Podcast
Sanity Check
Hosted by Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation · EN
Welcome to Sanity Check (formerly Created to Reign), a production of the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation. On this podcast, Dr. E. Calvin Beisner, Dr. David Legates, and experts in science, economics, theology, ethics, and public policy strive to think Biblically about creation care, global warming, and the world’s poor.
19episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Is Capitalism Bad for the Environment? Part 3
2w ago00:17:09Tap to summarizeIn this episode, E. Calvin Beisner takes on three enduring claims about capitalism and the environment: that it depletes resources, imposes unjust costs, and prioritizes the short term at the expense of the future. Drawing on economic theory, historical evidence, and real-world data, he challenges the assumption that growth inevitably leads to scarcity and argues instead that human ingenuity, price signals, and market coordination expand—not exhaust—what we consider “resources.” The discussion also tackles the concept of externalities, questioning whether environmental harm is truly a market failure or more often a failure of governance and property rights enforcement. Finally, the episode explores how markets account for the future, pushing back on the idea that capitalism is inherently shortsighted. At a moment when critiques of markets dominate environmental discourse, this episode offers a clear, systematic defense of capitalism as a framework not only compatible with environmental stewardship, but uniquely suited to sustain it. Visit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast%20created%20to%20reign/Our work is entirely supported by donations from people like you. If you benefit from our work and would like to partner with us, please visit www.cornwallalliance.org/donate.
Transcribe →The Myth of Environmental Tipping Points
3w ago00:11:12Tap to summarizeThe concept of “planetary boundaries” has become one of the most influential frameworks in modern environmental science—shaping global policy, corporate behavior, and public perception. But how solid is it, really? In this episode of Sanity Check, Dr. David R. Legates examines the origins of the planetary boundaries model and walks through each of its ten proposed limits—from climate change and biodiversity loss to ocean chemistry and chemical pollution. Along the way, he raises critical questions about the scientific ambiguity behind so-called “tipping points,” the arbitrariness of defined thresholds, and the growing tendency to treat uncertain models as settled fact. Are we truly approaching environmental collapse—or are we being guided by a framework that overstates risk and underestimates resilience? This episode challenges one of the dominant narratives in environmental discourse and asks whether these “guardrails” are grounded in reality—or constructed to drive a predetermined conclusion.Links: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adh2458https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a45124009/humanity-oversteps-planetary-boundaries/https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a70381572/aquatic-deoxygenation-planetary-boundaries-climate-crisis/Visit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast%20created%20to%20reign/Our work is entirely supported by donations from people like you. If you benefit from our work and would like to partner with us, please visit www.cornwallalliance.org/donate.
Transcribe →Sue and Settle
4w ago00:11:05Tap to summarizeWhat happens when lawsuits quietly shape public policy—without a full trial, public scrutiny, or legislative debate? In this episode of Sanity Check, David R. Legates unpacks the controversial practice known as “sue-and-settle.”What begins as a seemingly straightforward legal mechanism—citizens holding agencies accountable—can, in practice, become something far more complex. Through negotiated settlements between advocacy groups and federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency, binding regulations can emerge behind closed doors, often bypassing the traditional rulemaking process and limiting public input.This episode walks through how sue-and-settle works, why it’s been used under laws like the Clean Air Act, and where the real controversy lies: accountability, transparency, and the balance of power in a democratic system. With millions in taxpayer-funded legal fees and far-reaching regulatory consequences at stake, critics argue this approach amounts to “regulation through litigation.”Is sue-and-settle an efficient tool for enforcing the law—or a loophole that sidelines the public and reshapes policy without consent?Tune in for a clear-eyed breakdown of one of the most debated—and least understood—mechanisms in modern environmental governance.https://openthebooks.substack.com/p/trump-epa-ends-exorbitant-pay-outshttps://www.uschamber.com/regulations/sue-and-settle-regulating-behind-closed-doorshttps://virginialawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Tyson_Book.pdfhttps://www.heritage.org/environment/commentary/environmentalists-sue-settle-and-apologize-laterVisit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast%20created%20to%20reign/Our work is entirely supported by donations from people like you. If you benefit from our work and would like to partner with us, please visit www.cornwallalliance.org/donate.
Transcribe →How Solid Is the Data Behind Climate Claims?
Apr 1000:11:46Tap to summarizeHow reliable are the measurements behind climate claims? In this episode of Sanity Check, David R. Legates examines the data systems used to estimate Earth’s energy imbalance—particularly ocean temperature measurements from Argo floats. While widely treated as authoritative, these measurements rely on sparse sampling, interpolation, and assumptions that introduce significant uncertainty.The result: the margin of error may exceed the signal itself, raising serious questions about the precision of current climate estimates and the confidence placed in them. https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/argo/https://zenodo.org/records/18936064https://zenodo.org/records/18943232Visit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast%20created%20to%20reign/Our work is entirely supported by donations from people like you. If you benefit from our work and would like to partner with us, please visit www.cornwallalliance.org/donate.
Transcribe →Greenwashing and Greenhushing
Apr 300:09:30Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Sanity Check, David R. Legates explores the rise of “greenhushing”—a growing corporate trend where companies pursue environmental initiatives but deliberately stay silent about them.Contrasting it with the more familiar concept of greenwashing, this episode examines why major companies like Apple, HSBC, Nestlé, and Nike are pulling back from public climate messaging, even as many continue sustainability efforts behind the scenes. From regulatory pressure and legal risk to activist backlash and shifting political winds, “going green, then going dark” reflects a deeper tension between perception, policy, and profit.Drawing on recent data and real-world examples—including the fallout faced by Bud Light—this episode unpacks how fear, incentives, and public scrutiny are reshaping corporate behavior in the climate space.At its core, this conversation asks a larger question: in a world where messaging often matters more than substance, what happens when companies decide silence is the safest strategy?https://www.southpole.com/publications/south-pole-net-zero-report-2025https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-greenhushing-traphttps://hbr.org/2025/09/are-companies-actually-scaling-back-their-climate-commitmentshttps://www.talkingclimate.ca/p/climate-hushingthe-quiet-trend-underminingVisit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast%20created%20to%20reign/Our work is entirely supported by donations from people like you. If you benefit from our work and would like to partner with us, please visit www.cornwallalliance.org/donate.
Transcribe →Is Climate Change Driving Insurance Costs?
Mar 2700:16:37Tap to summarizeAre rising insurance costs really driven by climate change—or is that just the latest political narrative?In this episode, Dr. David Legates takes apart the claim that extreme weather is driving a home insurance crisis. From hurricanes and droughts to wildfires in Maui and Los Angeles, he examines the data—and the stories behind the headlines.The real drivers? Land-use changes, population growth, and poor policy decisions—not a surge in climate disasters.This episode also explores how media narratives, rapid-response “attribution science,” and political incentives shape public perception before the facts are fully known.If you’ve heard that “climate change is making everything worse,” this is a clear-eyed look at what the evidence actually shows—and what it doesn’t.https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd9qy4knd8wohttps://rogerpielkejr.substack.com/p/disasters-cost-more-than-ever-buthttps://abc30.com/post/broken-power-lines-caused-deadly-maui-wildfire-new-report-shows/15388308/https://www.independent.org/article/2026/01/07/the-2025-los-angeles-wildfires-lessons-and-key-recommendations/Visit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast%20created%20to%20reign/Our work is entirely supported by donations from people like you. If you benefit from our work and would like to partner with us, please visit www.cornwallalliance.org/donate.
Transcribe →Is Capitalism Bad for the Environment? Part 2
Mar 2000:16:53Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Cal Beisner takes on a common claim at the heart of modern environmental debates: that capitalism is inherently harmful to the natural world. Engaging directly with leading environmental critiques—especially those of Gus Speth—he examines whether capitalism is truly indifferent to nature or dependent on endless, unsustainable growth.Drawing on economic reasoning, historical evidence, and a Biblical framework, this episode challenges the assumption that markets and environmental stewardship are at odds. Instead, it explores how responsibility, incentives, and human behavior—not abstract systems—shape environmental outcomes.This is the first installment in a series addressing some of the most serious criticisms of capitalism. Upcoming episodes will tackle questions of resource depletion, consumerism, and long-term sustainability.Visit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast%20created%20to%20reign/Our work is entirely supported by donations from people like you. If you benefit from our work and would like to partner with us, please visit www.cornwallalliance.org/donate.
Transcribe →Introducing Sanity Check: A New Chapter for the Cornwall Alliance Podcast
Mar 1300:03:59Tap to summarizeIn this special episode, producer Liza Claire introduces the Cornwall Alliance podcast’s new name: Sanity Check. After several years as Created to Reign, the show is relaunching with a clearer title and a renewed commitment to thoughtful, rational discussion about the environment, economics, and human flourishing.What does a “sanity check” mean in science, engineering, and finance—and why is it a fitting name for this podcast? Liza Claire explains the reasoning behind the change, what listeners can expect moving forward, and what remains the same: careful analysis, sound economics, and a perspective grounded in Biblical principles.Join us as we launch Sanity Check, a podcast dedicated to bringing clarity, reason, and intellectual honesty back to today’s environmental debates.Visit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast%20created%20to%20reign/Our work is entirely supported by donations from people like you. If you benefit from our work and would like to partner with us, please visit www.cornwallalliance.org/donate.
Transcribe →Where’s the Beef? The Climate Debate on Your Plate
Mar 600:15:40Tap to summarizeIs eating beef really bad for the planet?Environmental activists often claim cattle are a major driver of climate change, deforestation, water shortages, and biodiversity loss. From methane emissions to land use, the beef industry has become a central target in the modern environmental movement.But how much of this narrative holds up under scrutiny?In this episode, David R. Legates examines the scientific claims behind the war on beef—looking at methane emissions, land use, water consumption, and pollution. He also explores what critics often leave out: how livestock fit into natural carbon cycles, how modern agriculture has become far more efficient, and why ruminant animals may play an important role in global food systems. Along the way, he considers another overlooked dimension: nutrition. Beef remains one of the most nutrient-dense foods available, providing high-quality protein, iron, zinc, and essential vitamins that are difficult to obtain elsewhere.So is beef really destroying the planet—or has the story been oversimplified?In this episode, we take a closer look at the science behind the headlines.https://www.beefresearch.ca/topics/environmental-footprint-of-beef-production/https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/beefVisit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast%20created%20to%20reign/Our work is entirely supported by donations from people like you. If you benefit from our work and would like to partner with us, please visit www.cornwallalliance.org/donate.
Transcribe →Dustbin of History—or Climate Comeback?
Feb 2800:09:06Tap to summarizeFor more than fifteen years, the EPA’s 2009 Endangerment Finding has been the legal foundation for sweeping federal greenhouse gas regulations—impacting everything from your car to the power grid. But what if the ruling that launched trillions of dollars in climate policy wasn’t the purely scientific document we were told it was?With repeal now back on the table in 2026, new scrutiny reveals troubling questions about how the original decision was made, who shaped it, and whether politics—not science—drove the process from the start Was the Endangerment Finding a neutral assessment of climate risk—or a “decision ready to go” before the evidence was fully considered?In this episode, we unpack what’s really at stake, why this fight isn’t over science alone, and why the potential rollback could mark one of the most consequential regulatory reversals in modern U.S. history.Is this finally the end of the Endangerment Finding—or just another false alarm?https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/2026/02/09/trump-set-to-repeal-landmark-climate-finding-in-major-regulatory-rollback/88600365007/https://govoversight.org/the-evidence-is-in-endangerment-finding-was-pre-cooked/https://eelp.law.harvard.edu/tracker/greenhouse-gas-endangerment-finding/Visit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast%20created%20to%20reign/Our work is entirely supported by donations from people like you. If you benefit from our work and would like to partner with us, please visit www.cornwallalliance.org/donate.
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