The Planet Today: Recent Episodes
Matt Norden
New episodes every Monday and Friday covering the latest in Wildlife Conservation, Renewable Energy, Climate Change, and Environmental Policy.
On Quick Hits Fridays, we discuss this week's environmental current events. Our Monday shows feature interviews, bonus quick hits, or more in-depth conversations.
Hosted by Matt Norden, produced/co-hosted by Nick Gennusa, and co-hosted by Giselle Herrera. You can find us on TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram @PlanetTodayPod!
Matt and Nick talk about houses falling into the ocean in the Outer Banks (Another Outer Banks home collapses into North Carolina ocean, the 3rd to fall since Friday),
Climate change’s impact on Europe’s flooding (Europe’s September rains were twice as likely due to climate change),
German education about beer-making (Brewing a cold beer on a warming planet is hard. Germany uses education to fight climate change),
The debt-for-nature swap in the Galapagos is under scrutiny (Record Galapagos debt-for-nature swap scrutinized over transparency irregularities claims),
And the rapid intensification of Hurricane Helene (How Hurricane Helene rapidly intensified to a Category 4)!
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Matt and Nick talk about U.S. methane levels still increasing (‘Red Flags’ on Climate: U.S. Methane Emissions Keep Climbing),
The lack of emissions reductions targets around the world (Some 40% of regions, cities and companies lack emissions-cut targets, survey says),
Three Mile Island set to reopen (Three Mile Island nuclear power plant will reopen for Microsoft),
A tobacco-like warning for gas stoves (Gas stoves may get a health warning in California),
And extreme heat’s impact on football (Hotter summers are making high school football a fatal game for some players).
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link for 15% off.
Matt interviews Cristin Lyons, a Partner and Energy Practice Leader at ScottMadden. The two discuss balancing objectives and trade-offs in the clean energy transitions.
ScottMadden is one of the leading energy management consulting firms in the U.S. focused on transmission and distribution, the grid edge, generation, energy markets, rates and regulation, natural gas, and more.
Cristin oversees ScottMadden's client engagements to transform utility operations and enable the clean energy transition. Before becoming the energy practice lead for three years, she was the head of the firm's grid transformation practice.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link for 15% off.
Matt interviews Manda Scott, author of Any Human Power, a novel that aims to craft a path through from where we are, while ensuring those that come after us inherit a planet we would be proud of.
Manda has degrees in veterinary medicine and a Masters in Regenerative Economics. Her life is oriented towards creating radical new narratives that will pave the way to the total systemic change our culture – and our world – needs.
Go visit Manda's website and her podcast Accidental Gods for more from Manda.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about Joe Biden ending his campaign for reelection (President Joe Biden drops out of 2024 presidential race),
Summer 2024 was the most humid summer ever (You just lived through the most humid summer on record),
An update on the Rio Grande and Colorado Rivers treaty (Water treaty between Mexico and U.S. faces biggest test in 80 years),
Recyclable wind turbines potentially on the way (Turbine Blades Have Piled Up in Landfills. A Solution May Be Coming),
Carbon emissions from Canada’s wildfires (Canada wildfires last year released more carbon than several countries),
And climate change is putting runners more at risk of heatstroke (Takeaways from AP report on perils of heatstroke for runners in a warming world)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link for 15% off.
Matt interviews Marcy Thrash, Program Director of Project AnimalAid.
Project AnimalAid is dedicated to improving the health and welfare of animals in the U.S. and around the world by collecting veterinary equipment, technology and supplies from veterinary hospitals, human hospitals, medical equipment and supply manufacturers, zoos, other non-profit organizations and individuals.
These donated items are then distributed worldwide to veterinarians working in non-profit or non-governmental organizations devoted to animal health.
Go follow Project Animal Aid on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link for 15% off.
Matt interviews Laird Christensen, a writer, teacher, and activist focused on addressing the global climate crisis through local sustainability efforts and intentional community building.
As the pioneering Director of online Graduate Programs at Prescott College in Environmental Studies and Resilient and Sustainable Communities, he reshaped distance education, stressing practical application in students’ communities. His passion for sustainability and shaping resilient communities makes him a beacon in education and advocacy.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link for 15% off.
Matt interviews Brett Jenks, the CEO of Rare, a nonprofit that has led environmental conservation projects for 50 years and impacted the lives of millions, helping people and nature thrive together through community-led efforts across 60 countries.
Brett was a journalist and film producer before he traveled to Costa Rica in 1992 for a government-partnered English teaching program. There, he designed an award-winning local ecotourism program for Rare and rose through the ranks to become CEO in 2000.
In 2017, he was awarded the Rose-Walters Prize for Global Environmental Activism.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link for 15% off.
Matt interviews Amber Wendler, a PhD candidate in the Department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech, an Interfaces of Global Change Fellow, and National Science Foundation GRFP Fellow.
Last year, she co-edited a book called Been Outside: Adventures of Black Women, Nonbinary, and Gender Nonconforming People in Nature.
For more from Amber, check out her website or follow her on instagram.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link for 15% off.
Matt interviews Chris Bonifati, co-host of Pets Add Life, a podcast dedicated to the pet industry. The show covers topics including pet products, pet insurance, pet safety, and trips to the vet.
Chris boasts an extensive career within the Pet Industry, notably serving as a key Trade Show organizer for APPA/Global Pet Expo.
Chris has been a guest host on The Planet Today many times between 2021-2023, but this is his first time as a guest interview.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link for 15% off.
Matt interviews Levar Jackson, CEO of Yogh Group, which designs sustainable technologies for the hospitality industry in partnership with Oregon State University.
Yogh Group’s technologies focus on efficient electricity, sustainable hotels, and an automated algae growth system for sustainable food, beverages, beauty products, and more.
Levar also serves as President of NEWH New York, which provides international resources for scholarships, education, business development, and excellence recognition in areas of hospitality, food service, senior living, and related fields.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link for 15% off. .
Matt interviews Gerald Leonard. Gerald is the Publishing Editor, CEO, and Founder of the Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute and Turnberry Premiere.
Turnberry Premiere has recently partnered with Greenly, the leading carbon management platform, to help companies start their climate journey easily and affordably.
His third book, “A Symphony of Choices: How Mentorship Taught a Manager Decision-Making, Project Management and Workplace Engagement — and Saved a Concert Season,” was released in August 2023.
For more from Gerald, listen to his podcast Productivity Smarts.
Listeners of The Planet Today can go to https://geraldjleonard.com/planettoday/ for project management, growth strategies, and general productivity resources put together by Gerald.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link for 15% off.
Matt interviews Leah Rampy, the author of Earth & Soul: Reconnecting Amid Climate Chaos.
In her book, she leads her readers on a soul journey into grief and loss to also claim the beauty, joy and possibilities available when we reconnect with Earth. The book highlights the intersection of spirituality, ecology, and storytelling to discuss nature’s connection to our collective souls.
Earth & Soul: Reconnecting Amid Climate Chaos is the 2024 winner of the Next Generation Indie Book Award and National Indie Excellence Awards.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link for 15% off. .
Matt talks about the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision to overturn “Chevron” (Supreme Court Chevron decision: What it means for federal regulations),
And Hurricane Beryl’s significance (Hurricane Beryl: sign of things to come in warming world?).
Check out our May 31, 2024 Episode for more information on the second story today.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about heat’s impact on our cognitive ability (How Heat Affects the Brain),
Edinburgh has become the latest city in Europe to ban fossil fuel ads (Why some cities are banning fossil fuel advertisements),
A petition for FEMA to classify extreme heat and wildfire smoke as disasters (Fema petitioned to make extreme heat and wildfire smoke major disasters),
Italy’s Prime Minister’s attack on solar energy (Giorgia Meloni puts brakes on Italy’s solar energy rollout),
Mexico City’s water problem (Why Mexico City is having trouble getting water to its 22 million residents),
And Butterflies have been negatively impacted by insecticides (Butterflies Are in Decline. New Research Points to Insecticides).
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Osprey Orielle Lake, the Founder and Executive Director of Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN). Osprey is also the Co-Director of the Indigenous Women's Divestment Delegations, and actively leads WECAN International's projects.
Her new book, The Story is in our Bones, weaves together ecological, mythical, political, and cultural understandings and shares her experiences working with global leaders, systems-thinkers, climate justice activists, and Indigenous Peoples. She seeks to summon a new way of being and thinking in the Anthropocene, which includes transforming the interlocking crises of colonialism, racism, patriarchy, capitalism, and ecocide, to build thriving Earth communities for all.
Click any of these links to check out WECAN on Facebook, X (f.k.a. Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube. WECAN’s Newsletter can be found here..
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about improving America’s electrical grid (White House to announce new actions to modernize America’s aging electrical grid),
The Transportation Department strengthening vehicle fuel mileage standards (Biden Administration Tightens Mileage Rules to Buoy Electric Vehicles),
Increasing natural gas usage in the Philippines (The Philippines goes all in for natural gas, a climate pollutant),
Turkey’s national emissions trading system (Turkey to implement national emissions-trading system soon, vice president says),
A heat dome in the western U.S. (Heat wave brings dangerous weather to western US),
Drought causing mass fish dead in Chihuahua, Mexico (Mass fish death in Mexico's Chihuahua State blamed on severe drought),
And climate change threatens the recovery of the bird from the Rio movies (Recovery of Brazil's Spix's macaw, popularized in animated 'Rio' films, threatened by climate change)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt talks about Hailstorms in the U.S. (2024 Could Be a Banner Year for Hailstorms),
Coldplay reducing emissions by 59% on their current tour (Coldplay say they have beaten emissions target for world tour),
Solar’s surge and wind’s struggles (As Solar Power Surges, U.S. Wind Is in Trouble),
Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s new President (Mexico elects Claudia Sheinbaum as its first female president),
And Sustainable Aviation Fuels (Airlines and energy firms clash over green fuel supplies)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about this year’s projected hurricane season (NOAA predicts above-normal 2024 Atlantic hurricane season),
The tragic landslide in Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinea landslide: As many as 2,000 people feared buried massive landslide, survivors dig with hands and spades),
Florida’s ban on intentionally releasing balloons (Florida Bans Release of Balloons, Citing Harm to Wildlife),
The Biden Administration's move to end all new coal leasing in the Powder River Basin (Biden ending new leases in America's top coal region),
American say they are using less plastic (1 in 3 Americans say they’ve reduced how much plastic they’re using),
And empty climate promises from the global North (Caribbean leader blasts 'empty' climate promises at small islands summit)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt talks about Venezuela becoming the first nation to lose its glaciers (Climate change: Venezuela may be first nation to lose all its glaciers),
The world’s largest carbon capture plant opened in Iceland (‘World’s largest’ plant to suck carbon out of the air and turn it into stone opens in Iceland),
Vermont to charge oil and gas companies for their historical damages (Vermont poised to become first US state to charge big oil for climate damage),
The Migratory Birds of the Americas Conservation Enhancements Act (Legislation Supporting Migratory Birds Across the Hemisphere Signed Into Law),
And Exxon Mobil suing its shareholders over climate change (US state officials urge votes against directors as Exxon sues climate activists)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Shubber Ali, the CEO of Garden for Wildlife. Shubber helped the National Wildlife Federation launch Garden for Wildlife as its own for profit e-commerce company.
Garden for Wildlife allows people to make a difference for the environment by shipping plants native to their zip code that support local wildlife. Their team of experts have thoughtfully utilized 50 years of experience, science, and data to curate plant collections that support wildlife and benefit local ecosystems in every season.
Click any of the links here to keep up with Garden for Wildlife on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Dr. Doug Tallamy of the University of Delaware is a collaborator of Garden for Wildlife and was a guest on The Planet Today in July 2023. You can find that episode here: The Planet Today Guest Interview with Dr. Doug Tallamy
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link for 15% off. .
Matt and Nick talk about how harmful gas stoves are in smaller homes (Gas Stove Pollution Risk Is Greatest in Smaller Homes, Study Finds),
Synthetic coffee made from date seeds (The synthetic coffee revolution: are ground date seeds really as delicious as the real thing),
Environmental Justice in Ithaca, New York (Ithaca, N.Y., adopts new climate justice spending pledge),
A ban on lab-grown meat in Florida (Florida Bans Lab-Grown Meat),
Most top climate scientists do not believe the 1.5 degree goal is still achievable (World’s top climate scientists expect global heating to blast past 1.5C target),
And Catan announces a new game - Catan: New Energies (Catan: New Energies challenges players to build — polluting)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt talks about Azerbaijan’s continued fossil fuel investments leading up to COP29 (COP29 climate summit host Azerbaijan defends oil and gas investments),
The Oriental Pied Hornbill’s recovery in Singapore (Meet the strange-looking bird making a spectacular recovery amid the skyscrapers of Singapore),
Fossil fuels being banned in Federal buildings (Fossil fuels will be banned from new and remodeled federal buildings),
Polysilicon will soon begin shipping in the US again (Key Solar Panel Ingredient Is Made in the U.S.A. Again),
Emissions limits for coal-burning power plants (E.P.A. Severely Limits Pollution From Coal-Burning Power Plants),
And expedited permitting for clean energy projects (Biden Administration Moves to Speed Up Permits for Clean Energy)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about a progress report for a plastic pollution treaty (During plastic pollution treaty, the U.S. faces calls to do more),
There is officially 50% more carbon in the atmosphere than pre-industrial times (Carbon Dioxide Levels Have Passed a New Milestone),
Expanded protections for national monuments established by President Obama (Biden plans to expand two national monuments in California),
Protections for coal miners (Coal miners have long faced risk of black lung disease. Now they're getting new protections),
A new rule requiring higher fees for oil and gas companies to drill on federal land (Oil and gas companies must pay more to drill on federal lands under new Biden administration rule),
Europe warming faster than the rest of the world (Climate change means deadly heat for Europe),
And bamboo farming in Uganda (Bamboo farming is on the rise in Uganda)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Sam Schutte of Synthica Energy. Snythica Energy is a company that is developing anaerobic digestion (AD) facilities designed to convert organic waste into renewable gas. Their ambitious goal is to divert one million tons per year of organic waste from landfills and generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 30,000 homes.
Sam Schutte is a renowned expert in the fields of anaerobic digestion commercialization and organics-to-energy platform development.
You can keep up with Snythica Energy on Facebook and Youtube.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link for 15% off.
Matt and Nick have a massive episode today and start by talking about Switzerland being held liable for human rights violations (Switzerland’s Climate Shortfalls Violate Human Rights, European Court Rules),
The EPA strengthening its regulations on chemical manufacturers (New EPA rules for about 200 US chemical manufacturers take aim at ‘cancer alleys’),
The EPA tightening its requirements for removing PFAS from drinking water (EPA sets new limits for 'forever chemicals' in drinking water),
The U.S. still funding and expanding highways (As some countries spurn cars, the U.S. continues to embrace highways),
Sand dams in Kenya to retain water (Kenyans build sand dams on seasonal rivers to retain water for dry seasons),
Expanding natural farming practices in India (Farmers in India are hit hard by extreme weather. Some say expanding natural farming is the answer),
Angola’s push for more solar (Angola makes a huge investment in solar),
Deforestation impacting rainforests globally (Global rainforest loss continues at rate of 10 football pitches a minute | Deforestation),
An effort to restore swathes of rainforests in Peru (Amazon rainforest in Peru, ravaged by gold mining, is being restored),
And deforestation down in Colombia's Amazon (Colombia Amazon deforestation forecast down 25% to 35% last year, ministry says)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about the rise of secondhand clothing (Secondhand clothing on track to take 10% of global fashion sales | Retail industry),
Climate change has endangered certain types of cheese (Camembert and Brie 'could disappear,' scientists in France warn),
Restored wildlife protections by the Biden Administration (Biden restores endangered species protections rolled back by Trump),
And New England’s last coal-fired power plants are closing (The Last Coal-Fired Power Plants in New England Are to Close)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about fossil fuel subsidies (The Zombies of the U.S. Tax Code: Why Fossil Fuels Subsidies Seem Impossible to Kill),
The first large offshore wind farm in the U.S. (First large offshore U.S. wind farm delivers power to local grid),
Protections for the Sage Grouse (Conservationists slam federal proposal for greater sage-grouse protection),
U.S. vehicle standards set to phase out most new gas cars by 2032 (New EPA vehicle standards would cut US emissions, ramp up pressure for more EVs),
California’s plan to protect indoor workers from heat in jeopardy (California wants to protect indoor workers from heat. Why that may not happen),
Breeding coral in labs to restore coral reefs (Thai scientists breed coral in labs to restore degraded reefs),
And climate change’s impact on Easter eggs (Easter eggs costs rise as climate change hits crops)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Wendy Baker of Dynapower. Dynapower is powering the world’s leading brands and institutions with reliable solutions in energy storage systems and other electrical components for renewable energy.
Wendy is an award-winning business development professional who is passionate about developing sustainable power options.
If you like today’s episode, follow Dynapower on LinkedIn.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about climate change impacting the US maple syrup industry (Maple syrup season came weeks early in the Midwest. Producers are doing their best to adapt),
Colorado River water rights (Colorado River drought climate change),
Record high ocean temperatures in February (Ocean temperature hit record high in February 2024, EU scientists say),
The Biden administration delaying climate regulations (Biden backtracks on climate plans and ‘walks tightrope’ to court both young voters and moderates),
A fossilized forest found in the UK (World's earliest fossilised forest discovered in Minehead, Somerset),
And rehabilitated manatees brought home to Florida (Orphaned Manatees Return to the Wild After 3 Years of Rehab)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt is flying solo for this episode to talk about support for Nuclear Power growing in US federal government (Nuclear Power Bill Passed by House, Support Grows in Congress),
Using artificial intelligence to track humpback whale movements (How AI is already helping scientists track threatened humpback whales),
France debating whether to fine fast fashion brands (France mulls penalties to rein in ultra-fast fashion brands),
The EU preparing for COP29 with a draft calling for fossil fuel companies to pay their fair share (Exclusive: EU wants fossil fuel sector to help pay to combat climate change, draft shows),
And Exxon’s CEO says consumers are the ones delaying the clean energy transition (Fury after Exxon chief says public to blame for climate failures)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about how climate change could impact winter sports (Climate change clouds future of winter sports),
Environmental disasters displaced 2.5 million Americans in 2023 (Disasters Forced 2.5 Million Americans From Their Homes Last Year),
A 2016 moratorium on new coal leasing has been lifted (Federal appeals court revokes Obama-era ban on coal leasing),
And Bangladesh has banned the adoption of Asian Elephants (Bangladesh's critically endangered Asian elephants get court protection)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about the environmental impacts of solar energy (Can We Invest in Solar Power Without Harming Nature?),
Cities on the U.S. east coast are sinking (As Aquifers Are Depleted, Areas Along The East Coast Of The US Are Sinking),
The EPA tightening its fine particulate matter regulations (Biden Administration Toughens Limits on Deadly Air Pollution),
The EPA loosening its vehicle emissions limits (US to soften tailpipe rules, slow EV transition through 2030),
Coral bleaching is worse than we thought (NOAA Coral Reef Watch extends alert scale following extreme coral heat stress in 2023),
And medical marijuana for sick mammals (Curing Pets With Cannabis as Veterinarians Try CBD and THC)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Matthew Krayton, the founder and Principal of Publitics. Publitics is a political consulting, strategy, and media company that focuses on strategy, communications, public relations, and public affairs.
Their blog can be found on InfluenceIQ and you can follow them on Instagram and TikTok with these links.
Matthew has been working on projects on the political side of the clean energy space, specifically the political risk that clean energy faces today.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about just how powerful hurricanes are becoming due to climate change (Dial it up to Category 6? As warming stokes storms, some want a bigger hurricane category),
Tragic forest fires in Chile (At least 112 dead in as Chile’s deadliest ever forest fire rages on),
John Podesta named new U.S. Climate Envoy (John Podesta: Biden’s new top climate diplomat is ‘uniquely qualified’),
Planting trees to restore a lost rainforest in the UK (Devon tree planting: Work to recreate lost rainforest),
The fight over whether to pave a road through a forest in Kenya (Kenya's leader wants a paved road to cut through a forest, a key water source. Scientists don’t),
Pandora moving to using only recycled metals for its jewelry (Pandora Now Only Sources Recycled Metals for Its Jewelry),
And a prototype sun-shield for use in outer space could be ready in the next few years (Could a Giant Parasol in Outer Space Help Solve the Climate Crisis?)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about how in vitro fertilization could save the northern white rhino (World first IVF rhino pregnancy could save northern white rhinos from extinction, scientists say),
The benefits of sustainable food systems (Move to sustainable food systems could bring $10tn benefits a year, study finds),
Protections for whales near offshore wind farms (U.S. sets plans to protect endangered whales near offshore wind farms; firms swap wind leases),
Hawaii’s aggressive clean energy push (How one state is quickly becoming America's clean energy paradise),
And President Biden pausing liquified natural gas exports (Biden pauses LNG export approvals after pressure from climate activists)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about the Biden Administration imposing fines on oil and gas companies over their methane production (Biden Administration to Fine Oil and Gas Companies for Excess Methane),
Greenland losing ice much faster than previously understood (The more scientists study Greenland, the worse its ice melt looks),
John Kerry stepping down as U.S. Climate Envoy (John Kerry to step down as Biden's climate envoy),
Canada formally giving Nunavut control over its precious metal reserves (Canada gives mineral-rich Arctic region of Nunavut control over its resources),
Refugees restoring forests in Uganda (In Uganda, refugees' need for wood ravaged the forest. Now, they work to restore it),
Mark Zuckerberg’s Hawaiian cattle ranch and its environmental harm Zuckerberg derided for his ‘high quality beef’ ranch where cows are fed macadamia nuts and beer),
And a new national park in Colombia (A New National Park is Born in Colombia) (In Colombia, a Park for Anacondas and Anteaters, Where Ranchers Are Now Rangers)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Jeffrey Rissman, Senior Director of Industry at Energy Innovation. His new book “Zero-Carbon Industry: Transformative Technologies and Policies to Achieve Sustainable Prosperity” is available for pre-order now before its February 27, 2024 release date.
Zero-Carbon Industry unpacks the complex challenges presented by climate change and offers clear, actionable insights on how we can revamp the industrial world’s heaviest emitters using cutting-edge technologies and intelligent policy.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Episode 200!
Matt and Nick talk about The Guardian’s biodiversity issues list for 2024 (Printable DNA to bird-bashing towers: 15 looming issues for biodiversity in 2024),
Air pollution in Pakistan causes schools to close (Pakistan’s air pollution rivals India’s, so authorities try seeding clouds),
Carbon capture wells in Louisiana (Biden administration grants Louisiana power to approve carbon capture wells),
Changes for the Electric Vehicle tax credit in 2024 (The $7,500 EV tax credit will see big changes in 2024. What to know),
COP29’s President has been announced (Azerbaijan names a former oil exec to lead climate talks),
2023’s wine harvest was the lowest in 60 years (World wine harvest 2023: Lowest volume in 60 years),
And ice cover on the Great Lakes is the lowest it’s been in 50 years (Great Lakes ice cover is nearly non-existent, reaches 50-year record low)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta at www.valaalta.co/TPT for 15% off.
Matt kicks off 2024 with 3 more snippets of guest interviews from 2023!
July 14, 2023: Martha Hunt Handler (Wolf Conservation Center)
October 20, 2023: Tom Blue Wolf (EarthKeepers)
July 21, 2023: Sean B. Carroll (Wild Hope)
Matt closes out 2023 with snippets from 3 guest interviews!
January 16, 2023: Samantha Zwicker (Hoja Nueva)
May 15, 2023: Carlton Ward, Jr. (National Geographic: Path of the Panther)
July 7, 2023: Doug Tallamy (Nature’s Best Hope)
Matt and Nick talk about Christmas trees supporting wildlife (In Real vs. Fake Christmas Tree Debate: Consider the Wildlife),
Reducing carbon emissions for airlines by rethinking contrails (Airlines are trying to curb the climate warming impact of contrails),
Protecting salmon in the PNW (Tribes are celebrating a White House deal that could save Northwest salmon),
Europe fighting packaging waste (EU countries back law to curb packaging waste),
A new carbon tax in the UK (UK to implement carbon levy on imported goods by 2027),
Reefs off of the Texas coast doing well despite warming waters (Climate change is hurting coral worldwide. But these reefs off the Texas coast are thriving),
And exciting news for California’s kelp forest (From urchin crushing to lab-grown kelp, efforts to save California's kelp forests show promise)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about this year’s UN Climate Negotiations held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The 28th annual Conference of the Parties (COP28) was scheduled to take place from November 30 to December 12, but went into overtime before a deal was agreed upon on December 13.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt is joined by Dan Walsh and CJ Bonifati to talk about 2023 likely being the hottest year on record (Red hot October almost guarantees 2023 will be the hottest year on record),
Worsening climate issues in the US (Effects of climate change worsening in every part of the US, report says),
Wolverines receiving protections under the Endangered Species Act (Wolverines now considered threatened species under Endangered Species Act),
The EPA’s goal to reduce methane in the next 15 years (EPA rules cut methane pollution from oil and gas operations),
The EPA’s proposal to remove all lead pipes from the US within 10 years (EPA proposes requirement to remove lead pipes from US water systems within 10 years),
Amazon reforestation (Brazil launches $204 million drive to restore Amazon rainforest),
And COP28’s President stating that fossil fuels need to be part of the plan to limit warming to 1.5°C (COP28 president incorrectly says fossil fuel phaseout is not necessary)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about the impact of climate change on human health (Lancet Countdown Report Shows Climate Change’s Impact on Health)
Microplastics are impacting everything - even weather (Microplastics may affect the weather, new study finds)
Arizona set to install solar panels over its canals (Arizona's Canal Solar Project: A blueprint for sustainable energy)
The price of solar could drastically decrease next year (Solar module prices may reach $0.10/W by end 2024)
Battery storage making gas power plants less economically viable (Giant batteries drain economics of gas power plants)
Bayer ordered to pay for Roundup weedkiller’s link to cancer (Bayer ordered to pay $1.56 billion in latest US trial loss over Roundup weedkiller)
And the push to save Mexico’s axolotl population (‘Adopt an axolotl’ campaign launches in Mexico to save the species)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta using this link” for 15% off.
Matt discusses the show’s success in 2023, some things TPT is looking to improve on, the schedule for the rest of the year, and what the team has planned in 2024.
Special episode today where Matt talks about some of the major environmental agreements in the past 50 years. He then dives intoa few of the recent UN Climate Change Conferences (COP21, COP 26, and COP27) before discussing the goals of COP28.
Sources for today’s show:
- Montreal Protocol
- Kyoto Protocol
- COP1: downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/cop-01
- Paris (COP21): Key aspects of the Paris Agreement | UNFCCC
- Glasgow (COP26): The Glasgow Climate Pact – Key Outcomes from COP26
- Sharm el-Sheikh (COP27): What are the key outcomes of Cop27 climate summit?
- COP28 official page: UN Climate Change Conference
- COP28 goals: What will be on the COP 28 agenda? Here are 7 issues to watch
He ends the show with a quick environmental policy roundup about Michigan’s new clean energy bill (Michigan just passed one of the country’s most…) and Cheetahs adapting to extreme heat (Cheetahs become more nocturnal on hot days. Climate change may trigger fights among predators).
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at valaalta.co/TPT for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about how Bison and other large herbivores improve their ecosystems (Why grazing bison could be good for the planet),
The earthquake in Nepal (Nepal earthquake kills at least 128, toll could rise, officials say),
School closures due to pollution in India (Delhi primary schools to close amidst high pollution levels),
Potomac river clean up near Washington, D.C. (Alexandria settles lawsuit for coal tar clean up, Potomac river restoration),
Ørsted canceling wind projects off NJ (Ørsted cancels two US offshore windfarm projects at £3.3bn cost),
A new disease found in the US as a result of sand flies (Climate change has brought the 'tropical disease' leishmaniasis to U.S.),
And “loss and damage” discussions before COP28 begins in 20 days(Impasse broken on climate fund before COP28 but tough road ahead)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about how companies like Poland Springs influence water rights in the U.S. (Inside Poland Spring's Fight for Access to Freshwater Nationwide)
And the World Energy Outlook 2023 report (World Energy Outlook 2023 – Analysis)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about Hurricane Otis and its fallout (Much of Acapulco Still Without Power as Hurricane Otis Death Toll Rises),
Mountains in Nepal losing their ice (Nepal's mountains have lost one-third of their ice, UN chief say),
Stronger lead protection in US drinking waters (EPA to strengthen lead protections in drinking water after multiple crises, including Flint),
Energy price hikes in Wyoming (Critics make case against utility’s historic electric rate hike | Wyoming),
England’s government not prioritizing species reintroduction (Reintroducing wildlife species 'not a priority'),
Life inside Yellowstone’s Old Faithful (Old Faithful Is Boiling, Smelly and the Perfect Home for These Living Things),
And demand for fossil fuels set to peak this decade (IEA: 'Unstoppable' energy transition means demand for oil, gas, and coal to peak by 2030)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about Exxon’s purchase of Pioneer and Chevron’s purchase of Hess (ExxonMobil agrees to buy shale rival Pioneer in $60 billion deal and Chevron to buy Hess Corp for $53 billion in all-stock deal),West Antarctica’s ice shelf melting (Sea-level rise: West Antarctic ice shelf melt 'unavoidable'),Clean Hydrogen Hubs in the US (Biden-Harris Administration Announces $7 Billion For America’s First Clean Hydrogen Hubs),California’s new shrub rules (California homeowners will face new rules for where they can plant shrubs),The EPA’s ban of trichloroethylene or TCE (Biden’s “Moonshot” To Fight Cancer Just Took A Big Step Forward By Moving To Ban This Chemical)Atlantic Hurricanes are getting more powerful due to climate change (More Atlantic Hurricanes Rapidly Increasing to Cat. 3, Study Finds),And global efforts to end deforestation by 2030 need to ramp up big time (World far off track on pledges to end deforestation by 2030)!Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Tom Blue Wolf, the founder of Earthkeepers - a non-profit that promotes honoring tradition, preserving the earth, and fostering global peace.
Earthkeepers and Company’s mission is to empower individuals to take daily environmental action through education on sustainable lifestyle choices and reconnection to the natural world, in order to promote a healthy relationship between humanity and the planet.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about gene editing to fight bird flu (Bird flu: Scientists see gene editing hope for immune chickens),How expensive the climate crisis has become (Climate crisis costing $16m an hour in extreme weather damage, study estimates)A ban on gas-powered cars in Stockholm’s city center (Stockholm to ban petrol, diesel cars from city centre),Cruise ships using shore power in New York (Cruise Ships Commit to Shore Power by 2028 — Promise Community Fund Amid Expansion Plans),A new report from UNICEF about children being displaced by climate change (Climate change: 20,000 children displaced every day by extreme weather, UNICEF report finds).And how climate change is impacting beer (Climate crisis will make Europe’s beer cost more and taste worse, say scientists)!Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about the harmful impact of slowly transitioning to net-zero (Slow route to net zero will worsen global climate crisis, IPCC chief warns),Increased power bills over the summer (Survey: Over 70 percent of Americans paid higher power bill due to summer’s extreme heat),Arizona stopping its water leases to farms owned by Saudi Arabia (Arizona to End Water Leases to Saudi-Owned Alfalfa Farm),The US and Switzerland’s donation to Brazilian deforestation efforts (Switzerland, US donate $8 million to Brazil's fund to fight Amazon deforestation),A fine for space pollution (US issues first ever fine for space junk to Dish Network),Some miners switching to renewable energy (Facing increasing pressure from customers, some miners are switching to renewable energy),And some climate solutions from NPR’s Climate Week (Good news about tackling climate change)!Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about Lego abandoning its recycled brick plan (Lego axes plan to make bricks from recycled bottles)
And more Americans view climate change as the cause for extreme weather (After summer’s extreme weather, more Americans see climate change as a culprit, poll shows)!
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Matt and Nick talk about President Biden’s Climate Corps (Biden launches American Climate Corps to train the green workforce),
Antarctic winter sea ice has hit a record low (Antarctic winter sea ice hits 'extreme' record low),
President Biden’s climate pledge to Pacific Island Nations (Biden tells Pacific islands leaders he'll act on warnings about climate change),
The UK delaying many of its climate goals until 2035 (Rishi Sunak: Cars, boilers and net zero - key takeaways from PM's speech),
Emmanuel Macron’s 50 point plan to reduce GHG emissions in France (Macron launches ‘ecological plan’ to end France’s use of fossil fuels by 2030),
The threat of fracking on American aquifers (Fracking For Oil and Gas Is Devouring American Groundwater),
And Maine’s puffin population holding steady in the face of climate change(Maine's puffin colonies recovering in the face of climate change)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Rod Matthews, the Co-Founder and CEO of Brevian Energy, a renewable energy technology company based in California.
Rod is an experienced business technology consultant and Micro Grid Solution Provider with a background in aligning energy and technology initiatives with core business objectives. He is passionate about slowing down the impacts of climate change and believes the deployment of microgrids is a part of the solution.
He's currently on a mission to educate business owners in manufacturing, technology, energy, sustainability and real estate developers who are considering how and when to add microgrids, or other renewable energy infrastructure to their projects.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about the tragic flooding in Libya (Libya floods: 10,000 people are missing and thousands are feared dead),
A devastating 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Morocco (Morocco earthquake updates: Rescuers dig for survivors with their hands),
President Biden canceling arctic oil drilling leases (Biden cancels Arctic oil drilling leases issued under Trump. Why it matters for the environment — and the 2024 election),
A massive lithium discovery in the US (Lithium discovery in US volcano could be biggest deposit ever found),
The Supreme Court’s decision puts US wetlands in danger (New WOTUS rule leaves American wetlands vulnerable),
How climate change is impacting olive oil (Olive oil is in trouble as extreme heat and drought pushes the industry into crisis),
And NYU is divesting from fossil fuels (New York University will divest from fossil fuels in win for student activists)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about Hurricane Idalia (Flamingo fallout: Iconic pink birds showing up all over the East Coast after Idalia), US geothermal energy capacity (Tools Born From Fracking Fuel Geothermal Rush),How much groundwater is being used in the US (America Is Draining Its Groundwater Like There’s No Tomorrow)A heat wave in Europe is causing wildfires in France and Spain (Europe broils in heat wave that fuels fires in France, Spain),And another positive Brazilian Amazon deforestation update (Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon falls 66% in August)!Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt talks about how Maui’s first wildfire broke out (Hawaii power utility takes responsibility for first fire on Maui, but faults county firefighters),Clean-air zones in London (London Ulez expansion: Do clean-air zones reduce air pollution?),Releasing radioactive wastewater from Fukushima (Science behind the Fukushima Daiichi radioactive water release),ExxonMobil’s prediction that the world will miss climate targets and why it matters (Exxon says world set to fail two degrees global warming cap by 2050),And new ecosystems developing as glaciers melt As glaciers melt, a new study seeks protection of ecosystems that emerge in their place)!Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about the wildfires in Maui (850 people are still missing after Maui wildfires, mayor says),Hurricane Hilary hitting the Pacific Coast of the US and Mexico (Hilary moves into Southern California after making landfall in Mexico's Baja California peninsula),Montana’s youth movement to fight climate change (Montana climate trial: Judge sides with young activists in first-of-its-kind trial),How a new ruling could impact the US solar industry (A new ruling could make solar panels more expensive in the United States),How worsening air pollution is decreasing the efficacy of some antibiotics (Air pollution linked to antibiotic resistance, new study suggests)And the US clean energy movement is trending faster than expected (The Clean Energy Future Is Arriving Faster Than You Think)!Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Corey Tyree, the President and CEO of Trillium Renewable Chemicals.
Trillium is revolutionizing the way chemicals are produced through their innovative, sustainable approach, while leading the charge in the bioeconomy and creating renewable, eco-friendly chemicals.
Their approach includes using renewable feedstocks, such as waste biomass, to produce high-quality, environmentally friendly, and cost-competitive chemicals that are not petroleum-based.
Check them out on Twitter and LinkedIn for more.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about (Ocean Temperatures Are Hotter Than Ever. What Does It Mean for Earth?),
President Biden designating a new national monument (Biden creates a new national monument near the Grand Canyon),
A prediction for a 2024 election strategy (A Republican 2024 Climate Strategy: More Drilling, Less Clean Energy),
Carbon recycling (Biden admin seeks to jumpstart carbon recycling with $100 million in grants),
Air conditioning in public housing (As U.S. bakes, public housing residents struggle to get AC),
And (Cheetahs in Kuno: Is India's effort to reintroduce the big cat facing a crisis?)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about the current El Niño lasting into next year (El Niño will likely last into 2024, and more heat is coming : NPR)And conservation efforts in Africa’s wildlife parks (Africa’s wildlife parks managers meet to boost conservation | AP News)! Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about July being the hottest month on record (This Looks Like Earth’s Warmest Month. Hotter Ones Appear to Be in Store),Cacti struggling with global heat waves (Even cacti struggle under extreme weather),The Biden Administration’s response to high temperatures (Biden announces new actions to help people deal with extreme heat),Germany’s increased fossil fuel will be temporary according to Olaf Scholz (Scholz: Germany's increased coal, oil use will be temporary),How a ban on 5 items could reduce plastic waste (Banning these five things would reduce plastic waste by 1.4M tons each year: report),And a proposed tax on private jets (Democratic senator wants new taxes on private jet travel)!Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Tucker Perkins, the president and chief executive officer of the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) and host of the Path to Zero podcast.
Tucker believes climate change is both real and man-made, and his goal is to meet the world’s energy demands while reducing carbon in the atmosphere through the use of cleaner liquid fuels, such as propane.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt interviews Sean B. Carroll, the head of HHMI Tangled Bank Studios. His studio has partnered with PBS Nature on a new eight-part series called Wild Hope, which began airing on pbs.org and on the PBS App on June 15.
You can watch the Series Trailer here. Sean’s team highlights stories of change makers who are restoring and protecting our planet through hyper-local initiatives. More Wild Hope stories will be rolling out this Fall.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt interviews Martha Hunt Handler, the Board President of the Wolf Conservation Center (WCC), a New York-based non-profit organization whose mission is to advance the survival of wolves by inspiring a global community through education, advocacy, research and recovery.
They're also playing a leading role in increasing the numbers of two critically endangered wolf species, the Mexican Gray wolf and the Red wolf, both of whom were declared extinct in the wild due to human depredation. The WCC has been a critical partner in creating genetic diversity in the captive populations and rewilding them.
Martha has been an environmentalist and wolf activist for 40+ years. She is also an award-winning author of Winter of the Wolf. Check out the WCC on Instagram here.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt interviews Dr. Doug Tallamy of the University of Delaware’s Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology. Dr. Tallamy’s book Nature’s Best Hope Young Readers’ Edition: How you can Save the World in Your Own Yard is an adaptation of his New York Times Bestseller Nature’s Best Hope that aims to inspire kids to join the Homegrown National Park movement and learn how to protect the planet through small and approachable acts of conservation at home.
Nature’s Best Hopeis a guide to fighting the decline in wildlife populations through the use of native plants. Now, kids can join the Homegrown National Park movement and learn how to protect the planet through small and approachable acts of conservation in their own backyards.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about mosquito-borne virus risk on the rise because of climate change (Climate change leads to growing risk of mosquito-borne viral diseases, EU agency says),
A train derailment in in the Yellowstone River (Train carrying hazardous materials derails into Yellowstone River in Montana),
A quick note on the wildfire smoke still affecting the United States,
Power companies fight back against a non-profit utility in Maine (Power companies spend millions to fight Maine’s proposed non-profit utility),
Canada’s new regulations on cruise liners (Canada clamps down on cruise liners dumping sewage, green groups want more),
A new satellite dedicated to air pollution in the US (New air pollution satellite could support environmental justice),
And Burmese peacock turtles hatch in Myanmar (Watch Rare Burmese Peacock Turtles Hatching)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about the temperature spikes around the world (Fears of hottest year on record as global temperatures spike | Climate crisis),Antonio Guterres calling for an end to fossil fuels (UN chief says fossil fuels are ‘incompatible with human survival,’ calls for credible exit strategy),Switzerland’s new net-zero goals (As Switzerland’s glaciers melt, Alpine nation backs climate bill with net zero target for 2050),An EU law for smartphone batteries (Smartphones Must Have User-Replaceable Batteries by 2027),New climate investments in the US (Biden $600 million climate investments California trip),Wasted water through an abandoned golf course (This community lost 5 million gallons of clean, drinkable water a day — all because of an abandoned golf course),And the first known virgin crocodile birth (Scientists discover the first virgin birth in a crocodile)!Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Beth McDaniel.
Beth is a c-suite executive in the science and technology space, a successful entrepreneur, an accomplished attorney, and an advisor on climate technology.
Beth’s company, Reactive Surfaces, works to make naturally-occuring, non-toxic paints and coatings that can be used to remove carbon from the atmosphere and convert it into biochar and other environmentally friendly solutions.
She is also the co-founder of Team Lichen, the leading XPRIZE team for carbon reduction, who recently released a groundbreaking peer-reviewed whitepaper entitled, “Integrated Techno-Economic And Life Cycle Assessment Of A Novel Algae-Based Coating For Direct Air Carbon Capture And Sequestration”.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about last week’s wildfire smoke (Maps, satellite images show Canadian wildfire smoke enveloping parts of U.S. with unhealthy air),
How fungi can help in the fight against climate change (Fungi may offer ‘jaw-dropping’ solution to climate change),
Environmentalists fighting for a healthy, livable climate in Montana (Youth environmentalists bring Montana climate case to trial after 12 years, seeking to set precedent),
Ford Motor and Tesla strike a deal to allow GM vehicles to use Tesla chargers (GM’s Electric Vehicles Will Use Tesla’s Charging Network),
Arizona’s desalination plan (Arizona, Low on Water, Weighs Taking It From the Sea. In Mexico),
Summer ice in the arctic will no longer exist in the near future (Too late now to save Arctic summer ice, climate scientists find | Climate crisis),
And red wolf conservation in North Carolina (Endangered red wolf families released in Eastern North Carolina)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about Earth reaching several tipping points (Earth is 'really quite sick now' and in danger zone in nearly all ecological ways, study says),
Exxon’s decarbonization deal through carbon capture (Exxon signs decarbonization contract with steel maker Nucor),
Germany and Denmark’s offshore wind cooperation deal (Germany, Denmark sign offshore wind power cooperation deal),
Arizona’s halt on construction in Phoenix due to lack of groundwater (Arizona announces new limits on construction in Phoenix area as groundwater disappears),
The International Energy Agency’s June 2023 forecast (Renewable Energy Market Update),
The first settlement for producing Forever Chemicals (Three ‘Forever Chemicals’ Makers Settle Public Water Lawsuits),
And how meat and dairy farming have led to deforestation of the Amazon (More than 800m Amazon trees felled in six years to meet beef demand | Amazon rainforest)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about Finland’s electricity prices decreasing thanks to nuclear and renewables (Nuclear power helps bring down electricity prices by 75% in Finland (thenationalnews.com)/)And how climate change is impacting rice (How Global Rice Farming Is Being Transformed by Climate Change - The New York Times (nytimes.com))! Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about the United Nations’ report on plastic pollution (Plastic pollution could be slashed by 80% by 2040, UN says | Plastics),The Supreme Court weakening an EPA rule on water pollution (Supreme Court Limits EPA’s Power to Address Water Pollution),California’s plan to fix its transmission line system (California has a new $7.3B plan to fix its…),State Farm has stopped accepting homeowner’s insurance applications in California (State Farm no longer accepts homeowner insurance applications in California),German police raiding climate protests (German police conduct raids on climate activists as impatience mounts),Amazon abandoning one of its climate goals (Amazon Gives up Shipment Zero, a Key Part of Its Climate Pledge),An update on the Indian Cheetah cubs we spoke about last month (Precious cheetah cubs die in India national park),And 3-D printed artificial reefs (3D-printed reefs to help restore marine biodiversity in the Kattegat in Denmark)!Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about the UK potentially banning products being labeled “carbon neutral” through offsets (Adverts claiming products are carbon neutral by using offsetting face UK ban | Carbon offsetting)A temporary deal to protect the Colorado River (Deal Is Reached to Keep Colorado River From Going Dry, for Now),Colorado moving to protect pollinators (Save the Bees: Legislature passes bill limiting bee-killing pesticides),A new tax on Electric Vehicles in Texas (Electric vehicles in Texas face new tax as Gov. Abbott signs law),A Montana bill banning climate impact assessments (Gianforte signs bill banning state agencies from analyzing climate impacts | Environment),The world’s largest ocean restoration project in Dubai (Dubai could become home to the world's largest ocean restoration project),And a bird flu vaccine to protect California Condors (Bird Flu Vaccine Authorized for Emergency Use in California Condors)!Check out our Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about the EPA’s power plant pollution plan (The EPA has a plan to eliminate climate pollution from power plants, but will it survive in court? (msn.com)),Deforestation in the Amazon down under Lula (Amazon Deforestation Down 40 Percent So Far This Year (yahoo.com)),The EU’s latest renewable energy plan (EU countries to finalise 42.5% renewable energy target | Reuters),Ecuador protecting the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador Strikes Landmark Deal to Protect the Galápagos Islands - One Green Planet),Argentina’s woodlands decreasing (High grains prices, low fines spur loss of Argentina's woodlands | Reuters),How climate misinformation is infiltrating the legal system (Climate misinformation is becoming law (heated.world)),And the return of the Platypus after 50 years to Sydney’s Royal National Park (Platypuses return to Sydney's Royal National Park after disappearing for decades - ABC News)!Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Carlton Ward Jr.
Carlton is a National Geographic Explorer and photographer who founded the Florida Wildlife Corridor project in 2010, for which he trekked more than 2,000 miles during two expeditions supported by the National Geographic Society. In 2015, he launched the Path of the Panther project, an impact campaign with National Geographic and other partners that helped inspire the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act in 2021. His book Path of the Panther was released on May 2nd, with an accompanying documentary released on Disney+ on May 5th.
Follow Carlton,Path of the Panther and Wildpath, on Instagram by clicking the hyperlinks in this sentence.
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Matt and Nick talk about New York’s ban on natural gas in new buildings (New York first US state to ban natural gas in new buildings - BBC News),
Apple’s pledge to use 100% recycled cobalt in batteries by 2025 (Apple to use only recycled cobalt in batteries by 2025 | Reuters),
New pro-fossil fuel regulations in Montana (New Montana laws plow through environmental regulations for fossil fuels (billingsgazette.com)),
An EPA rule on air pollution (EPA’s car pollution rules would save Americans trillions of dollars » Yale Climate Connections),
Texas pumping the brakes on renewables with new legislation (Texas Senate approves tight permit restrictions on solar and wind – pv magazine USA (pv-magazine-usa.com)),
Shell’s Deer Park fire (Reignited fire at Shell’s Deer Park Chemicals facility extinguished Sunday night, officials say – Houston Public Media),
And a new grant from the Indianapolis Zoo (Indianapolis Zoo offers $1 million grant to save endangered species – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about Shell’s decision to pull out of one of Britain’s largest carbon capture projects (Shell pulls out of large carbon capture project in northern England | Reuters),A fourth nuclear reactor at the Plant Vogtle in Georgia has completed testing (Fourth reactor at Georgia nuclear plant completes test phase | AP News),Asian Elephant habitat loss (Almost two-thirds of elephant habitat lost across Asia, study finds | CNN),RIP the Chevy Bolt Electric Vehicle (GM is ending Chevy Bolt EV production : NPR),And the connection between air pollution spikes and irregular heartbeats (Air pollution spikes linked to irregular heartbeats, study finds | Air pollution | The Guardian)!Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about (Support the Big Cat Public Safety Act (aza.org))And parrots’ ability to use video chat (Can Parrots Talk Over Video Chat? Experiment Shows How They Adapt and Connect - The New York Times (nytimes.com))! Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about protections for old-growth forests in the US (Biden plans protections for old-growth forests - E&E News (eenews.net)),The SpaceX explosion’s environmental impact (Debris from SpaceX rocket explosion rained down on protected wildlife refuge | The Independent),Threats to the Chilean dolphin population (Pollution, bird flu threaten 'very fragile' Chilean dolphin population | Reuters),And turning food waste into energy in New York (How New Yorkers’ Food Scraps Get ‘Digested’ to Provide Gas for Homes - The New York Times (nytimes.com))!Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about the Biden Administration’s Colorado River plan (Amid Colorado River crisis, these California farmers may face water cuts - The Washington Post),
Germany has officially closed its last nuclear plant (As Germany ends nuclear era, activist says there is still more to do | Reuters),
Drunk birds (Wildlife officials warn of drunk birds (msn.com)),
Sea level rise outpacing projections in Southern US (Sea levels rising rapidly in southern U.S., study finds (yahoo.com)),
And The push for electrification in the US (How Electrifying Everything Became a Key Climate Solution - The New York Times (nytimes.com))!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Clare SantaColoma.
Clare’s love of animals and the outdoors have led her to some fantastic wildlife conservation positions, including a new role she is about to start with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory in California. She was most recently a Coastal Waterbird Monitor for the Massachusetts Audubon, where she worked with a team of researchers and wildlife managers to protect the nature of Massachusetts for both people and wildlife. Clare has previously worked with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, AmeriCorps, the Wolf Conservation Center, and Binghamton Zoo, among others.
Instagram accounts for places Clare has worked:
@goldengateraptors
@massaudubon
@usfws
@u.s.forestservice
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Matt and Nick talk about the EPA strengthening its air pollution limits on power plants (Biden EPA cracks down on mercury pollution from power plants (cnbc.com)),The EPA’s new rules for electric vehicles (New EPA rules will upend industry as automakers' EV plans are too low | Electrek),How climate change is impacting baseball (Climate change adding 50 homers a year in MLB, study says | AP News),A bison hunt in Yellowstone aimed at stopping the spread of disease (Mass Yellowstone Bison Hunt Kills More Than 1,000 (yahoo.com))And a massive lake has returned to California’s Central Valley, which could lead to disaster (Tulare Lake Returned in the Central Valley After California Storms - The New York Times (nytimes.com))!Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about the massive storm and tornadoes that hit the US last week (32 dead as tornadoes torment from Arkansas to Delaware | AP News),The Tornado that hit Mississippi and Alabama on March 24 (Mississippi tornado destruction: A breakdown of what happened in Rolling Fork, other areas (yahoo.com)),Germany’s reversal on an EU ban of internal combustion cars by 2035 (EU was set to ban internal combustion engine cars. Then Germany suddenly changed its mind | CNN Business),The Biden Administration’s oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico (Biden administration sells oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico : NPR)And Cheetahs born in India for the first time in over 70 years (India welcomes its first newborn cheetahs in more than 7 decades | CNN)!Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about a potentially fungus spreading in the US (‘Very disturbing’: What to know about the potentially deadly fungus spreading in the US | The Hill)
And penguins given cataract surgery for the first time in Singapore (Singapore: The penguins given world-first cataract surgery - BBC News)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about President Biden’s veto and its impact on ESG funds (Biden used first veto to save a 401(k) investment rule. Here's what it does (msn.com)),
Pure DDT found off the coast of Los Angeles (Scientists uncover startling concentrations of pure DDT along seafloor off L.A. coast (yahoo.com)),
UK lawyers say they won’t prosecute peaceful climate protestors (Top lawyers defy bar to declare they will not prosecute peaceful climate protesters | Environmental activism | The Guardian),
A giant seaweed blob moving towards Florida (A 5,000-mile seaweed belt is headed toward Florida - ABC News (go.com)),
And a California water update after this year’s wet winter (A Very Wet Winter Has Eased California’s Drought, but Water Woes Remain - The New York Times (nytimes.com))!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about the EPA’s move to limit PFAS in drinking water for the first time ever (EPA To Limit PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' in Drinking Water | Time),Earth projected to reach a critical climate threshold within the next decade unless immediate action taken (World on 'thin ice' as UN climate report gives stark warning | AP News),The Green Climate Fund approving financing for Herencia Colombia (https://www.worldwildlife.org/press-releases/green-climate-fund-approves-financing-for-herencia-colombia),A tick-borne illness on the rise as temperatures warm (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/16/health/babesiosis-tick-disease-northeast.html?smtyp=cur∣=tw-nytimesscience),Earlier and longer annual allergy seasons (Allergy season is starting earlier and lasting longer. Here's how to manage the pollen onslaught | CNN),And Albania has established Europe’s first wild river national park (‘Historic moment’ for nature as Europe’s first wild river national park announced in Albania | Rivers | The Guardian)! Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Dr. Ruth Backstrom.
Ruth is an accomplished author, speaker, and educator who is an expert in facilitation methods that foster deeper conversations. She is a trained coach in the Dynamic Facilitation technique, a method designed to help people address and solve impossible-seeming issues through collaboration.
Her book, Igniting a Bold New Democracy: Empowering Citizens Through Game-Changing Reforms comes out on March 30 and offers a solution that has the potential to reform politics as we know it: by using proven facilitation tools to seed new and inspiring conversations with citizen groups to bring the majority together around a new vision.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Happy birthday to Nick!
Matt and Nick talk about President Biden approving the Willow Project (Willow Project: Biden administration approves Alaska oil project - CNNPolitics),
President Biden closing the Arctic to oil drilling after the Willow Project (Biden closes Arctic to oil — after Willow - E&E News (eenews.net)),
A vaccine for bees (Vaccine could save billions of bees from deadly disease - BBC News),
Iraq’s Prime Minister’s climate pledge (Iraqi PM promises action to tackle crippling climate change | AP News),
And climate change causing Venice’s canals to run dry (Venice canals run dry as lingering weather system mires tides, and Alps snow shortage fuels concerns for Italy's summer - CBS News)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
146: The UN Ocean Biodiversity Treaty, Antarctic Sea ice reaches record-low, & more!
Matt and Nick talk about the UN treaty to protect the high seas (Nations reach accord to protect marine life on high seas | AP News),
The environmental harm caused by Boreal forest fires (Record-Breaking Boreal Fires May Be a Climate 'Time Bomb' - Scientific American,
Big Oil’s weak attempts at net-zero emissions are not working so far (Big Oil gets failing grade on credible net-zero promises | Canada's National Observer: News & Analysis),
Antarctic sea ice reaching record lows (‘Everyone should be concerned’: Antarctic sea ice reaches lowest levels ever recorded | Antarctica | The Guardian),
And a promising new report about wind energy and seabirds (New Study Finds Seabirds Avoid Offshore Wind Turbines (gcaptain.com))!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about REI’s move to phase out PFAS, a.k.a. forever chemicals, from the products they sell (KUOW - REI to stop selling clothes, cookware with 'forever chemicals')
And whales washing up on the Atlantic Coast is fueling misinformation from opponents (Dead whales on east coast fuel misinformation about offshore wind development : NPR)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about Amazon deforestation setting a February record in Brazil (Worst-ever February rainforest data for Brazilian Amazon (phys.org)),
Rio Verde Foothills, Arizona being cut off from its water supply (A suburb in Arizona lost its source of water. Residents warn: We're only the beginning | CBC News),
The animal death toll due to Norfolk Southern’s train derailment in Ohio (Estimated animal death toll from Ohio train derailment tops 43,700 as time frame for environmental recovery remains uncertain, officials say - CBS News),
U.S. corn-based ethanol is not actually environmentally friendly (U.S. corn-based ethanol worse for the climate than gasoline, study finds | Reuters),
And a report on global methane emissions in 2022 (Methane emissions remained stubbornly high in 2022 even as soaring energy prices made actions to reduce them cheaper than ever - News - IEA)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
We would encourage everyone who is financially able to donate to look into Doctors Without Borders or another charitable aid program assisting the survivors of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
Matt and Nick talk about David Malpass resigning as head of the World Bank (Factbox: Who could replace World Bank President David Malpass? | Reuters/),
Global fossil fuel subsidies reached $1 trillion in 2022 (Global Fossil Fuel Subsidies Reach All-Time High Of $1 Trillion In 2022, Up Two-Fold Against 2021 (cnbctv18.com)),
Australia moves to protect Great Barrier Reef by blocking coal mine (Australia blocks coal mine to protect Great Barrier Reef - BBC News (ampproject.org)),
A third earthquake hits Turkey and Syria (At least 3 dead and hundreds injured after a new earthquake hits the Syria-Turkey border (nbcnews.com)),
And the five National Parks along the Lake Superior Shoreline will completely decarbonize buildings and vehicles within four years (National parks along Lake Superior to be first to fully decarbonize (ampproject.org))!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
For the second time on TPT, Matt interviews James Leitner, the Founder and Executive Director of Mission Clean Water. Their first episode first interview aired on May 23, 2022.
James recently returned from a trip to Uganda, where Mission Clean Water has installed clean water wells and engaged the local community to ensure continued success in clean water accessibility.
Mission Clean Water aims to address a major issue with clean water projects in Africa: 60% of them fail within the first two years, according to the World Health Organization.
MCW says this is because projects are implemented too quickly, and without proper consultation and coordination with local communities.
Their focus on community involvement treats clean water as the beginning of the process, and not just a photo-op and plaque next to a well that will not function properly in a few years.
Their team of technical and community teams maintain communication, training, and long-term involvement so that their wells will continue to provide clean water to arid regions that have been underserved for generations.
Learn more at www.missioncleanwater.org and follow them on Instagram and Twitter @missioncleanh2o!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about the earthquake in Turkey and Syria and how climate change is causing more earthquakes (Climate change is triggering more earthquakes. Big Oil's interests are a factor (msn.com)),
A train derailment in Ohio has led to hydrochloric acid raining onto people (Ohio train derailment: environmental disaster quietly unfolding (fastcompany.com)),
Danish wind company Vestas can now recycle all wind turbine blades (A Danish wind turbine giant just discovered how to recycle all blades (electrek.co)),
The price of electric vehicles could match gas powered cars as soon as this year (Electric Vehicles Could Match Gasoline Cars on Price This Year - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
And deforestation in Brazil is down in Lula’s first month (Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon falls in first month under Lula | Reuters)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about the Biden Administration’s endorsement of the Willow project (Biden administration recommends major Alaska oil project (nbcnews.com)),
Monarch butterflies numbers increased slightly last year but fell short of five year goal (Latest Count of Western Monarch Butterfly Highlights Steep Toll of Climate-Fueled Disasters (nwf.org)),
Hawaii’s push to ban plastic water bottles (Plastic Water Bottles May Be Next Ban In Hawaii's War Against Pollution - Honolulu Civil Beat),
And record profits for Shell and Exxon in 2022 (Shell reports highest profits in 115 years - BBC News))!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about greener playgrounds in New York City (An Overlooked Climate Solution? Greener Playgrounds (citylimits.org))
And Texas Republicans continuing to push natural gas in the face of growing renewables (Renewables are growing on the Texas power grid. Republicans want more natural gas. - Vox)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Yesterday was Matt's birthday so share this episode with a friend to wish him a happy birthday!
Matt and Nick talk about a new study showing new renewable energy facilities are cheaper than maintaining coal (US renewable energy farms outstrip 99% of coal plants economically – study | US news | The Guardian),
Oak trees dying rapidly in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland (Oaks are dying at record rates across Chesapeake region | Sound Off | somdnews.com),
The Oak Run solar project in Ohio (Over $500 million in tax revenue expected from 800 MW Ohio solar project – pv magazine USA (pv-magazine-usa.com)),
And the Biden Administration restoring protections for the Tongass National Forest (Biden restores protections to Alaska's Tongass National Forest - BBC News)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about the indoor air pollution problem from gas stoves (Are gas stoves really dangerous? What we know about the science | Air pollution | The Guardian),
No Indian Rhinos poached in 2022 (A Conservation Success As Zero Indian Rhinos Were Poached In 2022 Making It The First Time In 45 Years - World Animal News),
UCLA working towards better climate modeling (UCLA Researcher Develops a Python Library Called ClimateLearn for Accessing State-of-the-Art Climate Data and Machine Learning Models in a Standardized and Straightforward Way - MarkTechPost),
The impact pesticides have on global warming (How pesticides intensify global warming | Grist),
And Colorado potentially becoming a national leader in agrivoltaics (Colorado could become a leader in solar agriculture, or agrivoltaics (coloradosun.com))!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Graham Hill, the founder and CEO of The Carbonauts, a company that teaches people how to reduce their carbon footprints in under six weeks while saving money and influencing others.
Their clients include giant companies like Amazon, Chanel, News Corp, Toyota, AT&T, Warner Brothers, Discovery, Netflix, Dow Jones, and HarperCollins, whose employees have taken their online courses on the planet and decreased their carbon footprints by up to 40%.
They believe if we can get 3.5% of the world's population to live compelling, low-footprint lives, a tipping point will be reached, and governments and companies will pave the way for the rest of society to quickly transition to a sustainable way of life.
Graham has worked in the environmental field for 20+ years. Before Carbonauts, he founded the ground-breaking website TreeHugger, which was the most trafficked green site for years, with billions of page views. In 2007, he sold this website to the Discovery Channel.
You can watch Graham’s Ted Talk about being a Weekday Vegetarian here.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about Exxon accurately predicting what would happen to the global climate decades ago (Exxon scientists accurately predicted global warming from burning fossil fuels. : NPR),
COP28’s president - Sultan Al Jaber of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (UAE appoints oil company boss as president of the COP28 climate conference, alarming climate groups | CNN),
2023 is going to be extremely hot (Warning of unprecedented heatwaves as El Niño set to return in 2023 | El Niño southern oscillation | The Guardian),
The UK’s ban on single-use plastics for takeout (Single-use plastic: Takeaways face ban in October - BBC News),
And John Kerry’s plan to help developing countries transition to clean energy (U.S. climate envoy Kerry outlines carbon offset initiative for developing nations | Reuters)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Samantha Zwicker, founder of Hoja Nueva, a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center in Peru that combats wildlife trafficking, rescuing and rewilding key species and runs a first-of-its-kind ecological research station and education in the Madre de Dios region.
Samantha is a PhD candidate who has turned her love of animals into a meaningful career and has spent the past seven years living in the Amazon, where she has rescued hundreds of wild animals and fights to preserve 7400+ acres of rainforest.
Samantha is spearheading the nonprofit's projects within the Amazonian rainforests and communities, placing an emphasis on assessing the effects of human impact on threatened animals.
If you like this interview, don’t forget to follow Hoja Nueva on Instagram.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about the Biden Administration's push to reduce emissions from soot (Biden Administration Moves to Tighten Limits on Deadly Air Pollution - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
The EU’s ban on goods linked to deforestation (EU ban on deforestation-linked goods sets benchmark, say US lawmakers | Deforestation | The Guardian),
Major flooding in Australia and California (Australia flood crisis: 'Once in a century' - BBC News),
New York vs. mining cryptocurrency (New York partially banned cryptocurrency mining. Now environmentalists want more. - POLITICO),
And the ozone layer is continuing to heal - could be totally repaired within decades (The ozone layer’s recovery is good news for climate change, too - The Washington Post)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about the Guardian’s list of the top conservation issues for 2023 (Harvesting human pee and DIY fertiliser: top conservation issues in 2023 | Conservation | The Guardian)
And how green spaces can impact immune systems in children (Daycares in Finland Built a 'Forest', And It Changed Kids' Immune Systems : ScienceAlert)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
The boys are back after their Holiday break!
Matt and Nick talk about the COP15 Biodiversity Conservation Plan (COP15 Biodiversity Talks: Countries Sign On to “30x30” Conservation Plan - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
More wetlands, lakes, and rivers to qualify for federal protections in the US (EPA issues new rule to strengthen water protections in the U.S. (nbcnews.com)),
Germany and France’s economy ministers’ announcement that the EU must match US green industry subsidies (Germany and France seek to match US green industry subsidies – EURACTIV.com),
Increasing amounts of rural areas with wildlife risk in California (85% of rural areas in California is in 'high' or 'very high' risk for wildfires | CNN),
And a major ecosystem restoration project in the US has been greenlit (Largest Single Ecosystem Restoration Project in U.S. History Gets Green (nwf.org))!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt talks about three interviews that meant a lot to him this year. He introduces each one and why it stood out to him, then plays the answer to his first question for each interview: “what got you first interested in environmentalism and sustainability?”
Links to each full interview below:
September 19: Hal Harvey (Energy Innovation) and Justin Gillis (New York Times)
August 8: @SustainablyMaija
October 17: Anastasios Arima (Iperion X)
Matt talks about three interviews that meant a lot to him this year. He introduces each one and why it stood out to him, then plays the answer to his first question for each interview: “what got you first interested in environmentalism and sustainability?”
Links to each full interview below:
February 21: Sandy Gibson (Better Place Forests)
May 23: James Leitner (Mission Clean Water)
November 28: Marshall Conley (SLØ)
Matt is joined by recurring guest co-host Dan Walsh for the final quick hits episode of 2022.
Matt and Dan discuss The Lightyear 0 solar car (Dutch startup begins production of world’s first solar car (gulfbusiness.com)),
A major fusion energy development in the US (US scientists boost clean power hopes with fusion energy breakthrough | Financial Times (ft.com)),
How bacteria can help make concrete greener (Adding bacteria can make concrete greener | The Economist),
And protecting marine life in the EU (The European Commission Will Now Put A Limit On Underwater Noise Pollution Helping To Protect Critical Marine Species - World Animal News)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Graham Stewart, an international textile and apparel production fiber to brand specialist.
For the past two years, Graham has developed and patented a more sustainable process to bleach and dye cotton.
Fibre52 is environmentally- and cost-conscious processing for cotton that can impact global cotton production. It can replace traditional and outdated cotton preparation methods in an inexpensive way. Fibre52 uses natural products instead of heavy chemicals and operates at lower temperatures, with less energy, less water, and less processing time.
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about Spain’s plan to save the Doñana wetlands (Spain pledges 350M euros to save Doñana wetlands | AP News),
Why fixing methane leaks is not just good for the planet; it is a smart move for the global economy (Why fixing methane leaks from the oil and gas industry can be a climate game-changer – one that pays for itself (theconversation.com)),
A new website that aims to keep big polluters honest (A new website backed by Al Gore tracks big polluters by name : NPR),
France gets the go-ahead to ban domestic flights under 2.5 hours (It's official: France bans short haul domestic flights in favour of train travel | Euronews),
And why outdoor cats are harmful for local ecosystems (Outdoor cats are an invasive species and a threat to themselves, scientists say | Salon.com)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
We 100% stole Lil' Wayne's intro for the first 5 seconds of this episode.
Matt and Nick discuss the FDA’s declaration that lab-grown meat is safe for human consumption (US declares lab-grown meat safe to eat in ‘groundbreaking’ move | Food | The Guardian)
And four dams on California’s Klamath River to be demolished to open up salmon habitats (Dam demolitions set for Klamath River in Western U.S. will be biggest in history : NPR)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Disclaimer: Matt has the flu and sounds bad but the show goes on.
Matt and Nick talk about a “second summer” of coral bleaching in 2022 for the Great Barrier Reef (Record heat over Great Barrier Reef raises fears of second summer of coral bleaching | Great Barrier Reef | The Guardian),
How border walls impact wildlife globally (Fenced In: How the Global Rise of Border Walls Is Stifling Wildlife - Yale E360),
A way to neutralize PFAS has been discovered (PFAS chemicals last forever. A Clarkson professor found a way to neutralize them. | NCPR News (northcountrypublicradio.org)),
And renewables are set to account for 20% of the US power supply by the end of the year (U.S. Renewable Energy Will Surge Past Coal and Nuclear by Year's End - Scientific American)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Marshall Conley, the Co-Founder of SLØ.
Marshall began working with startups and small businesses after dropping out of university in 2017, which focuses mostly on growth and sales. He took the leap of starting his own startup in 2021 by joining MNTN Co.
Eventually, he started SLØ with MNTN Co. founder Kristian Hansen to focus on the sustainable fashion industry.
Slojeans.co and fakepocketssuck.com
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick drop in for a quick update for the listeners on what to expect next month and some changes to the show in 2023.
They close the show with what another year of TPT has meant to them, what they’re looking forward to in 2023, and express some genuine gratitude for the listeners of TPT.
Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate - we'll be back on Monday!
Matt talks about what went down at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt this year.
Topics include whether or not COP27 was a success, The Amazon and Lula’s involvement, India’s call to phase down all fossil fuels, loss and damages, and more.
Sources for today’s episode:
- Key takeaways from the COP27 climate summit | Reuters
- COP27 live updates: Nations agree to historic fund to help vulnerable nations with climate disasters - The Washington Post
- COP 27 ends with historic win and abysmal fail (msn.com)
Matt and Nick talk about what can we expect from the end of COP27 today (COP27 Climate Talks Inch Toward 'Loss And Damage' Showdown | Barron's (barrons.com)),
2022’s record-breaking pace for global carbon emissions (Data Shows Carbon Dioxide Emissions Likely to Reach Record High in 2022 - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
A new Washington state law for heat pumps instead of furnaces in all new homes (New dwellings in Washington state must be warmed by heat pumps, rather than furnaces, beginning in July, state board rules Friday | The Spokesman-Review),
Deforestation in the Congo Basin (The next Amazon? Congo Basin faces rising deforestation threat | Context),
And France requiring solar canopies for all large parking lots (France to require all large parking lots to be covered by solar panels (electrek.co))!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt interviews Bahruz Mammadov, the CEO and co-Founder of Berkm, which aims to create change in the plastics industry at the manufacturing level.
74 billion pounds of plastic end up in the environment each year, largely because of our overdependence on single use plastics. While many programs tend to focus on consumers of plastic packaged goods, Bahruz and Berkm look to change the way that plastics are produced.
Their use of cutting edge chemistry can reduce the amount of plastic needed in manufacturing by between 8-20%.
They discuss how Berkm is using a clay additive in plastic production, Bahruz’s love for chemistry that led to the founding of Berkm, how Berkm can improve plastic recycling, and the single use plastic problem in general.
You can reach for any further questions at bahruz@berkm.com
Matt, Nick and Giselle talk about Coal’s impact on groundwater (Report: 90% of all U.S. coal plants are contaminating groundwater | Grist),
A seaweed farm helping to curb climate change (Climate change: Can an enormous seaweed farm help curb it? - BBC News),
An illegal ivory deal getting life imprisonment in Uganda (Uganda gives ivory dealer life imprisonment in “landmark” case - WildAid),
And little being done to uphold COP26’s deforestation pledge (Last year's deforestation pledge is off to a slow start | Reuters)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick discuss the European Union banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035 (EU reaches deal to ban new combustion engine cars by 2035 – DW – 10/27/2022)
And why we should stop raking our leaves into bags when they fall off trees (Why experts say you shouldn't bag your leaves this fall : NPR)!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
Matt and Nick talk about the US Environmental Protection Agency’s lawsuit over not regulating polluted waters due to factory farming (EPA sued over lack of plan to regulate water pollution from factory farms | Environment | The Guardian),
Three United Nations reports stating that the world is falling short in its plans to fight climate change ("Untold human suffering" is in the near future as U.N. warns climate change is pushing Earth closer to extreme warming - CBS News),
Emmanuel Macron’s plans to replenish some of the forests France lost to wildfire (Macron wants to replant 10% of French forest after summer wildfires | Reuters),
The EU is not on progress to achieve its goal of cutting methane emissions by 30% (EU on track to break pledge to cut methane emissions by 30%, warns report | Greenhouse gas emissions | The Guardian),
And what Brazil’s election of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva means for the Amazon rainforest and the world (Brazil Elects Lula, a Leftist Former Leader, in a Rebuke of Bolsonaro - The New York Times (nytimes.com))!
Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
Matt and Nick talk about Halloween!
Which candies are more sustainable than some of the common ones we probably buy for trick-or-treaters? How much waste is generated from “fun-sized” candy? How unsustainable is the costume industry?
The guys also have some fun with this and talk about their favorite Halloween movies, traditions, costumes, and more!
Today’s sources:
- Halloween generates frightening amounts of plastic waste each year (inhabitat.com)
- Halloween Costume Waste in the US | RTS
- Sustainable & Environmentally-Friendly Candy Options (naturalcandystore.com)
- Climate Candy
Matt and Nick talk about Alaskan Snow Crabs rapidly dying off this year (Warming waters cited as "key culprit" in mass die-off of Alaska snow crabs - CBS News),
Drought in British Columbia extending from this summer into the fall (B.C. news: Low rainfall levels recorded | CTV News),
2% of the Grevy Zebra have died in the past two years because of drought (Two per cent of the world's rarest zebras wiped out | CTV News),
A massive offshore wind farm planned for Chaozhou, China (A city in China is planning an offshore wind farm so big that it could power all of Norway (electrek.co)),
And a plan to restore one-fifth of Great Britain’s temperate rainforests (Lost rainforest could be revived across 20% of Great Britain | Environment | The Guardian)!
Matt and Nick cover one topic today: the building sector.
The New York Times published a piece (final link below) about recycling office buildings to reduce the building sector’s greenhouse gas emissions. With the building sector accounting for nearly 40% of the world’s carbon emissions, reductions here could - and should - be a major consideration for reducing global emissions.
The guys get into the article, titled How to Recycle a 14-Story Office Tower, but first discuss why buildings consume so much energy, why they emit so many greenhouse gasses, and how recycling buildings and their components can offset some of this.
Source material:
- Understanding Building Emissions - Building Innovation Hub
- Growing building sector carbon emissions threaten 2050 net-zero goal, report warns | Utility Dive
- Construction industry accounts for 38% of CO2 emissions - EnvironmentJournal
- How buildings contribute to climate change - Curbed
- New Ways To Produce And Sell Cement Can Help Reduce Emissions And Build Brand Identity (forbes.com)
- How to Recycle a 14-Story Office Tower - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Matt and Nick talk about the major decline in global wildlife populations over the last 50 years (Global wildlife populations have sunk 69% since 1970 - WWF report | Reuters),
Protections for the longest-living vertebrates on Earth (Greenland shark, world’s longest-living vertebrate, gets long-awaited protection (mongabay.com)),
Fast evolution happening due to Chernobyl’s nuclear fallout (Chernobyl black frogs reveal evolution in action (phys.org)),
Shipping issues caused by the Mississippi River’s drought (Mississippi River water levels are critically low, bringing some shipping to a halt - The Washington Post),
And a follow up to last week - the Biden Administration’s plan to help cut water usage along the Colorado River (Colorado River water users will be paid to slash usage as crisis looms, Biden administration announces | CNN Politics)!
Matt interviews Anastasios Arima, the CEO of IperionX, where they are developing low carbon, sustainable critical minerals and metals.
IperionX has breakthrough titanium technologies that have demonstrated the potential to produce titanium products that are sustainable, 100% recyclable, low carbon intensity, and at product qualities that exceed current industry standards.
Anastasios previously served as a non-executive director at Piedmont Lithium Limited, a $1B+ lithium mining company that also aims to play a big part in creating a clean energy economy in the US.
He is highly regarded in the investment community for his ability to identify and develop new commodity projects.
They discuss the world’s search for cleaner sources of energy to help reduce carbon emissions, how the Russian-Ukraine war is adding pressure to titanium global supplies and highlighting the need for domestic production in the U.S. (the world’s biggest consumer of titanium), and the electric vehicle transition.
Matt and Nick talk about November’s COP27, presented by… Coca-Cola (Cop27 climate summit’s sponsorship by Coca-Cola condemned as ‘greenwash’ | Cop27 | The Guardian),
UK Prime Minister Liz Truss opposing agrivoltaics (Liz Truss opposes placing solar panels on farmland, Downing Street says (aol.com)),
A utility scale solar, wind, and battery power plant in the US (First clean energy plant using solar, wind & battery storage opens (electrek.co)),
Farms using more water than Arizona and Nevada while the Colorado River is experiencing a water shortage (These farms use more Colorado River water than 2 states combined : NPR),
And “best by”, “sell by”, and other food labels contributing to food waste (Keep it or toss it? 'Best Before' labels cause confusion | AP News)!
Matt and Nick cover one story today: Adetokunbo Abiola’s substack publication about how big oil companies could have changed the course of the climate crisis 63 years ago!
The article gets into a few other topics that the guys talk about, including what it will take to break up big oil, what big oil can do next, and how shareholder activism will likely increase with the reality of ongoing climate change.
Adetokunbo is a Nigerian journalist who writes about the global dimensions of climate change and how climate change impacts people.
Source material for today’s episode:
- Big Oil companies could have helped stop climate change not 30 but 63 years ago (substack.com)
- The future of oil and gas is now: How companies can decarbonize | McKinsey
- ‘Abolish these companies, get rid of them’: what would it take to break up big oil? | Environment | The Guardian
- Want To Stop Climate Change? Buy Big Oil Stock (forbes.com)
Matt and Nick talk about Hurricane Ian and one community that fared very well throughout the storm (This 100% solar community endured Hurricane Ian with no loss of power and minimal damage | CNN),
New York following California’s footsteps in banning gas-powered cars by 2035 (New York to Ban New Gas-Powered Vehicles, Following California's Lead (gizmodo.com)),
Los Angeles county cracking down on water flow to celebrity mansions due to drought (LA restricts water flow to wasteful celebrity mansions: ‘No matter how rich, we’ll treat you the same’ | California | The Guardian),
Boston banning artificial turf in parks (Boston bans artificial turf in parks due to toxic ‘forever chemicals’ | PFAS | The Guardian),
And the Presidential election in Brazil is headed to a runoff. Why does this matter so much for global climate change mitigation? (Brazil Presidential Election Goes to High-Stakes Runoff Live Updates - The New York Times (nytimes.com))!
Matt and Nick discuss some good news for the Earth’s ozone layer (Scientists predict the hole in the ozone layer will close in the next 50 years | Euronews)
And the tax benefits of offshore wind energy (Compared to oil and gas, offshore wind is 125 times better for taxpayers | Grist)!
Matt and Nick talk about The Kigali Amendment (U.S. Senate votes to amend global treaty to curb climate-warming gas | Reuters),
Hurricane Fiona and how solar fared during the storm (The eco-friendly homes that didn’t lose power after Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico – The Hill),
The controversy over The World Bank’s David Malpass (Al Gore Calls the World Bank Chief a ‘Climate Denier’ - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
The impact of Yoga Pants on the environment (Your Yoga Pants Are Spewing Microplastics Into the Environment – Mother Jones),
And Barbados commits to protecting up to 30% of its marine ecosystems (Barbados Commits to Ambitious Ocean Conservation (nature.org))!
Matt and Nick talk about Patagonia’s owner, Yvon Chouinard, announcing that all of the company’s profits will go into two funds dedicated to fighting climate change.
You can read Yvon Chouinard’s full letter on Patagonia’s website.
Additional sources for today’s episode:
- Patagonia’s billionaire owner gives away company to fight climate crisis | US news | The Guardian
- Patagonia Owner Gives Away Company To Save Planet (yahoo.com)
- Patagonia Founder Avoids $700 Million Tax Hit By Donating Company - Bloomberg
- Wondery's Business Wars - Season 32: The North Face vs. Patagonia
Matt and Nick talk about sea level rise in New Zealand (Rate of sea level rise around New Zealand doubles in past 60 years | New Zealand | The Guardian),
The EU continuing to classify biomass from wood as a renewable energy (EU votes to keep woody biomass as renewable energy, ignores climate risk (mongabay.com)),
Ethereum’s transition to proof-of-stake and how it impacts energy usage (Explainer: Ethereum's energy-saving Merge upgrade | Reuters),
Climate Change’s impact on human health (Climate change is driving a new public health crisis (axios.com)),
And a gray wolf family spotted in Oregon (Sighting of new gray wolf family raises hopes of resurgence in Oregon | Oregon | The Guardian)!
Matt interviews Hal Harvey and Justin Gillis to discuss their new book, The Big Fix: 7 Practical Steps to Save Our Planet, and more!
Hal is an acclaimed energy policy advisor and the CEO for Energy Innovation, a company that provides high-quality research and analysis to policymakers around the world and across a range of jurisdictions to help inform their energy policy decisions. Hal has served on energy panels appointed by Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
Justin spent a decade as an award-winning reporter for The New York Times covering environmental science, with a special focus on climate change, and is now a contributing opinion writer for the newspaper.
Matt, Hal, and Justin discuss how listeners get involved in key political decisions to ensure that their voices are heard when it comes to climate change.
You can order their book The Big Fix by clicking here.
Check out Hal’s website here: https://energyinnovation.org/
Follow Justin on Twitter at @justinhgilles
Matt and Nick talk about the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi (Running water returns in Mississippi capital – but it’s still undrinkable | Mississippi | The Guardian),
Potential to save the Colorado River (A Washington river could provide an example of how to save the Colorado River and help Lake Powell and Lake Mead (sltrib.com)),
Oil-giant Chevron peddling misinformation (‘Wildfire of disinformation’: how Chevron exploits a news desert | US press and publishing | The Guardian),
Antarctica’s “Doomsday Glacier” not looking great ('Doomsday Glacier' is teetering even closer to disaster than scientists thought, new seafloor map shows (msn.com)),
And wind energy potentially coming back to ocean shipping (Climate change may bring back wind as the power source for ocean ships (cnbc.com))!
Matt interviews Leif Cocks, the founder of the International Tiger Project, an organization that aims to ensure the survival of Sumatran tigers in their natural habitat by undertaking genuine, measurable and effective tiger conservation.
They discuss the challenges facing the 400 Sumatran tigers existing in the wild, a number that continues to shrink. Additionally, the Sumatran tiger’s rainforest is disappearing at a rapid rate.
Leif explains the harm that palm oil plantations, snare traps and more are causing to the tigers, why saving the rainforest is the single most cost-effective way to save the planet and tigers, and why immediate action is needed to protect this species.
You can follow the International Tiger Project on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook by clicking any of these links.
Matt and Nick talk about a South African court upholding a ban on Shell’s oil and gas exploration (South African court bans offshore oil and gas exploration by Shell | Marine life | The Guardian),
The author of “Limits to Growth” discussing the impact on society and our climate caused by the world’s richest 10% (Report says rich must pay bill to avert social collapse | AP News),
Going off the grid in Californian housing developments with less than 2,000 units (A Solar Firm Plans to Build Off-Grid Neighborhoods in California - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
China’s intense summer heatwave and its impact on global food availability (Extreme China heatwave could lead to global chaos and food shortages - NZ Herald),
And Hawaii’s last coal-fired power plant has officially closed (Hawaii closes last coal-fired power plant as ban begins - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com))!
Matt and Nick talk about Freya the Walrus unfortunately being euthanized in Norway (A famous walrus is killed, and Norwegians are divided | The Seattle Times)
And Banff National Park’s bison herd is growing (Sixteen bison calves born to Banff herd this year - RMOToday.com)!
Matt and Nick talk about the massive floods in Pakistan (Pakistan floods: One third of country is under water - minister - BBC News),
California’s gas-powered car ban (California to ban gas-powered car sales by 2035 – pv magazine USA (pv-magazine-usa.com)),
The Department of the Interior’s grant to plug up natural gas wells (Interior grants $560 million across 24 states to plug more than 10,000 orphaned wells | The Hill),
Arctic sea ice melting will cause roughly one foot of sea level rise (Greenland ice loss will raise sea levels by nearly one foot: study (cnbc.com)),
And a great first half of the year for renewable energy (Renewables provided 25% of US electrical generation in 1H 2022 (electrek.co))!
Matt and Nick talk about the future of the United States’ climate.
First they cover a megastorm that is becoming increasingly more likely in California as the climate continues to warm.
Next, they discuss the extreme heat that will face roughly 25% of the US by 2053.
Sources for today’s episode.
- The Coming California Megastorm - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
- 100 million Americans will be in ‘extreme heat belt’ region by 2053 | The Independent
Matt and Nick talk about the effects of fracking on children living nearby (Children Living Close to Fracking Sites Have Two to Three Times Higher Risk of Leukemia - DeSmog),
Water reuse projects to combat drought in the US (Biden administration announces $310M in funding for water reuse projects amid widespread drought | The Hill),
Some good news for Scotland’s butterfly population (Scotland’s butterflies flourishing in hotter summers | Butterflies | The Guardian),
And Administrative Action potentially on the way to further the Inflation Reduction Act’s emissions reductions (Biden Prepares Actions to Cut Emissions After Signing Climate Bill - The New York Times (nytimes.com))!
Matt interviews Rob Rastovich, CTO of ThingLogix.
ThingLogix recently launched their newest product, Thermic.ai, which is a wireless temperature and humidity monitoring system that collects data 24/7 and sends alerts when it detects equipment failure. It prevents food spoilage while putting money back in your pocket.
Rob also has his own cattle ranch, called Barley Beef, in Central Oregon. The cows roam free-range, eat barley from nearby breweries, and drink from mountain streams.
Matt and Rob talk about food waste, the new Thermic.ai product from ThingLogix, the Internet of Things, and cattle farming/ranching’s carbon footprint.
Matt and CJ discuss 2022’s record profits for coal producers (Coal Giants Are Making Mega Profits as Climate Crisis Grips the World - Bloomberg),
Warming in the Arctic is worse than previous models predicted (Arctic Warming 4 Times as Fast as the Rest of the Planet, New Analyses Find - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
World leaders will meet at the UN in New York later for more talks to save the world's oceans from overexploitation (Leaders make fifth attempt to pass UN Oceans Treaty)
Climate protests in Southern France at golf courses (Climate activists fill golf holes with cement after water ban exemption - BBC News),
And how electric vehicles are more energy efficient than traditional cars (Electric Vehicles Are Way, Way More Energy-Efficient Than Internal Combustion Vehicles (motortrend.com))!
Matt and Nick talk about a woman-led mission to save India’s mangroves (How nine women are helping save India’s mangroves – with foraging and eco-tours | Global development | The Guardian),
Sea animals helping algae reproduce (Like Bees of the Seas, These Crustaceans Pollinate Seaweed - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
Kentucky’s flooding amid a changing climate (White House warns of ‘intensifying impacts of climate change’ as Biden tours flood-hit Kentucky – as it happened (theguardian.com)),
The Navajo Nation’s Baca/Prewitt community combatting a lack of running water (Two million people lack running water in the US. This Navajo Nation team is turning on the taps on tribal land | The Independent),
And the birds predicted to be the first to go extinct as global biodiversity decreases (The Most Fascinating Birds Will Be the First to Go Extinct - The New York Times (nytimes.com))!
Matt and Nick talk about climate change increasing flood risk for three major US cities (How climate change will increase storm surge flooding in NYC, Miami and D.C. : NPR),
Climate change causing Las Vegas to get rid of lawns under Nevada law (Due to climate change, Nevada says goodbye to grass - CBS News),
Could Germany cancel its plans to abandon nuclear power? (Germany’s conservative leaders push for nuclear power to stay on as the country breaks from Russian fuels. - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
And a climate bill passing in Australia (After more than a decade of darkness in Australia’s parliament, today was a good day for the climate | Katharine Murphy | The Guardian)!
Matt interviews Maija, who runs the TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook accounts @SustainablyMaija!
Maija runs social media pages dedicated to sustainable living and picking up litter. She provides links to several different petitions on her Linktree page, including some dedicated to wildlife conservation, holding big oil accountable, and environmental policy advocacy.
She has even started a petition of her own to cancel styrofoam all while advocating for our planet’s health on social media.
Maija has partnered with several sustainable products, including compostable sponges and plastic free detergents.
Matt and Nick talk about Joe Manchin changing his mind and agreeing to the Senate’s climate and energy programs (Manchin, in Reversal, Agrees to Quick Action on Climate and Tax Plan - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
A solar tower creating sustainable jet fuel (All-in-one solar tower produces jet fuel from CO2, water and sunlight (newatlas.com)),
The fossil of the earliest known animal predator has been found in Leicestershire (Ancient fossil is earliest known animal predator - BBC News),
President Biden’s low-income solar plan (Biden launches plan to bring solar to low-income homes - POLITICO),
And a new villain for Matt to be mad at! This time, it’s a political consulting firm operating behind the scenes in at least eight states to fight clean energy (Leaked: US power companies secretly spending millions to protect profits and fight clean energy | Florida | The Guardian)!
Matt and Nick talk about the projected boom in solar panel recycling (Solar panel recycling market to be worth billions by 2030, say researchers | RenewEconomy)
And the Pan-African committee focused on protected areas to conserve wildlife (First IUCN Africa Protected Areas Congress opens in Kigali, Rwanda - Press release | IUCN)!
Matt interviews Tara Lordi and Bobby O’Shields. Their company, Weedoo, is on the forefront of waterway cleanup in an environmentally safe manner.
Weedoo is the industry’s leading manufacturer of aquatic weed harvesters and weed cutters. They value our natural resources and aim to keep herbicides and toxic chemicals out of the water in order to provide solutions that preserve nature.
Tara has experience in operations, technology, development, and business and is well-regarded in a traditionally male-dominated industry.
Matt and Nick talk about a study that predicts an increase in armed conflict in Africa.
They also get into the U.S. Military's carbon emissions and pollution levels, and why climate change can increase wars but wars also increase climate change.
They break down the impacts climate change will have on people as water and food availability decrease and the number of climate refugees increases.
Some people may even leave cities if infrastructure is not able to catch up to the threats caused by heat waves.
Sources for today’s episode:
- Climate change could increase armed conflict in Africa: study | CTV News
- Climate change and conflict | ICRC
- Hunger in Africa surges due to conflict, climate and food prices | CTV News
- The U.S. Military Emits More Carbon Dioxide Into the Atmosphere Than Entire Countries Like Denmark or Portugal - Inside Climate News
- Climate refugees: The world’s forgotten displacement crisis | Concern Worldwide (concernusa.org)
- 13 Things to Know About Climate Refugees (theimpactinvestor.com)
- Most US cities underprepared for rising heat, study finds – The Hill
Matt and Nick talk about an $18.4 million commercialization fund to support clean energy technologies (Energy Department to fund initiatives focused on ‘barriers’ to clean energy tech | The Hill),
A copper shortage means bad news for renewables (Copper is key to electric vehicles, wind and solar power. We're short supply (cnbc.com)),
Europe’s current heat wave (Europe broils in heat wave that fuels fires in France, Spain | AP News).
ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Hilcorp, and Occidental Petroleum’s major contributions to US emissions (Four companies are top sources of US greenhouse gas, methane emissions: report | The Hill),
And Matt once again is mad at Joe Manchin (Democratic Senator representing the good folks at ExxonMobil). This time, it is for not supporting major climate provisions in President Biden’s agenda (Manchin balks at climate and tax pieces of Biden agenda bill but backs health care provisions (nbcnews.com))!
Matt interviews Charles Henry, the President of the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), a non-profit organization that works with libraries, cultural institutions, and higher learning communities to improve research, teaching, and learning environments through the digitization and preservation of cultural heritage.
Charles believes preserving cultural heritage connects us with humanity’s collective experience and knowledge, and gives us a sense of identity. However, cultural memory loss can easily occur and climate change poses a significant threat. In fact, it is believed that 98.8% of American archives are likely to encounter at least one climate risk factor by the year 2100.
CLIR has been working for decades on the preservation and access to cultural heritage. Projects include theDigital Library of the Middle East, one of the world’s largest online archives of Middle Eastern and North African artifacts, and theHBCU Library Alliance Partnership, which fosters awareness of and access to collections held by Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Matt is joined by recurring guest co-host Dan Walsh of Vala Alta Check them out on Tiktok an Instagram @Vala_Alta.
They talk about a weedkiller ingredient found in 80% of human urine samples (‘Disturbing’: weedkiller ingredient tied to cancer found in 80% of US urine samples | US news | The Guardian),
The proposed Willow oil project (Biden Administration Signals Support for Controversial Alaska Oil Project - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
Microplastics discovered in beef and pork (Around 80% of cow and pig meat, blood and milk contains plastic - Plastic Soup Foundation),
Forever chemicals found in oysters (‘Forever Chemicals’ Found Contaminating 100% of Florida Oysters Tested - EcoWatch),
And a whiskey made of invasive crabs (How a New Hampshire distillery is fighting invasive green crabs — with whiskey : NPR)!
Matt and Giselle talk about California placing recycling costs on plastic producers (California Requires Plastics Makers to Foot the Bill for Recycling - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
Canada’s ban on grocery bags, takeout containers, and stir sticks (Canada is banning the sale, production and import of some single-use plastics | Engadget),
High amount of plastic in Asian elephant diet in India (New Study Documents the Extent of Plastic Ingestion as an Emerging Threat to Endangered Asian Elephants in Uttarakhand, India),
And drought in Italy’s impact on rice - and risotto (Rice fields dry up as Italy's drought lingers on | AP News)!
Matt and Giselle talk about the link between birds and wildfires (How an Electrocuted Bird Might Start a Wildfire - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
Cooling earth through reflecting sunlight (MIT proposes Brazil-sized fleet of “space bubbles” to cool the Earth (freethink.com)),
How scientists and fishers are working together to protect overfished sharks (A shark 'superhighway' is being protected by fishermen),
And sustainable meat and dairy through changing cow feed (Feeding insects to cattle could make meat and milk production more sustainable (theconversation.com))!
Matt and Nick talk about a sustainable leather made from invasive fish species (Fish leather is here, it’s sustainable – and it’s made from invasive species to boot | Invasive species | The Guardian)
And a power, internet, and cell service outage in Northern British Columbia caused by one single beaver (What caused B.C. power outage? | CTV News)!
Trigger Warning: Matt and Nick start the show by discussing the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court. They would like everyone to be aware of Vote Save America’s F*ck Bans Action Plan, where donations are split evenly amongst Abortion Clinics, Patients, and Legal Defense. Click the link below to donate one time or to set up recurring monthly donations.
F*ck Bans Action Plan: The Immediate Impact Fund — Donate via AB Charities (actblue.com)
Matt and Nick talk about Beam Suntory’s sustainability goals (Beam Suntory's $1 Billion Mission Toward Sustainable and Socially-Conscious Spirits (c3newsmag.com))
Climate change intensifying droughts and making wildfires worse (How climate change is making fires worse | The Hill),
A probe launched to determine the cause of turtles and dolphins found dead off Guatemala's Pacific Coast (Dozens of turtles, dolphins found dead in Guatemala, probe launched (france24.com)),
Less energy is currently being used to mine for bitcoin as the price of the cryptocurrency declines (The bitcoin price crash is good for the climate — Quartz (qz.com)),
Colombia’s new president’s pledge to protect the Amazon and what this means without a similar pledge from Brazil (New Colombian president pledges to protect rainforest | AP News)!
Matt and Nick talk about the Dust Bowl, and how unsustainable agriculture, the Great Depression, and population growth led to this phenomenon in the Midwest.
After the break, they discuss how something similar is currently happening in Salt Lake City, Utah. The reasons may be different, but the current situation also poses a serious threat to public health and the local environment..
Sources for today’s episode:
- Dust Bowl - Wikipedia
- Dust Bowl: Cause & Impact On Great Depression - HISTORY
- The Impact of the Dust Bowl on the Environment (thoughtco.com)
- As the Great Salt Lake Dries Up, Utah Faces An ‘Environmental Nuclear Bomb’ - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
- As Great Salt Lake dries up Utah will face toxic dust clouds (msn.com)
- Salt Lake City currently has the worst air quality in the U.S. - TownLift, Park City News
Matt and Nick talk about repurposing landfills in the US as solar farms (U.S. Landfills Are Getting a Second Life as Solar Farms | Time),
A thermal power plant in France and its carbon impact (Largest thermal power plant in France prevents as much CO2 as 1000 cars emit - Innovation Origins),
A bill to conserve endangered species passing 231-190 in the House of Representatives last week (U.S. House passes a major wildlife conservation spending bill : NPR),
Environmentalists suing the Biden administration over oil and gas drilling permits (Environmental groups sue Biden to block oil and gas drilling permits (cnbc.com)),
And a heat dome creating very hot temperatures across the United States (Massive heat dome to bring extra-hot weather to nearly every state | The Hill)!
Matt interviews Nick Schalitz, a Zone Engineer for the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Nick’s team covers 52 counties in North-Central Texas.
The NRCS is within the United States Department of Agriculture and works with farmers and ranchers to provide the technical expertise needed to improve conservation efforts on their land.
Learn more about the U.S. Department of Agriculture here: USDA and you can learn more about the Natural Resources Conservation Service here: Home | NRCS (usda.gov)
Matt and Nick talk about climate activists concern about FIFA’s claim that this year’s World Cup will be carbon neutral (Why climate activists aren't buying the FIFA World Cup's 'green' claims - CNN),
Flooding in Yellowstone National Park (Yellowstone Park, Staggered by Rain and Floods, Will Stay Closed for Days - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
Climate change’s impact on well water (Climate-driven flooding poses well water contamination risks | AP News),
The United Kingdom’s ivory trade ban is official (Victory! The Ivory Trade Ban Is Finally Put Into Effect In The UK After Long-Fought Campaign To Protect Endangered Elephants - World Animal News),
And wind energy’s impact on local economies (Windfarms raise incomes and house prices in rural US, study finds - Carbon Brief)!
Matt and Nick first talk about Australia’s new Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. He is from the center-left Labor Party and wants Australia to become a “renewable energy superpower”. Climate change was a key concern of voters, according to the BBC.
Australia has a history of climate denial in their politicians similar to that of the United States, so they guys discuss Australia’s history and talk about climate skepticism around the world.
Finally, they get into one thing that climate skeptics in both Australia and the United States share: a Rupert Murdoch problem.
Sources for today’s episode:
- Australia election: Anthony Albanese signals climate policy change - BBC News
- Australian PM signals stronger ties with Indonesia on security, climate | Reuters
- Australia has a problem with climate change denial. The message just isn't getting through | Greg Jericho | The Guardian
- Is it the end of Australia's climate change wars? | Climate News | Sky News
- Which country has the most climate skeptics? | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
- Will Rupert Murdoch’s Australia Climate Rebrand Reach America? | Vanity Fair
- Rupert Murdoch doesn't understand climate change basics, and that's a problem | Climate science scepticism and denial | The Guardian
Nick is back in the studio for his first episode since May 20!
Matt and Nick talk about the results of No Mow May in the UK (‘It looks beautiful’: UK gardeners on leaving lawns uncut for No Mow May | Gardens | The Guardian),
The Rio Grande River drying up and its impact on local communities (The Vanishing Rio Grande: Warming Takes a Toll on a Legendary River - Yale E360),
The USPS is reconsidering its decision to not buy many EVs (US Postal Service signals it will order more electric trucks | The Hill),
And wetlands - another important puzzle piece in fighting climate change (Planting Wetlands Could Help Stave Off Climate Catastrophe - Eos)!
Matt talks about the European Union’s decision to ban importing Russian crude oil by sea and what this means for the continent’s energy portfolio.
Analysts say that this will hurt the Russian economy in the long-term, but the move will also impact European energy residential and commercial energy prices.
Matt breaks this down and then gets into what this means for Europe’s renewable energy transition.
Sources for today’s episode:
- E.U. reaches agreement on a Russian oil import ban. - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
- An Embargo Will Bruise Russia’s Oil Industry - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Matt is joined by recurring guest co-host CJ Bonifati to talk about an ancient forest in a giant Chinese sinkhole (A giant sinkhole in China has an ancient forest growing inside : NPR),
Farmers in Nigeria vs. oil giant Shell (Shell escaped liability for oil spills in Nigeria for years. Then four farmers took them to court -- and won - CNN),
President Jimmy Carter vs. a proposed road through a wildlife refuge in Alaska (Jimmy Carter Steps Into Fight Over Proposed Road in Alaska - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
A major heat wave in India and Pakistan this spring could provide a look at their futures (Climate Change Made India, Pakistan Heat Wave More Likely | Time),
And The Global Warming Policy Foundation - a climate denial group pretending to be a charity while lobbying for the fossil fuel industry (Climate Denial Group Is Masquerading as a Charity, Critics Say – Mother Jones)!
Matt talks about one story detailing massive oil and gas projects that could derail climate progress entirely and another story explaining one more reason to divest from fossil fuels.
An investigation by Damian Carrington and Matthew Taylor of The Guardian found that “Oil and gas majors are planning scores of vast projects that threaten to shatter the 1.5C climate goal. If governments do not act, these firms will continue to cash in as the world burns.”
The projects would basically bet against humanity slowing global warming and are investments in the event that we fail. Carbon bomb projects will only hit if we do not rapidly slash carbon emissions.
We know the environmental harm of using fossil fuels, but researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison used data from the Environmental Protection Agency to estimate that roughly 50,000 premature deaths could be prevented by decreasing the air pollutants created by burning fossil fuels.
Sources for today’s episode:
- Revealed: the ‘carbon bombs’ set to trigger catastrophic climate breakdown | Fossil fuels | The Guardian
- Report: 'Carbon Bombs' Are Poised to Screw Us Over Big Time (gizmodo.com)
- Climate chaos certain if oil and gas mega-projects go ahead, warns IEA chief | Environment | The Guardian
- Cutting fossil fuel air pollution saves lives : NPR
Matt makes his producing debut and is joined by recurring guest co-host Dan Walsh to talk about the EU increasing wind power in the North Sea (4 EU countries pledge tenfold rise in North Sea wind power | News | DW),
Will Amazon be cutting back on its plastic use? (Amazon shareholders vote on resolution to require the company to address its colossal plastic problem (apnews.com)),
Electric vehicle battery costs projected to increase from 2023-2026 before declining again (EV battery costs set to spike as raw material shortages drags on (cnbc.com)),
Soil damage from heavy farm equipment ((Modern Farm Vehicles Heavier Than Dinosaurs Can Damage Soil for Decades, Study Finds - EcoWatch),
And great news for the California Condor (Absent for More Than a Century, California Condors Soar Above the Redwoods Again | Audubon)!
Matt interviews James Leitner, the Founder and Executive Director of Mission Clean Water (MCW).
MCW aims to address a major issue with clean water projects in Africa: 60% of them fail within the first two years, according to the World Health Organization.
MCW says this is because projects are implemented too quickly, and without proper consultation and coordination with local communities.
Their focus on community involvement treats clean water as the beginning of the process, and not just a photo-op and plaque next to a well that will not function properly in a few years.
Their team of technical and community teams maintain communication, training, and long-term involvement so that their wells will continue to provide clean water to arid regions that have been underserved for generations.
Learn more at www.missioncleanwater.org and follow them on Instagram and Twitter @missioncleanh2o!
Matt and Nick talk about the Lone Star Tick spreading alpha-gal syndrome in the U.S. (The Tick That Causes a Meat Allergy Is on the Move - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
A California coastal panel rejecting a proposal to build a seawater desalination plant (Agency unanimously rejects California desalination project | AP News),
Oil refineries spreading benzene, a carcinogen, into communities in Texas, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and the US Virgin Islands (US oil refineries spewing cancer-causing benzene into communities, report finds | Pollution | The Guardian),
And the Biden Administration’s decision not to move forward with three leases in Alaska’s Cook Inlet and the Gulf of Mexico (Biden Cancels Offshore Drilling in Alaska and Gulf of Mexico (gizmodo.com))!
Matt and Nick talk about the latest section of this year’s report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The IPCC website describes this section by saying “The Working Group III report provides an updated global assessment of climate change mitigation progress and pledges, and examines the sources of global emissions. It explains developments in emission reduction and mitigation efforts, assessing the impact of national climate pledges in relation to long-term emissions goals.”
Matt and Nick break down some of the highlights from this report, discuss what other experts are saying, and talk about how they’re honestly feeling about this report and what it means moving forward.
Check out the entire report, the summary for policymakers, or the technical summary here: Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change (ipcc.ch)
Additional source material for this week’s show:
- UN calls for ‘substantial reduction’ in fossil fuels to limit climate change | The Hill
- Major climate report zeroes in on individual choice | Popular Science (popsci.com)
- Opinion | What You Really Need to Know About the Latest IPCC Climate Report | Kaisa Kosonen (commondreams.org)
- We have the tools to slow warming - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
- Climate change: Key UN finding widely misinterpreted - BBC News
Matt and Nick talk about forever chemicals impacting vast amount of US Cropland (‘Forever chemicals’ may have polluted 20m acres of US cropland, study says | PFAS | The Guardian),
One of the largest mangrove forests in Puerto Rico impacted by development (Builders hurt protected areas in climate-weary Puerto Rico | AP News),
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch supporting life (The Ocean’s Biggest Garbage Pile Is Full of Floating Life - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
A groundwater system discovered underneath Antarctica (Vast amount of water discovered hidden beneath Antarctica - CNN),
And lessening deforestation by lowering our beef consumption (Eating one-fifth less beef could halve deforestation (nature.com))!
Matt and Nick break down the news that California’s attorney general has opened an investigation into companies promoting the idea that plastics can be recycled, when in reality, it’s not that simple.
They also talk about recycling aluminum, glass, and paper compared to recycling plastic.
Source material for today’s show:
- California Investigating Oil Companies For Alleged Plastic Recycling Deception : NPR
- Analysis: Big Oil's plastic boom threatens U.N.'s 'historic' pollution pact | Reuters
- The Best Materials To Recycle for the Environment – Germantown News & Shelby-Sun Times (shelby-news.com)
- Is Aluminum More Sustainable Than Plastic? (Aluminum vs Plastic Comparison) - Better Meets Reality
- Glass Vs Plastic: Which one is more eco-friendly? – LastObject
- Which Plastics Are the Least Recyclable? (msn.com)
Matt and Nick talk about the link between big banks and climate change (Wells Fargo and Citigroup Vote to Keep Financing Fossil Fuels | The New Republic),
Drought in the Western U.S. (New government maps show nearly all of the West is in drought and it's not even summer yet: "This is unprecedented" - CBS News),
Wildfire in New Mexico (Dangerous New Mexico wildfire forces historic city to evacuate | Reuters),
Meme culture meets evolution (Started Out as a Fish. How Did It End Up Like This? - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
And No Mow May in Saratoga, NY (No Mow May: Growing environmental movement now has local roots (with 9 photos) – The Daily Gazette)!
Matt and Nick talk about rooftop solar in American cities and how far solar has come in the past decade (9 U.S. cities now produce more solar power than the entire U.S. did 10 years ago (yahoo.com)).
Full report: Shining Cities 2022 (environmentcalifornia.org)
Matt and Nick talk about inspect populations declining due to climate change and agriculture (Climate change and farming driving insect decline - BBC News),
Permafrost thawing in Alaska and what that means for climate change (https://grist.org/science/alaska-permafrost-thawing-ice-climate-change/),
Wynn Alan Bruce’s fatal climate protest on Earth Day (Wynn Alan Bruce: Climate activist dies after setting himself on fire outside Supreme Court on Earth Day | The Independent),
A new material that encourages marine life to settle on offshore wind turbines (Ecological concrete to reduce the impact of offshore wind energy infrastructures - Renewable Energy Magazine, at the heart of clean energy journalism)
And the first wild red wolf litter in four years (Check out this pawesome litter of endangered red wolf pups : NPR)!
We mentioned a free climate change course during this episode, which can be found here:
Climate Change: The Science and Global Impact | edX
Matt and Nick are joined by guest co-host CJ Bonifati to talk about something they last spoke about on June 11, 2021 - cryptocurrencies and their climate impact.
This is a longer episode, but there's a lot to cover with this topic. They start off with a refresher on crypto and mining for them, a discussion of the Crypto Climate Accord, then dive into a thought-provoking question posed by the Reveal Podcast: Can our climate survive bitcoin? Finally, the guys bring up the green energy transition and how that can be impacted by an increased popularity for bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
Grab a glass of your favorite milk or milk-substitute because there are some spicy takes at the end of this episode from Matt and CJ, as you might expect when they get together.
Sources:
- Home - Crypto Climate Accord
- Can Our Climate Survive Bitcoin? - Reveal (revealnews.org)
- Can Our Climate Survive Bitcoin? - Reveal | Podcast on Spotify
- NFT of Jack Dorsey's first tweet struggles to sell - BBC News
- 8 Best Eco-Friendly, Green Cryptocurrencies to Invest In Today (theimpactinvestor.com)
It’s Earth Day!
Matt and Nick celebrate by talking about the U.S. resuming drilling for oil and gas on public lands (U.S. to resume oil, gas drilling on public land despite Biden campaign pledge | Reuters),
The shock-wave from the Tonga Volcanic eruption in January 2022 ( ‘It’s Super Spectacular.’ See How the Tonga Volcano Unleashed a Once-in-a-Century Shockwave. - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
A new climate law in Maryland (Maryland just passed one of the most aggressive climate laws in the US | Canary Media),
And scientists protesting in over 25 countries over political climate inaction (Over 1,000 scientists from around the world take to the streets in week-long climate protests – The Hill)!
Matt interviews Brian Alderman and Nate Truitt!
Brian is the Founder and CEO of IvyCo, a financial technology company that aims to increase engagement with the climate crisis and raise money to protect our American forests and fund environmental non-profits.
Nate is the Senior Vice President of Business Development at the American Forest Foundation, which aims for meaningful conservation impact through the empowerment of family forest owners
Their teams, along with many other partners - most notably The Nature Conservancy - have worked to put together the Family Forest Carbon Program, which helps family forest owners earn income from growing their forests and using sustainable forestry practices.
You can learn more about IvyCo and/or the American Forest Foundation by clicking any of the links in your show notes.
Download IvyCo on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ivyco/id1616898815
or Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eco.app.ivyco&hl=en_US&gl=US
Matt and Nick talk about the White House’s Office of Management and Budget calling the financial risks of climate change “immense” (White House details ‘immense’ risks of climate change for federal budget | The Hill)
African nations ramping up renewables to mitigate climate change and boost their economies (Africa looks to renewables to curb warming, boost economies - ABC News (go.com)),
Could water soon be treated as a right and not a commodity in the United States? (Rep. Khanna, Senator Warren Introduce Bill to Prevent Corporations From Profiting Off Water Rights | Food & Water Watch (foodandwaterwatch.org)),
Non-organic produce and the abundance of pesticides found on them (Pesticide residue found in over 70 percent of non-organic US produce: report | The Hill),
And Germany’s clean energy expansion and reduction in reliance on Russian oil (Germany unveils plans to accelerate green energy expansion | Reuters)!
Matt and Nick talk about the Spinosaurus: a dinosaur with penguin-like bones. National Geographic’s Michael Greshko reports that this is a sign of underwater hunting. The Spinosaurus and its cousin, the Baryonyx, are the only known dinosaurs other than birds with this adaptation.
So what did we learn about the Spinosaurus? What does this discovery mean for the species? And what else have we learned about dinosaurs recently?
The guys dive into this before discussing some dinosaur fun facts, their favorite dinosaurs, their favorite dinosaur movies, and some dinosaur theories.
Check out the National Geographic story here: Spinosaurus had penguin-like bones, a sign of hunting underwater (nationalgeographic.com)
Additional source material for this week’s show:
- Spinosaurus - Wikipedia
- Spinosaurus Facts
- Stegosaurus - Wikipedia
- Stegosaurus Facts
- Triceratops - Wikipedia
- 10 Intriguing Facts About the Triceratops (thoughtco.com)
- T. Rex Like You Haven’t Seen Him: With Feathers - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Matt and Nick talk about a Sumatran Rhino born in Indonesia's Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Way Kambas National Park (Heartwarming News As A Critically Endangered Sumatran Rhino Is Born At The Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary In Indonesia - World Animal News)
Logging in Tongass National Forest (A logging loophole is clear-cutting the Tongass National Forest - Grist | Grist),
The fight to protect little penguins in South Australia (Victor Harbor council works hard to protect little penguins, but says it needs SA government help too - ABC News),
UPS potentially cutting urban delivery emissions by using “eQuads” (UPS tries out 'eQuad' electric bikes for urban deliveries | Reuters),
And legal rights for animals in Ecuador (Ecuador’s High Court Rules That Wild Animals Have Legal Rights - Inside Climate News)!
Matt and Nick review the 2020 documentary Kiss the Ground on Netflix.
The documentary’s description says “Science experts and celebrity activists unpack the ways in which the earth’s soil may be the key to combating climate change and preserving the planet.”
Matt and Nick read the documentary’s summary before getting into some discussion questions and chatting about it.
Matt and Nick talk about European waters being impacted by oil discharge from ships (Revealed: ships may dump oil up to 3,000 times a year in Europe’s waters | Oil spills | The Guardian),
The USPS announced it would be buying mostly traditional vans and trucks to deliver mail - would a fully electric mail service be possible? (USPS Could Serve Nearly All Its Mail Routes in Electric Vehicles, a Watchdog Says - Government Executive (govexec.com)),
The Traverse Wind Energy Center in Oklahoma (Massive new wind farm goes online in Oklahoma | TheHill),
Microplastics have been found in human blood and can lodge in human organs (Microplastics found in human blood for first time | Plastics | The Guardian),
And a breakdown of how bad yachts and superyachts really are for the environment.
(Superyachts symbolize climate breakdown | Environment | All topics from climate change to conservation | DW | 24.03.2022)!
Matt and Giselle go over the U.S. Supreme Court hearing oral arguments that could weaken the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to mitigate climate change. They discuss the oral arguments, what this could mean for our climate goals, whether Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to replace Stephen Breyer makes a difference, and how they feel about this news in general.
Source material for today’s show:
- This US Supreme Court decision could derail Biden’s climate plan (nature.com)
- GOP, Coal Look to Supreme Court EPA Case to Limit Federal Agencies - Bloomberg
- Supreme Court wrestles with EPA power to regulate climate change | TheHill
Matt and Nick talk about businesses reporting their greenhouse gas emissions and how climate change is impacting their business (The SEC unveils historic climate disclosure rules for companies : NPR),
Widespread coral bleaching across the Great Barrier Reef (Dead coral found at Great Barrier Reef as widespread bleaching event unfolds | Great Barrier Reef | The Guardian),
How hot it is in Antarctica this month (Temperatures in eastern Antarctica are 70 degrees warmer than usual | TheHill),
A large portion of the United States likely to experience drought for the first time since 2013 (Spring 2022 Drought Will Affect Most of US (gizmodo.com)),
And a baby eastern bongo named Winston has been born at the Denver Zoo (Meet Winston, a rare bongo born at the Denver Zoo - CNN)!
You can contact the SEC at this link: https://www.sec.gov/contact-information/sec-directory and watch the video of Winston here.
Matt interviews Dave Johnson of Stanford Law School and the Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford. Dave is a lawyer, teacher, and writer, who is currently working on a book titled Climate Activism by Design.
You can go to www.climate-activist.com for more of Dave’s work and how you can become a better climate activist.
Matt and Nick talk about a Coyote killing contest in Pennsylvania (34 Coyotes Killed For Cash & "Prizes" During Annual Killing Contest In Pennsylvania; Sign Lady Freethinker's Petition To End Appalling Event - World Animal News),
The United States’ leader in nitrous oxide emissions (A Florida Chemical Plant Has Fallen Behind in Its Pledge to Cut Emissions of a Potent Greenhouse Gas - Inside Climate News),
How environmental justice and racial justice go hand-in-hand (How Redlining Contributed to Air Pollution Across America - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
And how coral species are adapting to warmer oceans, providing hope for the future of reefs (Climate-resilient coral species offer hope for the world’s reefs (nationalgeographic.com))!
Matt and Giselle talk about the second part of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerabilities. Part two of the report outlines adaptation strategies and climate resilience.
Source material for today’s show:
- Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability | Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability (ipcc.ch)
- IPCC report calls out misinformation as barrier to tackling climate crisis in the US | The Independent
- Climate change: Five things we've learned from the IPCC report - BBC News
- Climate Change Report: Cost-Benefit Analyses Are Pointless - Rolling Stone
- Science Alliance Update - IPCC Report - Protect Our Winters
Matt is joined by Dan Walsh to talk about Brazil’s mangrove forest along its coast storing more carbon than the Amazon (A more potent CO2 sink than the Amazon, Brazil’s mangroves remain overlooked (mongabay.com)),
Basking sharks to be protected in Ireland (Basking sharks to be granted 'protected wild animals' status (thejournal.ie)).
Ocean pollution’s impact on human health (New Study Finds Ocean Pollution a Threat to Human Health (nih.gov)),
Carbon emissions related to deforestation doubling over the last two decades - and are further accelerating (Deforestation emissions far higher than previously thought, study finds | Deforestation | The Guardian),
New regulations for tailpipes from the EPA (E.P.A. Plans Tighter Tailpipe Rules for Trucks, Vans and Buses - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
And a national park road within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area closing occasionally to help animals breed easier (DE national park will close PA road so amphibians can breed | Miami Herald)!
Matt and Nick review the 2016 documentary A Beautiful Planet on Hulu.
The documentary’s description says “A Beautiful Planet is a breathtaking portrait of Earth from space. Made in cooperation with NASA, the film features stunning footage of our magnificent blue planet -- and the effects humanity has had on it over time..”
Matt and Nick read a summary of the documentary before discussing.
Matt and Nick talk about saving money by cutting fossil fuels (Government climate advisers say cut fossil fuels to lower energy bills - BBC News),
The Nairobi Plastic Summit (Plastic summit could be most important green deal since Paris accords, says UN | Environment | The Guardian)
A massive offshore wind deal off the coast of New York and New Jersey (Offshore wind lease sale nets record $4.4B | TheHill),
How road salt impacts waterways (Road salt triggering 'massive' harm to US lakes, contaminating drinking water, studies warn (yahoo.com)),
And how Putin invading Ukraine impacts the future of energy policy and reliance on Russian oil (What Putin’s War Means For Energy Policy, Powering Community Solar Projects, And A Chat About Supply Chain Transparency (forbes.com)).
Matt and Nick discuss the latest news of lead exposure for Bald Eagles in the United States. The guys cover the history of Bald Eagles in the U.S., a previous conservation challenge turned conservation success story for the bird, what lead exposure can do to eagles, and how lead exposure impacts humans by briefly talking about the Flint Water Crisis!
Sources for today’s episode:
Nearly Half of Bald Eagles in the U.S. Suffer From Toxic Lead Exposure, Study Finds - EcoWatch
How Did the Bald Eagle Become America’s National Bird? - HISTORY
Delaware River Basin Commission|Living Resources: Bald Eagles (nj.gov)
Lead (nih.gov)
Matt and Nick talk about The Central Park Conservancy, the Yale School of the Environment, and New York City’s Natural Areas Conservancy teaming up to open the Central Park Climate Lab (Central Park Is Opening a Lab to Study Climate Change - Bloomberg),
Solar panel canopies over canals in the U.S. (First-in-the-nation project will cover canals with solar panel canopies | TheHill),
An update on the clean energy push in Illinois by 2045 (Illinois to shut all fossil fuel plants by 2045 and invest $580M a year in renewables (electrek.co)),
How climate change will impact skiing by making it less diverse (Rising costs of climate change threaten to make skiing a less diverse, even more exclusive sport (theconversation.com)),
And students from several universities pressuring their schools to divest from fossil fuels (Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT and Vanderbilt students take legal action to try to force fossil fuel divestment - The Washington Post)!
Matt interviews Sandy Gibson, the founder of Better Place Forests to talk about BPF and the idea of a conservation memorial forest, leaving a legacy of environmentalism, and sustainable business.
Check out www.betterplaceforests.com for more!
Matt and Nick discuss Gray wolves being protected in most of the U.S. again, aside from the northern Rocky Mountains of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming (Gray wolf federal protections removed by Trump restored across much of US | Endangered species | The Guardian),
Some unfortunate news about Koalas conservation status coming out of Australia (Koalas are now officially endangered in Australia (zmescience.com)),
A 14 year-legal battle over a golf resort resulting in restoration of the natural area on La Isla de Valdecañas in Spain (Spanish court orders demolition of entire golf resort built in protected area | CNN Travel),
A new study revealing that human exposure to toxic pesticides is worse than many of us realized (One in three Americans have high levels of toxic weed-killing chemical in their bodies, new study finds | The Independent),
And allocation of U.S. infrastructure funds could reduce animal-vehicle collisions by 97% (For the first time, the U.S. allocates big money for Animal Road Crossings : NPR)!
You can check out a quick video about how these animal road crossings work here: Animal Road Crossings | TikTok
Matt and Nick discuss the European Union’s decision to call Nuclear Energy and Natural Gas “green.”
Is natural gas clean energy? Is natural gas even cleaner than coal? Should nuclear energy truly be considered “sustainable”?
The guys talk about natural gas and then break down both sides of the nuclear debate.
Source material for today’s episode if you want to read more:
EU taxonomy: Commission presents Complementary Climate Delegated Act to accelerate decarbonisation | European Commission (europa.eu)
Europe Labels Nuclear and Natural Gas As Sustainable Investments - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Climate change: EU moves to label nuclear and gas as sustainable despite internal row - BBC News
Natural gas and the environment - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
Nuclear power and the environment - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
What is nuclear energy and how is nuclear power produced? | EDF (edfenergy.com)
Nuclear energy and climate change - World Nuclear Association (world-nuclear.org)
Matt and Nick talk about Scotland’s plans to protect their wild salmon (Scotland hopes to save wild salmon by planting millions of trees next to rivers | Fishing | The Guardian),
Glacial melt on Mount Everest (Mount Everest: Mountain's highest glacier melting rapidly, new study shows - BBC News),
Another look at the link between fossil fuels and plastics (How the fossil fuel industry is pushing plastics on the world (cnbc.com)),
Methane emissions being spotted from satellites in space (Satellites have located the world's methane ‘ultra-emitters’ | Science News),
And almost every new home in The Netherlands being gas-free (Around 90% of newly built homes erected last year in the Netherlands are gas-free – pv magazine International (pv-magazine.com))!
Matt and Nick review National Geographic’s 2020 documentary The Last Ice on Disney+.
The documentary’s description says “As climate change rapidly melts Arctic sea ice between Canada and Greenland, the entire Inuit way of life is at stake.”
Matt and Nick read a summary of the documentary before discussing the environmental impacts of sea ice melting, what they learned about Inuit culture, and how sea ice melting will impact the Inuit people.
Matt and Nick break down California returning guardianship of hundreds of acres of redwood forestland to a group of Native American tribes (California redwood forest returned to Native American tribes : NPR),
A big blow to 80 million acres worth of oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico (A federal judge canceled major oil and gas leases over climate change : NPR),
Moose populations in Minnesota struggling against threats from a parasite (Brain worms, ticks, and the mysterious deaths of Minnesota moose - Vox)
And a Marine reserve from Ecuador to Costa Rica providing hope for several marine species (Marine reserve in Latin America brings hope but conservation challenges remain (unep.org))!
Matt, Nick, and Giselle recap 2021’s climate status!
They talk about how hot it was globally and the temperature records set in the United States.
They also bring up the rebound of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and how that compares to 2020’s decrease in emissions.
Finally, they discuss the state of global ocean warming, what that means for climate change, glaciers melting, and what’s going on with permafrost.
Some of the source material for this episode can be found at the links below:
The heat stays on: Earth hits 6th warmest year on record | AP News
A Vivid View of Extreme Weather: Temperature Records in the U.S. in 2021 - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Climate change: For 25th year in a row, Greenland ice sheet shrinks | | UN News
Current State of Sea Ice Cover | Earth (nasa.gov)
U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bounced Back Sharply in 2021 - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Ocean warmth hits record high | TheHill
There Could Be 2 Billion Climate Change Refugees by 2100 (globalcitizen.org)
Matt, Nick and Giselle talk about how biodiversity impacts the development of pandemics (Opinion: Why protecting the planet is essential to preventing future pandemics - CNN),
Countries moving cities in response to climate change (Indonesia Sets 2024 Deadline to Move Its New Capital to Borneo - Bloomberg News)
Chemicals, plastics, pesticides, and other pollution impacting global ecosystems (Chemical pollution has passed safe limit for humanity, say scientists | Pollution | The Guardian),
Air pollution’s impact on the ability of butterflies and bees to smell crops and wildflowers (Scientists find there are 70% fewer pollinators, due to air pollution (openaccessgovernment.org)),
And the patriarchy-smashing Japanese macaque’s love triangle presenting a threat to her alpha status Japan’s Monkey Queen Faces Challenge to Her Reign: Mating Season - The New York Times (nytimes.com)!
Matt talks with Ryan Godolphin, an industrial designer based out of London.
They discuss product design and smart grid technology before getting into plastics - why plastic is so widely used, what's good about plastic, and what's so bad about plastic?
Matt and Nick’s Quick Hits of the week cover a heatwave in Argentina’s impact on the grid (Power grid fails as Argentina hit by record-breaking heatwave | The Independent),
The deforestation issue with Big Business (A third of commodity-hungry firms have no deforestation policy - report | Reuters),
Climate inequity (World’s poorest bear brunt of climate crisis: 10 underreported emergencies | Global development | The Guardian),
The volcanic eruption in Tonga (Pacific volcano: Ash-covered Tonga is like a moonscape say residents - BBC News),
And the world’s largest fish breeding area (World's largest fish breeding area discovered | EurekAlert!).
The fashion scorecard Nick references in this episode can be found here: StandEarth-FilthyFashionScorecard.pdf.
If you’d like to donate to Pita Taufatofua’s GoFundMe to help the people of Tonga, click the link below:
Fundraiser by Pita Taufatofua : Tonga Tsunami relief by Pita Taufatofua (gofundme.com)
Matt and Nick discuss The International Energy Agency’s 2021 Renewables report, including how 2021 looked for the renewable energy sector, projections up to 2026, and more!
If you’d like to check out the report, you can find the executive summary here: Executive summary – Renewables 2021 – Analysis - IEA.
The full 175-page report is also available here: Renewables 2021 - Analysis and forecast to 2026 (windows.net).
Matt and Nick’s Quick Hits of the week include how climate change is impacting food prices (Food prices remain high into 2022 on shortages due to extreme weather | Financial Times (ft.com)),
The UK’s government protecting fossil fuel interests (invites fossil fuel companies to help write rulebook on climate-busting new oil drilling | The Independent),
Rilu the Snow Leopard’s death (Snow leopard dies after contracting Covid-19 at Illinois zoo - CNN),
Pine trees and climate change in Patagonia (An imported tree fuels Patagonia’s terrifying summer fires (nationalgeographic.com)),
And the DiCaprio Tree discovered in Cameroon (Kew scientists name new tree after Leonardo DiCaprio - BBC News).
The boys also joked about refinancing student loans, so here’s Matt’s referral code if you want to do that: https://refer.splashfinancial.com/l/1MATTHEWNOR03/
Matt and Nick break down some of the stories from the end of 2021, including reducing livestock in the Netherlands (Netherlands announces €25bn plan to radically reduce livestock numbers | Netherlands | The Guardian),
Fact checking Senator Joe Manchin’s opposition to climate measures (Manchin's take on climate measures are misleading : NPR),
The relationship between Texas Climate Deniers, New England Fishermen, and the first major offshore wind farm in the US (Vineyard Wind Challenged by Mass. Fishermen, Texas Climate Deniers (gizmodo.com)),
And New York City banning gas in new buildings (New York City Banned Gas in New Buildings. Here’s What You Need to Know - THE CITY).
Matt and Nick are back for their first episode of 2022. Quick Hits Friday features a solar farm in Kentucky (Coming Soon to This Coal County: Solar, in a Big Way - The New York Times (nytimes.com)),
Food waste in California (New California law creates opportunities to waste less food (ktnv.com)),
A wind farm in Montana (Montana's largest wind farm underway near Miles City | State & Regional | billingsgazette.com),
The Marshall Fire in Boulder, Colorado (Marshall fire explained: Why Boulder County had 100+ mph winds that stoked wildfire (denverpost.com)),
And fossil fuel free flights in Denmark by 2030 (Denmark to make domestic flights fossil fuel free by 2030 - BBC News).
Matt and Nick kick off their last show of 2021 with a few extra Quick Hits before their Holiday Sendoff. The boys talk about what TPT and their listeners have meant to them this year and their goals for the show in 2022!
Their Quick Hits include are greenhouse gases for vegetarians (https://www.ecowatch.com/vegetarian-meat-greenhouse-gases-2655937991.html),
Helping manatees in Florida (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/07/climate/manatees-florida-feeding.html?referringSource=articleShare),
11 million oysters being added to the Hudson River in New York (https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/11-million-oysters-added-to-hudson-river-in-lower-manhattan/ar-AARGMYB?ocid=uxbndlbing),
The tornados that hit Kentucky, Tennessee, and Illinois (https://news.yahoo.com/are-the-deadly-kentucky-tornadoes-linked-to-climate-change-163255350.html),
Bugs breaking down plastics (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/dec/14/bugs-across-globe-are-evolving-to-eat-plastic-study-finds),
And a black box documenting climate change (https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/07/world/earth-black-box-climate-change/index.html).
TPT was recently ranked #7 on Feedspot’s Top 20 Wildlife Conservation Podcasts list, which you can check out here: https://blog.feedspot.com/wildlife_conservation_podcasts/
Matt interviews Miss Delaware, Sophie Phillips, prior to the Miss America Competition, which begins the day this episode drops!
First Matt and Nick break down their Quick Hits of the week, starting with a dual-use solar and blueberry farm in Maine (https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2021/11/agrivoltaic-pilot-program-set-to-provide-critical-insights/),
Conservationists fighting to save the smallest rabbit in North America (https://www.nature.org/en-us/magazine/magazine-articles/pygmy-rabbits/),
The rising cost of Carbon in Europe (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-03/european-benchmark-carbon-surges-above-80-euros-for-first-time),
And desertification in Brazil (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/03/world/americas/brazil-climate-change-barren-land.html).
You can vote for Sophie for Miss America by searching for “Miss America DE Spotfund” or at the link below. Tune in to the Miss America finals December 16 on the free version of Peacock!
https://www.spotfund.com/story/7e9d1588-1fe6-4518-9e83-d9fd3fc33342
Matt and Nick discuss Episode 1 of Netflix’s Down to Earth with Zac Efron! Zac was unfortunately busy this week, so he didn't answer our DM's to be a guest.
First, their Quick Hits are cutting methane through cow feed (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-19/cow-feed-that-cleans-potent-methane-burps-nears-europe-rollout),
how roundabouts impact climate change (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/20/climate/roundabouts-climate-emissions-driving.html?referringSource=articleShare),
a report from the US Interior department about drilling for oil and gas (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/26/climate/climate-change-drilling-public-lands.html?referringSource=articleShare),
and the latest survey about climate change in the US (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/americans-climate-change-real-survey_n_6196a0b6e4b044a1cc048d83).
Happy Thanksgiving! Matt gives a quick update on some big changes coming to The Planet Today starting in January of 2022.
Matt interviews Keith Hutchings of The Comfortable Home Project!
First, Nick and Matt’s Quick Hits of the week are:
Youth climate activists petitioning the United Nations (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/10/youth-activists-petition-un-to-declare-systemwide-climate-emergency?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=twt_gu&utm_medium&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1636528594),
Timber poachers and tree DNA (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/10/us/justin-wilke-maple-fire-tree-dna-sentenced.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur),
the health of the River Thames in London (https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/11/11/sharks-thames-river-london/?utm_source=reddit.com),
and a recap of how COP26 ended (https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/11/13/climate/cop26-glasgow-climate-summit/cop26-glasgow-climate-deal?referringSource=articleShare).
For more about The Comfortable Home Project, click here: https://www.thecomfortablehomeproject.com.au/?fbclid=IwAR3Vovn7qIuYMC_S99i6xvy0CF9_90hw4isMGn1R2QS7p6aQr9GqQ06vb00 or here: https://www.facebook.com/The-Comfortable-Home-Project-1560280234274991/?ref=page_internal
Keith can be found on LinkedIn here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-hutchings-09927148/
Matt and Nick are joined by guest co-host Giselle Herrera to talk about the impact that the world’s richest 1% have on the environment.
Their Quick Hits of the week include a bold plan for Ithaca, NY (https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2021/11/03/ithaca-new-york-decarbonize-electrify/),
a project at the University of Minnesota to reduce bird collisions (https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/minnesota/articles/2021-11-08/university-of-minnesota-project-aims-to-stop-bird-collisions),
Toyota’s climate history (https://www.carscoops.com/2021/11/toyota-named-third-most-obstructive-company-towards-climate-change-after-exxonmobil-chevron/),
the first week of COP26 (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/07/so-what-has-cop26-achieved-so-far),
and the Infrastructure Bill passing in the House (https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/roads-transit-internet-infrastructure-bill-81005655).
Nick and Matt discuss the National Geographic Documentary, Smoky Mountain Park Rangers.
Their Quick Hits of the Week include last weekend’s G20 meeting (https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/10/31/world/g20-summit-2021-biden),
Day 1 of COP26 (https://www.cnn.c23om/2021/11/01/world/cop26-climate-leaders-summit-intl/index.html),
California Condors joining the short list of animals to reproduce without a mate (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/in-extremely-rare-event-two-female-birds-make-babies-without-males?cmpid=org%3Dngp%3A%3Amc%3Dsocial%3A%3Asrc%3Dtwitter%3A%3Acmp%3Deditorial%3A%3Aadd%3Dtw20211028animals-condorsvirginbirth&sf250816130=1&loggedin=true),
and Matt talks about his visit to Putting Green last weekend (https://www.puttinggreenbk.org/about).
Nick and Matt discuss the economics behind deforestation and a new report by Global Witness (https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/forests/deforestation-dividends/#conclusion-ill-gotten-gains).
Their Quick Hits of the Week include Climate Change’s impact on national security (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/21/climate/climate-change-national-security.html?referringSource=articleShare).
how our fossil fuel usage compares to our climate goals (https://apnews.com/article/climate-science-business-environment-europe-dcbcc6388b24c8b83476ddea14b92e21),
Biden’s Build Back Better net zero plan (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/21/kathy-castor-interview-climate-crisis-democrats),
Tuskless elephants (https://www.businessinsider.com/african-elephants-evolved-to-be-tuskless-ivory-poaching-2021-10),
and how national parks are becoming more accessible for guests with autism (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/heres-how-parks-and-public-lands-are-becoming-more-autism-friendly).
Matt interviews Kelly Jacobs of the University of Delaware about managed retreat, the relationship between gas, oil, and plastic and more!
First, Nick and Matt’s Quick Hits of the week are weather related deaths declining for now (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/weather-disaster-related-deaths-are-downwarming-could-undo-that-trend),
the amount of solar panels required to power the world (https://theconversation-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/theconversation.com/amp/solar-panels-on-half-the-worlds-roofs-could-meet-its-entire-electricity-demand-new-research-169302),
a massive Ocean cleaning project (https://www.businessinsider.com/ocean-cleanup-device-removed-plastic-pacific-garbage-patch-2021-10),
a California bill banning gas yard equipment (https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/576227-california-to-ban-gas-lawn-mowers-leaf-blowers),
and a major offshore wind plan for the United States (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/13/climate/biden-offshore-wind-farms.html?referringSource=articleShare)!
Matt and Nick are joined by guest co-host Dan Walsh to talk about climate change misinformation and a new decision by Google/YouTube to prevent its spread.
Their Quick Hits of the week include an update on how climate change is impacting coral reefs (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/04/climate/coral-reefs-climate-change.html?referringSource=articleShare),
Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments being restored (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/bears-ears-and-grand-staircase-escalante-national-monuments-to-be-expanded-by-biden-administration-utah-governor-says/ar-AAPfqgk?ocid=uxbndlbing),
the environmental impacts of returning clothes (https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/11/free-returns-online-shopping/620169/),
and how Covid-19 is impacting the upcoming COP26 talks (https://atmos.earth/cop26-covid-superspreader-justice-vaccine/?utm_campaign=No%20campaign&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=169110740&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9WVx5QUp08hzqlJsdF7thYNT25tXsPKlCFQeaVeYysl2t2l1ixuJSIT5-J_1JgzL8dPjeyRRupZPsHnQzcbTQgps7NZg&utm_content=169110740&utm_source=hs_email).
Matt interviews Eddy Badrina of Eden Green Technology and Seed Effect!
Their Quick Hits of the week include several extinction updates (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/28/climate/endangered-animals-extinct.html?referringSource=articleShare),
the return of wolves in Europe (https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/the-return-of-the-wolf-in-europe?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=species&utm_content=link),
just how bad the wildfires have been in California in the last decade (https://thehill.com/policy/equilibrium-sustainability/574928-1-in-8-acres-in-california-has-burned-in-last-decade),
an oil spill off the coast of California (https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-10-02/coast-guard-rushes-to-contain-newport-beach-oil-slick),
Earth dimming due to climate change (https://phys.org/news/2021-09-earth-dimming-due-climate.html),
and fossil fuel prices rising while renewables get cheaper (https://ieefa.org/as-fossil-fuel-prices-skyrocket-globally-renewables-grow-steadily-cheaper/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=as-fossil-fuel-prices-skyrocket-globally-renewables-grow-steadily-cheaper&utm_source=Weekly+IEEFA+Newsletter&utm_campaign=fc862d59fd-IEEFA_WeeklyDigest&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_30c2b8506b-fc862d59fd-128776699)!
Nick and Matt review the Netflix documentary My Octopus Teacher!
This episode starts off with a call to action about fossil fuel subsidies (https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-end-fossil-fuel-tax-giveaways?source=direct_link&referrer=group-ccan&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fgive.ccanactionfund.org%2Fpage%2F15812%2Fdonate%2F1&utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=federal&utm_content=Fed-Pollutertaxpayouts-0921-c4+C).
Their Quick Hits of the week include another Chinese conservation success story (https://news.mongabay.com/2021/09/the-cat-is-back-wild-amur-tigers-rebound-in-china-thanks-to-govt-policies/),
China’s pledge to stop building coal-fired power projects abroad (https://www.reuters.com/world/china/xi-says-china-aims-provide-2-bln-vaccine-doses-by-year-end-2021-09-21/),
how goats help prevent wildfires (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/18/business/wildfires-goats-prevention.html),
a paint so white that it helps lower your energy costs (https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2021/Q2/the-whitest-paint-is-here-and-its-the-coolest.-literally..html),
the world’s first battery-electric freight train (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/16/battery-electric-freight-train-wabtec-rail-transport-emissions),
great renewable energy financing news (https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2021/09/28/transalta-targets-renewable-energy-growth-in-canada-the-u-s-and-australia/),
and limits placed on HFCs and refrigerants by the EPA (https://apnews.com/article/epa-hydrofluorocarbon-rules-hfcs-greenhouse-gases-043715b9ee50d5a42ce0364ed28ffdff).
Nick and Matt talk about the UN’s stark warning to countries regarding their Paris Agreement Commitments!
Their Quick Hits of the week include a fungus that causes white nose syndrome found in Saskatchewan (https://ca-news-yahoo-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/ca.news.yahoo.com/amphtml/fungus-thats-killed-millions-bats-080000707.html),
some electric vehicle news from Volkswagen (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2021-09-16/vw-pulls-back-curtain-on-new-electric-car-battery-lab-in-germany),
pollution in Florida’s freshwater springs (https://api.nationalgeographic.com/distribution/public/amp/environment/article/pollution-and-overuse-threaten-floridas-fragile-freshwater-springs?__twitter_impression=true),
the role of Indigenous Peoples in fighting climate change (https://grist.org/protest/indigenous-resistance-has-cut-u-s-and-canadas-annual-emissions/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linktree&utm_campaign=study%3A+indigenous+resistance+has+staved+off+25%25+of+u.s.+and+canada%E2%80%99s+annual+emissions),
and The House Oversight Committee expanding its probe of Big Oil’s climate misinformation https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/16/climate/exxon-oil-disinformation-house-probe.html).
To our listeners from Florida, check out FL5.org to read and sign the petition for the five conservation amendments proposed for the 2022 ballot.
Matt interviews Kristen Pruett to discuss her time at Yellowstone National Park, her volunteer work with dogs, cooking vegetarian meals, and more!
First, Matt and Nick break down some of this week’s stories, including California simplifying recycling (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/08/climate/arrows-recycling-symbol-california.html?referringSource=articleShare),
Taco Bell’s recycling program (https://abc7.com/taco-bell-sauce-packets-recycling/11011216/),
The Netherlands vs. Fossil Fuel commercials (https://gizmodo.com/netherlands-officials-tell-shell-to-stop-its-ads-greenw-1847613583),
Some big renewables news out of Illinois (https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2021/09/10/illinois-house-passes-clean-energy-bill-with-some-big-solar-wins/),
and a potential return of woolly mammoths through science (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/mammoth-elephant-hybrids-could-be-created-within-the-decade-should-they-be).
Matt and Nick discuss the public health impacts of Climate Change (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/06/more-than-200-health-journals-call-for-urgent-action-on-climate-crisis?fbclid=IwAR1CH_4E_4L_4SzIVxFwVamQK1q1IQTnjplPxZPzzXchydZJy6qX55Q-XmA)!
Their Quick Hits of the week include Tesla recycling it’s battery materials (https://amp-interestingengineering-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.interestingengineering.com/tesla-says-it-can-now-recycle-92-of-battery-cell-materials),
a new offshore wind to green hydrogen plant in Denmark (https://www.rechargenews.com/wind/green-superpower-denmark-plans-second-gigascale-offshore-wind-to-hydrogen-plant/2-1-1060264),
a potential elephant reunion (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/03/science/nania-elephant.html),
the Biden administration’s solar and wind goals (https://news.trust.org/item/20210831100001-wdh18/),
a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Mexico (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/earthquake-mexico-acapulco-7-1-magnitude/)
and updates to the IUCN’s endangered species list (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/good-news-for-tuna-populations-in-latest-iucn-update?cmpid=org%3Dngp%3A%3Amc%3Dsocial%3A%3Asrc%3Dtwitter%3A%3Acmp%3Deditorial%3A%3Aadd%3Dtw20210904animals-newanimalsiucnupdate&sf249204443=1&loggedin=true).
Matt and Nick review the 2015 documentary After the Spill!
Their Quick Hits of the week include Climate Change Reporting (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/27/insider/united-nations-climate-report.html),
IKEA selling renewable energy (https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/ikea-now-selling-new-product-renewable-energy),
Salmon in the Lower Snake River (https://earthjustice.org/brief/2021/salmon-extinction-climate-change-heat-waves-snake-river),
the Caldor Fire (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/thousands-forced-flee-lake-tahoe-california-s-caldor-fire-rages-n1278076),
heat pump systems, (https://www.nrdc.org/experts/alex-hillbrand/thinking-buying-air-conditioner-consider-heat-pump),
and Hurricane Ida (https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/hurricane-ida-live-updates-new-orleans-loses-power-after-landfall/ar-AANRUPE?ocid=uxbndlbing).
Matt and Nick discuss Tropical Storm Henri and the rarity of landfall occurring in New England for storms like this.
Their Quick Hits include California’s Solar Panel Mandate (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/11/business/energy-environment/california-solar-mandates.html?referringSource=articleShare), the cost of climate inaction (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/aug/11/climate-action-bargain-britain-net-zero),
a wandering herd of Chinese elephants (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-58196663),
broken tech and E-waste (http://static5.businessinsider.com/broken-tech-right-to-repair-devices-environment-disaster-2021-8#:~:text=Broken%20tech%20is%20causing%20a%20mounting%20environmental%20disaster.,new%20stuff.%20This%20is%20causing%20an%20environmental%20disaster),
a water shortage in the Colorado River (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/16/climate/colorado-river-water-cuts.html),
and an Alaskan judge halting the Willow pipeline (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/18/climate/alaska-willow-oil.html?referringSource=articleShare).
Matt is joined by Tyler Smith to talk about his role as a Wildland Firefighter, wildfires, droughts, prescribed burning, and more!
In perhaps their most unhinged episode yet, Matt and Nick are joined by recurring guest co-host CJ Bonifati to talk about the Billionaire space race and its impact on the environment.
Their Quick Hits of the Week include flooding risks (https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-58087479),
President Biden’s automobile goals (https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/566446-biden-to-strengthen-vehicle-mileage-standards-set-50-percent-ev),
an update about the Dixie Fire (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/08/us/dixie-fire.html?referringSource=articleShare),
the Kenyan wildlife census (https://news.yahoo.com/no-animal-left-behind-kenya-055445857.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall),
and the IPCC’s latest climate report (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/aug/09/humans-have-caused-unprecedented-and-irreversible-change-to-climate-scientists-warn?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other).
Source material for the feature story can be found here:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/science/2021/jul/19/billionaires-space-tourism-environment-emissions, https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-jeff-bezos-branson-spacex-blue-origin-virgin-2021-5, & https://twitter.com/ajplus/status/1424801149626961942?s=21
Matt and Nick review the Netflix Documentary, Virunga!
This week’s Quick Hits include super polluters (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01983-z),
Toyota’s surprising aversion to electric vehicles, (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/25/climate/toyota-electric-hydrogen.html?campaign_id=54&emc=edit_clim_20210728&instance_id=36475&nl=climate-fwd%3A®i_id=161715083&segment_id=64671&te=1&user_id=7834930a540fb554ca376fafdce662ef),
the Senate Infrastructure Bill’s impact on Nuclear Power (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-01/nuclear-power-could-get-lifeline-in-senate-infrastructure-bill?utm_source=twitter&utm_content=business&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_medium=social&cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business),
a tidal-powered turbine off the coast of Scotland (https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-57991351),
whiskey waste as a biofuel (https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4035153/drink-driving-glenfiddich-delivery-trucks-run-biogas-whisky-waste),
and Olympic medals (https://www.ecowatch.com/amp/olympics-medals-recycled-smartphones-computers-2654414145)!
Matt and Nick interview Ryan Byrnes of Bartlett Tree Experts to talk about urban forestry, insect management, and tree protection!
No Quick hits this week because Matt is away for vacation.
Matt and Nick take some time to answer questions from their listeners.
Their Quick Hits of the week include Europe’s Climate Plan (https://www.npr.org/2021/07/14/1015984262/europe-has-an-ambitious-new-climate-plan-that-imagines-a-dramatic-cut-in-emissio), the flooding in Germany and Belgium (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/experts-fear-germany-deadly-floods-glimpse-into-climate-future), how climate change is impacting wine country (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/18/climate/napa-wine-heat-hot-weather.html), the Bootleg fire in Oregon (https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/how-bad-is-the-bootleg-fire-its-generating-its-own-weather/), and the birth of August and Noëlla’s wolf pups (https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/belgium-all-news/178203/wolves-august-and-noella-had-at-least-five-cubs/).
Matt and Nick talk about some of the long term effects of Fracking for this week’s Feature Story.
Their Quick Hits of the week include California’s potential energy blackouts (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-11/a-wildfire-is-pushing-california-toward-the-brink-of-blackouts?cmpid=BBD071221_GREENDAILY&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=210712&utm_campaign=greendaily),
football-sized goldfish (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/people-dumped-their-pets-into-lakes-officials-say-now-football-size-goldfish-are-taking-over/ar-AAM2q5b?ocid=BingNewsSearch),
how mussels and clams have been impacted by the recent heat waves in the PNW (https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/10/weather/heat-sea-life-deaths-trnd-scn/index.html),
how those heat waves impact salmon (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/09/climate/marine-heat-wave.html), Australian environmental groups request to the United Nations (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/13/australian-environment-groups-urge-un-to-put-great-barrier-reef-on-in-danger-list?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter),
and some truly great news about the Giant Panda (https://www.npr.org/2021/07/09/1014593425/china-giant-pandas-endangered-vulnerable-iucn)!
Additional sources for this week’s feature story include the following articles:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-14432401#:~:text=What%20is%20fracking%3F%20Fracking%20is%20the%20process%20of,flow%20out%20to%20the%20head%20of%20the%20well, https://seedscientific.com/fracking-statistics/#:~:text=Fracking%20Statistics%20in%20the%20U.S.%201%20Over%201.7,can%20cause%20the%20U.S.%20...%20More%20items...%20,
and https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/12/climate/epa-pfas-fracking-forever-chemicals.html
Matt and Nick talk about the New York Times event “Netting Zero: De-constructing the Built Environment,” which Matt attended last Thursday.
This week’s Quick Hits include the Gulf of Mexico fire (https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/03/mexico-pipeline-fire/),
planting trees to boost rainfall in Europe (https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-57722879),
a heat wave in Siberia (https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/arctic-circle-summer-global-warming-b1875285.html), and Covid-19 vaccines for animals (https://www-nytimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.nytimes.com/2021/07/02/science/zoo-animals-coronavirus-vaccine.amp.html).
We mentioned in the episode that we would provide a link to the Goldman Sachs 1 million Black Women Initiative, which can be found 6:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/savingandinvesting/goldman-sachs-announces-dollar10-billion-one-million-black-women-initiative/ar-BB1esozm#:~:text=The%20new%20initiative%2C%20%E2%80%9COne%20Million%20Black%20Women%2C%E2%80%9D%20was,health%2C%20the%20investment%20bank%20said%20in%20a%20statement
We broke our 60 minutes or less rule (by 2 minutes), but that's okay. Matt and Nick talk about their Quick Hits of the week, including a TED Talk about EcoAnxiety (https://www.ted.com/talks/clover_hogan_what_to_do_when_climate_change_feels_unstoppable),
the heat wave in the Pacific Northwest (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/06/29/upshot/portland-seattle-vancouver-weather.html?referringSource=articleShare),
Florida's fossil-fuel promoting bill (https://gizmodo.com/ron-desantis-signs-a-bill-that-mandates-cities-keep-usi-1847176182),
and Trillion Trees' June 2021 update (https://trilliontrees.org/highlight/trillion-trees-forest-update-june-2021-0).
After, they do a deep dive into National Geographic's Before The Flood (2016).
We finally made the change to the podcast that no one requested - a cold open! Then, Matt and Nick are joined by Dan Walsh to break down their Quick Hits of the week, including National Parks dealing with overcrowding (www.wsj.com/amp/articles/national-parks-are-overcrowded-and-closing-their-gates-11623582002),
a cool story about salmon (www.nrdc.org/experts/giulia-cs-good-stefani/salmon-natural-climate-solution?utm_source=tw&utm_medium=tweet&utm_campaign=WildlifeWE),
the drought in the United States (www.cnn.com/2021/06/19/politics/what-matters-climate-change-western-drought/index.html),
and a court ruling in Belgium about climate change action (www.ecowatch.com/belgium-court-climate-crisis-human-rights-2653450597.html).
After, their Feature Conversation of the week is about the environmentalism of textiles, the fashion industry, and fast fashion.
Matt and Nick break down their Quick Hits, which include the internet's carbon footprint, the G7 not scaling back coal, renewable energy in Texas, and a global environmental crime tracker!
After, Matt interviews Giselle Herrera (a Program Manager at Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability & Equity) to talk about wildlife conservation, their time spent working together at the Bronx Zoo, biology, ecology, and more!
Links to the quick hits:
- https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2021/06/how-to-cut-the-internets-big-carbon-footprint
- https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/13/us/politics/G7-climate-Biden.html
- https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-06-09/texas-renewables-defy-gop-backlash-with-20-billion-in-projects?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_content=climate&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&cmpid=socialflow-twitter-climate
- https://eia-international.org/global-environmental-crime-tracker/
First, Nick and Matt discuss their Quick Hits of the week:
- Exxon's newest board members and how Exxon knew about climate change earlier than they led on (ExxonMobil: A third climate activist from Engine No. 1 is expected to be elected to the board - CNN) (Exxon Knew about Climate Change Almost 40 Years Ago - Scientific American)
- The chemical spill off the coast of Sri Lanka (Data recorder recovered as chemical laden ship slowly sinks off Sri Lanka (nbcnews.com)
- Wealthy nations funding gas projects in developing nations (Wealthy nations breaking climate pledge with gas dash in global south | Gas | The Guardian)
- The bubble beam (A 'Bubble Barrier' is trapping plastic waste before it can get into the sea - CNN)
- The Keystone XL Pipeline (Developer officially cancels Keystone XL pipeline project blocked by Biden | Reuters)
After, Matt is joined by CJ Bonifati to talk about cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and their environmental impact.
Matt and Nick talk about a few current events of the last week before diving into a featured discussion about National Parks in the United States, including its newest one.
Topics include arctic drilling, clean energy tax credits, manatees, heat-related deaths, solar canopies, and a Kenyan wildlife study.
Join host Matt Norden as he talks about what to expect from his upcoming podcast, The Planet Today. Coming June 4, 2021!
Produced by Nick Gennusa. Music by Nick Gennusa. Cover art by Kaylee Viets.