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Public Radio's Environmental News Magazine (follow us on Google News)

Coalition Defends Solar for All

 

Facing lost jobs and higher energy prices after the Trump EPA canceled $7 billion in low-income solar grants, a coalition of labor, green and anti-poverty groups is teaming up to fight in court for clean energy jobs and save “Solar for All.”

 

Read More »

Facing lost jobs and higher energy prices after the Trump EPA canceled $7 billion in low-income solar grants, a coalition of labor, green and anti-poverty groups is teaming up to fight in court for clean energy jobs and save “Solar for All.”

PFAS and Our Genes

 

A recent study found that exposure to certain PFAS chemicals, which are pervasive and persistent in the environment and human bodies, can lead to changes in gene expression that are linked to cancers, autoimmune and other immune disorders, and neurological disorders.

 

Read More »

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Taming the Monsters of Halloween Waste

 

One of the most frightening aspects of Halloween is the monstrous amounts of waste it can generate. We share ideas for making Halloween a little more sustainable, from recycling candy wrappers, to composting pumpkins, to thrifting costumes.

 

Read More »

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Chicago River Restored to Health

 

On September 21st, hundreds of people leapt into the Chicago River for the first public swimming event since 1927. We discuss how major projects including green infrastructure have helped clean up the river for both people and wildlife to enjoy.

 

Read More »

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China's Climate Pledge

 

China has for the first time committed to an absolute target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, by 7 to 10 percent by 2035, though it is likely to achieve greater reductions. We discuss China’s growing dominance in the global clean energy transition while the current US administration doubles down on fossil fuels.

 

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Balcony Solar

 

Compared to traditional rooftop solar, “balcony solar” offers renters, apartment dwellers and folks on a tighter budget a much less expensive solar energy starter kit. Balcony solar is already common in Europe and Asia, and now it’s getting a boost from state legislation in the US.

 

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Jane Goodall On Conservation

 

The late conservationist Jane Goodall made it her mission to protect habitat worldwide by empowering local communities to develop sustainably. We reprise her 2023 conversation about this holistic approach to conservation and how it all started when she was just ten years old and dreamed of studying wild animals in Africa.

 

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Celebrating 30 years of Living on Earth!

 

Host Steve Curwood in the Living on Earth studio

 

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Join the Living on Earth Book Club on October 13th!

 

Bestselling science journalist Ed Yong joins us to talk about his new book. Click here to learn more and register!

 

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Coalition Defends Solar for All


Facing lost jobs and higher energy prices after the Trump EPA canceled $7 billion in low-income solar grants, a coalition of labor, green and anti-poverty groups is teaming up to fight in court for clean energy jobs and save “Solar for All.”

picture

Taming the Monsters of Halloween Waste


One of the most frightening aspects of Halloween is the monstrous amounts of waste it can generate. We share ideas for making Halloween a little more sustainable, from recycling candy wrappers, to composting pumpkins, to thrifting costumes.

picture

Chicago River Restored to Health


On September 21st, hundreds of people leapt into the Chicago River for the first public swimming event since 1927. We discuss how major projects including green infrastructure have helped clean up the river for both people and wildlife to enjoy.

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This Week’s Show
October 17, 2025
listen / download



Coalition Defends Solar for All

listen / download
Facing lost jobs and higher energy prices after the Trump EPA canceled $7 billion in low-income solar grants, a coalition of labor, green and anti-poverty groups is teaming up to fight in court for clean energy jobs and save “Solar for All.”

BirdNote®: Melanin Makes Feathers Stronger

listen / download
Birds as different as gulls, pelicans, storks, and flamingos all have black-tipped wings. These flight feathers are rich in a pigment called melanin. BirdNote®’s Michael Stein reports that melanin doesn’t just provide color – it also helps make feathers stronger.

PFAS and Our Genes

listen / download
A recent study found that exposure to certain PFAS chemicals, which are pervasive and persistent in the environment and human bodies, can lead to changes in gene expression that are linked to cancers, autoimmune and other immune disorders, and neurological disorders.

Taming the Monsters of Halloween Waste

listen / download
One of the most frightening aspects of Halloween is the monstrous amounts of waste it can generate. We share ideas for making Halloween a little more sustainable, from recycling candy wrappers, to composting pumpkins, to thrifting costumes.

Chicago River Restored to Health

listen / download
On September 21st, hundreds of people leapt into the Chicago River for the first public swimming event since 1927. We discuss how major projects including green infrastructure have helped clean up the river for both people and wildlife to enjoy.


Special Features

Field Note: "After the Storm"
Living on Earth's Explorer-in-Residence, Mark Seth Lender, ruminates on the storm as it meets the shore.
Blog Series: Mark Seth Lender Field Notes

Field Note: "Countermeasures"
Living on Earth's Explorer-in-Residence, Mark Seth Lender, shares observations about shorebirds in flight.
Blog Series: Mark Seth Lender Field Notes


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...Ultimately, if we are going prevent large parts of this Earth from becoming not only inhospitable but uninhabitable in our lifetimes, we are going to have to keep some fossil fuels in the ground rather than burn them...

-- President Barack Obama, November 6, 2015 on why he declined to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline.

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