The Planet Today

The Planet Today

di Matt Norden and Nick Gennusa

Climate Change and Wildfires, Colombia’s new President’s promise to protect the Amazon, & more!

Matt and Nick talk about Beam Suntory’s sustainability goals (Beam Suntory's $1 Billion Mission Toward Sustainable and Socially-Conscious Spirits (c3newsmag.com)) Climate change intensifying droughts and making wildfires worse (How climate change is making fires worse | The Hill), A probe launched to determine the cause of turtles and dolphins found dead off Guatemala's Pacific Coast (Dozens of turtles, dolphins found dead in Guatemala, probe launched (france24.com)), Less energy is currently being used to mine for bitcoin as the price of the cryptocurrency declines (The bitcoin price crash is good for the climate — Quartz (qz.com)), Colombia’s new president’s pledge to protect the Amazon and what this means without a similar pledge from Brazil (New Colombian president pledges to protect rainforest | AP News)!

Salt Lake City’s dust problem

Matt and Nick talk about the Dust Bowl, and how unsustainable agriculture, the Great Depression, and population growth led to this phenomenon in the Midwest. After the break, they discuss how something similar is currently happening in Salt Lake City, Utah. The reasons may be different, but the current situation also poses a serious threat to public health and the local environment.. Sources for today’s episode: Dust Bowl - Wikipedia Dust Bowl: Cause & Impact On Great Depression - HISTORY The Impact of the Dust Bowl on the Environment (thoughtco.com) As the Great Salt Lake Dries Up, Utah Faces An ‘Environmental Nuclear Bomb’ - The New York Times (nytimes.com) As Great Salt Lake dries up Utah will face toxic dust clouds (msn.com) Salt Lake City currently has the worst air quality in the U.S. - TownLift, Park City News

Landfills as Solar Farms, Environmental Groups v. the Biden Administration, & more!

Matt and Nick talk about repurposing landfills in the US as solar farms (U.S. Landfills Are Getting a Second Life as Solar Farms | Time), A thermal power plant in France and its carbon impact (Largest thermal power plant in France prevents as much CO2 as 1000 cars emit - Innovation Origins), A bill to conserve endangered species passing 231-190 in the House of Representatives last week (U.S. House passes a major wildlife conservation spending bill : NPR), Environmentalists suing the Biden administration over oil and gas drilling permits (Environmental groups sue Biden to block oil and gas drilling permits (cnbc.com)), And a heat dome creating very hot temperatures across the United States (Massive heat dome to bring extra-hot weather to nearly every state | The Hill)!

Guest Interview: Nick Schalitz (Natural Resources Conservation Service)

Matt interviews Nick Schalitz, a Zone Engineer for the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Nick’s team covers 52 counties in North-Central Texas. The NRCS is within the United States Department of Agriculture and works with farmers and ranchers to provide the technical expertise needed to improve conservation efforts on their land. Learn more about the U.S. Department of Agriculture here: USDA and you can learn more about the Natural Resources Conservation Service here: Home | NRCS (usda.gov)

Flooding in Yellowstone National Park, The UK’s ivory trade ban, & more!

Matt and Nick talk about climate activists concern about FIFA’s claim that this year’s World Cup will be carbon neutral (Why climate activists aren't buying the FIFA World Cup's 'green' claims - CNN), Flooding in Yellowstone National Park (Yellowstone Park, Staggered by Rain and Floods, Will Stay Closed for Days - The New York Times (nytimes.com)), Climate change’s impact on well water (Climate-driven flooding poses well water contamination risks | AP News), The United Kingdom’s ivory trade ban is official (Victory! The Ivory Trade Ban Is Finally Put Into Effect In The UK After Long-Fought Campaign To Protect Endangered Elephants - World Animal News), And wind energy’s impact on local economies (Windfarms raise incomes and house prices in rural US, study finds - Carbon Brief)!

Australia's new PM, a history of climate skepticism, and the Rupert Murdoch Problem!

Matt and Nick first talk about Australia’s new Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. He is from the center-left Labor Party and wants Australia to become a “renewable energy superpower”. Climate change was a key concern of voters, according to the BBC. Australia has a history of climate denial in their politicians similar to that of the United States, so they guys discuss Australia’s history and talk about climate skepticism around the world. Finally, they get into one thing that climate skeptics in both Australia and the United States share: a Rupert Murdoch problem. Sources for today’s episode: Australia election: Anthony Albanese signals climate policy change - BBC News Australian PM signals stronger ties with Indonesia on security, climate | Reuters Australia has a problem with climate change denial. The message just isn't getting through | Greg Jericho | The Guardian Is it the end of Australia's climate change wars? | Climate News | Sky News Which country has the most climate skeptics? | World Economic Forum (weforum.org) Will Rupert Murdoch’s Australia Climate Rebrand Reach America? | Vanity Fair Rupert Murdoch doesn't understand climate change basics, and that's a problem | Climate science scepticism and denial | The Guardian

Wetlands vs. our changing climate, the USPS potentially increasing its electric truck fleet, & more!

Nick is back in the studio for his first episode since May 20! Matt and Nick talk about the results of No Mow May in the UK (‘It looks beautiful’: UK gardeners on leaving lawns uncut for No Mow May | Gardens | The Guardian), The Rio Grande River drying up and its impact on local communities (The Vanishing Rio Grande: Warming Takes a Toll on a Legendary River - Yale E360), The USPS is reconsidering its decision to not buy many EVs (US Postal Service signals it will order more electric trucks | The Hill), And wetlands - another important puzzle piece in fighting climate change (Planting Wetlands Could Help Stave Off Climate Catastrophe - Eos)!

Monday Minisode: The European Union’s Russian Oil Embargo!

Matt talks about the European Union’s decision to ban importing Russian crude oil by sea and what this means for the continent’s energy portfolio. Analysts say that this will hurt the Russian economy in the long-term, but the move will also impact European energy residential and commercial energy prices. Matt breaks this down and then gets into what this means for Europe’s renewable energy transition. Sources for today’s episode: E.U. reaches agreement on a Russian oil import ban. - The New York Times (nytimes.com) An Embargo Will Bruise Russia’s Oil Industry - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

An ancient forest in China, a major heatwave in India and Pakistan, & more!

Matt is joined by recurring guest co-host CJ Bonifati to talk about an ancient forest in a giant Chinese sinkhole (A giant sinkhole in China has an ancient forest growing inside : NPR), Farmers in Nigeria vs. oil giant Shell (Shell escaped liability for oil spills in Nigeria for years. Then four farmers took them to court -- and won - CNN), President Jimmy Carter vs. a proposed road through a wildlife refuge in Alaska (Jimmy Carter Steps Into Fight Over Proposed Road in Alaska - The New York Times (nytimes.com)), A major heat wave in India and Pakistan this spring could provide a look at their futures (Climate Change Made India, Pakistan Heat Wave More Likely | Time), And The Global Warming Policy Foundation - a climate denial group pretending to be a charity while lobbying for the fossil fuel industry (Climate Denial Group Is Masquerading as a Charity, Critics Say – Mother Jones)!

Monday Minisode: “Carbon Bombs” and Fossil Fuels vs. Public Health!

Matt talks about one story detailing massive oil and gas projects that could derail climate progress entirely and another story explaining one more reason to divest from fossil fuels. An investigation by Damian Carrington and Matthew Taylor of The Guardian found that “Oil and gas majors are planning scores of vast projects that threaten to shatter the 1.5C climate goal. If governments do not act, these firms will continue to cash in as the world burns.” The projects would basically bet against humanity slowing global warming and are investments in the event that we fail. Carbon bomb projects will only hit if we do not rapidly slash carbon emissions. We know the environmental harm of using fossil fuels, but researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison used data from the Environmental Protection Agency to estimate that roughly 50,000 premature deaths could be prevented by decreasing the air pollutants created by burning fossil fuels. Sources for today’s episode: Revealed: the ‘carbon bombs’ set to trigger catastrophic climate breakdown | Fossil fuels | The Guardian Report: 'Carbon Bombs' Are Poised to Screw Us Over Big Time (gizmodo.com) Climate chaos certain if oil and gas mega-projects go ahead, warns IEA chief | Environment | The Guardian Cutting fossil fuel air pollution saves lives : NPR

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