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Every Thursday, a new episode of Living Planet brings you environment stories from around the world, digging deeper into topics that touch our lives every day. The prize-winning, weekly half-hour radio magazine and podcast is produced by Deutsche Welle, Germany's international broadcaster - visit dw…

DW.COM | Deutsche Welle


    • May 30, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 29m AVG DURATION
    • 293 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Living Planet | Deutsche Welle

    What do horses know that we don't?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2025 29:33


    After cancer treatment, Suzanne was persuaded to join an animal-assisted therapy session with horses. She was skeptical at first, but the experience changed her life. This episode explores how equine therapy is helping cancer patients process grief, reconnect with themselves, and find strength in nature. Plus, what researchers are beginning to uncover about animal-assisted therapy.

    Wildfires through the eyes of the toughest firefighters

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 29:15


    When Kelly Ramsey joined an elite unit of wildland firefighters called the "hotshots" in Northern California, she thought she knew what she was signing up for. But climate change has flipped a switch, transforming wildfires from a natural occurrence into an unstoppable force. We'll hear her story and check in with firefighters in Canada and Australia about what it now takes to put out the flames.

    What the economy gets wrong about nature

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 37:22


    What's a forest really worth? Or a pollinator, or a reef? In this final episode of The Cost of Climate Change, we travel to Tasmania's underwater forests to uncover the hidden costs of nature loss and what the economy has been ignoring - from vanishing carbon sinks to collapsing food systems. But there's another side to this story: what we can save by putting nature first.

    Heatstroke economy: the rising cost of extreme heat

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025 40:15


    Extreme heat is no longer a future threat. It's here - and it's costing us. From hospitals pushed to the brink, to cities built for a cooler planet, the toll is mounting on our bodies, our livelihoods and the systems meant to keep us safe. In Part 4 of our Cost of Climate Change series, we dig into the true price of rising heat, and what it might take to adapt before the next heatwave hits.

    How should we finance climate action?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2025 40:19


    What do a German heat pump and a Canadian carbon price have in common? They're both flashpoints in a growing political battle over how to cut emissions and share the costs fairly. In Part 3 of our series The Cost of Climate Change, we follow the money and ask: who needs to cough up – consumers, taxpayers, or polluters?

    Can we afford a transition to clean energy?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 38:46


    Sun, wind, water, and Earth's heat - they're abundant, carbon-free, and cheaper to harness than ever. But what's the true price of overhauling our energy system? Is clean power really the cheaper path? In Part 2 of our series The Cost of Climate Change, we head to outback Australia to meet an accidental ally in the race to ditch fossil fuels.

    Who's paying for the next hurricane?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2025 42:34


    In this episode, we head to Miami - where vibrant nightlife, sunshine, and storm surges collide. As hurricanes intensify and insurers pull out, the cost of living in paradise is becoming impossible to ignore. Who foots the bill for extreme weather, and how do we keep from going broke? One new Florida community might hold some of the answers. This is Part 1 of our series The Cost of Climate Change.

    Coming soon: The true cost of climate change

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 14:58


    Ever notice how debates about the cost of climate change tend to focus on how green policies are too expensive – and less about the huge bill we'll all face the longer we fail to act? That's exactly what our new five-part series will be exploring, starting April 18. Here's a taste of what to expect.

    Are PFAS affecting you? What you should know

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 36:23


    PFAS, or "forever chemicals," are everywhere – in food packaging, water, and more. But what happens when they enter our bloodstream? One woman's fight to find out.

    Nature's healing touch: Fact or fiction?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 33:12


    Is our love for nature more than instinct? A look at the fascinating link between nature, mental health, and physical recovery.

    Are your flowers bad for the environment? (Rebroadcast)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2025 31:44


    Spring is in the air, and so are fresh blooms! With the US marking National Flower Day this week and flower season about to ramp up in the world's flower capital, the Netherlands, we wanted to revisit one of our favorite episodes. Find out how cut flowers are grown, how they reach us, and what it takes to keep them blooming year-round.

    How far will governments go to stop climate protests?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 25:04


    Governments are cracking down on climate protests. They say activists have crossed the line into extremism. But history shows resistance only adapts. As repression intensifies, will it crush the movement - or make it stronger?

    What does 1 ton of CO2 look like?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 33:27


    Last year, the world pumped over 41 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. Hard to picture, isn't it? In this episode, we explore different ways of understanding this basic concept of climate science along with the help of a researcher with a very personal link to the origins of our obsession with carbon dioxide.

    Water, AI & the craic – Your questions answered

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 34:28


    Is Ireland really running out of water? Is AI to blame? And where does Irish mythology fit in? In this special behind-the-scenes episode, we answer your questions, share unexpected insights, and, of course, have a bit of craic along the way.

    Who's scared of 15-minute cities?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2025 30:25


    Imagine a city where everything - work, shopping, schools, and parks - is just 15 minutes away. Is this the key to a greener, more convenient future or a threat to personal freedom?

    Growing food in the dark

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 31:55


    Scientists in the US have found a way to grow plants in complete darkness. Could this be the future of farming, reducing land use and environmental impact? Or will traditional agriculture remain irreplaceable?

    A Pacific island starts packing for metaverse move – but what to take?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2025 27:10


    What would you do to save your home from disappearing? As sea levels rise, the tiny Pacific island nation of Tuvalu mulls a permanent move to the metaverse to save its culture. But not everyone is giving up just yet.

    Ireland's water dilemma: Protecting the River Shannon or powering the future?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2025 32:34


    As Ireland's capital faces a growing water crisis, a controversial multibillion-euro pipeline threatens to reshape the fate of the mighty River Shannon. This is a story of rural-urban divide, corporate thirst and a river's uncertain future.

    Part 2: Light pollution – Rewilding the night

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2025 29:32


    We recently devoted an episode to exploring LED light pollution in one of Germany's brightest cities. In part two, we hear from a motley team of researchers who want to rewild urban cities. An artist and an ethicist are leading the way with a “light clock,” an intriguing thought experiment on the relationship between light and time.

    Naturally connected: Telling landscapes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2025 18:11


    Who doesn't love a good story? Even in the noise of today, some books keep on drawing new readers. Outdated in many ways, yet standing the test of time, can those with strong natural settings foster an appreciation of the world around us? An English county with its fair share of well-known writers might be a good place to explore that idea.

    Naturally Connected: The winter secrets of bees

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 13:02


    What happens to bees in winter? These busy creatures don't just vanish when the cold sets in. In this second episode of our Naturally Connected mini-series we learn about the amazing survival strategies of bees.

    Naturally Connected: The call of the sea

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2025 17:40


    What is it about the sea that draws us in? From rugged cliffs to sandy shores, Tamsin Walker explores the ocean's magnetic pull and the mysteries of its hold on us in this opening episode of our Naturally Connected mini-series.

    BONUS: Your questions answered, plus our favorite moments of 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2024 32:32


    Before we ring in the New Year, Living Planet has some answers to your listener questions. Which is better for the environment: reusable or paper coffee cups? And what about the water footprint of the meat industry? Does it really take 15,000 liters of water to produce one kilo of beef? Plus, our favorite moments of 2024.

    What's better: Real Christmas trees or artificial ones?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2024 19:42


    Ever wondered what's the greener, more sustainable choice between a chopped down live Christmas tree or an artificial plastic one? Join us as we find out what to watch out for this Christmas season.

    Introducing: Don't Drink the Milk / The curious history of the lawn

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2024 34:46


    What can a well-manicured lawn reveal about social status, our relationship to the Earth and the American Dream? A surprising amount. From fancy French palace gardens to suburban America, come along for the garden party as we mow over the history of the lawn – and ask if its time is up. This episode is from DW's Don't Drink the Milk podcast.

    Deep Dive: Bright lights, big, LED cities

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024 29:53


    More and more cities are switching to LEDs to save money and, ultimately, the planet. But ecologists are worried about this trend. Dr. Chris Kyba explains why on a night walk through Cologne, one of Germany's brightest cities.

    Naturally Connected: Why woodpeckers are choosing the city over the forest

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2024 12:16


    In the heart of Berlin, woodpeckers are turning the city into their playground. From drumming on trees to carving out homes, these master carpenters are thriving in the most unlikely of places. But why are they drawn to the bustling streets and towering buildings?

    Deep Dive: The hidden solar revolution stumping experts

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 24:38


    Not long ago, energy analysts noticed something weird in the data they were tracking. The anomaly centered on Pakistan. All of a sudden, the country seemed to be using far, far less electricity than before. What the analysts would discover baffled them – a different kind of power surge brewing elsewhere, right under their noses. One that could have ripple effects far and wide. If it isn't halted.

    Deep Dive: The toxic legacy of WWII shipwrecks

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2024 29:11


    Thousands of ships loaded with oil were sunk during the fierce sea battles of the Second World War. That means they've been sitting underwater for eight decades, with no maintenance or protection. Scientists fear many of these wrecks are now close to collapse — and that a spike in catastrophic oil spills may be on the horizon.

    Introducing: Up from Dust

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2024 34:05


    This week we are sharing an episode from Up From Dust – a podcast from the NPR stations of Kansas. "Healing the ground we broke" takes us to the majestic prairies of Kansas to the get the dirt on why soil health is so important to maintaining our food systems and protecting the land from climate disaster.

    Deep Dive: Can planting trees really offset my flight emissions?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024 30:25


    Ever been in this situation? You want to fly, but when you start looking at carbon offset websites, you can't tell what's real? Then this episode's definitely for you. We asked around, and got some pretty interesting answers, including from an unlikely carbon credit b.s. detector.

    Naturally Connected: What wild geese teach us about teamwork

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024 13:09


    Wild geese migrate with remarkable success. They navigate thousands of miles thanks to their unique social structure and provide valuable lessons on teamwork and resilience. But how do these birds know exactly when to embark on their epic migration?

    Deep Dive: Why green funerals are on the rise

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2024 33:41


    As traditional funerals take a toll on the environment, a new wave of eco-friendly options is emerging. This episode reveals the surprising choices for sustainable farewells. Are you ready to rethink your final act?

    Deep Dive: Advertising - the battle to ban fossil fuel ads

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2024 35:05


    It's so common it's easy to overlook. But what if advertising has more power to shape our choices, our world and our climate than we realize? For decades, the fossil fuel industry has used marketing to buy our support and delay climate action – with remarkable success. Now some cities have had enough. They're banning ads for cruises, cars and flying – and they say that's just the beginning.

    What's better: leather vs vegan leather?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024 30:46


    Vegan leather, synthetic leather, faux leather. Whatever you want to call it, demand for this non-animal-based leather alternative is on the rise, especially when it comes to shoes. Some consumers don't want to pay leather prices, others want a clean conscience when it comes to the environment and animal cruelty. So, how do these materials stack up against leather?

    Naturally Connected: Chirping from the crypt

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 13:41


    There are an estimated 50 to 430 billion birds worldwide. They're everywhere, but few of us take the time to listen. In this episode, our reporter Ben Restle joins a nocturnal Berlin birdwatching workshop in a rather eerie location. It's perfect for witnessing the magical dawn chorus - you just need to make it through the night…

    Introducing: What on Earth

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2024 26:47


    This week we are sharing an episode from What On Earth — a CBC Podcast dedicated to bringing you a world of climate solutions. “Ghosts in their fishing nets” takes us to the Yukon, where Indigenous communities are sounding the alarm over critically endangered Chinook salmon populations – and fighting to help the fish return.

    Deep Dive: What happens when ants invade?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2024 35:49


    Which creatures tend their own gardens, keep livestock, wage wars and have been around since the dinosaurs? We're talking about ants of course. Tiny but mighty, the ant universe is complex, fascinating, and mostly hidden. Ants are crucial for sustaining healthy ecosystems. But, as residents in one German town discovered, they can also wreak havoc when they invade new habitats.

    Deep Dive: Suck, bury and store – Denmark wants your CO2, but why?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2024 32:32


    If you can't beat CO2 pollution, then bury it? That's basically the thought behind carbon capture and storage. Denmark wants to become a leader in these efforts, and has the geological underground to lock away billions of tons of CO2. But locals ask, will it blow up in their face? An exploration of carbon capture technology.

    Deep Dive: The dirty truth about laundry

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 32:22


    Our laundry routine impacts the environment with chemicals, microplastics, and energy use. Is our fear of being viewed as dirty making us overwash our clothes? Find out how to make smarter and greener laundry choices.

    What's Better: Dairy vs plant-based milk

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2024 23:59


    Whether you're an almond or soy milk enthusiast, or just curious about the latest trend in plant-based alternatives, find out which milk is the best choice for your health and the environment.

    Naturally connected: The fox's tale

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024 13:54


    Foxes have thrived alongside us for centuries. Despite facing numerous threats, they continue to adapt and survive in our ever-changing world. But how are these clever animals finding their place in urban areas?

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