Living on Earth

 Many of the chemicals used in fracking for natural gas are hazardous to human health, but loopholes in disclosure laws mean that companies can keep them secret. Pennsylvania's Governor is moving to change that. Also, the world is way off track from the Paris Agreement goal to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. A new joint statement on fighting the climate crisis from the world's two biggest emitters, China and the United States, offers a glimmer of hope. And as solar energy costs fall and installations of solar panels rise, some are raising concerns about the materials they're made from and are promoting disinformation about the safety of recycling these modules. A team at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory clarified this waste from solar panels. --  As a non-profit media organization we could not produce high-quality journalism that educates and inspires you to be fully informed about climate change and environmental issues without your help. In honor of Giving Tuesday please consider making a donation to Living on Earth by going to LoE.org and clicking on donate at the top of the page. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The “Three Sisters” of corn, beans, and squash all grow together in a symbiotic planting relationship. A Chickasaw chef shares recipes and the significance of these crops to many Native American cultures. Also, the story of the “first Thanksgiving” that persists in American culture often stereotypes Native peoples and sanitizes what happened to them as white settlers dispossessed them of their lands. A picture book written and illustrated by Indigenous authors offers a new story of the “first Thanksgiving” that centers the Three Sisters crops. And some like ‘em and others don't but oysters can be eaten in many ways beyond the half-shell, and farmed correctly they nourish shallow waters. From his coastal Maine kitchen celebrity chef Barton Seaver talks about how oyster farming supports local economies and ecosystems, and whips up an oyster-flavored Thanksgiving stuffing. --  A special thanks to our sponsor this week, MIT's award-winning podcast, Today I Learned: Climate, or TILclimate. It features 15-minute episodes focused on how real scientists and experts think about the science, technologies, and policies behind climate change. Also as a non-profit media organization we could not produce high-quality journalism that educates and inspires you to be fully informed about climate change and environmental issues without your help. In honor of Giving Tuesday please consider making a donation to Living on Earth by going to LoE.org and clicking on donate at the top of the page. Thank you for your support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The man leading the upcoming UN climate talks in Dubai heads the United Arab Emirates' state oil company. Sultan Al Jaber is the climate envoy for the UAE and has led the state renewable energy company, but his critics question the substance of his green credentials. Inside the public relations campaign to green Al Jaber's image and install an oil CEO at the heart of the UN climate process. Also, Antarctica's ice shelves block glaciers from flowing into the sea, but a recent study found that these ice shelves lost 8.3 trillion tons of ice in the last 25 years raising the risk of sea level rise. A geoscientist sheds light on future ice loss in Antarctica. And a dinosaur fossil discovered in Egypt in the 70s gathered dust in museums for decades and now it finally has a name as a new species, Igai semkhu. A paleontologist explains why fossils from the end of the Age of Dinosaurs are relatively rare in Africa and what this “titanosaur” specimen can reveal about the distant past. -- We're an independent, non-profit organization and depend on your support to keep us going. Please consider pitching in to ensure we can keep bringing you quality environmental stories. Just go to loe.org and click on “Donate” at the top of the page. Thank you for your contribution in any amount! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Exceptionally warm waters in the Eastern North Pacific off Acapulco, Mexico appear to have fed the rapid strengthening of Hurricane Otis into a deadly Category 5 storm that weather forecasters failed to understand in time to warn the public. We learn about the science behind the storm and how needed improvements in weather forecasting can help communities better prepare for extreme storms.  Also, the new House Speaker, Republican Mike Johnson of Louisiana, has voted for legislation on the environment and some key social issues just 2% of the time, from the perspective of the League of Conservation Voters. He's also expressed climate skepticism, received generous oil and gas industry campaign contributions, and is already trying to repeal President Biden's signature climate law. And striking auto workers won higher wages, better benefits, and more ability to unionize electric vehicle battery plants that supply the “Big Three” US automakers. We unpack what the strike's outcome could mean for the growing electric vehicle industry, its workers, and the public.   -- We're an independent, non-profit organization and depend on your support to keep us going. Please consider pitching in to ensure we can keep bringing you quality environmental stories. Just go to loe.org and click on “Donate” at the top of the page. Thank you for your contribution in any amount! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wealthy nations have agreed to pay low-income countries for some of the loss and damage caused by the climate crisis. But rich and poor nations are divided on key elements of the fund. Also, on November 7th voters in the state of Maine will be able to choose if they want to replace the state's two existing for-profit electric utilities with a non-profit utility largely governed by an elected board. How the new utility could help the state decarbonize its electricity sector. And the Biden Administration recently announced the recipients of up to $7 billion in grants for seven hydrogen technology “hubs” across the country to help move away from fossil fuels. But any climate benefits depend on the sources of hydrogen. --   We're an independent, non-profit organization and depend on your support to keep us going. Please consider pitching in to ensure we can keep bringing you quality environmental stories. Just go to loe.org and click on “Donate” at the top of the page. Thank you for your contribution in any amount! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Biden administration is invoking special powers to waive more than 20 environmental laws so it can fast-track a new section of border wall. The administration claims it is compelled to spend funds appropriated by Congress, but opponents of the barrier say there could be severe environmental consequences. Also, when a wildfire powered by extreme heat and drought nears a neighborhood, all it takes is a single spark to send homes up in flames. We share some steps homeowners and renters alike can take to reduce that risk.  And a study finds that giraffes, zebras, warthogs and impalas are far more afraid of human conversation than even the growls of lions. The research provides new insights into the “ecology of fear.” -- We're an independent, non-profit organization and depend on your support to keep us going. Please consider pitching in to ensure we can keep bringing you quality environmental stories. Just go to loe.org and click on “Donate” at the top of the page. Thank you for your contribution in any amount! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eight years after the encyclical Laudato Si' Pope Francis published a new text “Laudate Deum” which condemns climate denial and urges the world to act swiftly to avert climate disaster. Also six young plaintiffs from Portugal are suing over 30 European countries they say have violated their rights to life by failing to act on climate change.  Patrick Parenteau is an emeritus professor at Vermont Law School and joined us to recap the recent hearing in front of a “Grand Chamber” of judges in the European Court of Human Rights and discuss what it could mean for climate action. And the 20-year U.S. war in Afghanistan brought tens of thousands of direct casualties but also dangerous pollutants that survivors are still living among. Reporter Lynzy Billing describes the hazards and health problems some Afghans link to the war. — To learn more about these stories check out our website loe.org for a full transcript, photos, and links to further reading. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the 2024 campaign season heats up, some young Republicans want their party to move on from climate denial and offer solutions. We discuss policies that align with the environmental roots of the party. Also, the spacecraft OSIRIS-REx has successfully delivered a sample from the asteroid Bennu to Earth. Scientists are eager to study the rocky material and see if it can unveil anything about the origins of our solar system. And when a cougar on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State makes a meal out of someone's goat or chicken, it can end up with a bounty on its head. But there are non-lethal methods to deter cougars from taking livestock and pets.  -- We're an independent, non-profit organization and depend on your support to keep us going. Please consider pitching in to ensure we can keep bringing you quality environmental stories. Just go to loe.org and click on “Donate” at the top of the page. Thank you for your contribution in any amount! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ninety years after the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Biden administration is mobilizing a national workforce to tackle today's crisis of climate disruption. The American Climate Corps aims to train 20,000 young people in its first year for jobs in clean energy, climate resilience, and land restoration. Also, governments are increasingly touting clean and renewable energy as the way of the future. But if you follow the money, you'd find that fossil fuels are receiving massive subsidies, worth around $7 trillion dollars each year, according to a recent report from the International Monetary Fund. And with a few tools and a fresh log, you can grow delicious mushrooms in your backyard that will come back year after year. The Living on Earth crew teams up to inoculate a log with shiitake mushroom spawn. -- Want to dig deeper on these stories? Check out our website loe.org for a full transcript, photos, and links to further reading. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the UN Climate Ambition Summit in New York, some developed nations promised more money to help vulnerable countries adapt, but biggest emitting countries including the US and China had no new plans to put on the table. Also, microorganisms can generate carbon-rich soil and help plants grow, but too often our food comes from industrial farms that limit beneficial microbes by depleting the soil with tillage and toxic chemicals. Farmer and author Dorn Cox joins us to describe his collaborative high-tech vision of harnessing the power of microbes in the fight against climate disruption. And hunted and trapped for centuries, wolves had all but disappeared from the contiguous US by 1960, but thanks to Endangered Species Act protections they're bouncing back. A new pack with four pups was recently discovered further south in California in places where wolves hadn't been seen for a century. -- Want to dig deeper on these stories? Check out our website loe.org for a full transcript, photos, and links to further reading. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2022 the US EPA opened a civil rights investigation into whether the State of Louisiana overburdens Black communities along “Cancer Alley” with toxic industries. But the agency abruptly closed the inquiry when the Louisiana attorney general filed a suit charging reverse discrimination. Also, Africa has emitted a tiny fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions but is experiencing catastrophic impacts with little ability to adapt. So, climate finance was a focus of the recent Africa Climate Summit, which took place in advance of the Climate Ambition Summit that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is convening in New York on September 20th. And overfishing, warming oceans, invasive species and unsustainable tourism threaten the rich marine life in the Mediterranean. So, a Turkish civil engineer and diver got together with local fishermen to pilot a community-run Marine Protected Area that led to expanded marine conservation in Turkey, and he was recognized with the 2023 Goldman Environmental Prize for Asia. -- Want to dig deeper on these stories? Check out our website loe.org for a full transcript, photos, and links to further reading. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As extreme heat linked to climate disruption becomes more common during the school year, many U.S. schools lack adequate cooling and ventilation systems to keep kids safe and focused on learning. And temperature and air quality affect learning outcomes for low-income kids and students of color the most. Also, the wildfires that killed more than 100 people and displaced thousands on the Hawaiian island of Maui left in their wake a toxic mess of melted and charred metals, plastics and more. How testing air, water, and soil can keep communities safe from contamination as they rebuild.  And if you combine hydrogen and oxygen in a fuel cell, you get water and clean, green electricity. This chemical reaction is fueling visions of future, carbon free flights to change voyages of fantasy into reality.  -- Join us on September 14th for a Living on Earth Book Club event with author Dorn Cox about regenerative agriculture! Find out more at loe dot org/events. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Because of its unique geography, the United States is particularly vulnerable to nearly every kind of natural disaster: tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, blizzards, and more. And these natural disasters are getting an unnatural boost with climate change. Also, some Florida sugarcane growers near the Everglades still use the archaic method of burning fields to remove the tops and leaves before harvesting the sweet cane stalks. Communities of color nearby assert they bear a disproportionate burden of the smoke and ash pollution with adverse health effects. And over the past four decades, sperm levels among men in Western countries have dropped by more than 50%, and female fertility is also declining. Some chemicals that disrupt hormones are key culprits, including those found in plastics, cosmetics and fracking solutions. -- Join us on September 14th for a Living on Earth Book Club event with author Dorn Cox about regenerative agriculture! Find out more at loe dot org/events. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York state has adopted a law aimed at using federal funds to boost public power from renewables and shut down six polluting “peaker” gas power plants. Advocates say this will bring huge benefits for public health, environmental justice, and energy access. Also, unhoused residents help keep California clean by collecting recyclables. But many unhoused people say the state has rarely engaged with them and can even make it more difficult for them to do their work. And in her book The Hawk's Way, author Sy Montgomery takes a deep dive into the world of hawks and falconry. -- Join us on September 14th for a Living on Earth Book Club event with author Dorn Cox about regenerative agriculture! Find out more at loe dot org/events. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sixteen young plaintiffs have won their suit against the state of Montana over its refusal to protect them from climate change. We explain the unprecedented ruling and where the case could head next.  Also, children and adolescents are facing increasing health risks from extreme heat, and a study that looked at heat and pediatric emergency department visits found that black and brown children are especially impacted. And koalas begin life naked and tiny as a jellybean with none of the fur that makes them look so darn cuddly later. The natural history and uncertain future of the beloved koala. -- We offer a full transcript for each show along with photos and links to learn more. Check it out at loe.org.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Climate change is already making some places across the country unlivable and seems likely to uproot millions of Americans in the coming decades. The author of “The Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Migration” collected the stories of people across the U.S. who have been driven out by fires, floods, droughts, and extreme heat. Plus -- when a whale dies, it eventually sinks to the ocean floor. And although that whale's life is over, that's when a whole new circle of life kicks off, with thousands of organisms including hagfish, zombie worms, and octopuses feeding off this “whale fall” for 50 or more years.  And every animal species experiences the world in a totally unique way. Mantis shrimp can filter polarized light, and star-nosed moles can smell under water. Sensory marvels and more, this week on Living on Earth. -- We offer a full transcript for each show along with photos and links to learn more. Check it out at loe.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Congo Basin in Central Africa is a critical biodiversity hotspot and linchpin in the fight against climate disruption. But will the world make good on its promises to protect biodiversity in the Congo and around the world? Also, the hit Netflix movie “Don't Look Up” uses humor and the metaphor of an impending, Earth-obliterating comet to satirize climate denial, the political obstacles to climate action and the false promises of future technological fixes. And in nature, some animals live far longer than humans, and some don't appear to age at all. One species of jellyfish can continually revert back to a juvenile stage, making it essentially immortal. Unlocking nature's secrets to longevity and how humans can live longer. -- We offer a full transcript for each show along with photos and links to learn more. Check it out at loe.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The summer of 2023 has seen extreme heat waves around the world. From Texas, how heatwaves have proven particularly dangerous for inmates in prisons that lack air conditioning. Meanwhile the UAE has increased its climate ambition targets under the Paris Agreement following criticism around their choice of a top oil executive to lead this year's UN climate talks.  But environmental activists say the UAE is unlikely to meet its climate targets given its plans to boost oil and gas production. Also. parts of the deep ocean floor are covered with manganese nodules that contain minerals that could be extremely useful for renewable energy resources. But scientists say that mining these nodules could prove hazardous for deep ocean biodiversity.  -- Our team works hard to bring you the most important and compelling environmental news every single week. And we're counting on you to help! If you can, please pitch in to support the work we do here at Living on Earth. Just go to loe.org and click on Donate. Thank you for supporting nonprofit environmental media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earth is choked by too much carbon in the atmosphere and running a fever that is only bound to get worse if we fail to restore its balance. How soaking up that excess carbon with the help of trees and plants is vitally important to life on Earth as we know it. Meanwhile, the financial sector isn't taking likely climate impacts like sea level rise into account when it calculates risks to assets, according to a report. That leaves retirement accounts and pensions vulnerable in a warming world. Also, the California legislature is considering measures that would require large businesses to publicly disclose carbon emissions and verify claimed offsets. How the bills could help California meet its ambitious climate goals.  --  Our team works hard to bring you the most important and compelling environmental news every single week. And we're counting on you to help! If you can, please pitch in to support the work we do here at Living on Earth. Just go to loe.org and click on Donate. Thank you for supporting nonprofit environmental media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The chasing arrow symbol that many consumers think means a plastic product is recyclable often doesn't mean that in practice, since most plastics are of little to no economic value. Why revising the use of the recycling symbol could reduce consumer confusion. Meanwhile, so-called ‘chemical recycling' of plastics is a highly inefficient process that releases large amounts of carbon emissions and hazardous pollutants. And at the Brightmark chemical recycling plant in Indiana, health and safety problems have kept the plant from operating at full capacity. Also, extensive draining and channeling of the Everglades ecosystem has led to toxic algae blooms and land loss in Florida, so now a huge restoration effort is attempting to reverse some of those human caused consequences. But environmental groups have raised concerns about the design of the sixteen square mile reservoir at the heart of the project. -- Our team works hard to bring you the most important and compelling environmental news every single week. And we're counting on you to help! If you can, please pitch in to support the work we do here at Living on Earth. Just go to loe.org and click on Donate. Thank you for supporting nonprofit environmental media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first constitutional climate suit in the U.S. has made it to trial. Sixteen youthful plaintiffs allege that the state of Montana has violated their constitutional right to a “clean and healthful environment” by promoting fossil fuel extraction in the face of intensifying climate disruption.   Also, global warming is slowing deep ocean currents near Antarctica that transport heat, carbon, and nutrients around the globe. Why this may spell trouble for the entire climate system. With two thirds of all cancer cases linked to environmental factors, many are calling for stronger chemical regulations as a means of cancer prevention. Treatments for cancer are better than ever, but cases continue to rise and cancer is still the second leading cause of death in the US.  --  We offer a full transcript for each show along with photos and links to learn more. Check it out at loe.org.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PFAS “forever chemicals,” linked to cancer, liver problems and more, are leaching into cosmetics, household cleaners, and even food stored in plastic containers treated with fluorination. EPA is now going after a company that uses the fluorination process, but some advocates say the agency isn't doing enough to protect the public. Also, Shell's massive new ethane cracker plant in western Pennsylvania is sending polluted air and strange smells into the surrounding community. But a $10 million fine pales in comparison to the roughly $100 million a day that the company made in profits in the first quarter of 2023. And only a few dozen species have ever recovered enough to make it off the endangered species list, due to a lack of funding and political controversy.   -- We offer a full transcript for each show along with photos and links to learn more. Check it out at loe.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The European Union's new deforestation-free regulation blocks certain products made from cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soya, and wood, from entering the European market if they have been produced on land deforested after 2020. In honor of pride month we look into the academic discipline known as “queer ecology” which looks at environmental politics through a queer lens, rejecting heterosexual and cisgender identities as the only norms.  Also, author Kate Beacon shares her story of austerity and trauma when working in Canada's oil sands in her 2022 graphic memoir Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Generations of Black Americans have faced racism, redlining and environmental injustices, such as breathing 40 percent dirtier air and being twice as likely as white Americans to be hospitalized or die from climate-related health problems. So the quest for racial justice now must include addressing the climate emergency, writes Heather McTeer Toney in her book Before the Streetlights Come On: Black America's Urgent Call for Climate Solutions.  Also, the incredible story of Robert Smalls, who commandeered a Confederate ship called The Planter in Charleston, South Carolina in 1862 and liberated himself and his family from enslavement. How his courage relates to the courageous action and leadership that is now urgently needed to deal with the climate emergency. -- And thanks to our sponsor: “Nuclear Now”, a new documentary from award-winning director Oliver Stone. Visit NuclearNowFilm.com to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New research is showing that antimicrobial chemicals called quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), which are widely used in disinfectants, pesticides and personal care products, are linked to numerous health concerns like asthma and infertility. But there are major gaps in regulation of these chemicals.  Also, over seven years poet Camille Dungy gradually transformed her sterile Fort Collins, Colorado lawn into a pollinator haven teeming with native plants and the wildlife they attract. Her book “Soil: The Story of a Black Mother's Garden” recounts that journey alongside a world in turmoil amid the coronavirus pandemic, police violence and wildfires. Camille talks about how all her hard work amending hard clay soil has yielded gifts of joy as well as metaphors. And 2,000 people from across the globe recently gathered in Paris to work towards a UN treaty to eliminate plastic pollution. We paint a picture of a world with far less plastic and how we can get there. -- And thanks to our sponsors: “Nuclear Now”, a new documentary from award-winning director Oliver Stone. Visit NuclearNowFilm.com to learn more. Oregon State University. Find out more about how Oregon State is making a difference at oregonstate.edu/believe-it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a decision reversing five decades of legal precedent, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively stripped environmental protections from nearly half of the wetlands in the nation.  Also, the new White House Office of Environmental Justice will coordinate EJ efforts across all federal agencies. EPA Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman discusses how the office can help address the disproportionate pollution and climate-related damages that environmental justice communities in the Southeast U.S. often suffer.  And thirty years ago, a neighborhood group in Tucson started harvesting local rainwater by directing runoff into street-side basins filled with native, food-bearing plants. How “planting the rain” improves neighborhoods, builds climate resilience, and helps the desert bloom. -- And thanks to our sponsor: Oregon State University. Find out more about how Oregon State is making a difference at oregonstate.edu/believe-it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guyana has one of the fastest growing economies on the planet as an offshore oil boom gets underway. But a potential spill could wipe out its fishing and ecotourism economy. So a trial judge recently ruled that a major ExxonMobil crude oil project needs an “unlimited guarantee” to cover the costs of such a spill.  Also, the states that rely on the Colorado River for water are facing a supply crisis as climate change reduces the river's flow. Now, after months of tense debates and delay, California, Arizona, and Nevada have finally agreed to substantially reduce their Colorado River water use, at least for now. In return, they'll receive some federal help to ease some of the economic pain of cutting water use. And climate change is already making some places across the country unlivable and seems likely to uproot millions of Americans in the coming decades. The author of “The Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Migration” collected the stories of people across the U.S. who have been driven out by fires, floods, droughts, and extreme heat. Plus -- when a whale dies, it eventually sinks to the ocean floor. And although that whale's life is over, that's when a whole new circle of life kicks off, with thousands of organisms including hagfish, zombie worms, and octopuses feeding off this “whale fall” for 50 or more years. -- And thanks to our sponsor: Oregon State University. Find out more about how Oregon State is making a difference at oregonstate.edu/believe-it.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York state has adopted a new law aimed at using federal funds to boost public power from renewables and shut down six polluting “peaker” gas power plants. Advocates say this will lower electricity rates and boost public health, environmental justice, and energy access. Also, peat that's burned for energy is a major emissions source in Finland, which aims to become net zero by 2035. Peat mining is also a leading cause of habitat loss in the country. The winner of the 2023 Goldman Environmental Prize for Europe joins us to share how life is flourishing in the peatlands he's helped restore. And as many as 13 percent of American households now keep chickens as pets and a cruelty-free source of fresh eggs. The author of the new book Under the Henfluence: Inside the World of Backyard Chickens and the People Who Love Them joins us to share the joys of raising chickens. -- And thanks to our sponsor: Oregon State University. Find out more about how Oregon State is making a difference at leadership.oregonstate.edu/cic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Mother's Day we're celebrating the incredible tenacity and tenderness of animal mothers, from crocodiles to leopards to whales. Our guest shares why observing mother orangutans inspired her own journey to becoming a mother.  Also, an intricate web of roots and fungi connects life in an old growth forest, allowing ancient “Mother trees” to nourish and protect their kin. A forest ecologist shares her research findings and reflects on how these trees helped her through the challenges of motherhood and a cancer diagnosis.  And the 2023 Goldman Environmental Prize winner from North America went toe-to-toe with one of the largest petrochemical companies in the world, Formosa Plastics, and won a $50 million settlement over its illegal dumping of toxic plastic waste. Diane Wilson shares her story of dogged truth-seeking and holding a major polluter accountable for spoiling the biodiverse landscape of the Texas Gulf Coast. -- And thanks to our sponsor: Hold On Bags, with plant-based, non-toxic, 100% home-compostable trash and kitchen bags. Go to holdonbags.com/Earth or enter EARTH at checkout to save 20% on your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The world's ocean surfaces are rapidly warming and recently hit an all-time temperature high. At the same time, the La Niña weather pattern is now shifting to an El Niño cycle, warming the oceans more still.  Also, because of its unique geography, the United States is particularly vulnerable to nearly every kind of natural disaster: tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, and more. These natural disasters are getting an unnatural boost with climate change.  And waste incineration facilities don't have to report the dioxins and other toxic chemicals they're emitting from burning plastic to a key database. We examine the gap in publicly accessible pollution data. -- And thanks to our sponsors: Oregon State University. Find out more about how Oregon State is making a difference at leadership.oregonstate.edu/cic. Hold On Bags, with plant-based, non-toxic, 100% home-compostable trash and kitchen bags. Go to holdonbags.com/Earth or enter EARTH at checkout to save 20% on your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The EPA is trying again with power plant rules to fight climate change, but this time, the agency is backed up by statutes in the Inflation Reduction Act. It's using these to carefully craft new rules designed to survive legal challenges.  Also, the Africa recipient of this year's Goldman Environmental Prize joins us to share how he organized a community and brought a UK based mining company to justice for polluting a river in Zambia with waste from an open pit copper mine that sickened locals and killed fish.  And in nature, some animals live far longer than humans, and some don't appear to age at all. One species of jellyfish can continually revert back to a juvenile stage, making it essentially immortal. Unlocking nature's secrets to longevity and how humans can live longer.  -- And thanks to our sponsors: Oregon State University. Find out more about how Oregon State is making a difference at leadership.oregonstate.edu/cic. “Nuclear Now”, a new documentary from award-winning director Oliver Stone. Visit NuclearNowFilm.com to learn more. Hold On Bags, with plant-based, non-toxic, 100% home-compostable trash and kitchen bags. Go to holdonbags.com/Earth or enter EARTH at checkout to save 20% on your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Earth Day, we're celebrating our planet with poetry, storytelling, and music, featuring an orchestral and choral work called “Lament of the Earth” that evokes the beauty and wonder of our planet as it speaks directly to the question, ‘where are all the people who care?' Major Jackson, Catherine Pierce, Sy Montgomery, Jay O'Callahan, Lynne Cherry and more share their poetry and stories in this Earth Day special. -- Join us for our next free Living on Earth Book Club event! “Soil: The Story of a Black Mother's Garden” with Camille T. Dungy, online on April 26th at 7 p.m. ET. Learn more and sign up at loe.org/events.  -- And thanks to our sponsors: “Nuclear Now”, a new documentary from award-winning director Oliver Stone. Visit NuclearNowFilm.com to learn more. Oregon State University. Find out more about how Oregon State is making a difference at oregonstate.edu/believe-it. Aligned Play, with safe, beautiful, imaginative play sets and toys. Plant a tree with your purchase this Earth Month at Alignedplay.com and use promo code EARTH10 for 10% off.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The EPA is proposing to cut the amount of toxic air pollutants industrial sources are allowed to emit. The targeted chemicals include known carcinogens that have long contaminated communities in Appalachia and Louisiana's “Cancer Alley.”  Also, there are many sources of hidden plastic in the waste that wealthy countries send to the developing world, in clothing, tires, and electronics. How all that extra plastic waste is affecting the environment and health of people in the Global South. And the government offers a $7,500 tax credit to new car buyers to help meet a goal that 50% of all new vehicles sold in the U.S. should be electric by 2030. But to qualify, cars must now meet a new set of requirements.  -- Join us for our next free Living on Earth Book Club event! “Soil: The Story of a Black Mother's Garden” with Camille T. Dungy, online on April 26th at 7 p.m. ET. Learn more and sign up at loe.org/events.  -- And thanks to our sponsors: “Nuclear Now”, a new documentary from award-winning director Oliver Stone. Visit NuclearNowFilm.com to learn more. Oregon State University. Find out more about how Oregon State is making a difference at oregonstate.edu/believe-it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America can't meet its goals of reducing carbon pollution from power plants unless power grids get major upgrades and rules to bring clean energy online are detangled. We'll explore the challenges and opportunities facing implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act.  Also, the Black residents of “Cancer Alley” in Louisiana have filed a civil rights and religious liberty lawsuit against the parish council that has given a green light to these polluting facilities for decades. Learn the history of environmental racism and resistance in “Cancer Alley.” And koalas begin life naked and tiny as a jellybean with none of the fur that makes them look so darn cuddly. As the little joeys grow inside their mothers' pouch, she feeds them a special, messy microbial “soup” to help them digest toxic eucalyptus leaves – and they lap it up!  -- Thanks to our sponsors: “Nuclear Now”, a new documentary from award-winning director Oliver Stone. Visit NuclearNowFilm.com to learn more. Oregon State University. Find out more about how Oregon State is making a difference at oregonstate.edu/believe-it. -- Also, announcing our next Living on Earth Book Club event! “Soil: The Story of a Black Mother's Garden” with Camille T. Dungy, on April 26th at 7 p.m. ET. Learn more and sign up at loe.org/events. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microplastics are everywhere scientists have looked for them, from the deepest ocean trenches to mountain peaks; in our air, water, and food, even our own bodies. We'll take a deep dive into the world of these tiny pollutants laden with thousands of different chemicals and discuss potential solutions. Also, the world has no time to waste in cutting carbon emissions if we want to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, according to the latest major climate report from the IPCC science agency of the United Nations. What's at stake for the planet and what's necessary to keep warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius. And the namesake of the National Audubon Society was an enslaver, racist and white supremacist, so several local chapters are changing their names in an effort to build a more inclusive birding community. But the leadership of the national group is refusing to change.  -- Announcing our next Living on Earth Book Club event! “Soil: The Story of a Black Mother's Garden” with Camille T. Dungy, on April 26th at 7 p.m. ET. Learn more and sign up at loe.org/events. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed strict new limits for PFAS “forever” chemicals in drinking water. PFAS are associated with health concerns including cancers and reproductive issues, so the move is being called a huge win for public health. Also, so-called “chemical recycling” is a greenwashing term used for incinerating plastic according to critics, who say it's contributing to climate change and poor air quality for many marginalized communities. And the topography of the coastal seafloor has a lot to do with how much flooding coastal areas will experience during hurricanes. A team of scientists is working on a new technology to create more accurate seafloor maps in the Gulf of Mexico. Want more Living on Earth? Sign up for our newsletter! https://loe.org/newsletter/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jane Goodall is on a mission to protect habitat worldwide by empowering local communities to develop sustainably. And it all started when she was just ten years old and dreamed of studying wild animals in Africa. Also, a massive new oil drilling project in the Arctic just got the green light from President Biden despite his promises for no new drilling on federal lands. And the Congo Basin in Central Africa is a critical biodiversity hotspot and linchpin in the fight against climate disruption. But will the world make good on its promise to protect biodiversity in the Congo and around the world? -- You're invited to the next Living on Earth Book Club event! We'll talk with “The Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Migration” author Jake Bittle on March 23rd at 3 p.m. Eastern. Learn more and sign up at loe.org/events!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A study finds the decline of pollinators is contributing to an estimated half a million deaths a year worldwide. That's because yields of nutritious foods that keep us healthy, like most fruits, vegetables, and nuts, are falling as the pollinators they depend on disappear. Also, what's the worth of a whale, or a tree, or a wetland? The White House wants to know and has announced moves to start officially accounting for natural capital, the economic value of services provided by nature, when making economic decisions. And Indonesia has one of the world's largest tropical forests and touts itself as a global leader in conservation. But outside researchers say the government is blocking data to assess conservation progress and local scientists fear reprisals if they publish data that doesn't fit the government's optimistic narrative. -- You're invited to the next Living on Earth Book Club event! We'll talk with “The Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Migration” author Jake Bittle on March 23rd at 3 p.m. Eastern. Learn more and sign up at loe.org/events! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The train derailment in Ohio last month led to a controlled release and burn of vinyl chloride, which can produce dioxin. Locals are concerned that the soot that fell on their homes in the wake of the disaster may contain this potent neurotoxin. Also, carbon capture and storage involves a network of pipelines that transport carbon dioxide from source to sink so that it can't warm the planet. But these pipelines carry high-pressure CO2 that can be dangerous, even lethal.  And showy traits like dark pigmentation on a dragonfly's wings or a lion's big, dark mane play a key role in how some animals choose a mate. New research suggests that climate change is making some classically attractive traits more difficult to pull off.  -- Thanks to our sponsor, Four Sigmatic: Don't miss our special offer to get 30% off your monthly order of premium organic coffee blended with superfood mushrooms. Visit go.foursigmatic.com/earth and use code EARTH at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eleven of the 38 train cars that came off the tracks in East Palestine, Ohio contained hazardous materials including the carcinogen vinyl chloride. Crews intentionally released and burned vinyl chloride to avoid a potential explosion, and residents have lingering concerns about the long-term effects of the chemicals in their community. Also, Safety Data Sheets are supposed to provide key information about the risks of workplace chemicals but they often downplay the risks of known carcinogens. And the burial of a nine-year-old enslaved girl on a plantation in Louisiana may halt construction of a new petrochemical plant on that land in the state's “Cancer Alley.” Many descendants of enslaved people in the region already live with health problems from exposure to industry and are looking to their ancestors to stop further expansion. -- You're invited! Join us for our next free, online Living on Earth Book Club event: KOALA: A Natural History and an Uncertain Future on March 2nd. Sign up at loe.org/events.   Thanks to our sponsor, Four Sigmatic: Don't miss our special offer to get 30% off your monthly order of premium organic coffee blended with superfood mushrooms. Visit go.foursigmatic.com/earth and use code EARTH at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A plan by oil giant ConocoPhillips to drill in Alaska on federal land is poised to move ahead if it can secure President Biden's final consent. The Willow project would dump millions of tons of climate disrupting carbon into the atmosphere over its lifetime and pose risks to the health of nearby Alaska Native communities and biological diversity. Also, PFAS “forever” chemicals have widespread health impacts from cancers to reproductive disorders. A recent study revealed high levels of PFAS in wild-caught, American freshwater fish commonly eaten by people. And Black women often use hair relaxers and leave-in conditioners to straighten and smooth their textured hair. But many of these products contain hormone-disrupting chemicals, which are associated with such health problems as early menarche, preterm birth, diabetes, and cancer. -- Join us for our next Living on Earth Book Club event! KOALA: A Natural History and an Uncertain Future on March 2nd. Sign up for this free, virtual event at loe.org/events. Thanks to our sponsor, Four Sigmatic: Don't miss our special offer to get 30% off your monthly order of premium organic coffee blended with superfood mushrooms. Visit go.foursigmatic.com/earth and use code EARTH at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some scientists predict that without emergency conservation measures, Great Salt Lake will dry up completely in the next five years, devastating migratory bird populations and creating a public health crisis linked to toxic dust in the lakebed. Also, the bipartisan infrastructure law signed by President Biden in 2021 allots $5 billion over five years for low-income communities to replace diesel school buses with clean electric ones. But an unintended consequence of the measure's terms prevents some of the neediest communities from benefiting from the program. And George Washington Carver was born into slavery but went on to become a famous agronomist and helped poor people in the South improve their lives and soils by planting peanuts and other legumes. This week, he comes back from the past in the form of actor and playwright Paxton Williams to talk about intersections between racial dynamics and agricultural development. -- Announcing our next Living on Earth Book Club event! KOALA: A Natural History and an Uncertain Future on March 2nd. Sign up for this free, virtual event at loe.org/events. Thanks to our sponsor, Four Sigmatic: Don't miss our special offer to get 30% off your monthly order of premium organic coffee blended with superfood mushrooms. Visit go.foursigmatic.com/earth and use code EARTH at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The births of at least 11 North Atlantic Right Whales this season is a bright spot for a species on the brink of extinction. And safer lobstering gear is being designed to prevent human-caused whale deaths. Also, despite inflation automakers including Tesla, Ford and General Motors are now in a price war for electric vehicles. The lowered stickers also bring some models under the $55,000 price cap required to qualify for federal tax credits. And examining the dark history of the nutmeg trade reveals the origins of our current climate crisis in the violent extractive economies pioneered by colonial powers centuries ago. -- Get a sneak peek at every episode by signing up for our newsletter at loe.org/newsletter. Thanks to our sponsor, Four Sigmatic: Don't miss our special offer to get 30% off your order of premium organic coffee blended with superfood mushrooms. Visit go.foursigmatic.com/earth and use code EARTH at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Municipalities in Puerto Rico sue the biggest fossil fuel companies for damages from category 5 Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The cities and towns allege the fossil fuel companies knew their products would change the climate and intensify storms and colluded to lie about it to the public. And following the devastation of Hurricane Maria many communities in Puerto Rico were isolated for months so they looked to each other for solace and sustenance. Also, Coquí frogs were heavily affected by Hurricane Maria, but within months of the storm, they could once again be heard making their iconic calls across the island. -- Thanks to our sponsor, Four Sigmatic: Don't miss our special offer to get 30% off your order of premium organic coffee blended with superfood mushrooms. Visit go.foursigmatic.com/earth and use code EARTH at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Activists are outraged by the United Arab Emirates' decision to appoint a high-ranking oil executive to lead the 2023 UN climate treaty negotiations in Dubai. It's the latest example of how fossil fuel interests are deflecting progress in the treaty process.  Also, some Florida sugarcane growers near the Everglades still burn their fields to make harvesting easier, and people of color downwind claim adverse health effects from the smoke and ash.  And in addition to the devastating human toll of Russia's war on Ukraine, marine scientists have documented recent mass strandings of dolphins and porpoises in the Black Sea. A key suspect is military sonar, which can disorient cetaceans that use sound to navigate. -- Thanks to our sponsor, Four Sigmatic: Don't miss our special offer to get 30% off your order of premium organic coffee blended with superfood mushrooms. Visit go.foursigmatic.com/earth and use code EARTH at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pink snow, also known as “watermelon snow” or “glacier blood,” is the result of a late summer bloom of pink colored algae that flourish in melting snow. And although snow algae are still very understudied, scientists are worried that darker snow will absorb more of the sun's heat than white snow and cause the snowpack to melt more quickly, amplifying climate change. Also, weather records are routinely being shattered across the United States, with recent severe rainstorms in California, freezing temperatures in Texas, and a warm January thaw for the northeast. A climate scientist explains why a climate change-disrupted jet stream is behind much of this extreme weather. And in Texas, the wild weather delivered an unusual cold snap that some wildlife just couldn't deal with. So local wildlife rehabilitators sprang into action to save around 1600 tiny Mexican free-tailed bats from hypothermic shock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cases like West Virginia v. EPA and legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act made 2022 a landmark year for environmental law, and now as 2023 gets underway there are even more legal actions and decisions on the horizon including on clean water, environmental justice, and climate racketeering.  Also, to learn what alligators in Florida's Everglades eat, a team of scientists ventures out in the dead of night to catch them and pump their stomachs.  And many non-human animals call cities home or take advantage of their abundant resources, creating an “accidental ecosystem.” Being more intentional about how we design and use our cities in the future may bring benefits for both humans and the wildlife we share these spaces with. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From one woman's dream of swimming with marine iguanas, to uncommon encounters with common rabbits, to a Native American tale of how the dog came to be our loyal companion, and much more, this Living on Earth holiday storytelling special features stories of how other species on this Earth touch human lives. “Wildly Magical: Stories of Animal Encounters”, a storytelling special from PRX. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Power Of Stories / Native American Tales / Stories of the Night Sky and an English Wassail Native American myths and tales help us endure or even enjoy the short days and long nights of winter. Living on Earth's annual celebration of stories helps connect people with the natural world, and includes an Iroquois explanation of why the constellation Pleiades twinkles overhead and an Abenaki custom that asks forgiveness for any wrongs of the previous year. Seasonal stories and more, in this holiday special from Living on Earth from PRX. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To try to address the biodiversity crisis that threatens as many as 1 million species with extinction, thousands of delegates from around the world are meeting in Montreal with a goal of updating the United Nations treaty on biological diversity. The stakes are high for places like Palawan in the Philippines, which is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth and has been protected by the Indigenous Batak people for thousands of years. Also, cloud forest ecosystems are biodiversity hotspots but they're quickly becoming warmer and drier with the climate crisis. So each fall researchers in the cloud forest of Monteverde, Costa Rica conduct a bird census to see what migrant and resident birds are using the forest and how that's changing with time. And Living on Earth's gardening guru, Michael Weishan, joins us to share some tips on how to craft festive holiday wreaths, garlands, and Christmas trees with natural materials from your own backyard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United Nations is working towards creating a treaty to tackle the plastic crisis all the way from production to disposal – its full “life cycle”.  Also, as the Biden Administration moves forward with plans for offshore wind, in Congress there is a bipartisan effort called the Breeze Act that would update offshore revenue sharing rules dating back to the early days of oil and gas production.  And the seas are rising because of climate change, but this isn't the first global sea level rise humans have lived through. In fact, some Indigenous peoples have stories of sea level rise that they've passed down over thousands of years. How oral traditions reflect the environmental changes our ancestors lived through. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices