Non-Toxic

Daniel Penny

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.

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August 3 · 37 min
Abdul El-Sayed on how progressives can win back men and Democrats can take back the Senate
Today I’m bringing you a conversation I had with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, who is one of the two Democratic candidates facing off in a primary tomorrow to represent Michigan in the US Senate. I talked to Dr. El-Sayed about a year ago for Carbon Bros., the miniseries I did with Amy Westervelt and Drilled. In this conversation, we get into why Democrats lost young men in 2024, and whether it’s possible to win them back. El-Sayed's argument is basically that corporations are engineering addiction—through things like sports betting, porn, social media—and that Democrats have failed to offer a compelling alternative vision of masculinity. El-Sayed wants Democrats to be authentic, bold, and willing to actually throw out the interests that are sucking dry the party, and that means getting rid of the super PACs corrupting our politics. At the same time, I think he’s shown a way to be authentic and even vulnerable while running a campaign that has become one of the most contested this cycle. Long before Hasan Piker was stumping for El-Sayed or Fox News was freaking out about him, I was talking with him about getting everybody healthcare and getting dirty money out of politics. I’d like to think, we’re early to these things here at Non-Toxic, but we tend to be right. Give it a listen. 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
July 31 · 37 min
Companies will only stop poisoning us when it's against the law
Throughout “Just Keep Swimming,” we’ve been connecting the dots between the chemicals hiding in everyday life and what they're doing to male fertility, and it’s not looking good. To catch you up: * Phthalates are everywhere — your cologne, your aftershave, even milk — silently interfering with the hormonal signals your body uses to produce healthy sperm. * Flame retardants migrate out of your furniture and into household dust — which sounds whatever until you realize how much dust you’re actually ingesting and inhaling on the daily, and how persistent these compounds are once they’re in your body. * And don’t forget the classics, like pesticides. The fertility impacts of these chemicals on farmworkers are well-documented. The question of what lower-level, long-term exposure does to the general population is still being studied, but the early data isn’t reassuring. All this is to say that your sperm is taking hits from every angle (chemically speaking). Plus as a population, we’re all more stressed and less active than ever. Not a good environment for your boys! This week, I wanted to zoom out to understand why endocrine-disrupting chemicals are in our products in the first place and why the regulatory system has failed to keep us safe from them. Especially as the Trump administration and congressional Republicans are actively rolling back the few laws and regulations we do have to keep us safe from toxic chemicals. So I called Lindsay Dahl. She’s spent twenty years as an environmental health advocate and lobbyist, and she’s helped pass over thirty state and federal laws restricting toxic chemicals. Now she’s the chief impact officer at Ritual. Lindsay also wrote Cleaning House, and she runs a newsletter I absolutely recommend for anyone interested in this topic called The Environmental Health Brief. Lindsay is the person who knows why the system is broken, who broke it, and why men should be a hell of a lot angrier about it than they are. If you’re just finding “Just Keep Swimming”, in episode one, we heard from Felix Van Der Heijden, the steroid-injecting Dutch looksmaxxser who decided to let his fertility drop for the sake of his gains. Then we went deep with the researchers at Silent Spring Institute on what endocrine-disrupting chemicals actually are and what they do to sperm, and why a lot of that damage happens before you’re even born. If you haven’t listened yet, go back and start there. And last time, we went into your closet with Ben Mead of OEKOTEX, and we broke down the azo dyes and the heavy metals hiding in your clothes, and how they make their way into your body through your skin. Non-Toxic is a reader-supported publication. This podcast might just save your life. Consider throwing me a few dollars. 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
July 23 · 26 min
How do we know our clothes are safe?
You’ve likely heard the horror stories about lead-contaminated fast fashion, airline uniforms triggering severe allergic reactions or sweaters bursting into flames. Maybe you’re worried about the chemicals lurking in your own closet or have stared at a tag while shopping, wondering what’s actually safe and reliable versus what’s just marketing BS. In this special episode of Non-Toxic’s summer miniseries, “Just Keep Swimming,” we’re diving into the world of textiles—specifically, the hidden chemicals in our clothes and how they make their way into our bodies. We’ll be talking azo dyes, PFAS coatings, heavy metals, and all of the other things that may be good for manufacturers but are definitely bad for us. I’m joined by Ben Mead of Hohenstein Americas and OEKO-TEX, who breaks down how this stuff can absorb through the skin and potentially impact health and fertility. Ben demystifies what “non-toxic” actually means when it comes to fabrics, challenges the myth that natural fibers are always safe, and explains exactly how OEKO-TEX tests and certifies the complicated supply chain behind a simple T-shirt. If you’ve ever spotted a “STANDARD 100” tag in the wild and wondered what it actually guarantees, this episode is for you. This is the first sponsored interview I’ve ever done for Non-Toxic, and I’m only sharing it because I truly believe in the work OEKO-TEX does—it really is the gold standard for textile testing. Also! If you’re freaked out and wondering what is actually safe to buy, I’m putting together an extensive, vetted list of products I vouch for—exclusive to paid subscribers. Later this summer, I’ll be dropping that guide alongside new episodes of “Just Keep Swimming.” Non-Toxic is a reader-supported publication. Consider becoming 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
July 17 · 26 min
These chemicals may be killing your fertility
Thinking of having children? Wondering whether your sperm has been compromised by years of eating lunchables and drinking from a battered Nalgene? A growing body of evidence suggests sperm counts may have dropped by nearly half since the 1970s. Commentators have blamed obesity, nutrition, even feminism. But the more I dug into the research, the more one culprit kept coming up: the endocrine disrupting chemicals hiding in plain sight in our food packaging, furniture, products with fragrances, and even children’s toys. This isn’t some MAHA conspiracy, it’s well documented, and there’s even a Netflix doc about it, though they kind of muddy the waters by talking too much about microplastics (more on those in a future episode). In this episode of Just Keep Swimming, I sat down with Dr Julia Brody and Ruthann Rudel of Silent Spring Institute — two of the leading environmental health researchers — to understand what EDCs actually do to the male reproductive system, why the damage done in the womb and in childhood can be permanent, and what any of us can actually do about it. One thing that stopped me cold. Most people assume that if a product is on the shelf, it’s been tested for safety. It hasn’t. That assumption may be costing you your shot at having a kid. This one closes with practical steps you can take today — no off-grid homesteading required. And for more practical tips, don’t forget to check out Silent Spring’s Detox Me app.Non-Toxic is supported by people like you. 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
June 25 · 29 min
After Cooling with Eric Dean Wilson (Part 1)
Western Europe has been experiencing its hottest temperatures in the history of humanity this week, so it felt like a good time to resurface this episode I recorded way back with my old co-host Andrew Lewis, and our guest Eric Dean Wilson, author of After Cooling: On Freon, Global Warming, and the Terrible Cost of Comfort. We take a look back at the history of air conditioning (it’s weird and wild), and try to understand how we almost managed to destroy all life on earth in our quest for personal comfort. And don’t miss Eric’s journey into the shady underworld of used refrigerant sales to understand just why dudes are so attached to their Freon. This episode is part of the Non-Toxic Performative Male Book Club. It’s a series of all the author interviews I’ve done over the years, featuring some of the smartest writers, journalists, and academics I know. If you’re into Non-Toxic book coverage, click on any episode with the tag “Performative Male Book Club” to find more good books for guys who read, or pretend to. To listen to the second part of this conversation, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid subscription to Non-Toxic. Lastly, if your A/C is busted and you need to get rid of it, read the EPA’s advice on how to safely dispose of it first. Because letting that stuff escape into the atmosphere is not good! 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
June 8 · 10 min
"I got two sperms"
I’m bringing you the first episode of a series I’m doing called “Just Keep Swimming.” It’s a Non-Toxic miniseries about male infertility and chemical exposure, exploring how chemicals in our environment (or chemicals we choose to inject into our bodies) can have an enormous impact on our individual health and even the future of humanity. This episode is a conversation that I had with the Dutch looksmaxxer, Felix van der Heiden, when I was visiting the offices of the biotech startup, Sperm Racing. For the full story there, you can read my article in The New York Times Magazine about the week I spent with those boys. Felix, I thought, was a super interesting character, and he shows up in the piece, but I didn't really get to go as deep in the article as I wanted to. I had some amazing tape that just was sitting around, and I thought, “People need to really hear his full story.” What follows is a selection from the scene when Felix first looked at his sperm under a microscope with his friend Manu, and then a conversation that Felix and I had afterwards, where he talks to me a bit about the different enhancements that he’s using and his thoughts about the effects on his fertility and why he’s decided to pursue chemical enhancement at such a young age. I think you’ll enjoy it. 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
April 21 · 27 min
The real winner of the war in Iran will be solar power
A fifth of the world’s oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a sliver of ocean between Iran and the Gulf States. Since the beginning of the US Israeli war in Iran, that traffic has slowed to a trickle, which has sent the price of oil skyward. Countries around the world are doing everything they can to accelerate the transition because whether they care about the climate crisis or not, they recognize that there is no choke point on the sun. 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
April 3 · 24 min
How to break the rightwing chokehold on gym culture
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nontoxicpodcast.substack.com In this episode of Non-Toxic, I’m joined by fitness influencer Colin Davis to explore the intersection of muscle hypertrophy, masculinity, and climate activism. You might remember Colin from the Carbon Bros finale, but a brief cameo didn’t do him justice—so we’re diving into the full, extended conversation here. Colin is breaking the mold by proving bodybuilding isn’t just for the right wing. He argues that to reach men today, the left needs to meet them in their own digital spaces and speak their language. We get into the surprising links between empathy and physical strength, while Colin deconstructs some of my own biases about gym culture. It’s a wide-ranging, candid conversation that feels like a long-overdue hang. Non-Toxic Newsletter is supported by listeners like you. Consider becoming a paid subscriber today.
March 20 · 38 min
The Dark Side of the Battery Supply Chain
Is our “green” future actually being built on a global sacrifice zone? In this episode, I’m sitting down with my former New Yorker colleague Nicolas Niarchos to break down his wild new book, The Elements of Power. It’s a massive, globe-spanning investigation into the battery supply chain—tracking the line from the Congo and Indonesia to Israel, China, and the US—to show how clean energy’s big promises often rely on violence, child labor, and deep corruption. With conflict in the Middle East driving up gas prices, plenty of EV drivers are feeling pretty good about themselves right now. But as Nicolas points out, the supply chain behind those batteries is just as messy as the oil industry—it just happens to be working a bit better at the moment. We get into Nicolas’s firsthand stories from Congolese cobalt mines, where hand-dug pits collapse on workers with terrifying frequency. We talk about how mineral wealth completely runs Congolese politics, and why cobalt has turned into the “new oil” in a high-stakes geopolitical wrestling match between the US and China. Make sure you stick around for the end: Nicolas tells the insane story of getting detained by the Congolese secret police while looking into the murky overlaps between mining money, the president’s family, and local militias. It’s a total wild ride. P.S. Nicolas just launched a fantastic new magazine with another New Yorker alum called Now Voyager. Issue one is out right now, both online and on newsstands. If you’re into the kind of boots-on-the-ground reporting we talk about today, you’re going to love it. Check it out! This episode is sponsored by Bluecorn Candles. Use the code NONTOXIC20 for 20% off your first order. 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
February 20 · 28 min
The doctor who was helping Jeffrey Epstein live (and creep) forever
If you’ve been reading the latest batch of the Epstein files, you may have noticed an unlikely name from the world of longevity and “Medicine 2.0”: Dr Peter Attia. To understand the connection between Jeffrey Epstein and Attia, I sat down with Sami Reiss, author of the Super Health. An expert in “dark wellness,” Sami interviewed Attia way back for GQ and has been following his rise (and fall) for a long time now. In our chat, he breaks down the history of longevity medicine and Attia’s kind of basic approach to the science of aging. Hint: eat protein and do strength training. We get into the emails showing Attia’s years-long post-conviction relationship with Epstein, and we also touch on Epstein’s broader interest in genetics and eugenics (including a proposed sperm bank of Nobel laureates). And of course we gotta talk about masculinity’s role in all this—especially the obsession with testosterone replacement therapy in the longevity space. Because it’s really all about erections at the end of the day. 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
February 11 · 25 min
Moggers, Gigachads, and Neo-Nazis
Are 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
January 23 · 12 min
Why Climate Denial Feels So Good
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit nontoxicpodcast.substack.com In 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.
January 7 · 22 min
From the vault: Starting the new year with a burning Christmas Tree
Every 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
Nov 24, 2025 · 41 min
Carbon Bros (Bonus mailbag episode)
Amy 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
Nov 20, 2025 · 32 min
Young men are swinging away from Trump. Will they come back to Democrats?
Democrats 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
Oct 27, 2025 · 35 min
He's benching 315, habibi
Democratic 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
Sep 5, 2025 · 53 min
Carbon Bros: Episode 4 (Integration)
The 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
Aug 22, 2025 · 19 min
Why is the fossil fuel industry funding anti-trans politics? (Bonus Episode)
In 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
Aug 16, 2025 · 48 min
Carbon Bros: Episode 3 (Climate Hysteria, Doomers, and Boy Math Solutions)
Stop 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
Aug 8, 2025 · 47 min
Bonus Episode: Putting the "tiny" in Petro-masculinity
In this bonus episode of Carbon Bros, we present an extended conversation with Cara Daggett, who coined the term "petro-masculinity." Daggett delves into the implications of this idea that far-right ideologies, misogyny, and climate denial are all tied together in the macho obsession with big old trucks. We also zoom out and discuss global perspectives on fossil fuels and masculinity, examining the intersection between petro-cultures and nationalism—because this isn’t just an American thing. Next week, we'll be back with episode 3 of Carbon Bros, and in the meantime, we're soliciting some thoughts from our listeners to include in the final episode. If you've got ideas about potential solutions for the crises of masculinity and climate change, send a voice note to nontoxicpodcast1@gmail.com. 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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