Megan Hall: So, we’re taking this pause in our routine to talk about who we are and what you can expect from us over the next few months.

I have our founder, Stephen Porder, and our producer, Fatima Husain, on the phone to help me talk about this. Welcome, Stephen and Fatima! 

Stephen: Hi, Megan! 

Fatima: Hello! 

Megan Hall: So, first, how are you guys doing?

Stephen: Answer: So far so good.  Feeling pretty useless and looking for ways to help out.

Fatima: I’m just hanging in there!

Megan Hall: With all of this upheaval, we thought it was a good time to reflect on who we are at Possibly and why we exist. Stephen, you and I started working on this project back in 2017. Why did you want to start this show?

Stephen: I guess I saw a big disconnect between the science of sustainability and what people thought was sustainable. And I wanted to help use that science to give people some advice on what they really should be worrying about and maybe what they could not worry about so much.

Megan: Do you think we’re accomplishing what you set out to do?

Stephen: I think so. The questions come in and bit by bit, we kind of do triage and say, You know what, the car you drive is super important, but maybe the straw that you get from the coffee shop is not the biggest deal in the world.

Megan: Do you think people still want to hear these stories while they’re coping with a global pandemic?

Stephen: I can’t speak for everyone, but I definitely could use some non COVID news every once in a while.  

Megan: So could I! Let’s turn to you, Fatima. What do you think our episodes are going to sound like over the next few months?

Fatima: Well, since our undergrads are scattered around the world right now, you’re definitely going to be hearing a lot more of our three voices on our weekly episodes.

Megan: What are you hearing from the student reporters? You’ve been checking in with them since they left campus. Do you think they’ll be able to work on the show anytime soon?

Fatima: I definitely hope so. You know, a lot of them have expressed interest in continuing with possibly, but we’re gonna let them settle down first and get used to working from home and social distancing.

Megan: Considering all these barriers, why are we continuing to work on this show? I mean, we could just air reruns or go off the air for a little while.

Stephen: It’s funny, I’ve been pretty surprised. But since COVID has really taken over the news and everything else in the United States, we’ve actually started getting more questions, not fewer. And so if people keep asking questions, we want to be here to answer them.

Megan: Okay. So how are we going to alter our approach as we cope with all of this?

Fatima: Well, since we’re all cooped up in our homes, these days, we’re going to focus on questions centered around home life in particular. So things you can do to keep up your sustainability as we’re stuck at home day and night. 

Stephen: And given that the news is so scary these days, we thought it would be a great idea to bring you some sustainability bright spots because they’re out there and you don’t hear about them in the news.

Megan: All right, well, we’re almost done with this episode. But before we go, Do either of you have a message for listeners as we’re working through all these changes?

Fatima: Please keep tuning in to listen to us because we’re still here. We’re working behind the scenes and we’re still making episodes for all of you.

Stephen: And please, please take social distancing and self-quarantine seriously. It’s not for you. It’s for everyone. And the stakes are enormous.

Megan Hall: Great. Thanks, Steven and Fatima. We’ll be back soon with more answers to your sustainability questions with shows on air drying methane and the days coming soon. 

That’s it for today. For more information, or to ask a question about the way you recycle, use energy, or make any other choice that affects the planet, go to the public’s radio dot org slash possibly. 

Possibly is a co-production of the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society and the Public’s Radio. 

What question would you like to hear the Possibly team tackle next?

The post What’s The Plan For Possibly? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.