Hello MCJ Members,
Here is another great members-only episode, with Representative Sean Casten, from Illinois’ 6th congressional district! You won’t find many elected officials, with as much cleantech experience as Representative Casten. We had a great discussion, and I hope you enjoy the show!
Thank you for being MCJ members, we appreciate the support.
Jason
Congressman Sean Casten is an American entrepreneur and Democratic politician, serving as the U.S. Representative for Illinois sixth congressional district. A freshmen in the 116th Congress, he is the first Democrat to represent the sixth district in nearly 50 years. We cover a lot in this episode, including Sean’s roots and how he came to care about climate change. We also discuss how his thinking on the problem has evolved from his time as a science and engineering student in college to his career as a clean energy entrepreneur to his current role as a member of Congress.
Enjoy the show!
You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.
In today’s episode, we cover:
Sean’s experience as an entrepreneur.
Sean’s background in science and his interest in climate change.
How business revealed to him the regulatory and legislative barriers related to climate development.
How his father and his work in cogeneration plants influenced his interest in biofuels and climate.
The challenges faced by mission-driven energy companies.
Why he feels, in general, the tech component is overstated as a barrier.
Why deployment of technology is the real challenge.
How Sean transitioned from business to politics.
Why framing climate change, in a way that appeals to constituents’ specific interests, is key.
The specific areas of the Green New Deal he takes issue with.
How the needs of addressing climate change far exceed what’s politically possible currently.
Why critical issues, like climate change, cannot be decided by the majority.
What Sean recommends concerned citizens should do to address climate change.
What Sean believes the U.S. needs to do to address climate change.
Links to topics discussed in this episode:
Website: https://casten.house.gov/about
Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Casten
Recycled Energy Development: http://www.recycled-energy.com/
IMF Fossil Fuel Subsidy Report: https://www.imf.org/en/Topics/Environment/energy-subsidies
Green New Deal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_New_Deal
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