KPCW This Green Earth

As Lake Powell shrinks, something remarkable is happening beneath the waterline. Eric Balken of the Glen Canyon Institute discusses the surprising ecological rebirth unfolding in Glen Canyon and what it could mean for the future of the Colorado River.

As drought and rising temperatures continue to reshape the West, Dr. Jack Schmidt of Utah State University and Director of the Center for Colorado River Studies examines the growing strain on the river system and the challenges facing communities, agriculture, and ecosystems that depend on it.

Luke Cartin, Director of Lands and Sustainability for Park City and co-founder of Mountain Towns 2030 discusses the Mountain Towns 2030 Solutions Framework.

University of Utah biology professor and world-renowned climate scientist and director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy, William Anderegg, provides an in-depth look at the impacts of climate change on forest health.

Director of Rewilding for American Prairie, Dr. Daniel Kinka, discusses their efforts to reintroduce bison to Montana's Great Plains and the challenges they face.

Anthropologist and former hotshot wildland firefighter, Jordan Thomas discuss his new book titled, "When It All Burns: Fighting Fire in a Transformed World" The book provides a gripping firsthand account of a record setting fire season.

Utah Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Section Chief, Covy Jones, shares more about his department and its Conservation Permit Program.

Ecologist and Executive Director of Grow the Flow, Ben Abbott shares his perspective on the proposed 40,000 acre, 9 gigawatt AI data Center in Box Elder County, Utah.

Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Utah, Dr. Robert Davies discusses the potential thermal footprint of the Box Elder County Stratos Project.

MIT professor and author, Lorna Gibson, shares details from her fascinating new book, Birds Up Close, which takes us into the hidden wonders of birds.

Environmental engineer, professor, scientist and author Dr. Pablo Ribiero Dias discusses his new book, Climate Changed: The Science of Sustainability and How Each of Us Can Do Our Part.

We go deep into the soil to discuss different earthworms, including nightcrawlers with Dr. Josef Gorres, a professor of ecological soil management at the University of Vermont.

University of Utah entomologist Dr. Jack Longino shares stories about ant species he's discovered deep in tropical jungles to his own backyard in Salt Lake City.

National Geographic Explorer and Photographer Anand Varma walks us through his work to illuminate the beautiful and complex layers of the natural world that are otherwise hidden from view.

What does it mean to have the "Heart of a Lion"? Biologist, author, and storyteller, Mark Elbroch shares an intimate account of one of the world's most magnificent and misunderstood terrestrial mammals, the mountain lion.

National Geographic Explorer Dr. Heather Lynch shares her experiences studying penguins in Antarctica.

In his new book, The Return of the Oystercatcher: Saving Birds to Save the Planet, New York Times best-selling author Scott Weidensaul explores recovery efforts across the globe that are helping bird populations thrive.

Learning how to live a more sustainable life with Samuel McMullen the CEO and co-founder of ZeroWaste.Org.

Tracing the history of plastic from a revolutionary invention to a modern environmental threat with micro plastics research scientist Abby Barrows and Utah Valley University Associate Professor Dr. Sally Rocks.

Utah State University biology professor Dr. Joseph Wilson discusses Utah's native wild bees.

Pepperdine University biology professor Dr. Javier Monzon shares his findings from a new study on urban coyotes.

Zoologist Joanna Bagniewska joins the show to share more about her work and her book The Modern Bestiary: A Curated Collection of Wondrous Creatures. The book presents 100 real, fascinating animals in the style of a medieval bestiary, but with scientific accuracy.

Environmental journalist Caroline Tracey has just released her debut book, SALT LAKES: AN UNNATURAL HISTORY.In this dazzling love letter to these strange and delicate waters, Tracey takes readers on a journey around the world to document salt lakes, their loss, and the efforts to save them.

Learn how to become a natural navigator with best selling author and the “Sherlock Holmes of Nature”, Tristan Gooley. Gooley's new book is titled "The Hidden Seasons: A Calendar of Nature's Clues."

World-renowned wildlife photographers Peter and Beverly Pickford talk about their journeys across the planet to capture the world's most wild places from land to ocean.

Award-winning illustrator and author, Jennifer N.R. Smith joins the program to discuss her latest book in her Wild Wonders series, "LIFE: the Wild Wonders of Biodiversity".

Environmental journalist Alix Morris has written a captivating book about the life of one of the sea's most enigmatic creatures. The book is titled, A Year with the Seals: Unlocking the Secrets of the Sea's Most Charismatic and Controversial Creatures.

Jordan Clayton, Utah Snow Survey's Data Collection Officer, provides the history of Utah's SNOTEL data collection and breaks down the current state our snowpack.

Stewardship Director for Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, Jeremy Lynch shares more about the organization's upcoming stewardship projects slated to take place across the state.

Ellen Cochrane is an author and educator who has just written the book Follow the Water: The Unbelievable True Story of a Teenager's Survival in the Amazon.A former teacher and certified California Naturalist, Cochrane has crafted an immersive book for young readers, blending a gripping survival narrative with environmental science.

The 2026 Zero Waste Forum is set to take place in Park City this April.We'll talk about the Forum and the topics it will cover with 4MyCiTy Founder and Executive Director, Christopher Dipnarine.Dipnarine will be hosting a session at the Forum titled Zero Waste to Zero Hunger: Community-Powered Food System Transformation.

Team members from Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter share more about their latest exhibit and a variety of upcoming educational events.

Writer, director, and producer of award-winning feature films, Mark Decena, discusses his a body of work that spans themes of social justice, sustainability, and the environment.

Filmmaker Lindsay McIntyre explores the close and enduring connections between Inuit, caribou, lichens, and land use in her film Tuktuit: Caribou.

Oscar nominated Director, Sara Dosa, discusses her latest Sundance film, "Time and Water." Sara shares a behind the scenes look at the making of the film and discusses the parallels made between Icelandic writer Andri Snær Magnason's family and the life of his country's beloved glaciers.

Filmmakers Biljana Tutorov and Peter Glomazic speak about their film "To Hold a Mountain," which is screening at Sundance 2026 in the World Cinema Documentary competition.

Atmospheric scientist at the University of Utah, Derek Malia, discusses the new Great Salt Lake Basin Dust Exposure Modeling Tool. This new data-based tool allows users to visualize how different lake water levels impact dust exposure across Utah.

Executive Director of The Redford Center, Jill Tidman, provides a closer look into the origins of the organization and the many ways in which it supports environmental impact filmmaking.

Climate scientist at the University of California, Dr. Daniel Swain, joins the show to speak about what's happening with this winter's early-season snowpack. We discuss trends in weather and how the Mountain West is reacting to a warming world and our current weather conditions.

HawkWatch International's Conservation Science Director Steve Slater discusses bald and golden eagles. Learn about eagle biology, nesting habits and conversation efforts for these large raptors.

Award-winning author Sophie Pavelle takes readers on a thrilling exploration of nature's symbiotic relationships in her latest book, "To Have or To Hold."

Acclaimed naturalist, filmmaker and essayist Priyanka Kumar shares insights from her latest book, "The Light Between Apple Trees: Rediscovering the Wild Through a Beloved American Fruit."

A new book by author and professor Beth Tobin sheds light on American artist, naturalist and specimen hunter, John Abbott. The book is titled, "Loving Insects" and it serves as a reminder of how Abbott's contributions shaped modern science.

Local birder Nate Brown walks us through this year's local Christmas bird count.

From world-renowned wildlife biologist to award-winning writer, Diane Boyd has poured her four decade long work of studying wolves into a new book titled, "A Woman Among Wolves." The book recently received the National Outdoor Book Award and the High Plains International Book Award.