WHAT IF WE GET IT RIGHT?

This conversation had an odd effect on me. I found it... relaxing? To hear a politician speaking competently, calmly, clearly, practically and with nuance about climate policy was so soothing, reassuring. More of this please!
How can we make things happen when your federal leaders are climate deniers in the pocket of fossil fuel industry? One answer is that state government leaders need to majorly step up. So, today’s conversation with Maine gubernatorial candidate Hannah Pingree is an important one.
Hannah Pingree is is a longtime public servant and climate leader from a small island off the midcoast of Maine. I would describe her as a strategic problem-solver. Very importantly, in a fiercely independent “purple” state like Maine, Hannah also has a track record of something very rare in American politics right now: an ability to get things done across all sorts of political divides, including on climate issues.
In this conversation, we cover everything from AI data centers, to clean energy, affordability, aquaculture, PFAS (aka forever chemicals), working waterfronts, and the critical role of governors in this era of excruciating federal rollbacks.
After hearing this interview, you’ll get why I will be ranking Hannah Pingree #1 on my ballot and why Maine Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, and — perhaps most notably — the High School Democrats of Maine have endorsed her.
This is an especially timely episode because early voting in Maine’s primary election is open NOW! And Election Day is June 9th. So whether you’re a Maine voter yourself, know someone who is, or are just interested in what state-level climate leadership can look like... this one’s for you. Have a listen and send this episode to all the Mainers in your life so they can make a more informed decision.
And wherever you live, it’s a perfect time to pick a candidate, roll up your sleeves and help them win. These midterm elections are an ENORMOUS deal. Don’t know where to begin? Check out which candidates Lead Locally and Working Families Party have endorsed, and sign up to phone bank with Environmental Voter Project.
Credits: This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and me, with support from Jenisha Shrestha. That’s it! That’s our small but mighty team.
Alright, Earthlings, I’m gonna take the summer off from podcasting. And then! I’ll be back in the fall with an election season of the show. For that I’m going to be teaming up with a magnificent and wise and charming co-host. All will be revealed in due time... but get stoked, and stay tuned, and do your part, and be kind, and keep loving this planet. 🩵


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Today’s conversation is a special one. I’m joined by someone who’s been a collaborator and a dear friend in this work: Katharine K. Wilkinson.
And tomorrow, May 5th, is publication day for Katharine's new book that’s the culmination of the last 5 years of her work — or perhaps of her lifetime. It’s called Climate Wayfinding: Healing Ourselves and the Planet We Call Home.
It’s such an important book because the vast majority of people are concerned about climate change. But a much smaller portion of people are actively engaged in pushing forward solutions. And so much of whether and how we step up and lean in is about our feelings. How do we move from anxiety and dread into something more like, as she puts it, a shimmering purpose?
If you have questions about your role in climate solutions — how to move from, as the back cover says “ache to action, from doubt to possibility” — Climate Wayfinding will help you navigate toward answers. Let’s be honest, we all have these questions! So, head on over to your local independent bookstore and and pick up Katherine’s book in all its periwinkle glory, or request it from your local library.
Notes:
Katharine’s article in TIME Magazine: The Climate Crisis Is a Call to Action. These 5 Steps Helped Me Figure Out How to Be of Use.
This podcast is ad-free thanks to the support of Future Being, a grant making and special project studio, which supports the healing of our planet and the safeguarding of biological and cultural diversity.This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and myself with support from Jenisha Shrestha.
Alright, earthlings. You know the motto: Take climate change seriously, but let’s not take ourselves too seriously.



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In the spirit of the What If We Get It Right? paperback launch, sharing an excerpt of the audiobook. The heart of this audiobook is 20 interviews with people who have shaped my understanding of the answer to the titular question. It’s kind of like a whole season of a podcast packaged up with essays by me and poetry by others. Also, ahem, the audiobook was a finalist for the Audie Award. (If you’re gonna lose, lose to Stephen King.)
Order the full audiobook here.
The prelude, the first chapter, is “An Ocean Love Story.” It’s about how I fell in love with coral reefs at 5 years old, and how the ripples that flowed from that have shaped the unfurling of my life ever since.
This chapter is my origin story, in brief. From Brooklyn, New York, to Key West, Florida, to Washington, DC, and the Caribbean. It's one of the most personal things I’ve ever published. A little funny. A lot honest. It’s the start of my quest to understand how we, humans, can get it as right as possible here on this magnificent planet. And I wouldn’t be surprised if it has similarities with your story, too.
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CREDITS: This podcast is ad-free thanks to the support of Future Being, a grant making and special project studio which supports the healing of our planet and the safeguarding of biological and cultural diversity. This episode was produced by Remoy Philip and me, Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, with support from Jenisha Shrestha. The original audiobook was produced by Olivia Langen for Penguin Random House audio, recorded at Expanding Sky Studios in Brunswick, Maine.
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Back in September 2024, on the day my book What If We Get It Right? was published, I did one of the most absurd and delightful things I’ve ever done. I co-hosted an over-the-top goofy Climate Variety Show with actor Jason Sudeikis at the Brooklyn Museum. Sold out crowd. Strong high school talent show energy. And we took the “variety” in variety show seriously – magic, music, hula hoops, comedy, costumes, dance off, and of course many shoutouts to climate solutions. Honestly have trouble believing it actually happened. Total fever dream of a “What if we…?” question. 🧐
As we gear up for the publication of the paperback on April 14th, I’m thinking back on the hardcover launch oh so fondly. So today’s episode is re-run of the very 1st episode of our podcast, which was an audio montage, if you will, of excerpts from that variety show (and enjoy some photos here!).
A tiny time machine to revisit the silliness that transpired a year and a half ago. I present to you: ✨The Climate Variety Show.✨
For the visuals to go with it, peep my slideshow (and subscribe to the newsletter while you're there!): https://ayanaelizabeth.substack.com/p/climate-variety-show-slideshow
Also! Paperback tour = Climate Dance Parties. If you love the Earth, dance with us. 🌎🕺🏽 Kicking off April 14th — Brooklyn, Monterey, Manhattan, San Diego, Los Angeles, Maine! Snag your tickets here: www.getitright.earth/tour.
And while you’re on the crazy internet, pretty please pre-order the paperback from your local bookstore or bookshop.org. 📚


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Hello Earthlings, we are back with a new episode of the What If We Get It Right? podcast. This is the first episode of Season 4, which will be a short season — maybe 6 episodes? Not sure! We’ll see how it goes.
Today’s conversation, with Dr. Heidi Roop, was recorded at The Great Northern festival’s Climate Solutions Series in Minneapolis on January 31st.
Dr. Roop is an expert in climate science and adaptation. She is the Director of the University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership. From 2024-2025, she served two presidential administrations as the Assistant Director of Climate Services in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. During this time, she also served as Acting Executive Director of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, coordinating research and services across the over fourteen federal agencies and advising the White House on how to effectively manage climate risks.
She also wrote a wonderful book, with incredible infographics, called The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions for Everyone, which I highly recommend.
So... it’s a little odd that she was interviewing me and not the other way around! Yes, this is an unusual episode in that I am the one getting asked the questions. But it was such a wonderful event and conversation that I thought I’d share it to give you all a sense of where my head is at these days. These wild days.
Special thanks to The Great Northern and Bell Museum, for hosting this conversation. And a huge shoutout to the good humans of Minneapolis, continuing to hold it down and be truly excellent neighbors and citizens.
This episode was produced by Remoy Phillip, and me, Ayana, with support from assistant producer Jenisha Shrestha.
This podcast is ad-free thanks to the support of Future Being, a grant making and special project studio, which supports the healing of our planet and the safeguarding of biological and cultural diversity.


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