Climate Fairplay

Loss of Community Spaces, Why Green Spaces Matter, Building Sustainable Pop-ups

What happens when our shared spaces disappear? In this episode of Climate Fairplay, host Cody Sanford examines how the loss of gathering places or "third places" negatively impacts a community's overall health and our ability to create meaningful climate progress locally. The Sharable Facts and Stats segment focuses on why access to green spaces is critical in supporting public health and environmental resilience. It also includes a call to action for support in creating a sustainable pop-up market in Denver, designed to unite local businesses, nonprofits, and residents around practical solutions.

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Empowering Water Stewards with Daniel Dominguez

The global water cycle is facing unprecedented threats. Recently, UN leaders described water as “the canary in the coal mine of climate change,” highlighting how climate change and mismanagement are driving unprecedented changes in our water systems. In this episode, Daniel Dominguez, a water scientist at Colorado State University and a project coordinator for the Water Fellows programs, explains the impacts of climate change on our water systems. This conversation unpacks how the water cycle is changing and ends with a discussion on the ways we can connect water conservation to our everyday lives.

Everyone has the power to impact the environment in their own community. As our natural world faces a growing list of challenges, the need for environmental leaders engaged with local initiatives has never been more critical. Tune into Climate Fairplay and listen to Daniel Dominguez share how a genuine commitment to action has led to a cohort of water leaders across Colorado. 

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Trump vs. the Environment: The US Elects Leaders Who Deny Climate Science

Host Cody Sanford examines the grim prospects for U.S. climate and environmental policy under the second Trump administration. Sanford expresses his intense disappointment with the recent election results, highlights the perils of climate change denial within leadership roles, and reviews Trump's previous actions on environmental regulations. The discussion also explores the ramifications of the U.S. withdrawing from the Paris Agreement and underscores the crucial role of community-driven solutions in the fight against climate change.

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Escalating Wildfires Meet Growing Populations in Wildfire-prone Regions

Wildfires are becoming more severe and uncontrollable, even overwhelming ecosystems that evolved with fire. Climate change is intensifying these fires, and as more communities expand into naturally wild-prone areas, they become increasingly vulnerable to devastation. This episode explores the current state of wildfires that have become more destructive and uncontrollable than ever before. Despite the growing peril, underpaid wildland firefighters risk everything with minimal support, earning as little as $15 an hour. This episode ends with a blunt call for fair wages and urgent policy reforms to protect those who stand between us and an ever-growing threat of fire.

Broken Food Systems, Agrivoltaics, Climate-smart Agriculture

Our food system is broken; learn how we can begin to fix it. In this episode of the Climate Fairplay Podcast, we explain the failures of global agriculture production. We break down climate-smart agriculture—why it’s essential, how it benefits farmers, food production, and climate progress—and then address some of the reasons behind the global pushback against sustainable farming policies. The episode's Sharable Stats & Facts segment covers agrivoltaics, a growing science combining solar energy and agriculture. To wrap up, we focus on actionable local solutions, exploring how permitting commercial urban farming can make locally grown food more accessible.

US Climate Policy, Failing Global Climate Commitments, & Accelerated City-level Climate Targets

As climate tension rises, the US faces a repetitive choice: elect leaders who act on climate change or those who deny it exists. This episode explores US climate policy, why climate goals are sidelined, and highlights the cities setting ambitious net-zero targets.

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Stop Greenwashing Climate Action

This is an exciting time for people who care about climate progress. There is the most funding for climate adaptations and building a sustainable society to date. Yet, regular people lack access to sustainable solutions, and it's exhausted further by systematic greenwashing of climate action. The introductory episode explores how local community efforts can break these barriers and drive real climate progress.

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