Sanity Check

How 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/18936064
https://zenodo.org/records/18943232

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In 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-2025

https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-greenhushing-trap

https://hbr.org/2025/09/are-companies-actually-scaling-back-their-climate-commitments

https://www.talkingclimate.ca/p/climate-hushingthe-quiet-trend-undermining

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.

Are 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/cd9qy4knd8wo
https://rogerpielkejr.substack.com/p/disasters-cost-more-than-ever-but
https://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.

In 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.
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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.

In 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.