The Planet Today

The Planet Today

by Matt Norden and Nick Gennusa
NewsNature

TPT150! President Biden’s first veto, DDT found off the Los Angeles coast, & more!  

Matt and Nick talk about President Biden’s veto and its impact on ESG funds (Biden used first veto to save a 401(k) investment rule. Here's what it does (msn.com)), Pure DDT found off the coast of Los Angeles (Scientists uncover startling concentrations of pure DDT along seafloor off L.A. coast (yahoo.com)), UK lawyers say they won’t prosecute peaceful climate protestors (Top lawyers defy bar to declare they will not prosecute peaceful climate protesters | Environmental activism | The Guardian), A giant seaweed blob moving towards Florida (A 5,000-mile seaweed belt is headed toward Florida - ABC News (go.com)), And a California water update after this year’s wet winter (A Very Wet Winter Has Eased California’s Drought, but Water Woes Remain - The New York Times (nytimes.com))! Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
E150
Mar 31, 2023
29:24

The EPA cracks down on PFAS, Earth will likely reach a critical climate threshold, & more!  

Matt and Nick talk about the EPA’s move to limit PFAS in drinking water for the first time ever (EPA To Limit PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' in Drinking Water | Time),Earth projected to reach a critical climate threshold within the next decade unless immediate action taken (World on 'thin ice' as UN climate report gives stark warning | AP News),The Green Climate Fund approving financing for Herencia Colombia (https://www.worldwildlife.org/press-releases/green-climate-fund-approves-financing-for-herencia-colombia),A tick-borne illness on the rise as temperatures warm (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/16/health/babesiosis-tick-disease-northeast.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimesscience),Earlier and longer annual allergy seasons (Allergy season is starting earlier and lasting longer. Here's how to manage the pollen onslaught | CNN),And Albania has established Europe’s first wild river national park (‘Historic moment’ for nature as Europe’s first wild river national park announced in Albania | Rivers | The Guardian)! Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
E149
Mar 24, 2023
31:51

Guest Interview: Dr. Ruth Backstrom (Igniting A Bold New Democracy)

Matt interviews Dr. Ruth Backstrom. Ruth is an accomplished author, speaker, and educator who is an expert in facilitation methods that foster deeper conversations. She is a trained coach in the Dynamic Facilitation technique, a method designed to help people address and solve impossible-seeming issues through collaboration. Her book, Igniting a Bold New Democracy: Empowering Citizens Through Game-Changing Reforms comes out on March 30 and offers a solution that has the potential to reform politics as we know it: by using proven facilitation tools to seed new and inspiring conversations with citizen groups to bring the majority together around a new vision. Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
E148
Mar 20, 2023
32:03

The Willow Project, a vaccine for honeybees, & more!   

Happy birthday to Nick! Matt and Nick talk about President Biden approving the Willow Project (Willow Project: Biden administration approves Alaska oil project - CNNPolitics), President Biden closing the Arctic to oil drilling after the Willow Project (Biden closes Arctic to oil — after Willow - E&E News (eenews.net)), A vaccine for bees (Vaccine could save billions of bees from deadly disease - BBC News), Iraq’s Prime Minister’s climate pledge (Iraqi PM promises action to tackle crippling climate change | AP News), And climate change causing Venice’s canals to run dry (Venice canals run dry as lingering weather system mires tides, and Alps snow shortage fuels concerns for Italy's summer - CBS News)! Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
E147
Mar 17, 2023
29:14

The UN Ocean Biodiversity Treaty, Antarctic Sea ice reaches record-low, & more!   

Matt and Nick talk about the UN treaty to protect the high seas (Nations reach accord to protect marine life on high seas | AP News), The environmental harm caused by Boreal forest fires (Record-Breaking Boreal Fires May Be a Climate 'Time Bomb' - Scientific American, Big Oil’s weak attempts at net-zero emissions are not working so far (Big Oil gets failing grade on credible net-zero promises | Canada's National Observer: News & Analysis), Antarctic sea ice reaching record lows (‘Everyone should be concerned’: Antarctic sea ice reaches lowest levels ever recorded | Antarctica | The Guardian), And a promising new report about wind energy and seabirds (New Study Finds Seabirds Avoid Offshore Wind Turbines (gcaptain.com))! Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
E146
Mar 10, 2023
27:12

Monday Mini-sode: REI vs. forever chemicals and wind energy vs. misinformation! 

Matt and Nick talk about REI’s move to phase out PFAS, a.k.a. forever chemicals, from the products they sell (KUOW - REI to stop selling clothes, cookware with 'forever chemicals') And whales washing up on the Atlantic Coast is fueling misinformation from opponents (Dead whales on east coast fuel misinformation about offshore wind development : NPR)! Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
E145
Mar 6, 2023
15:22

Amazon deforestation up in February, the early wildlife fallout from Norfolk Southern’s derailment, & more!   

Matt and Nick talk about Amazon deforestation setting a February record in Brazil (Worst-ever February rainforest data for Brazilian Amazon (phys.org)), Rio Verde Foothills, Arizona being cut off from its water supply (A suburb in Arizona lost its source of water. Residents warn: We're only the beginning | CBC News), The animal death toll due to Norfolk Southern’s train derailment in Ohio (Estimated animal death toll from Ohio train derailment tops 43,700 as time frame for environmental recovery remains uncertain, officials say - CBS News), U.S. corn-based ethanol is not actually environmentally friendly (U.S. corn-based ethanol worse for the climate than gasoline, study finds | Reuters), And a report on global methane emissions in 2022 (Methane emissions remained stubbornly high in 2022 even as soaring energy prices made actions to reduce them cheaper than ever - News - IEA)! Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
E144
Mar 3, 2023
32:00

David Malpass resigns from World Bank, a third earthquake hits Turkey and Syria, & more! 

We would encourage everyone who is financially able to donate to look into Doctors Without Borders or another charitable aid program assisting the survivors of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Matt and Nick talk about David Malpass resigning as head of the World Bank (Factbox: Who could replace World Bank President David Malpass? | Reuters/), Global fossil fuel subsidies reached $1 trillion in 2022 (Global Fossil Fuel Subsidies Reach All-Time High Of $1 Trillion In 2022, Up Two-Fold Against 2021 (cnbctv18.com)), Australia moves to protect Great Barrier Reef by blocking coal mine (Australia blocks coal mine to protect Great Barrier Reef - BBC News (ampproject.org)), A third earthquake hits Turkey and Syria (At least 3 dead and hundreds injured after a new earthquake hits the Syria-Turkey border (nbcnews.com)), And the five National Parks along the Lake Superior Shoreline will completely decarbonize buildings and vehicles within four years (National parks along Lake Superior to be first to fully decarbonize (ampproject.org))! Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
E143
Feb 24, 2023
27:57

Guest Interview: James Leitner (Mission Clean Water)

For the second time on TPT, Matt interviews James Leitner, the Founder and Executive Director of Mission Clean Water. Their first episode first interview aired on May 23, 2022. James recently returned from a trip to Uganda, where Mission Clean Water has installed clean water wells and engaged the local community to ensure continued success in clean water accessibility. Mission Clean Water aims to address a major issue with clean water projects in Africa: 60% of them fail within the first two years, according to the World Health Organization. MCW says this is because projects are implemented too quickly, and without proper consultation and coordination with local communities. Their focus on community involvement treats clean water as the beginning of the process, and not just a photo-op and plaque next to a well that will not function properly in a few years. Their team of technical and community teams maintain communication, training, and long-term involvement so that their wells will continue to provide clean water to arid regions that have been underserved for generations. Learn more at www.missioncleanwater.org and follow them on Instagram and Twitter @missioncleanh2o! Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Kitcaster with a special offer for friends of our show to become guests on other podcasts.
E142
Feb 20, 2023
27:25

Ohio’s train derailment and environmental disaster, Turkey and Syria’s earthquake, & more! 

Matt and Nick talk about the earthquake in Turkey and Syria and how climate change is causing more earthquakes (Climate change is triggering more earthquakes. Big Oil's interests are a factor (msn.com)), A train derailment in Ohio has led to hydrochloric acid raining onto people (Ohio train derailment: environmental disaster quietly unfolding (fastcompany.com)), Danish wind company Vestas can now recycle all wind turbine blades (A Danish wind turbine giant just discovered how to recycle all blades (electrek.co)), The price of electric vehicles could match gas powered cars as soon as this year (Electric Vehicles Could Match Gasoline Cars on Price This Year - The New York Times (nytimes.com)), And deforestation in Brazil is down in Lula’s first month (Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon falls in first month under Lula | Reuters)! Make sure to check out our sponsor for today’s episode at Vala Alta and use promo code “TPT” for 15% off.
E141
Feb 17, 2023
32:33
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