The Carbon Gold Rush (bonus episode from "Drilled")

The Carbon Gold Rush (bonus episode from "Drilled")

From How We Survive by Marketplace

May 13, 2026 · 27 min · Season 9

About this episode

This episode features a bonus from the podcast 'Drilled', focusing on the deceptive practices in the climate solutions sector.

This week, we’re sharing an episode of another podcast we like — from another journalist named Amy. Award-winning climate journalist Amy Westervelt returns with a new season of Drilled, a true-crime podcast about the deception, disinformation, and power structures standing between us and real climate solutions. This season is called “Carbon Cowboys,” and exposes how Republican corn ethanol mogul Bruce Rastetter sold his “sustainable aviation fuel” to world leaders, from North Dakota to Brazil. The problem? His “clean energy” project does nothing to help climate change. “Drilled: Carbon Cowboys” follows the land grabs, pipelines, and political power stopping real progress from being made. Here’s episode one. Find “Drilled” wherever you get podcasts, and hear episodes early and ad-free with a Pushkin+ subscription. Sign up on the “ Drilled ” show page on Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus .

Topics covered

  • climate change
  • sustainable energy
  • disinformation
  • true crime
  • political power
  • land grabs

Keywords

  • climate journalist
  • carbon cowboys
  • sustainable aviation fuel
  • ethanol mogul
  • clean energy
  • podcast

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Drilled, Pushkin

Places: North Dakota, Brazil

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