Senate Passes Bipartisan Public Lands Bill
92 Senators recently passed the most sweeping land conservation bill in a decade, which designated 1.3 million new acres of protected wilderness, five new national monuments, and hundreds of miles of wild and scenic rivers. It also permanently authorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell (D- WA) joins Bobby Bascomb to tell us what helped get this bipartisan bill across the finish line.
Monarch Butterflies Rebound
Things are looking promising for eastern monarch butterflies – their population has grown 144 percent from last year. But western monarch are down to just 30,000 individuals, on the edge of extinction. Senior Scientist from the Center for Biological Diversity, Tierra Curry, tells us all about monarchs’ annual migration, and what can be done to boost their numbers.
The Border Wall's Wildlife Impacts
President Trump has declared a state of emergency to secure funding for a wall along the US border with Mexico. The proposed wall would disturb critical habitats and block migration routes for animals already stressed by climate change. It could even lead to extinction for some rare and endangered species. Sergio Avila, Biologist and Outdoors Coordinator for the Sierra Club, talks with Bobby Bascomb about how the border wall could have a lasting impact species such as jaguars and pygmy owls.
Toxicants in Diapers and Sanitary Pads
A recent study has revealed phthalates and volatile organic compounds in brands of single-use diapers and sanitary pads. Exposure to these toxic chemicals can lead to a variety of health complications, including birth defects and endocrine disruption. Jodi Flaws, a co-author on the paper, joins Bobby Bascomb to talk about these toxicants and how they impact health.
A Green New Deal For All
Green For All is one of over 600 environmental groups that has signed a letter calling on Congress to bring forth the Green New Deal, a piece of legislation designed to address economic inequality and environmental concerns. Vien Truong, CEO of Green For All, joins Steve Curwood to talk about why environmental justice and economic justice go hand-in-hand.
Bangladesh’s Climate Migration Crisis
Rising seas in Bangladesh are creating a massive climate migration crisis, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to uproot from their coastal homes and move to already-crowded city slums. Tim McDonnell, journalist and 2018 National Geographic Explorer, joins host Steve Curwood to discuss Bangladesh’s climate migration crisis.
Migrations Off Schedule
The monarch butterflies are late, the wildebeest have turned around, and the North Atlantic right whales are missing. What’s going on with the world’s great animal migrations?
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Russia Nixes Antarctic Marine Reserve
Negotiators from 25 countries met in Germany recently in a bid to create a massive marine reserve in the seas around Antarctica. But at the last minute, Russia backed out of the deal.
Beyond the Headlines
Peter Dykstra of the Daily Climate and Environmental Health News brings us some far-flung environmental stories from this past week that didn’t make the headlines. This week: salt intrusion in Bangladesh and rare earth mining in Greenland.
Senate Passes Bipartisan Public Lands Bill
92 Senators recently passed the most sweeping land conservation bill in a decade, which designated 1.3 million new acres of protected wilderness, five new national monuments, and hundreds of miles of wild and scenic rivers. It also permanently authorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell (D- WA) joins Bobby Bascomb to tell us what helped get this bipartisan bill across the finish line.
Monarch Butterflies Rebound
Things are looking promising for eastern monarch butterflies – their population has grown 144 percent from last year. But western monarch are down to just 30,000 individuals, on the edge of extinction. Senior Scientist from the Center for Biological Diversity, Tierra Curry, tells us all about monarchs’ annual migration, and what can be done to boost their numbers.
The Border Wall's Wildlife Impacts
President Trump has declared a state of emergency to secure funding for a wall along the US border with Mexico. The proposed wall would disturb critical habitats and block migration routes for animals already stressed by climate change. It could even lead to extinction for some rare and endangered species. Sergio Avila, Biologist and Outdoors Coordinator for the Sierra Club, talks with Bobby Bascomb about how the border wall could have a lasting impact species such as jaguars and pygmy owls.
This Week’s Show
February 15, 2019
listen / download
Senate Passes Bipartisan Public Lands Bill
listen / download
92 Senators recently passed the most sweeping land conservation bill in a decade, which designated 1.3 million new acres of protected wilderness, five new national monuments, and hundreds of miles of wild and scenic rivers. It also permanently authorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell (D- WA) joins Bobby Bascomb to tell us what helped get this bipartisan bill across the finish line.
Understanding the Green New Deal
listen / download
A resolution calling for a Green New Deal has been released by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA). It follows in the footsteps of President Roosevelt’s New Deal, in that it seeks to boost the economy, but with an emphasis on reducing greenhouse gases. Nathaniel Keohane from Environmental Defense Fund takes Bobby Bascomb through the Green New Deal outline and explores where the movement goes from here.
Beyond The Headlines
listen / download
This week beyond the headlines Peter Dykstra and host Bobby Bascomb talk about the conservative criticism of the Green New Deal. Then, a trip down under, where an Australian court decision stopped a new coal mine proposal in its tracks. Finally, a look back fifteen years, to when the Pentagon commissioned a report to see how climate change could cause severe global destabilization.
Monarch Butterflies Rebound
listen / download
Things are looking promising for eastern monarch butterflies – their population has grown 144 percent from last year. But western monarch are down to just 30,000 individuals, on the edge of extinction. Senior Scientist from the Center for Biological Diversity, Tierra Curry, tells us all about monarchs’ annual migration, and what can be done to boost their numbers.
The Border Wall's Wildlife Impacts
listen / download
President Trump has declared a state of emergency to secure funding for a wall along the US border with Mexico. The proposed wall would disturb critical habitats and block migration routes for animals already stressed by climate change. It could even lead to extinction for some rare and endangered species. Sergio Avila, Biologist and Outdoors Coordinator for the Sierra Club, talks with Bobby Bascomb about how the border wall could have a lasting impact species such as jaguars and pygmy owls.
Refugees Cultivate Healing Through Gardening
listen / download
The Neighbor’s Field is a community garden in rural Georgia which is designed to help refugees heal from the pain and trauma of war by planting a garden. Producer Sean Powers of Georgia Public Broadcasting and the Bitter Southerner podcast has the story.
Special Features
Field Note: Climate and the Majestic Gyrfalcon
"In the Arctic, there is no such thing as bad luck when it comes to good stories," writes Living on Earth's Explorer In Residence, Mark Seth Lender. In this Field Note he explains why a series of unfortunate events on a recent trip turned out to be a blessing that brought a rare gyrfalcon sighting, the inspiration for an essay.
Blog Series: Mark Seth Lender Field Notes
Field Note: Red-Tailed Hunter
Living on Earth’s Explorer-in-Residence Mark Seth Lender shares this field note with his thoughts on the predatory habits and special adaptations that make a Red-Tailed hawk a skilled and stealthy hunter.
Blog Series: Mark Seth Lender Field Notes
...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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