Important, Not Important

Nov 01 2024 410 ep. 45 mins 479

Important, Not Important Podcast artwork

Science for people who give a sh*t. Want to feel better AND unf*ck the world? The 6-time Webby nominee delivers deep conversations with the world's smartest people (scientists, doctors, CEO's, farmers, and more!), and digestible news updates every single week, loaded with tips and steps you and we can take to fix this place right up. We're talkin' clean energy and coral reefs, COVID vaccines and pediatric cancer research, clean water and carbon capture tech, asteroid deflection and artificial intelligence ethics. "A vital service in an era where important truths, outright fiction and mere trivia all compete for your attention.” - Craig Mazin, creator, writer, and executive producer of HBO's Chernobyl Hosted by Quinn Emmett

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Essay: Only 86,000 To Go. You in?

Nov 01 2024 9 mins

This week: This entire (short!) episode is a call to action. It's time to do this thing...do the thing, but also take care of yourselves and your loved ones these next couple weeks. It's a lot right now.Here's What You Can Do:Donate to the groups that are on the ground every day organizing and fighting for a better, stronger democracy (go)Volunteer for democracy by pickin

Thinking In Systems To Save An Indivisible World

Oct 28 2024 70 mins

Is multisolving the future? Is it today? Should we do more? That's all today's big question and my guest is Dr. Elizabeth Sawin. Dr. Sawin is the Founder and Director of the Multisolving Institute, which is convenient for our conversation. She's an expert on solutions that address climate change while also improving health, well being, and economic vitality. She developed multisol

Poverty Is A Policy Choice

Oct 21 2024 48 mins

How do we make it easier for more Americans to reliably put food (in particular, hot food) on the table? That's today’s big question, and my guest is Salaam Bhatti. Salaam is the SNAP Director at the Food Research and Action Center, a 501c3 that uses advocacy and strategic partnerships to improve the health and well being of people struggling against poverty related hunger in the

Best of: Check Your Insurance Policy

Oct 14 2024 64 mins

We first ran this episode in May 2023, but following back-to-back hurricanes in Florida this month, it remains as relevant as ever.You've got insurance, right? Are you sure?That's today's big question, and my guest is Washington Post reporter Brianna Sacks.Brianna's an extreme weather and disaster reporter for the Post, where she explores how climate change is t

Best of: Fresh Banana Leaves

Oct 07 2024 52 mins

There’s no word for “conservation” in many Indigenous languages.Some come close, but mean something more like “taking care of” or “looking after.”And that’s probably because the very idea of conservation, to “prevention the wasteful use of a resource”, would have been, and continue to be, foreign to many of North America’s Indigenous peoples, who lived in an e

Essay: Why We Made An App

Sep 27 2024 25 mins

This week: You’d think that -- considering we just spent two years building our new What Can I Do? app -- that I’d have a really good answer for why we were doing it in the first place.But I didn’t. Not until about a week ago.I knew, of course, the practical reasons why it needed to exist, and I had a good idea of what I wanted it to look and feel like.I knew it was

Introducing: What Can I Do?

Sep 23 2024 10 mins

It’s another big day in a very big month for us.Our extremely tiny team has been busting our asses for almost two years to bring you something fucking extraordinary, something I’m just so proud of, and now it's here:Our new app: "What Can I Do?" A one stop shop for taking action on the issues you give a shit about.Why?Because the world won't unf**k itself.Get it here: http

Finding Joy In Climate Solutions

Sep 16 2024 39 mins

What if we get it right? That's today's big question, and my returning guest is Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is a marine biologist. She is a policy expert, a writer, and a teacher working to help create the best possible climate future. She co-founded and leads the Urban Ocean Lab, a think tank for the future of coastal cities, and is the Roux Distinguis

Best of: A Conversation With A Future President of the United States

Sep 09 2024 81 mins

In this throwback episode from October 2020, Quinn & Brian discuss: Why state elections matter not just for your state but for the future of our planet.Our guests are: Aimy Steele & Amanda Litman. Aimy is a candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives in District 82, a mother of five, a former Spanish teacher, and a former K-12 principal. Amanda

Essay: How to Eat More Plants (And Less Beef)

Aug 26 2024 20 mins

This week: Next up in our series of “How to Eat More Plants”. Today’s topic? Beef!Here's What You Can Do:Read the essay and get the links online hereDonate to the Humane Farming Association to support their work against factory farming.Volunteer with Planted Society to help cities, restaurants, and individuals make sustainable changes in their food culture.🌎️ Get educate