Conservation Connection: Recent Episodes
Last Chance Endeavors, Inc.
Every day, scientists and conservationists around the globe are working to answer critical questions about our rapidly changing environment and the organisms that live there; the minute details of their work reveal both the beauty and the precarious balance of the natural world. Join the Last Chance Endeavors team as we interview today's leading wildlife scientists and conservationists about their most recent discoveries. Listen in to hear the ongoing story of the scientific studies being conducted to protect our planet's future!
New tools allow us to collect more data than ever before, but is that always a good thing?
When it comes time for policymakers to make decisions, a complex system of stakeholders, limited resources, and unclear goals can make it hard to figure out the best way forward. That's where decision scientists like Dr. Jennifer McGowan swoop in to save the day!
Want to support the show by buying some swag? Check out our online store!
This episode was recorded at EarthX2024 in Dallas Texas
Rainforest sounds recorded by by AdrienPola, accessed on FreeSound dot org
More than 50% of the world's turtle and tortoise species are threatened with extinction, but Shannon DiRuzzo of Turtle Island is working to make sure that they all live to see tomorrow.
Turtle Island's mission is simple: save turtles & tortoises from extinction through acute rescue, care, research, breeding, and rewilding.
Want to buy stickers, shirts, cups, or cool conservation art to support the show? Check out our new online store!
This episode was recorded at EarthX 2024 in Dallas Texas!
Marsh sounds at the beginning of the episode were recorded by KevinSonger and were accessed on FreeSound dot org.
Support black footed ferret conservation by following this link! 50% of proceeds will be donated directly to the Cheyenne River Sioux Nation for ferret conservation projects!
This week we get to learn from Dr. Julie Thorstenson at EarthX 2024 in Dallas Texas. Julie is a wildlife biologist, member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Nation, Lakota, and executive director of the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society. Her work as executive director assists Native American and Alaska Native Tribes with the conservation, protection, and enhancement of their fish and wildlife resources.
Nature sounds recorded by Microsoft Sam on FreeSounds.org
Hunting as a conservation tool can be a divisive topic. How can the death of an animal increase the health of the herd?
This week we sit down with Ivan Carter, a safari guide, conservationist, and TV host to answer these big questions. He encourages us to set our emotions aside and listen to the science when it comes to making conservation decisions!
We're so grateful to have had the opportunity to record this episode with Ivan at EarthX 2024 in Dallas Texas!
Thanks to our listeners who pointed out that we uploaded the wrong file this week! The problem is now fixed.
Protecting the ocean can seem like a whale of a task! Luckily we have the solutions to turn the tides.
We sat down with George Cummings at EarthX to learn about his work as an ocean ambassador. From the UN Sustainable Development Goals, to protecting island nations, and learning how we can help reduce carbon entering our atmosphere, we cover it all!
Protecting the ocean can seem like a whale of a task! Luckily we have the solutions to turn the tides.
We sat down with George Cummings at EarthX to learn about his work as an ocean ambassador. From the UN Sustainable Development Goals, to protecting island nations, and learning how we can help reduce carbon entering our atmosphere, we cover it all!
Wind turbines are an incredible source of renewable, carbon-neutral energy that can be deadly to bats. This week we talk to a scientist who's trying to fix that.
We sit down at EarthX with Dr. Sarah Fritts, an associate professor of wildlife ecology at Texas State University, to learn how she's working to keep bats away from critical renewable energy infrastructure.
Sound Credit: The bat sounds included at the beginning of the show were found on Montana State University's Acoustic Atlas, and are the copyright of Jeff Rice and Montana State University; Use of this audio file is allowed in accordance with the Creative Commons.
When you're standing in the Pitcairn islands, the closest another human gets is the astronauts on the International Space Station. You're also standing on the most plastic polluted beach in the world. This week we learn how Brett Howell, of Howell Conservation Fund, and his team removed ocean plastics from one of the most remote islands on the planet!
This episode was recorded in collaboration with EarthX at the EarthX conference in Dallas, Texas.
Having spent more than 7000 hours underwater, Dr. Sylvia Earle has some incredible stories to tell about life under the sea!
In the final episode of season 9 we sit down at EarthX2024 with one of the biggest names in ocean conservation EVER, Dr. Sylvia Earle! Listen in to hear how she fell in love with the ocean, what it's like to follow the same eel everyday for weeks, and what you can do to protect life on our planet.
If you want to check out Mission Blue, click HERE
From 250 pound sea turtles to half-pound terrapins, the staff of Jekyll Island Authority work all year long to protect their native wildlife!
This week we chat with David Zailo and Will Hicks, staff at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, about the important work they're doing to protect some of North America's most incredible turtles!
When he learned that 95% of California's kelp forests had disappeared in the past 10 years, Adam Hussain devised a plan to put his underwater film skills to use saving the ecosystem that he loved!
This week we sit down at EarthX with the director of the upcoming documentary Seaforestation to learn about the critical role that kelp forests play in the oceans and how researchers and citizens across the globe are solving the threats that kelp forests face!
Check out the trailer to Seaforestation HERE
Although 85% of wild oyster reefs have disappeared over the past 120 years, Georgia's oyster populations are thriving!
Listen in as we chat with Justin Manley, the hatchery manager at UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s Shellfish Research Laboratory on Skidaway Island! We get deep into the science of oyster aquaculture and learn all about the work being done to protect this critical ecosystem!
Want to access resources about oyster farming? Check out the links below!
UGA Marine Extension
Oyster South
East Coast Shellfish Growers Association
We interrupt your regularly scheduled episode of Conservation Connection to bring you this special crossover episode with Crystal DiMiceli of the Forces For Nature Podcast and The Healthy Seas Podcast!
Listen in for a sneak peak of Season 10 and to discover another incredible podcast!
In a changing ocean, whales and their protectors must react fast to stay ahead of the curve!
This week we sit down with Cathy Sakas, a life long adventurer, biologist, and ocean advocate. She found the first North Atlantic right whale calf in Georgia over forty years ago, and has spent her career working to ensure that they'll survive in the face of a changing ocean!
Over 300 species rely on the Gopher Tortoise - and its burrows - to survive!
This week we chat with disturbance ecologist Barbara Blonder at Flagler College to learn about the struggles and survival tactics of coastal gopher tortoises! She uses her research and her position as City Commissioner to help St. Augustine make the best possible management decisions.
Happy rattlesnakes mean a happy island!
This week we sit down with Joseph Colbert, a wildlife biologist with the Jekyll Island Authority. He studies eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, and uses this knowledge to inform management decisions which keep the entirety of Jekyll Island in harmony with nature!
EXGREEN20
We're wrapping up this season with some big changes, some quick announcements, and a conversation on the value of collaboration!
Check back on April 2nd for the start of our next season when we'll be investigating coastal conservation in the American southeast, and come see us at EarthX in Dallas from April 22 to April 26th!
Visit EarthX.org to buy passes, and don't forget to use discount code EXGREEN20 to get 20% off!Reach out to us on our instagram @ConservationConnection
This week we dive deeper into the spider shoal lily and its role in the Chattahoochee River ecosystem by sitting down with Natalie Downey from the Chattahoochee River Conservancy. Listen in to learn about the importance of this flower and the ways that volunteers are working to restore its population!
Click here to get involved: ChattRiver.org
On Georgia's southern border lies the Okefenokee Swamp, our nation's largest intact blackwater wetland. For thousands of years it's been a place of refuge and recreation, but modern industry is threatening to change it forever. Listen in this week to Deborah Reed (Reed's Grocery Store) and Rena Peck (Georgia River Network) as we discuss the value of the Okefenokee and the dangers that are threatening its future!
www.ProtectOkefenokee.org
www.GARivers.org
Hydroelectric dams produce renewable and carbon-neutral electricity, but at what cost? This final episode from our live-podcasting event explores the story of the shoal lily, an endangered-but-not-legally-protected flower that's found only in the Southeast US.
If you'd like to get involved, check out these opportunities:
Shoal Lily Planting: https://www.chattahoocheeriverconservancy.org/volunteer.html
Shoal Lily Viewing on the Flint River: https://flintriverkeeper.org/events-calendar/
Thank you to Nia Impact Capital for sponsoring this live recording!
What's the point of studying our environment if we never take time to enjoy it? This week we sit with local student and river enthusiast Caroline Ellmer to hear her perspective of growing up on the Chattahoochee River and why it's so important to love where you live!
Thank you to Nia Impact Capital for sponsoring this live recording!
Not all species of bees are the same, and some are MUCH better at pollinating our food than others! Listen in this week to hear Masters student Sarah Tash tell the story of our favorite pollinator and their vital role in our lives.
Thank you to Nia Impact Capital for sponsoring this live recording!
As it turns out, not all crayfish are created equal; some species dig holes, some species displace others, and some species can only be positively identified by their genitals during breeding season! This week we welcome back Dr. Troy Keller of CSU to peek behind the curtain at the massive biodiversity of crayfish in the Southeastern US and how invasive species are changing the ecosystem.
Thank you to Nia Impact Capital for sponsoring this live recording!
Alrighty Guys! We're taking a short break until December 17th 2023 because BIG THINGS are happening!
If you want free stickers, take this survey to help improve our show then shoot us a message on Instagram: https://forms.gle/wSb3vabehyLJRECW6
If you're in the Columbus Georgia area, come check out our first live podcast event! We're setting up at Scofflaw Brewing in Columbus on November 9th from 6pm until 9pm.
Thanks for listening!
-Chance and Sarah Kathryn
What lies at the intersection of social justice, environmental issues, and sustainability?
Listen in as Dr. Michael Dorsey, the director and chair of the Rob and Melanie Walton Sustainability Solutions Service at Arizona State University, joins the podcast to discuss pressing issues surrounding environmental justice, sustainability, and the urgent need for a transition to green energy. We dive into the pervasive challenges of environmental racism and the disproportionate impact of pollution on marginalized communities, not only in the United States but around the world. With a wealth of knowledge and experience, Dr. Dorsey's insights shed light on the path towards a healthier planet, demonstrating that the "good stuff" can indeed be profitable and sustainable!
Click here to learn about ASU's Sustainability Solutions Service: https://sustainability-innovation.asu.edu/sustainabilitysolutions/
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: ConservationConnection.co
How can you use your passion to protect our planet?
The Redford Center uses the art of storytelling and film to inform, engage, and mobilize people to take action for the betterment of the planet. In this episode we sit down with Jill Tidman, the executive director of the Redford Center, to discuss her personal journey to find her passion for environmental advocacy. We cover her diverse career path, including ventures into green architecture and business, highlighting the importance of self-awareness and adaptability in finding one's true calling. Listen in to learn about the crucial role of art and culture in solving global environmental challenges.
Click here to learn more about the Redford Center: www.RedfordCenter.org
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: www.ConservationConnection.co
How can the average homeowner or renter best take charge of their own climate contributions?
Meet Lauren Fraser, co-founder of Canopy! Her organization is committed to helping everyday people decarbonize their lifestyles, from individual households to entire communities! Listen in to learn how Canopy is providing resources, local contractor recommendations, and concierge support to bridge the gap between intention and action in the quest for greener living.
If you'd like to learn more about Canopy, click here: https://canopyclimate.com/
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: ConservationConnection.co
What is at the intersection of video games and conservation?
This week we dive into the world of video game development and its unexpected role in environmental conservation! Join us as we sit down with Chance Glasco, the co-founder and creative director of Good Dog Studios and a senior fellow with the Adrian Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center. Chance shares his remarkable journey from the gaming industry's early days, creating iconic franchises like Call of Duty, to his current mission of infusing climate resilience into video games. Discover how Chance is using the immersive power of gaming to reach the public, bridging the gap between entertainment and environmental awareness.
Click here to learn more about the Climate Sig Discord: https://www.igdaclimatesig.org/take-action
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: ConservationConnection.co
This week we sit down with David Banks to hear about his inspiring journey through the world of conservation and environmental advocacy! David is the Chief Conservation Officer of The Nature Conservancy, a global leader in protecting our planet's precious lands and waters. Listen in as we explore the value of nature, from its breathtaking beauty to the life-sustaining services it provides. Discover how conservation efforts are evolving to tackle the urgent challenges of our time, and learn how you too can make a positive impact, whether you're a seasoned environmental enthusiast or just beginning your journey towards a greener, more sustainable world. Tune in and get inspired to take action for the planet we all call home!
If you'd like to learn more about the Nature Conservancy, click here: Nature.org
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: ConservationConnection.co
Can seaweed revolutionize our food industry?
This episode, join us on a journey into the world of sustainable seaweed farming, exploring its immense potential for revolutionizing food systems and addressing environmental challenges. Our guest Sachi Singh is the founder and CEO of Rootless, and she shares her journey of transitioning from climate philanthropy to starting her company which is dedicated to promoting seaweed consumption. Sachi passionately highlights the incredible health benefits of seaweed, its rich history, and its unique role in regenerative agriculture. We look at the future of seaweed, from innovative seaweed-based recipes to the critical need for sustainable supply chains and consumer engagement. Listen in to learn how seaweed could be a game-changer in our quest for a healthier planet.
Want to make your own Seaweed French 75? Here's Sachi's recipe: 2 parts seaweed based gin, 1 part lime juice, 1 part kombu simple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon of saline solution, 4 drops of sesame oil. Combine in a cocktail shaker and shake over ice for 5-10 seconds. Strain into a coup or flute and top with prosecco to taste. Garnish with dash of furikake seaweed seasoning and enjoy!
To make the saline solution, combine 1 teaspoon of salt in one cup of water. Shake or boil to combine.
To make the Kombu Simple Syrup, in saucepan combine 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar, and add one 5" piece of kombu, unrinsed. Bring almost to a boil then turn off heat and allow to steep until syrup is a pale green color. Allow to cool then enjoy.
If you'd like to learn more about Rootless, click here: GetRootless.com
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: ConservationConnection.co
How are shifting consumer trends changing the ways that businesses think about our future?
Listen in to this week's conversation with Jaime Nack, founder and President of Three Squares Inc, a consulting firm that helps businesses achieve their sustainability goals! From major music festivals to the Democratic National Convention, Three Squares Inc has worked with titans of industry to improve their environmental impact and protect the future of our planet! Jaime also helps lead Arctic Expeditions to educate and engage global leaders in climate action and sustainability efforts, taking them to the Arctic to witness the impacts of climate change firsthand. These up-close and personal interactions with the environment then inspire these influential people to lead the battle for our changing planet!
To read Jaime's article on LinkedIn click here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/looking-jumpstart-your-environmental-career-you-alone-jaime-nack/?trackingId=e9W95ARlTa2h3BG%2Bn5xQJg%3D%3D
To visit Three Squares Inc's website click here: http://www.threesquaresinc.com/
To watch the glacier calving video on youtube, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdtNzI54SuA
How can we make the fashion industry more sustainable?
Join us on a captivating journey through sustainable fashion with Lewis Perkins, the visionary mind behind Apparel Impact Institute and the Fashion Climate Fund! In this episode the Conservation Connection team dives into the world of fashion, intertwining conscious consumerism, innovative solutions, and the art of upcycling. Listen in to learn about the often-hidden costs behind fast fashion, exposing the environmental and societal repercussions of our clothing choices. We also hear about Lewis's personal journey, his non-profit's growth, and the powerful impact of sustainable choices. Lewis shares anecdotes of moth-defying creativity, the joy of rekindling forgotten wardrobe gems, and the hope for a future where fashion becomes an expression of individuality AND a catalyst for change.
Click here to learn more about the Fashion Climate Fund: https://www.fashionclimatefund.org/
Click here to visit Apparel Impact Institute: https://apparelimpact.org/
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: ConservationConnection.co
How can we repurpose waste products of the timber industry to capture carbon, improve soil, and generate electricity? In this episode of Conservation Connection, we dive into the world of carbon sequestration with Lauren Breynaert, the Public Affairs Director of MYNO Carbon!
MYNO Carbon is a recent startup with an innovative process which transforms waste biomass, including timber residuals and agricultural waste, into biochar – a highly porous material that sequesters carbon for up to a thousand years. Lauren shares how biochar supports regenerative agriculture, reduces carbon emissions, and fosters growth in timber economies. Biochar improves water retention and soil health, and can filter toxins in stormwater infrastructure. On top of all theses positive benefits, MYNO Carbon is partnering with power utilities to convert the waste heat from their manufacturing process into electricity that can power thousands of homes! Tune in to discover this remarkable carbon removal solution and its multi-faceted impact.
Click here to learn more about MYNO Carbon: https://mynocarbon.com/
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: ConservationConnection.co
How can one organization support a global network of grassroots climate projects? We're sitting down with Emmy Scott, the Executive Director of Earth Guardians, to answer that question! Earth Guardians supports youth-led climate projects all across the world through their crews initiative, a program available to young people everywhere. We also talk about the value of putting young voices at the forefront of the climate conversation and the importance of providing support vs direction.
Click here to learn more about Earth Guardians: www.EarthGuardians.org
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: www.ConservationConnection.co
What threats driven by climate change will be among the first to take lives? Listen in this week to hear about Jeff Goodell's new book, The Heat Will Kill You First, which covers the dangers of increased heat in a changed climate and the ways that communities are responding to the threat.
Click here to learn more about Jeff's Book: JeffGoodellWriter.com
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: www.ConservationConnection.co
Where does plastic come from and how does it affect our everyday lives? This week we sit down with Dianna Cohen, CEO and co-founder of Plastic Pollution Coalition, to talk through the current issues with plastic pollution and solutions to move forward into a plastic free future!
Click here to visit the Plastic Pollution Coalition website: www.PlasticPollutionCoalition.org
Click here to check out the UP Scorecard: www.UPScorecard.org
Click here to check out our nonprofit: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
Just how far have microplastics traveled across our planet? In our final interview from the Wild and Scenic Film Festival we sit down with National Geographic Explorer Mike Libecki to talk about his 14 antarctic expeditions, his recently released film, and ways to hold on to hope!
Click here to watch Mike's Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCCMekuepeg
Click here to learn more about the Joyineering Fund: https://joyfund.org/
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: www.ConservationConnection.co
How can wealth be managed in a way that benefits the environment? Kristin Hull, founder and CEO of Nia Impact Capital, is working to do just that by building investment portfolios with intention and purpose. Listen in to hear all about the green possibilities available to protect both your future and the planet's!
Click here to learn more about Nia: www.NiaImpactCapital.com
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
This week we're releasing an interview with Benjamin Dimmitt that we recorded at the Nature Now Film Festival in Columbus Georgia! Listen in to learn about saltwater intrusion, the process by which ocean water enters freshwater reservoirs and fundamentally changes the ecosystem. Benjamin's work as a photographer has documented the changes to these costal estuaries, hoping to bring attention to this critical problem.
To see some of Benjamin's work, click here: https://www.benjamindimmitt.com/
To learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.ConservationConnection.co
This week we're releasing our interview with Rhett Butler, the founder and CEO of the wildly successful conservation and environmental science news organization Mongabay! With a monthly readership of more than 4 million, Rhett's organization has a huge impact on getting these vital stories in front of the public. Listen in to hear how his early experiences inspired him to care for the environment and ultimately led him to create the Mongabay that we know and love today!
To read some fantastic nature news stories, click here: www.Mongabay.com
To learn more about Mongabay as an organization, click here: www.Mongabay.org
In this week's episode we sit down with Nick Grossman at the Wild and Scenic film festival! Nick is the Director of Marketing Production for the organization Natural Habitat Adventures, and he was a Producer for the film Endangered Migration. Natural Habitat Adventures brings awareness to wild spaces by organizing trips for members of the general public to visit them in a sustainable manner. Their film, Endangered Migration, talks about the struggles of the Monarch Butterfly and its recent inclusion on the Endangered species list!
Click here to watch Endangered Migration: www.NatHab.com/monarchs
Click here to learn more about their educator scholarship: www.NatHab.com/monarchgrant
This week we're sharing a catch-up interview with a good friend of the podcast, Vance Martin! We last spoke with him at EarthX in 2019, way back in episode 36, and he and his WILD Foundation have been working on some incredible projects over the past few years. Listen in to hear a discussion about the role of biomass and biodiversity in carbon sequestration, as well as to learn about their work rewilding natural spaces!
Check out the wild foundation at WILD.org
Check out our website at ConservationConnection.co
In this exciting episode from the Sun Valley Forum we sit down with Christi Cooper, producer & director of the documentary Youth v. Gov, and Vic Barrett, one of the plaintiffs in the legal battle featured in the film! Listen in to learn about their case, their incredible six-year journey detailed in the film, and the ways in which the fossil fuel industry has attempted to block their progress at every turn! Youth v. Gov is streaming now on Netflix.
Learn more about the film here: YouthVGovFilm.com
Check out Our Children's Trust here: OurChildrensTrust.org
Check out our nonprofit here: LastChanceEndeavors.com
This week we have another awesome episode that came out of the Wild and Scenic Film Festival this year! Cameron Nielsen is the co-director of the film Washed Ashore which chronicles the plight of Pacific Gray Whales! His film seeks to understand why one out of four Gray Whales have washed ashore dead in the past few years. Listen in to learn more about Cameron's story and his view about the role of documentary filmmaking as a way to inspire action for our planet!To watch Washed Ashore, click here: https://www.latimes.com/about/shortdocs/washed-ashore-123To learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
Sarinah Simons is a documentary filmmaker and a California State Parks employee who helped document the recent devastation and regrowth that occurred in Big Basin Redwoods State Park, following the CZU fire of 2020. Listen in for a discussion of the importance of fire to the forest ecosystem, how fires have changed in recent years, and how Sarinah was able to communicate the emotional impact of this massive fire to members of the public.
Check out Big Basin Speaks here: https://reimaginingbigbasin.org/
Check out Sarinah's website here: www.SarinahSimons.com
Check out Earth to Humans here: Spotify
Check out our nonprofit here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
This week we're sitting down with Malia Byrtus, a conservationist and story teller who's deeply involved with the fight to protect Florida's wild panther population! She's an experienced camera trapper, using motion-triggered cameras in the woods to study the secret habits of these elusive and beautiful animals. She and her collaborators have produced a feature-length film, Path of the Panther, using these images to highlight the story behind one of America's rarest species! Check out Path of the Panther available this week on Disney+.
To learn more about Path of the Panther, click here: www.PathOfThePanther.com
To learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
This week we're interviewing Nicole Ujita, the Education Director for the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center in Combine, Texas! The JBS Wetland Center is a 1800 acre manmade wetland that pulls from the Trinity River, removing sediment and excess nutrients from the water and creating clean drinking water for the booming population of Central Texas! Listen in to learn more about the value of wetland areas, the tricky puzzle of water rights issues, and how the wetland center has created an oasis for endangered wildlife!
Click here to learn more about the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center: www.WetlandCenter.com
Click here to watch the Eagle Nest Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCJV5Ag5qSE
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
In this informative episode we sit down with Mattie Mead, the CEO and Founder of Hempitecture! Instead of using oil based fibers, Mattie's company uses plant fiber to create construction materials like home insulation or concrete! Listen in to hear the history behind industrial hemp, and how these incredible materials can reduce the environmental impact of new construction!
Click here to learn more about Hempitecture: www.Hempitecture.com
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
This week we sit down with Frank Niepold, the Senior Climate Education Program Coordinator and Manager at NOAA's Climate Program Office! That's a long title to say that Frank collaborates with organizations and NOAA offices all across the country to get engaging and cutting edge climate education activities into the hands of educators. He believes that the grand task of our time is for humans to learn how to live sustainable lives on our planet, and that the best way to make that happen is by fostering a community from all sectors that can come together as one! Listen in to hear more about NOAA's role in preparing our country to address climate change.
If you'd like to check out NOAA's Climate Program Office, click here: https://cpo.noaa.gov/
If you'd like to check out Saiarchana's episode, click here: Episode 73
As western wolf populations continue to grow, so too does the number of livestock being predated upon by those wolves. That's where Daniel Curry comes in! He spends his days on horseback in the wilds of northeast Washington, minimizing interactions between cattle and reintroduced grey wolves! When he's not out range-riding he's building relationships between ranchers and wolf conservationists, bringing both sides of the debate together to find better solutions for everyone involved.
To learn more about the film Range Rider, click here: http://www.wildconfluence.com/range-rider
To learn more about Daniel's business, click here: www.griphs.com
To learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
This week we sit down with Molly Kawahata, a former climate advisor to the White House, to discuss the ways in which we talk about the climate crisis. Focusing on the doom and gloom of it all has a paralyzing effect, making it harder for people to take action, but providing a message of hope is energizing and spurs people to push for critical systemic change! Listen in to hear the role that positive messaging plays in the Patagonia documentary The Scale of Hope, which tells the story of Molly's experience as a smooth water ice climber in the Alaskan Range!
To learn more about Molly, visit her website: www.MollyKawahata.com
To view the film The Scale of Hope, click here: TinyLink
To learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
This week we sit down with legendary singer Carole King and influential forest ecologist Chad Hanson about the surprising role of the US Forestry Service in commercial logging on public lands. Listen in to learn about how public trees are being sold to private logging companies under the guise of so-called "forest restoration".
If you'd like to learn more about the John Muir Project, click here: www.JohnMuirProject.org
If you'd like to read Smokescreen, check out this link: https://www.amazon.com/Smokescreen-Debunking-Wildfire-Forests-Climate/dp/0813181070/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1A4PT4E4YP1PE&keywords=smokescreen+book&qid=1678144810&sprefix=smokescreen%2Caps%2C306&sr=8-3
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
We sit down with Tim Shields, one of the OG's of desert tortoise field work, to learn about the outside-of-the-box tactics that Hardshell Labs is using to discourage ravens from predating upon endangered desert tortoises. Who knew that green lasers, 3D printed tortoise shells, and artificial grape flavoring could be such effective tools for conserving this incredible species?
If you'd like to learn more about Hardshell Labs, check out their website: HardshellLabs.com
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: LastChanceEndeavors.com
We just got home from recording a series of episodes out at the Wild and Scenic film festival in Nevada City, California! Wild and Scenic is a whirlwind of a festival that brings together some of the top scientific stories and film makers to share their work with the public. We were able to grab some absolutely incredible episodes this weekend, and we just can't wait to share them with you. This episode is an interview with Melinda Booth, Executive Director of the South Yuba River Citizen's League which created the film festival after successfully protecting their river for future generations. SYRCL has since grown into a watershed-wide conservation organization that not only conducts boots-on-the-ground conservation projects but also collaborates with organizations across the country to host an on-tour version of their flagship film festival.
If you'd like to learn more about SYRCL, click here: YubaRiver.org
If you'd like to learn more about the film festival, click here: WildAndScenicFilmFestival.org
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: LastChanceEndeavors.com
At EarthX 2022 we sat down with Patricio Robles Gil, world-renowned artist, to learn the impact that art can have when it comes to changing people's behavior in the face of the climate crisis. He shares snapshots of how his sculptural and visual art came to be and how it reaches across borders to touch the lives of everyone who views it, himself included.
To view some of Patricio's work, including the image of the elephant skull with the ivory crucifix, check out this link: https://www.theextinctionrituals.com/_files/ugd/8edf3b_713dcb71fe13417d83f196f6b184978d.pdf
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
This week we sit down with Katie Bilodeau, Staff Attorney (and wearer of many hats!) at Friends of the Clearwater. Her organization advocates for the protection of public lands in North central Idaho, a state with nearly 9 million acres of roadless land! In our interview we discuss the impact that logging and roads have on wilderness areas, including the degradation of the aquatic system and the disruption of apex predator's home ranges. We also get a sneak peak at what a day in the life of a staff attorney at a small nonprofit looks like!
If you'd like to learn more about Katie's organization, click here: www.FriendsOfTheClearwater.org
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
Our guest this week is a consummate outdoorsman and bird dog hunter with all the amazing stories to match. Durrell has a huge passion for learning about the outdoors, and an even bigger passion for sharing his knowledge with others! He is an excellent story teller and all-around fun guy, so listen in to hear his incredible journey! If you'd like to check out the Sporting Life Notebook, click here: www.TheSportingLifeNotebook.comIf you'd like to check out the Minority Outdoor Alliance, click here: www.MinorityOutdoorAlliance.orgIf you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
In this episode, we sit with a true Titan of direct environmental defense, Paul Watson! Best known for founding the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Paul has spent the last several decades facilitating direct action against companies that engage in illegal and destructive operations in the ocean. We talk through Paul's journey of starting his own organization and building it into an international organization with nearly two dozen chapters across the globe! Have you ever wondered what it's like to have an Interpol Red Notice out for you? Well Paul gives us some insight into that particular experience as well!
If you'd like to learn more about Sea Shepherd, click here: www.SeaShepherd.org
If you'd like to learn more about our organization, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
As the world population crosses 8 billion people, scientists and innovators around the globe are investigating the future of food. Lee Recht is the Vice President of Sustainability at Aleph Farms, an Israeli company that is developing cultured meat which does not require the slaughter of animals to produce their product! Join us for this fascinating interview that discusses the technical process behind their product, as well as the sustainability implications of cultivated meat!
To learn more about Aleph Farms, click here: www.Aleph-Farms.com
To learn more about our nonprofit, click here: LastChanceEndeavors.com
In this episode from EarthX 2022 we sit down with Julie Davitz, the brains behind Plus Media Solutions! Her company works to be the bridge between inspiration and impact, making it easy to transition from learning about a problem to taking action!
Click here to learn more about Plus Media Solutions: PlusMedia.Solutions
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
If last week's discussion of the Turn It Around cards piqued your interest, you're going to love this week's episode! We sit down with Lizzie and Saiarchana, two students from ASU who were involved in developing the Turn It Around initiative and bringing it to the COP26 conference! If you missed it, the Turn It Around flashcards are a series of cards that feature visual works from youth artists and written essays about climate change that are intended to help policymakers and politicians experience the climate crisis from new perspectives. Listen in to hear about the process of developing and implementing these incredible tools!
To learn more about the Turn It Around Project, click here: https://turnitaroundcards.org
To learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
This week to kick off our fifth season we sit down with Iveta Silova, Professor and Associate Dean of Global Engagement at Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University! We met with her at the Sun Valley Forum in Sun Valley, Idaho to learn about the ways in which she is fighting to change the ways in which we teach the public about the climate crisis.
If you'd like to read some of Dr. Silova's work, click here: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000374923
If you'd like to check out the Turn It Around cards, click here: www.TurnItAroundCards.org
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
Soil is an incredibly complex system of delicately balanced components, both living and non-living. Modern agricultural techniques are capable of producing large quantities of food but to do so they destroy soil structure, leading to decreasing yields over time and eventual agricultural collapse. Tim LeSalle, the father of regenerative agriculture, is working to radically change the ways in which we produce food by studying agricultural techniques that put more carbon into the soil than they remove! Listen in to hear more!
If you'd like to learn about the Soil Carbon Accrual Project, click here: www.SoilCarbonAccrualProject.org
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
The state of Alabama has more than 132,000 miles of rivers and streams to protect, and the state-wide organization that oversees their conservation is the Alabama Rivers Alliance! They coordinate the efforts of smaller local groups to turn small-scale action into large-scale conservation! In this episode, we're lucky enough to sit down with Cindy Lawery, the Executive Director of the organization, to learn about the work they're doing and the ways in which they're using documentary film making to change hearts and minds to protect their rivers!
If you'd like to learn more about the Southern Exposure Film Festival, click here: www.SouthernExposureFilms.org
If you'd like to learn more about the Alabama Rivers Alliance, click here: www.AlabamaRivers.org
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
This week we hear from Chad Brown, the Founder and President of Soul River Inc! A disabled veteran, Chad struggled with his mental health until his doctor gave him a prescription to "fish more" as a way of grounding himself in nature. Amazed at how much fishing helped him, Chad made it his mission to bring time in the outdoors to inner city youth and to other disabled veterans! His organization, Soul River Inc, does just that and so much more!
If you'd like to learn more about Soul River Inc. click here: www.SoulRiverInc.org
If you'd like to learn about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
In this exciting episode we hear the story of Dineo Dowd, an outdoor advocate and a board member for Hike It Baby! Active nationwide, Hike It Baby is a nonprofit organization that provides support and community to parents who are interested in getting their young children into the outdoors. On top of being on the board of a nationwide nonprofit Dineo is also a published children's book author, writing books that model youth and diversity in nature! Listen in to hear Dineo's journey from novice hiker to Outdoor Enthusiast!
If you'd like to learn more about Hike It Baby, click here: www.HikeItBaby.com
If you'd like to check out Dineo's books, click here: https://dowddineo.com
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
For this episode we're here in our hometown of Columbus Georgia to interview Paige Swift, the mastermind behind this weekend's Nature Now Film Festival! Listen in to hear a preview of the amazing selection of films being shown and to hear the kinds of impact that an environmental film festival can make in a community!
To learn more about Nature Now click here: www.WatchNatureNow.org
To learn more about our nonprofit click here: www.lastchanceendeavors.com
In this episode we sit down with Mark Brand, a Vancouver-based chef and entrepreneur who is using his businesses to have a daily impact on food scarcity in vulnerable communities. His passion for feeding the hungry and for promoting institutional change has made him a rising star in Vancouver and across the continent!
If you'd like to learn more about Mark Brand, click here: https://www.instagram.com/mark.brand/
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
In this episode the Last Chance Endeavors team sits down with Shonagh Smith, host of the EarthxTV Original Series Road to Glasgow! In the lead up to COP26 last year she traveled with a film crew and interviewed dozens of people, from politicians and decision makers to other stakeholders in the outcome of the UN's annual Climate Change Meeting. She shares with us the highs and lows of filming her own tv show, as well as some of the fun behind-the-scenes movie magic you'd never know about until someone points it out!
You can watch The Road To Glasgow here: www.EarthxTV.com
Click here to learn about our nonprofit: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
In this exciting episode the Last Chance Endeavors team sits down with Henk Rogers, the founder of the Blue Planet Alliance, to discuss his work promoting renewable energy and his journey from video game designer to environmental activist! A near death experience following his success in bringing Tetris to the global stage made him re-evaluate his impact on the world and spurred him to found the Blue Planet Alliance! His organization works with countries and islands across the world to secure commitments to 100% renewable energy by 2045!
If you'd like to learn more about the Blue Planet Alliance, click here: www.BluePlanetAlliance.org
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
Possibly the most interesting man in the world, Rob Swan was the first person ever to walk to both the North and South Poles! He's an intrepid explorer and avid activist for our environment. Listen in to this interview as he recounts the massive successes (and failures!) in his career, as well as teaches us about the precarious legal future of the antarctic continent!
If you'd like to learn more about the 2041 Foundation, click here: https://2041foundation.org
If you'd like to visit Rob's website, click here: www.RobertSwan.com
If you'd like to visit Barney's website, click here: www.TheClimateForce.org
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
Although young people will have to deal with the ramifications of a damaged climate for longer than anyone else, we rarely get to be involved when decisions are being made about how to deal with it! These four young women from across the globe are working to change that. We sit down with Veena Balakrishnan, Heeta Lakhani, Marie-Claire Graf, and Sophie Daud who have launched the Youth Negotiator Academy! They train young people around the globe to become youth representatives for their nations at global events like COP, and to be effective negotiators once they've gotten a seat at the table. Listen in to hear their journey and passion for putting power into the hands of young people!
Click here to learn more about the Youth Negotiators Academy: www.YouthNegotiators.org
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
In this episode we sit down with Howard Vincent, the President and CEO of Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever! These two organizations are habitat nonprofits with more than 700 chapters across the United States! They organize fundraising campaigns, spending the money locally to preserve the grassland habitats that pheasants and quail need to survive. They also work directly in Washington DC, promoting legislation that offers protection to these rapidly disappearing ecosystems!
Click here to check out Pheasants Forever: www.PheasantsForever.org
Click here to check out Quail Forever: www.QuailForever.org
Click here to learn about our nonprofit: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
In this episode the Last Chance Endeavors team sits down with Jennifer Bushman, the Co-Founder of Fed By Blue, to talk about her work growing and promoting the concept of sustainable blue foods! Blue food is any food product that's harvested from a marine or aquatic environment, whether it was farmed or wild-caught. With billions of people on our planet and billions more on the way, Jennifer believes that blue foods are the solution to future food instability!
If you'd like to learn more about Fed By Blue, click here: www.FedByBlue.org
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
In this episode we sit down with Kelsey Malan, the outreach coordinator for Artist Boat in Galveston Texas! Artist Boat is an organization that leads kayak tours into vital marsh ecosystems, giving people the opportunity to more deeply connect with nature by painting the beautiful scenes that surround them. Not only are they connecting people with coastal marshes directly, they're also fighting to preserve them by purchasing acres slated for development and keeping them wild!
Click here to learn more about Artist Boat: https://www.artistboat.org
Click here to learn about their Be One in a Million Campaign: https://www.artistboat.org/be-one-in-a-million/
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
In this special edition episode we sit down with Aimee Christensen, the creator and mastermind behind the incredibly influential Sun Valley Forum that takes place in Sun Valley, Idaho each year! This forum is an inter-generational meeting of forward-thinking professionals from a diverse range of disciplines. These experts are on the cutting edge of what’s happening in the fight for our future, and they’ve all come together at the Sun Valley Forum to share ideas and collaborate on solutions for a greener tomorrow. While we were in Idaho we recorded more than a dozen amazing interviews with the speakers at this event: listen in for a sneak preview of what's to come!
If you'd like to learn more about the Sun Vally Forum, click here: SunValleyForum.com
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
Listen in to this episode to hear from Paco Conde, the co-founder and Executive Creative Director of Activista Los Angeles to create media which sparks action! We discuss his most well known project, the Don't Choose Extinction video, as well as the journey he took to get into his current position. Paco is a great example of someone who took what he's good at (marketing) and combined it with his passion for the planet to have an impact that makes our world a better place!
Click here to watch Don't Choose Extinction: https://dontchooseextinction.com/en/
Click here to learn more about Activista LA: https://www.activistalosangeles.com
Click here to learn about our nonprofit: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
Occupational Therapists help their patients get better at the meaningful, every-day activities that occupy their time! Listen in to this interview with PhD candidate Laura Park Figueroa, a cutting edge pediatric occupational therapist who has developed a new approach that blends exposure to nature with traditional therapeutic techniques! She has founded her own practice, Outdoor Kids OT, and works daily to help her patients and their parents grow using the power of the great outdoors. We discuss her methods and the positive effects she's seen in both her patients and her fellow therapists!
Check out Laura's Podcast, Therapy in the Great Outdoors, here: https://open.spotify.com/show/5r2kqVEtlmGn0xHesUReaE
Learn more about Outdoor Kids OT here: https://www.outdoorkidsot.com
If you're a pediatric therapist that would like to take your practice outdoors, check out her website: www.therapyinthegreatoutdoors.com
Check out our nonprofit here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
Where did the materials in your couch come from? What happens to them after they've been thrown away? These questions and more are at the heart of today's interview with Laurence Carr, host of the TV show Chez Laurence on EarthxTV! We sit down with Laurence to learn all about sustainability in the design and furnishing of the built environment. Listen in to learn about how YOU can make sustainability a priority in your life!
Check out Chez Laurence on EarthxTV: https://video.earthxtv.com/shows/chez-laurence
Check out the following links to learn more about sustainable furnishings: Cradle to Cradle Institute, Sustainable Furnishings, The Forest Stewardship Council, GOTS, The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, The Circularity Gap Reporting Initiative
Learn more about our nonprofit here: LastChanceEndeavors.com
Did Dan's interview last Sunday pique your interest in the programming you can find on EarthxTV? If so, check out this interview with Ross Mason, the Vice President of Content at EarthxTV! In his interview he runs through the 10 most popular programs that are available to watch RIGHT NOW for free on their website or streaming app. Listen in and you might just find your new favorite TV show!
Click here to check out the content at EarthxTV: www.EarthxTV.com
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
In this episode, we sit down with Dan Russell who is the EVP of Content and Strategy at EarthX's new TV channel, EarthxTV! This man has a long history in the world of nonfiction tv programming and was brought in to make EarthxTV a shining success. In fact, Dan is responsible for bringing the Crocodile Hunter himself, Steve Irwin, onto the Animal Planet! Listen in to hear the origins and mission of EarthxTV, as well as a sneak preview of some of the content you can expect to find on the channel.
You can watch EarthxTV for FREE right now by following this link: www.earthxtv.com
You can learn more about our nonprofit by clicking this link: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
In this week’s exciting episode the Last Chance Endeavors team sits down with Chief Tashka, leader of the Yawanawa Tribe that lives in the Amazonian Rainforest! Listen in as we discuss his fight to defend his tribe’s ancestral land from unfair and destructive practices in the Brazilian rainforest.
If you'd like to learn more about the Yawanawa Tribe, click here: https://pib.socioambiental.org/en/Povo:Yawanawá
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
In this week's episode, we sit down with Daniel Tonkopi who is the founder of Delfast Bikes to learn more about how their electric bikes can reduce the amount of emissions being generated in urban areas! Their world-record electric bicycles are top of the line, and are part of a growing movement away from car based commutes here in US cities. We also hear how the war in Ukraine has affected this Ukrainian company's production and get a sneak peak at the company's future expansions!
If you'd like to learn more about Delfast, click here: https://us.delfastbikes.com
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
In this episode recorded at EarthX 2022 the Last Chance Endeavors team sits down with Emilie McGlone, Director of Peace Boat US to learn about the incredible opportunities guest have aboard! Peace Boat US works to build a culture of peace around the world by connecting people across borders and creating opportunities for learning, activism and cooperation. They achieve this through programs in which people from the US and around the world participate in voyages onboard the Peace Boat, one of the most unique and creative peace-building initiatives in the world. Participants learn to become better global citizens by interacting directly with other cultures!
Click here to learn more about Peace Boat US: https://www.peaceboat-us.org
Click here to learn more about their internship program: https://www.peaceboat-us.org/get-involved/intern-with-peace-boat-us/
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
Saving the planet by drinking beer is a Millennial's dream; Kenneth Flippin and the team from Texas Beer Company in Taylor, Texas is making it a reality! Listen in to learn how this microbrewery is turning the beer brewing process into a sustainable, community-building vehicle for change. We cover everything from heat exchangers, to solar panels, to community involvement!
Click here to learn more about Texas Beer Co: https://www.texasbeerco.com
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: www.lastchanceendeavors.com
To kick off Season 4 the Last Chance Endeavors team sits down with a true titan when it comes to Earth Day celebrations, Trammell Crow! This man is the brains and the backbone behind EarthX which is the world's largest Earth Day celebration. Each year EarthX brings together hundreds of stakeholders in the environmental space, creating opportunities for meaningful discussions that have global ramifications. In this episode we sit down with the founder to discuss how EarthX came to be and to get a sneak preview into next year's plans!
Click here to learn more about EarthX: https://earthx.org
Click here to watch Earthx TV for free: www.earthxtv.com
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: www.lastchanceendeavors.com
In our final episode from the 2021 batch of REU students we talk with Regan, Zoe, Joelle, and Charles! These young scientists are all studying the ways in which the chemical and physical properties of an environment impact the organisms that live there! From studying how frogs are affected by adolescent exposure to salt, to the structure of pluff mud itself, to how quickly crabs recover in acidic water, all the way to extreme microorganisms and the chemicals they make. You won’t want to miss this exciting episode!
Not only are these undergrads pushing the boundaries of scientific understanding in their topics, they're practicing valuable skills in science communication that they'll need for the rest of their careers as researchers! Communicating science to other researchers is one thing, but helping the public understand why their research matters is a different skill set entirely.
Want to read more about their work this summer? Check out the College of Charleston REU Blog: https://blogreu.wordpress.com
Want to check out Dr. Sotka's Episode? Click here: https://anchor.fm/dashboard/episode/eao2va
Dr. Jon Armbruster is not only the Director of Auburn University's Museum of Natural History, but he is a celebrated ichthyologist (fish scientist) in his own right! He has been on collecting expeditions to some of the most remote rivers in the world, and has personally described and worked with more species of fish than he can count! Listen in to this episode to hear him recount the pet store fiasco that ignited his curiosity for fish morphology, as well as some incredible stories from the field.
Click here to check out our nonprofit: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
In our third episode from the 2021 batch of REU students we talk with Timara, Aubrey, and Christian! These young scientists have all chosen to research the impacts of interspecies interaction, which is how different species affect one another! From studying how snails are affected by micro algae, and how an increase in salinity affects tadpoles and their predators, all the way to the large scale question of who would win in a fight between a shark and moray eel. You won’t want to miss this exciting episode!
Not only are these undergrads pushing the boundaries of scientific understanding in their topics, they're practicing valuable skills in science communication that they'll need for the rest of their careers as researchers! Communicating science to other researchers is one thing, but helping the public understand why their research matters is a different skill set entirely.
Want to read more about their work this summer? Check out the College of Charleston REU Blog: https://blogreu.wordpress.com
You may not know it, but Alabama is a HOTSPOT for biodiversity! In fact, the state has the highest amount of biodiversity found east of the Mississippi River! In this episode we sit down with Patrick Thompson who is the curator of the Davis Arboretum at Auburn University to discuss his work protecting rapidly disappearing plants, and to learn about the critical role that ecosystem disturbances have in maintaining Alabama’s biodiversity.
Click here to check out our nonprofit: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
In our second episode from the 2021 batch of REU students we talk with Adriana, Emily, and Sophie! In three very different ways, these young scientists are investigating how humans rely upon and change our coastal environments! We cover topics including horseshoe crab blood, bioremediation of micro plastics, and sustainable seaweed farming!
Not only are these undergrads pushing the boundaries of scientific understanding in their topics, they're practicing valuable skills in science communication that they'll need for the rest of their careers as researchers! Communicating science to other researchers is one thing, but helping the public understand why their research matters is a different skill set entirely.
Want to read more about their work this summer? Check out the College of Charleston REU Blog: https://blogreu.wordpress.com
The Chattahoochee River is a hotspot for all kinds of conservation work, and in this episode we sit down with Dr. Troy Keller to discuss his research into the subject! He focuses a lot of effort into understanding the effects that invasive crawfish are having on the ecology of local waterways, where they come from, and what we can do about it. Not only that, but he's an expert on how small dams fragment rivers and slice up populations into smaller and much more vulnerable chunks!
Click here to check out our nonprofit: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
In our first episode from the 2021 batch of REU students we talk with Jake, Elle, and Olivia! From investigating the interactions between native and invasive algae, to studying the bacterial colonies associated with algae, and even looking at the ways in which sea sponges may influence cloud formation this is a power packed episode!
Not only are these undergrads pushing the boundaries of scientific understanding in their topics, they're practicing valuable skills in science communication that they'll need for the rest of their careers as researchers! Communicating science to other researchers is one thing, but helping the public understand why their research matters is a different skill set entirely.
Want to read more about their work this summer? Check out the College of Charleston REU Blog: https://blogreu.wordpress.com
We're kicking off season three by bringing Dr. Bob Podolsky back on the show for his third appearance! He's a professor at the Grice Marine Lab and the director of the Fort Johnson Research Experience for Undergraduates Program, and he's sitting down to describe the incredible opportunities they make available to undergraduate students every summer. These students get ten weeks to pursue original research, allowing them to experience the life of a professional researcher while honing skills they'll need in their future careers.
Over the next few weeks we'll be posting episodes that highlight these students' research and their experience in Charleston during this field season, so be sure to tune in next weekend!
If you'd like to learn more about the College of Charleston REU Program, click here: http://reu.cofc.edu
If you'd like to check out their Instagram, click here: https://www.instagram.com/cofcbiology/?hl=en
If you'd like to check out their Facebook, click here: https://www.facebook.com/cofcbiology/
We're kicking off season 3 with our first ever remote interview! This episode is in collaboration with EarthXOcean, which is hosting a virtual conference on ocean issues [http://earthx.org/earthxtv/]. Vasser Seydel is an activist pushing for a moratorium on deep seabed mining in international waters, a destructive process that would disrupt the ocean's ability to perform vital ecosystem services. Tune in to learn about the process of deep seabed mining, and what you can do to make a difference!
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
Click here to read Flora and Fauna's report on the impact of deep seabed mining: https://cms.fauna-flora.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/FFI_2020_The-risks-impacts-deep-seabed-mining_Report.pdf
Click here to visit the Oxygen Project: https://www.theoxygenproject.com
Click here to check out the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition: http://www.savethehighseas.org
Tune in to another EarthX 2019 episode as we sit down across from Jerry Tinianow, the Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Denver! His job is to set the high-level sustainability goals for the city and then help the various departments and services in reach those goals. This is a fascinating discussion on the concept of sustainability and the best ways to implement it.
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
How do you divide up a public resource that private individuals have access to? How do we protect everyone's access to an increasingly scarce resource? Listen in to Vanessa Casado Perez, Associate Professor at Texas A&M School of Law and a Research Associate Professor at Texas A&M Department of Agricultural Economics, as she discusses the complicated situation that surrounds water rights in semi-arid ecosystems. This episode is a great discussion at the intersection between ecology, human behavior, and our current legal system! To learn more about our nonprofit, click here: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
Tune in to another EarthX Episode as the Last Chance Endeavors team sits down with Vance Martin, president of the WILD Foundation! Vance chats with us about the importance of connecting with nature, the strategies that the WILD Foundation uses to tackle massive environmental crises, and the "Nature Needs Half" movement. When was the last time you spent time out in nature? We hope this episode will inspire you to go take a walk in the woods, even if it's only in your backyard!
Click here to learn more about the WILD Foundation: https://www.wild.org
Click here to learn more about Coalition WILD: https://coalitionwild.org
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
You've probably heard of genomics, the study of all of the genes found in an organism's DNA, but have you ever heard of proteomics? Listen in to this episode with College of Charleston associate professor Mike Janech to hear how he's using proteomics (the analysis of all the proteins present in an organic sample) to better understand the relationship between species!
Click here to check out the NIST CoMPARe program: https://www.nist.gov/programs-projects/comparative-mammalian-proteome-aggregator-resource-compare-program
Click here to check out the Grice Marine Lab at the College of Charleston: http://gricemarinelab.cofc.edu
Click here to check out our nonprofit: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
Listen in to episode 34 as we chat with Doug Woodring, the founder of the Ocean Recovery Alliance! He approaches current environmental crises with an artistic and entrepreneurial spirit that's helping him tackle big problems in new ways. Who would have ever thought to use images of plastic pollution as the art for a jigsaw puzzle? Doug Woodring, that's who! What better way to bring the obvious effects of plastic to the forefront of a family's mind? And that's not the only way that he's cleaning up the planet; he's created public art projects in Asia, an app to crowdsource the location of plastic pollution, and a surf paddle made entirely from recovered plastics!
If you'd like to see a video with Doug and his products, click here: https://youtu.be/wORw8YJ66EU
If you'd like to learn more about the Ocean Recovery Alliance, click here: www.oceanrecov.org
If you'd like to check out the Bad Fish paddle, click here: www.wawhandplanes.com.au/thebadfish
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: www.LastChanceEndeavors.com
In this episode we sit down with Erica Bjelland, a Program Development Specialist at the Rural Renewable Energy Alliance! RREAL is a nonprofit organization who's goal is to make solar energy accessible to communities of all income levels, providing support for anyone who is interested in bringing solar energy into their community. Listen in to hear a great conversation about the importance of renewable energy and the ways in which RREAL is making it easier to access!
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: www.lastchanceendeavors.com
Click here to learn more about the Rural Renewable Energy Alliance: www.RREAL.org
Listen in as we sit down with Erik Sotka, an evolutionary ecologist with the Grice Marine Lab at the College of Charleston. He's an expert on invasive species and the ways in which they're changing the ecological make up of marine habitats in the eastern United States. Did you know that the vast majority of introduced species do not go on to become invasive, but instead fizzle out? Erik Sotka is fascinated by why some species succeed where others fail, and the effects that they may have once they're established!
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
Listen in to this EarthX micro-episode to hear what the Mexican government is doing for the critically endangered vaquita! This species of shy porpoise is endemic to the Gulf of California, and is on the brink of extinction. Often caught as bycatch in illegal nets set for a species of fish called totoaba, the number of vaquita remaining in the wild is estimated to be fewer than 30 individuals!
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
If you'd like to learn more about vaquitas, click here: http://www.vivavaquita.org
Join us for our final interview to come out of WhaleFest 2019 as we sit down with Janet Neilson, a whale biologist who works at Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Janet's job is to understand how many whales are in Glacier Bay each summer, and to figure out where they're concentrating! She and her team use a variety of techniques to monitor their whales, and spend the entirety of the off-season analyzing all the data they collect in the few short months that the humpbacks visit the park. If you've ever wondered what the day-to-day life of a whale researcher is like, this is a must-listen episode!
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
If you'd like to learn more about Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, click here: https://www.nps.gov/glba/index.htm
If you'd like to explore the "humpback yearbook" click here: http://alaskahumpbacks.org
Join us for another episode recorded in Dallas at EarthX 2019! This week we're sitting with Emily Hazelwood and Amber Jackson-Sparks, two leaders in the Rigs-to-Reefs movement and the co-founders of Blue Latitudes! Their company designs sustainable, creative, and cost effective solutions for environmental issues in the offshore industry. Offshore oil rigs are massive pieces of infrastructure that are put in place for decades at a time to extract petroleum, but once the oil reserve has been depleted a new issue arrises: what to do about the infrastructure left behind? Emily and Amber argue that after decades in the ocean the structure has built up an incredible amount of sea life, and that it's beneficial to allow everything below the surface to remain. In fact, these man-mad oases can become important safe-houses for marine life in an increasingly over-harvested ocean! To learn more about our nonprofit, click here: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com To learn more about Blue Latitudes, click here: http://www.rig2reefexploration.org
Join us for another gripping episode coming all the way from Sitka, Alaska! We sit down at WhaleFest 2019 across the table from Mayumi Arimitsu, a research ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey's Alaska Science Center, to discuss the shift that the mysterious "Blob" has caused to the food chain in the eastern Pacific! A massive die-off of critical sea birds puzzled scientists, and Mayumi's work has helped clarify some of the possible links and mechanisms behind it!
To learn more about our nonprofit, click here: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
To learn more about the Alaska Science Center, click here: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/asc/
Join us for another EarthX episodes with the CEO of Fresh Food Connect, Candace Chandra! Fresh Food Connect is a tech platform that allows small-scale urban agriculturalists to connect with the people who need their produce the most, and was launched as a way to lessen the impact of food deserts- urban areas with no easy access to fresh produce. It's important to remember that environmental issues go beyond just preserving habitats or species: if your family has no access to nutritious food you've got a lot more on your mind than trying to go green.
If you would like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
If you would like to learn more about Fresh Food Connect, click here: http://www.freshfoodconnect.org
Join us this week as we continue our Sitka WhaleFest series with Rob Suryan, Research Ecologist with the NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center and Science Coordinator for Gulf Watch Alaska! Listen in as Rob unravels the mystery behind the disappearance of a critical link in the Alaskan marine food chain! If you've been listening to our other WhaleFest episodes you're probably already familiar with "The Blob", a several year phenomenon of unusually warm water in the northern Pacific ocean. With the appearance of the warm water came a drastic decline in the number of forage fish, a group of fish that serve as a critical food supply to animals higher up the food chain, and Rob's job was to figure out exactly what happened!
To learn more about our nonprofit, click here: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
To learn more about the NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center, click here: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/alaska
To learn more about Gulf Watch Alaska, click here: https://gulfwatchalaska.org
This episode tells the story of how some very special dogs are helping to protect one of the most iconic marine animals found in the US! Listen in to the hilarious Christian Fritz, Founder and Chief of Operations for K9s 4 Conservation, an organization that trains dogs to sniff out sea turtle nests so that marine biologists can protect the precious hatchlings within. Believe us, recording this episode with an adorable pup in the studio was a highlight of our week!
If you'd like to learn more about our nonprofit, click here: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
If you'd like to read more about K9s 4 Conservation, click here: https://www.k9s4conservation.org
This week's episode is with one of the most driven and passionate guests we've ever had; Jackie Hildering, the keynote speaker at WhaleFest 2019! She calls herself the Marine Detective in part because she always asks the question "Why?", and she believes that a sense of wonder is the most important tool in the conservationist's toolkit. Listen to her journey from the classroom to the co-founder of the Marine Education and Research Society, and all of her crazy stops along the way!
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
Click here to learn more about the Marine Education and Research Society: https://mersociety.org
Click here to learn more about the Marine Detective: https://themarinedetective.com
This week's episode is a power-packed panel of film makers and producers discussing the massive impact that virtual reality films can have for conservation. We sit down with Christophe Balihache (an underwater filmmaker and co-founder of Underwater Earth), Sophie Ansel (a virtual reality filmmaker), Raymond Chavez (a producer for Guardians of the Kingdom), and Susan Grella (an associate producer for emerging media at Vulcan Productions) to hear about the process behind the incredible VR film, Guardians of the Kingdom! The film tells the story of the Tongan people as they transitioned from a whaling economy to one based on eco-tourism.
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
Click here to learn more about the VR film Guardians of the Kingdom: https://www.vulcanproductions.com/guardians-of-the-kingdom
This week we're continuing our Sitka, Alaska series with the Education Director of the Sitka Sound Science Center! Janet Clarke's job is to help connect the people and students of Sitka to the incredible research that's taking place in their backyards. She spearheads the SSSC's Scientists in the Schools unit, which brings a working scientist into every Sitka school classroom every single year and which has bolstered Sitka's science literacy rates way above the statewide average! Listen in as we discuss the programs that the Science Center is currently involved in, as well as the importance of programs like the Sitka WhaleFest celebration!
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
Click here to learn more about Sitka Whalefest: https://sitkawhalefest.org
Click here to learn more about the Sitka Sound Science Center: https://www.sitkascience.org
Todd Tanner is the driver behind Conservation Hawks, a nonprofit group of hunters and anglers that are working to protect the environment. They're taking it upon themselves to identify and address the single biggest threat to our hunting & fishing activities: climate change. The more time a person spends outdoors the more they'll care for the health of our planet, and who spends more time outdoors than hunters and anglers? Listen in to hear about the waves that Todd Tanner and Conservation Hawks are making in the world of environmental protection!
Click here to learn more about Conservation Hawks: https://www.conservationhawks.org
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
To kick off Season 2 of Conservation Connection, we're starting with our first ever husband and wife team, Keisha Bahr and Danny Coffey! Keisha is a coral researcher who has been examining the causes and effects of the global phenomenon called coral bleaching, and Danny investigates the movement patterns of large pelagic fish and sharks with advanced wildlife tagging technology. We caught up with this duo at Sitka WhaleFest 2019 in Sitka, Alaska, where Keisha was presenting her research to ocean-loving members of the public. Listen in to hear about their journeys from high-schooler to researcher, their current work, and their favorite moments from the field!
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
Click here to learn more about Sitka Whalefest: https://sitkawhalefest.org
Click here to learn more about the Sitka Sound Science Center: https://www.sitkascience.org
We know you've been waiting patiently, and all of that waiting is about to pay off BIG TIME! One week from today, the Last Chance Endeavors team is launching Conservation Connection Season 2. We've traveled across the country and met with huge names in the field of conservation to bring you a second season of incredible content. Tune in on Sunday, November 17th to hear the first episode of the new season. See you then!
Glenn Prickett is the mastermind behind Rock Creek Strategies, a consulting firm that "helps companies, investors, and organizations incorporate the value of nature in economic development". So what does that mean? It means that Glenn crunches the numbers to find ways for businesses to help protect nature AND their bottom line at the same time! Need to remove carbon pollution that your factory is producing? Well you could pay to install carbon scrubbers on the top of your smoke stacks, or you could protect native forests that provide the same amount of carbon pollution removal! When you take into account all the economic value that nature provides, you realize that it makes financial sense to protect our planet.
Click here to learn more about Rock Creek Strategies, LLC: https://www.rockcreekstrat.com
Click here to learn more about our nonprofit: https://www.lastchanceendeavors.com
Sarah and Daniel sit down with us at SeaWorld's Park to Planet Weekend to describe the ways in which they are inspiring the next generation to care about aquatic systems and the environment. These two incredibly passionate educators go above and beyond for their students, exposing them to real world aquatic systems and the ways in which every day choices impact them. Listen in to discover why their aquatic science program has doubled in size in just four years!
Don Hartsell, the first commissioner of the World Air League and a member of The Explorer's Club, is promoting energy efficient cargo transportation by organizing a world first: an airship race around the globe! Harkening back to the days of new frontiers and untested technology, the World Air League is organizing an eighteen-leg circumnavigation race where the vessels competing are lighter-than-air crafts that float across the sky with minimal energy consumption. This is the first time in human history that an airship race has sought to circle the globe, and the organizers are hoping to use it to bring attention to possible solutions that greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with cargo transportation! With an incredible story to tell and the passion to tell it, Don Hartsell will have you wondering why airship cargo transport isn't commonplace today.
If you'd like to learn more about the World Sky Race, visit their website! http://www.worldskyrace.com
David Marquis is an activist, writer, political powerhouse, and all around renaissance man with a burning passion for creating lasting environmental change. We sat down with him at EarthX in Dallas to discuss his goals for the city over the next few decades, including the ways that Dallas needs to respond in order to conserve the largest urban forest in America and the Trinity Watershed that serves half the population of the Lone Star State. His goal is to take the energy of activist movements and carry it "beyond the march" by implementing lasting changes to city ordinances and institutional policy that will protect the environment for years to come! He also stressed that each person has a role to play in this movement: no matter what you do you can do it green!
If you'd like to learn more about the venture capital firm mentioned in this episode, click here to listen to episode 009!
Here are some of our favorite quotes from this episode:
"We’ve got to ask how do we move people around, not how do we move cars around"
"Everybody has a place in this movement, in changing the world and making it a better place. Whether its becoming a city planner, or a conservationist... whatever it might be."
"We can’t all be speakers, we can’t all be politicians, we can’t all be elected officials, but there’s a place for everyone doing this work to save the environment, to save our planet."
"Whatever you do, do it green and make it last."
Underwater robots searching for deep sea coral, algae-loving bacteria that might solve wastewater problems, and an invasive seaweed that is shifting ecosystems and bringing bacterial hitchhikers; quite a broad range for undergraduate research! Lilia, Pressley, Ana, and Jordan are three undergraduates from across the country participating in the Fort Johnson REU program this summer, and they sit down with the Conservation Connection team to share their experiences and discoveries.
Not only are these undergrads pushing the boundaries of scientific understanding in their topics, they're practicing valuable skills in science communication that they'll need for the rest of their careers as researchers! Communicating science to other researchers is one thing, but helping the public understand why their research matters is a different skill set entirely.
Want to read more about their work this summer? Check out the Fort Johnson REU Blog: https://blogreu.wordpress.com
The Hansen name was made famous when Mark Victor Hansen co-created the best selling book series Chicken Soup For the Soul, and he and his family are using their success to make this planet a better place! We sit down for a mini episode with the team that's pushing to make water-purifying technology available across the globe. Powered by table salt and a tiny solar panel, this device can fit in a pocket and purify up to 10 gallons of water a day! Listen in to hear all about its development and how it can save lives.
Check out these links to learn more:
metamorphosisenergy.us
https://ecoworldtechnologies.com
Here are some of our favorite quotes from this episode!
"I wanted to be involved in something that was game-changing and positive for the world so I became a part of Metamorphosis Energy." -Preston Weekes
"9000 people die a day from drinking contaminated water. 5000 of those are children." -Crystal Hansen
"You can disinfect this water with no power, no resources. You can do it anywhere in the world." -Preston Weekes
"We’re a solution company, and there aren’t many of them around. Both philosophically and technologically." -Mark Victor Hansen
Intersex snails with a story to tell, dead shrimp that are validating a mathematical model, and the hidden dangers of oceanic micro-plastics; quite a broad range for undergraduate research! Sam, Carolina, and Kelsey are three undergraduates from across the country participating in the Fort Johnson REU program this summer, and they sit down with the Conservation Connection team to share their experiences and discoveries.
Not only are these undergrads pushing the boundaries of scientific understanding in their topics, they're practicing valuable skills in science communication that they'll need for the rest of their careers as researchers! Communicating science to other researchers is one thing, but helping the public understand why their research matters is a different skill set entirely.
Want to read more about their work this summer? Check out the Fort Johnson REU Blog: https://blogreu.wordpress.com
Extremophile bacteria affecting clouds, disappearing crocodiles, and an epidemic affecting wild sea lions; quite a broad range for undergraduate research! Jackson, Jules, and Katherine are three undergraduates from across the country participating in the Fort Johnson REU program this summer, and they sit down with the Conservation Connection team to share their experiences and discoveries.
Not only are these undergrads pushing the boundaries of scientific understanding in their topics, they're practicing valuable skills in science communication that they'll need for the rest of their careers as researchers! Communicating science to other researchers is one thing, but helping the public understand why their research matters is a different skill set entirely.
Want to read more about their work this summer? Check out the Fort Johnson REU Blog: https://blogreu.wordpress.com
Charley and Aislinn are two of the founding members of Heirs to Our Oceans, a global youth organization that is working to inspire kids to learn about and protect oceans and waterways for future generations. Did we mention they are only 15 and 13? Yep, these teens aren't just sitting back and waiting, they're taking action today to protect their own futures! With chapters from Kentucky to Palau, this nonprofit is building up steam to be a major player in the fight to protect our planet! Listen in to hear how they got started, how you can help, and how YOU can join the movement.
To visit their website, click here: www.heirstoouroceans.com
To see the latest news from Heirs to Our Oceans, visit their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/heirstoouroceans
To see even more Heirs news, check out their instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heirstoouroceans/
Here are some of our favorite quotes from this episode!
“I’m focusing more on ocean legislation and policy which is a bit different from other kids' focus areas.” -Aislinn
“We’re really all about connecting youth globally, really around the world, and getting all youth connected around the problem of ocean conservation.” -Aislinn
“My sister and I got together a bunch of our friends and people that our friends knew and we came together as the first Heirs to our Oceans chapter.” -Charley
“We realized that it was more important to get kids inspired now and have that be the journey.” -Charley
“Support your local youth. Support them in their passions and where they want to go with the environment and their careers.” -Charley
“Really everyone needs to get involved. It’s the next generation stepping forward, its previous generations helping us out, it’s people from around the world coming together to solve these problems.” -Aislinn
We're kicking off our first mini-series by bringing Dr. Bob Podolsky back on the show! He's the director of both the Grice Marine Lab and the Fort Johnson REU Program, and he's sitting down with his colleague Dr. Heather Fullerton to describe the incredible opportunities they make available to undergraduate students every summer. These students get ten weeks to pursue original research, allowing them to experience the life of a professional researcher while honing skills they'll need in their future careers.
Every Sunday for the next three weeks we'll be posting an episode that highlights these students' research and their experience in Charleston during this field season, so be sure to tune in next weekend!
If you'd like to learn more about the College of Charleston REU Program, click here: http://reu.cofc.edu
If you'd like to check out their Instagram, click here: https://www.instagram.com/cofcbiology/?hl=en
If you'd like to check out their Facebook, click here: https://www.facebook.com/cofcbiology/
Heidi Whitehead is the Executive Director of the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network, and has helped countless marine mammals in need over the course of her career. Listen in to hear about TMMSN's partnership with SeaWorld and how their "time capsule" of resources is advancing the field of marine mammal medicine and rehabilitation all over the world! She also shares wild stories of rescuing animals in the wake of devastating hurricanes.
To learn more about the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network, click here: http://www.dolphinrescue.org
To see the latest news from the TMMSN, visit their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tmmsn.dolphin.rescue
Here are some of our favorite quotes from this episode!
“We look at every animal that comes in as an opportunity to help future animals that strand.”
“It’s not all just playing with dolphins in a pool; when you’re dealing with rescue and rehabilitation specifically you’re not dealing with healthy animals.”
“Several years ago we formalized the partnership [with SeaWorld] so that we could really move forward and advance the stranding network’s ability to provide care for more animals.”
“I got in touch with the Coast Guard helicopter crew and said ‘There’s no way we can get this dolphin back unless we put it in your helicopter!’ ”
Dr. Slattery is the Director of the Institute for Environmental Studies at Texas Christian University, and he and his students are making waves all over the field of ecology! Listen in to hear more about TCU's research station in the Cloud Forests of Costa Rica, where it's not precipitation but the clouds themselves that feed the hydrologic cycle. We also discuss the plight of the South African Rhino, possible solutions to the problem, and the incredibly complex issue of wildlife poaching.
To learn more about TCU's Environmental Studies program, click here: https://environment.tcu.edu/
To learn more about rhinos in South Africa, click here: https://planetrhino.tcu.edu/
Here are some of our favorite quotes from this episode!
"If you’re dealing with difficult environmental issues, you need a broad range of perspectives."
"I think it’s not overstating the case to say that within a decade or two we’re looking at [rhinos] being gone unless we solve this problem."
"When someone in the bush gets approached by a poacher or a poaching syndicate, not even necessarily to poach an animal but just tell them where these animals are, and they can get the equivalent of one to four years salary just by telling them that and they can put food on the table to feed their family for one year or more, that’s an easy decision. I probably would make the same decision."
"Most people have that visceral reaction 'let’s just arm everybody and go shoot poachers.' We’re not going to be able to shoot our way out of this crisis."
"It all simply comes down to finding a way for these local communities to protect [the rhinos] themselves in the long run."
"I know we’ve turned every one of those young men and women into advocates for wildlife conservation, so that’s been really powerful."
Museums are illuminating places, and no one knows that better than Kirk Johnson, the Sant Director of the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institute. He believes that museums are the last bastions of the real thing: one of the only places left where you can come face-to-face with an authentic artifact and experience it first hand. Listen in as Chance and Sarah Kathryn talk with Kirk about his experience as the Director over the last few years; everything from innovative technology to the magical surprises that come with working at a world class museum of natural history.
Do you know what animal is the closest living relative to a bear? Or how many squirrel specimens can be found in the National Squirrel Collection? Kirk shares these tidbits and more!
If you're in the DC area, check out the new exhibit "Deep Time" opening this Saturday, June 8th 2019! It's more than a fossil room, it tells the story of life on our planet from the earliest organisms to modern day, and continues on into the future of what our planet may look like!
Here are some of our favorite quotes from this episode:
"I prefer to think of museums as the last bastion of the real thing." - Kirk Johnson
"If you ask the question: what’s the nearest living animal to a bear, most people can’t answer that question. Can you?" - Kirk Johnson
"Down the hall from my office is the national squirrel collection, where we have 32 thousand squirrels." - Kirk Johnson
"The whole story of conservation is based on what do we stand to lose on planet Earth, and the first thing you have to know is what do we have on planet Earth." - Kirk Johnson
"It’s about 15 million years old. It’s on display in the new exhibit. You’ve probably never heard of it. David Attenborough had never heard of it! I was so psyched to stump David Attenborough." -Kirk Johnson
The world's coral reefs are in crisis and dying off at an alarming rate, but conservationists are working day and night to protect them! Meet Guyon Brenna and Zoë Ward, two members of Reef Life Foundation ( https://www.reeflifefoundation.org/post/last-chance-endeavors) who are doing just that. Reef Life Foundation and its partners have developed a brand new material (Oceanite) that they're using to build artificial reefs, and are applying the cutting edge science of coral micro-fragmentation to grow corals up to 50 times faster than they would out in the wild!
Click here to purchase a bracelet and plant a coral: https://www.reeflifefoundation.org/shop
Click here to see Oceanite and a micro-fragmentation disk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YITW3s63b1c
Click here to watch a video about their test sites in St. Maarten: https://vimeo.com/325568580
Here are some of our favorite quotes from this episode:
"The rate at which we can get coral to grow... is unlike anything we've ever seen before" -Zoë Ward, Reef Life Foundation
"On SeaLegacy's website, we are their only solutions partner. So we are the person that they expect to have results, do the thing, figure it out." -Guyon Brenna, Reef Life Foundation
"If you are a fan of breathing, then you should be a fan of reefs." -Zoë Ward, Reef Life Foundation
" We want to be the first line out there, planting the coral and making sure that we’re having an impact in the areas that we’re supporting." -Zoë Ward, Reef Life Foundation
If you thought that all conservationists are scientists and forest rangers, think again. Cassie Bowe and Bethany Gorham, two key members of Energy Impact Partners, sit down with us at EarthX 2019 to discuss how the world of venture capital and conservation go hand in hand. EIP is the link connecting energy utility investors to innovative green energy start-ups that are propelling the energy field to new heights! Listen in to learn how EIP makes a difference for the planet through intentional investments!
Here are some of our favorite quotes from this episode:
"This day and age, you don't have to choose between caring about climate and making a profit... that IS the way you make profit these days." -Cassie Bowe, Energy Impact Partners
"Where are we investing? In any technology relevant to the convergence of the energy system towards a de-carbonized, electrified, and de-centralized future." -Bethany Gorham, Energy Impact Partners
"In terms of the types of checks we write, it's usually 10-30 million dollars. So these are pretty big checks, especially for the energy industry." -Cassie Bowe, Energy Impact Partners
"Conservation is not just about the people knee deep in mud everyday. It's also about the people in business suits, working in venture capital, growing and investing in the green innovations of tomorrow." -Chance Ruder, Last Chance Endeavors
If you'd like to visit Energy Impact Partners' website, click HERE
And If you want to learn more about the companies they've invested in, click HERE
National Audubon Society is known worldwide as a leader in bird conservation, and for good reason. Listen in to hear David Yarnold describe the steps that Audubon is taking to reach the next generation of conservation leaders through their brand new Campus Chapters program!
With as much diversity as birds bring to our planet it's no surprise that they're facing an equally diverse set of threats, but the biggest of them all is climate change. As the environment changes, species of birds that we hold dear to our hearts are being pushed out of their historic ranges. Check out THIS LINK to see what scientists predict will happen to your favorite species (try looking at the Common Loon!).
Here are some of our favorite quotes from this episode:
"The biggest threat to birds is the biggest threat to the planet, which is climate change." -David Yarnold
"By 2080 nearly half of America's [bird] species could lose more than 50% of their range. Is extinction likey for some of those species? Yeah probably. That's the bad news. The good news is there's a lot we can do about that." -David Yarnold
After we ask about his favorite bird: "That’s a bit like asking me to pick a favorite kid!" -David Yarnold
CLICK HERE to check out the beautiful purple gallinule!
CLICK HERE to learn what native plants you can grow to help your local bird population!
CLICK HERE to learn how you can become an advocate for birds!
CLICK HERE to start your own Audubon Campus Chapter!
Dr. Bob Podolsky is the director of the Grice Marine Laboratory at the College of Charleston, and has spent his career working to unlock the secrets of the early life stages of marine invertebrates. He's on the front lines of ocean acidification, fighting every day to understand the ways in which changing oceans are putting the foundation of important marine food webs in peril. The gametes and larvae of your favorite marine organisms (sea stars anyone?) live in an alien world where minor changes in water temperature and chemistry can have massive effects on their survival, and no one knows more about this than Dr. Podolsky himself!
Here are some of our favorite quotes from this episode:
"When you have a situation of low genetic variability, you have a situation where it’s going to be hard for those populations to respond to future changes in pH." - Dr. Bob Podolsky
"Even though echinoderms seem inconsequential to human populations, their larval forms are parts of food webs that support the kinds of fisheries that humans depend on for their food." - Dr. Bob Podolsky
"People have to recognize this: that it’s not just stuff out in the ocean that you shouldn’t care about, but rather human populations that are going to be impacted by changes in the way that these ecological communities work." - Dr. Bob Podolsky
For more info on the Grice Marine Laboratory click HERE
Vicki Nichols Goldstein and Taylor Shedd, two key members of the Inland Ocean Coalition team, sit down with us at EarthX 2019 to discuss a hidden truth: no matter where you live your choices still affect the ocean and the ocean still affects YOU. Increasingly across the continent groups from inland states like Colorado, Arizona, and Illinois are banding together to protect our ocean, proving that "out of sight, out of mind" isn't always true. Listen in to learn how you can start your own Inland Coalition chapter!
Here are some of our favorite quotes from this episode:
"The idea is very simple; you don’t have to see the ocean to protect it." - Vicki Nichols Goldstein
"What's an Ocean gal to do in the middle of the country? So I started the Colorado Ocean Coalition..." - Vicki Nichols Goldstein
For more info on the Inland Ocean Coalition click HERE
For info on starting your own Inland Coalition Chapter click HERE
For more info on EarthX click HERE
Sarah Kathryn and Chance travel out to Texas to take part in the largest Earth Day Celebration in the world! EarthX is a public event with hundreds of free exhibitors and educational opportunities in Fair Park, Dallas. Beyond the public expo, EarthX hosts a series of conferences that bring together experts from all corners of the environmental arena, providing a space for important discourse to take place! Listen in to hear what's going on in the Lone Star State.
For more information on EarthX, check out their website: www.EarthX.org
Dr. Paul Gayes does a little bit of everything. He's the Executive Director of the Burroughs and Chapin Center for Marine and Wetland Studies with the Coastal Carolina University, and he's involved with everything from tracking changes in long-term storm patterns to searching the sea floor for the best location to place an off-shore wind farm! In this episode, the Conservation Connection team sits aboard the Coastal Explorer to learn how a changing environment interacts with a growing coastal population, and what that means for the future of coastal science.
Conservation Connection takes Dallas by storm! We've got a big announcement, and it has to do with the massive EarthX conference being hosted in Dallas on April 26-28th!
We'll see you next time on Conservation Connection!
Dr. Jody Beers is an integrative physiologist who focuses on how fish respond to changes in their environments. She's the newest faculty member at the College of Charleston's Grice Marine Lab where she's setting up a lab to investigate the effect of cooling waters on local fish populations. Listen in as she describes her previous experiences living and working in Antarctica with the only vertebrate that lives without hemoglobin in their blood! By understanding the ways that a changing climate affects individuals and populations, we can better protect all of our ocean resources!
Dr. Dave Eslinger is an oceanographer for NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In his spare time, he and his team are documenting the beauty and value of South Carolina's waterways at many levels; using everything from satellite imagery to microscopy to produce a wholistic look at this vibrant ecosystem. Listen in to hear how a 12 year-old boy from land-locked Idaho became the citizen scientist saving his underwater robot from entanglement beside a nine foot alligator!
If you'd like to explore Dr. Eslinger's project after listening to this episode, check it out at bit.ly/SCWaters
Dr. Gorka Sancho is a fish ecologist and a professor of biology at the College of Charleston where he conducts research at the Grice Marine Laboratory. He's been captivated by fish since age seven and has spent his life dedicated to unlocking their secrets. Though he is a prolific scientist, he also firmly believes that research and education should go hand in hand. Join us to learn about his work on the issue of micro plastics in Charleston Harbor and how he has tracked unexpected tiger sharks in South Carolina Estuaries!
Episode Notes Every day, scientists and conservationists around the globe are working to answer critical questions about our rapidly changing environment and the organisms that live there; the minute details of their work reveal both the beauty and the precarious balance of the natural world. Join the Last Chance Endeavors team as we interview today's leading wildlife scientists and conservationists about their most recent discoveries. Listen in to hear the ongoing story of the scientific studies being conducted to protect our planet's future
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