Tim DeChristopher’s Lonely Battle for the Planet

Tim DeChristopher’s Lonely Battle for the Planet

From Lawless Planet by Audible

May 11, 2026 · 44 min · Episode 43

About this episode

Tim DeChristopher discusses his act of civil disobedience in the climate change movement and its impact nearly 20 years later.

When you hear the term “civil disobedience,” most people think about mass demonstrations. But sometimes, the most effective protest involves a single individual willing to disrupt the system. In 2008, Tim DeChristopher aka “Bidder 70” bought $1.8 million worth of oil and gas leases in Utah that he never intended to pay for. Tim was sentenced to two years in federal prison and became an accidental martyr in the climate change movement. Nearly 20 years later, we ask him: Did it make a difference?  Featured in this episode:  Tim DeChristopher Sources: Gravitas Documentaries’s Bidder 70 Jeff Goodell’s Rolling Stone article “America’s Most Creative Climate Criminal” https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/meet-americas-most-creative-climate-criminal-196050/  Bibi van der Zee’s Inside Climate News article “Utah Climate Activist Found Guilty of Making False Bids on Energy Leases” https://insideclimatenews.org/news/04032011/tim-dechristopher-utah-oil-gas-auction-trial-activist/  Brandon Loomis’ The Salt Lake Tribune article “DeChristopher goes on trial, but does he have a defense?” https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=51289931&itype=CMSID See…

People in this episode

Guest: Tim DeChristopher

Topics covered

  • civil disobedience
  • climate change
  • protest
  • individual activism
  • environmental justice

Keywords

  • civil disobedience
  • climate activism
  • Tim DeChristopher
  • Bidder 70
  • oil and gas leases

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Gravitas Documentaries, Rolling Stone, Inside Climate News, The Salt Lake Tribune

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