Living on Earth

Jane Goodall is on a mission to protect habitat worldwide by empowering local communities to develop sustainably. And it all started when she was just ten years old and dreamed of studying wild animals in Africa.Also, a massive new oil drilling project in the Arctic just got the green light from President Biden despite his promises for no new drilling on federal lands.And the Congo Basin in Central Africa is a critical biodiversity hotspot and linchpin in the fight against climate disruption. But will the world make good on its promise to protect biodiversity in the Congo and around the world?--You’re invited to the next Living on Earth Book Club event! We’ll talk with “The Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Migration” author Jake Bittle on March 23rd at 3 p.m. Eastern. Learn more and sign up at loe.org/events!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A study finds the decline of pollinators is contributing to an estimated half a million deaths a year worldwide. That’s because yields of nutritious foods that keep us healthy, like most fruits, vegetables, and nuts, are falling as the pollinators they depend on disappear.Also, what’s the worth of a whale, or a tree, or a wetland? The White House wants to know and has announced moves to start officially accounting for natural capital, the economic value of services provided by nature, when making economic decisions.And Indonesia has one of the world’s largest tropical forests and touts itself as a global leader in conservation. But outside researchers say the government is blocking data to assess conservation progress and local scientists fear reprisals if they publish data that doesn’t fit the government’s optimistic narrative.--You’re invited to the next Living on Earth Book Club event! We’ll talk with “The Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Migration” author Jake Bittle on March 23rd at 3 p.m. Eastern. Learn more and sign up at loe.org/events! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The train derailment in Ohio last month led to a controlled release and burn of vinyl chloride, which can produce dioxin. Locals are concerned that the soot that fell on their homes in the wake of the disaster may contain this potent neurotoxin.Also, carbon capture and storage involves a network of pipelines that transport carbon dioxide from source to sink so that it can’t warm the planet. But these pipelines carry high-pressure CO2 that can be dangerous, even lethal. And showy traits like dark pigmentation on a dragonfly’s wings or a lion’s big, dark mane play a key role in how some animals choose a mate. New research suggests that climate change is making some classically attractive traits more difficult to pull off. --Thanks to our sponsor, Four Sigmatic:Don’t miss our special offer to get 30% off your monthly order of premium organic coffee blended with superfood mushrooms. Visit go.foursigmatic.com/earth and use code EARTH at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eleven of the 38 train cars that came off the tracks in East Palestine, Ohio contained hazardous materials including the carcinogen vinyl chloride. Crews intentionally released and burned vinyl chloride to avoid a potential explosion, and residents have lingering concerns about the long-term effects of the chemicals in their community.Also, Safety Data Sheets are supposed to provide key information about the risks of workplace chemicals but they often downplay the risks of known carcinogens.And the burial of a nine-year-old enslaved girl on a plantation in Louisiana may halt construction of a new petrochemical plant on that land in the state’s “Cancer Alley.” Many descendants of enslaved people in the region already live with health problems from exposure to industry and are looking to their ancestors to stop further expansion.--You’re invited! Join us for our next free, online Living on Earth Book Club event: KOALA: A Natural History and an Uncertain Future on March 2nd. Sign up at loe.org/events. Thanks to our sponsor, Four Sigmatic:Don’t miss our special offer to get 30% off your monthly order of premium organic coffee blended with superfood mushrooms. Visit go.foursigmatic.com/earth and use code EARTH at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A debate over the controversial Willow Oil Project in Alaska, concerns around PFAS chemicals in freshwater fish, and the health risks of toxic black hair products are discussed. The podcast also touches on environmental impacts, the Biden administration's considerations, and upcoming events like the Living on Earth Book Club focusing on koalas.

Some scientists predict that without emergency conservation measures, Great Salt Lake will dry up completely in the next five years, devastating migratory bird populations and creating a public health crisis linked to toxic dust in the lakebed.Also, the bipartisan infrastructure law signed by President Biden in 2021 allots $5 billion over five years for low-income communities to replace diesel school buses with clean electric ones. But an unintended consequence of the measure’s terms prevents some of the neediest communities from benefiting from the program.And George Washington Carver was born into slavery but went on to become a famous agronomist and helped poor people in the South improve their lives and soils by planting peanuts and other legumes. This week, he comes back from the past in the form of actor and playwright Paxton Williams to talk about intersections between racial dynamics and agricultural development.--Announcing our next Living on Earth Book Club event! KOALA: A Natural History and an Uncertain Future on March 2nd. Sign up for this free, virtual event at loe.org/events.Thanks to our sponsor, Four Sigmatic:Don’t miss our special offer to get 30% off your monthly order of premium organic coffee blended with superfood mushrooms. Visit go.foursigmatic.com/earth and use code EARTH at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The births of at least 11 North Atlantic Right Whales this season is a bright spot for a species on the brink of extinction. And safer lobstering gear is being designed to prevent human-caused whale deaths.Also, despite inflation automakers including Tesla, Ford and General Motors are now in a price war for electric vehicles. The lowered stickers also bring some models under the $55,000 price cap required to qualify for federal tax credits.And examining the dark history of the nutmeg trade reveals the origins of our current climate crisis in the violent extractive economies pioneered by colonial powers centuries ago.--Get a sneak peek at every episode by signing up for our newsletter at loe.org/newsletter.Thanks to our sponsor, Four Sigmatic:Don’t miss our special offer to get 30% off your order of premium organic coffee blended with superfood mushrooms. Visit go.foursigmatic.com/earth and use code EARTH at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Municipalities in Puerto Rico sue the biggest fossil fuel companies for damages from category 5 Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The cities and towns allege the fossil fuel companies knew their products would change the climate and intensify storms and colluded to lie about it to the public.And following the devastation of Hurricane Maria many communities in Puerto Rico were isolated for months so they looked to each other for solace and sustenance.Also, Coquí frogs were heavily affected by Hurricane Maria, but within months of the storm, they could once again be heard making their iconic calls across the island.--Thanks to our sponsor, Four Sigmatic:Don’t miss our special offer to get 30% off your order of premium organic coffee blended with superfood mushrooms. Visit go.foursigmatic.com/earth and use code EARTH at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Activists are outraged by the United Arab Emirates’ decision to appoint a high-ranking oil executive to lead the 2023 UN climate treaty negotiations in Dubai. It’s the latest example of how fossil fuel interests are deflecting progress in the treaty process. Also, some Florida sugarcane growers near the Everglades still burn their fields to make harvesting easier, and people of color downwind claim adverse health effects from the smoke and ash. And in addition to the devastating human toll of Russia’s war on Ukraine, marine scientists have documented recent mass strandings of dolphins and porpoises in the Black Sea. A key suspect is military sonar, which can disorient cetaceans that use sound to navigate.--Thanks to our sponsor, Four Sigmatic:Don’t miss our special offer to get 30% off your order of premium organic coffee blended with superfood mushrooms. Visit go.foursigmatic.com/earth and use code EARTH at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pink snow, also known as “watermelon snow” or “glacier blood,” is the result of a late summer bloom of pink colored algae that flourish in melting snow. And although snow algae are still very understudied, scientists are worried that darker snow will absorb more of the sun’s heat than white snow and cause the snowpack to melt more quickly, amplifying climate change.Also, weather records are routinely being shattered across the United States, with recent severe rainstorms in California, freezing temperatures in Texas, and a warm January thaw for the northeast. A climate scientist explains why a climate change-disrupted jet stream is behind much of this extreme weather.And in Texas, the wild weather delivered an unusual cold snap that some wildlife just couldn’t deal with. So local wildlife rehabilitators sprang into action to save around 1600 tiny Mexican free-tailed bats from hypothermic shock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices