The Human Survival Podcast
This show is part of The Human Survival Project, a movement to save the human race. We want humanity to have the tools to protect itself from global catastrophic threats. Solving global threats requires strong global systems. We are building a global grassroots campaign to encourage citizens around the world to push their governments to transform the United Nations. Stay in touch to hear more about the campaign as it develops. Here you’ll learn about climate change, destruction of nature, pandemics, nuclear weapons and other warfare, advanced technology (artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, etc), migration, global trade/economy, wealth inequality, and of course, the international systems we need to manage these issues. We also explore how to be engaged world citizens in a time of dramatic change. Learn more and sign up for our email newsletter: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org. Big things are happening. We want you on board. Please be a part of this movement.
Episodes
Tuesday Nov 08, 2022
Overcoming Climate Anger and Fear of the Future
Tuesday Nov 08, 2022
Tuesday Nov 08, 2022
It can be difficult watching climate change and the destruction of nature. It’s easy to fall into despair and worry about the future of humanity, and all the other species. The Human Survival Podcast fell into hibernation, as I’ve struggled the past few months with anger, fear and hopelessness. After wrestling with these feelings, I’ve emerged stronger and more motivated to keep doing the work of saving humanity (and everything else). And this experience has taught me some lessons about effective public communication about these important issues. In this episode, I’ll share with you what I went through, in case it helps you keep your head straight amid these challenging times in the world. Cheers!
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The Human Survival Podcast, hosted by Shelby Mertes.This show is offered by The Human Survival Project, a grassroots organization helping the human race become an intentional and forward-looking species, with the global tools to improve ourselves and protect ourselves from global catastrophic threats.
** Connect and learn more at: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/ **
Sign up for our email newsletter, or send Shelby a message with any questions or suggestions: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/connect
The Human Survival Podcast is also on YouTube.Watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/XKTk5ZWNJiQ
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
Theme music by Moby: https://mobygratis.com/
Resources:
Climate Change Enters the Therapy RoomNew York Times – 2/6/22https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/06/health/climate-anxiety-therapy.html?smid=url-share
Got Climate Anxiety? These People Are Doing Something About ItNew York Times – 2/4/21https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/04/climate/climate-anxiety-stress.html?smid=url-share
Good Grief Networkhttps://www.goodgriefnetwork.org/
Joanna Macyhttps://www.joannamacy.net/
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)https://www.ipcc.ch/
Deep Adaptationhttps://www.deepadaptation.info/Jem Bendellhttps://jembendell.com/
Job One For Humanityhttps://www.joboneforhumanity.org/(This site uses a communication style very different from mine. To me, their vibe often feels panicky and alarmist, rather than grounded and level-headed. But I share it here because I think their analysis and key points are strong, and certainly worth considering. This site is an interesting example of the challenge in conveying truly alarming information without relying too heavily on fear. I appreciate the difficulty these authors face.)
The Great Climate MigrationNew York Times Magazine – 7/23/20https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/23/magazine/climate-migration.html
Global Footprint Networkhttps://www.footprintnetwork.org/https://www.footprintnetwork.org/2021/01/19/we-do-not-need-a-pandemic-to-movethedate/
Thursday Jul 07, 2022
Welcome to The Human Survival Podcast
Thursday Jul 07, 2022
Thursday Jul 07, 2022
Meet Shelby and learn what the show is all about.
The Human Survival Podcast, hosted by Shelby Mertes ** Connect and learn more at https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org **
Friday Jul 01, 2022
The Name Of This Show Is Changing To ”The Human Survival Podcast”
Friday Jul 01, 2022
Friday Jul 01, 2022
The name of the show is changing from "The Joy of Saving the Human Race" to "The Human Survival Podcast." Here's why...
The Human Survival Podcast, hosted by Shelby Mertes ** Connect and learn more at https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org **
Saturday Feb 19, 2022
Saturday Feb 19, 2022
NOTE: The Joy of Saving the Human Race is now “The Human Survival Podcast.” For a brief explanation listen to the episode on July 1, 2022, “The Name Of This Show Is Changing…”
This show is part of The Human Survival Project, a grassroots movement that encourages citizens around the world to push for transformation of the United Nations system. We want humanity to have the tools to protect itself from global catastrophic threats, and solving global threats requires strong global systems.
** Connect and learn more at: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/ **
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Humans’ meat consumption is still growing, and doing great damage to nature and climate. If that’s not bad enough, meat may also cause the next pandemic. Pandemic pathogens often jump to humans from animals. Farm raised meat and wildlife markets (“wet markets”) greatly increase opportunities for pathogens to jump from animals to humans, and then spread human-to-human as a pandemic. Today, we explore these risks, and what can be done about them.
Our guest is Jerry Martin, who has worked for many years to prevent and manage disease outbreaks from animals. He has traveled the world helping countries develop programs to manage these risks.
This show is also on YouTube.Watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/9EtTMHD5YhE
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
Theme music by Moby: https://mobygratis.com/
Resources:
Jerry Martin article:STAT – 5/21/20The growing global appetite for meat increases the risk of future ‘spillover’ pandemics. We can do something about ithttps://www.statnews.com/2020/05/21/growing-global-appetite-meat-risk-future-spillover-pandemics/
The program Jerry used to be director of:DAI: Preparedness and Response (P&R)https://www.dai.com/our-work/projects/worldwide-preparedness-and-response-pr
Global land used for meat productionOur World in Datahttps://ourworldindata.org/land-use
Global meat production, 1961 to 2018Our World in Datahttps://ourworldindata.org/meat-production
Environmental Impacts of Food ProductionOur World in Datahttps://ourworldindata.org/environmental-impacts-of-food
USA Today – 2/16/22Bird flu detected at multiple chicken and turkey farms in Midwest, South; over 300k affectedhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/02/16/bird-flu-affected-chickens-turkeys-midwest/6814375001/
Vox - June 10, 2020The meat we eat is a pandemic risk, toohttps://bit.ly/3xH2Qz3
The Guardian, 9/18/20A 12-storey pig farm: has China found the way to tackle animal disease?https://bit.ly/3eRMZ8f
NY Times, 4/29/19U.N. Issues Urgent Warning on the Growing Peril of Drug-Resistant Infectionshttps://nyti.ms/3eaapX6
Foreign Policy, 5/21/20China’s Farms Are Petri Dishes of Antibiotic Resistancehttps://bit.ly/3eQcve4
NY Times, 6/7/19Warning of ‘Pig Zero’: One Drugmaker’s Push to Sell More Antibioticshttps://nyti.ms/3eL6YFG
Wednesday Dec 15, 2021
Wednesday Dec 15, 2021
Where is the best place to focus one’s efforts to help humanity? Addressing global policy, or doing hands-on work in one’s community? Today’s guest, Orion Kriegman, has done both. He is living a fascinating life, while helping the world and his local community. He used to work for several years at the Tellus Institute (www.tellus.org) analyzing the political, economic and social forces shaping the future of humanity, and what we can do to improve these global trends. Now he is executive director of the Boston Food Forest Coalition (www.bostonfoodforest.org), which helps revitalize urban neighborhoods by reintroducing nature, growing food, fighting climate change and building community. We discuss all that, as well as the state of our agriculture system, ecological design of cities, race, local economics, how to manage our feelings about our struggling world, and more. It’s a reminder that big global efforts get implemented by real people in local communities.
This show is also available on YouTube.Watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/euABJGafx-c
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
Theme music by Moby: https://mobygratis.com/
Resources:
(04:30)Tellus Institutehttps://www.tellus.org/Great Transition Initiativehttps://greattransition.org/
(41:15)Institute for Policy Studies / Chuck Collinshttps://ips-dc.org/ips-authors/chuck-collins/
(47:25)Boston Food Forest Coalitionhttps://www.bostonfoodforest.org/
Sunday Nov 21, 2021
Can We Avoid a Global Meltdown?: YES! We Can Do It!!
Sunday Nov 21, 2021
Sunday Nov 21, 2021
NOTE: The Joy of Saving the Human Race is now “The Human Survival Podcast.” For a brief explanation listen to the episode on July 1, 2022, “The Name Of This Show Is Changing…”
This show is part of The Human Survival Project, a grassroots movement that encourages citizens around the world to push for transformation of the United Nations system. We want humanity to have the tools to protect itself from global catastrophic threats, and solving global threats requires strong global systems.
** Connect and learn more at: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/ **
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Humanity is on a collision course with serious hardship, facing increasing risks from climate change, destruction of nature, pandemics, nuclear weapons and more – and with inadequate systems for dealing with such things. On top of that, we just had the COP26 international climate change negotiations fall far short of protecting us from danger. So, why should we be optimistic?
Today I talk about real, concrete trends going in the right direction, and powerful tools we have at our disposal for dealing with our situation. We might actually make it through this mess. If we can embrace both fear and hope – and put in the work – we can do this.
This show is also on YouTube.Watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/cMgcN-epieQ
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
Theme music by Moby: https://mobygratis.com/
Resources:
BBC, 11/15/21COP26: What was agreed at the Glasgow climate conference?https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56901261
New York Times Magazine, 7/23/20The Great Climate Migrationhttps://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/23/magazine/climate-migration.html
Grist, 10/4/21It’s not just you: Everyone is Googling ‘climate anxiety’https://grist.org/language/climate-anxiety-google-search-trends/
MarketWatch, 11/14/21Did the climate summit leave you anxious? You’re not alone — here are the most-Googled questions during COP26https://www.marketwatch.com/story/did-the-climate-summit-leave-you-anxious-youre-not-alone-here-are-the-most-googled-questions-during-cop26-11636758097
CNN, 11/17/20The global economic bailout is running at $19.5 trillion. It will go higherhttps://www.cnn.com/2020/11/17/economy/global-economy-coronavirus-bailout-imf-annual-report/index.html
Medium / Adam Swersky, 12/30/16Our economy keeps doubling in size. You won’t believe what happens next.https://medium.com/@adam_swersky/our-economy-keeps-doubling-in-size-you-wont-believe-what-happens-next-9070630590ee
Wikipedia - List of George Floyd protests outside the United Stateshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_George_Floyd_protests_outside_the_United_States
Sunday Oct 17, 2021
Getting The Strong United Nations We Need: Mark Leon Goldberg
Sunday Oct 17, 2021
Sunday Oct 17, 2021
NOTE: The Joy of Saving the Human Race is now “The Human Survival Podcast.” For a brief explanation listen to the episode on July 1, 2022, “The Name Of This Show Is Changing…”
This show is part of The Human Survival Project, a grassroots movement that encourages citizens around the world to push for transformation of the United Nations system. We want humanity to have the tools to protect itself from global catastrophic threats, and solving global threats requires strong global systems.
** Connect and learn more at: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/ **
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We are facing several enormous risks to human civilization. These are global threats like climate change, destruction of nature, pandemics, nuclear weapons, wealth inequality and more – which no one country alone can solve. We need global systems to tackle these, but the United Nations is underfunded and lacks the necessary political support by the world’s nations.
Today we assess the United Nations system – what it does well, what needs improvement, and how we might accomplish that. Our guest is Mark Leon Goldberg – writer, podcaster, international relations expert. Mark has done extensive work covering the United Nations and international affairs for many years.
I highly recommend checking out Mark’s outstanding work:
UN Dispatch blog - https://www.undispatch.com/
Global Dispatches Podcast - https://www.globaldispatchespodcast.com/
Development and Aid World News Service (DAWNS) Digest - https://dawnsdigest.com/
Mark Leon Goldberg website, including links to his publications, Twitter feed and more - http://markleongoldberg.com/
This show is also available on YouTube.Watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/wEOHATwodzQ
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
Theme music by Moby: https://mobygratis.com/
Friday Oct 01, 2021
Broken Promises Will Not Fix The Climate: Global plans need enforcement
Friday Oct 01, 2021
Friday Oct 01, 2021
NOTE: The Joy of Saving the Human Race is now “The Human Survival Podcast.” For a brief explanation listen to the episode on July 1, 2022, “The Name Of This Show Is Changing…”
This show is part of The Human Survival Project, a grassroots movement that encourages citizens around the world to push for transformation of the United Nations system. We want humanity to have the tools to protect itself from global catastrophic threats, and solving global threats requires strong global systems.
** Connect and learn more at: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/ **
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The celebrated 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change gave us a system where countries voluntarily do whatever they want. Recent analysis shows that countries’ commitments fall radically short of what’s needed to protect us from the global warming danger zone. And IPCC scientists warn us the climate is heating up faster than previously predicted. The world needs a new approach to protecting the planet and our future - quickly. In November, world leaders will gather at COP26, and could give us the stronger international system we need. Today, we discuss options for them to consider.
This show is also available on YouTube.Watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/iEWWOn7Sef8
Theme music by Moby: https://mobygratis.com/
Resources:
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 8/9/21Climate change widespread, rapid, and intensifying – IPCChttps://www.ipcc.ch/2021/08/09/ar6-wg1-20210809-pr/
UN Climate Change, 9/17/21Full NDC Synthesis Report: Some Progress, but Still a Big Concernhttps://unfccc.int/news/full-ndc-synthesis-report-some-progress-but-still-a-big-concern
Climate Action Tracker, 9/15/21Global Update: Climate target updates slow as science demands actionhttps://climateactiontracker.org/publications/global-update-september-2021/
UN Environment Programme, 12/9/20Emissions Gap Report 2020https://www.unep.org/emissions-gap-report-2020
Foreign Affairs, May/June 2020The Climate Club: How to Fix a Failing Global Effort(by William Nordhaus, 2018 Nobel Prize winner in economics)https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2020-04-10/climate-club?utm_medium=promo_email&utm_source=lo_flows&utm_campaign=registered_user_welcome&utm_term=email_1&utm_content=20210928
Bloomberg Businessweek, 1/29/21The Expensive Club That Could Stop Global Warminghttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-29/the-expensive-club-that-could-stop-global-warming
Council on Foreign Relations, 9/23/21Global Climate Agreements: Successes and Failureshttps://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/paris-global-climate-change-agreements
Monday Sep 13, 2021
Monday Sep 13, 2021
NOTE: The Joy of Saving the Human Race is now “The Human Survival Podcast.” For a brief explanation listen to the episode on July 1, 2022, “The Name Of This Show Is Changing…”
This show is part of The Human Survival Project, a grassroots movement that encourages citizens around the world to push for transformation of the United Nations system. We want humanity to have the tools to protect itself from global catastrophic threats, and solving global threats requires strong global systems.
** Connect and learn more at: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/ **
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Debates about right and wrong have been around as long as humanity. But now, as we face existential threats to human civilization, it forces us to reconsider morality. Some values-laden issues (poverty, race, war, environment) have been around for generations or even thousands of years, but now are deeply intertwined with our ability to survive catastrophe. So now, our public conversations need to change so that people understand their new importance. And simply scolding people about morality doesn’t seem to work anyway. Today, let’s start a new chapter in the human story.
This show is also on YouTube.Watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/LM9rB4iCG1o
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
Theme music by Moby: https://mobygratis.com/
Resources:
The Guardian, 1/13/21Top scientists warn of 'ghastly future of mass extinction' and climate disruption: Sobering new report says world is failing to grasp the extent of threats posed by biodiversity loss and the climate crisishttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/13/top-scientists-warn-of-ghastly-future-of-mass-extinction-and-climate-disruption-aoe
BBC, 6/2/20Extinction crisis 'poses existential threat to civilisation'https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-52881831
World Inequality Labhttps://inequalitylab.world/en/
Inequality.orghttps://inequality.org/facts/global-inequality/
Oxfam International5 shocking facts about extreme global inequality and how to even it uphttps://www.oxfam.org/en/5-shocking-facts-about-extreme-global-inequality-and-how-even-it
New York Times Magazine, 7/23/20The Great Climate Migrationhttps://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/23/magazine/climate-migration.html
Joy of Saving the Human Race, 8/24/21COVID VACCINE BOOSTERS FOR THE MASSES?: Short-Sighted and Selfish. Beat the Pandemic Instead | #11 (about global vaccine disparities)https://youtu.be/j22w3on1R2o
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Fact Sheet April 2020Trends In World Military Expenditure, 2019https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2020-04/fs_2020_04_milex_0_0.pdf
Tuesday Aug 24, 2021
Tuesday Aug 24, 2021
NOTE: The Joy of Saving the Human Race is now “The Human Survival Podcast.” For a brief explanation listen to the episode on July 1, 2022, “The Name Of This Show Is Changing…”
This show is part of The Human Survival Project, a grassroots movement that encourages citizens around the world to push for transformation of the United Nations system. We want humanity to have the tools to protect itself from global catastrophic threats, and solving global threats requires strong global systems.
** Connect and learn more at: https://www.thehumansurvivalproject.org/ **
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Wealthier, well-vaccinated countries are starting to give COVID-19 vaccine boosters to their general population. This is after several months of these countries hoarding COVID vaccines, keeping poorer countries from being vaccinated. Now, “We're planning to hand out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets, while we're leaving other people to drown.”
Global public health experts warn us that new COVID-19 variants are most likely to emerge in unvaccinated countries where COVID is running rampant.
Today, I ask you to please consider these global factors as you decide whether to get a booster.
This show is also on YouTube.Watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/j22w3on1R2o
Please subscribe and tell your friends about the show.
Theme music by Moby: https://mobygratis.com/
Resources:
WIRED, 8/20/21The US Is Getting Covid Booster Shots. The World Is Furioushttps://www.wired.com/story/the-us-is-getting-covid-booster-shots-the-world-is-furious/
CNBC, 8/17/21U.S. should focus on vaccinating the rest of the world before Covid booster shots, says Dr. Vin Guptahttps://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/17/covid-us-should-focus-on-vaccinating-the-rest-of-the-world-before-booster-shots-says-dr-vin-gupta.html
Our World In Data, 8/22/21Share of the population fully vaccinated against COVID-19https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations
NY Times, 3/31/21See How Rich Countries Got to the Front of the Vaccine Linehttps://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/03/31/world/global-vaccine-supply-inequity.html
NY Times, 8/2/21Where a Vast Global Vaccination Program Went Wronghttps://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/02/world/europe/covax-covid-vaccine-problems-africa.html
NPR, 8/20/21They're Asking Biden To Vaccinate The World. It's Not Fair. But It's Not Impossiblehttps://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/08/20/1029263796/theyre-asking-biden-to-vaccinate-the-world-its-not-fair-but-its-not-impossible
Al Jazeera, 6/29/21Explainer: What are patent waivers for COVID vaccines?https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/29/explainer-what-are-covid-vaccine-patent-waivers
www.thehumansurvivalproject.org