Podcast
Non-Toxic
Hosted by Daniel Penny · EN
From the manosphere to the atmosphere, Non-Toxic is devoted to understanding the intersections between the crisis of masculinity and the climate crisis. Join us for conversations with experts, journalists, and regular guys on topics ranging from how to blow up a pipeline to why incels are obsessed with the idea of alphas to why meatfluencers may not have your best interests at heart.
Hosted by critic and journalist Daniel Waite Penny.
nontoxicpodcast.substack.com
nontoxicpodcast.substack.com
29episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Moggers, Gigachads, and Neo-Nazis
Feb 1100:25:44Tap to summarizeAre you a genetic loser with a recessed maxilla? Have you been brutally framemogged? Will you ever ascend? Welcome to the world of looksmaxxing, where all your problems can be solved with specially crafted fitness protocols that will change your life, or at least mutilate your face.In this episode of Non-Toxic, we’ll be talking about one squarejawed looksmaxxer in particular, Clavicular, whose advice on fitness, skincare, and more extreme methods of changing your appearance have been ricocheting around the internet the past few months. At only 20 years old, Clav has recently risen to fame in part because of his buddy, neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes.I decided to go deeper on looksmaxxing, so I invited a new pal onto the show, Madeline Peltz, who’s got a great Substack called Number Two Pencil, where she writes about the far-right, Gen Z, and popular culture. Previously, she covered rightwing internet and pop culture for Media Matters. Her forthcoming book, Good Girls and Alpha Males, is about the conservative movement’s campaign to recruit Gen Z and is slated for publication in Spring 2027.Come ascend with us.The discourse won’t detoxify itself. To keep the show going, become a paid Non-Toxic subscriber today. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nontoxicpodcast.substack.com/subscribe
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Why Climate Denial Feels So Good
Jan 2300:12:34Tap to summarizeThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nontoxicpodcast.substack.comIn this subscriber-only episode, I talk to writer and broadcaster Richard Seymour about his recent book Disaster Nationalism. Richard breaks down how his concept of disaster nationalism is different from the Coke Classic version of nationalism, and how real and imaginary disasters play into the hands of the far-right. We get into how to exploit social crises and conspiracies and what role masculinity plays in this pyschic morass. And in case you’re sick of hearing about Trump, we zoom out to discuss how all this is playing out beyond the US, touching on disaster nationalist movements in India, Brazil, Hungary, and more. It’s a real corker!Want to learn more? You can buy a copy of Richard’s book through Verso. He’s also the author of numerous other books about politics, including Corbyn: The Strange Rebirth of Radical Politics and The Twittering Machine. His writing appears in the The New York Times, the London Review of Books, the Guardian, Prospect, Jacobin, and lots of other places.Want to listen to the whole episode? The discourse won’t detoxify itself. To keep the show going, become a Non-Toxic patron today.
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From the vault: Starting the new year with a burning Christmas Tree
Jan 700:22:58Tap to summarizeEvery year on January 7th, the artist Jay Critchley holds a ceremony inviting attendees to “re-root” themselves to the earth. He also pushes a flaming Christmas tree into the harbor. In this episode from the vault, I visit Jay’s Provincetown studio to discuss everything from his conceptual patriotic condom company to the problem with “carbon captured broligarchs.” And you’re on the Cape and happen to catch it, this year’s theme is “Crypto Himflation”. Enjoy!The discourse won’t detoxify itself. To keep the show going, become a Non-Toxic patron today. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nontoxicpodcast.substack.com/subscribe
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Carbon Bros (Bonus mailbag episode)
Nov 2400:41:39Tap to summarizeAmy and I are back after a little hiatus to bring you our long awaited Carbon Bros mailbag episode. We received so many interesting responses from people around the world. Thanks for sharing your stories, sparking ideas, and raising pivotal questions.Carbon Bros is a collaboration between Drilled Media and Non-Toxic, written and co-hosted by Amy Westervelt and me, Daniel Penny.If you want to listen to more amazing climate reporting by Amy, head to Drilled’s vast archive. The investigations they’ve done—on everything from the history of greenwashing to dirty oil deals in Guyana—are superb. And if you’d like to support what I’m doing or check out previous seasons of Non-Toxic, become a paid subscriber today. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nontoxicpodcast.substack.com/subscribe
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Young men are swinging away from Trump. Will they come back to Democrats?
Nov 2000:32:59Tap to summarizeDemocrats did surprisingly well in the recent spate of elections. One of the key pieces of that story was that young men came back to the party after supposedly abandoning them in 2024 for Trump and the far right. So what happened in that intervening year to change their minds?With insights from Charlie Sabgir of Young Men Research Project, this episode unpacks the surprising political trends among young male voters, the impact of affordability issues, the long tail of COVID, and the gender divide when it comes to anxiety about AI. Are we witnessing a true change in the political allegiance of young men or just another swing in the pendulum? Tune in to find out!Non-Toxic Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. Like what you’re hearing? Support the show and get full access to Non-Toxic Newsletter today. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nontoxicpodcast.substack.com/subscribe
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He's benching 315, habibi
Oct 2700:35:35Tap to summarizeDemocratic pundits have been wringing their hands about how they lost young men in 2024 and how to win them back. With Election Day comming up, I thought I’d share this bonus episode of Carbon Bros, in which I talk to Michigan US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed about what the Democratic establishment is getting wrong and how to redirect young men’s anger towards the people actually making their lives worse. From stagnant wages to sports gambling addictions to poison in our air and water, El-Sayed thinks there’s only one group we should actually be blaming: billionaires. Some folks are calling him the jacked Zohran.El-Sayed has got another year to campaigning to do, but already he’s beating Republicans at their own game. He recently worked out in a viral video with Dr. Mike and benched an impressive 315, but conservatives on X tried to dock him on his back arch. (Meanwhile, Pete Hegseth and RFK Jr. can’t complete one clean pullup rep.)Carbon Bros is a collaboration between Drilled Media and Non-Toxic, written and co-hosted by Amy Westervelt and me, Daniel Penny.If you want to listen to more amazing climate reporting by Amy, head to Drilled’s vast archive. The investigations they’ve done—on everything from the history of greenwashing to dirty oil deals in Guyana—are superb.Non-Toxic Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nontoxicpodcast.substack.com/subscribe
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Carbon Bros: Episode 4 (Integration)
Sep 500:53:51Tap to summarizeThe kings of the manosphere love to talk about “integrating” a man’s warrior and civilized self, but how about integrating men, and new ideas of masculinity, into the climate movement instead? What does that look like, who’s doing it, and where are there opportunities for repair and progress?Want to help detoxify the discourse? Smash that like and subscribe!Carbon Bros is a collaboration between Drilled Media and Non-Toxic, written and co-hosted by Amy Westervelt and me, Daniel Penny.If you want to listen to more amazing climate reporting by Amy, head to Drilled’s vast archive. The investigations they’ve done—on everything from the history of greenwashing to dirty oil deals in Guyana—are superb. And if you’d like to support what I’m doing or check out previous seasons of Non-Toxic, become a paid subscriber today. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nontoxicpodcast.substack.com/subscribe
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Why is the fossil fuel industry funding anti-trans politics? (Bonus Episode)
Aug 2200:19:17Tap to summarizeIn this eye-opening episode of Carbon Bros, my co-host Amy Westervelt talks with special guest Vivian Taylor. A veteran of both trans rights activism and climate policy (and a literal veteran), Vivian reveals the shocking connections between fossil billionaires and anti-trans campaigns. Turns out, it’s easy to distract people with genital inspectors so you don’t have to deal with methane leakage inspectors.In this episode, Amy and Vivian break down the disturbing overlap between anti-trans, anti-climate, and other right-wing movements, as well as the critical need for unity in tackling these pressing issues. It’s a powerful conversation that uncovers the hidden networks funding social division and environmental degradation. And don’t forget to join us next week for the final episode of Carbon Bros. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nontoxicpodcast.substack.com/subscribe
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Carbon Bros: Episode 3 (Climate Hysteria, Doomers, and Boy Math Solutions)
Aug 1600:48:49Tap to summarizeStop listening to hysterical Swedish teenagers and start listening to reasonable men! Some dudes do have solutions to the climate crisis; they just don’t involve messy interpersonal stuff, changing their lifestyles, or reorganizing the global economy. From techno quick fixes and visions of abundance to carbon capture and geoengineering to doomerism and colonies on Mars, we’ll take a look at how gendered notions of the climate crisis have led to individualized, “masculine” approaches to solving it.Loving what we’re doing with Non-Toxic? Smash that like and subscribe!Carbon Bros is a collaboration between Drilled Media and Non-Toxic, written and co-hosted by Amy Westervelt and me, Daniel Penny.If you want to listen to more amazing climate reporting by Amy, head to Drilled’s vast archive. The investigations they’ve done—on everything from the history of greenwashing to dirty oil deals in Guyana—are superb. And if you’d like to support what I’m doing or check out previous seasons of Non-Toxic, become a paid subscriber today. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nontoxicpodcast.substack.com/subscribe
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What's Left? with Malcolm Harris
Apr 3, 202500:49:03Tap to summarizeIn this episode, I'm joined by Malcolm Harris, author of Kids These Days, Palo Alto, and What's Left: Three Paths Through the Planetary Crisis, out April 15, 2025 and available for pre-order.His new book is a survey of left political-economic thought, broken down into what Malcolm sees as the three viable strategies for addressing the climate crisis. To end our economic addiction to fossil fuels, we can use the dark magic of marketcraft, build muscular public power, or we can go full communism. Or perhaps we will need all three, he says. "A strategy of strategies."Malcolm and I also get into the pitfalls of market solutions and the so-called "abundance agenda," the masculine allure of eco-modernism, and why the left needs to find common ground instead of fighting each other.Follow Malcolm on Twitter, and join him on tour for What's Left in Philadelphia, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Portland, and Baltimore.And read Malcolm's full review of Abundance, in The Baffler.To keep the show going, become a Non-Toxic patron today. And if you’re motivated by material possessions, we’ve got some great thank you gifts for our supporters. And sign up for our free Substack, where you can stay up to date on all things Non-Toxic.
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