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Environmental Audio Clips

NOTE!

This page has general environmental audio clips. Additional clips within specific eco categories can be found on these sub-theme pages
    - Food/Nutrition/Organics/GMOs audio
    - Health audio
    - Climate Change audio
    - Nuclear Issues audio
    - Energy/Peak Oil/Resilience audio
    - 2010 Gulf Oil Spill Audio (archive)

Against the Grain

Animal Rights and We the People — Paul Waldau discuses many facets of animal welfare and rights, including... the legal basis vs. the moral basis for animal rights; the long history of civilizations having deep respect for animals; the problem of food animals in industrial agriculture; pets as a special category in modern life; animals used in lab testing; the difference between the concepts of animal welfare and animal rights; the intersection of human rights and animal rights.— 29 May 2013
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   52:00

Quirks & Quarks

Wings Hold Key in Bats' White-Nose Syndrome — 01 Jun 2013 — The bat population in North America is in serious decline as a result of an infectious fungal disease known as White-Nose Syndrome. It is an infection that only affects the skin of the bat, and is so named because it appears as a white mark on the bat's nose. But a new study has focused on the bat's wings, where the infection results in lesions similar to burns. The resulting skin damage causes dehydration, which causes the bat to warm up too often during hibernation and use up fat reserves too quickly.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   10:10

Quirks & Quarks

Malaria's Malign Modification of Mosquitoes — 01 Jun 2013 — The malaria parasite is one of the world's most fearsome diseases, causing 200 million infections every year worldwide, with nearly 1 million deaths. Part of the parasite's strategy seems to be giving superpowers to the mosquitoes that carry it. Researchers have found that mosquitoes infected with malaria are far better at finding human hosts than normal mosquitoes. They suspect that somehow the parasite is enhancing the mosquito's ability to smell human odors.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   9:19

NPR

Big-Mouthed Toucans Key To Forest Evolution — 31 May 2013 — The jucara, the dominant palm tree in the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest, is dependent on the toucan—a bird with an almost comically giant bill that can be half as long as its body—to disperse its large seeds. But as more humans have moved into Brazil's Atlantic coastal forests, the increased hunting, logging, and farming have taken a toll on the number of toucans. Now scientists have discovered that the drop-off in birds is reshaping the forest as well—and that's not a good thing.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   3:20

NPR

The Political and Economic Barriers to Solving China's Air Pollution Problem — 24 May 2013 — The state-run newspaper China Daily has called most of China's major cities "barely suitable for living." Such unusually blunt language from the Chinese government's English-language mouthpiece is a sign of just how bad conditions have become. Researchers say environmental technology is available to solve the problem, but political and economic interests stand in the way.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   5:00

NPR

Battling Deforestation In Indonesia, One Firm At A Time — 31 May 2013 — Environmentalists are trying to stop big corporations from cutting down rainforests to create paper products. With help from some unlikely characters, they've scored a success against one of the world's largest paper companies.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   5:09

NPR

New York, Chicago, and San Francisco Launching Bike-Share Programs — 01 Jun 2013 — New York kicked off a new bike-sharing program this week, with Chicago and San Francisco expected to launch similar systems this summer. The sharing programs are all check-in, check-out systems, with automated stations spread throughout the city, designed for point-to-point trips.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:19

Unwelcome Guests

Deep Green Resistance and the "Earth At Risk" Conference — 04 May 2013 — The environmental movement has become trapped in a system of laws and regulations that is of, for, and by corporations and their wealthy elite owners. Environmental iconoclasts Thomas Linzey, Derrick Jensen, and Aric McBay explain how true environmental progress will only come when we disempower corporations and level the legal playing between elites and the rest of us. They review a number of examples of how municipalities are doing just that.
Ref page:  Go to page
Part 1:  Download/Listen   59:30
Part 2:  Download/Listen   59:30

(GP comment:  This conference happened in 2011 but everything being discussed here is still 100% relevant today—and critical to true environmental progress.)

Radio EcoShock

Oil Companies Know Tar Sands Pipelines Will Break — 24 Apr 2013 — John Bolenbaugh, an insider who recognized the lies of the corporations and government regulators that manage the pipeline systems now being used to carry tar sands slurries, decided he had to fight with every thing he had—literally. He exposes the duplicity of those who run the show and tells his story of fighting back.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   26:43

Political Analysis

Criminalizing Dissent—Corporations Increasingly Using Legal Cover to Quash Challenges to Pollution — 07 May 2013— Dan Howells of Greenpeace USA discusses the dirty legal maneuvers oil companies and other polluters are taking to suppress protests and other forms of free speech when they threaten company bottom lines. Also discussed is the wave of oil companies suspending plans to drill in the Arctic.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   55:51

Radio EcoShock

Fracking and the Sacrifice Zones of the American West — 08 May 2013 — Everyday, gas flares burn over the dry lands of the western United States. There is a fracking boom in Colorado, North Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming. Villages become overnight towns, big trucks fill small roads, natural gas fumes float over prairie and foothills, and the last waters in great rivers, reservoirs, and aquifers are poisoned. Alex Smith and guests review to disaster that is fracking in the US West.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   1:00:00

Progressive Commentary Hour

The General Problem of Industrial Civilization — 22 Apr 2013— Gary Null, Derrick Jensen, and Guy McPherson present the bald truth of the state of the environment and the largely clueless humans that exist within it. Gary observes that the average person seems to have a shockingly poor understanding of environmental issues, with no personal investment in the problems, assuming they are something for government to solve. Derrick Jensen observers that local species are fast disappearing, indicating a subtle but massive slide going on in our ecosystems. It is insane to think all solutions to planetary sustainability problems must be suggested within the current exploitative, infinite-growth economic model that caused the problems in the first place. Guy McPherson agrees, but notes that people embedded within and dependent on industrial civilization are unlikely to solve the general problem of industrial civilization.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   55:27

The Gary Null Show

Jane Goodall and Vandana Shiva on the State of the Earth — 22 Apr 2013 — Jane Goodall discusses the importance of getting young people motivated to address the world's worsening problems—environmental and otherwise. The planet needs to them to get cracking, not be paralyzed by hopelessness or anger at the mess the two preceding generations have left them. ~~ Vandana Shiva discusses corporate domination of the planet's operating procedures and what me must do to fight it.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   1:00:00

Living On Earth

Denis Hayes on Earth Day — 19 Apr 2013 — April 22, 1970 was the very first Earth Day. Denis Hayes, its coordinator, talks about what Earth Day achieved in the early days, and how it might recreate that success in the face of today's environmental challenges. Hayes says the days of belching smokestacks on thickly polluted rivers are gone, but remaining are many less obvious problems—pollution that cannot be seen but is nonetheless a serious threat, and sustainability issues that challenge our core behaviors.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   7:00

Living On Earth

The World's Greenest Commercial Building — 19 Apr 2013— The Bullitt Center is a "deep green" eco building—a self-sufficient building designed to emulate a living organism, reusing available resources, and minimizing the need for external inputs. Reporter Ross Reynolds visits the Center with the man who dreamed it up, Denis Hayes.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   10:03

On The Media

Undercover in an Industrial Slaughterhouse — 19 Apr 2013 — In the May issue of Harper's, Ted Conover, a longtime undercover journalist, details his undercover job as an federal meat inspector at an industrial slaughterhouse. Conover talks about meat safety, going undercover, and why it's necessary to bring a hidden world to light. The bottom line here is that not all slaughterhouses are full of profit-mad sadists, but all have their issues.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   9:45

Progressive Commentary Hour

Plight of the Honey Bee — 15 Apr 2013— This is a panel discussion on the current status of the honeybee industry. Pesticides and other factors are continuing to foster the decline of these important pollinators. Gary Null's guests are Larissa Walker of the Center for Food Safety; Dr. Neil Carman, who researches and assesses the evidence of genetic engineering's impact upon the environment and animal and plant life; and Steve Ellis, a commercial beekeeper and one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit asserting that the EPA is failing to protect America's bee population.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   56:00

Food Sleuth Radio

The Politics of Lawn Chemicals—How Canadians Beat the 2,4-D Bunch — 21 Mar 2013 — Paul Tukey of SafeLawns.org talks about his latest effort, a documentary film called Chemical Reaction, which charts the fight to ban lawn pesticides in Hudson, Quebec. It all started with one determined Hudson physician repeatedly petitioning the local council; it ended up with 85% of Canada banning cosmetic lawn pesticides. Tukey also reviews how lawn chemicals affect the health of humans and pets.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   28:15

Radio EcoShock

US Population and Immigration—The Unspoken Environmental Issue — 03 Apr 2013— Former Earth First! leader Dave Foremen discusses the importance of addressing the population issue in the US and globally. Since the equation for environmental impact is roughly population times standard of living, an increasing population, whether from increased birthrates or immigration, means increasing environmental problems. Foreman reviews many facets of the issue and the politics that keep it buried, even among most environmental groups.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   28:13

Living On Earth

Arkansas Pipeline Break Highlights Lack of Regulations on Tar Sands Transfers — 05 Apr 2013 — A pipeline that links Canada's tar sands with the US Gulf Coast recently ruptured in the rural community of Mayflower, Arkansas. Resident Becky Naylor discusses the spill and the clean up effort. ~~ The US EPA is overseeing the Mayflower oil spill cleanup, but media inquiries are being funneled through Exxon. Reporter Lisa Song explains the challenges of reporting on the spill. ~~ The pipeline was carrying bitumen from Canada's tar sands, which has the consistency of peanut butter. It's physically far different than petroleum. Jim Murphy from National Wildlife Federation discusses a petition before the EPA requesting a moratorium on new or expanded bitumen pipelines until there are tighter regulations for transporting the substance.
Part 1:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   5:42
Part 2:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   2:42
Part 3:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:56

Radio EcoShock

How Pre-Fab and Modular Technologies Can Foster Green Building — 03 Apr 2013— Super-tight, low-energy homes cannot be built using standard construction on site. They need to be build on jigs, with factory-level standards to make everything fit seamlessly. Plus, there is less waste in the factory production method. But don't get the idea that the resulting homes are cheesy—they can be anything but. Sheri Koones, author or Prefabulous and Almost Off the Grid explains.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   22:12

Living On Earth

Environmental Regs Disappearing into Bureaucratic Black Hole — 12 Apr 2013 — The line-level rule makers at the US Environmental Protection Agency have increasingly seen their newly proposed rules fall into the abyss of the White House's internal review process—which is managed by political appointees—never to return. Is this a case of politics trumping science? Georgetown law professor Lisa Heinzerling discusses this increasingly problematic barrier to environmental regulation.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   8:02

Democracy Now

As Video Footage Brings Animal Abuse to Light (and Prosecution), Ag Gag Bills Loom — 09 Apr 2013 — An animal rights investigator details how he has spent over a decade secretly filming animal abuse—much of which led to prosecutions for violations of animal-cruelty and farm-animal-abuse laws—and why that work is now imperiled by the wave of "Ag Gag" laws sweeping the country. ~~ Then a debate on the merits of the so-called "Ag Gag" bills, featuring Emily Meredith of the Animal Agriculture Alliance, an industry group, and independent journalist Will Potter.
Watch 1  |  Watch 2  |  Download/Listen   46:42

Living On Earth

Murders of Eco Activists on the Rise — 22 Mar 2013— As natural resources around the world grow scarce and the actions of those who would exploit them grow bolder and more desperate, environmental activists in countries like Brazil, Cambodia and the Philippines face increasing threats. UK journalist Fred Pearce discusses how this past year may have been the worst ever for violence against environmentalists.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   8:08

Living on Earth

Reclassifying Plastic as Hazardous Waste — 08 Mar 2013— In a recent piece in Nature, a group of scientists called for reclassifying plastic as a hazardous waste. This would give environmental agencies more tools and funding to clean up plastic in ecosystems around the world. One of the authors, Chelsea Rochman, a marine ecologist at UC Davis, discusses the dangerous pollutants in many plastic products.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:28

NPR

Light Pollution—The Why, the Health Effects, the Solutions — 03 Mar 2013— Electric lighting is ubiquitous in most urban and suburban neighborhoods, as well as gas stations, stores, and parking lots. Is our overly bright world about safety? About marketing? Is all this wattage is causing health issues?
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:33

Fresh Air

Frankenstein's Cat—Bioengineering The Animals Of The Future — 11 Mar 2013 — Science journalist Emily Anthes talks about how the landscape of bioengineering has expanded since Dolly the Sheep was cloned in 1996. Scientists, she says, are now working to create pigs that can grow organs for human transplant, goats that produce anti-pathogen milk, and cockroaches that could potentially serve as tiny scouts in military danger zones.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   37:06

(GP comment:  Anthes offers some caution along with the laundry list of (freakish) research programs, though not nearly enough. And it's mystifying how this conversation misses two noteworthy recent items: (1) the US FDA's approval of GM salmon, the first direct-consumption food animal to be approved for genetic engineering; and (2) market rejection of milk containing genetically engineered RBGH. )

Quirks & Quarks

Oceans of Plastic — 16 Feb 2013 — Plastic appears in myriad products because it so versatile and durable. But that also makes it one of the most persistent and widespread environmental problems on the planet. Plastic waste is everywhere, littering our parks and beaches and mountain trails, filling our garbage dumps—and perhaps most alarmingly, polluting our oceans. Plastic has been found in every single part of the seven seas, from the floor of the Arctic Ocean to the farthest reaches of the Pacific. And it's not going away. Every single piece of plastic that entered our oceans over the past 60 years is still there. Science writer Alanna Mitchell explains how countless microscopic pieces of plastic now blanket our seven seas, disturbing the delicate ecological balance, and inserting uncertainties into a formerly predictable system.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   16:20

Science Friday

How Wood Smoke is Dirtying Alaska's Air — 22 Feb 2013 — In Fairbanks, Alaska, many residents use wood stoves to heat their homes during the frigid winter months. But smoke created by inefficient wood burners contributes to some of the worst air pollution in the country. Chemistry professor Cathy Cahill of the University of Alaska explains why the wood-smoke problem is particularly bad in Fairbanks and discusses efforts to get people to move to cleaner heating solutions—from installing better-built wood stoves to switching to natural gas..
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   12:11

FSRN

Toxic Fracking Dump in Ohio River Reveals Systemic Pollution Problem — 21 Feb 2013— Cleanup continues on an Ohio river where toxic waste from hydraulic fracturing was intentionally dumped two weeks ago. Ohio's Environmental Protection Agency said tests confirmed that the waste includes hazardous chemicals such as benzene. Ben Lupo, CEO of D&L Energy and owner of Hardrock Excavating, faces charges for dumping more than a quarter million gallons of fracking waste from a storage tank through a hose into a storm water drain.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   7:05

Diet Science

Replacement for BPA—BPS—Also a Problem — 18 Feb 2013 — Industry is finally moving away from Bis-Phenol-A (BPA) and its well publicized health risks. It has used a substitute, a sister chemical called Bis-Phenol-S (BPS). Guess what! It's a problem too! Who could have guessed that a nearly-identical compound would also be an endocrine disruptor?!!? Worse still, BPS is active at VERY low concentrations and is found in many common items, including US currency.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:31

All Together Now

Moving Beyond Products that "Don't Do Harm" to Products that Actively Help — 21 Feb 2013 — Michael Braungart, coauthor of Cradle to Cradle: Rethinking the Way We Make Things, discusses how our modern world can move beyond merely "doing less damage" to designing and making products, buildings, and systems that are "eco-effective" and enhance the users' surroundings. Some companies are "getting it" and are successfully selling Cradle-to-Cradle compliant products; but others are stuck in the old pollute-and-profit mentality. In the end, to be sustainable, all outputs must be useful inputs to other natural or industrial processes.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   55:00

Sierra Club Radio

Campaign to Get PVC Out of Kids' Environment — 16 Feb 2013 — Mike Schade from the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice talks about CHEJ's campaign to get PVC plastics out of New York City's schools. Is vinyl the same thing as PVC? What types of products contain PVC? Why is it so bad? What's it doing in schools and children's products?
Page to download whole show  |  Download/listen to this segment   14:28

Sierra Club Radio

Is a Zero Waste Lifestyle Possible within the Current Consumer Matrix? — 16 Feb 2013— We all produce a lot of trash, and we all know if we spent more time on composting, recycling, reuse, and better product choices, we could reduce this level of trash considerably. But just how little trash could we get down to? What in our lives would have to change? Amy Korst, author of The Zero Waste Lifestyle, explains how she got down to one shoebox of trash for an entire year.
Page to download whole show  |  Download/listen to this segment   12:04

NPR

Wisconsin's Scott Walker: "I Am Iron Man" — 25 Feb 2013 — Plagued by a stagnant economy, Wisconsin governor Scott Walker is pushing a rewrite of state mining laws to clear the way for a massive open-pit iron mine. Although it's been mostly dormant for more than 50 years, proponents hope reopening the mine will rejuvenate an industry that helped build Wisconsin generations ago. But the proposal's sweeping changes to environmental protections have met fierce opposition.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   4:45

Talk of the Nation

Seeking Revenge in the Underworld of Stolen Bikes — 18 Feb 2013 — According to the FBI and the National Bike Registry, the annual value of stolen bikes is as much as $350 million. In 2006, thieves stole writer Patrick Symmes' bike in broad daylight on a crowded, New York City street. This inspired Symmes to set out to catch a bike thief—any bike thief. He tells the tale of GPS trackers, police stakeouts, and undercover stings in what Symmes describes as "the dangerous underworld of vanished bicycles."
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   17:50

C-Realm Podcast

Paul Kingsnorth:  Dark Ecology — 06 Feb 2013— Paul Kingsnorth, co-founder of the Dark Mountain project, discusses the themes in his recent Orion article, "Dark Ecology: Searching for Truth in a Post-Green World." Paul is critical of neo-environmentalists—environmental activists who have made peace with the logic of capitalism and the infinite growth paradigm. They see environmental stresses as technical problems which are best addressed with technological remedies, and they agree that anything that is real and worthy of consideration can be quantified by science and priced by the market. Kingsnorth refutes this position.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   59:50

Food Sleuth Radio

BPA—The Dose Doesn't Make the Poison, a Single Molecule Does — 07 Feb 2013 — Fred vom Saal, professor of biology at the University of Missouri, talks about his decades-long investigation into Bisphenol-A (BPA). He explains that while the standard toxicology maxim "the dose makes the poison" does apply to many chemicals, it does not apply to endocrine-disrupting chemicals. BPA is one of these, and even an ultra-low level of these molecules in our bodies is a negative. A major source of exposure is canned food, with coconut milk and soup among the most contaminated products. Alternatives to BPA exist and have been implemented in Japan and Europe, but the US canning industry has resisted pressure to do the same.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   28:15

The Wringer

Chemicals Used in Fracking and Their Health Effects — 01 Feb 2013— Thomas Shelly, chemical safety and hazardous materials specialist, reviews the chemicals used in oil and gas fracking operations. He also discusses the negative health effects of the chemicals. For chemicals that are endocrine disruptors, the effects manifest at very low levels and may be more severe at low levels (where the body undergoes a hormonal response) than at higher levels (where it undergoes a toxicity response).
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   27:19

Food Chain Radio

Nano Here, Nano There, Nano Nano Everywhere — 02 Feb 2013 — Journalist Heather Millar discusses nano particles, which are finding widespread use in consumer products and industrial applications. But nano particle's effects on human health and ecosystems are poorly understood. Even though some studies have shown clear negative effects, nano remains largely unregulated.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   42:32

Science Friday

Hydrogen Vehicles—Is there Hope? — 09 Feb 2013 — With major automakers forming alliances to work on fuel cell cars, is the future for hydrogen vehicles getting brighter? What obstacles still stand in the way? Jennifer Kurtz of NREL discusses the current state of hydrogen vehicle technology and infrastructure.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   12:20

(GP comment:  Repeat after me: "Hydrogen is not an energy source.")

NPR

Is Sustainable-Labeled Seafood Really Sustainable? — 11 Feb 2013 — The Marine Stewardship Council's "sustainably caught" label is supposed to guarantee that the fish you buy is not a part of an overfishing operation. But as Walmart and other big retailers have jumped onto the sustainable-seafood bandwagon, demand has skyrocketed and the MSC's standards have slipped.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   22:50

Food Chain Radio

The Lone Wolf of California — 26 Jan 2013 — After being collared and released into the wilds of northeast Oregon, wolf OR-7 trekked 3,000 miles, finally ending up in northern California—the first wolf to naturally find himself there in quite a while. Topics include why wolves were re-introduced into the American West; how the conflict between those who want wolves to run free and those who do not is mediated; and the impact of wolves on ecosystems and commerce.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   41:30

Living On Earth

Three Years Later, Gulf Oil Spill Impact Still a Problem — 25 Jan 2013 — More than 1,000 scientists and government officials recently met in New Orleans to share the latest research on the effects of the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Reporter Mark Schleifstein summarizes what scientists have learned since the largest oil spill in US history. He notes the extra toxicity imparted by the use of Corexit and questions the safety of Gulf seafood, despite official proclamations that all is well.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:36

Radio Ecoshock

Can We Avoid a Collapse? — 22 Jan 2013 — Paul Ehrlich's latest Royal Society Paper asks "Can a collapse of global civilization be avoided?" Our abuse of the environment that sustains us is so enormous and our delusions about our technograndiosity so thorough, he estimates our chances at about 10%. He notes, though, that perhaps he's being too optimistic, given that the corrupt, brainless leadership of the planet and the clueless lemming masses are racing towards the cliff together.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   18:00

Radio Ecoshock

US Pushing Risky Oil Leases in the Arctic — 22 Jan 2013— John Talberth is an economist at the Center for Sustainable Economy, which is suing the US Government over risky ocean oil leases in the Arctic. He reviews both the environmental stupidity and procedural illegality of the leases.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   19:00

Living On Earth

America's Bats on the Brink — 25 Jan 2013 — Bats should be hibernating this time of year, but winter visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park have spotted them flying around in the middle of the day. Scientists suspect their odd behavior may be caused by white nose syndrome, a disease that is devastating the US bat population. Katie Gillies of Bat Conservation International discusses the state of bats in the United States, warning that we are witnessing an extinction event on an unparalleled scale, and the impact on their natural pest-control services is likely to affect humans bigtime.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:49

Living On Earth

Can Prairie Dogs Save Mexico's Prairie From the Desert? — 25 Jan 2013 — There were once an estimated 32 billion black-tailed prairie dogs across the prairies of the US West and Mexico. Today, only 1-2 million remain, the rest having been largely wiped out by ranchers in a long-term extermination effort. But ironically, the lack of prairie dogs changed the ecosystems in a way that eventually made the areas unusable for grazing. Now activists in Mexico are working to bring back the prairie dogs and help restore the prairie as well.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:06

Quirks & Quarks

Counting the Bugs in a Rainforest — 19 Jan 2013 — Most species of insects and arachnids are found in tropical rainforests. Over 100 scientists from 21 countries recently set out to explore arthropod diversity by way of a detailed headcount in a small area of Panamanian rainforest. Dr. Neville Winchester reviews the findings.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   8:09

Free Speech Radio News

Advocates Point to Bikes as Solution to Beijing's Pollution and Congestion Woes — 23 Jan 2013 — In China, Beijing was once a "bicycle kingdom," with millions of cyclists weaving through the crowded city streets on two wheels. But as the capital's residents gained affluence, more and more cars have appeared on the roads, surpassing bikes as the main method of transportation. Congestion, air pollution and health problems now plague millions of Beijing residents, and traffic jams abound. Bike enthusiasts are hoping to use bikes' obvious advantages to bring the cycling culture back to Beijing..
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   7:01

(GP comment:  Cars are a "killer app"—and the gotta-have-it psychology is very, very powerful, whether it's in the US or China.)

Uprising

Mercury Pollution a Worldwide Problem — 14 Jan 2013 — David Evers of the Biodiversity Research Institute discusses mercury pollution, which is known to cause severe health problems, including brain damage in fetuses and young children. Nations are discussing an international treaty on mercury, as a recent report by the United Nations Environment Program found that hundreds of tons of mercury have seeped from the soil into waterways worldwide. Mercury in the oceans has doubled in the past century, with highly contaminated fish found in many countries.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   12:24

Science Friday

E-Waste—2.5 Million Tons/Year in the US Alone — 11 Jan 2013 — With only one in ten cell phones being recycled—and cell phones are just one of the many categories of e-waste—discarded electronics are a serious problem. Old batteries and circuit boards cause water pollution, and valuable resources are not being recaptured. Why is our culture still so throw-away oriented?
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   4:18

NPR

Texas Man Makes Last Stand Against Keystone XL Pipeline — 25 Dec 2012 — David Daniel, an east Texas landowner, was determined to block the Keystone XL pipeline from coming through his forest. So he built an elaborate network of treehouses eight stories above the ground. With the help of some tree-sitting friends, he saved his patch of trees. But the pipeline marched on with a slightly different path...
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   7:34

Living on Earth

Threats to Clean Water, Yesterday and Today — 28 Dec 2012— Forty years ago, when rivers caught fire and fish were washing up dead by the thousands, Americans demanded swimmable, fishable waterways. In 1972, the creation of the Clean Water Act changed the way water pollution is managed in America. In part 1, William Ruckelshaus comments on the initial implementation of the Clean Water Act. Then, a discussion of challenges to clean water today, including crumbling infrastructure, stormwater overflows, agricultural runoff, personal care products, and lack of enforcement.
Part 1:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   15:34
Part 2:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   17:38

Living on Earth

Oil Pollutes On in Nigeria — 14 Dec 2012 — Nigeria is one of the top oil producing countries in the world. Reuters reporter Tim Cocks explains why oil pollution and frequent spills remain a problem in this West African country.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   7:39

Living On Earth

Gold Mining Boom Rocks Peru — 04 Jan 2013 — As the price of gold continues to rise, mining smaller deposits can be very lucrative. Bat as On Earth writer George Black explains, in developing countries like Peru, rules are lax and environmentally destruction comes hand-in-hand with gold extraction. Some in the affected areas are demonstrating their anger over the situation.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   7:22

Living On Earth

Corexit—A 50-Fold Increase in Toxicity in the Gulf of Mexico — 07 Dec 2012 — To keep the Deepwater Horizon oil spill from looking so bad at the surface—big oil slicks make bad press, after all—the EPA and BP conspired to apply the oil dispersant Corexit, which broke the oil into microscopic globules that (mostly) did not float on the surface. That may have been good PR, but it was very bad ecological strategy. A new study shows that the oil-Corexit combination is 50 times more toxic to planktonic species than either the oil or Corexit alone.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   8:08

Food Sleuth Radio

Greatest Threats to Clean Water and Strategies to Enact Policy Changes — 22 Nov 2012 — Activist Brady Russell talks about his work with Clean Water Action in Philadelphia, the greatest threats to clean water, and which environmental strategies work and which don't. In particular, he thinks grassroots action towards politicians is doomed to failure because of the nature of politicians. Direct action against polluting companies has a much better chance of success.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   28:15

NPR

Conflicts, Errors Revealed In Positive Fracking Studies — 07 Dec 2012 — A report that put fracking in a favorable light is at the center of a controversy at the University of Texas. The head of the school's Energy Institute has stepped down and another professor has retired after an investigation found numerous errors in the report and undisclosed conflicts of interest. And this study is not the only one under fire.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   2:09

(GP comment:  Industry-friendly shills in academia are getting fracked by their lubricity. :-)

Food Sleuth

The Impact of Fracking on People and Communities — 29 Nov 2012— Jill Kriesky talks about the effects of fracking on water quality and people's quality of life, as well as the specious argument that fracking creates lots of local, high-paying jobs.
Download/Listen   28:15

Living On Earth

Trouble for the King of Beasts — 07 Dec 2012 — Africa's "king of beasts" is now more threatened than ever before. Lion populations have dropped sharply in the last fifty years, largely due to habitat loss and poaching. Conservationist Stuart Pimm discusses a new lion habitat survey.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   7:20

Political Analysis

The Legislative Effort to Stop Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining — 04 Dec 2012 — Bo Webb of Coal River Mountain Watch and Dr. Michael Hendryx of the West Virginia Rural Health Research Center discuss a new legislative effort to stop the devastating practice of mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mining. It's called the Appalachian Community Health Emergency Act. Dr. Hendryx also discusses some of the studies that have shown health problems and higher death rates for people living in areas affected by MTR mining.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   56:51

Expanding Mind

Dark Green Religion—Nature, Spirituality, and the Planetary Future — 02 Dec 2012— Professor Bron Taylor discusses the nature of the sacred and environmentalism as a fusion of science and spirit. Have you had your nature epiphany?
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   57:30

NPR

AAA Calls For Suspension of New 15% Ethanol Fuel — 04 Dec 2012 — The Environmental Protection Agency has certified that all vehicles from the 2001 model year on can run on E15, the new 15%-ethanol gasoline blend. But the American Automobile Association, based on auto manufacturers' concerns, has warned that the new blend could damage some engines.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   3:12

Radio EcoShock

Overload—From Overpopulation to Tar Sands Pollution — 21 Nov 2012 — Filmmaker Mike Freedman says we've hit critical mass in the slide towards extinction by overpopulation. ~~ Bill McKibben explains why everybody in the world needs to battle the Tar Sands. ~~ Council of Canadians founder Maude Barlow exposes the link between dirty energy and dirty politics. ~~ Native leader Caleb Behn discusses the disaster that fracking is imparting to his people's land and explains how folks around the world can join in the fight against this scourge.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   1:00:00

NPR

'Erin Brockovich' Town Faces New Threat — 22 Nov 2012 — Hinkley, California, is the small town that battled toxic groundwater and inspired the 2000 film Erin Brockovich. Now residents say they are experiencing a sequel to their story. Residents have been developing strange rashes, and Pacific Gas & Electric—the company blamed for the town's groundwater pollution—has begun once again offering to buy homes, this time in areas previously believed to be unaffected by the contamination.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   5:23

Food Chain Radio

Suburban Wildlife—An Important Connection with Nature or Just a Nuisance? — 17 Nov 2012 — James Sterba, author of Nature Wars, discusses the modern wild animal, which lives fearlessly in the tame plains of suburbia. En mass, these animals can be nuisances and can cause property damage and personal injury. Topics include why so many wild animals now live in cities and suburbs; why cities are so inviting to wild animals; innovative ideas for using the meat from culls; and how the management, or lack thereof, of city wildlife is now sparking "nature wars" throughout neighborhoods.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   42:53

Quirks & Quarks

Whales for the Killing — 27 Oct 2012 — Commercial whaling was banned by international agreement in 1986. But even outside of the hunting that nations like Japan and Norway continue to pursue, human activity is still killing whales in large numbers. Canadian marine biologist Julie van der Hoop explains the data on whale mortality from a studied area of the North Atlantic coast. The data showed a significant number of whale deaths from causes such as ship strikes and fishing-gear entanglement.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   8:38

Unwelcome Guests

The 6th Mass Extinction — 24 Nov 2012 — So, how is the life on earth faring under corporate globalization? Well, not so good. The first segment of the two hours is a radio adaptation of the video Call of Life, which focuses on the mass extinction already under way, the 6th in earth's history, and the greatest for at least 65,000,000 years. Then an excerpt from Meet Your Meat describes the suffering inflicted on animals by the agribusiness industry. The concluding segment is a radio adaptation of the parable The Man Who Planted Trees, which tells the enchanting story of a French shepherd determined to re-forest a desolate valley.
Ref Page:  Go to page
Part 1:  Download/Listen   59:30
Part 2:  Download/Listen   59:30

Referenced video:
Watch free:  The Man Who Planted Trees

If You Love This Planet

The Potential for Biomimicry to Create More Efficient Technologies — 09 Nov 2012_— Entrepreneur and inventor Jay Harman has had a lifelong fascination with natural systems and has applied those principles when designing innovative products that range from a prize-winning watercraft to a non-invasive technology for measuring blood glucose. Harman discusses the ways in which the designs of nature—perfected over millions of years—can be applied to the design of industrial and consumer products.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   59:00

(GP comment:  Fascinating stuff, though he appears to be an agnostic on the ills of the infinite-growth paradigm, efficient or otherwise.)

Free Speech Radio News

Municipalities Challenging Fracking Permits Issues by State and Federal Agencies — 13 Nov 2012 — In the November US elections, there were some victories for environmentalists and opponents of hydraulic fracturing. This story examines the pushback trend from communities via the anti-fracking action in two municipalities, one in Ohio and one in Colorado.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   3:32

Sierra Club Radio

EVs Electrify the 2013 Model Year — 27 Oct 2012 — Reed McManus of Sierra Magazine discusses some of the new electric cars on the market as well as the EV driving experience. Reed's article Plugged In compares feature and mileage for some of the more popular models.
Page to download whole show  |  Download/listen to this segment   12:54

Food Sleuth Radio

Chemicals and Health — 18 Oct 2012 — Theo Colborn, who has advocated for improved chemical safety for three decades, discusses how chemicals can disrupt endocrine functions and affect human health and behavior, even at ultra-low concentration levels. Adding to the problem is that most chemical testing still relies on the "LD50/toxicity/cancer" model, whereas more modern knowledge understands that endocrine disruption often occurs at much lower concentrations of the chemicals (and possibly not at all at higher levels).
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   28:15

If You Love This Planet

Talking Green, Going Brown — 12 Oct 2012 — David Freeman discusses the near collapse of the environmental movement. Yes, there are still many people working on issues, but traditional political allies now mostly "talk green and act brown." He says the large eco NGOs have almost all capitulated to accepting small victories at the expense of winning the war to save the planet and ourselves. He focuses on nuclear power as perhaps the most insane unaddressed activity. ("Anyone who would substitute plutonium for carbon is an idiot.") Freeman does not advise giving up, though—he promotes a massive grassroots pushback to promote solar and wind power and demote coal, oil, gas, and nuclear.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   59:00

(GP comment:  Aptly framed. I suspect Freeman actually does understand that the political system is corrupt beyond salvage, but still feels the need to offer hope.)

Living On Earth

Challenging Expansion of Canada's Tar Sands — 26 Oct 2012— Canada's tar sands cover an area the size of New York State. Now, Shell Canada wants to expand its Jackpine tar sands mining operations. But several First Nations communities who live there are fiercely protesting the plans. Chelsea Flook of the Sierra Club Prairie Chapter explains the environmental and social ramifications of the proposed expansion.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:26

Sea Change Radio

Clean Coal, Threats to Mining Jobs, and Other Myths — 16 Oct 2012 — As candidates hurl accusations of being either pro-coal or anti-coal—depending on which state they're in—the mountain-destroying juggernaut known as the coal industry continues blasting away. Matt Wasson, an advocate against mountaintop removal mining, reviews the facts about coal and mining, countering industry propaganda and explaining why a coal-free energy future is both possible and desirable for the US.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:59

Political Analysis

Tar Sands Oil Extraction—The Dirty Truth — 17 Oct 2012 — This show features excerpts from the documentary Tar Sands Oil Extraction—The Dirty Truth, which exposes the destruction and pollution associated with the world's largest extraction operation, Canada's Tar Sands project. ~~ The program also features excerpts from Chris Hedges' speech, "How Corporations Destroyed America," in which Hedges talks about the ravages of unlimited corporate power and how consumers have internalized corporate values to the extent that we barely know who we are.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   55:35

NPR

Nitrogen Runoff—A Marsh Killer — 18 Oct 2012 — Marshes along streams and estuaries protect land from storm surges. But they're disappearing fast and scientists have now confirmed the role of a suspected marsh killer—runoff pollution. Nitrogen from fertilizers and sewage is carried via rain runoff to marshes. This makes plants grow faster on the top, but their roots don't keep up and can't adequately grip the soil. The soil banks collapse and the marsh turns to mud.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   3:34

Living on Earth

The Dance of Life — 19 Oct 2012 — There is an intricate relationship between plants and their environments—climate, pest levels, and other factors. Biologist Anurag Agrawal explains how plants can evolve and adapt in near-real time to changing pest threats and other emergent conditions.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   7:11

Turning Point

Derrick Jensen on Power, Psychosis, and Environmental Insanity — 01 Oct 2012 — Derrick Jensen discusses the power of the corporatocracy, the mass psychosis that society in general suffers from, and the delusion of hopefulness that environmentalists in particular suffer from. No real progress can be made without taking on power and psychopathy, and that will not happen until we're willing to take the first step—naming our enemies.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   57:43

Radio EcoShock

The Food Crunch ... and Revolution — 08 Oct 2012 — Rob Stewart's first hit movie was Sharkwater; now he's out with a more comprehensive film: Revolution. Four years in the making, Revolution finds humanity ignoring dying oceans—at our own peril. ~~ Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute describes how food issues affect political stability around the world. His latest books is Full Planet, Empty Plates, reflective of the disconnect between rising population and falling agricultural productivity.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   1:00:00

Free Speech Radio News

Scientists Identify Hundreds of Southeast Asian Species at Risk of Extinction — 10 Oct 2012 — Hundreds of species in the Southeast Asian region of 'Indo-Burma' are under threat of extinction from pollution, dam construction and climate change, according to a study released by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The four-year investigation involved more than 70 different scientists and specialists and focused on freshwater fish species, mollusks, and crabs—key food sources for millions of people in the region..
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   3:59

Making Contact

The Burning Issue—America's War on Fire — 18 Sep 2012 — Every summer, wildfires torch thousands of acres of land; some years more than others. For every fire, the National Forest Service rushes to the rescue—to save lives, homes, and communities. But is the agency's approach to fire doing more harm than good? Ecologists say yes, and even some firefighters are starting to agree. But the issue is far from settled.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   28:56

Living on Earth

"Silent Spring" Turns 50 — 21 Sep 2012 — Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring—a seminal work on the harmful nature of chemical pesticides—came out 50 years ago this month. Clip 1 looks back at some of her personal correspondence, giving insight into the genesis of Silent Spring. In clip 2, a review of pesticide use over the last half-century shows that use of dangerous chemicals has increased, not decreased.
Part 1:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   10:41
Part 2:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   5:48

TUC Radio

Biotechnology, Chemicals, and the Price of Truth — 28 Aug 2012 — This program is about academic freedom and independent thinking; corporate intervention into science and the buying of academia; the collusion of regulatory agencies with the very corporations they are supposed to oversee; and, maybe most frightening of all, the invasion of our bodily systems by hormone-disrupting chemicals and rogue DNA from GMOs.
Part 1:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:00
Part 2:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:00

(GP comment:  The speeches are from years past, but the issues—health effects of chemicals and GMOs, suppression of information, and punishment of whistleblowers—are still among today's most important issues, which makes this worth a listen. )

Corbett Report

Portland vs. Fluoride — 11 Aug 2012 — Dr. Paul Connett of the Fluoride Action Network and Kimberly Kaminski of Oregon Citizens for Safe Drinking Water discuss the politically motivated drive to add fluoride to the drinking water in Portland. Topics include the political background of this initiative and the adverse health effects of water fluoridation.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   45:28

C-Realm Podcast

Sandra Steingraber on the "Well-Informed Futility" Syndrome — 05 Sep 2012 — KMO and Sandra Steingraber discuss the array of environmental and social challenges facing civilization. They start with fracking, which may be the ultimate bad tradeoff—ostensibly "clean" natural gas whose extraction results in pollution of known-to-be-clean groundwater. But rather than trying to motivate people to "environmental action," she thinks approaching sustainability issues from a social, human-rights perspective is likely to be more fruitful. And to those environmentalists who believe that the problems are too overwhelming to attack or that compromise is unavoidable, she encourages adoption of the morally correct position for the 21st century: that we must reject and replace the fossil fuel economy. Go to page  |  Download/Listen   58:57

Food Chain Radio

Animal Rights & Wrongs — 08 Sep 2012 — Matt Rice of Mercy For Animals and Kay Johnson Smith of Animal Agriculture Alliance discuss the state of farm-animal welfare, using as a jumping-off point the recently released video showing downer cows being slaughtered inhumanely and leading to the federal government closing the abattoir. Topics include the rights given animals in agriculture; who gives those rights to the animals; and whether the animals can be treated humanely enough to satisfy the people who advocate for them.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   42:34

Free Speech Radio News

Hawaiian Residents Fight to Protect Sensitive Areas from Commercial Development — 13 Sep 2012 — In Hawaii, unions, environmentalists and native residents are raising concerns about a new, quasi-government agency they say poses a development threat to local areas. The Public Land Development Corporation was created to oversee commercial enterprises on Hawaii's public lands, which make up almost half the archipelago. Supporters say the projects could benefit local residents, but critics say exemptions from zoning laws to promote tourism and real estate threaten sensitive areas.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:18

C-Realm Podcast

Fracked Natural Gas No Answer to US Energy Future — 22 Aug 2012 — The US fracking boom may have produced a temporary abundance of domestic natural gas, but it's becoming clear that pollution of groundwater is a major side effect. Anti-fracking activists Jim Weiss and Joe Heath explain why natural gas fracking is neither clean nor affordable, they expose the industry propaganda about freeing America from dependence on foreign sources of energy, they talk about the tangle of intricacies related to lawyeristic gas drilling leases, and they report on how citizens are pushing back against fracking,.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   59:23

Diet Science

How to Avoid BPA — 13 Aug 2012 — The chemical BPA has just been banned in baby bottles and sippy cups. That's good for the health of babies and toddlers. But with 90% of adults having BPA in their systems—and with BPA being an endocrine disruptor—why not figure out how everyone in the family can avoid getting contaminated?
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:44

Uprising

"Catch Shares"—A Model for Sustainable Fishing? — 22 Aug 2012 — Catch Shares are fishery management systems that dedicate a secure privilege to harvest a specific area or percentage of a fishery's total allowable catch to individuals, communities or associations. Hundreds of such programs have been implemented worldwide. A new study assesses which ones are successful and why.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   13:05

Sierra Club Radio

How Smart Birds Behave Like Humans — 25 Aug 2012 — John Marzluff, author of Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans discusses evidence of intelligence in birds, including facial recognition and grieving.
Page to download entire show  |  Download/listen to this segment   14:52

Science Friday

Bloody Tourists!  Literally? — 03 Aug 2012 — Andrew Blackwell has toured some of the most polluted places on earth, including polluted rivers in India, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and the oil refinery areas of Port Arthur, Texas. In his book Visit Sunny Chernobyl: And Other Adventures In The World's Most Polluted Places, Blackwell describes traveling to the world's most contaminated destinations.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   34:46

Living on Earth

Caffeine in the Water — 10 Aug 2012 — Like many other chemicals of modern life, caffeine is not fully filtered out by treatment systems. A certain amount of caffeine remains in the water, and some aquatic species—including some that humans eat—concentrate the chemical.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   5:36

(GP comment:  Some good info here, but the researcher's assertion that septic systems are more of a problem than the 30-40% of unfiltered caffeine from urban treatment plants is statistically laughable.)

Living On Earth

Marine Reserves Protect Coastal Biodiversity and Ocean Vitality — 03 Aug 2012 — Marine reserves are sanctuaries in oceans and coastal waters where no fishing is allowed, and often no hunting of any kind. More countries are setting aside these areas, but economic pressures often limit the size of the reserves to less than optimal effectiveness.
Part 1:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:44
Part 2:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:55

NPR

No Space, Mate—Koalas' Habitat Under Threat — 04 Aug 2012 — Earlier this year, the Australian government added the koala to the country's list of endangered species. By some counts, only about 100,000 remain in the wild in a country that once boasted a population in the millions. But many conservationists say the listing doesn't go far enough.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   5:28

ExtraEnvironmentalist

Giving Environmentalism a Reality Check — 28 Jul 2012 — Paul Kingsnorth explains why the mainstream environmental movement has become hopelessly mired in panglossian, technoutopic ideas that offer a positive but unrealistic vision of a green future. Then, Michael M'Gonigle talks about why liberal environmentalism is no longer useful in creating laws to protect our environment. He instead emphasizes local solutions and decentralization of power.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   2:22:18

(GP comment:  Until you change the way money works (take control back from the banksters) and until you kill the infinite growth paradigm (which is impossible on a finite planet), all environmental victories will be temporary. (Thank you, Michael Ruppert.))

NPR

Ford's High-Mileage Three-Cylinder Engine Hits US in 2013 — 24 Jul 2012 — Ford's new three-cylinder EcoBoost engine—which offers gas mileage of 45-50 mpg—will hit the US market next year. Will car buyers pay a little bit more for the high-tech, high-mileage motor?
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   4:44

(GP comment:  Congratulations to Ford for getting to where the Europeans and Japanese were three decades ago.)

NPR

Companies Skirt Black-Lung Rules, By Design — 10 Jul 2012 — An investigation has revealed widespread and persistent gaming of the system that's designed to measure and control the coal mine dust that causes black lung.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   7:56

Living on Earth

Chemicals—The Evidence Against Keeps Mounting — 13 Jul 2012 — There are tens of thousands of chemicals in everyday products. Only a fraction of these have been tested for toxicity and health effects in the US. Richard Denison, a senior scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund, discusses several news studies that raise troubling health questions.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   10:10

Connect The Dots

Getting More Buy-In on the Impacts of Chemicals — 18 Jul 2012 — Ted Schettler and Elise Miller of the Collaborative on Health and Environment discuss ways that the well established but mostly ignored impacts of chemicals can be better presented to stakeholder groups that may not even be aware they are stakeholders.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   55:36

Living on Earth

The Fight Against Highway Herbicides — 13 Jul 2012 — Highway departments across the nation put time, energy and resources into maintaining the side of the road, often preferring to keep it devoid of plants. But in Oregon, some residents don't want chemicals used to keep the highway shoulders bare.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   8:10

(GP comment:  Just another of the unnecessary and egregious insults we hurl at ecosystems in the name of modernity.)

Exploration

Green, Greener, Greenest — 12 Jul 2012 — Lori Bongiorno offer tips on way to be greener, within your budget and commitment level.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   59:21

(GP comment:  Good ideas all, and well presented. But "greenest" would really look like a complete reformation of the destructive plutocratic oligopoly, not just an improvement in consumerism.)

Living on Earth

Worst-Ever US River Spill, Revisited — 06 Jul 2012 — In July 2010, a pipeline carrying Canadian heavy oil cracked open in Michigan, leading to the biggest pipeline spill since records have been kept. To make matters worse, the corporate operator kept quiet about the sludgy nature of the pipeline's contents, seriously hampering the cleanup. A court has now levied a record fine.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   7:22

Sea Change Radio

The New, Biosphere-Centric Economics — 17 Jul 2012 — John Fullerton, a former Wall Street bigwig, discusses a financial system transformation that will focus on sustainable and regenerative land use, food, and water.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:59

(GP comment:  Yada yada—the approach here still offers investing—albeit green—as the solution. By any name or flavor, investing is part of the parasitic money paradigm. Ingenuity and hard work should be that path to prosperity, not clever deployment of accumulated (and often ill-gotten) wealth— especially in a system where the 1% of the 1% control the monetary system.)

Democracy Now

David Suzuki on Our Failure to Find a Sustainable Path — 25 Jun 2012 — David Suzuki laments two decades worth of governments failing to agree on meaningful climate and sustainability solutions, saying that if we can't change the trend, we are doomed. But it's not just the politicians that are the problem—all people must start to see the earth as the place that nurtures and sustains them, not a thing to be exploited. Until then, we will keep heading towards the cliff.
Watch  |  Download/Listen   35:40

(GP comment:  Generally excellent, though Suzuki cuts Obama way too much slack. Obama is a corporatist, not an environmentalist "trapped by the system.")

Sea Change Radio

Josh Fox on Hydraulic Fracturing Propaganda — 26 Jun 2012 — Josh Fox's film Gasland brought to public attention the groundwater contamination that seems to be an inevitable side effect of using hydraulic fracturing to get at tough natural gas resources. Gasland also stirred up a mighty counter-campaign by the fracking industry, which took a page from the playbook of tobacco firms and climate deniers. The more confusion they can create about the actual facts, the better the chance that they can keep pumping and polluting. Fox's expose, The Sky Is Pink, explains what's been happening.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:44

Free Speech Radio News

Offshore Drilling—More Leases, More Pollution — 29 Jun 2012 — In June, the Obama Administration announced plans to expand offshore oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic. The five-year plan includes 15 lease sales in six offshore areas. One area that's nearing drilling this summer is in Alaska's Arctic and it's headed up by oil giant Royal Dutch Shell. The move is being met by environmentalists determined to protect the area.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:05

Living On Earth

Gulf Oil Disaster Adds New Facet to Gulf of Mexico's Woes — 29 Jun 2012 — Even before five million barrels of oil entered the Gulf of Mexico from BP's Deepwater Horizon project, the marshes off Louisiana's coast were struggling under the weight of changed water flow patterns, thanks to levees, canals, dams, and rising sea levels. Marine biologist Brian Silliman explains why the Louisiana wetlands now have to work even harder to deal with the oil spill.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   5:55

Peak Moment

Car Sharing the Informal Way — 29 May 2012 — At first Judy Alexander was reluctant to share a car with neighbors Richard and Sue Dandridge. But their invitation intrigued her, especially since her aging car felt unsafe for long trips. After a trial year, all of them found the arrangement to be working well, saving money on maintenance and insurance. Judy and Richard discuss the process they used and how scheduling, upkeep, and changing life circumstances are handled.
No longer available from host site.  

(GP comment:  Good, though having a written memo of understanding would not be a bad idea.)

Living On Earth

Removing Dams, Healing Rivers, Helping Species — 15 Jun 2012 — Archaic dams are coming down across the United States, giving new life to river ecosystems and a new chance for fish and other native species. John Catena of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration explains why dam removal not only clears the way for migrating fish, but also benefits local communities.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   5:59

Free Speech Radio News

Vandana Shiva:  We Must Make Peace with Mother Earth — 19 Jun 2012 — Whether the fight is for non-GMO food, climate stability, or a nuke-free world, Vandana Shiva says to succeed we must have a paradigm shift in how countries approach sustainability—one that puts the rights of mother earth and future generations above profit and corporate control of the planet's resources.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:03

Free Speech Radio News

In Developing World, Electronic Waste Harms Environment and Workers — 21 Jun 2012 — In Nigeria, thousands of unemployed people make a living by recycling electronic waste through burning. The process leads to toxic pollutants that have negative consequences for the environment and human health. The e-waste includes items like computers, mobile phones, and television sets, usually exported from developed countries to Africa.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   4:50

Living On Earth

Body Burden Studies Suggest Need to Ban Toxic Chemicals — 15 Jun 2012 — Three generations of Laura Turner Seydel's family underwent a body burden survey to see what chemicals each individual was harboring. The results were fascinating and troubling, putting her on a campaign to rid the family diets and households of chemicals.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   8:39

Living On Earth

Poor Old Charlie, Still Stuck on the MTA — 15 Jun 2012 — Business is booming for mass transit in general, but for some cities it could be the end of the line. In Boston, public transportation is facing fare hikes and service cuts, but even that won't close the operating loss.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   15:18

Living On Earth

Obesogens—Chemicals That Make You Fat — 01 Jun 2012 — Just as estrogen mimicking chemicals can wreak havoc with hormonal system, research is now showing that exposure to some chemicals can predispose people to being fatter. Scientist Bruce Blumberg explains.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   7:00

ExtraEnvironmentalist

Ronald Wright on Surviving Progress — 27 May 2012 — The complexity of modern civilization has obscured an ecological crisis through a finely crafted system of markets and trade. Local environmental problems can be exported across the world with modern technologies while placing the global economic ladder on ever shakier ground. Is our species capable of sparking a widespread and intelligent discussion of our trajectory as a species before the problems of social inequity and ecological collapse take civilization down?
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   1:51:44

Unwelcome Guests

The Superior Human... Or Not — 02 Jun 2012 — Most humans, whether due to religious doctrine or intellectual conclusion, think humans are obviously the superior species on the planet. But is this just speciesism? This radio adaptation of the 2012 film The Superior Human examines the various reasons people think humans are somehow special and superior to other life forms. The most obvious characteristics that make humans superior turn out to be not-so-obvious on deeper examination.
Ref Page:  Go to page
Part 1:  Download/Listen   59:30
Part 2:  Download/Listen   59:30

Sea Change Radio

The Growth Problem and New Economic Horizons — 29 May 2012 — Gus Speth points out that economic growth is not the solution to our society's problems. In the last few decades, we've had tons of growth, yet the average person's economic status has fallen and general unhappiness has risen. ~~ Will Raap discusses the resource-footprint limitations of earth and how, at this point, we are overharvesting resources, stealing them from the future. ~~ Both men advocate completely reworking how the economy works.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   29:59

Connect the Dots

Fracking Fluids and the Food Supply — 30 May 2012 — Dr. Michelle Bamberger and Professor Robert Oswald discuss their research showing how fracking fluids migrate into the food supply, causing health impacts for animals and humans.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   54:00

Free Speech Radio News

Residents Support EPA Case Against Proposed Mining Project — 01 Jun 2012 — Congressional lawmakers are examining an Environmental Protection Agency decision to veto a proposed mountaintop removal mining project in West Virginia. The agency found that the massive project would violate the Clean Water Act and threaten local communities, but the EPA now faces a lawsuit from the coal industry.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   4:49

Radio Ecoshock

Why are Forests Dying Around the World? — 16 May 2012 — Forests around the world are dying from insects, fungus, drought, and heat. But the underlying drivers are climate change and ozone pollution. Activist Gail Zawacki explains how ground-level ozone is damaging trees and crops—and our lungs.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   1:00:00

Living On Earth

Brazil's New Forest Code Under Fire — 11 May 2012 — A new proposed law to reduce Amazon deforestation in Brazil would pay landowners to reforest land, rather than fining them. But environmentalists say the bill will simply codify the profitability of deforestation.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   8:33

Sierra Club Radio

Jim Robbins on Preserving Important Tree Species — 12 May 2012 — Jim Robbins talks about the reasons we need to be preserving the genetics of important tree species. He is author of The Man Who Planted Trees—Lost Groves, Champion Trees, and an Urgent Plan to Save the Planet.
Download/listen to this segment   8:16
Page to get full show

Related movie:
The Man Who Planted Trees  (watch free)

Radio Ecoshock

The Continuing BP Gulf Oil Spill Cover-Up — 21 May 2012 — Josh Tickell discusses the continuing BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Among the topics are... the revenue incentive the US government has for being lax on the oil industry; why even Exxon had abandoned drilling efforts where the BP disaster occurred; the long list of illness suffered by cleanup workers and residents; the Obama vacation deception; the billions in shareholder profits paid out by BP during and after the spill; how the military was co-opted by BP.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   1:00:00

NPR

Fight Over Flame Retardants In Furniture Heats Up — 23 May 2012 — Almost all sofas and armchairs sold in the US have had the foam in their cushions treated with flame-retardant chemicals, thanks to a decades-old California law on fire safety. Some experts say the chemicals do little to prevent fires; still worse, the compounds are linked to health problems.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   3:56

(GP comment:  It's almost shocking that there isn't anything here about the lack of in-depth testing of widely used chemicals, and especially the lack of low-dose testing for hormone disruption with chemicals like the flame retardants. Then again, it's NPR.)

Living On Earth

Methods for Encouraging Biking and Walking — 18 May 2012 — If you build bicycle trails, will they come? A pilot program doled out millions of dollars so four communities could bulk up their cycling infrastructure. Marianne Fowler of Rails to Trails talks about the results. In the second clip, Mikael Colville-Andersen discusses Copenhagen, one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world.
Part 1:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   7:34
Part 2:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   13:45

Living on Earth

Clearcutting and Chemicals — 04 May 2012 — After clearcutting, timber companies in Oregon spray the land with herbicides to prevent growth of unwanted species---that is, anything but the single tree species they will replant for the next clearcutting cycle. Though companies target the pesticides to their owned acreage, wind drift and water contamination make it inevitable that these chemicals find their way to neighboring land. Residents are worried that the chemicals are affecting their health.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   15:51

11.11 with Simran Singh

The Ecological Crisis and Active Hope — 26 Apr 2012 — The crisis of ecological sustainability unfolding in our world often drives people to one of two extreme positions: hopelessness, that nothing can be done; or denial, that there is no problem. Chris Johnstone says that in-between there lies our best response---"active hope," which involves being clear in defining what we hope for and then playing our role in the process of bringing that about.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   57:55

Sea Change Radio

In the Shadow of the Smokestacks — 24 Apr 2012 — Richmond, California is one of the many communities in America where economic and environmental injustice intersect. The Chevron Richmond Refinery saddles the area with chemical leaks and warnings for residents not to leave their homes. Greg Karras describes the local environment and the fight against the refinery's unnecessarily polluting practices.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   30:00

NPR

Texas Battling Pollution From Poultry Production — 02 May 2012 — Texas has become the sixth biggest state in poultry production, with some operations processing a million chickens per week. But more chickens and processing mean more waste and pollution.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   3:42

Red Ice Radio

Matthew Stein:  How We Got Into This Mess — 19 Apr 2012 — Mat Stein is best know as a guru of doom prepdom and for his warnings of big-ticket collapse scenarios like solar EMPs. But here he gives a very clear-headed summary of how we arrived at this ecological precipice: Fundamentally, the system incentivizes corporations (and politicians and the populace) towards environmental destruction. The logic of the trap is inescapable.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   59:30

Orion

Nature—False Idyll — 25 Apr 2012 — James MacKinnon reads aloud from his latest essay for Orion, "False Idyll." He says we have subverted our conception of nature to the parts of it we're comfortable with, losing sight of what it truly is.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   22:41

Beyond 50

Bryan Welch:  Beautiful, Abundant, Fair, and Contagious — 12 Apr 2012 — Welch, the head guy at Mother Earth News and a number of other media projects, discusses his thoughts on the best way to go about building the world we want. He notes that the traditional scare tactics of the environmental movement—however well grounded in facts—has not worked. Get people excited about innovative solutions is the only way to make it happen.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   33:49

NPR

Polar Bears, Melting Ice, and Species Preservation — 03 Apr 2012 — Polar bears depend on sea ice, but that habitat is slowly disintegrating. The bears do sometimes hunt on land but cannot feed themselves sufficiently in that environment alone. Zoos are trying to figure out the best way to keep a number of them in captivity—to preserve the gene pool.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   5:09

Sierra Club Radio

Additional Panther Habitat Protected — 07 Apr 2012 — There are only 100-150 Florida panthers left. A new multi-party agreement will help protect panther habitat and extend their available range of movement.
Download/listen to this segment   6:14
Page to get full show

Living On Earth

The Continuing Plight of the Sage Grouse — 13 Apr 2012 — An update to a story about the Sage Grouse and how an unlikely alliance has come together to protect the bird, without putting it on the federal endangered species list.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   9:18

Radio EcoShock

The Scandal of the Tar Sands — 10 Apr 2012 — David Schindler, an internationally renowned scientist working in Canada, talks about his team's research into pollution from the tar sands in Canada. Topics include increases in cancer in local Native peoples; heavy metals and toxic polycarbonates being spewed from smoke stacks; and tar-sands companies spending 100 times more on green-sounding marketing than they are on environmental protection.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   31:00

NPR

New Anti-Lice Machine Swaps Hot Air for Pesticides — 09 Apr 2012 — An expert on lice has come up with a new machine that gives a 30-minute treatment of hot air and kills both lice and eggs, avoiding the need for nasty treatments with chemical pesticides.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   5:03

Free Speech Radio News

In India's Rajasthan State, Villagers Fight Polluting Industries — 05 Apr 2012 — Environmental degradation is a growing concern in modern India. And common people are bearing the brunt of the problem. Some villagers in western India's Rajasthan state recently won a legal case against industries that were polluting their land and water. Neighboring villagers are awaiting justice in a similar case still in court.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   5:37

Living On Earth

Autism—What Portion Genetic, What Portion Environmental? — 06 Apr 2012 — New research has identified genetic risk factors for children to develop autism. But that still leaves the question of what triggers the onset. Other research suggests a correlation between exposure to chemicals and pollution.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   9:19

CounterSpin

Don't Fracking Believe It — 06 Apr 2012 — You've heard the gas industry PR—their ads are all over television and public radio. And the message—that gas drilling is a safe, affordable path to energy independence—is being echoed by some pundits. Anti-fracking activists think otherwise, and they're challenging the media-industry line.
Page to download entire show  |  Download/listen to this segment   8:02

Living On Earth

Mining Leads to Personal Poisonings — 13 Apr 2012 — Mining often causes water and air pollution that affects surrounding communities. But there is also a direct pollution component that can affect miners directly, from lead exposure for gold miners in Nigeria to silicosis for miners in South Africa.
Part 1:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:18
Part 2:  Go to page  |  Download/Listen   6:44

NPR

Mining the Ocean Floor — 02 Apr 2012 — Nautilus Minerals of Australia hopes to develop and expand undersea mining by extracting copper, gold, silver and zinc from the seafloor. Environmentalists are, um, less enthusiastic.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   4:50

(GP comment:  Gotta love the specious "better than mining it on land" argument.)

NPR

Rising Fuel Prices Driving FedEx to EVs, Biofuels, and NatGas — 02 Apr 2012 — FedEx burns 1.5 billion gallons a year of petroleum-based fuels, which means its bottom line is sensitive to oil price swings. This has the company looking hard at a future of all-electric in-city vehicles, long-haul trucks that run on natural gas, and planes flying on algal fuels.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   5:32

(GP comment:  Yada yada. This is typical green-energy utopian thinking that cannot succeed in the long run.)

You Bet Your Garden

Rain Gardens Improve Water Management and Add Beauty — 07 Apr 2012 — Lynn Steiner talks about how to incorporate rain gardens into your yard to improve water management, reduce runoff pollution, and add beauty to your property. Her book is Rain Gardens—Sustainable Landscaping for a Beautiful Yard and a Healthy World. ~~ Other topics in this show include: volunteer fruit trees from the compost pile; using reeaally old manure; understanding mushroom compost; the toxic problem of "tire mulch."
Download/Listen   52:15
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Corbett Report

Genetic Engineering, Bioethics, and Scientific Hucksterism — 03 Apr 2012 — Jon Rappoport of NoMoreFakeNews.com discusses the academic discipline of bioethics, particularly as it pertains to genetic engineering. Themes include the false debate about money as a determinative tool in life and death situations, the roots of these problems in the eugenics mindset, and the brave new world of genetic pre-selection—for those who can pay.
Go to page  |  Download/Listen   31:50

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