By Sondra Moore 

There’s a new podcast in town, and it’s worth your giving it a listen.

Developed and produced by two local Sierra Club members and environmental activists, Meenal Raval and Tanya Seaman, Philly Talks Climate has just reached its thirteenth episode, How Active Transportation is a Climate Solution. New episodes are produced weekly, and air on Fridays at noon on PhillyCAM (Philadelphia Community Access Media)’s WPPM 106.5 low power FM in Philadelphia, and are available for podcast listening at PhillyTalksClimate.com

While the podcast is Philly-centric, it also addresses national and global concerns, such as the Paris Agreement and the Green New Deal. Episodes often feature relevant guests. The most recent episode featured guest Randy LoBasso from Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. This, number 13, touches on several aspects of transportation alternatives to automobiles, including the health benefits of biking, how fewer cars on city streets makes the urban environment cooler, thus lowering some need for air conditioning in urban buildings, and how cities can make streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians.

The podcast’s website also offers transcripts of each episode, in case the written word is more your thing. Additionally, you’ll find links to relevant documents such as the City of Philadelphia’s Municipal Energy Master Plan and even practical tips for converting your home from gas heat to electric!

Meenal and Tanya are clearly invested in real-world environmental issues and have a depth of knowledge that is demonstrated in each episode. I encourage you to give them some of your time.

Sierra Club members and volunteers are invited to contribute to the discussion at Philly Talks Climate blog. If you’d like to offer a suggestion for future topics, you can contact meenal.raval@gmail.com

This blog was included as part of the 2019 Spring Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!