Natural Causes
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.
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Losing Everything: How Communities Recover From Fire When Politicians Abandon Them
James follows up on last week's episode and talked to Miles Gray about what it is like to lose your home in a fire and how people can continue to help fire survivors.
Sources:
https://lacounty.gov/2026/08/04/county-of-los-angeles-fire-department-releases-the-investigative-reports-on-the-cause-of-the-eaton-fire/
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-03-19/sce-decomissioned-power-line-eaton-fire-risk
https://apnews.com/general-news-ffcad08a8ef14fa88df8bacdd9e73883
https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/08/newsom-wildfire-utility-liability-package/
https://x.com/WildfireVics1st/status/2078175502523585021
https://clickstrategies.us/
Donation Links:
Spokane Immigrants Rights Coalition: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/sirc-community-fund
Spectrum running the Rainbow Relief Fund: https://spectrumcenterspokane.app.neoncrm.com/forms/donate
Colville Fund: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/cedar-fund-wildfire-recovery-campaign
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Link to episode
Go Now: How to Prepare for Fire Evacuation
Weeks after more than 600 houses in Spokane burned, James talks to community members about how people prepared, cared for each other, and worried about migration enforcement during the fire evacuations.
Sources:
Aldo Leopold- A Sand County Almanac
https://www.instagram.com/p/DcBqjR6RdzJ/
Donation Links:
Spokane Immigrants Rights Coalition: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/sirc-community-fund
Spectrum running the Rainbow Relief Fund: https://spectrumcenterspokane.app.neoncrm.com/forms/donate
Colville Fund: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/cedar-fund-wildfire-recovery-campaign
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Link to episode
Who Is Behind America's Cyclospora Summer?
James looks into the recent Cyclospora outbreak and what it can tell us about solidarity, food safety, and where our food comes from.
Sources:
https://newsroom.haas.berkeley.edu/magazine/spring-2026/taylor-farms/
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/nov/23/billion-dollar-california-salad-company-exploits-undocumented-migrants-say-workers-and-teamsters
https://gizmodo.com/elon-musk-economist-interview-2000790016
https://www.thefp.com/p/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-lettuce-media?utm_source=publication-search
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fda-report-e-coli-outbreak-onions-taylor-farms/
https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/imo/media/doc/2026-07-27garciatotaylorfarmsrecyclosporacontaminatedlettuce.pdf
https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Bruce+Taylor&contributor_employer=Taylor+Farms+
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/07/2025-14967/requirements-for-additional-traceability-records-for-certain-foods-compliance-date-extension
https://bsky.app/profile/ufw.bsky.social/post/3msj3j7ordt2w
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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No Golf No Masters: Celebrating Our Ungovernable Peccary Friends
James talks with Molly Conger about the javelina and their installable appetite for golf courses.
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65x0RvhJNa8
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2007/nov/05/conservation.sciencenews
https://www.azgfd.com/wildlife-conservation/living-with-wildlife/living-with-javelina/
https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/8e8abbf4-6775-4575-9a10-fedacb7cb2c1
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Link to episode
Introducing: Natural Causes
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, fire management 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, The Trump administration is stripping protections, extractive capitalism and data centers are pillaging out common resources, and climate change is accelerating every day. 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 every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Link to episode