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Beautiful Mountain Bluebird
Springtime means migratory birds have returned to the North and are preparing to nest and raise their chicks. Our Explorer-In-Residence Mark Seth Lender shares his observations of Canada's mountain bluebirds in the spring.
Drought Threatens Hydropower
Amid extreme drought and record low water levels in the Colorado Basin, the federal government has decided to retain more water in Lake Powell and release less to Lake Mead and beyond, which preserves hydropower generation for the short term. But as reporter Luke Runyon explains, the Colorado River basin still faces a long-term water shortage that imperils the future of cities and farms in the Southwest.
How to Save the Climate
The Earth is hurtling toward climate disaster as evidenced by many scientific studies, including the latest results from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Yet the world continues to rely heavily on fossil fuels and drag its heels on transitioning to clean energy. Harvard University Professor of the History of Science Naomi Oreskes notes climate change science is unequivocal and why the paths to solving the climate crisis are political and social.
The Hawk’s Way
Falconry, also known as the practice of hunting with birds, can be traced back perhaps as far as the Ice Age. Many modern aficionados, like author Sy Montgomery, consider the sport to be more about the interaction with these hawks, falcons, and owls, rather than about the hunting itself. Sy’s newest book is The Hawk’s Way: Encounters with Fierce Beauty, where she talks about learning the art of falconry. Sy joined us for the latest Living on Earth Book Club Event to discuss the wondrous world of these birds of prey.
How Purpose Trusts Can Support Corporate Sustainability
For many corporations it’s all about the bottom line, and that can come at the expense of the environment, employees and consumers alike. But there’s another way to structure a for-profit company for a higher purpose. Sarah Joannides, the managing director of Alternative Ownership Advisors, explains how perpetual purpose trusts can help companies uphold core values like sustainability.
200 New Freshwater Fish Species Discovered
More than 200 new species of freshwater fish were discovered worldwide in 2021, including a blind eel found in Mumbai and a fish dubbed the Wolverine pleco for its hidden spines. Harmony Patricio is conservation program manager at Shoal, which compiled the report, and she joins us for details.
Otters and Climate Change
Sea Otters are known for their playful demeanor and cuddly appearance, but scientists at the University of California at Santa Cruz think that the cuddly creatures could help reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. (Photo: Imtiaz333 Flickr Creative Commons)
Hummingbirds Citizen Science Project
The Rufous hummingbird follows the Rocky Mountains to migrate from Alaska to Mexico (Photo: Diana Douglas for Hummingbirds at Home).
Climate Departure Date
A group of scientists at the University of Hawaii have figured out a way to project when the climate at a given location will move outside the range of anything we’ve known in modern times. It’s sooner then you think.
Climate Risk From ‘Zombie’ Rules
The 6-3 conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court is apparently poised to constrain climate action by the Environmental Protection Agency in a decision expected before the end of the SCOTUS term in June. The case, West Virginia v. EPA, involves the Obama Clean Power Plan regulations even though those rules no longer exist, and EPA is replacing them. Harvard Law Professor Richard Lazarus explains how a loss for EPA in this case could limit climate policies across multiple agencies.
Self-Immolation for the Climate
On Earth Day April 22 this year Wynn Bruce, a Buddhist, and environmentalist, set himself on fire on the steps of the Supreme Court to protest inaction on climate change. Brother Phap Dung, a Buddhist Dharma Teacher, talks about the urgent message behind this extreme action and how to find hope and purpose in the face of the climate emergency.
Mass Shooting and Eco-Fascism
The white suspect of the recent mass murder of Blacks in Buffalo is a self-proclaimed eco-fascist whose 180-page manifesto echoed the same kinds of racist ideas that have been espoused by eugenicists, Hitler, and the Nazis. Professor Betsy Hartmann of Hampshire College explains how eco-fascism relates to white supremacy and calls for the environmental movement to delegitimize the eco-fascist movement’s use of violence and racist ideology.
This Week’s Show
May 20, 2022
listen / download
Climate Risk From ‘Zombie’ Rules
listen / download
The 6-3 conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court is apparently poised to constrain climate action by the Environmental Protection Agency in a decision expected before the end of the SCOTUS term in June. The case, West Virginia v. EPA, involves the Obama Clean Power Plan regulations even though those rules no longer exist, and EPA is replacing them. Harvard Law Professor Richard Lazarus explains how a loss for EPA in this case could limit climate policies across multiple agencies.
Self-Immolation for the Climate
listen / download
On Earth Day April 22 this year Wynn Bruce, a Buddhist, and environmentalist, set himself on fire on the steps of the Supreme Court to protest inaction on climate change. Brother Phap Dung, a Buddhist Dharma Teacher, talks about the urgent message behind this extreme action and how to find hope and purpose in the face of the climate emergency.
Beyond the Headlines
listen / download
On this week's trip beyond the headlines Environmental Health News Weekend Editor Peter Dykstra and Steve Curwood discuss the Biden Administration’s cancellation of three oil and gas lease sales, a bill passed by the New York State legislation looking to limit the construction of industrial facilities near communities already burdened with pollution, and a look back to 1969 when folk singer Pete Seeger christened the Hudson River sloop Clearwater.
Mass Shooting and Eco-Fascism
listen / download
The white suspect of the recent mass murder of Blacks in Buffalo is a self-proclaimed eco-fascist whose 180-page manifesto echoed the same kinds of racist ideas that have been espoused by eugenicists, Hitler, and the Nazis. Professor Betsy Hartmann of Hampshire College explains how eco-fascism relates to white supremacy and calls for the environmental movement to delegitimize the eco-fascist movement’s use of violence and racist ideology.
Beautiful Mountain Bluebird
listen / download
Springtime means migratory birds have returned to the North and are preparing to nest and raise their chicks. Our Explorer-In-Residence Mark Seth Lender shares his observations of Canada's mountain bluebirds in the spring.
Special Features
Field Note: The Impala Imperative
Living on Earth's Explorer-in-Residence Mark Seth Lender provides additional insight on how impala markings help confound predators and buy the antelope crucial extra time to escape.
Blog Series: Mark Seth Lender Field Notes
Field Note: “To Fly, To Live:” Osprey of Long Island Sound
Living on Earth's Explorer-in-Residence Mark Seth Lender shares a reflection on how the availability of prey shapes the lives of young ospreys.
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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