, Tali Natter.
Extra Resources:
Technology is great, but is it always the answer? Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn about carbon capture and storage (CCS) with help from Dr. Ana Baptista in the third episode of our Wrong Direction mini-series.
Guest Information:
- Ana Baptista, Associa...
There’s nothing “natural” about natural gas, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) is no different. Lonnie and Jaron are joined by Roishetta Ozane to talk about how LNG facilities impact environmental justice communities in the fourth episode of our Wrong Direction mini-series.
Guest:
It isn’t easy being green, especially when it comes to energy. Join Jaron and Lonnie as they reflect on recent episodes and discuss the issue of greenwashing in the energy sector.
You can also listen to this episode on YouTube.
Got questi...
Nothing lasts forever, including nuclear power plants. Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn about what happens when a nuclear power plant is decommissioned and how it impacts environmental justice communities with help from two guest speakers from Riverkeeper.
Extra Resources:
Biogas stinks! Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn about the impacts of biogas facilities on environmental justice communities in New York City with the help of Willis Elkins, Executive Director of Newtown Creek Alliance.
Recommended Episode: A WE ACT Story - Holiday Special
Check out ou...
What’s worse than throwing away trash? Burning it! Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn why waste incineration is part of the wrong direction and how it impacts environmental justice communities with the help of two special guests.
Guests:
- Chris Tandazo, ...
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 Oc...
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
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...
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 Clim...
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:
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, Je...
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
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:
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:
You can also listen to this episode on
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 ...
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...
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-c...
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