Episode 31: Unmasking the Villain - How Utilities Act as Gatekeepers to Clean Energy with John Farrell

Episode 34: Make Polluters Pay with Cassidy DiPaola and Gina Ramirez

The fossil fuel industry is one of the richest in the world. As of April 2026, the top 100 oil and gas companies banked $30 million/hour [https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/15/big-oil-huge-war-windfall-consumers] while worsening the climate crisis. Yet taxpayers and consumers are bearing the costs through rising home insurance rates, utility bills, and damages from extreme weather. Earlier this year, the Illinois Make Polluters Pay Act [https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus/FullText?GAID=18&DocNum=3362&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=0&SessionID=114] (SB3362) was introduced in the state legislature to hold fossil fuel companies operating in the state accountable for damages. SB3362 is part of a nationwide push led by grassroots organizations for state "climate superfund" laws that would require oil and gas companies to pay for their contributions to the climate crisis. These laws will fund local climate resilience efforts—from flood resistance to supporting households with high utility bills. 78% of Americans across the political spectrum [https://makepolluterspay.net/majority-of-americans-support-requiring-oil-and-gas-companies-to-pay-their-share-of-climate-damages/] support climate superfund legislation. So, what do these laws entail? How do they determine how much each company pays? And, what does the data say about the cultural implications of these laws? Guests: Cassidy DiPaola, Communications Director at Fossil Fuel Media, and Gina Ramirez, Director, Midwest Environmental Health at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Cassidy DiPaola is Communications Director at Fossil Free Media, where she helps lead national communications work on fossil fuel accountability and the Make Polluters Pay campaign. Over the past five years, she has worked on campaigns focused on climate accountability and challenging fossil fuel industry abuses. Cassidy is an evening student at New York Law School and lives in Brooklyn. Gina Ramirez, Director, Midwest Environmental Health at NRDC, works to further sustainable land use and zoning rules that can provide crucial protections to areas of Chicago, like the Southeast Side, that are burdened with cumulative industrial pollution. Ramirez is an active member of the Coalition to Ban Petcoke and the Southeast Environmental Taskforce. She has a MA focused in sociology from Roosevelt University and BA in communications from DePaul University. RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE: Get Involved: Follow @polluterspay, join the fight at https://makepolluterspay.net/ [https://makepolluterspay.net/]. And, find out how you can stop the fossil fuel industry from getting immunity at https://www.noimmunityforbigoil.org/ [https://www.noimmunityforbigoil.org/] Read: $30m an hour: big oil reaping huge war windfall from consumers, analysis finds [https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/15/big-oil-huge-war-windfall-consumers] (The Guardian) Majority of Americans support requiring oil and gas companies to pay their share of climate damages [https://makepolluterspay.net/majority-of-americans-support-requiring-oil-and-gas-companies-to-pay-their-share-of-climate-damages/] (Make Polluters Pay) It's Time to Make Polluters Pay for the Climate Crisis [https://www.nrdc.org/bio/kimberly-ong/whisper-murmur-chorus-its-time-make-polluters-pay-climate-crisis] (NRDC) Illinois Make Polluters Pay Act (SB3362) [https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus/FullText?GAID=18&DocNum=3362&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=0&SessionID=114] Make Polluters Pay: Illinois [https://makepolluterspay.net/learn-states/illinois-2/] STAY CONNECTED: www.justsolutionscollective.org [http://www.justsolutionscollective.org] Instagram @justsolutions_org Bluesky: @justsolutions.bsky.social Facebook: /JustSolutionsOrg LinkedIn: /just-solutions-collective If you enjoy listening to The Just Solutions Podcast, please consider leaving us a rating and sharing our show with someone who might be interested! Learn more about sponsorship opportunities on our site: podcast.justsolutionscollective.org/sponsors [http://podcast.justsolutionscollective.org/sponsors] EPISODE CREDITS: Host: Aiko Schaefer Recording Engineer & Graphic Designer: Angel Bautista This episode was edited by professionals with Next Day Podcast [https://www.nextdaypodcast.com/] Music: Paolo Pavan - Street Walk [https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Paolo_Pavan/The_Swing_of_Things_1107/Street_Walk/] Album: The Swing of Things - Mar 14, 2019 Info about licensing and crediting can be found here [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/]

Episode 33: When Local Ordinances Hamper Clean Energy Development with Federico Holm

Between 2023 and 2026, there was a 22.3% increase in the number of local ordinances restricting clean energy development across the United States. These ordinances are a major obstacle to communities that would economically benefit the most from a clean energy transition. Federico (Fede) Holm, Ph.D., M.S., Research Scientist at the Center for Progressive Reform, joins Just Solutions to unpack why this is happening and what needs to be done to create better laws that regulate development and benefit communities. Dr. Holm has held research appointments as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan and Colorado State University. His research on environmental policy and governance has been published in journals such as Climate Policy, Energy Research & Social Science, Review of Policy Research, and Society & Natural Resources, among others. Dr. Holm graduated from the Catholic University of Cordoba (Argentina), where he received a B.A. in International Relations. He received his master's and doctoral degrees from the School of Environment and Natural Resources at the Ohio State University, where he wrote his doctoral dissertation on climate and energy policy at the federal and state levels. He also holds an appointment as Affiliate in the Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources at Colorado State University. RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE: Read: Full Analysis: "The Pathway to a Just Transition Grows Steeper" [https://progressivereform.org/publications/communities-left-behind-update-pathway-to-just-transition-grows-steeper/] "Farm size, spatial externalities, and wind energy development" [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ajae.12438] Subscribe to the Center for Progressive Reform [https://progressivereform.org/connect/subscribe/] to get the latest information on their webinars/reports. Tool: Interactive Map: Counties Facing the Highest Risk of Missing Out on the Clean Energy Transition [https://progressivereform.org/responsive-government/responsive-government-increase-public-protection/communities-left-behind-renewable-energy-restrictions/#interactive-map] Episodes mentioned: Episode 31: Unmasking the Villain - How Utilities Act as Gatekeepers to Clean Energy with John Farrell [https://podcast.justsolutionscollective.org/episode-details/episode-31-unmasking-the-villain---how-utilities-act-as-gatekeepers-to-clean-energy-with-john-farrell] Episode 28: Land, Legacy, and Climate Justice: Tackling Environmental Challenges in Detroit with Anika Goss-Foster [https://podcast.justsolutionscollective.org/episode-details/episode-28-land-legacy-and-climate-justice-tackling-environmental-challenges-in-detroit-with-anika-goss-foster] STAY CONNECTED: www.justsolutionscollective.org [http://www.justsolutionscollective.org] Instagram @justsolutions_org Bluesky: @justsolutions.bsky.social Facebook: /JustSolutionsOrg LinkedIn: /just-solutions-collective If you enjoy listening to The Just Solutions Podcast, please consider leaving us a rating and sharing our show with someone who might be interested! Learn more about sponsorship opportunities on our site: podcast.justsolutionscollective.org/sponsors [http://podcast.justsolutionscollective.org/sponsors] EPISODE CREDITS: Host: Aiko Schaefer Recording Engineer & Graphic Designer: Angel Bautista This episode was edited by professionals with Next Day Podcast [https://www.nextdaypodcast.com/] Music: Paolo Pavan - Street Walk [https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Paolo_Pavan/The_Swing_of_Things_1107/Street_Walk/] Album: The Swing of Things - Mar 14, 2019 Info about licensing and crediting can be found here [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/]

Episode 32: Sufficiency as a Climate Strategy, Economic Model, and Cultural Paradigm Shift with Deric Gruen

Deric Gruen, a Senior Fellow at Just Solutions, brings sufficiency into the energy transition conversation and explains how this approach can cultivate economic resiliency and overall well-being. In this episode, we explore the idea of consumption as it relates to climate justice, public policy, and cultural mindsets. During more than 20 years leading visionary change in Washington State, Deric has co-founded and grown multiple organizations, built cross-sector collaborations, and led hundreds of successful projects. Deric served as the Co-Executive Director of Front and Centered, where he led state progress on climate and environmental justice for 10 years, including crafting policies and tools like the Healthy Environment for All Act, the Clean Energy Transformation Act, and the Environmental Health Disparities Map. Listen in to learn about the costs and benefits of sufficiency, and recommendations for advancing this reorientation within U.S. political conversations and policy. RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE: Read: UN Roadmap for Eradicating Poverty Beyond Growth [https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-poverty/roadmap-eradicating-poverty-beyond-growth] 1.5-Degree Lifestyles Modeling Report [https://hotorcool.org/projects/1-5-degree-lifestyles/] - Hot or Cool Institute CLEVER Sufficiency Modeling Report [https://clever-energy-scenario.eu/] - Collaborative Low Energy Vision for the European Region Other: Vocabulary for Sustainable Consumption and Lifestyles [https://vocabulary.hotorcool.org/] - Sustainable Consumption Research and Action Initiative STAY CONNECTED: www.justsolutionscollective.org [http://www.justsolutionscollective.org] Instagram @justsolutions_org Bluesky: @justsolutions.bsky.social Facebook: /JustSolutionsOrg LinkedIn: /just-solutions-collective If you enjoy listening to The Just Solutions Podcast, please consider leaving us a rating and sharing our show with someone who might be interested! Learn more about sponsorship opportunities on our site: podcast.justsolutionscollective.org/sponsors [http://podcast.justsolutionscollective.org/sponsors] EPISODE CREDITS: Host: Aiko Schaefer Recording Engineer & Graphic Designer: Angel Bautista Music: Paolo Pavan - Street Walk [https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Paolo_Pavan/The_Swing_of_Things_1107/Street_Walk/] Album: The Swing of Things - Mar 14, 2019 Info about licensing and crediting can be found here [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/]

Episode 31: Unmasking the Villain - How Utilities Act as Gatekeepers to Clean Energy with John Farrell

John Farrell, the co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, gave us a breakdown of the history of utilities and how they are structured in this episode of The Just Solutions Podcast. We cover investor-owned utilities, the problem of monopolies, and how excessive utility profit rates are keeping bills high. Towards the end, we get into what we can do about this: how can we build power for models where energy is community-owned and developed? John directs the Energy Democracy Initiative at ILSR. He's known as the "guru of distributed energy," receiving accolades for his vivid illustrations of the economic and environmental benefits of local ownership of decentralized renewable energy. John also hosts his own podcast, "Local Energy Rules", discussing monopoly power, energy democracy, and how communities can take charge to transform local utilities. Join us for this deep dive on the business of utilities, and listen to some of our other episodes on the subject listed below! RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE: Read: Why Climate Advocates Should Pounce on Utility Profits [https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/why-climate-advocates-should-pounce-on-utility-profits/] by John Farrell Listen: Episode 17: Grid Resilience, Reliability, and Equity with Lew Daly [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-17-grid-resilience-reliability-and-equity-with/id1678772596?i=1000647629928] Episode 11: Unpacking Utility Justice for Frontline Communities with Yesenia Rivera [https://podcast.justsolutionscollective.org/episode-details/episode-11-unpacking-utility-justice-for-frontline-communities-with-yesenia-rivera] Local Energy Rules [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ1cQ-u1XTA4zPva8pbvLPIZEhoK30OMs&si=zUlqRaCU9WGzE0j6] podcast Other: The Energy Democracy Initiative [https://ilsr.org/energy/] at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance Utility Bill Calculator [https://ilsr.org/energy/utility-bill-calculator/] - A tool to help consumers, reporters, and policymakers explore the effect of utility profit rates on electricity bills from ILSR STAY CONNECTED: www.justsolutionscollective.org [http://www.justsolutionscollective.org] Instagram @justsolutions_org Bluesky: @justsolutions.bsky.social Facebook: /JustSolutionsOrg LinkedIn: /just-solutions-collective If you enjoy listening to The Just Solutions Podcast, please consider leaving us a rating and sharing our show with someone who might be interested! Learn more about sponsorship opportunities on our site: podcast.justsolutionscollective.org/sponsors [http://podcast.justsolutionscollective.org/sponsors] EPISODE CREDITS: Host: Aiko Schaefer Editor, Recording Engineer, & Graphic Designer: Angel Bautista Music: Paolo Pavan - Street Walk [https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Paolo_Pavan/The_Swing_of_Things_1107/Street_Walk/] Album: The Swing of Things - Mar 14, 2019 Info about licensing and crediting can be found here [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/]

Episode 30: The Drivers of Unaffordable Energy and How Clean & Equitable State Policy Can Provide Relief with Elena Krieger, PhD.

In this episode, we joined our Senior Director of Research and Policy, Elena Krieger, PhD., at the start of the winter season. This is a time in which household energy costs peak and energy burden takes a greater toll due to increased heating. We discussed the impacts of cuts to bill assistance programs, how we can address affordability while still driving clean energy, and how strategies to systemically bring down energy costs can create sustainable change in low-income communities. Elena brings two decades of work on equitable energy and climate solutions to her role at Just Solutions. Previously, she served as director of research at an interdisciplinary energy science and policy research institute, where she explored strategies to integrate public health, equity, affordability, resilience, and other societal benefits into energy transitions. She received her BA in Physics and Astronomy & Astrophysics from Harvard and her PhD in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton. Join us as we discuss the long-term vision of reducing investment in fossil fuel infrastructure, bringing in affordable, clean energy resources, and making sure that our lowest-income households have access to the resulting benefits. RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE: Read our report [https://statesleadtheway.justsolutionscollective.org/pathways-for-action-affording-our-clean-energy-future/] that introduces a framework of policy solutions to address energy cost burdens, highlighting solutions that both center equity and advance clean energy. Now available! Our Energy Affordability Library [https://statesleadtheway.justsolutionscollective.org/the-policy-library/] is a centralized, searchable hub that helps communities to more quickly assess, compare, and advance state and local energy affordability policy concepts. Episode 17: Grid Resilience, Reliability, and Equity with Lew Daly [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-17-grid-resilience-reliability-and-equity-with/id1678772596?i=1000647629928] Elena Krieger's LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-krieger-ba47ba5/] STAY CONNECTED: www.justsolutionscollective.org [http://www.justsolutionscollective.org] Instagram @justsolutions_org Bluesky: @justsolutions.bsky.social Facebook: /JustSolutionsOrg LinkedIn: /just-solutions-collective If you enjoy listening to The Just Solutions Podcast, please consider leaving us a rating and sharing our show with someone who might be interested! Learn more about sponsorship opportunities on our site: podcast.justsolutionscollective.org/sponsors [http://podcast.justsolutionscollective.org/sponsors] EPISODE CREDITS: Host: Aiko Schaefer Editor, Recording Engineer, & Graphic Designer: Angel Bautista Music: Paolo Pavan - Street Walk [https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Paolo_Pavan/The_Swing_of_Things_1107/Street_Walk/] Album: The Swing of Things - Mar 14, 2019 Info about licensing and crediting can be found here [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/]