AI Summary
5 min readDr. James Tower, host of the podcast It Could Have Been Here, is launching a new show called Natural Causes, and he begins by stating what it is not: it will not offer "top 10 gear lists." Instead, the podcast is pitched as a blend of unflinching journalism and unabashed advocacy for the outdoors, driven by a central argument: in 2026, going outside is political, and capitalism is destroying the planet. Tower frames the show as a response to specific political threats—senators trying to sell off public land, the Trump administration stripping protections from sacred sites from the Southern California desert to the Arctic Circle, and wildfires burning in major cities. But the thesis runs deeper than a list of grievances. Tower argues that the conventional outdoor industry’s response to these crises—donating one percent of profits to NGOs—is insufficient. He wants a show that can say what outdoor publications can no longer say.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:01) **Host Introduction: Dr. James Tower** - The host establishes his background as a historian, journalist, and outdoors person, and introduces the podcast's combative stance on the destruction of natural spaces.
- 2 (00:38) **The Core Argument: Capitalism is Destroying the Planet** - The host pivots from a personal mission to a direct political and economic critique of the forces harming public lands.
- 3 (00:51) **What This Podcast Will Cover** - The host outlines the specific, actionable topics the show will tackle, from farmworker rights to gear toxicity.
- 4 (01:40) **The Goal: Making the Outdoors Accessible** - The host frames the podcast's mission as one of inclusion, aiming to make more people feel safe and welcome in outdoor spaces.
- 5 (01:54) **Call to Action: Where to Listen** - The host directs listeners to the podcast's distribution channels.
- 6 Standout Quotes
- 7 (00:59) "Capitalism is destroying our planet. Public land is stolen now, and I don't think giving one percent of profits to NGOs is gonna fix it."
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Show Notes
Natural Causes is a podcast about the politics and practicalities of going outside in a world on fire, hosted by Dr. James Stout. It approaches the outdoors, conservation, agriculture, food sovereignty, and Indigenous land rights as interconnected issues. We want to combine unflinching journalism with unabashed advocacy for the land we all share, and welcome everyone into the outdoors and the fight for our public lands. Our shared wild spaces are under threat like never before, from climate change, the Trump administration, and extractive capitalism. Now, more than ever, we need serious journalism and serious solidarity that engages people with the struggle to protect these spaces for generations to come. New episodes weekly.
Listen here and subscribe to Natural Causes on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!
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