Pri: Living On Earth

Democrats Unveil CLEAN Future Act / Beyond the Headlines / How Wildfires Affect Water Quality / Regrowing Australian Forests / Sounds of Winter / Wine Regions Struggle with Climate Change / Feed Your Ex to a Bear for Valentine's Day Years of repeated bushfires linked to climate change have left some of Australia's iconic eucalyptus forests unable to come back on their own. Now humans are giving them a helping hand by carefully collecting and distributing their seeds. And as the climate changes, many traditional wine-growing regions are struggling with the heat and cooler regions, like the UK and China, are poised to fill in the gap. Also, in the face of the climate crisis, House Democrats released a draft of the CLEAN Future Act, a plan to put the United States on track for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. All that and more, in this episode of Living on Earth from PRX. Find this week's transcript here: https://loe.org/shows/shows.html?programID=20-P13-00006. . . . *** LEARN

Decoding the Coronavirus / Beyond the Headlines / Trump Water Rule 'Ignores Science' / Freshwater Mussels: Hunted for Buttons, Stranded by Dams / BirdNote®: Canada Jays Save Food For Later / Our Wild Calling As a novel coronavirus began spreading from Wuhan, China in December 2019, scientists were able to isolate, sequence, and publish the complete genetic code of the virus in less than a month. Also, critics of the Trump Administration's new water rule, including EPA's own Science Advisory Board, say that it has no grounding in basic watershed science. And our modern lives have separated us from other species and contributed to "species loneliness", says Richard Louv, author of the new book Our Wild Calling: How Connecting with Animals Can Transform Our Lives - and Save Theirs. All that and more, in this episode of Living on Earth from PRX. Find this week's transcript here: https://loe.org/shows/shows.html?programID=20-P13-00005. . . . *** LEARN MORE about these stories and everythi

Appeals Court Reluctantly Dismisses Youth Climate Case / Beyond the Headlines / A Plan to Avoid Extinctions / Mangroves Thriving in a Warming World / BirdNote®: Laysan Albatrosses Nest at Midway Atoll / Norway's Disappearing Winter / Redlining Linked with Extreme Urban Heat As many as 1 million species are at risk of going extinct in the coming decades. Now the UN has a bold plan to set aside half of the earth by 2050 to save biodiversity. Also, the discriminatory practice known as redlining is now linked with neighborhoods that experience extreme heat. And even Scandinavia, nearly synonymous with cold and snow, is heating up: Oslo, Norway is already experiencing 21 fewer days of winter than it did 30 years ago. Norway's disappearing winter and more, in this episode of Living on Earth from PRX. Find this week's transcript here: https://loe.org/shows/shows.html?programID=20-P13-00004. . . . *** LEARN MORE about these stories and everything in our decades of archives at loe.org. We've g

Democratic Debaters United on Need For Climate Action / Beyond the Headlines / Senator Lisa Murkowski Talks Up Public Lands / Trump Moves to Weaken NEPA / Note on Emerging Science: Plastic-Eating Mushrooms / After Coal: Stories of Survival in Appalachia and Wales At the final Democratic primary debate before the 2020 Iowa caucuses, the six candidates onstage all discussed their concerns about climate impacts and their plans to meet this existential challenge. Also, communities in Appalachia have been hit hard economically as coal production dropped. It's a story that has also played out in Wales in the UK. Now the "After Coal Project" is helping breathe new economic and cultural life into both communities. And Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, known for reaching across the aisle to broker bipartisan deals, sponsored the 2019 Dingell Act to protect and expand public lands. The Alaska Senator is entering her final year as Chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. All that and

Australia's Wildfires Point to the Future / Climate Disasters Drive Refugee Crisis / McSweeney's '2040 AD' Climate Fiction Issue / Note on Emerging Science: Deep-Sea Serpents / Beyond the Headlines: The Year in Review / Climate and the 2019 Lexicon / BirdNote®: Encounter with a Cassowary Australia is in the throes of its worst fire season in modern history. As thousands of homes are incinerated and an estimated billion animals perish, the rest of the world is getting a glimpse of some of the troubles ahead on a warming planet. Also, a new "climate fiction" issue from the literary publication McSweeney's enlists notable authors to pen short stories envisioning climate disruption. And climate loomed large in the 2019 "word of the year" chosen by three prominent dictionary publishers. Living with climate disruption and more, in this episode of Living on Earth from PRX. Find this week's transcript here: https://loe.org/shows/shows.html?programID=20-P13-00002. . . . *** LEARN MORE about these stor

The Rollbacks of 2019 / The Best Science and Nature Writing / Endangered Species Success Stories / Barren-Ground Caribou As we open a new year, Living on Earth looks back on key environmental developments of 2019. Last year saw the rollbacks of more than 80 environmental rules under the Trump Administration. Critics say these changes will harm more than the climate: they'll hurt business, the environment, and human health. Law professor Pat Parenteau joins us for an overview of some of the key regulatory rollbacks. And 2019 brought both good news and bad news for endangered species. While the Trump Administration finalized changes to the Endangered Species Act that could slow species' recovery, birds like the Kirtland's warbler, least tern and more have bounced back thanks to the ESA. And from a quirky little fish, to a couple of stonefly species that depend on melting glaciers to survive, a few more species received much-needed ESA protections. Also, the best science writing strives to entertain and

How the Border Wall Could Harm Wildlife / Bison and Sustainable Land Management / Science in Danger at the US-Mexican Border / Water Ranching in Mexico / BirdNote®: Lily-Trotters, Jesus Birds This week on the pod, a special series of stories Living on Earth's Bobby Bascomb reported from the US-Mexico border. In that increasingly fractured landscape, some species struggle to stay connected to populations north and south of the border. The walling off of Mexico from the US also presents a challenge for scientists doing research near the border. But the lands and people north and south of the border are united by species conservation efforts, and projects that seek to bring back wetland ecosystems and slow down water to help sustain plants and animals long after the seasonal monsoons. Bison could be part of the solution, since they evolved with a variety of grasslands including semi-arid ones, so some ranchers in Mexico are choosing to breed bison to help manage their land more sustainably. Stori

Smeagull the Seagull: A True Story / Sammy Snail and the Graneers / Native American Winter Stories Winter is a time for gathering together and celebrating the rich human tradition of storytelling. Sharing Native stories handed down for thousands of years, as well as much younger stories that appeal to young and old alike, brings us together at the Northern Hemisphere's darkest time of the year. And this tradition can also bring us closer to the creatures we share our Earth with, from seagulls to paper wasps. A winter storytelling special, in this episode of Living on Earth from PRX. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democrats "Still In" at Madrid Climate Talks / Climate and Superfund Sites / Jane Fonda and Climate Civil Disobedience / Beyond the Headlines / BirdNote®: Rock Sandpipers Are Tough / A Preschool Christmas Bird Count Jane Fonda has been a Hollywood icon for a half-century and is currently starring in a hit Netflix show, but in 2019 she wants you talking about the climate. She's spearheading the "Fire Drill Fridays" protests at the US Capitol, even getting arrested at 81 years old, and this week's episode features a conversation with Jane about activism and civil disobedience as an antidote for despair, and more. Also, cleanup at 60 percent of the roughly 1,300 Superfund sites in the U.S. could be compromised by climate change disasters such as flooding, fires, and hurricanes. Yet the Environmental Protection Agency is not taking care to prevent these climate impacts on Superfund sites. And a new children's book follows a young citizen scientist as she participates in a Christmas Bird Count. Even preschoole

Banning New Natural Gas Hookups / Beyond the Headlines / The Outlaw Ocean / Eat Like a Fish / Remembering EPA Head William Ruckelshaus Seventy percent of our planet is covered by the oceans, and in this vast wilderness lawlessness is rampant, with crimes ranging from illegal fishing to slavery at sea. These high crimes on the high seas are the focus of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ian Urbina's new book, The Outlaw Ocean. Also, overfishing and climate change are hitting fish stocks hard, and at the same time most of the food grown and raised on land is carbon-intensive and unsustainable. Restorative ocean farming could hold the key to a more sustainable ocean and food system. And as scientists warn that time is running out to curb greenhouse gas emissions and transition away from fossil fuels, some towns and cities are enacting bylaws to codify the use of alternatives to natural gas and oil for heating and cooking. The town of Brookline, Massachusetts is the latest to do so. All that and more, in this ep

The Silent Killer Called PM2.5 / Beyond the Headlines / Science Note: Toad Mimics Venomous Snake / Cosmic Crisp Apples / Brewing a Specialty Coffee Market / A Typical Carbon Footprint of Thanksgiving / Reflections on the Native American Tradition of Giving Thanks / Cranberries Take Center Stage The fine particulate air pollution known as PM2.5 has been shown to be deadly with correlation to heart attacks and strokes, and a new study links it with three more specific causes of death: dementia, kidney disease, and hypertension. Also, Thanksgiving is a time for American families and friends to gather and be thankful, but for Native Americans it can also be a reminder of the displacement, violence and disease brought by the white colonists. And coffee is no longer simply a drink to wake you up as there is now a sizable market for specialty coffees with unique flavors. To link up coffee growers with that market and ensure they get a fair price, a Portland, Oregon-based nonprofit started a coffee tasting "cuppi

ExxonMobil Fraud Decision Due / UN Climate Ambition Gap / A Public Housing Green New Deal / Beyond The Headlines / Winter Wolf Song / Winter Wolves on the Move / A Tasty Vegan Thanksgiving With federal public housing in urgent need of upgrades, the new "Green New Deal for Public Housing Act" aims to create thousands of jobs while improving public health and reducing carbon emissions. Also, climate loss and damage is already upon us, even as UN negotiators look for fair ways to share responsibility. And a traditional Thanksgiving dinner might not seem all that vegan-friendly, but among the vegan options there are plenty of tasty selections that even have the mouthfeel of meat. All that and more, in this episode of Living on Earth from PRI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EPA Seeks Confidential Health Records / The Bottle Deposit Debate / Senator Tom Udall Takes on Plastic Waste / Beyond the Headlines / The Pan-Borneo Highway / Good Housekeeping The EPA sset limits for pollutants in our air and water to protect public health. Now the agency is proposing a controversial rule to require any study used for its rulemaking to disclose raw data including confidential medical records. Also, Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) aims to curb the growing plastic waste crisis with a bill that would ban some single-use plastics, institute a 10-cent nationwide container deposit, and compel producers to take the lead on recycling. And the 2,000-km Pan-Borneo Highway will connect some of the remote regions of the three nations that make up the island, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. But conservationists worry that this highway will fragment crucial habitat for rare species like pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, and the banded langur. All that and more, in this episode of Living on Earth from PRI.

Big Keystone Oil Spill / Beyond the Headlines / Wildfires Strike Baja California / BirdNote®: The Butcherbird / Let The Leaves Be And Feed The Birds / Rainforests 'Worth More Alive Than Dead' In late October, nearly 400,000 gallons of crude oil spilled from the existing Keystone pipeline into a North Dakota wetland, reviving concerns about the safety of the proposed Keystone XL extension. Also, the extreme heat and winds that fueled wildfires in the State of California this October also fed fires in Mexico's Baja California, where fire departments and residents have limited resources. And despite market forces that incentivize logging, mining, and conversion to farmland, Earth's rainforests are worth more alive than dead. All that and more, in this episode of Living on Earth from PRI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fighting Fire with Prescribed Fire / Beyond the Headlines / Note on Emerging Science: Deforestation and Malaria / Healthy People Equal Healthy Forests / BirdNote®: Green Birds and Brown Birds in the Tropical Rainforest / Pope Hosts Amazon Synod For many of those living in and near tropical forests, one of the only ways to get cash to pay for healthcare is by logging. Now the nonprofit Health in Harmony is providing healthcare that patients can pay for with seedlings or manure. Also, Pope Francis recently called the bishops of the Amazon to Rome for a synod bringing them together with lay members of the indigenous community to discuss human rights, climate change and deforestation. And a century of fire suppression has turned much of the West into a tinderbox. Prescribed fire could help bring nature back in balance, but it's currently far more common in the Southeast than in the West, where it's sorely needed. All that and more, in this episode of Living on Earth from PRI. Learn more about your ad choices

Ethane Crackers Spark Pollution Concerns / BirdNote®: Red-Necked Phalaropes, Spinners On The Sea / Living Near The Coast Could Boost Mental Health / Oyster Shell Recycling / Nobel Prize in Chemistry Recognizes Lithium Battery Discoveries / Beyond the Headlines / 'Largest YouTube Collaboration Ever' Aims to Plant 20 Million Trees A glut of cheap natural gas has petrochemical companies turning to ethane, a component of natural gas, to make plastic. But the process comes with massive carbon emissions and health concerns for host communities. Also, the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry commemorates the work of three scientists who helped develop the lithium ion battery, which revolutionized electronics. We speak with one of those pioneering chemists. And influencers on YouTube and other platforms are asking their billion subscribers to help plant 20 million trees. "Team Trees" and more, in this episode of Living on Earth from PRI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

10,000 Farmers Want a Green New Deal / BirdNote®: Who Likes Suet? / Beyond the Headlines / The Economic Value of the National Parks / Exploring the Parks: Great Smoky Mountains / Arctic Fox Hunting More than 10,000 farmers and ranchers from across the country have signed on to a letter that urges Congress to support a Green New Deal. They're asking for a massive overhaul of food and farming policy in order to address the climate crisis while providing economic security for independent family farms. Also, the National Parks have been famously called "America's Best Idea," but they may also be "America's Best Investment", thanks to the valuable services they provide such as recreation, carbon storage, and educational programs. And the latest in Living on Earth's series on public lands takes us to the most remote spot in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a biodiversity hotspot. Exploring the parks and more, in this episode of Living on Earth from PRI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/

Youth Mental Health Problems From Pollution / Beyond the Headlines / Whistleblowers on Trump Science / The 2019 Fat Bear Week Champion / Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast This week on the podcast, the type of air pollution known as PM 2.5 is all around us from the burning of fossil fuels, and it's linked to strokes and heart attacks. Now there is mounting evidence that it may also be harming the mental health of children by worsening depression, anxiety, suicidality and more. Also, Jonathan Safran Foer's new book explores the opportunity that reducing our meat consumption presents for reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions. And the 2019 Alaskan fat bear tournament is over and we have a winner! Fat Bear Week is a yearly competition organized by Katmai National Park and Preserve in southern Alaska to honor its fattest, and healthiest, brown bears. All that and more, in this episode of Living on Earth from PRI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump Fights California / Beyond the Headlines / Success of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative / DNA Barcoding for Quick Species ID / Bison and Sustainable Land Management The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, RGGI, has lowered carbon emissions in participating states by roughly fifty percent while at the same time lower electricity rates for consumers. Some 30 million bison once roamed the Great Plains of North America, by the turn of the century there were less than 600. One ranch in Mexico is breeding bison to help the species recover and sustainably manage their land. Just a tiny fraction of earth's species have been documented by science but a new technology, known as DNA barcoding, promises to rapidly increase our understanding of the life on earth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Silencing Spring / BirdNote®: Snowy Egrets - Killer Hats / Kids Versus the Climate Crisis / Fat Bear Week! / Beyond the Headlines / Container Farming in the City Scientists have documented a staggering decline in North America's birds in recent decades. As many as 3 billion birds have disappeared since 1970, and grassland birds and shorebirds have been hit especially hard. Also, Fat Bear Week is a yearly competition to celebrate the fattest, healthiest brown bears in Katmai National Park. And modern industrial agriculture is a resource-intensive endeavor, requiring massive amounts of land, water, and energy. Some urban farmers are thinking outside the box by bringing their farms inside the box in the form of shipping containers. All that and more, in this episode of Living on Earth from PRI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices