The Carbon Gold Rush (bonus episode from "Drilled")

This bonus episode from 'How We Survive' features a deep dive by journalist Amy Westervelt into the global expansion of American agribusiness and carbon capture technology, centered on Bruce Rastetter, the 'ethanol kingpin' of Iowa. The episode traces how Rastetter, facing growing backlash at home for his aggressive land acquisitions and environmental practices, pivoted to Brazil—specifically the town of Lucas do Rio Verde—where he partnered with Brazilian agribusiness giants, the Franz brothers, to build a corn ethanol empire. The story reveals how carbon capture, marketed as a climate solution, is being used to greenlight industrial agriculture and fossil fuel extraction, with Rastetter’s pipeline projects in the U.S. and Brazil serving as tools for profit under the guise of sustainability. The episode exposes the dark side of this 'carbon gold rush,' including the creation of a hyper-engineered, monoculture-driven city, the co-opting of public institutions like hospitals, and the displacement of indigenous communities through decades of state-backed land grabs. It underscores how climate narratives are being weaponized by powerful corporations to justify environmental destruction and corporate expansion. The episode also highlights the contradictions in green technology: corn ethanol, long criticized for its environmental toll, is being revived through carbon capture incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act, creating a new revenue stream for industrial farmers. Meanwhile, in Brazil, the same model is being exported, with massive pig statues, imported palm trees, and a city built entirely for agribusiness. The narrative challenges the idea of 'green' solutions that rely on land grabs, corporate secrecy, and political manipulation. Ultimately, it reveals a global system where climate finance fuels environmental degradation, and where the most powerful actors—like Rastetter—escape accountability by moving to places where they are celebrated rather than scrutinized.