por Matt Norden and Nick Gennusa
Matt and Nick review the Netflix Documentary, Virunga! This week’s Quick Hits include super polluters (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01983-z), Toyota’s surprising aversion to electric vehicles, (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/25/climate/toyota-electric-hydrogen.html?campaign_id=54&emc=edit_clim_20210728&instance_id=36475&nl=climate-fwd%3A®i_id=161715083&segment_id=64671&te=1&user_id=7834930a540fb554ca376fafdce662ef), the Senate Infrastructure Bill’s impact on Nuclear Power (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-01/nuclear-power-could-get-lifeline-in-senate-infrastructure-bill?utm_source=twitter&utm_content=business&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_medium=social&cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business), a tidal-powered turbine off the coast of Scotland (https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-57991351), whiskey waste as a biofuel (https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4035153/drink-driving-glenfiddich-delivery-trucks-run-biogas-whisky-waste), and Olympic medals (https://www.ecowatch.com/amp/olympics-medals-recycled-smartphones-computers-2654414145)!
Matt and Nick interview Ryan Byrnes of Bartlett Tree Experts to talk about urban forestry, insect management, and tree protection! No Quick hits this week because Matt is away for vacation.
Matt and Nick take some time to answer questions from their listeners. Their Quick Hits of the week include Europe’s Climate Plan (https://www.npr.org/2021/07/14/1015984262/europe-has-an-ambitious-new-climate-plan-that-imagines-a-dramatic-cut-in-emissio), the flooding in Germany and Belgium (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/experts-fear-germany-deadly-floods-glimpse-into-climate-future), how climate change is impacting wine country (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/18/climate/napa-wine-heat-hot-weather.html), the Bootleg fire in Oregon (https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/how-bad-is-the-bootleg-fire-its-generating-its-own-weather/), and the birth of August and Noëlla’s wolf pups (https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/belgium-all-news/178203/wolves-august-and-noella-had-at-least-five-cubs/).
Matt and Nick talk about some of the long term effects of Fracking for this week’s Feature Story. Their Quick Hits of the week include California’s potential energy blackouts (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-11/a-wildfire-is-pushing-california-toward-the-brink-of-blackouts?cmpid=BBD071221_GREENDAILY&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=210712&utm_campaign=greendaily), football-sized goldfish (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/people-dumped-their-pets-into-lakes-officials-say-now-football-size-goldfish-are-taking-over/ar-AAM2q5b?ocid=BingNewsSearch), how mussels and clams have been impacted by the recent heat waves in the PNW (https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/10/weather/heat-sea-life-deaths-trnd-scn/index.html), how those heat waves impact salmon (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/09/climate/marine-heat-wave.html), Australian environmental groups request to the United Nations (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/13/australian-environment-groups-urge-un-to-put-great-barrier-reef-on-in-danger-list?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter), and some truly great news about the Giant Panda (https://www.npr.org/2021/07/09/1014593425/china-giant-pandas-endangered-vulnerable-iucn)! Additional sources for this week’s feature story include the following articles: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-14432401#:~:text=What%20is%20fracking%3F%20Fracking%20is%20the%20process%20of,flow%20out%20to%20the%20head%20of%20the%20well, https://seedscientific.com/fracking-statistics/#:~:text=Fracking%20Statistics%20in%20the%20U.S.%201%20Over%201.7,can%20cause%20the%20U.S.%20...%20More%20items...%20, and https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/12/climate/epa-pfas-fracking-forever-chemicals.html
Matt and Nick talk about the New York Times event “Netting Zero: De-constructing the Built Environment,” which Matt attended last Thursday. This week’s Quick Hits include the Gulf of Mexico fire (https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/03/mexico-pipeline-fire/), planting trees to boost rainfall in Europe (https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-57722879), a heat wave in Siberia (https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/arctic-circle-summer-global-warming-b1875285.html), and Covid-19 vaccines for animals (https://www-nytimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.nytimes.com/2021/07/02/science/zoo-animals-coronavirus-vaccine.amp.html). We mentioned in the episode that we would provide a link to the Goldman Sachs 1 million Black Women Initiative, which can be found 6: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/savingandinvesting/goldman-sachs-announces-dollar10-billion-one-million-black-women-initiative/ar-BB1esozm#:~:text=The%20new%20initiative%2C%20%E2%80%9COne%20Million%20Black%20Women%2C%E2%80%9D%20was,health%2C%20the%20investment%20bank%20said%20in%20a%20statement
We broke our 60 minutes or less rule (by 2 minutes), but that's okay. Matt and Nick talk about their Quick Hits of the week, including a TED Talk about EcoAnxiety (https://www.ted.com/talks/clover_hogan_what_to_do_when_climate_change_feels_unstoppable), the heat wave in the Pacific Northwest (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/06/29/upshot/portland-seattle-vancouver-weather.html?referringSource=articleShare), Florida's fossil-fuel promoting bill (https://gizmodo.com/ron-desantis-signs-a-bill-that-mandates-cities-keep-usi-1847176182), and Trillion Trees' June 2021 update (https://trilliontrees.org/highlight/trillion-trees-forest-update-june-2021-0). After, they do a deep dive into National Geographic's Before The Flood (2016).
We finally made the change to the podcast that no one requested - a cold open! Then, Matt and Nick are joined by Dan Walsh to break down their Quick Hits of the week, including National Parks dealing with overcrowding (www.wsj.com/amp/articles/national-parks-are-overcrowded-and-closing-their-gates-11623582002), a cool story about salmon (www.nrdc.org/experts/giulia-cs-good-stefani/salmon-natural-climate-solution?utm_source=tw&utm_medium=tweet&utm_campaign=WildlifeWE), the drought in the United States (www.cnn.com/2021/06/19/politics/what-matters-climate-change-western-drought/index.html), and a court ruling in Belgium about climate change action (www.ecowatch.com/belgium-court-climate-crisis-human-rights-2653450597.html). After, their Feature Conversation of the week is about the environmentalism of textiles, the fashion industry, and fast fashion.
Matt and Nick break down their Quick Hits, which include the internet's carbon footprint, the G7 not scaling back coal, renewable energy in Texas, and a global environmental crime tracker! After, Matt interviews Giselle Herrera (a Program Manager at Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability & Equity) to talk about wildlife conservation, their time spent working together at the Bronx Zoo, biology, ecology, and more! Links to the quick hits: https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2021/06/how-to-cut-the-internets-big-carbon-footprint https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/13/us/politics/G7-climate-Biden.html https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-06-09/texas-renewables-defy-gop-backlash-with-20-billion-in-projects?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_content=climate&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&cmpid=socialflow-twitter-climate https://eia-international.org/global-environmental-crime-tracker/
First, Nick and Matt discuss their Quick Hits of the week: Exxon's newest board members and how Exxon knew about climate change earlier than they led on (ExxonMobil: A third climate activist from Engine No. 1 is expected to be elected to the board - CNN) (Exxon Knew about Climate Change Almost 40 Years Ago - Scientific American) The chemical spill off the coast of Sri Lanka (Data recorder recovered as chemical laden ship slowly sinks off Sri Lanka (nbcnews.com) Wealthy nations funding gas projects in developing nations (Wealthy nations breaking climate pledge with gas dash in global south | Gas | The Guardian) The bubble beam (A 'Bubble Barrier' is trapping plastic waste before it can get into the sea - CNN) The Keystone XL Pipeline (Developer officially cancels Keystone XL pipeline project blocked by Biden | Reuters) After, Matt is joined by CJ Bonifati to talk about cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and their environmental impact.
Matt and Nick talk about a few current events of the last week before diving into a featured discussion about National Parks in the United States, including its newest one. Topics include arctic drilling, clean energy tax credits, manatees, heat-related deaths, solar canopies, and a Kenyan wildlife study.