Best Kristan Uhlenbrock Podcasts (2024)

1
Clearing The Air BONUS: Dry Air 27:30

3M ago27:30

27:30

The San Luis Valley has always had dust storms, for as long as humans have been there. The problem now is that as water dwindles, temperatures warm, a multi-decade drought rages on, and people continue altering the landscape, dust is increasing. Dust and sand storms impact farming economies by reducing valuable topsoil, and breathing in dust can ha…

1
Clearing the Air: Steps Forward (S3 Ep8) 36:32

6M ago36:32

36:32

From supporting the wickedly smart and engaged next generation to learning how to work together in new and more meaningful ways, our last episode explores what it means to truly empower people to solve our air quality issues. Change has been slow and incremental, but change is happening. And while bad air affects us all, no matter where we live, th…

1
Clearing the Air: A New Wave (S3 Ep7) 42:40

6M ago42:40

42:40

Often there is a cultural catalyst that sparks change. And that catalyst can come from people being empowered with data, knowledge, and opportunity. From Pueblo to Aurora to other parts of Colorado, communities are finding traditional and new ways to engage in the change they want for their future. This could be things like a closer collaboration w…

1
Clearing the Air: Harnessing Energy and Numbers (S3 Ep6) 40:39

7M ago40:39

40:39

Colorado is the fifth largest oil-producing state in the country, and the state’s economy benefits from keeping the industry running. But oil and gas are also a major source of emissions to local air quality and climate change. And we all have a vested interest in reducing emissions, which has economic and social costs to our health and environment…

1
Clearing the Air: Driving Behavior (S3 Ep5) 37:01

7M ago37:01

37:01

Whether you’ve had a direct experience with bad air, followed the air quality index on your phone, or formally learned about the importance of clean air, awareness can be a key driver for change. But once we know how poor air quality can impact our health, what does it take to change our behaviors — either to reduce our exposure or how we contribut…

1
Clearing The Air: The Road to Change (S3 Ep4) 38:00

7M ago38:00

38:00

An estimated 4.2 million premature deaths are associated with outdoor air pollution each year. And traffic emissions are one of the leading contributors, with those living within a quarter mile or so of a busy road at greatest risk. But statistics and facts will only get you so far. To change perceptions and policy, the issue must be brought to a h…

1
Clearing the Air: The Heart of a Debate (S3 Ep3) 36:49

7M ago36:49

36:49

There is a long history of disproportionately impacted neighborhoods, which are predominately communities of color and low income, experiencing the unequal impact of pollution. This has been the case for many communities in Colorado when it comes to air quality. And while there are competing interests, values, and needs when it comes to deciding wh…

1
Clearing The Air: Clean Up Your Act (S3 Ep2) 42:02

8M ago42:02

42:02

For years Colorado’s Front Range has repeatedly failed to meet the EPA’s national air quality standards, putting local policymakers and regulators under pressure to fix the air pollution affecting us all. Now air monitoring and data gathering are slowly starting to catch up to the reality that many communities experience living in proximity to indu…

1
Clearing The Air: Something in the Air (S3 Ep1) 37:52

8M ago37:52

37:52

Our air is a complex soup of ingredients – which impacts the health of all of us, our economy, and our climate. But those health burdens are not shared equally. They disproportionately impact children, the elderly, and lower-income or historically marginalized communities. What does it mean to have equal and fair access to clean air? And when emoti…

1
Clearing the Air: Trailer 3:32

8M ago3:32

3:32

From our first breath to our last exhale, air is a vital shared resource. But what’s really in the air we breathe? Stay tuned for Clearing the Air: The Hazy Future of Our Skies, a new eight-part series about air pollution in Colorado and how we are navigating this complex problem that knows no borders. Season 3 of the award-winning podcast, Laws of…

1
Coal at Sunset EPILOGUE: Craig at a Crossroads (S1 Pt.2) 35:38

9M ago35:38

35:38

The closure of the coal plant and mine in Craig, Colorado will greatly impact the economy and result in the loss of jobs. However, there are conversations about the potential to repurpose the plant and existing infrastructure. From geothermal to hydrogen to nuclear, what could happen with the Craig station remains to be decided. In this bonus episo…

1
Coal at Sunset EPILOGUE: Two Years Later (S1 Pt.1) 27:14

10M ago27:14

27:14

It's been almost two years since we shared the story of Craig, Colorado, and the forthcoming closures of the coal power plant. In this epilogue to Coal at Sunset, you'll hear from some of our former guests reflecting on what's changed, what hasn't, and what the road ahead looks like. We’re coming back to this story to provide a firsthand glimpse in…

1
Water Under Pressure BONUS: The Future of Agriculture 22:30

1y ago22:30

22:30

The history of soil degradation is not new. Humans have been altering the landscape for thousands of years. But what does it mean to have healthy and functional soils and how is this critical to a productive and sustainable agriculture system? In this bonus episode, we spend time with Gene Kelley, a professor of Pedology and the Deputy Director of …

1
Water Under Pressure BONUS: The Colorado Water Plan 15:32

1y ago15:32

15:32

In January 2023, a new Colorado Water Plan was released. This document evokes hope and caution as the scarcity of water looms over our state. It’s a guide for how to bring people together and prioritize water projects across Colorado that serve the most uses and benefits. In this bonus episode, we talk with Lauren Ris, Deputy Director of the Colora…

1
Water Under Pressure BONUS: Power and Speculation 14:14

1y ago14:14

14:14

Control of water. Who has it, who doesn’t? How was water historically used? What is it being used for today? And what about future uses? In this first bonus episode, we are talking about power and decision-making, including the controversial topic of water speculation, with James Eklund, a prominent Colorado water lawyer. The conflict over water sp…

1
Further Listening: Is Denver Hoarding Water? (via City Cast Denver) 19:47

1+ y ago19:47

19:47

Laws of Notion Listeners! More on our state's water issues with our friends at City Cast Denver. Ever since Denver Water was founded in 1918, the agency has demonstrated enviable foresight, building out a massive infrastructure across 4,000 square miles to ensure Denver’s population (and economy) can continue to grow. But now that reservoirs and ri…

1
Water Under Pressure: Searching for Solutions (S2 Ep5) 36:45

1+ y ago36:45

36:45

In this series, we’ve investigated the pressures around water in Colorado – from climate change to population growth to different values – and how they shape the management of this vital resource. But where do we go from here? And how do we change the relationship we’ve had with water historically, to better reflect the realities of our future? Bec…

1
Water Under Pressure: Growing Demand (S2 Ep 4) 32:11

1+ y ago32:11

32:11

The need to use every drop of water – multiple times over – matters. In Colorado, 80% of the precipitation falls on the western side of the continental divide, but 90% of the population lives to the east, in the Front Range. As the urban corridor continues to grow rapidly, the need for water is even more urgent. And often that water is coming from …

1
Water Under Pressure: Finding Balance (S2 Ep 3) 30:12

1+ y ago30:12

30:12

When people learn that 91% of Colorado’s water is used for agricultural purposes, farmers are the first to blame for its overuse. But there’s a lot more baked into this figure than many realize. There are compromises that farmers are making, trying to ensure they are in the black financially while adapting to drought and a changing climate, in orde…

1
Water, Under Pressure: A Right (S2 Ep2) 25:05

1+ y ago25:05

25:05

One of the most controversial pieces of real estate in the San Luis Valley isn’t because of anything it’s got above ground, but because of the water below it. Water is needed for all living things to survive. It can also be controlled and has been by civilizations for millennia. So how is it decided where the water goes and what it can be used for?…

1
Water, Under Pressure: Liquid Gold (S2 Ep1) 28:13

1+ y ago28:13

28:13

A 40-year-old calculation on the back of an envelope fuels something of a gold rush in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. But instead of gold, the attraction is water. And the plan is to move it and sell it to Colorado’s growing – and thirsty – metro areas on the Front Range. But how much water is there really? And how do we decide who gets it and who doe…

1
Water, Under Pressure: Trailer 3:18

1+ y ago3:18

3:18

This year, we’re taking you deep into the world of water. Where values, science, law, and our identity collide, as communities in Colorado face tough choices about this dwindling vital resource. Stay tuned for Water, Under Pressure, a five-part podcast about the increasing demands on water in Colorado. And how the choices we make now could tear us …

1
Premiering Laws of Notion 1:39

1+ y ago1:39

1:39

Science was revolutionized by Newton’s laws of motion. But how can we revolutionize our ideas? Laws of Notion is a podcast by the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, where we push against our preconceived beliefs and think critically about the world around us. Each season, we’ll tell a story about an issue facin…

1
Coal at Sunset BONUS: Energy Markets & More w/ Duane Highley (President & CEO, Tri-State) 14:26

2+ y ago14:26

14:26

In our latest bonus episode, Tri-State President & CEO Duane Highley shares insights about regional energy markets in the West, renewable integration, and more. Coal at Sunset: A Colorado Town in Transition was created by the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and produced in partnership with House of Pod. For m…

1
Coal at Sunset BONUS: An Energy Transition Conversation with Alice Jackson (Xcel Energy Colorado) 13:17

2+ y ago13:17

13:17

Utilities will play a key role in the pace and implementation of Colorado's energy transition. In this special bonus episode, we wanted to share a few extended excerpts from an interview with Alice Jackson, President of Xcel Energy Colorado. In our wide-ranging conversation, recorded in late summer 2021, we talked with her about our state's changin…

1
Coal at Sunset: 2030 (S1 Ep8) 34:26

2+ y ago34:26

34:26

By decade's end, coal-fired energy production in Craig, Colorado will be a thing of the past. What will the town look like by then? More importantly: What do residents want their home to become? How does Craig's story help us understand the energy transition as a whole? In our final episode, we look ahead to opportunities on the horizon as the town…

1
Coal at Sunset: The Center of the Universe (S1 Ep7) 24:14

2+ y ago24:14

24:14

The Yampa River is the lifeblood of northwestern Colorado. It's one of the last wild, undammed rivers in the American West. Nobody appreciates the Yampa's transformative power more than Tom Kleinschnitz. Now the director of Moffat County Tourism, he's spent a lifetime on the river. He knows that outdoor recreation and tourism can be an important pa…

1
Coal at Sunset: Those Still to Come (S1 Ep6) 32:29

2+ y ago32:29

32:29

Coal enabled a way of life in Craig that many cherish. A close-knit small town community is still a draw. But for those growing up here now, knowing big changes are ahead, will that feeling be enough for them to stay? In this episode, we look beyond coal and energy to examine some of the other opportunities that Craig will need to build out to reta…

1
Coal at Sunset: No More Ghost Towns (S1 Ep5) 32:42

2+ y ago32:42

32:42

There are estimated to be more than a thousand ghost towns in Colorado. Each one represents a failed economic transition. So for Craig, Colorado, the stakes are clear. Transitions require resources and support. In 2019, Colorado created the first state-level Office of Just Transition in the nation. It was designed to help coal towns like Craig stra…

1
Further Listening: The Policy of Denver's Broken Sidewalks (via City Cast Denver) 12:33

2+ y ago12:33

12:33

Coal at Sunset fans: if you enjoy diving into policy and you're looking for a little extra weekend listening before episode #5 debuts on Monday, we wanted to share this fun podcast segment produced by our friends at City Cast Denver. This story from late September looks at sidewalks. (Yes, sidewalks.) Denver’s sidewalks are in a sorry state. And th…

1
Coal at Sunset: The Other Craigs (S1 Ep4) 31:44

2+ y ago31:44

31:44

In Craig, Colorado, one big question looms: What if the transition fails? Transitions are nothing new, and American history is full of cautionary tales. When big industries fail or move away, bad things can happen to the small towns that rely on them. Think about timber mills closing in rural areas of the Pacific Northwest. Or fisheries collapsing …

1
Coal at Sunset: You Knew (S1 Ep3) 34:45

2+ y ago34:45

34:45

Why is Colorado phasing out coal? Simply put: Planet Earth is warming up. Fast. For decades, scientific evidence has pointed to significant human influence on our climate, dating back to the Industrial Revolution. Burning fossil fuels like coal releases significant amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, accelerati…

1
Coal at Sunset: The Cost (S1 Ep2) 29:55

2+ y ago29:55

29:55

In our second episode, we travel inside the Craig coal-fired station to learn more about the science and economics of coal amidst a rapidly changing renewable energy landscape. For centuries, society has relied on coal because it's been dependable. Reserves can be stored indefinitely and burned as needed to meet electricity demand in any weather, a…

1
Coal at Sunset: The Decision (S1 Ep1) 31:41

2+ y ago31:41

31:41

There's a popular saying in Craig, Colorado: "Coal keeps the lights on." But in 2020, the electrical utility Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association announced that it would close its coal-fired power plant and coal mines in Craig by 2030. The news was like an earthquake. Hundreds of jobs would be lost. The town now faces the prospect of mas…

1
Coal at Sunset (S1 Trailer) 1:57

2+ y ago1:57

1:57

In rural northwestern Colorado, the town of Craig is at a crossroads. Coal has long been the primary employer and economic driver in this small, tight-knit community, which takes pride in providing energy to the surrounding region. Here, coal is an identity. A duty. A way of life. But something is about to change. The nearby coal plant and mines wi…

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