Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

While we are continually being inundated with news about what the federal government is up to, and wondering what else is going on that we don’t know about, Miranda Spivack reminds us that most Americans are more likely to encounter the effects of government malfeasance or neglect closer to home—from their governors, mayors, town councils, school boards, police and prosecutors. Deals shrouded in darkness are regularly made at the state and local levels, the result of closed-door discussions between government officials and industry leaders without any scrutiny whatsoever from the public. As Spivack’s groundbreaking investigative reporting makes clear, residents are intentionally kept on the outside, struggling to get information about significant issues affecting their communities—from car crashes and dirty drinking water, to failing safety gear—until the backroom deals are done and it’s too late to challenge them effectively. Based on years of original reporting, Spivack tells the story of five “accidental activists”—people from across the United States who started questioning why their local and state governments didn’t protect them from issues facing their communities and why there was a frightening lack of transparency surrounding the way these issues were resolved. The secret deals, lies, and corruption they uncovered shook their faith in government but also moved them to action. Spivack’s revealing take on a hidden dimension of American politics will outrage and educate anyone who cares about the forces shaping their own communities. And it will show how ordinary people are fighting back against their local and state governments to keep their communities safer. A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. Organizer: George Hammond  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the federal government has all but abandoned trying to address the climate crisis, cities around the world are stepping up. C40 is an international network of 97 cities representing 920 million people and 23% of the world’s economy. Almost three out of four of these cities have already peaked their emissions. Here in the U.S., Climate Mayors is a bipartisan network of nearly 350 municipal leaders, representing 48 states and more than 70 million Americans. How are cities innovating on reducing emissions, adapting to increasing climate risks, and — perhaps most importantly — sharing their knowledge? Episode Guests:  Eric Garcetti, C40 Ambassador for Global Climate Diplomacy; Former Mayor, Los Angeles  Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix; Former Chair, Climate Mayors  For show notes, related links, and episode transcript, visit https://climateone.org/podcasts Highlights: 00:00 Intro 2:46 Eric Garcetti on his time as mayor of LA 9:45 Eric Garcetti on where cities are moving the needle 17:47 Eric Garcetti on cities on the world stage 22:11 Eric Garcetti on the work of C40 26:20 Eric Garcetti on knowledge sharing 32:17 Eric Garcetti on co-leading 40:11 Kate Gallego on dealing with the heat in Phoenix 43:46 Kate Gallego on affordability 48:10 Kate Gallego on regulating data centers 52:35 Kate Gallego on working with other mayors ********** Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today at ⁠⁠patreon.com/ClimateOne⁠⁠.  Ad sales by ⁠⁠Multitude⁠⁠. Contact them for ad inquiries at ⁠⁠multitude.productions/ads⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI-powered agents and robots are already technically capable of performing an increasing share of human work. So how can workers, managers and organizations adapt to the dramatic shift?  A new McKinsey Global Institute report offers a roadmap. While AI is transforming the workplace at unprecedented speed, people will remain essential for many tasks that are still beyond AI’s capabilities—and to supervise, manage and collaborate with the technology. In fact, the demand for workers with AI fluency has grown dramatically over the past two years. Work in the future will be a partnership between people, agents and robots.  Which skills are likely to be most—and least—impacted by automation? How can public institutions help by aligning education and training with emerging skill needs—from AI fluency to skilled trades—and widening access to opportunity? And what strategies can organizations adopt to help their workforce adapt? Join us for a conversation with report authors Alexis Krivkovich and Anu Madgavkar of McKinsey Global Institute, along with Katy George, Microsoft's corporate vice president of workforce transformation, and Kevin Delaney, editor-in-chief of The San Francisco Standard. They will discuss the research findings and share practical guidance for navigating the transition to human-AI collaboration at work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a public defender in California and New York, Emily Galvin Almanza became frustrated by an overburdened justice system focused on locking people up while having, she says, “essentially zero impact on the crime rate.” Time and again, she saw ordinary peoples’ lives upended by the court system. So she co-founded an organization, Partners for Justice, aimed at supporting and empowering public defenders. Now operating in more than 20 states, the group places advocates in public defenders’ offices to help clients find stable housing, employment and other services . . . and stay out of jail.  In her new book, The Price of Mercy: Unfair Trials, a Violent System, and a Public Defender's Search for Justice in America, Galvin Almanza draws on these first-hand experiences and the latest crime data to argue that institutional decisions, such as prosecutorial incentives, policing tactics, or even when a judge has lunch, can have disastrous impacts on people who find themselves in the judicial process.  She looks at how police overtime practices affect justice, how jail conditions can increase future crime, and how flawed forensic technology has resulted in the incarceration of innocent individuals. Despite these sobering facts, she also emphasizes solutions: such as how public defenders enhance community stability and health, and how small environmental investments, such as planting trees, can actually reduce crime rates.  Join Emily Galvin Almanza to hear her blueprint for transforming our criminal justice system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Reagan presidency marked a turning point in American political history, bringing in changes in voting allegiances, long-lasting economic and foreign policy shifts, and a new direction in the country’s political culture that lasted for decades. Now former Reagan aide Frank Lavin comes to Commonwealth Club World Affairs to share behind-the-scenes stories of the Reagan White House. Drawing on his new book Inside the Reagan White House: A Front-Row Seat to Presidential Leadership with Lessons for Today, Lavin includes a mix of personal stories, insights on the president, discussions of policy and historical events, and crazy, colorful anecdotes in his insider’s look at the Reagan presidency. The Reagan assassination attempt, the Gorbachev Reykjavik summit, Ollie North and the Contras, the 1988 Bush-Dukakis contest and other critical moments of the Reagan years are all covered.  Lavin also offers original insights into Reagan cabinet members and other top players, along with personal anecdotes, off-hand comments, and unique family details. Not to mention the movie stars, Soviet spies, neo-Nazis, plain old Nazis, intimate affairs, fights on planes, and con men who were chased by Interpol.  But Lavin says that at the heart of his story are the thousands of dedicated Americans who helped Ronald Reagan as he worked to push back against the Soviet Union, promote democracy, improve trade, lower taxes, and reduce the size and scope of government—back when those were the main focuses of conservative Republicans.  Join us to discuss whether the Reagan years provide us with any lessons for our current political situation. A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. Organizer: George Hammond  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don’t miss out on an evening celebration of a philanthropic milestone and the exploration of an increasingly important development in the Arctic. Today, we are witnessing the emergence of a new ocean. For almost all of human history, the Arctic Ocean has been a frozen sea dominated by sea ice whose properties include the ability to reflect sunlight. It has played an essential role in regulating the climate well beyond the Arctic. Simply put, it has long served as Earth’s air conditioner. The changes in the Arctic Ocean are affecting many sectors, including global climate, of course, as well as conservation and environmental preservation, fisheries and aquaculture, other sea life, navigation, trade, tourism, renewable energy, marine biotech, green tech, vegetation, digital connectivity and infrastructure, and the 4 million people in five countries who live along the Arctic Ocean coastline including Indigenous peoples and their cultures. As the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation concludes its 25th year, we invite you to participate in a fascinating discussion on emerging conservation opportunities in the Arctic. Join leading conservationists Louie Porta and Enric Sala for an exclusive film screening and in-depth discussion about this rapidly changing ocean.  Enric Sala is a National Geographic Explorer and director of Pristine Seas, a project that combines exploration, research, filmmaking, economics and policy—working with local communities, Indigenous peoples and governments to protect vital places in the ocean. Louie Porta is the program director of the Arctic Ocean Initiative at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. This program is presented by Commonwealth Club World Affairs, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and National Geographic Pristine Seas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI and emerging technologies are reshaping biopharma and redefining how science is built, scaled and valued. As the landscape shifts, the industry must confront critical questions about leadership, capital strategy and what innovation really looks like in the years ahead. Join us to hear inside perspectives from senior leaders across biopharma and technology on: What’s driving momentum at the intersection of tech and science Where unsolved challenges are creating the next wave of opportunity This event is designed for technology and life sciences leaders, investors and stakeholders who want to learn from peers, identify emerging opportunities, and understand how data and AI will shape the next phase of biopharma. Dress code (encouraged): Elevated business attire or cocktail wear. In celebration of Black History Month, MelanInScience and WeAre encourage attendees to wear skin tone-inspired shades to reflect the beauty and diversity of all complexions. Hosted by MelanInScience and WeAre. See more  Michelle Meow Show programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Shermer, founding publisher of Skeptic magazine and author with a PhD in history of science, explores what we mean by truth and how to find it. He walks through scientific fallibility, Bayesian reasoning, consensus formation, replication problems, pattern-seeking and coincidences, and how myths and religion differ from empirical claims. Practical tips on spotting misinformation and verifying digital claims round out the conversation.

Humanities West explores Ansel Adams’ legendary six-decade career as a conservationist, teacher, musician and, above all, photographer, bringing you the stories behind the famous images to reveal the infectious enthusiasms, fervent battles, and bountiful friendships of a truly American original.  Two of Ansel Adams’ best friends, Georgia O’Keeffe and Edward Weston, criticized him for being too involved with the world. They advised that his activism—for the environment, for the rights of American citizens, for the recognition of photography as a creative art—all came at a grave cost to his art. To be a serious artist, they agreed, one must focus only on one’s art. Ansel Adams proved them wrong. But too often, Adams’ photographs are appreciated only for their aesthetic appeal, without consideration of the social and political circumstances of their making.  On what would have been his 123rd birthday, how do we celebrate this great artist and American citizen? Mary Street Alinder and Dr. Jasmine Alinder will place Adams’ artistic work and political convictions in conversation, not as opposing forces, but as mutually supporting objectives.  Mary Street Alinder first studied with Adams in 1967, eventually becoming his chief assistant from 1979 until his death in 1984. During those years she worked very closely with him and completed his autobiography posthumously. She will share her very personal experiences with this great San Franciscan.  Jasmine Alinder is an interdisciplinary, community-engaged scholar and teacher of public history, the history of photography, and the history of Japanese-Americans during World War II. In her talk, she will focus on Ansel Adams’ 1944 project Born Free and Equal: The Story of Loyal Japanese-Americans. A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. In association with Humanities West. Organizer: George Hammond  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rising electricity rates across the country are adding pressure to families and businesses already dealing with inflation in other aspects of their lives. Most Americans get their power from a utility that needs to turn a profit for its investors. And people are fed up with the status quo. “Across the country, the utilities have just gotten greedy and are asking for more than they need,” says Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes.  Some communities are considering cutting out the profit motive for utilities, taking on the complicated and expensive prospect of moving to public power. But switching from an investor-owned utility to public power is an uphill battle. What are other strategies for reining in corporate greed and making electricity more affordable? Episode Guests: Kris Mayes, Arizona Attorney General Naveena Sadasivam, Investigative Reporter and Editor, Grist Carroll Fife, Councilmember, District 3, Oakland, California Jackson Kaspari, Director of Member Services, Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire For show notes, transcript, and related links, visit ⁠https://www.climateone.org/podcasts⁠ Skill Up for Earth: ⁠⁠https://skillup.earth⁠⁠ Highlights: 00:00 – Intro 04:00 – Naveena Sadasivam breaks down electric bill drivers by region 14:00 – High bills affected outcome of Georgia Public Utility Commission 17:00 – Tucson town hall held by AZ AG Kris Mayes to discuss power bill 19:00 – Mayes explains why she’s intervening in rate cases 27:00 – Imbalance of power between utility companies and PUCs and consumer advocates 33:00 – Would Arizona legislators consider allowing community choice aggregation 36:00 – Carroll Fife on why she supported a state bill to explore other options to power suppliers 43:40 – Jackson Kaspari explains how community choice aggregation works in New Hampshire 48:00 – Utility pushback 54:00 – Kaspari explains how much work it took to set up CCA in New Hampshire 56:30 – Climate One More Thing ********** Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on ⁠Patreon⁠, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today at ⁠patreon.com/ClimateOne⁠.  Ad sales by ⁠Multitude⁠. Contact them for ad inquiries at ⁠multitude.productions/ads⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices