Podcasts about natural resources defense council nrdc

Épisode 2. Cet accord qui peut tout changer. En 2004, la quasi-totalité des pays du monde entier se sont engagés dans une aventure diplomatique hors norme : construire, ensemble, un accord pour protéger l'océan et sa biodiversité. Un projet aussi ambitieux ne se concrétise pas du jour au lendemain, d'autant que les divergences entre États ont posé un défi majeur : comment concilier les intérêts de chacun tout en garantissant la préservation de l'océan et de ses richesses ? Cette aventure diplomatique a duré vingt ans. Vingt années pendant lesquelles des diplomates, des scientifiques, des ONG des quatre coins du monde ont œuvré sans relâche pour créer cet accord dit "l'accord BBNJ", ou Traité international pour la protection de la haute mer et de la biodiversité marine au delà des zones de juridiction nationale. Dans cet épisode, quatre personnes qui ont participé à ces négociations nous racontent les coulisses de cette aventure rocambolesque. Avec : Lisa Speer, directrice de l'ONG américaine Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), chargée des océans ;  Serge Ségura, ambassadeur à la retraite, chef de la délégation française pour l'accord BBNJ pendant 14 ans ;  Sandrine Barbier, directrice adjointe à la Direction des affaires juridiques, cheffe de la délégation française pour l'accord BBNJ ; Krystel Wanneau, docteure en sciences politiques et enseignante-chercheuse à Sciences-Po Grenoble, qui a travaillé sur les politiques environnementales internationales ------ POUR ALLER PLUS LOIN : L'accord BBNJ : parcourez la version intégrale de ce traité historique adopté en 2023 ;  Le fascinant et merveilleux "Atlas des abysses" (éd. Arthaud, 2024), de Stéphanie Brabant (journaliste), Jozée Sarrazin (océanaute), et illustré par Julie Terrazzoni, cet ouvrage poético-scientifique transporte ses lecteurs dans l'univers fascinant des fonds marin ;   L'indispensable guide "L'océan en 30 questions" signé Marina Lévy et Laurent Bopp (éd. La Documentation française, 2025) ;  ------ ARCHIVES & EXTRAITS : extraits de discours au One Ocean Summit à Brest en 2022 ; extrait de l'adoption de la résolution A/72/L7 lors de l'Assemblée générale de l'ONU en 2018 ; extraits des sessions de négociations du BBNJ enregistrées à l'ONU entre 2019 et 2023 ; extraits de journaux télévisés français, brésilien, américain et italien sur la pandémie de Covid en 2020 ; lecture d'une lettre de Rena Lee, présidente des négociations BBNJ, du 9 mars 2020 ------ CRÉDITS : Voix, écriture, production et réalisation : Diane Jean Illustrations et identité visuelle : Julie Feydel Doublage voix et édition : Mariane Schlegel Communication : Kaled Maddi et Matthias Lugoy Direction de production : Julie Godefroy Musique : Falling Angels, Ketil Lien ; Staring into the Abyss, 2050 ; DKNW, sunwo0o ; Ruin My Life, Jane the Boy ; Corals under the sun, Omri Smadar ; Cookie Jar, Hans Johnson ; Atlantique, AMF Beef ; Medusa the Mournful, Louis Adrien ;  Breath In Out, Nsee ; Cryostatis, Jamie Bathgate ; 1983, Angel Salazar (Artlist) ------ À PROPOS : « Qui gouverne l'océan ? » est une série du podcast Sources diplomatiques. Réalisé par le ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères, ce podcast vous propose des documentaires, décryptages, récits intimes et conversations pour plonger dans les coulisses de la diplomatie française et comprendre les grands enjeux internationaux. Sources diplomatiques est à retrouver sur toutes les applications d'écoutes et de streaming audio.

Christine L. Kramer - inside RFK Jr.'s Chaotic White House BidMay 13, 2024How serious is RFK's presidential bid? From the chaos of the launch through botched announcements, clarifications and retractions, it would appear to an outsider as not very. If his bid is serious then there are concerns about his standpoints on issues and, judging by his campaign thus far, his competency.Could it be he is actually a device, used and opaquely funded by the right wing, to draw votes away from Biden, therefore solidifying Trumps' figures in the election?Christine Kramer is a investigative reporter who has been on the inside of RFK's campaign. And she has some tales to tell.RFK Jr.,is an American politician, environmental lawyer, anti-vaccine activist, and conspiracy theorist. He is the chairman and founder of Children's Health Defense, an anti-vaccine advocacy group that is a leading proponent of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, and an independent candidate in the 2024 presidential election. A member of the Kennedy family, he is a son of U.S. attorney general and senator Robert F. Kennedy, and nephew of U.S. president John F. Kennedy and senator Ted Kennedy.Kennedy began his career as an assistant district attorney in New York City. In 1984 and 1986, he joined two nonprofits focused on environmental protection: Riverkeeper and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). His work at Riverkeeper set long-term environmental legal standards. At both organizations, he won legal battles against large corporate polluters. He became an adjunct professor of environmental law at Pace University School of Law in 1986. In 1987, he founded Pace's Environmental Litigation Clinic, where he held the post of supervising attorney and co-director until 2017. He founded the nonprofit environmental group Waterkeeper Alliance in 1999, serving as the president of its board.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

In episode 225 of America Adapts, we explore flood risk disclosure—a simple yet powerful climate adaptation tool that helps homebuyers avoid financial disaster while building more resilient communities. As climate change worsens flooding and federal support for resilience efforts declines, some states are stepping up with smart policies to protect homeowners before disaster strikes. I'm joined by Joel Scata from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to discuss the push for stronger flood disclosure laws, plus a homeowner who learned the hard way what happens when flood risks aren't disclosed. We'll also highlight state success stories and how these policies can be a key part of climate adaptation. Guests/experts in this episode: Joel Scata – Senior Attorney, Environmental Health NRDC (transcript) Larry Baeder – Senior Data Scientist Milliman (transcript) Jackie Jones – Homeowner, Georgia (transcript) Jesse Gourevitch – Economist at Environmental Defense Fund (transcript) Brooks Rainey Pearson - Legislative Counsel, Southern Environmental Law Center (transcript) Tyler Taba – Director of Resilience, Waterfront Alliance (transcript)   Check out the America Adapts Media Kit here! Subscribe to the America Adapts newsletter here. Donate to America Adapts Listen to America Adapts on your favorite app here!   Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ @usaadapts https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-parsons-america-adapts/ Links in this episode: https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/millimaninc5660-milliman6442-prod27d5-0001/media/Milliman/PDFs/2025-Articles/1-13-25_NRDC_Estimating-Undisclosed-Flood-Risk.pdf https://www.nrdc.org/bio/joel-scata/flooding-can-put-unsuspecting-home-buyers-financially-underwater https://www.southernenvironment.org/press-release/north-carolina-real-estate-commission-petitioned-to-disclose-flood-history/  https://www.selc.org/press-release/nc-real-estate-commission-to-disclose-flood-history-to-buyers/  https://www.southernenvironment.org/press-release/south-carolina-real-estate-commission-to-require-disclosure-of-flood-history-to-buyers/   Doug Parsons and Speaking Opportunities: If you are interested in having Doug speak at corporate and conference events, sharing his unique, expert perspective on adaptation in an entertaining and informative way, more information can be found here! Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/americaadapts/ @usaadapts https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-parsons-america-adapts/ Donate to America Adapts   Follow on Apple Podcasts Follow on Android Now on Spotify! List of Previous Guests on America Adapts Follow/listen to podcast on Apple Podcasts. Donate to America Adapts, we are now a tax deductible charitable organization! Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Strategies to Address Climate Change Risk in Low- and Moderate-income Communities - Volume 14, Issue 1 https://www.frbsf.org/community-development/publications/community-development-investment-review/2019/october/strategies-to-address-climate-change-low-moderate-income-communities/   Podcasts in the Classroom – Discussion guides now available for the latest episode of America Adapts. These guides can be used by educators at all levels. Check them out here! The 10 Best Sustainability Podcasts for Environmental Business Leadershttps://us.anteagroup.com/news-events/blog/10-best-sustainability-podcasts-environmental-business-leaders Join the climate change adaptation movement by supporting America Adapts!  Please consider supporting this podcast by donating through America Adapts fiscal sponsor, the Social Good Fund. All donations are now tax deductible! For more information on this podcast, visit the website at http://www.americaadapts.org and don't forget to subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.   Podcast Music produce by Richard Haitz Productions Write a review on Apple Podcasts ! America Adapts on Facebook!   Join the America Adapts Facebook Community Group. Check us out, we're also on YouTube! Executive Producer Dr. Jesse Keenan Subscribe to America Adapts on Apple Podcasts Doug can be contacted at americaadapts @ g mail . com

Christine L. Kramer - inside RFK Jr.'s Chaotic White House BidMay 13, 2024How serious is RFK's presidential bid? From the chaos of the launch through botched announcements, clarifications and retractions, it would appear to an outsider as not very. If his bid is serious then there are concerns about his standpoints on issues and, judging by his campaign thus far, his competency.Could it be he is actually a device, used and opaquely funded by the right wing, to draw votes away from Biden, therefore solidifying Trumps' figures in the election?Christine Kramer is a investigative reporter who has been on the inside of RFK's campaign. And she has some tales to tell.RFK Jr.,is an American politician, environmental lawyer, anti-vaccine activist, and conspiracy theorist. He is the chairman and founder of Children's Health Defense, an anti-vaccine advocacy group that is a leading proponent of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, and an independent candidate in the 2024 presidential election. A member of the Kennedy family, he is a son of U.S. attorney general and senator Robert F. Kennedy, and nephew of U.S. president John F. Kennedy and senator Ted Kennedy.Kennedy began his career as an assistant district attorney in New York City. In 1984 and 1986, he joined two nonprofits focused on environmental protection: Riverkeeper and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). His work at Riverkeeper set long-term environmental legal standards. At both organizations, he won legal battles against large corporate polluters. He became an adjunct professor of environmental law at Pace University School of Law in 1986. In 1987, he founded Pace's Environmental Litigation Clinic, where he held the post of supervising attorney and co-director until 2017. He founded the nonprofit environmental group Waterkeeper Alliance in 1999, serving as the president of its board.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

pWotD Episode 2829: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Welcome to Popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 442,533 views on Wednesday, 29 January 2025 our article of the day is Robert F. Kennedy Jr..Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. (born January 17, 1954), also known by his initials RFK Jr., is an American politician, environmental lawyer, author, anti-vaccine activist, and conspiracy theorist. He is the nominee for United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) in President Donald Trump's second cabinet.A member of the Kennedy family, he is a son of U. S. attorney general and senator Robert F. Kennedy and a nephew of U. S. president John F. Kennedy and Senator Ted Kennedy. He began his career as an assistant district attorney in New York City. In the mid-1980s, he joined two nonprofits focused on environmental protection, Riverkeeper and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). He became an adjunct professor of environmental law at Pace University School of Law in 1986. In 1987, Kennedy founded Pace's Environmental Litigation Clinic. He founded the nonprofit environmental group Waterkeeper Alliance in 1999. He ran as a Democratic candidate and later an independent candidate in the 2024 United States presidential election, then withdrew from the race and endorsed Trump.Since 2005, Kennedy has promoted vaccine misinformation and public-health conspiracy theories, including the scientifically disproved claim of a causal link between vaccines and autism. He is the chairman and founder of Children's Health Defense, an anti-vaccine advocacy group and proponent of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation. Kennedy has written books including The Riverkeepers (1997), Crimes Against Nature (2004), The Real Anthony Fauci (2021), and A Letter to Liberals (2022).This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:57 UTC on Thursday, 30 January 2025.For the full current version of the article, see Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Joanna.

Did you know that neonicotinoids are among the most ecologically destructive pesticides we've seen since DDT? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Dan Raichel, J.D., Executive Director of the Pollinators and Pesticides Initiative at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Raichel discusses the widespread use of, and harm from, neonicotinoid use in agriculture, lawns and gardens, and New York state's Birds and Bees Protection Act. Learn how “neonics,” the widely used neurotoxic class of pesticides, cause harm to bees, pollinators, birds, soil microbes, fish, and mammals including humans.Related Websites: https://www.nrdc.org/bio/daniel-raichel/new-york-enacts-nation-leading-law-protect-bees-birds-and-people  www.nrdc.org Saw Mill River Audubon presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI9IZtMYQXw

On June 26, 2024, B&C, along with the Environmental Law Institute and the George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, sponsored the all-day virtual conference, TSCA Reform — Eight Years Later. The quality of the discussion, the caliber of the participants, and the timeliness of the content motivated us to repurpose the substantive sessions. B&C and ELI are pleased to co-sponsor this episode of All Things Chemical® to enable our podcast audience to listen to these sessions. Samantha Liskow, Lead Counsel, Health Program, EDF, moderated Panel 3: New Chemical Review. The panelists included Shari Barash, Director, NCD, OPPT, EPA; Kyla Bennett, Ph.D., Director, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER); Kerry Coy, Product Regulation Specialist, BASF Corporation; Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry, B&C; and Daniel Rosenberg, Senior Attorney, Environmental Health, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The panelists discussed the latest updates to EPA's new chemical review process, whether challenges are being addressed and how, whether review times are being diminished, scientific integrity, and best available science. ALL MATERIALS IN THIS PODCAST ARE PROVIDED SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL  AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. THE MATERIALS ARE NOT INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE OR THE PROVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES. ALL LEGAL QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ANSWERED DIRECTLY BY A LICENSED ATTORNEY PRACTICING IN THE APPLICABLE AREA OF LAW. ©2024 Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.  All Rights Reserved

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Michael Davidson joins us to discuss China's energy security. Dr. Davidson gives an overview of China's energy landscape and compares it to that of other countries, such as the United States. He explains how China's energy priorities have evolved throughout the last decade, especially in response to factors such as climate change and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Dr. Davidson emphasizes the effects that the 2021 and 2022 power shortages in China had on senior Chinese leadership and the resulting elevation in importance of energy security, specifically in the power sector. Additionally, Dr. Davidson discusses China's challenge in balancing energy security with its goals of reducing emissions and the resulting expanded definition of what energy security encompasses. Finally, Dr. Davidson speaks to how China's evolving energy security affects its foreign policy and the potential risks for the U.S. and other countries in collaborating with China on clean energy.   Dr. Michael Davidson is an assistant professor at the School of Global Policy and Strategy and the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department of the Jacobs School of Engineering. Michael Davidson's research focuses on the engineering implications and institutional conflicts inherent in deploying renewable energy at scale. He is particularly interested in China's energy system, which he has studied for over 15 years. Dr. Davidson was previously the U.S.-China Climate Policy Coordinator for the environmental nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). He was a Public Intellectuals Program Fellow at the National Committee of U.S.-China Relations, is a current fellow with the Penn Project on the Future of U.S.-China Relations, and a former Fulbright Scholar. Prior to joining UC San Diego, Davidson was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center's Environment and Natural Resources Program. He received his Ph.D. in engineering systems and a masters in Technology and Policy from MIT.   

pWotD Episode 2671: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Welcome to Popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 564,912 views on Saturday, 24 August 2024 our article of the day is Robert F. Kennedy Jr..Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. (born January 17, 1954), also known by his initials RFK Jr., is an American politician, environmental lawyer, anti-vaccine activist, and conspiracy theorist. He is the chairman and founder of Children's Health Defense, an anti-vaccine advocacy group that is a leading proponent of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, and was an independent candidate in the 2024 United States presidential election. A member of the Kennedy family, he is a son of the U. S. attorney general and senator Robert F. Kennedy, and a nephew of the U. S. president John F. Kennedy and the senator Ted Kennedy.After growing up in the Washington, D. C. area and Massachusetts, Kennedy graduated from Harvard University and obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. He began his career as an assistant district attorney in New York City. In the mid-1980s, he joined two nonprofits focused on environmental protection: Riverkeeper and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). His work at Riverkeeper set long-term environmental legal standards. At both organizations, Kennedy won legal battles against large corporate polluters. He became an adjunct professor of environmental law at Pace University School of Law in 1986. In 1987, Kennedy founded Pace's Environmental Litigation Clinic, and held the positions of supervising attorney and co-director there until 2017. He founded the nonprofit environmental group Waterkeeper Alliance in 1999, serving as the president of its board until 2020.Since 2005, Kennedy has promoted anti-vaccine misinformation and public-health conspiracy theories, including the scientifically disproven claim of a causal link between vaccines and autism. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, he has emerged as a leading proponent of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation in the United States. Many of his often false public health claims have targeted such prominent figures as Anthony Fauci, Bill Gates, and Joe Biden. He has written books including The Real Anthony Fauci (2021) and A Letter to Liberals (2022).This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:25 UTC on Sunday, 25 August 2024.For the full current version of the article, see Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Brian.

Christine L. Kramer - inside RFK Jr.'s Chaotic White House BidMay 13How serious is RFK's presidential bid? From the chaos of the launch through botched announcements, clarifications and retractions, it would appear to an outsider as not very. If his bid is serious then there are concerns about his standpoints on issues and, judging by his campaign thus far, his competency.Could it be he is actually a device, used and opaquely funded by the right wing, to draw votes away from Biden, therefore solidifying Trumps' figures in the election?Christine Kramer is a investigative reporter who has been on the inside of RFK's campaign. And she has some tales to tell.RFK Jr.,is an American politician, environmental lawyer, anti-vaccine activist, and conspiracy theorist. He is the chairman and founder of Children's Health Defense, an anti-vaccine advocacy group that is a leading proponent of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, and an independent candidate in the 2024 presidential election. A member of the Kennedy family, he is a son of U.S. attorney general and senator Robert F. Kennedy, and nephew of U.S. president John F. Kennedy and senator Ted Kennedy.Kennedy began his career as an assistant district attorney in New York City. In 1984 and 1986, he joined two nonprofits focused on environmental protection: Riverkeeper and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). His work at Riverkeeper set long-term environmental legal standards. At both organizations, he won legal battles against large corporate polluters. He became an adjunct professor of environmental law at Pace University School of Law in 1986. In 1987, he founded Pace's Environmental Litigation Clinic, where he held the post of supervising attorney and co-director until 2017. He founded the nonprofit environmental group Waterkeeper Alliance in 1999, serving as the president of its board.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

Today on AirTalk, we check-in on Hollywood and how it has found itself in an economic slowdown with few job openings. Also on the show, a new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) looks at how retailers aren't stocking shelves with sustainable products; we recap Governor Gavin Newsom's State of the State; New York Times journalist Nicolas Kristof talks about his new book ‘Chasing Hope: A Reporter's Life;' and more. Checking-in on Hollywood (00:17) Are retailers stocking shelves with sustainable goods?  (20:01) Amber Rufflin on her Bigfoot musical (29:23) What to know about Gov. Newsom's State of the State (51:15) NBC expanding social media coverage for Paris Summer Olympics (1:02:40) Journalist Nicolas Kritof talks new book ‘Chasing Hope' (1:27:26)

At least 33 people died in heatwave during the 2024 General Election's last phase in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha. The people who died include polling officials. The average heat related mortality has increased by 85% in 2013-22 as compared with 1991-2001. Excess heat can cause:  Cardiac related illness Lung damage Kidney injury Adverse pregnancy outcome  Mental health impact But often these deaths are not recorded as heat-related deaths or are not accepted by the respective governments or local bodies.  The National Action Plan on Heat Related Illnesses, 2021 gave detailed guidelines on how to record a suspected heat-related illness death. Recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released a document examining autopsy findings of those who died of heat-related illnesses. This is an attempt by the govt to standardise the approach of confirming such deaths.  We are replaying last year's episode. In this episode, Suno India's Sneha Richhariya visited a district hospital to understand the challenges of recording a heat-related death. I spoke to Dr. Abhishek Sharma, Emergency Medical Officer at Noida district hospital and Abhiyant Tiwari, lead climate resilience and health consultant at Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).  References India heatwave kills at least 33, including election officials - The Economic Times National Action plan on Heat Related llnesses.pdf AUTOPSY FINDINGS HEAT RELATED DEATHS Cause certified in just 22.5% of deaths registered in 2020 | India NewsSee sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

Is it possible to decarbonize agriculture and make the food system more resilient to climate change? Today, I'm speaking with agricultural policy expert Peter Lehner about his climate neutral agriculture ideas and the science, law and policy needed to achieve these ambitious goals. Lehner is an environmental lawyer at Earthjustice and directs the organization's Sustainable Food and Farming Program. Transcript How does agriculture impact the climate? And I guess as important as that question is why don't more people know about this? It's unfortunate that more people don't know about it because Congress and other policy makers only really respond to public pressure. And there isn't enough public pressure now to address agriculture's contribution to climate change. Where does it come from? Most people think about climate change as a result of burning fossil fuels, coal and oil, and the release of carbon dioxide. And there's some of that in agriculture. Think about tractors and ventilation fans and electricity used for pumps for irrigation. But most of agriculture's contribution to climate change comes from other processes that are not in the fossil fuel or the power sector. Where are those? The first is nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas about 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide. And it comes because most farmers around the world and in the U.S. put about twice as much nitrogen fertilizer on their crops, on the land, as the plants can absorb. That extra nitrogen goes somewhere. Some of it goes off into the water. I'm sure your listeners have heard about harmful algae outbreaks or eutrophication of areas like the Chesapeake Bay and other bays where you just get too many nutrients and too much algae and very sick ecosystem. A lot of that nitrogen, though, also goes into the atmosphere as nitrous oxide. About 80% of nitrous oxide emissions in the U.S. come from agriculture. Excess fertilization of our hundreds of millions of acres of crop land. Quick question. Why would, because the farmers have to pay money for this, why do they apply twice as much as the plants can absorb? Great question. It's because of several different factors. Partly it is essentially technical or mechanical. A farmer may want to have the fertilizer on the land right at the spring when the crops are growing but the land may be a little muddy then. So they may have put it on in the fall, which is unfortunate because in the United States, in our temperate area, no plants are taking up fertilizers in the fall. Also, a plant is like you or me. They want to eat continually but a farmer may not want to apply fertilizer continuous. Every time you apply it, it takes tractor time and effort and it is more difficult. So they'll put a ton of fertilizer on at one point and then hope it lasts for a while, knowing that some of it will run off, but hopeful that some will remain to satisfy the plant. There's a lot of effort now to try to improve fertilizer application. To make sure it's applied in ways just the right amount at the right time. And perhaps with these what's called extended release fertilizers where you put it on and it will continue to release the nutrients to the plant over the next couple of weeks and not run off. But we have a long way to go. Okay, thanks. I appreciate that discussion and I'm sorry I diverted you from the track you were on talking about the overall impact of agriculture on the climate. I think what's so exciting about this area is that everyone cares about our food. We eat it three times a day or more and yet we know very little about where it comes from and its impacts on the world around us. It's wonderful to be talking about this. The second major source of climate change impact in agriculture is methane. Methane is another greenhouse gas much more powerful than carbon dioxide. About 30 times more powerful over a hundred years and about 85 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over 20 years. Which is I think the policy relevant time period that we're looking at because we're all trying to achieve climate stability by 2050. And where does methane come from? A little bit comes from rice, but the vast majority of it comes from cows and from manure. Cows are different than you and me. They can eat grass, and their stomachs are different, and release methane. Every time they breathe out, they are essentially breathing out this potent greenhouse gas methane. This is called enteric methane and it's the largest single source of methane in the United States. Bigger than the gas industry or the oil industry. The other major source of methane is manure. Our animals are raised in what are called concentrated animal feeding operations. They're not grazing bucolically on the pasture, they are crammed into buildings where there may be thousands, or tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of these animals. Those hundreds of thousands of animals produce a vast amount of manure, whether it be say pigs in North Carolina or dairies in many States, or cattle or chicken. All our meat nowadays is grown in these concentrated areas where you get concentrated manure and that is often stored in these lagoons. These big pits of poop basically. And that, as it decomposes in this liquid environment, what's called anaerobically , releases a tremendous amount of methane. That's the second largest source of methane in the country after the cows belching. So you have nitrous oxide and you have methane. And then the third way agriculture contributes to climate change, which is different say than the fossil fuel sector, is by changing the land itself. Agriculture uses a tremendous amount of land. Think about it. When you go around, what do you see? You see agriculture uses about 62% of the contiguous United States; 800 million acres of land for grazing; or almost 400 million acres of land for cropland. Healthy land before it's been used for agriculture has a tremendous amount of carbon in the soil and in the plants. Just think about a forest with all the rich soil and the rich vegetation. When that is cleared to be a cornfield, all that carbon is lost and essentially it goes into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. And that soil after that can't absorb any more carbon. Healthy soil is absorbing carbon all the time and most agricultural soils are not. So that release of carbon when you convert land to agriculture and that continuing inability to sequester carbon is another major way that agriculture contributes to climate change. So these three ways: nitrous oxide, methane and carbon from soil are all important contributors to climate change that don't really fit most people's model of what drives climate change - burning coal or oil and releasing carbon dioxide. But the bottom line is if we don't address agriculture's contribution to climate change, no matter how successful we are in reducing our fossil fuel use, we are very likely to face catastrophic climate change. Agriculture's contribution to climate change is so significant. Far more than the indicated by many figures. We can't achieve climate stability without addressing agriculture as well. Agriculture drives about a quarter or a third total green climate change. Given how important this is, why don't people know more about it? And does industry play a role in that? Industry plays a big role, as does politics. Industry - and by industry we mean the food industry. And you've covered this before. It's very concentrated industry where usually two or three or four firms control the market, whether it be for seeds or retail or beef or chicken or pesticides. It's a very, very concentrated industry with tremendous political power. They have done their best to ensure, first of all, the agriculture industry doesn't even have to report their greenhouse gas emissions. Every other industry has to report their greenhouse gas emissions. The big polluters have to report. On the other hand, agriculture was able to obtain a rider in Congress. That's an extra provision on a budget bill starting about a decade ago that prohibits EPA from requiring agricultural facilities to report greenhouse gas emissions. So unlike most areas, agriculture doesn't even have to report their emissions and industry certainly wants to keep it that way. Also, as I was explaining, agriculture contributes to climate change in a way that is different than what we normally think about. I think that added complexity has just meant it is harder for people to understand. And third, there's a tremendous amount of mythology in agriculture. People think or would like to think that their food comes from this nice family farm with a few animals and a few diversified crops on the hillside. And that in some sense was the reality 50 or 100 years ago, but now it's not the reality. While there's still lots of small farms like that by number, those produce very little of our food. Most of our food is produced in these gigantic animal factories that I mentioned earlier or in gigantic monoculture chemical-dependent agricultural operations. So, we have this disconnect between what is the mythology of agriculture and where our food comes from and the reality of it. People really don't want their myths disrupted. Given the importance of these issues, what are some of the main ways that the impact of agriculture on climate can be changed? That's another exciting part of this. That there's a lot of things that can be done to reduce the impact of agriculture's contribution to climate change. And we know this because there are a lot of producers who have piloted these programs, who've implemented these programs and these practices on their own operations to reduce the climate impact. And they've been successful. So these can be, for example, rotating crops instead of having the same crop year after year after year, which really depletes the soil. You can have different crops in different years and each crop puts a little different in the soil and takes a little different from the soil. As a result, very often you end up needing less artificial pesticide and fertilizer, both of which contribute to climate change. You can manage your animals different. You can manage your manure differently. For example, if manure is treated and handled dry, as opposed to in these wet manure lagoons, it produces very, very little methane. Instead of producing tremendous amounts of methane, it produces almost none. So, if we manage manure differently, we can significantly reduce methane emissions. And of course, there's what we think of as the demand side. In the same way that we think about LED light bulbs or more efficient cars as part of our energy transformation, we can use our land and food more efficiently. We waste a tremendous amount of food. Maybe 30-40% of the food we produce is wasted. That's crazy. It's all the effort and the greenhouse gases from producing the food are wasted if the food is wasted. Even worse, the food is dumped into a landfill for the most part where it releases more methane. And it's inefficient. We have a system that very heavily subsidizes meat production, but meat uses, particularly beef, a tremendous amount of land because cows need a lot of land the way their biology requires land and time. So we have almost 800 million or 700 million acres of land devoted to cattle grazing that could be storing carbon. Then it takes about 15 pounds of grain to get a pound of beef where people can eat the grain directly much more efficiently. So there's a lot of practices that we can do at every stage of the process to reduce the climate impact of agriculture. The challenge is that it's only on a couple percent of American cropland or very little portion of our food is produced that way. So Peter, let me ask you a question about that very point you're on. We've recorded a series of podcasts on regenerative agriculture. Some of the most interesting podcasts we've done from my point of view. And they've included scientists who've studied it, policy people who look into it, but also farmers who have done this. I'm thinking particularly, well, three names pop into mind, but there are more. So Nancy Ranney, who ran a ranch in New Mexico for cattle, Gabe Brown, a regenerative farmer in North Dakota, and Will Harris from Georgia were all people we spoke to. I got the sense in each of those cases that these people were converting to this new model of farming because of what they cared about. It was their own passions that led them to do this and belief that a different system of agriculture was going to be important for the future. They were doing it for that reason, rather than any incentives from the government or policies that were encouraging, things like that. So there will be a small number of such people who would do it because they're passionate about it. I'm assuming that number will grow, but never fast enough to really do anything to scale like we really need it. So I'm ultimately you're going to need policies in place to ensure these things happen in more and more farms. Are there particular policies that are oriented this way that you think might be especially helpful? Kelly, you are spot on. I know Nancy and Gabe and Will, and they're terrific. They are pioneers and they are showing that we know this works. We're not looking at ideas that might work. We are looking at practices that we know work because of what they and others like them have done. As you said, they're doing it because they believe it's the right thing. We'll get some farmers that way, but we need policy to move from 2% of American crop land to 92% of American crop land. So, how do we do that? One is the current farm bill is very important. The farm bill is the most important environmental law nobody's ever heard of. It dates back to the depression. It's renewed every five years. Congress is debating it right now. It was supposed to be renewed last year, but they couldn't get their act together. So they may or may not be able to reauthorize it this year. But the farm bill in one section provides a tremendous amount of money for nutrition assistance. And you've probably talked about that, what we call the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. In another part of it, it provides tremendous amounts of subsidies to farmers, about $20 billion a year of subsidies to farmers. Right now, those subsidies really are not designed to encourage farmers to adopt the practices that you talked to Nancy or Gabe or Will about. These practices that I was talking about earlier and that sometimes are called regenerative, sometimes agroecological, organic farming is often a part of that. These $20 billion of subsidies though, could be redirected, reshaped somewhat and not necessarily radically, but reshaped and focused on encouraging farmers to adopt these practices that can help mitigate climate change. And importantly, the same practices, and as I'm sure the folks you've talked to said, also help them be more resilient to climate change. They can better help the producer better withstand floods and droughts and temperature extremes. So there is a tremendous upside from this. We are already spending $20 billion a year on farm subsidies. Let's start spending it more intelligently in a way that really addresses our needs. Do you see signs that things are moving in that direction? I wish I did. There are some signs that we're moving in the right direction. The Inflation Reduction Act, which Congress passed a couple of years ago, was the first time Congress ever linked agriculture and climate change. In the 2018 Farm Bill, there's no mention of climate change. And when we were working on that with members on the Hill, there was really no overt conversations about climate change. Fortunately, things have changed. So, a step forward is that we're talking about climate change. And in the Inflation Reduction Act, Congress provided $20 billion to go to programs that are established under the Farm Bill. So, 20 extra billion dollars to these Farm Bill conservation programs and required that that money be spent on practices that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, essentially help us mitigate climate change. And that, again, was the first time Congress linked agriculture and climate change. Super important. Part of what's going on now on the Hill is a fight to ensure that money that the Inflation Reduction Act provided stays. There are those in Congress that would like to raid those funds and put them to other purposes, which we think would be a big step backwards. So that was really great opportunity. As to the Farm Bill money itself, there's definitely some conversations, particularly among the Democrats, to ensure that all of the Farm Bill programs are a bit more climate-focused. But we're far from consensus on that. So, we're making a bit of progress, but right now Congress is, I think it's fair to say, not at its most functional. And so the type of policy discussions we need, and an honest discussion of how can we help American farmers shift to practices that are better for them, for the communities, upwind and downwind and around them, better for climate change resilience and climate change mitigation. We're really not yet having that conversation as robustly as we need. Hopefully we'll be able to get to a place where the politics will allow us to have that. And frankly, this podcast and other conversations are really important to educating people so we can have that conversation. When you're trying to make policy advances, having public support for it can be a real asset. Do you see signs that the public is becoming more aware of this, that they're urging their political leaders to move on this front? For sure. The public is very much concerned about climate change. Every poll shows that. And people are concerned about it both as citizens and as consumers. So, if you follow the food marketing world, what you see is that many surveys show that consumers are very interested in the climate impact of their food choices. And far more than was the case a couple of years ago. And they want to know how can I buy food? How can I eat food that is climate friendly, that helps us stabilize the climate? And industry is responding to that. Now, some industry is responding to that by deceptive advertising. You may have seen that the New York Attorney General recently sued JBS, the world's largest beef company, for misleading statements about the climate-friendliness of their beef. So some companies are talking more than they're doing, but others are trying to respond to consumers' interest in more climate-friendly food. You see a growth in plant-based foods, plant-based milks, because plant-based foods have a much, much lower climate impact than meats, particularly beef. And so consumers are interested in that, and that market is responding. And I think you'll see more of that in governmental procurement as well. Governments that are trying to think about how can we, say New York City, reduce our climate footprint while a big part of a city's climate footprint is the food it purchases, say for New York City schools. And a city can take action by trying to buy lower climate impact foods. And that would be foods produced in a way that you've talked about with regenerative practices and also lower climate impact, such as more plant based. So, I think we're seeing a lot of progress on that for sure. So Peter, related to this, what would you think about some kind of labeling system on food products that gives an environmental score, let's say? I personally like the idea of labels. I'm not an expert by any stretch. I do remember that not too long ago, New York City required restaurants to label or have on the menus the calorie content of food. And that provision was later adopted by the Affordable Care Act and now is required of chain restaurants. And Trump tried to roll that back. So we litigated to try to preserve that and get that requirement reinstated in the Affordable Care Act successfully. And during that, I learned that labels really make a difference. Calorie labeling on menus does in fact help people make more informed choices and often better choices. And there's no question, again, I'm not an expert. You probably know much more, but for example, the added sugar labels make a difference and others. So I think as a whole, labels can make a big difference. Now, environmental footprint is a complicated multifaceted issue because something may create harm to water. It may create harm through toxic, say pesticide residue, or it may have a big climate footprint. How do you put all of that into a simple label? It's a complicated question. But I do think there's interest in having particularly climate, the climate impact food be identified on the label. And perhaps we will move in that direction.   Bio Based in New York, Peter Lehner is the managing attorney of Earthjustice's Sustainable Food & Farming Program, developing litigation, administrative, and legislative strategies to promote a more just and environmentally sound agricultural system and to reduce health, environmental, and climate harms from production of our food. Peter is one of the leading experts on the impact of agriculture on climate change and is the author of Farming for Our Future; the Science, Law, and Policy of Climate-Neutral Agriculture. From 2007–2015, Peter was the executive director of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the NRDC Action Fund. Among other new initiatives, Peter shaped a clean food program with food waste, antibiotic-free meat, regional food, and climate mitigation projects. From 1999–2006, Peter served as chief of the Environmental Protection Bureau of the New York State Attorney General's office. He supervised all environmental litigation by and against the state. He developed innovative multi-state strategies targeting global warming and air pollution emissions from the nation's largest electric utilities, spearheaded novel watershed enforcement programs, and led cases addressing invasive species, wildlife protection, and public health. Peter previously served at NRDC for five years directing the clean water program where he brought important attention to stormwater pollution. Before that, he created and led the environmental prosecution unit for New York City. Peter holds an AB in philosophy and mathematics from Harvard College and is an honors graduate of Columbia University Law School. Peter is on the boards of the Rainforest Alliance and Environmental Advocates of New York and a member of the American College of Environmental Lawyers. He helps manage two mid-sized farms and teaches a course on agriculture and environmental law at Columbia Law School.

Christine L. Kramer - inside RFK Jr.'s Chaotic White House Bid4 days agoHow serious is RFK's presidential bid? From the chaos of the launch through botched announcements, clarifications and retractions, it would appear to an outsider as not very. If his bid is serious then there are concerns about his standpoints on issues and, judging by his campaign thus far, his competency.Could it be he is actually a device, used and opaquely funded by the right wing, to draw votes away from Biden, therefore solidifying Trumps' figures in the election?Christine Kramer is a investigative reporter who has been on the inside of RFK's campaign. And she has some tales to tell.RFK Jr.,is an American politician, environmental lawyer, anti-vaccine activist, and conspiracy theorist. He is the chairman and founder of Children's Health Defense, an anti-vaccine advocacy group that is a leading proponent of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, and an independent candidate in the 2024 presidential election. A member of the Kennedy family, he is a son of U.S. attorney general and senator Robert F. Kennedy, and nephew of U.S. president John F. Kennedy and senator Ted Kennedy.Kennedy began his career as an assistant district attorney in New York City. In 1984 and 1986, he joined two nonprofits focused on environmental protection: Riverkeeper and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). His work at Riverkeeper set long-term environmental legal standards. At both organizations, he won legal battles against large corporate polluters. He became an adjunct professor of environmental law at Pace University School of Law in 1986. In 1987, he founded Pace's Environmental Litigation Clinic, where he held the post of supervising attorney and co-director until 2017. He founded the nonprofit environmental group Waterkeeper Alliance in 1999, serving as the president of its board.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

On this episode of the Bracewell Environmental Law Monitor, guest Matthew Tejada, senior vice president for environmental health at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), discusses environmental justice with host Daniel Pope and Steven Cook, of counsel in Bracewell's Environment, Lands and Resources practice.  Tune in to hear Dan, Matt, and Steven discuss environmental justice – a signature policy goal of the Biden administration. The conversation covers how this administration has fared in expanding both the focus of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on environmental justice and the role of non-governmental organizations and the private sector in the environmental justice movement.  

It's a strange world we inhabit. The most sane person I knew is now the one least tethered to reality. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was a stalwart of our initial progressive talk effort, Air America. Bobby was smart and savvy. As a law professor, he could explain the economically and morally unsustainable nature of slavery, or as a leader of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), he could tell you about our troubles with water pollution. Then, inexplicably, he went off the rails and became an anti-vaxxer, followed soon after by his conversion to conspiracy theory super-spreader. It's not often that I speak about newsmakers from my personal experience, but this is one of those rare times. I hope you'll listen.

In this episode of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Chris Calwell, Adjunct Professor of a graduate course on International Renewable Energy at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, CA. He is also a Principal at Ecos Research, focusing on clean energy technologies and their transformation in our society. His other passion, outside of Ecos Research, is proactively investing in cleantech and tracking down the companies that are doing the best job of preventing climate change, as opposed to running down a checklist of bad things companies aren't doing if you want to buy their stock.Chris is an internationally recognized expert operating at the intersection of the technologies and policies needed to address climate change, particularly in the fields of energy storage, electric vehicles, and renewable energy. He and Ted discuss his background, born in Independence, Missouri, grew up in Topeka, Kansas, and attended Trinity University in San Antonio, earning a degree in Environmental Studies. He then went on to Berkeley and joined the Energy Resources Group (ERG), which led him to his first summer job at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).Chris served seven years in the NRDC Energy Program, helping to launch NRDC's work on climate change, electric vehicles, and voluntary partnerships with electric utilities to improve residential energy efficiency. Chris then co-founded Ecos Consulting in 1997, working with a team of researchers on behalf of the U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR® program, the California Energy Commission, PG&E, NRDC, NEEA, NYSERDA and Natural Resources Canada to improve the energy efficiency of residential lighting, appliances, power supplies and consumer electronics through voluntary labeling and incentive programs and mandatory efficiency standards.  He and Ted dig into his works in consumer electronics and the external power supply story. They discuss Eco's startling revelations about the standard test for television efficiency at the time, as well as cleantech investment. He shares that he continues to do consulting work in the Energy Star world, and is currently in discussions with them on some additional work related to batteries and EVs.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s career began in 1985 as an attorney for the environmental nonprofit RiverKeeper. He became one of the most influential environmentalists in the United States, receiving TIME Magazine's "Hero of the Planet” and the Sartisky Peace Award.Son of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of President John F. Kennedy, Bobby Jr. was a lifelong Democrat but became increasingly estranged from the party in the 2010s as it drifted away from its traditional values. He made his final break on October 9, 2023, when he announced his candidacy as an independent for President of the United States. Bobby has spent nearly 40 years fighting corrupt corporations and government agencies. During his tenure at RiverKeeper, he successfully sued dozens of municipalities to force compliance with the Clean Water Act. He won cases against corporate giants too, including a suit against General Electric for toxic runoff from its corporate jet hangar and a court order against ExxonMobil mandating they clean up tens of millions of gallons of spilled oil in Brooklyn, NY. Building on the success of the local Riverkeeper model, Bobby co-founded the WaterKeeper Alliance and served as its President for 21 years. Under his direction, it became the world's largest nonprofit devoted to clean water and now protects 2.7 million miles of waterways with over a million volunteers in the United States and 46 other countries. Bobby's work has emphasized protection of local communities in their battle against corporate and government polluters. Some of his most noteworthy victories include: Beginning in 1985, Kennedy helped the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) establish an international program for environmental, energy and human rights. On behalf of this program he assisted indigenous people in Canada and Latin America protecting their homelands and wilderness areas from unwanted large-scale extractive energy projects. Bobby Kennedy was an early and vocal critic of President Bush's decision to invade Iraq and the US enhanced interrogation program at Guantanamo Bay and around the world. He has also been a devoted supporter of union rights, going on hunger strike with United Farm Workers and serving as a pall-bearer during the funeral of Cesar Chavez. Bobby has consistently argued that those who work hard in the United States should be able to afford a good life. Bobby's activism around toxic pollution led him to lobby successfully for the removal of mercury from most childhood vaccinations in the United States. The pharmaceutical megacorporations are by far the most heavily fined and criminally prosecuted companies in America, yet also some of the most powerful. His nonprofit, Children's Health Defense, has long been a key crusader against the corruption of this industry and its influence in government. Bobby is an avid outdoorsman, master falconer and white water kayaker. He has authored a dozen books on subjects ranging from environmental protection to American history and public life, including children's books on the lives of St Francis of Asisi and Robert Smalls. In October 2011, Bobby founded EcoWatch, a leading environmental news site, and was an editor of Indian Country Today, North America's largest Indigenous newspaper. Bobby is the proud father of seven children and grandpa to two grandkids.

In this episode, Julia Souder shares her passion for Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) and shares her ideas on how global organizations can work together to make it more widespread as an extremely resilient energy solution.Quotes“We are a huge part of the solution in the green energy transition.” – Julia Souder“Despite what they tell you, it's not a solved science.” [battery energy storage] – Amy Simpkins“LDES really does de-risk the transition. It just needs more doors opened to play on the playground with everyone else.” – Julia Souder“LDES is at the tipping point to provide the benefits.” – Julia SouderAboutJulia Souder is a strategic executive with over 20 years of expertise in the energy and environmental sectors as a coalition builder and advocate. She has been a longtime champion of clean energy technology, working extensively to support environmentally friendly technologies and equitable policies.Julia leads the LDES Council's strategy and vision to enable the advancement of long duration energy storage to the center stage of the energy transition worldwide.Julia served as the Executive Director of the Long Duration Energy Storage Association of California (LDESAC). While there, she led the education and outreach of emerging and existing long duration energy storage developers, focusing on its importance to grid reliability and meeting climate goals.Julia launched JAS Energies in 2019 to bring inclusive, diverse, and equitable transitions and policies into fruition. She provided a deep understanding of challenges facing the US electricity sector in reducing carbon emissions, building renewable energy projects, creating markets, and implementing a clean energy vision. Previously, Julia was a Director at the The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), focused on market and energy policy creation and implementation, creating coalitions and interpreted real-time grid operations and transmission planning.Julia's prior roles include senior positions at Clean Line Energy Partners, North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).Resources:Check out the LDES council's website: https://www.ldescouncil.com/.Connect with Juila on LinkedIn.If you enjoyed the conversation, please share the episode with other innovators. Leave us a positive review and subscribe to Power Flow on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Check out our awesome merch! And hey, we're new, so you can even apply to be a sponsor or a guest.You can follow Power Flow Podcast on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.  Thank you for listening. See you at the whiteboard!

For this episode of EV Hub Live, we hear from Jordan Brinn from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) on building a sustainable EV battery market through policy, funding, and research. Brinn recently authored “Building Batteries Better: Doing the Best With Less” and is a transportation electrification policy expert. The conversation will be facilitated by Atlas Public Policy founder, Nick Nigro. Join us today at 3PM EST. 

The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET. Brad takes on the environment and the economy during today's show! First, he's joined by Bob Deans, Director of Strategic Engagement at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). They discuss the deadly heat that has been induced by climate change, as well as how it helped to supercharge the deadly 'fire-hurricane' in Maui, Hawaii. Then, noted Economist, Dr. Rob Shapiro, joins Brad to breakdown new economic data, which points to 'Bidenomics' beating economists' predictions. Dr. Shapiro also discusses his latest blog, titled, "Oops! Ron DeSantis's Economic Program and Critique Make the Case…for Bidenomics." (Link --> https://www.sonecon.com/oops-ron-desantiss-economic-program-and-critique-make-the-casefor-bidenomics/) The website for the NRDC is NRDC.org and their Twitter handle is @NRDC. Dr. Shapiro's handle is @RobShapiro and his website is Sonecon.com. Brad writes a political column every Sunday for 'The Messenger.' He's on the National Journal's panel of political insiders and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles. You can read Brad's columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His Twitter handle is @BradBannon. You can watch a livestream of this broadcast at the following links: Twitter - https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1PlJQpbVRQyGE YouTube - https://youtube.com/live/RNKXLSsYLdw Facebook - https://fb.watch/mqCzPEf09q/

August 1, 202394. Disasters Are Getting Worse Are You Ready, with Rob MooreIn this episode of the Tell US How to Make It Better podcast, host George Siegal is joined by Rob Moore from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to discuss the pressing issues of climate change, flooding, and the increasing frequency of natural disasters. They shed light on the importance of raising awareness, demanding better building standards, and implementing policies to protect homes and communities. Together, they explore the significance of disclosure requirements and flood insurance to empower homeowners to make informed decisions and create a more resilient future. Here's how you can follow Rob and the NRDC:Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/nrdc_org/ or @nrdc_org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/natural-resources-defense-council/ or Natural Resources Defense Council LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-moore-7a61a415b/ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/nrdc.org/ or NRDC Twitter: @NRDC Twitter: @RobMooreNRDC Rob's NRDC Website: https://www.nrdc.org/bio/rob-moore Interesting Posts & Websites: https://www.americaadapts.org/How States Stack Up on Flood DisclosureSeeking Higher Ground: How to Break the Cycle of Repeated Flooding with Climate-Smart Flood Insurance ReformsAs Climate Risks Worsen, U.S. Flood Buyouts Fail to Meet the NeedImportant information from Homeowners Be Aware:We are excited to be listed in Feedspots 40 best Homeowner podcasts : https://podcasts.feedspot.com/homeowner_podcasts/ Here are ways you can follow me on line:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homeownersbeaware/ Website: https://homeownersbeaware.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-siegal/ If you'd like to reach me for any reason, here's the link to my contact form: https://homeownersbeaware.com/contactHere's the link to the documentary film I'm making Built to Last: Buyer Beware.

  Rob Watson  is an international leader in market transformation, circular economy, sustainable materials management, and green buildings. Watson is known as the “Founding Father of LEED.” Under Rob's direction, LEED became the largest and fastest-growing international green building standard. Author Thomas Friedman called Rob "one of the best environmental minds in America." In 2019, Dartmouth Alumni Magazine recognized Mr. Watson as one of the "25 Most Influential Alumni" in the College's 250 year history.   Watson is a Principal with Upland Road, LLC, which develops eco-industrial campuses around a disruptive technology and business model that will revolutionize the global materials management industry by separating, diverting, and recycling up to 95% of municipal mixed waste that is collected in one bin.   Rob is also the Founder and Co-Chair of the SWEEP (Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance) Standard, a system of market transformation standards geared to move the waste industry toward sustainability.   Previously, Watson launched ECON Group and EcoTech International to implement cutting edge lifecycle optimized LEED projects in the US and China.   Watson was a Senior Scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) for 21 years and received the 2013 International Conservation Award from the Botanical Research Institute of Texas. In 2011, he was an international Zayed Energy Future Award semi-finalist & was profiled on CNN International. Watson was the first foreigner honored for Green Building Innovation by the Chinese Ministry of Construction in 2005 and received the first lifetime achievement award from the U.S. Green Building Council in 2002.   Mr. Watson is an Adjunct Professor at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and has an MBA from Columbia University and a MS from UC Berkeley. He is married to Green Schools Alliance Founder Margaret Howard Watson and has a 23-year-old son, Max.   Show Highlights Rob Watson, the Founding Father of LEED shares his stories and expertise on making a difference in the industry.  The ability to grasp complex systems, understand how they're put together and how to change them.  The curve balls thrown from the industry and how to adjust your swing to support and create systems that work.  Rob breaks down the SWEEP standard as “LEED for solid waste.” Creating a structure where value is captured by providing: buildings as a service.  The problem of the industry that the USGBC needs to be focusing on to transform and deliver sustainability that has true value.  The development of eco-industrial campuses that recycle 90-95% of everything. Smart centers sustainable materials and advanced recovery technology. Be part of “Humanity Inc. and a subsidiary of Planet Co.” by being systems thinking, but with a futurist mindset. AI could possibly be the seed of our salvation. Beyond tweaking LEED. We need to figure out how to deliver the Living Building Challenge and LEED Zero in a cost effective way. The need for radical confidence and a Star Trek moment before 2200. "Radical confidence. The Dalai Lama was asked by a colleague of mine, what's it going take to solve our environmental crisis? And he said, ‘Radical confidence.' And that's basically, the old person who plants a tree. It's just doing something that you're never going to receive the benefit of because you have a positive vision of the future. I'm going to do it because it's the right thing to do and whether I benefit from it or not is not super relevant. Obviously, you've got to keep the roof over your head and food on the table. But at the end of the day, you have to have a life that's worth living. And that means, doing things outside of yourself to make it, you just make the world a better place." -Rob Watson   Show Resource and Information Linkedin   Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community!   If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on .  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the !   Copyright © 2023 GBES

To meet net zero 2050 goals, the U.S. needs to quadruple wind and solar capacity, double the size of the grid, and increase the electric vehicle fleet 100-fold.  Under the existing permitting process, growth at this pace and scale is nearly impossible. It takes years to secure permits for new plants, transmission lines, and mines. That's why accelerating the regulatory permitting process is critical.  But doing so may weaken 50 years worth of protections for communities, land, and wildlife in the United States. What are the implications of the recent proposals for permitting reform? How should clean energy advocates navigate these tradeoffs? And how can policymakers protect American communities and ecosystems as they rush to build out clean energy? This week host Jason Bordoff talks with Christy Goldfuss about the recent permitting reform proposals and the balance between expanding clean energy and protecting communities and ecosystems. Christy is the chief policy impact officer for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) a U.S.-based environmental advocacy nonprofit. Prior to joining NRDC, she was the senior vice president for energy and environmental policy at the Center for American Progress. Christy also served in multiple senior positions during the Obama Administration, first as the deputy director of the National Parks Service, and then as the managing director of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

In the middle of June this year, temperatures in several parts of Uttar Pradesh had ranged between 42C and 47C during mid-June. The media reported that in Ballia and Deoria districts of Uttar Pradesh, 119 people have died from ‘heat-related ailments'. But what exactly is meant by ‘heat-related ailment'? How are heat wave deaths actually reported? How does the doctor medically certify a heat wave death? How are heatwave deaths certified if existing comorbidity is severed by heat, leading to death? In this episode, reporter Sneha Richhariya seeks answers to all such questions. She visits a district hospital and speaks to Dr. Abhishek Sharma, Emergency Medical Officer at Noida district hospital and Abhiyant Tiwari, Lead climate resilience and health consultant at Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).    Additional material Cause certified in just 22.5% of deaths registered in 2020 | India NewsSee sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

Chevron deference is a crucial principle in administrative law which was established after a landmark Supreme Court case, Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 468 U.S. 837 (1984). In 1977, the Clean Air Act was amended by Congress to address the issue of states that had not met the air quality standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These states, known as 'non-attainment' States, were required to create a permit program that would regulate major stationary sources of air pollution that were either new or modified. During the Carter administration, the EPA defined a source as any device in a manufacturing plant that produced pollution. However, when Ronald Reagan became president, Anne M. Gorsuch, who was the head of the EPA, adopted a new definition that permitted existing plants to obtain permits for new equipment that didn't meet the standards as long as the total emissions from the plant didn't increase. This was challenged in court by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which argued that this regulation was unlawful. The federal court ruled in favor of the NRDC, and the company Chevron, who was affected by this decision, appealed the court's ruling.The issue on appeal was the standard of review that should be applied by a court to a government agency's reading of a statute that it is tasked with administering. The Supreme Court upheld the EPA's interpretation and created a two-part analysis, known as the “Chevron two-step test:”First, always, is the question whether Congress has directly spoken to the precise question at issue. If the intent of Congress is clear, that is the end of the matter; for the court, as well as the agency, must give effect to the unambiguously expressed intent of Congress. If, however, the court determines Congress has not directly addressed the precise question at issue, the court does not simply impose its own construction on the statute . . . Rather, if the statute is silent or ambiguous with respect to the specific issue, the question for the court is whether the agency's answer is based on a permissible construction of the statute.— Chevron U.S.A. v. NRDC, 467 U.S. 837, 842-43 (1984).The Chevron deference refers to the judicial principle of deferring to administrative actions in a situation where Congress has not spoken directly to the question at issue. The Supreme Court set out a legal test in the Chevron case for when a court should defer to an agency's interpretation or answer, stating that judicial deference is appropriate if the agency's response is not unreasonable and, as aforementioned, Congress has not directly spoken to the issue at hand.The Chevron deference doctrine or just “Chevron deference” is limited to cases where a legislative delegation to an administrative agency on a particular issue is implicit rather than explicit. In such situations, a court cannot substitute its own interpretation of the statute for a reasonable interpretation made by the administrative agency. When a statute is silent or unclear on a specific issue, the question for the court is whether the agency's action was based on a permissible construction of the statute.For the Chevron deference to apply, the agency interpretation in question must be issued by the agency charged with administering the statute – that's an important part, it is not deference to the administrative state generally but deference to the proper agency. Additionally, the implicit delegation of authority to an administrative agency to interpret a statute does not extend to the agency's interpretation of its own jurisdiction under that statute. In other words, Chevron deference is not given to an agency with regards to its interpretation of whether or not it is the proper agency to be interpreting the given statute. Ultimately, to receive Chevron deference, an agency's interpretation of an ambiguous statute must be reasonable or rational. The court may consider the age of the administrative interpretation and congressional action or inaction in response to it when determining its reasonableness. If Congress was aware of the interpretation when it acted or refrained from action, and the interpretation is not inconsistent with the statute's clear language, it may be considered reasonable. Put another way, a given interpretation may be determined to be de facto reasonable owing to Congress' action following that interpretation – acting or failing to act to countermand the agency interpretation. The scope of Chevron deference has been narrowed in subsequent cases, and only agency interpretations reached through formal proceedings with the force of law, such as adjudications or notice-and-comment rulemaking, are eligible for Chevron deference. Interpretations contained in opinion letters, policy statements, agency manuals, or other formats that do not carry the force of law are not entitled to Chevron deference. In such cases, the court may still give persuasive weight to the agency's interpretation under the "Skidmore deference" analysis, but this treatment is slightly less deferential than the Chevron deference.Okay, so why is this in the news? Well, as you may have heard earlier this week in Minimum Competence, there is a case before the Supreme Court captioned Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. There, the issue before the court is either, at the extreme, whether Chevron itself should be overruled entirely or, more likely, whether a statute that does not speak to controversial powers that are narrowly, and expressly, granted elsewhere in the statute is an ambiguity requiring deference to the agency tasked with administering said statute. The case will likely be argued later this year and a decision will come some time in 2024. When that happens, Chevron will probably survive, but it may be substantially pared back.  Get full access to Minimum Competence - Daily Legal News Podcast at www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

On today's episode of The Catch, host Ruxandra Guidi continues her exploration of the Upper Gulf of California to learn more about what can be done to stop illegal gillnet fishing. We hear from Zak Smith, a senior attorney and the director of global biodiversity conservation at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). He led an effort to force a U.S. embargo on seafood from the area. Guidi then reports on the efforts made by the NRDC and others to compel Mexico to follow its own laws to protect the vaquita. She and her travel companions venture out on a boat to see firsthand whether or not tighter restrictions have impacted local fishers and the market for the highly desirable blue shrimp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A live webcast will be streamed at 12:00 PM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast. The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) invite you to a briefing on expanding organic agriculture. Organic agriculture is a time-tested, scientifically-supported approach to farming and ranching that centers ecological diversity, soil fertility, and natural systems rather than chemical interventions. The briefing will feature the firsthand experience of organic farmers and findings from NRDC’s new report, Grow Organic: The Climate, Health, and Economic Case for Expanding Organic Agriculture. As Congress crafts the next reauthorization of the Farm Bill, this briefing will cover how federal policies can support the expansion of organic farming and ranching. Recommendations include reducing barriers to scaling up organic agriculture, ramping up federal resources for organic agriculture, and ensuring just and equitable participation, especially for Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Panelists will describe how these steps can provide benefits to the climate, health, and local economies.

A live webcast will be streamed at 12:00 PM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast. The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) invite you to a briefing on expanding organic agriculture. Organic agriculture is a time-tested, scientifically-supported approach to farming and ranching that centers ecological diversity, soil fertility, and natural systems rather than chemical interventions. The briefing will feature the firsthand experience of organic farmers and findings from NRDC's new report, Grow Organic: The Climate, Health, and Economic Case for Expanding Organic Agriculture. As Congress crafts the next reauthorization of the Farm Bill, this briefing will cover how federal policies can support the expansion of organic farming and ranching. Recommendations include reducing barriers to scaling up organic agriculture, ramping up federal resources for organic agriculture, and ensuring just and equitable participation, especially for Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Panelists will describe how these steps can provide benefits to the climate, health, and local economies.

Today, I am talking to Sameer Kwatra, Policy Director, India Program at Natural Resources Defense Council at Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Sameer directs research and analyses that promote clean energy, energy access, and sound climate policy in India. He has over two decades of multi-sectoral professional experience working in India and the U.S. Prior to joining NRDC, he worked for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, where he sought to improve energy efficiency in buildings. Sameer holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from India's National Institute of Technology, an MBA in finance and marketing from the Indian Institute of Management, and a master's degree in environmental management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. He is based in NRDC's Washington, D.C., office. In today's episode he explains:1. Future of Renewable Sources;2. Role of Buildings in reducing climate change impacts;3. India's footsteps in global emissions and road ahead;4. Path of Reaching Net Zero, the challenges ahead; and5. What about phasing down HFCs, CFCs and what's up with the Ozone hole? And more..Support the showThanks for listening! Follow me on LinkedIn and our page for more insights from industry experts, seasoned practitioners and academicians

How can the affordability of water bills be properly addressed without consistent and comprehensive data? New Jersey decided to get a clearer look at the situation. A state law now requires all water utilities to report on a monthly and zip-code basis affordability metrics including rates, customer bills, water usage, arrears, shutoffs, and tax liens sold on homes for non-payment. The law is discussed in this episode with Larry Levine, Director of Urban Water Infrastructure and a Senior Attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Larry also talks about the coalition that developed and lobbied for the legislation, how the law will be implemented, and NRDC's affordability toolkit.waterloop is a nonprofit media outlet helping water leaders to discover solutions and drive change. Visit waterloop.org

30 years ago, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) launched a PR campaign against a plant-growth regulator called Alar, effectively eliminating use of the chemical in agriculture. What's the legacy of this infamous anti-chemical scare? The New York Times continues to attack good scientists on the say-so of environmental groups. The paper is trashing its credibility. Join our directors of bio-sciences and medicine, Cameron English and Dr. Chuck Dinerstein, as they break down these stories on episode 27 of the Science Dispatch podcast. From the Archives: Apples, Alar, NRDC and Meryl Streep Meryl Streep, a proud Vassar grad, recently received a Distinguished Alumni Award from her alma mater. But rather than stress her stellar career as an actor, she discussed an earlier moment as a citizen-scientist. “Once you know how to search out and credit the facts around certain problems, you are called on by your conscience to act on them. The Vassar conscience rings a bell in your head; it's a call to action in your heart.” The problem? Alar. NYT Attacks Great Scientist, Further Tanks Its Credibility The New York Times has again attacked an upstanding scientist based on claims made by duplicitous activist groups. This episode illustrates why the public's trust in media is plummeting.

Passion provides purpose, but data drives decisions Andy Dunn   What does CO2e mean?   What are the impacts of time and location on energy use and production?   How and why are we morphing from energy as a proxy for emissions?      We are joined on today's podcast by David Goldstein, Energy Co-Director at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and John Taylor, Deputy Director of The Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) to discuss a new tool that RESNET has underdevelopment: The CO2e Index   The RESNET CO2e Rating Index is among the first in the world to more accurately estimate emissions by accounting for the hour of the day and month of the year at which electricity is consumed. And it uses the incremental effect that the building has on usable renewable energy and fossil fuel emissions, calculated over the long term.  David describes how a carbon dioxide equivalent or CO2 equivalent, abbreviated as CO2e, is used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases based on their global-warming potential (GWP) by converting amounts of other gases to the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide with the same global warming potential. Since the RESNET HERS Index already looks at energy pattern usage by the hour of the year, it is a straightforward task to translate the energy profile into an emissions profile if you have the data that underlie these figures. John helps us understand these aspects of the model. The new RESNET CO2e Rating Index allows one to calculate the comparative emissions of two houses. For example, you can look at the emissions from a new house with or without efficiency and solar to see how much changes like electrification and clean energy can help. As a result of this, there are no changes to the  RESNET HERS rating process - it is more a function of software changes. Some links to press on this podcast's topic:   https://www.nrdc.org/experts/david-b-goldstein/new-tool-measuring-decarbonization   Link to a presentation from the 2020 Conference on this topic: http://conference.resnet.us/data/energymeetings/presentations/Incorporating%20When%20Energy%20is%20Used%20in%20the%20HERS%20Index%20-%20Goldstein.pdf     You can reach our guests via email: dgoldstein@nrdc.org jtaylor@cee1.org   RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage. Learn more at www.RESNET.us Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at INFO@RESNET.US

In this episode, I chat with Bob Keefe, executive director of E2 and author of CLIMATENOMICS: Washington, Wall Street and the Economic Battle to Save Our Planet, about his life as a journalist, the effects of capitalism on the climate crisis, phytomining, how and why Bidenomics morphed into climatenomics, and his new book Climatenomics. Bob Keefe is executive director of E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs) a national, nonpartisan group of business owners, investors and professionals who leverage economic research and their business perspective to advance policies that are good for the environment and good for the economy. E2's national network includes more than 11,000 business leaders spread across nine chapters stretching from New York to Los Angeles, and a staff of advocates who work on climate and clean energy policies at the federal and state levels. As part of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), one of the world's biggest environmental groups with more than 3 million members and online supporters, E2 is the foremost business voice on issues at the intersection of the environment and economy, and the leading authority on clean energy jobs in America. Previously, Keefe spent nearly 25 years as a journalist, reporting for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Cox Newspapers chain, the St. Petersburg Times, and the Austin American-Statesman. Bob Keefe E2ClLIMATENOMICS:  Washington, Wall Street and the Economic Battle to Save Our Planet, Bob Keefe Support the show

In our premiere episode, we cut the crap and examine why we're wiping our butts with our most precious resource - and what we can do about it. You will be surprised how the simple act of switching to alternative toilet papers can have an immense impact on one of our most important carbon fighting tools, our forests. And, the caribou and wolverines will thank you. In this episode we feature Jennifer Skene of the https://www.nrdc.org/experts/jennifer-skene (Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)) as well as the founders of the alternative toilet paper brand https://www.gobetterway.com/ (Betterway). We'll also catch you up to date on the latest climate news of the week.

Hosted by Andrew Keen, Keen On features conversations with some of the world's leading thinkers and writers about the economic, political, and technological issues being discussed in the news, right now. In this episode, Andrew is joined by Bob Keefe, author of Climatenomics: Washington, Wall Street, and the Economic Battle to Save Our Planet. Bob Keefe is executive director of E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs) a national, nonpartisan group of business owners, investors and professionals who leverage economic research and their business perspective to advance policies that are good for the environment and good for the economy. E2's national network includes more than 11,000 business leaders spread across nine chapters stretching from New York to Los Angeles, and a staff of advocates who work on climate and clean energy policies at the federal and state levels. As part of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), one of the world's biggest environmental groups with more than 3 million members and online supporters, E2 is the foremost business voice on issues at the intersection of the environment and economy, and the leading authority on clean energy jobs in America. Previously, Keefe spent nearly 25 years as a journalist, reporting for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Cox Newspapers chain, the St. Petersburg Times, and the Austin American-Statesman. He resides in San Diego, California Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A live webcast will be streamed at 12:00 PM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast. The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) invite you to a briefing on regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture, or farming in sync with the local environment and climate, produces multiple economic, climate, and societal benefits. Examples of these practices include reducing or eliminating synthetic pesticide and fertilizer use and soil tillage. The briefing will feature findings from NRDC's new report, Regenerative Agriculture: Farm Policy for the 21st Century, which was informed by conversations with farmers and ranchers from 47 states and Washington, D.C. As Congress begins to craft the 2023 Farm Bill, the briefing will cover how federal policies can incentivize and invest in regenerative agriculture, including by making reforms to scale up regenerative agriculture stewardship, supporting the next generation of farmers and ranchers, and funding regenerative agriculture research and education programs. Panelists will describe how these steps can lead to a more resilient and productive agricultural system.

A live webcast will be streamed at 12:00 PM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast. The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) invite you to a briefing on regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture, or farming in sync with the local environment and climate, produces multiple economic, climate, and societal benefits. Examples of these practices include reducing or eliminating synthetic pesticide and fertilizer use and soil tillage. The briefing will feature findings from NRDC’s new report, Regenerative Agriculture: Farm Policy for the 21st Century, which was informed by conversations with farmers and ranchers from 47 states and Washington, D.C. As Congress begins to craft the 2023 Farm Bill, the briefing will cover how federal policies can incentivize and invest in regenerative agriculture, including by making reforms to scale up regenerative agriculture stewardship, supporting the next generation of farmers and ranchers, and funding regenerative agriculture research and education programs. Panelists will describe how these steps can lead to a more resilient and productive agricultural system.

This weekend, the New York State legislature finished its session in Albany, greenlighting some climate bills while tabling others. Rich Schrader, New York policy director at Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), joins to discuss which laws will make it to Governor Kathy Hochul's desk for a signature.

On this almost-Summer Friday, enjoy some of our favorite recent conversations: Building on her New Yorker essay, Elizabeth Alexander, president of The Mellon Foundation, poet, educator, memoirist and scholar, examines the challenges of young Black Americans in her new book, The Trayvon Generation (Grand Central Publishing, 2022). First, listeners discuss ways they've changed their diet to help combat climate change.  Then, Eric Goldstein, New York City environment director at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), explains how the various ways of composting help in the fight against climate change. Suzanne Nossel, PEN America chief executive officer, and Elie Mystal, justice correspondent for The Nation and the author of Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy's Guide to the Constitution (The New Press, 2022), debate the state of free speech in America. Piping Plovers are tiny endangered shorebirds who spend part of the spring and summer right here in the Rockaways. Chris Allieri, founder of the NYC Plover Project, talks about how volunteers are working to protect the birds as they begin nesting on the beach. These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity; the original web versions are available here: Young and Black in America (Apr 6, 2022) Climate Change and What You Eat (Feb 22, 2022) Climate Change and Composting (Mar 3, 2022) Debating Cancel Culture (Mar 30, 2022) Protecting Piping Plovers (Apr 5, 2022)

For this episode, we have Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Anna Reade, scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).  We continue our discussion of her work focused on the large and highly persistent class of chemicals known as PFAS.  We talk about their widespread use in many products, and their potential impacts on vulnerable populations and https://www.nrdc.org/experts/anna-reade/pfas-pollution-widespread-disadvantaged-communities (environmental justice).   Dr. Reade also describes her work developing a https://www.nrdc.org/experts/anna-reade/big-reveal-hundreds-health-studies-next-gen-pfas (groundbreaking database) of scientific studies on the health effects of PFAS; and reflects on her role as a https://www.nrdc.org/experts/anna-reade/scientific-basis-managing-pfas-chemical-class (scientist advocating for public health protections) from toxic chemicals. To learn more about PFAS, listen to our Episode 5 interview with Sharon Lerner, Investigative Reporter for The Intercept and read her series https://theintercept.com/series/the-teflon-toxin/ (The Teflon Toxin).

In this episode, we interview Doug Obegi, Senior Attorney at Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Doug shares his expertise about the history of our archaic and inequitable water rights system and how protections for fish and wildlife, and the tribes, fishing jobs, and communities that depend on these environmental protections, are constantly under threat from industrial agriculture and large corporations. He explains how California's water rights and diversions are over-allocated and under-reported, and discusses how the mismanagement of our most precious resource has made some people billionaires while over 1 million Californians lack access to clean drinking water. We discuss how to protect California's rivers and fisheries from excessive water diversions, and Doug makes it clear that we all need to participate in public comment periods, reach out to our representatives and the State Water Board because it really does make a difference.Get InvolvedDoug's BlogRestore the Delta Save California SalmonCalifornia State Water Resources Control BoardPetition to Stop Salmon Fish Kills  Instagram  Facebook 

Eric Goldstein, New York City environment director at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), explains how the various ways of composting help in the fight against climate change.

Dr. Vijay Limaye is a climate and health scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC, nbd). Vijay, who has a joint PhD in Environment & Resources AND Epidemiology, talks to Rachel and Steph about how the climate crisis (or should we be calling it the climate problem?!) IS actually a public health crisis. He chats about everything from his first job bagging groceries to his love of languages to the importance of science communication. Vijay also talks about his his journey in deciding to get a PhD while also knowing the end-game wasn't academia, and why you should maybe check-out your college career fair. Two words: free pizza.You can follow his very informative and entertaining twitter feed here!Episode Notes“Climate change” in Hindi: जलवायु परिवर्तन (jalavaayu parivartan) and Spanish: cambio climático.

In this episode, I interview Dr. Anna Reade, PFAS scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). In Part 1 of this two-part interview, we discuss her participation on a panel with several chemical industry representatives and the flawed and misleading arguments they made to oppose regulating PFAS chemicals as a class. Dr. Reade discusses her family and growing up in a small town near Death Valley, her educational path, including a long break before graduate school and a Ph.D. in Developmental Biology from the University of California, San Francisco. She explains how and why she was drawn to advocacy for environmental health and joining NRDC as a PFAS scientist. She then covers some of the basic issues and concerns with PFAS (more in Part 2). Some of Dr. Reade's work can be found here: https://www.nrdc.org/experts/anna-reade/pfas-pollution-widespread-disadvantaged-communities and here: https://www.nrdc.org/experts/anna-reade/big-reveal-hundreds-health-studies-next-gen-pfas and here: https://www.nrdc.org/experts/anna-reade/scientific-basis-managing-pfas-chemical-class During the interview, we briefly discuss a chart which can be found on page 8 (page 11 of the pdf) of this report: https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/pfas-textile-report-202105.pdf

For this episode, I spoke with Jacqueline Warren, who worked as an attorney with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) from 1973 to 1991. She was one of the leading toxics advocates in Washington DC when most of the major federal toxics laws, including the Safe Drinking Water Act, Superfund and the Toxic Substances Control Act, were enacted. During her years at EDF and NRDC, Jackie was involved in the development, implementation and enforcement of laws related to drinking water, pesticides and toxic chemicals in products. She was a triple threat to the chemical industry, working to pass strong legislation, pressing EPA to adopt protective health standards, and litigating against EPA and the industry when they failed to follow the law.  Among her many accomplishments was a successful lawsuit overturning EPA's attempt to exempt most uses of toxic PCBs from a ban enacted by Congress, and halting the use of several widely used pesticides that were dangerous to public health. Our conversation traced the path which led to her starting a career in environmental law, looked at some of the key areas of her work, and discussed what it takes to win meaningful protections from toxic chemicals. One technical note, there were some connectivity problems during our interview that had an occasional minor effect on the audio quality of the recording. https://www.c-span.org/video/?4543-1/toxic-substance-control-act (Here is a clip) of Jackie testifying at a hearing on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in 1988, in which she discusses PCBs, asbestos, and the need for more toxicity testing of chemicals, and a more protective health standard in the law, starting at 21:53 on the recording. You can read a recent story by Pro Publica on the ongoing health risks posed by PCBs https://www.propublica.org/article/toxic-pcbs-festered-at-this-public-school-for-eight-years-as-students-and-teachers-grew-sicker (here). For ongoing issues with inadequate regulation of pesticides by the EPA, you can read an article by recent Toxic Avengers guest Sharon Lerner https://theintercept.com/2021/06/30/epa-pesticides-exposure-opp/ (here).

California has a compelling need to reduce pollutant emissions to reach health-based ambient air quality goals. The South Coast Air Quality Management District and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District are currently in extreme non-attainment of the eight-hour federal ozone standard, and in non-attainment for the 24-hour PM2.5 standard. A recent study found that converting medium and heavy duty transportation vehicles to electricity would not only dramatically reduce air pollution, but would also create more jobs than vehicles that run on other fuels. Tune in as we discuss the study with Eileen Tutt, Executive Director of the California Electric Transportation Coalition and Simon Mui, Senior Scientist, Climate & Clean Energy Program, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

The levels of lead in Newark, New Jersey's drinking water are some of the highest recently recorded by a large water system in the United States. Experts agree that there is no safe level of lead exposure. Pregnant women and children are most at risk: Even low lead levels are associated with serious, irreversible damage to developing brains and nervous systems. For years, the city has had the greatest number of lead-poisoned children in New Jersey. This likely stems from a variety of exposures to lead, including from contaminated tap water and other sources. Indeed, 2016 tests revealed 30 public schools with elevated water lead levels. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), together with the Newark Education Workers Caucus, is fighting in court to ensure that the residents of Newark have access to safe, clean drinking water every time they turn on the tap. Tune in as we speak with Mae Wu, Senior Attorney for the NRDC's Health Program.

The levels of lead in Newark, New Jersey's drinking water are some of the highest recently recorded by a large water system in the United States. Experts agree that there is no safe level of lead exposure. Pregnant women and children are most at risk: Even low lead levels are associated with serious, irreversible damage to developing brains and nervous systems. For years, the city has had the greatest number of lead-poisoned children in New Jersey. This likely stems from a variety of exposures to lead, including from contaminated tap water and other sources. Indeed, 2016 tests revealed 30 public schools with elevated water lead levels. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), together with the Newark Education Workers Caucus, is fighting in court to ensure that the residents of Newark have access to safe, clean drinking water every time they turn on the tap. Tune in as we speak with Mae Wu, Senior Attorney for the NRDC's Health Program.

The levels of lead in Newark, New Jersey's drinking water are some of the highest recently recorded by a large water system in the United States. Experts agree that there is no safe level of lead exposure. Pregnant women and children are most at risk: Even low lead levels are associated with serious, irreversible damage to developing brains and nervous systems. For years, the city has had the greatest number of lead-poisoned children in New Jersey. This likely stems from a variety of exposures to lead, including from contaminated tap water and other sources. Indeed, 2016 tests revealed 30 public schools with elevated water lead levels. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), together with the Newark Education Workers Caucus, is fighting in court to ensure that the residents of Newark have access to safe, clean drinking water every time they turn on the tap. Tune in as we speak with Mae Wu, Senior Attorney for the NRDC's Health Program.