Our Best Possible Future—Kim Stanley Robinson #223Our Best Possible Future—Kim Stanley Robinson #223
A Skeptic's Path to Enlightenment
Scott Snibby and Kim Stanley Robinson talk about climate danger, wild landscapes, ancient humans and clean energy while asking what our best possible future might look like. Their conversation mixes hard political reality with a grounded sense of hope, nature connection and practical action.
59:48•16 Jun 2026
Kim Stanley Robinson on Climate, Wild Places and Our Best Possible Future
Episode Overview
- Hope around climate change sits alongside real danger, and both need to be faced honestly.
- Time outdoors, especially walking, can rekindle a deep sense of connection that modern indoor life mutes.
- Clean energy technologies like solar, wind and batteries are now cheaper to build than fossil fuel systems.
- Small, committed groups can drive big legislative and cultural shifts, as seen in the protection of the Sierra Nevada.
- Personal choices help, but joining local groups and broader political efforts greatly increases your impact.
“Spend more time outdoors. It will hit you.”
What drives someone to seek a life that’s kinder to both mind and planet? This conversation between host Scott Snibby and bestselling author and climate activist Kim Stanley Robinson speaks directly to people who care about inner calm *and* the future of Earth.
Speaking live on Earth Day at UC Berkeley’s School of Journalism, Scott and Stan weave together three of Stan’s books—*High Sierra: A Love Story*, *Shaman*, and *The Ministry for the Future*—to sketch humanity’s past, present, and best possible future.
You’ll hear Stan describe the Sierra Nevada as a refuge where modern humans can still feel “a peak experience in the most literal sense,” and how walking in wild places taps into the way our brains evolved tens of thousands of years ago. The talk lands well with anyone in recovery or rebuilding their life, because it keeps circling back to two big themes: realistic hope and practical action.
Stan is clear about the danger of climate breakdown, yet just as clear that “clean energy is now cheaper to install than fossil fuel energy,” and that millions of people worldwide are already working on change. Instead of lectures, you get stories—about prehistoric cave art, entheogens, capitalism’s blind spots, and why spending more time outdoors can quietly reset your sense of meaning.
Scott’s gentle, curious style and his background in Buddhist practice give the chat a reflective tone without drifting into fantasy; everything stays grounded in science, politics, and everyday choices like food, travel, and how much time you spend in boxes staring at other boxes.
If you’ve ever wondered how to hold climate fear, spiritual longing, and a desire to be useful in the same mind, this conversation might give you just the nudge you need to imagine your own “best possible future” with a bit more courage. Where could one extra step outside—literally and figuratively—take you next?
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