Stories that Change Us: Environmental Literature and Cli-Fi

Stories that Change Us: Environmental Literature and Cli-Fi

From Climate to Action: A CSUSM Student Podcast by The Climate to Action Student Podcast Team

November 20, 2025 · 34 min · Season 4 · Episode 14

About this episode

The episode explores environmental literature and climate fiction, discussing its impact on thoughts and actions regarding technology and climate justice.

In this episode, we dive into environmental literature and climate fiction (Cli-Fi) with Professor Dylan Winchock. We discuss what counts as ‘environmental lit,’ how stories can change how we think and act, and how Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake helps students grapple with the ethics of technology and climate justice. We unpack how literature differs from news and social media disaster narratives and explore how good stories can help us process feelings of dread and grief and move us from fear to agency. CREDITS Guest : Dylan Winchock Host : Saturn Salama Producers : Elden Cadena and Saturn Salama Editor : Elden Cadena Research & Script : Saturn Salama Social Media Content : Molly Saruwatari Music : Marios Panousos Faculty Advisor: Anne Dabb Climate to Action: A CSUSM Student Podcast is an initiative of the CSUSM Climate Action and Sustainability Center. The podcast is advised by faculty from the Philosophy Department and the Environment Studies Program in the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences. Climate to Action is produced at Inspiration Studios on the campus of California State University, San Marcos.

People in this episode

Hosts: Saturn Salama, Elden Cadena, Molly Saruwatari

Guest: Dylan Winchock

Topics covered

  • environmental literature
  • climate fiction
  • Cli-Fi
  • ethics of technology
  • climate justice
  • narratives
  • agency

Keywords

  • environmental literature
  • climate fiction
  • Cli-Fi
  • Oryx and Crake
  • climate justice
  • narratives
  • agency
  • ethics
  • technology
  • dread

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: CSUSM Climate Action and Sustainability Center, Philosophy Department, Environment Studies Program

Books & works: Oryx and Crake

Places: California State University, San Marcos

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