Shows
Keefer Brother's Wilder MindsBob the Blower, Beard Draggers & the Metallica Drive-ByTurkey camp went full throttle—mud-soaked crawls, beard-dragging longbeards, and neighbors firing up blowers mid-stalk. Becky gets her first bird. Casey gets denied permission so hard he needed a Busch Light. And Will Brantley rolls in fresh off a Metallica concert and tags out in 25 minutes. This one has it all—strutters, safes, and the legend of Neil Young’s food plot, now known forever as Harvest Moon.2025-05-091h 00Keefer Brother's Wilder MindsBeard Rot, Plane Crashes & EnchiladasCaptain Jefe’s first time behind the mic is more like being thrown to the wolves: turkey beard rot, JB field-crapping like a golden retriever, full-on plane crashes, and enchiladas from a dude’s wife mid-rescue. Petie the decoy goes through some shit, Casey nearly meets his maker in a dive-bomb landing in the Alaskan Bush, and mustache-trimming advice gets uncomfortably specific. We’re gearing up for Winchester Turkey Camp and praying to the dino bird gods for a little mercy.2025-05-021h 11Keefer Brother's Wilder MindsGangrene, Gobblers & the King of SnickersA throwback turkey hunt, TSS loads strong enough to deport a gobbler, and permission stories that sound like fever dreams—gangrene feet, dogs eating roofing nails, and three innings of Tigers baseball with an old dude in his undies.The 989 Gobbler Club is handing out its finest (and most shameful) awards, including a wooden gun you really don’t want. Throw in dire wolves, woolly mammoths, and a turkey call named “King of Snickers,” and yeah… we’ve officially lost the plot.2025-04-2559 minKeefer Brother's Wilder MindsBuried Treasure, Blind Men & Swift's Lost Silver MineWe’ve never told this story—and for good reason.It started with a hunch and some half-legible journal entries from the 1700s. John Swift—silver miner, war vet, possible madman—claimed he buried loads of silver deep in the Kentucky hills. Most chalked it up to backwoods legend. We didn’t. We followed the clues, found the creek, the rock, the carvings. Sent Casey into a cave that looked like it hadn’t seen daylight in 200 years.And we found it. The treasure. The silver. It was real.Then the producers made us leave. Ca...2025-04-181h 03Keefer Brother's Wilder MindsBeaver Fever, Bullshit Buck, and Dominican FirewallsSplit across the map for spring break, Chris, Casey, and JB reunite with wild stories and even wilder takes. From thundersnow in Midland to Chris losing a phone, a mask, and possibly his sanity in Mexico. They pour one out for Val Kilmer, crown Doc Holliday the undisputed GOAT, and entertain the theory that Jim Morrison might still be breathing. Add in whitetail conspiracy records, shady hunting motivations, and a breakdown of Masters picks and bets no one asked for—and yeah, April Fools is undoubtedly stupid. Cyberboats, travel bugs, and the Dominican's version of a Beaver Fe...2025-04-1146 minKeefer Brother's Wilder MindsCloset Darts, Zombie Deer & a Housecat That Sent a Legend to the ERBusch Light, March Madness brackets, and defending the driveway like it’s a war zone. JB throws out wild probabilities, a zombie deer and a lady with dementia make an appearance, and somehow, a housecat sends a legendary big game hunter to the hospital. Oh, and if you were born in the ‘90s, you definitely listened to Dave Matthews, ripped darts, and wore Birks—Chris said it, not us.But the biggest news? Casey, Chris and the crew are officially locked in for Dropped this year, and it’s about to get rowdy. Buckle up and "LET'S DANCE".2025-04-041h 09Keefer Brother's Wilder MindsMan on a Buffalo, JFK, and the Hunt for LongshanksChris kicks things off by roasting JB for thinking NBA players are the ultimate athletes before declaring hockey players can do literally anything. He also fires off wildly inappropriate JFK assassination quotes mid-hunt.Casey drops some hard truths about hunters making everything harder than it needs to be, a 2x UFC Champion's refusal to do cardio prior to title fights, and how they once stood in front of the entire hunting industry and flipped a coin on their careers. Oh yeah, and his biggest inspirations? Lenny Pepperbottom and the Man on a Buffalo—because, they're "pretty neat". 2025-03-281h 05Keefer Brother's Wilder MindsThe Amazon Chief, A Shed Hunting Corpse and The Miraculous Muzzleloader ShotCasey Keefer talks proving himself worthy to an Amazon Tribal Chief, being smuggled by a non-english speaking heli pilot, and how some guy tried to make life harder by legalizing bowhunting.Chris Keefer breaks down how a steady diet of ciggy's and coffee got him through multiple seasons of Dropped, his new found tobacco-free pouch obsession and why tequila makes him fluent in Spanish.Lastly, the guys get into how JB lost a backcountry bet by way of a miraculous 500+ yard shot, fat-ass horses in the Yukon, and finding a corpse while shed hunting. And...2025-03-211h 13
The Diligent Observer PodcastDeep Dive Season 1: Nuclear Energy | Episode 6: "Science Projects Masquerading as Commercial Products" | Dr. Chris Keefer on the SMR Hype Cycle & Energy Independence ImperativesToday's episode explores three ideas that caught my attention: * Some Patience Required: The nuclear industry's journey from 50-60% capacity factors in the 1970s to today's impressive 93% demonstrates that optimization of these technologies can take decades, not years. Investors expecting rapid returns from new nuclear technologies are fundamentally misaligned with the industry's intrinsic development timeline.* Infrastructure Economics Favor State Capital: Nuclear parallels railroads—massive upfront costs with enormous long-term societal benefits—while renewables are more like bicycles and natural gas like cars. This partially explains why state-backed projects in Asia have recently been delivering reactors at $3,000/kW i...2025-03-1849 minKeefer Brother's Wilder MindsWaddell’s a Turkey, Save the Horse & the Benadryl ODCasey Keefer dives into Gene Hackman's best movies and answers JB's "cut what out of your life" questions.Chris Keefer talks turkey hunting with Michael Waddell, Nate Hosie, Randy Birdsong, and others...all at the same time!Lastly, the guys talk about JB ripping the inside of his legs off, Woody damn near OD'ing on Benadryl and why you don't want to find yourself pissing blood 30+ days into a Yukon backcountry hunt.2025-03-141h 18Keefer Brother's Wilder MindsCannibalism, Yukon Football and AI Trail CamsOver 20 years of real stories and raw conversation starts right here. In this first episode, we pull back the curtains on the podcast itself - what it's all about, who it's for and what you can expect. Casey Keefer talks AI and hunting, Chris Keefer talks mentoring newcomers in the hunting industry and JB on why he woke up covered in blood in Dawson City, Yukon. Oh yeah, there's a part on cannibalism too. 2025-03-071h 13
DecoupleReactors on WheelsJeff Waksman, program manager for Project Pele, joins Dr. Chris Keefer to discuss the impetus for the military microreactor project, the logistics and energy challenges at the heart of modern warfare, and the technical considerations of microreactor development. Few voices are more qualified to speak on the state-of-the-art in tiny nuclear reactors. Tune in.
Support Decouple: https://www.decouple.media2024-12-171h 11
Michael Campbell's Money TalksDr. Chris Keefer on Canada's Nuclear FutureMike and Dr. Chris Keefer of Canadians for Nuclear Energy discuss the evolving landscape of nuclear energy in Canada. Dr. Keefer shares his journey into nuclear advocacy, the challenges faced in the global nuclear sector, and the potential for Canada to lead in nuclear technology and uranium production. They explore the implications of energy policies, the importance of large reactors versus small modular reactors, and the economic opportunities that nuclear energy presents for Canada. The discussion emphasizes the need for strategic thinking and action to harness the benefits of nuclear energy while navigating the complexities of the industry.2024-11-3029 min
Listen, Here's the ThingWhy Do We Have The Mics?Olympics, Real Housewives of Orange County, and trip to Montana, Oh My...... This week Katie and Meko catch up after some summertime travels and then share the mic with their first guest on the podcast, Chris Keefer, CEO of BeAlive. Chris Keefer is known for surviving in the wilds of Alaska, but can he get through an hour of wine and questions with Katie and Meko?
Listen, here’s the thing, tune in and find out!!!
2024-08-261h 13
The Great Simplification with Nate HagensChris Keefer: "Empowering the Future: from Nuclear to Podcasting"On this episode, Nate is joined by ER doctor, nuclear power advocate, and podcast host Chris Keefer for a broad ranging conversation including the basics of nuclear energy, how he engages with opposing opinions, and hypotheticals for a future medical system. Coming from a broad background, Chris understands what it means to have a human to human conversation and put together the pieces of our systemic puzzle in a clear and compelling way. What role could nuclear play for our future energy needs - and how are different countries making use of it today? How can we prioritize the...2024-05-152h 10The Great Simplification with Nate HagensChris Keefer: "Empowering the Future: from Nuclear to Podcasting"On this episode, Nate is joined by ER doctor, nuclear power advocate, and podcast host Chris Keefer for a broad ranging conversation including the basics of nuclear energy, how he engages with opposing opinions, and hypotheticals for a future medical system. Coming from a broad background, Chris understands what it means to have a human to human conversation and put together the pieces of our systemic puzzle in a clear and compelling way. What role could nuclear play for our future energy needs - and how are different countries making use of it today? How can we prioritize the...2024-05-152h 10
NucTalkNucTalk 32 - Chris Keefer Unsere 32. Folge ist die erste auf Englisch. Deshalb veröffentlichen wir sie zusätzlich mit deutschen Untertiteln auf Youtube. Zu Gast ist der bekannte kanadische Kernenergie-Campaigner Chris Keefer. Chris lebt in Toronto, Ontario, und arbeitet als Notarzt. Sein Engagement für die Kernenergie umfasst einen Podcast, mehrere pronukleare Organisationen und zahlreiche weitere Aktivitäten.2024-04-0843 min
TALK MIDLAND w/ Logan RichettiChris Keefer died once!Chris Keefer died once! In this episode of the #talkmidland Podcast, host Logan Richetti of Modern Realty sits down with Chris Keefer CEO of BeAlive to discuss his crazy outdoor adventurous lifestyle!2024-03-1744 min
DecoupleThe Energy Returns of Unconventional OilChris Popoff returns to talk unconventional oil with a focus on oil sands. What is it? What are its energy economics? How is it like a battery? What does it have to do with peak cheap oil and how does nuclear fit into the picture?2024-02-161h 09
DecoupleExtreme Weather and Alberta’s AWOL Renewable EnergyAlberta, sitting on massive reserves of oil and gas, found itself teetering on the edge of blackout this week as temperatures in the negative 40 degree ranges led to multiple grid alerts. As a new record for peak demand was set at 12,384 MW, Alberta's 4481MW wind fleet went AWOL. This raises major concerns regarding electricity planning with a country wide federal mandate for Net Zero electricity by 2035 having already generated significant political controversy in Alberta which has imposed a moratorium on new wind and solar over affordability and reliability concerns. Its is therefore a timely occurrence that this same week...2024-01-171h 03
The Rational View podcast with Dr. Al ScottDr. Chris Keefer reviews a year of nuclear successes2023 was a big year for the perception and advancement of nuclear power not only in Canada, but globally. In this episode I am interviewing friend of The Rational View and fellow podcaster Dr. Chris Keefer to reminisce about the work his group, Canadians for Nuclear Energy has accomplished in the past year.
Chris Keefer is an emergency physician, medical simulation educator, nuclear energy advocate and podcaster. He is the President of Canadians for Nuclear Energy and the Director of Doctors for Nuclear Energy and the host of the Decouple Podcast.
Support the podcast at https...2024-01-1340 min
DecoupleHow to Fuel a Tripling of Nuclear EnergyDr. Keefer sat down with some of the Titans of the nuclear fuel cycle at the “Net Zero Nuclear Summit” on the sidelines of COP28 in the UAE where 24 countries have pledged to triple nuclear energy by 2050. The topic: How to scale up Uranium mining, enrichment and advanced fuel manufacturing in the context of our emerging multipolar world and the West’s dependence on Russia for almost 1/4 of its enrichment needs. Enjoy! Feat. Tim Gitzel CEO Cameco, Dan Poneman CEO Centrus, Boris Schucht CEO Urenco and Clay Sell CEO X-Energy2023-12-1247 min
DecoupleOntario’s Green Energy ActChris Adlam joins me to discuss Ontario’s attempt to imitate Germany’s Energiewende. It began as an attempt to kickstart a green energy industry by retooling struggling automotive plants in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. The lucrative 20 year feed in tariff contracts for wind and solar will end up costing Ontario more than 62 billion dollars.2023-11-2843 min
DecoupleAre renewables jobs the “fast food” employment of the energy transition?Dr Keefer’s Testimony at the House of Commons Natural Resources Committee on what Canada can learn from the Inflation Reduction Act’s “good union jobs” provisions. In the words of NYT labour reporter Noam Scheiber
“The green economy is shaping up to look less like the industrial workplace that lifted workers into the middle class in the 20th century and more like an Amazon warehouse with grueling work schedules, few unions, middling wages and limited benefits.” Dr. Keefer outlines the problem and prescribes a solution: Nuclear Energy2023-10-0705 min
DecoupleHow Ontario DecarbonizedDr. Keefer’s speech at Minerals Week in Australia sharing the story of Ontario’s coal phaseout & the decarbonization of its electricity grid.
2023-09-1541 min
DecoupleThe Case for CANDUChris Adlam, a senior analyst and cofounder of Canadians for Nuclear Energy joins me for an in depth discussion on the Case for the CANDU reactor. Read the “Case for CANDU” report from Canadians for Nuclear Energy at www.c4ne.ca2023-07-041h 23
Nuclear BarbariansCANDU Supremacy ft. Dr. Chris KeeferDr. Chris Keefer of Decouple came on the pod to talk about Canadians for Nuclear Energy’s new report, The Case for CANDU: Why Ontario's Homegrown Nuclear Technology Is Its Best Option In A Time Of Rising Electricity Demand.The Report: https://www.canfornuclearenergy.org/Follow Chris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dr_KeeferCheck Out Decouple: https://www.decouplemedia.org/ Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe2023-06-0141 min
Nuclear BarbariansEpisode 48: CANDU Supremacy ft. Dr. Chris KeeferDr. Chris Keefer of Decouple came on the pod to talk about Canadians for Nuclear Energy’s new report, The Case for CANDU: Why Ontario's Homegrown Nuclear Technology Is Its Best Option In A Time Of Rising Electricity Demand.
The Report: https://www.canfornuclearenergy.org/
Follow Chris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dr_Keefer
Check Out Decouple: https://www.decouplemedia.org/2023-06-0141 min
Trevor Rose Podcast#125: Dr. Chris Keefer - 3 Advantages of Nuclear Energy & How it Impacts Traditional IndustriesGreetings, & welcome back to the rose bros podcast.This episode we are joined by Dr. Chris Keefer - ER Physician & nuclear advocate.Dr. Keefer is a ER Physician at a hospital in Toronto & the President of Canadians for Nuclear Energy Association. In addition, he is the host of the The Decouple Podcast which focuses on energy technology and its ecological impacts. Dr. Keefer holds a bachelors degree from Guelph University & Medical Doctorate from McMaster University where he completed his residency program. Dr. Keefer co...2023-05-111h 09
DecoupleThe Great Canadian Nuclear DebateDecouple host Dr. Keefer faces off against Canada’s most prolific antinuclear activist Dr. Gordon Edwards, president of the Canadian coalition for Nuclear Responsibility, in a cordial but passionate debate on the question “Do We Need to Scale Up Nuclear Power to Combat Climate Change?”
This public debate took place at the University of Ottawa on April 25th and was hosted by Canada’s former ambassador of Climate Change and former ambassador to Chile Patricia Fuller.2023-04-271h 47
DecoupleHow Big Things Get DoneDecouple correspondent, Angelica Oung, joins me for a review of Bent Flyvbjerg’s new book which examines the lessons that can be learned from the failures and successes of mega projects.
https://twitter.com/dr_keefer/status/1627709184123740161?s=46&t=Q7nak44UxDdAvVJ7V61RsQ2023-02-2742 min
Titans Of Nuclear | Interviewing World Experts on Nuclear EnergyEp 370: Chris Keefer - Decouple Podcast Chris Keefer and his work with Canadians for Nuclear Energy The saving of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station and its CANDU Reactors How the refurbishment of CANDU Nuclear Reactors and their lifetime shakes out in the political space Chris’s nuclear worldview and his very own “Decouple” podcast 2022-11-1151 min
Nuclear BarbariansWhy Save Pickering Is Popping Off ft. Dr. Chris KeeferDr. Chris Keefer swung by to talk about all his big moves in Canada and why the Save Pickering campaign is popping off. Check out the Save Pickering campaign: https://www.canfornuclearenergy.org/save-pickeringThe Decouple: https://www.decouplemedia.org/Follow Chris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dr_Keefer Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe2022-11-0547 minNuclear BarbariansEpisode 33: Why Save Pickering Is Popping Off ft. Dr. Chris KeeferDr. Chris Keefer swung by to talk about all his big moves in Canada and why the Save Pickering campaign is popping off.
Check out the Save Pickering campaign: https://www.canfornuclearenergy.org/save-pickering
The Decouple: https://www.decouplemedia.org/
Follow Chris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dr_Keefer2022-11-0547 min
The Cannabis ConnectionAaron Keefer - Cultivation & Production Sonoma Hills Farm 10/14/22Vice President of Cultivation & Production, Aaron Keefer of Sonoma Hills FarmPrior to joining in February 2020, Aaron Keefer held a ten-year tenure as culinary gardener for the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group (TKG), which includes famed, three-Michelin Star restaurant, The French Laundry, in Napa, California. Keefer’s green thumb and passion for the land emerged as a young child in his grandfather’s farm in upstate New York. In the restaurant world Keefer built a reputation as one of the most respected gardeners in the industry. From the life of soil to pest management, microbial and fungal elements to the...2022-11-0253 min
DecoupleA Canada-Germany Hydrogen Scandal?James Fleay, an Australian engineer and project manager in the energy sector, joins Dr. Keefer to discuss the "Hydrogen Alliance" proposed between Canada and Germany.
This Hydrogen Alliance is coming under increasing scrutiny due to allegations of a conflict of interest arising out of the Premier of Newfoundland, Andrew Furey's luxury trip to a lodge owned by Canadian billionaire John Risley this summer.
Risley happens to be one of the principal investors in a project called Nujio’qonik, one of three projects competing to be part of the Canada German Hydrogen Alliance alongside EverWind Fuels in N...2022-10-211h 26
DecoupleNuclear Advocacy and LabourListen to a panel discussion hosted in-person in Ontario by the Canadian Nuclear Workers Council, featuring:
Ross Galbraith, International Representative of the labour union IBEW
Dr. Keefer, host of Decouple and President of Canadians for Nuclear Energy
Madi Hilly, Founder of Campaign for a Green Nuclear Deal
Moderated by Mike Belmore, External Relations for the Society of United Professionals.
They discuss their entry into nuclear advocacy, their involvement with labour, and how nuclear advocates can create effective alliances with workers and unions in the sector -- a constituency often ignored by environmental and energy transition advocacy.
Note: Since this was...2022-10-1958 min
DecoupleA Physician's Perspective on Nuclear WasteDr. Chris Keefer teamed up with Dr. Douglas Boreham, Professor and Division Head of Medical Sciences at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, to speak before residents in South Bruce, Ontario, the potential site of Canada's Deep Geological Repository for used nuclear fuel. The event, organized by the local grassroots group Willing to Listen, features presentations from each speaker followed by an open Q&A session. Recorded Sept. 17, 2022.
**DECOUPLE READS**
We are excited to launch Decouple Reads with Brahm Neufeld!! Join us on Patreon for virtual book club meetings on selected books...2022-10-101h 20
DecoupleDiablo Canyon Lives feat. Michael ShellenbergerMichael Shellenberger, best-selling author and an early organizer of the pro-nuclear movement, joins Dr. Keefer to discuss the landmark victory of saving Diablo Canyon with the passage of California Senate Bill SB846 on August 31. Shellenberger reflects on the history of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, the early days of the fight to keep it open, and what this victory means for the future of nuclear power.2022-09-021h 09
DecoupleDecouple Reads: Fossil Future/Climate Change as Class WarBrahm Neufeld, senior engineer of process controls at CAMECO and a lifelong avid reader, joins Dr. Keefer on a new Decouple series: Decouple Reads. We discuss the value of reading, lay out a hopeful format for this new series, and discuss two recent books on climate and energy by Alex Epstein on the political right and Matt Huber on the political left.
Read Brahm's Goodreads review of Fossil Future: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4875800094
Brahm's review of Climate Change as Class War: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4721644165
Comment with book suggestions on Twitter (tag @DecoupleMedia and #DecoupleReads), on...2022-08-311h 11
DecoupleThe World's Largest Nuclear RefurbishmentJeff Phelps, Vice President of Major Operations at Bruce Power, sits down with Dr. Keefer at Bruce Nuclear Generating Station to discuss the ongoing refurbishment of units at the world's largest operating nuclear plant. What are refurbishments, or major component replacements, and what do they mean for Ontario's energy and economy?2022-08-2219 min
DecoupleThe Story of Storage (Mark Nelson Masterclass)Mark Nelson, managing director of the Radiant Energy Group, joins us for the third installation of our masterclass series, this time all about energy storage. We take a first principles approach focusing on the core concepts of storage to equip the listener with the analytical skills to better understand the contentious energy debates of our time. Mark explains the basic physics of storage, corrects common misconceptions, and gives a numerically literate overview of a few different energy storage technologies.
Intro and outro music: Etude Op. 25 No. 12 "Ocean" by Frédéric Chopin (Performed by Mark Nelson live after the interview)
Li...2022-08-091h 11
DecoupleGold Standard or Standstill? Reflections on the Nuclear Waste Management OrganizationDr. Keefer and Decouple producer Dylan Moon reflect on their visit to Ontario's Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO). The NWMO is tasked with designing, siting, and building a Deep Geological Repository (DGR) for the long-term storage of used nuclear fuel. Although decades of engineering and a current annual budget of over $100 million have led to a robust and safe storage solution, the organization's "gold standard" consent-based siting process leaves no clear path for the project to ever break ground.
Learn more about the Deep Geological Repository project from nuclear operator Sheila Whytock's appearance on the We CANDU It podcast: https...2022-08-0228 min
DecoupleOntario's Energy ConundrumOntario can't seem to make up its mind about energy. Partway through a historic nuclear-powered coal phaseout, the province adopted the Green Energy Act (GEA), which established costly feed-in-tariffs for renewables in the footsteps of Germany's Energiewende. Now, three years after rising energy costs prompted the GEA's repeal, the planned 2025 closure of the 3.1 GW Pickering Nuclear Generating Station is leaving Ontario with no option to meet coming capacity shortfalls without winding back climate progress by burning much, much more gas.
Chris Benedetti, Managing Partner at Ontario-based Sussex Strategy Group and Head of its Energy and Environment Practice...2022-07-051h 06
DecoupleTesting the Credibility of Linear No-ThresholdKilometers below the Canadian shield, in a laboratory painstakingly designed to eliminate nearly all sources of background radiation, radiobiologists Douglas Boreham and Chris Thome study the impacts of ultra low dose radiation environments on living cells. In a conversation sure to delight our most nerdy of listeners, we explore the science surrounding the claims of the linear no-threshold model and Doug's plan to send yeast into deep space.2022-06-1336 min
DecoupleOld Nuclear, New IdeasBret Kugelmass, host of the Titans of Nuclear podcast and Managing Director of the Energy Impact Center, joins with Dr. Keefer to share their experiences advocating for nuclear energy. They reflect on nuclear messaging, how the nuclear sector can rebrand, communications pitfalls, finding the right audience for nuclear advocacy, and the intersection of nuclear, politics, and public opinion. Dr. Keefer dives into his energy advocacy journey and recent work before the highest levels of Canadian government, which represents one of the best-positioned supply chains in the world to meet the nuclear energy needs of emerging economies.
This...2022-05-101h 41
DecoupleDr. Keefer Testifies on the “Just Transition”Decouple Podcast Host Dr. Chris Keefer is called as a witness to Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada to answer questions from members of Parliament on how best to "create a fair and equitable Canadian energy transformation". This is Chris' testimony (edited to take out the boring parliamentary parts).2022-04-2631 min
DecoupleThe War on EnergyKalev Kallemets, CEO of Fermi Energia, joins Dr. Keefer to reflect on energy, geopolitics, and SMRs in the context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Recorded on February 24, 2022. The current geopolitical situation with Russia and Ukraine is fast-moving, and this interview does not reflect the most recent developments.2022-03-0746 min
DecoupleMy Mother Explains Romanticism to MeJanice Kulyk Keefer, literary theorist, writer, award-winning poet, and my mom decodes the Romantic tradition for me. Janice weaves a compelling narrative connecting Germany's founding national myths in the dark primordial forest of Herman the German to William Blake's dark satanic mills and Thoreau's Cabin at Walden pond. Through her storytelling, she helps us understand the importance of the Romantic tradition as an essential foundation of the environmental movement. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janice_Kulyk_Keefer
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5aEtsu26DfI
Read Janice Kyluk Keefer's essay on German Romanticism: https://docs.g...2022-02-071h 15
DecoupleInto the Wild: Dr. Keefer Before the MDMany years ago, before Dr. Keefer was a nuclear power-loving, techno-optimist physician, he was a self-described neo-luddite. He made his beliefs a reality by going back to the land in a big way. Finding the agricultural revolution too modern for his tastes, he took on the hunter gatherer life as a horse-wrangling hunter and dog mushing trapper in Canada’s far northern Yukon Territory. Just in time for the holidays, Dylan Moon guides Dr. Keefer on a trip down memory lane to tell some entertaining stories around the proverbial campfire.
Music from https://freemusicarchive.org/home Lobo Loco - "Old Ri...2021-12-241h 05DecouplePrecision Agriculture and Angry OptimismDr. Kenneth Cassman joins to explore the state of innovation in agriculture. Where are the knowledge gaps? And what changes must take place if we hope to feed a growing and increasingly wealthy world population? Dr. Cassman stresses the need for open-access, high-quality climate data to accelerate not only farming technologies, but the knowledge base behind their design and implementation.
Dr. Cassman is the Emeritus Robert B. Daugherty Professor of Agronomy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, who among numerous other achievements is a Fellow at several leading research institutes relating to crop science and agronomy.
...2021-12-1959 min
Brian Crombie Radio HourBrian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 533 - Nuclear Energy with Chris KeeferBrian interviews Chris Keefer MD, President of Canadians for Nuclear Energy discussing his attendance at COP 26 in Glasgow and how he feels nuclear energy is the solution to our climate crisis.Chris Keefer MD, CCFP-EM is Staff Emergency Physician at St Joseph's Health Centre, a Lecturer Department of Family and Community Medicine University of TorontoMedical, Director: www.emdeliberatepractice.comPresident Canadians for Nuclear Energy: www.canfornuclearenergy.orgHost: The Decouple Podcast https://anchor.fm/chris15401 Director: https://www.doctorsfornuclearenergy.org2021-11-3042 minDecoupleLet The Market Decide? A History of Government Intervention in EnergyIn this episode, Dr. Keefer and economist Edgardo Sepulveda cover a lot of ground:
• Edgardo’s new website that includes the electricity profiles of 24 OECD countries and whether, using which tech and at what price they have lowered emissions over the last 60 years is at (https://edecarb.org/)
• Edgardo noted the increasing recognition by many expert economists that "restructured" energy-only generation markets probably cannot facilitate the massive, long-term investment necessary for electrification, especially with the entry of (subsidized) renewables, is summarized here: (https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1389298276827021319.html)
• Chris and Edgardo discussed the most recent g...2021-11-2852 minDecoupleFrance’s Second Nuclear Renaissance?Dr. Keefer sits down in Glasgow with Carine de Boissezon, who is the Chief Sustainability Officer at the French electric utility Électricité de France. Carine brings a valuable inside perspective on nuclear power in France, a country that Decouple has frequently regarded as an exemplar of rapid decarbonization. Reversing intentions to reduce France's share of electricity from nuclear from 75% to 50%, President Macron recently announced that France would "relaunch" its construction of nuclear reactors to meet growing electricity and decarbonization needs.
In this special in-person interview at COP26, we discuss how France has benefitted from nuclear power, what the nuclear "relaunch" mea...2021-11-1034 minDecoupleWill the Revolution be Funded?Decouple mobile studios reports from Glasgow, Scotland, where Dr. Keefer and other pro-nuclear advocates are attending COP26, the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference. Dr. Keefer is joined in-person by Eric Meyer, founder and executive director of the nuclear advocacy hub Generation Atomic, to discuss the goings on of COP26, the growing pro-nuclear movement, and the taboo subject of funding.2021-11-0859 minDecoupleMichael Shellenberger: A Heretic Among HereticsIn this episode, I am joined by returning guest Michael Shellenberger. We briefly discuss his new book San Fransicko, which, like his best-seller Apocalypse Never, takes a heterodox stance on an issue that progressives feel they champion -- in this case, the drug and homelessness epidemic. We then transition to his past (and future) work in nuclear advocacy.
Shellenberger has paid a toll for challenging orthodoxies within the environmental and nuclear communities, including the loss of many donors to his organization Environmental Progress. At the same time, he has managed to reach and engage broad audiences in...2021-11-041h 03
The Rational View podcast with Dr. Al ScottTax the Gas and Save Pickering with Dr. Chris KeeferOne of our most important issues in society today is the transition from fossil fuels to zero carbon emission sources. One of the keys of this transformation is to significantly increase the fraction of nuclear energy in our energy portfolio.
Dr. Chris Keefer is an emergency physician, medical simulation educator, nuclear energy advocate and a popular podcaster. He is the President of Canadians for Nuclear Energy and the Director of Doctors for Nuclear Energy and the host of the Decouple Podcast. He also has another honour –the first repeat guest on The Rational View!
Since ou...2021-08-0758 min
DecoupleHow Radiation Affects Us feat. Dr. Douglas BorehamWe live in a radioactive world. Every minute, 7,000 potentially cell-damaging radioactive releases occur in our bodies. How are we still alive? And what are the real risks associated with radiation?
In this episode, Dr. Keefer is joined by Dr. Douglas Boreham, a world expert in the effects of low doses of ionizing radiation, to tackle the biological effects of radiation.
They discuss various types of radiation; the linear no-threshold hypothesis; fears of airborne "hot particles" of uranium; our bodies' sophisticated cellular repair mechanisms; the surprising mechanics behind cell damage from radiation; the elusive idea of...2021-07-261h 04DecoupleBatteries, Energy Lysenkoism, and Geopolitics feat. Mark P. MillsIntermittent weather-dependent sources of electricity need backup storage to compensate for gaps in production. Elon Musk has promised that Solar + Powerall batteries ensure that your home will never lose power. In this episode, returning guest Mark P. Mills breaks down the concept of energy storage, the physical requirements and limitations of our current storage technologies, and what to expect in the future.
Batteries will play an important role in the future of the grid and will continue to improve. However, the laws of physics and chemistry dampen some of the magical thinking that surrounds batteries, putting limits...2021-07-191h 08DecoupleA Good War feat. Seth KleinSeth Klein, a writer and public policy researcher, joins Dr. Keefer to discuss his book, A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency.
Klein draws on the history of Canada during World War II, when the country massively industrialized to help Britain with the war effort in what he describes as a "true society-wide mobilization." He uses this history to argue for a similar society-wide, wartime-like mobilization to fight climate change.
Klein makes a bold argument: We have tried and fail for 30 years to "incentivize our way to victory," and we will lose the...2021-07-0243 minDecoupleFragilizing South Africa’s Grid feat. Gaopalelwe SantswereGaopalelwe Santswere, a nuclear physicist and regulatory expert, joins Dr. Keefer to discuss the electricity sector in South Africa whose aging coal fleet is in need of replacement. Despite operating the only two nuclear power reactors on the continent at Koeberg, and plans in the early 2000’s for nearly 10,000MW of nuclear, the government is pursuing an energy policy that prioritizes wind and solar.
Gaopalelwe tracks the influence of foreign powers in the direction of South African energy policy. Countries such as Germany, as well as regional and international development banks, have taken an active role in pr...2021-06-2859 minDecoupleEnergy Democracy and Its Discontents feat. Edgardo SepulvedaEdgardo Sepulveda, a telecoms regulatory economist, returns to the Decouple podcast to discuss energy equity and how it relates to discussions of energy poverty and energy democracy with a deep dive of the June 2 Public Power Resolution tabled by Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman. Electricity is considered a “necessity good” in economics. For a variety of reasons in the industrialized world people will use about the same amount regardless of income. Given, however, that income is not evenly distributed this means that lower-income households will spend between 5% to 10% of their income on electricity, compared to just 1% by high-income households. This...2021-06-061h 07DecoupleCarbon Abatement Cost and the Social Cost of Carbon feat. Edgardo SepulvedaIn New England it has been calculated by Reiner Khur that the carbon abatement cost of rooftop solar is 800$/ton, utility wind and solar ~300$/ton and keeping existing nuclear on line ~25$/ton. In the context of a social cost of carbon and proposed carbon tax of 50$/ton the premature closure of Indian Point is a shocking indictment of the environmental NGO's that fought so hard to kill the plant.
We need to add new generation to the grid not because of a growing demand for electricity but rather the need to replace our fossil fleet and “electrify everything” to get as c...2021-05-151h 03DecoupleDeregulation and deep decarbonisation feat. Edgardo SepulvedaI am joined by Edgardo Sepulveda, a telecoms regulatory economist with an interest in the electricity sector, focused on restructuring and privatization. Edgardo provides a comparative and long-term perspective on the sector.
We begin with the first private companies at the dawn of electrification in the 1880’s and the populist push to exert some form of public control to curb abusive pricing, including setting up regulatory commissions to protect the public interest (in the USA, the New York PSC was set up in 1907!).
Consolidation from this multi-private operator model to the “traditional” monopoly vertically-integrated firm mostly occurred after World War II (WW...2021-04-261h 33
The Rational View podcast with Dr. Al ScottThe bright side of nuclear power with Chris KeeferThe Rational View episode 41 is an interview with Dr. Chris Keefer discussing the many benefits of nuclear power.
Chris Keefer is an emergency physician, medical simulation educator, nuclear energy advocate and podcaster. He is the medical director of EMdeliberate practice, the President of Canadians for Nuclear Energy and the Director of Doctors for Nuclear Energy and the host of the Decouple Podcast.
Together we delve into the amazing benefits of Canada's CANDU nuclear fleet, and the damaging double standards that prevent society from achieving abundant clean power.
Follow me at https://therationalview.podbean.c...2021-03-0645 minDecoupleGreenpeace selling Vegan natural gas? feat. Simon WakterSometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. When environmental NGO's morph into fossil fuel companies something is very wrong with environmentalism. The company Greenpeace NRG sells a product they label as ProWindGas made of 99% fossil methane and less than 1% hydrogen from water electrolysis.
"Our long-term goal is to increase the proportion of wind. Since the production of renewable hydrogen is still comparatively expensive today and we want to keep our gas price competitive, we can only increase the hydrogen share slowly..."
While aiming to increase the share of hydrogen from wind over time, the amount of green hydrogen in Greenpeace N...2021-02-0113 minDecoupleThe Rise of Nuclear Fear feat. Spencer WeartIs part of our rejection of expertise, distrust of science and weaponization of the precautionary principle tied to how suicidally close we came to mutually assured destruction during the cold war? What are the cultural drivers that have led the modern left to reject nuclear energy? How did we come to exaggerate the potential harms from a nuclear accident to biblical proportions? How is the idea of nuclear apocalypse different from climate apocalypse in terms of its imagery and cultural framing? I am joined by Spencer Weart the retired director of the Center for History of Physics for the...2021-01-3055 minDecoupleMeans, Motive, Opportunity: Fossil Fueled Radiophobia feat. Rod AdamsThere is money to be made in Nuclear Fear. Consider this. In Japan over the last 10 years since the Fukushima accident, approximately 50 billion USD a year in additional fossil fuels have been traded to supply energy demands that would have been provided by Japan's shuttered nuclear plants. The ability to terrify people with the prospect of serious health harms from low dose radiation has kept most of the Japanese nuclear fleet idle and created an enormous market for LNG and Coal as well as a significant burden of disease secondary to particulate air pollution.
On June 12th 1956...2021-01-261h 04DecoupleThe Politics of Energy Transition feat. Robert BryceI am joined by Robert Bryce, an American author, journalist, filmmaker and podcaster in a wide ranging discussion of the politics of the world's unfolding energy transitions.
Energy illiteracy is epidemic and basic concepts such as power density and scale are absent from most policy discussions. We discuss the impacts of fracking on the nuclear renaissance and the mounting resistance to wind and solar farms in rural America.
Big decisions lie before our government representatives and the technological choices they make will be hugely consequential not only to limiting climate change but also the health a...2021-01-201h 03DecoupleThe Nuclear Fusion Energy Delusion? feat. Gerrit BruhaugFusion is supposed to be even more powerful than fission but without the baggage. It resonates with the appeal to nature fallacy with notions of bringing the power of the sun down to earth. 39 years ago Dr. L. Lidsky wrote that "The scientific goal of fusion energy turns out to be an engineer's nightmare."
Building a reliable, affordable power plant that requires achieving temperatures hotter than the sun and as cold as physically possible within several meters of each other all under the materially challenging conditions of high energy neutron bombardment is only the beginning. Low power d...2021-01-061h 00DecoupleGaia, Technology, and the Anthropocene feat. Lewis DartnellDecouple is a show which is fundamentally about attitudes to technology and the role that decoupling technologies, so called technofixes, can play in mitigating and solving our environmental challenges. As we are becoming increasingly aware, geology and its earth systems have not just shaped us, we are shaping the earth through our technologies and indeed our most current geologic epoch, the anthropocene, bears our name as a result. In this episode we dive deep into geologic determinism and a history of technology made more entertaining by the thought experiment of exploring how to rebuild civilization after a global cataclysm...2020-12-2956 minDecoupleHope, Hype, Hubris, and Deep Decarbonisation feat. Nick TouranNick Touran is a Ph.D. nuclear engineer and advanced reactor designer who runs the science education website whatisnuclear.com. Advanced and Small Modular Reactors have become the only politically safe nuclear power that western politicians are willing to touch with a 10 foot pole. Meanwhile existing plants doing much of the heavy lifting of decarbonisation are facing politically motivated premature closures and new builds of existing designs are seen as politically and financially unfeasible. There is a lot of hype around thorium, molten salt reactors, breeders and burners. There are also a lot of unanswered questions these designs will face...2020-12-201h 13DecoupleChina’s Great Climate Leap Forward? feat. Seaver Wang"China will cut carbon emissions by over 65% by 2030" according to Chinese President Xi Jinping. In addition two new studies published by the leading and highly influential Chinese Climate research institutes at Tsinghua university model net-zero emissions by 2050 and carbon neutrality by 2060. These models suggest a 10x increase in solar and wind and a 7x increase in nuclear by 2050. By 2050 China is forecasted to have more nuclear capacity then the rest of the world combined.
What explains the policy shift away from a logic of differential responsibilities whereby climate change was seen as a problem created by the west and the w...2020-12-151h 04DecoupleThe Heterodox Anthropologist of Nuclear feat. Bret KugelmassSometimes an outsider's perspective can lead to startling conclusions. Bret Kugelmass is a successful tech entrepreneur turned climate activist. His empiric analysis of the problem of climate change led him towards embracing nuclear energy as the only technology capable of scaling to achieve deep decarbonisation and powering negative emissions. After conducting well over 1000 interviews with nuclear engineers, regulators and analysts, Bret has developed some very bold and very controversial policy solutions to make nuclear energy cheaper then coal and unleash its climate change fighting potential. All he's got to do is convince an industry that it is its own...2020-12-081h 12DecoupleDoctors for Nuclear Energy feat. Dr. Anton Van Der MerweDr. Rudolf Virchow, one of the founders of scientific medicine, said that "Medicine is a social science, and politics is nothing more than medicine on a large scale." Beyond caring for the sick, doctors have played an important role in calling attention to the social determinants of health. International physicians for the prevention of nuclear war (IPPNW) played a pivotal role in the cessation of atmospheric nuclear weapons testing at the height of the cold war. This anti-weapons activism later came to be directed towards civilian nuclear energy by the likes of anti-nuclear crusader Dr. Helen Caldicott who is...2020-12-0159 minDecoupleReflections on the Decouple Journey feat. Jesse FreestonThe host becomes the guest as I hand over the microphone to film maker and long time friend Jesse Freeston. Jesse got the Decouple podcast rolling by interviewing me about my vision for the project for our very first episode. He's back for a check in to explore what I have learned on the Decouple journey so far. Twenty three episodes in we have a lot of ground to cover. We welcome you behind the scenes. https://www.patreon.com/posts/decouple-on-414288602020-11-261h 31DecoupleCampaign for a Green Nuclear Deal feat. Madi CzerwinskiThe Campaign for a Green Nuclear Deal calls for a dramatic increase in nuclear energy to supply 50% of US electricity by 2050. Beyond being a policy proposal for decision makers, the campaign bases itself in a grassroots mobilization of Nuclear energy workers to make a revival of nuclear energy the tool with which to rapidly decarbonize and reindustrialize the US economy. It seeks to bridge the divide between climate concerned Democrats who want to rapidly deploy effective climate solutions and Republicans who have struggled to develop climate policy but have historically had a more positive attitude towards nuclear energy. While ambitious...2020-11-201h 13DecoupleEcomodernism's Arch Pragmatist feat. Ted NordhausTed Nordhaus is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Breakthrough Institute, the world's first and most prominent Ecomodernist think tank.
We talk about the origins of the concept of ecological decoupling, the New Left's ceding of class and materialist politics to the right and the empty radicalism of the Green New Dealers.
Ted shares his thoughts on the wicked problem of climate change which he compares to a chronic disease like diabetes rather then an acute problem like an asteroid strike.
Ted also opines on energy policy where he argues that the...2020-11-161h 13DecoupleThe Malthusian Spectre Haunting Environmentalism feat. Michael ShellenbergerA wide ranging conversation with Michael Shellenberger exploring the Malthusian origins of environmentalism and what happened to the left as it morphed from a promethean movement concerned with material improvement of the living conditions of the masses towards a romantic longing to return to a pre-industrial Eden. Michael explains that modern infrastructure such as flood control systems, weather prediction and modern healthcare have played a decisive role in the 100 fold drop in mortality from extreme weather events in the 20th century and demonstrate the need for ongoing industrialization within countries most at risk of climate impacts. We also explore r...2020-11-051h 25DecoupleRussian Gas & Germany's War on Nuclear: EU Energy Realpolitik feat. Mark NelsonThe European Union finds itself at an energy crossroads. Germany, the economic powerhouse of Europe, has been rushing to shut down its nuclear plants as quickly as possible while leashing itself to Russian natural gas via the Nordstream 1&2 pipelines. France's nuclear electricity infrastructure is being eroded through premature political closures and taxes on ultra low carbon nuclear to pay for gas backed renewables which is enticing de-electrification. Green taxonomies are being contorted to favour the financing of fossil gas and punish nuclear. The geo-political implications of the control of the master resource of energy is leading to a revival...2020-10-311h 17DecoupleThe Nuclear New Deal feat. Emmet PenneyThe Green New Deal has become a catch phrase but very few people, including the politicians who envoke its memory, have a solid grasp of the context and pragmatics of the original New Deal. Today I am joined by Emmet Penney, to discuss an article he co-authored with Adrian Calderon titled “Why we need a Nuclear new deal not a Green new deal.” Emmet walks us through the context and consequences of the New Deal and provides a history of US industrialization with an emphasis on the role of the automobile.
Over the last 40 years the USA has b...2020-10-221h 08DecoupleFrench Nuclear Energy & Social Solidarity feat. Myrto TripathiIn France we don't have oil but we have ideas! Myrto Tripathi is the founder and president of Voices of Nuclear. We explore the past, present and future of Nuclear Energy in France. Devoid of fossil fuel resources and seeking energy independence, France turned to nuclear energy in an ambitious build out which saw 59 reactors built in just 15 years. The rallying cry was "Nuclear Electricity and Electrify Everything!" Inadvertently this energy transition provided a powerful roadmap of what rapid and deep decarbonisation looks like. We discuss why centralization and specialization in energy systems are actually a reflection of social...2020-10-161h 38DecoupleShorting the Grid feat. Meredith AngwinThe Grid has been described as one of the preeminent engineering accomplishments of the 20th century and the world's largest machine. However, when people debate the best strategies to manage a successful energy transition they often limit their analysis to electricity generation. What is neglected is the elephant in the room: the grid. There is an obvious reason. To non-specialists it is complicated. My guest Meredith Angwin is going to help us get a grip on the grid so that we can make informed decisions about the best way to move forward to clean, reliable electricity that can get...2020-09-191h 05DecoupleSunset on Greenpeace's Solar Village feat. Gayatri VaidyanathanDharnai Live was Greenpeace's showcase rural electrification project that aimed to prove that solar microgrids were the way to meet rural India's power needs in a sustainable manner. The solar electricity proved to be frustratingly unreliable and insufficient even for the most basic subsistence needs of the villagers. So much publicity was generated by Greenpeace that when the day came for the ribbon cutting ceremony the Chief Minister of Bihar attended. He was met with placard waving protestors demanding real, not fake electricity. One week later a transformer was installed and the village was connected to the grid. Gayatri...2020-09-1247 minDecoupleStand Up for Nuclear feat. Paris Ortiz WinesParis is the Director of Outreach and a former analyst at Environmental Progress who oversees the organization’s outreach and engagement efforts.
In 2019, she organized the first global pro-nuclear movement called Stand Up for Nuclear held in over 30 different cities and 19 countries around the world. This year we have just begun Stand Up Season and it promises to be even bigger. Join us as Paris explains the origins of this grassroots movement and where it is going next... Hint its coming to a city near you!
2020-09-0535 minDecoupleIsodope: Isabelle Boemeke the Nuclear InfluencerIn this episode Isabelle Boemeke and I talk about the ins and outs of Nuclear Advocacy with a special look at "Influencers" and the use of novel platforms like instagram and tik-tok. Isabelle is the founder of Isodope, a revolutionary way to teach younger generations about the benefits of nuclear energy. She is passionate about science and the environment. She leverages her background in the fashion industry and culture to transform complex nuclear energy concepts into accessible, youthful entertainment for everyone. When she’s not producing content for Isodope, she actively models, having worked with some of the biggest br...2020-08-3056 minDecoupleExisting Nuclear and Imaginary Nuclear feat. Mark NelsonDreams of advanced nuclear and the SMR revolution around the corner which will solve all of Nuclear's problems such as economics, safety and load following are very popular within the Nuclear Energy community. These technologies are exciting and an inevitable addition to the nuclear energy mix but are they the quickest nuclear route to deep decarbonization? Are they a substitute for our existing cutting edge large scale nuclear technology like the recently unveiled Barakah station in the UAE or our "old" reactor designs like CANDU which can burn used nuclear fuel and thorium?
I am joined by M...2020-08-191h 08DecoupleSwords Into Plowshares: How to Get Rid of Nuclear Weapons feat. James ConcaOn the anniversary of the Nagasaki bombing Dr James Conca returns to Decouple to talk about Nuclear Weapons, disarmament and the Megatonnes to Megawatts program in which 20,000 Nuclear warheads worth of Russian highly enriched uranium was turned into fuel for America's nuclear reactor fleet and provided 10% of US electricity for two decades. We also touch on the Beirut explosion, Supernovas and the origin of planet earth, Tritium and so much more!2020-08-1043 minDecoupleKarnkraft: Sweden's Social Democratic Nuclear Climate Fix feat. John AhlbergThere is a popular misconception based upon charicatures of Mr. Burns from the Simpsons that Nuclear Energy is an evil, capitalistic and undemocratic form of Energy. In fact almost every major deployment of Nuclear Energy has been a publicly funded social democratic project. This week we talk about Sweden, the homeland of Greta Thunberg and one of the world's foremost social democracies which boasts one of the fastest ever decarbonisations of its electricity thanks to a strategic investment in Nuclear in the 1970's. We explore the past, present and future of Sweden's Karnkraft with John Ahlberg the co-founder of...2020-08-0345 minDecoupleApocalypse Never Review feat. Leigh PhillipsIn his most recent book, Apocalypse Never, Michael Shellenberger has stirred some major waves particularly in his promotional efforts where he recently penned an article professing an “Apology on behalf of environmentalists for the Climate Scare.” and where the key messaging seems to be “Everything you thought you knew about Climate Change and the environment is wrong.”
In this Episode Leigh Phillips, a science writer and author of "Eco-Austerity and the Collapse Porn Addicts" and I discuss Michael's book. Themes include: Climate Alarmism vs Catastrophism, Eco-Imperialism, Big Green's problem with fossil fuel funding and the need for economic...2020-07-2748 minDecoupleSolutions for the "Impossible" Problem of Nuclear "Waste" feat. Dr. James ConcaA lively and entertaining conversation with polymath Dr. James Conca about the ultimate environmental bogeyman. Jim is a science communicator and renaissance man with an amazing bredth and depth of knowledge on a diversity of subjects like Nuclear physics, Geochemistry, Radiobiology. He has worked at the NASA jet propulsion laboratory and at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Join us on this episode as Jim helps us make sense of the sensible way to manage the very small amount of Used Nuclear Fuel generated by civilian nuclear energy.
Show Notes: All about WIPP geological formation. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2014/01/01/dna...2020-07-2257 minDecoupleSix Degrees of Climate Emergency feat. Mark LynasMark Lynas is a science writer and author of numerous books on the environment including High Tide, Six Degrees, The God Species, Nuclear 2.0 and Seeds of Science. His most recent book is ‘Our Final Warning: Six Degrees of Climate Emergency" In this book Mark summarizes thousands of IPCC source material studies and lays out degree by degree the human and environmental implications of our warming world. Mark has demonstrated a principled committment to following where the science leads him. He was a prominent anti-GMO activist who changed his mind after after studying the scientific consensus supporting the safety of GM...2020-07-161h 04DecoupleComing out as pro-nuclear feat. Zion LightsZion Lights is a British author and environmental activist. She was a prominent spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion and the founder and editor of XR's Hourglass newspaper. Zion holds a masters in science communication and is the author of The Ultimate Guide to Green Parenting. Most recently Zion has made waves by resigning from her role as one of Extinction Rebellion’s most well known media spokespersons and joining Environmental Progress, an environmental group focused on promoting Nuclear Energy. Listen in to find out why.
2020-07-061h 09DecoupleNuclear Accidents & the Scientific Consensus feat. Gerry ThomasDr. Geraldine Thomas is the director of the Chernobyl tissue bank and a Chair in Molecular Pathology at the Faculty of Medicine of Imperial College London. Surprisingly her research on the health impacts of the Chernbyl accident led her towards a pro-nuclear position due to the technologies clear benefits of slowing climate change and saving lives by producing no air pollution. Dr. Thomas shares that contrary to popular belief there is a scientific consensus that the Chernobyl accident has resulted in the deaths of less than 55 people as a result of radiation. This is based on the work of...2020-06-3047 minDecoupleConfucius Smiled: COVID-19 Lessons from the East feat. Nils GilmanPolitics, confidence in science and attitudes towards surveillance technology have led to very different outcomes between the East and the West when it comes to COVID-19. Many Asian countries have achieved containment of the virus while the West largely remains caught in a quagmire with no end in sight. What explains these differences? Cultural attitudes? Neo-liberalism vs. State capitalism? Bankrupt social welfare systems? Distrust of elites and institutions? I am joined by Nils Gilman of the Berggruen institute who helps us unpack the complexities and learn the lessons of our COVID successes and failures.2020-06-2148 minDecoupleThe Death of Neo-Liberal Ecomodernism? feat. Jon SymonsEcomodernism holds out the promise of decoupling human flourishing from environmental impacts through investment in mission-oriented research, development and deployment of an array of breakthrough low emissions technologies that can transform industry, transportion, agriculture and energy systems. It is a movement founded and largely based in the USA which tries to create a big tent and appeals to an all of the above politics. It embraces the roles of private sector entrepreneurs, free markets, civil society and the state in pursuing their goals. I am joined by Jonathan Symons who argues that a real crisis like climate change requires...2020-06-1659 minDecoupleThe Windmill and the Atom: Energiewende Germany's Energy Transition feat. Thijs BeckersGermany has pursued a bold 550 billion euro transition plan away from Nuclear Energy towards a 100% renewables energy system. The Energiewende as it is known also aims to phase out fossil fuels but remains heavily reliant on coal, natural gas and biomass to firm up its fleet of intermittent renewables. Thies Beckers, a dutch energy analyst, joins me for a discussion about how the Energiewende is going and discusses his upcoming documentary, Atom-Exit. For more information about the film and to make a donation please visit www.easynuclear.com and follow Thies on twitter @thiesbeckers.2020-06-1254 minDecoupleClimate Cage Fight: Nuclear vs Coal in Ontario feat. Steve AplinBetween 2005-2014 the Canadian province of Ontario phased out its coal fired electricity generation in what some call the greatest single greenhouse gas reduction initiative in North America to date. It was the equivalent to taking 7 million cars off the road. Climate benefits were accompanied by dramatic improvements in Air Quality with smog days dropping from 53 per year to zero once the phaseout was complete. The elephant in the room that noone wants to talk about is the role that Nuclear Energy had in making this historic energy transition possible. Our guest Steve Aplin shares Ontario's example for the...2020-06-0447 minDecoupleWhat is to be done? feat. Jesse FreestonMy name is Chris Keefer. I am an Emergency Physician concerned with fighting climate change and poverty. Join me on my journey into the frontiers of science, technology and politics as I explore solutions to the climate and poverty crises. I’ve moved from being a green environmentalist advocating degrowth and opposing new technology towards embracing technologies that can decouple human well being from its environmental impact and imagining the kind of politics and economic system necessary to pursue this goal. Welcome to Decouple. In this inaugaral episode Jesse Freeston and I dive deep into it all. Fasten your se...2020-05-2749 min
The Chelsea Keefer PodcastEpisode 14 Jeff Rogers & Chris YoungSitting down with Jeff Rogers and Chris Young both previous dancers with Ballet West was a conversation I have been dreaming of having since starting The Chelsea Keefer Podcast. Jeff has been a mentor and teacher in my life since the age of eight. Chris and I crossed paths later in life and he has offered so much support since. Jeff and Chris started ballet due to their sister’s influence and both experienced very successful careers here in Salt Lake City at Ballet West. Jeff trained under Maureen Gergun a previous Soloist with The Royal Ballet and has expanded hi...2019-09-231h 20