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Animalia

By Animalia

At Animalia we aim to share important stories and information related to protecting this planet and positively impacting the public discussion around climate, biodiversity, and the natural world.
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Episode 3 of 4 - The American War on Wolves: Recovery & Reintroduction

Animalia Jul 27, 2021

00:00
01:21:34
S3:E8 - 53 Miles of Maine, Episode 5 of 5 - Bringing Two Sides Together

S3:E8 - 53 Miles of Maine, Episode 5 of 5 - Bringing Two Sides Together

Welcome to the 5th and final episode of our series, 53 Miles of Maine, covering a very controversial transmission line to run through Maine carrying hydropower electricity from Canada into the New England grid that was approved by state and federal regulators but stalled by a pubic referendum.

Throughout this series, we have covered several different larger themes from this story that are playing out all over the country as it relates to our clean energy transition.  We encourage everyone to check those out if you haven't already.  

In this 5th and final episode, we have a special conversation I moderated between someone from each side of the debate over this project.  Sandra Howard and Anthony Moffa, who stand against and for the project respectively, agreed to sit down together to discuss these larger themes after hearing the first 4 episodes.  It is a rarity these days that we get people on opposite sides of any polarizing and emotional issue to sit down and talk, so I'm so grateful to both Sandra and Anthony for taking the time.

Our hope is that this can serve as a reminder that discussion and discord are so valuable in finding our way through this incredibly complex but equally critical transition off of fossil fuels in the years and decades ahead.  

Sep 02, 202254:37
S3:E7 - 53 Miles of Maine, Ep 4 of 5

S3:E7 - 53 Miles of Maine, Ep 4 of 5

Today in Episode 4 of 53 Miles of Maine, we dive into the role competitive energy companies, such as NextEra, played in supporting the opposition efforts to the New England Clean Energy Connect.

In doing so we’ll breakdown the playbook pioneered by fossil fuel giant Koch Industries that is being used by big energy companies all over the country to stall or support opposition to projects that are not their own.

Whether or not that applied here in Maine and if so, how influential it was in the ultimate outcome is a subject for much debate and discussion. Supporters of the NECEC believe it played a significant role, while the frontline of the opposition cite that they only needed the funding from competitive energy companies in order to keep up with the marketing spend of Hydro Quebec and the NECEC.

All that and more today in Episode 4.

As a recap for the series so far:

  • Episode 1: Overview and timeline for the NECEC and how and why it got shut down in Maine
  • Episode 2: The growing conflict between renewable energy advocates and environmental conservationists
  • Episode 3: How and why our renewable energy transition will be decided at the Local level
  • Episode 4: The tools big energy companies use to shut down competitive renewable projects and if that applied in Maine
  • Episode 5: Final Recap, Coming Soon
Aug 02, 202255:25
S3:E6 - 53 MILES IN MAINE, Part 3 of 5

S3:E6 - 53 MILES IN MAINE, Part 3 of 5

Welcome back to 53 Miles in Maine, our 5-part series covering a controversial clean energy project that got shut down by a pubic referendum in Maine in November 2021 and is now being decided in the courts.

In this series, we are looking into what happened in Maine as a lens into 3 broader themes impacting our much needed transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy when it comes to our electricity grid.

  • In Episode 1, we provided a detailed timeline of what took place in Maine
  • In Episode 2, we discussed why Environmental Activists & Clean Energy Advocates are increasingly at odds with these projects
  • And now here, in Episode 3, we are discussing why and how these big Clean Energy Projects are shifting from a solely Regulatory review process to a hybrid of a Regulatory + Public Review and how that played out here in Maine

In Episode 4, coming next, we will tackle our 3rd and final theme, the playbook big energy companies are using to stall and block clean energy projects that are not their own

The regulator system designed to govern these types of projects was not really built for the variety and volume we are seeing now as we shift of fossil fuels, let alone the new world order we are in where everything also needs to go through the court of public opinion. In the case of the New England Clean Energy Connect in Maine, they checked all of the regulatory boxes but were unable to convince the public.

This is especially important for renewable energy and the infrastructure needed to support it because so many of these projects will live and die at the hands of local support.

There are a lot of lessons learned here and we aim to bring this out to the forefront.

Here are a few documents and studies that are referenced or in support of the conversations in this episode:

Jun 30, 202253:39
S3:E5 - 53 MILES IN MAINE, Part 2 of 5

S3:E5 - 53 MILES IN MAINE, Part 2 of 5

Jun 15, 202201:16:30
S3:E4 - 53 MILES IN MAINE, Part 1 of 5

S3:E4 - 53 MILES IN MAINE, Part 1 of 5

Welcome to Part 1 of our 5-part series covering a very controversial renewable energy project that got shut down in a public referendum in Maine despite previously getting approval from state and federal regulators.

While this energy was being purchased by the state of Massachusetts and generated by a hydropower company in Canada, it would require transmitting the energy through the state of Maine and thus in order to build out that transmission it needed Maine’s approval to move forward.

Supporters of this project call it the New England Clean Energy Connect. Opposition groups call it the CMP Corridor. Just the difference in naming alone tells you a lot about their respective viewpoints.

You’re going to hear throughout this series from folks on both sides of this particular initiative. But the reason we are covering it here at Animalia is not because we are taking our own stance on whether or not this project should move forward - we purposely leave that a bit open ended and we shall see how it plays out in the courts - but rather to use it as a lens into 3 larger issues playing out across the country as we grabble with figuring out how to shift from fossil fuel power generation to renewable generation.

In Episodes 2-4, we will cover each of those in detail.

  • In Episode 2, we will dive into the battle brewing between Environmental Activists & Clean Energy Advocates.  All forms of energy, including renewables, have environmental trade-offs.  Evaluating where and when they are worth taking is increasingly becoming complex and divisive, creating tension between environmental activists and clean energy advocates, despite both camps wanting to get off fossil fuels and save this planet.  
  • In Episode 3, we will explore why the most critical decisions ahead in our transition off of fossil fuels are very much happening at the local level because of the land use and infrastructure needed for scaling renewable power generation.  We can no longer just rely on regulatory approval, and need to increasingly engage the public and get their buy in sooner than later.
  • In Episode 4, we will look at how big energy companies around the country are using social media, marketing, and propaganda to stall clean energy projects.  In all cases this is to protect their own business interests, be it fossil fuels or their own renewables.  In the case of this project in Maine, there were big energy companies on both sides with renewable and fossil fuels interests when you roll things up to parent company levels.  How and why did 3 big energy companies seemingly not involved get involved and support the opposition to help build the public pushback?

Then in Episode 5 we will do a recap with key takeaways.

Here are some reference materials to read up further on this story. Feel free to reach out with any quesitons!

  • Documentation of the State level regulatory hearing
  • Documentation of the Federal level regulatory hearing
  • Article questioning claims of those behind the project
  • Live radio debate between the NRCM and the NECEC
  • Some info on Northern Pass project that preceded this one
May 28, 202253:28
S2:E3 - WHY OUR WESTERN COLONIAL MODEL OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION MUST BE CHANGED

S2:E3 - WHY OUR WESTERN COLONIAL MODEL OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION MUST BE CHANGED

The Northern Rangelands Trust, or NRT, is one of the largest conservation organizations in the world, setting up community conservations across nearly 10% of Kenya.

Last year, they were called out in a scathing report from the Oakland Institute called Stealth Game, which put forth many allegations of wrongful behavior within the NRT, an organization backed by several household names such as The Nature Conservancy & The World Wildlife Fund.

While the NRT adamantly denies these allegations and is working on developing it’s own internal study, this report highlights a conversation we need to have about the Western Colonial model of wildlife conservation and why it needs to change if we are ever going to reach true climate justice.

What are those solutions and why are these allegations against the NRT so concerning? I sit down with Oakland Institute founder and executive director Anuradha Mittal in today’s episode.

SUPPORING CONTENT

Again I encourage you all to evaluate this story for yourselves. These allegations have been denied by the NRT. The Report provides many detailed examples but the NRT provides details of their own to counter them. Here are the relevant materials:

The Complete Stealth Game Report

Oakland & NRT Exchange

NRT Annual Report

Apr 12, 202258:60
S3:E2 - A CONVERSATION ABOUT ECO-ANXIETY

S3:E2 - A CONVERSATION ABOUT ECO-ANXIETY

If you care about this planet and are worried about where things are heading when it comes to global warming and biodiversity collapse, well, you're not alone. You've probably experienced some forms of climate anxiety or eco-anxiety because you care.

For some, this feeling of worry and concern can be so severe that it can disrupt your life.  Maybe you start to worry too much about the things you are buying, about loved ones not caring, or about the doomsday scenarios that lie ahead if we keep on this track. Or maybe you are already experiencing personally the damages from climate change perhaps due to a recent wildfire or flood or tropical storm.  Maybe you live in one of the areas in the world dealing with water shortages and poor water quality due to toxic runoffs and droughts.

Here at Animalia, we feel these forms of anxiety all the time.  It's normal and ok.  It means you care.  We just don't want those negative thoughts to consume you.

So today on Animalia, we sit down with Thomas Doherty, one of the leading eco-anxiety psychologists in the field today. Thomas operates a formal clinical practice out of Portland OR, but he is also co-host of a new podcast focused on the intersection of climate change and happiness that we'd highly recommend, called, well, Climate Change & Happiness

In this episode, we're going to help you better understand these feelings and identify some useful tips such as reframing to help you manage them. 

We also want to share a great online support group platform for Climate Anxiety Support called the Good Grief Network, another great resource for you all! 

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If you are not already a subscriber to our newsletter, please sign-up today! It's completely free and each week we will unpack a different topic in detail on the climate/biodiversity fronts as well as link out to a curated list of news articles for the week.  Straight to your inbox. An easy way to stay informed. Subscribe here.

Apr 05, 202258:54
S3:E1 - HOW WE CAN SAVE THE ARCTIC
Mar 17, 202257:27
S2:E36 - MY 3 REFLECTIONS ON 2021 IN OUR FIGHT TO SAVE THIS PLANET

S2:E36 - MY 3 REFLECTIONS ON 2021 IN OUR FIGHT TO SAVE THIS PLANET

The final episode of 2021 and the final episode of Season 2 here on Animalia.

To close things out, I’m going to share my thoughts on 3 different topics that I think are really important for everyone to understand:

  1. The 2 main things we need to do to save this planet
  2. Is “Greening” Your Life Important?
  3. The Intersection of Climate Justice, Biodiversity Collapse, and Social Justice

For the only time of the year, you get no experts. No politicians. No CEOs. No scientists. Just me, your host James. I hope you can tolerate being with me for 30 minutes, lol, because I think it will be worth it!

Thank you all so much for a great Season 2. Here’s to Season 3 coming March 1st 2022!

Dec 31, 202131:44
S2:E35 (Full Version) - WHY KELP FORESTS MAY HOLD THE KEY TO THE FUTURE OF OUR FOOD SUPPLY
Dec 18, 202101:00:28
S2:E35 (5-Minute Teaser) - WHY KELP FORESTS MAY HOLD THE KEY TO THE FUTURE OF OUR FOOD SUPPLY
Dec 18, 202106:55
S2:E34 - (5-Minute Teaser) WE CAN NOW BRING BACK EXTINCT SPECIES, BUT SHOULD WE?
Dec 11, 202108:29
S2:E34 - (Full Version) WE CAN NOW BRING BACK EXTINCT SPECIES, BUT SHOULD WE?

S2:E34 - (Full Version) WE CAN NOW BRING BACK EXTINCT SPECIES, BUT SHOULD WE?

Welcome to a very special episode of Animalia. Today we are talking about the merits, ethics, and potential outcomes good and bad with de-extinction.  Earlier this year, a company named Colossal announced $15M in funding to create a new hybrid wooly mammoth species with plans of reintroducing them to Siberia in hopes of reviving their grasslands.

Now that the dawn of de-extinction possibilities are upon us, we need to carefully consider how this could play out, and what the positive and negative impacts on our climate and biodiversity crises could be.

We have three incredible scientists joining us for this roundtable discussion:

This was a fascinating and enlightening discussion that you won't want to miss!  

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If you have not yet done so, please join our weekly newsletter. It's totally free and every Thursday we will send you 3 stories designed to be consumed in under 10 minutes that will make you a more informed advocate for this planet and addressing our climate and biodiversity crises.  Go to www.joinanimalia.com/newsletter.

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One short edit from Dave: In the podcast, he mentioned that humans have doubled the amount of reactive nitrogen on the planet, but he asked to correct this statement as such: that we've doubled the rate of input of reactive N on the planet (i.e., we now add as much reactive N as all natural sources combined). See Figs. 8.1 and 8.2 in Weathers et al. (eds). 2021. Fundamentals of Ecosystem Science. Academic Press.


Dec 11, 202101:04:59
S2:E33 (Full Version) - THE CRITICAL ROLE OF CLIMATE ACTIVISTS

S2:E33 (Full Version) - THE CRITICAL ROLE OF CLIMATE ACTIVISTS

Today we are bringing you a very special and valuable discussion with two incredible young climate activists:

  • Raeesah Nor Mohamed from South Africa
  • Hussein Ali Ghandour from Lebanon

Over the past few years, you've seen an uptick in protests, marches, and demonstrations from incredible people like Raeesah and Hussein from all over the world.  At COP26 in Glasgow, over 100,000 activists made their way outside the event to demonstrate and push for more decisive action from world leaders.

But have you had the chance to actually talk to them?  To understand what motivates them to give everything they have to this issue? To sacrifice so much?  To listen to their message?  To step into their shoes even for a moment?  Well today you do. Because Raeesah and Hussein have been kind enough to join us.

I encourage you to share this episode with friends and family so they too can hear the perspectives they probably don't often get to hear, especially from uniquely challenging places in the world such as South Africa & Lebanon.

And please go and follow and support them both online if you can!
Raeesah on Instagram is @pure.rae.of.sunshinee and on Twitter she is @raeesahnm
Hussein on Twitter is @ghandour567

Raeesah also wanted us to share a link to the Climate Justice Charter, so I encourage you all to check it out.

https://www.safsc.org.za/climate-justice-charter/

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From now through the end of the year, all the great merch at Animalia is 20% off.  All sustainably made with details in the product descriptions, as well as every item sharing between 20 and 65% of profits with non-profit partners fighting to protect life on this planet.  Go to shop.joinanimalia.com to get yours today!

Dec 01, 202101:13:27
S2:E32 (5-minute Summary)- USING BEER TO PUSH THE CLIMATE AGENDA FORWARD
Nov 23, 202107:54
S2:E32 (Full Version) - USING BEER TO PUSH THE CLIMATE AGENDA FORWARD

S2:E32 (Full Version) - USING BEER TO PUSH THE CLIMATE AGENDA FORWARD

Who knew beer could be one of our best levers in climate communications?  This week on Animalia, we sit down with Katie Wallace, New Belgium's Director of Social & Environmental Impact, to discuss some of their pioneering approaches to advancing climate action, including making a rather horrible future version of what beer may taste like if we continue to destroy this planet. You probably know New Belgium from their flagship craft beer, Fat Tire.  What you might not know is that the company was founded by a former social worker and all the way back in 1999, yes while we were all worried about Y2K, New Belgium was converting their electricity from fossil fuel sourced to wind. So taking action on environmental initiatives is nothing new for them. But seriously...the climate crisis beer....you'll have to hear the episode to find out more. 



If you have not yet done so, please join our weekly newsletter. It's totally free and every Thursday we will send you 3 stories designed to be consumed in under 10 minutes that will make you a more informed advocate for this planet and addressing our climate and biodiversity crises.  Go to www.joinanimalia.com/newsletter. 


Here are links to a couple of the references Katie made in our chat: https://www.amazon.com/Righteous-Mind-Divided-Politics-Religion/dp/0307455777 https://www.amazon.com/Social-Conquest-Earth-Edward-Wilson/dp/0871403633

Nov 23, 202150:57
S2:E31 (5-Minute Summary) BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE & AN ANTHROPOLOGIST WALK INTO A BAR...

S2:E31 (5-Minute Summary) BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE & AN ANTHROPOLOGIST WALK INTO A BAR...

This is the 5-minute(ish) summary version of our episode about the biodiversity crisis and it's links to climate justice with anthropologist Eduardo Brondizio.

Eduardo is a professor at Indiana University. He's also Co-Chair of the IPBES Global Assessment on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. An organization dedicated to the furthering of conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for long term human well being and ecosystem health.

If you are interested in this shortened summary version, please go ahead and check out the full episode!


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Speaking of biodiversity, we are launched a special edition collection of sustainably made hoodie and sweats (100% certified green cotton from Groceries Apparel) to help raise funds and awareness for Polymita snails. A snail endemic to Cuba that is under serious threat and with it, the Cuban forests.  Learn more about that project and the team in Cuba fighting to protect these snails here.

Nov 17, 202107:59
S2:E31 (Full Version) BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE & AN ANTHROPOLOGIST WALK INTO A BAR.....

S2:E31 (Full Version) BIODIVERSITY, CLIMATE & AN ANTHROPOLOGIST WALK INTO A BAR.....

We've long been exploring ways to help people understand the relationship between our climate and biodiversity crises.

Well, who better to do this than an Environmental Anthropologist?  After all, theses crises are results of human behavior and systems, and anthropology is the study of that those behaviors and systems.

Eduardo Brondizio is an anthropologist at Indiana University.  He's also Co-Chair of the IPBES Global Assessment on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. An organization dedicated to the furthering of conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for long term human well being and ecosystem health.

This episode should help clarify just how interlinked the issues of biodiversity, climate, and social justice are.  As well as why biodiversity has had a bit of a public communications challenge and how to address it.

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Speaking of biodiversity, we are launched a special edition collection of sustainably made hoodie and sweats (100% certified green cotton from Groceries Apparel) to help raise funds and awareness for Polymita snails. A snail endemic to Cuba that is under serious threat and with it, the Cuban forests.  Learn more about that project and the team in Cuba fighting to protect these snails here.

Nov 17, 202101:04:13
S2:E30 (5-Minute Summary) DECARBONIZING OUR ELECTRICITY GRID
Nov 10, 202106:00
S2:E30 - (Full Episode) DECARBONIZING OUR ELECTRICITY GRID
Nov 10, 202101:20:33
S2:E29 (5-Minute Summary) COME FALL IN LOVE WITH PARASITES
Nov 03, 202108:59
S2:E29 - (Full Episode) COME FALL IN LOVE WITH PARASITES
Nov 03, 202101:18:43
S2:E28 (5-minute Summary) BRINGING SEA WALLS TO LIFE

S2:E28 (5-minute Summary) BRINGING SEA WALLS TO LIFE

This is the very short, 5-minute (ish) summary of our full episode on Living Sea Walls, a really critical innovation that we are excited to profile!  Through this work, sea walls can protect both human habitats and marine habitats together.

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Big thanks to Dr. Katherine Dafforn and Dr. Mariana Mayer Pinto for from the Living Sea Walls team for joining us today. Please go and support their work. They are a non-profit relying on donations from advocates like you!  Check out their site here.

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A couple Animalia Announcements

  • Please go check out our Polymita hoodies and sweats.  They are made with 100% green, organic cotton and are being sold to raise support for the biology team in Cuba working so hard to save this species and the Cuban rainforest. Learn more about that project here.
  • If you haven't already, join our weekly newsletter.  Each week you'll get 3 stories you can read in under 10 minutes that will make you a more informed advocate for this planet!
Oct 19, 202106:34
S2:E28 (Full Episode) BRINGING SEA WALLS TO LIFE

S2:E28 (Full Episode) BRINGING SEA WALLS TO LIFE

One of my favorite novels of all-time is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.  The idea of breathing life into something that previously housed none is both exhilarating and fantastical.  Now in the case of Dr. Frankenstein, it did not work out all too well.  However in the case of sea walls, it seems it very much will!

Sea walls are everywhere across the world.  And they have been for a long time.  They are growing larger and more numerous and ambitious due to our warming oceans, rising sea levels, and increases in flooding and storm intensity. Over 40% of humans on earth live within 100km of a coast.

Traditional sea walls do a great job of protecting human habitats from waves, floods, and storms.  But they do a terrible job of doing the same for our marine habitats.  They disrupt ocean drift and cause coastal erosion, and that then disrupts critical coastal marine habitats that house many of the fish we eat, oxygenate our oceans, improve water quality, and sequester carbon.

An amazing team has come up a solution. A way to breathe life quite literally into sea walls so they can protect both humans and marine life at the same time.  Want to know how? That's today on Animalia!

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Big thanks to Dr. Katherine Dafforn and Dr. Mariana Mayer Pinto for from the Living Sea Walls team for joining us today. Please go and support their work. They are a non-profit relying on donations from advocates like you!  Check out there site here.

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A couple Animalia Announcements

  • Please go check out our Polymita hoodies and sweats.  They are made with 100% green, organic cotton and are being sold to raise support for the biology team in Cuba working so hard to save this species and the Cuban rainforest. Learn more about that project here.
  • If you haven't already, join our weekly newsletter.  Each week you'll get 3 stories you can read in under 10 minutes that will make you a more informed advocate for this planet!
Oct 19, 202149:43
S2:E27 - US WOLF STATUS GOING INTO DREADED 2021 HUNTING SEASON

S2:E27 - US WOLF STATUS GOING INTO DREADED 2021 HUNTING SEASON

This summer we released a 4-part series chronicling the war on wolves in the US from the mid 19th century through today.  If you haven't had a chance yet to listen to that series, here is a link to Episode 1.  

Either way, this week we are providing a short update on some of the recent developments as we head into the 2021 hunting season, particularly around the problematic states such as Wisconsin, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.  We'll check in again with another episode in 2022 covering where we stand coming out of this dreaded 2021 hunt.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE GO AND SIGN THE PETITIONS HERE TO GET WOLVES RE-LISTED UNDER FEDERAL PROTECTION. A BIG THANKS THE CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY FOR CONTINUING TO PUT SO MUCH INTO THESE EFFORTS.



Oct 13, 202131:59
S2:E26 - (5-Minute Summary) CAN WE REMOVE MORE CARBON THAN WE EMIT?

S2:E26 - (5-Minute Summary) CAN WE REMOVE MORE CARBON THAN WE EMIT?

This is the abbreviated, 5-minute summary version of our episode discussing Carbon Removal with Rory Jacobson from Carbon180.org.  If you find it interesting, please go check out the full episode :)

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Less than 2 weeks until our Live Retirement Party for the most famous rat in the world, Magawa. October 16th at Noon EST. That’s right, a rat! Not just any rat. A rat who has cleared more than 140,000 square meters of land mines in Africa. Join his team at APOPO to learn how they train rats to do this amazing work, as well as detecting tuberculosis! This 2-hour event will forever change your mind about rats. Tickets start at just a $5 donation to APOPO. You won’t want to miss it! Get yours today!

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Animalia - Follow us on social @experienceanimalia on IG & TikTok, @expanimalia on Twitter

  • Join our free weekly newsletter where we send you 3 stories you can read in 10 minutes that will make you a more informed advocate for this planet

Carbon180

  • Follow them on social @carbon180
  • Support their great work at Carbon180.org
Oct 05, 202107:04
S2:E26 - (Full Episode) CAN WE REMOVE MORE CARBON THAN WE EMIT?

S2:E26 - (Full Episode) CAN WE REMOVE MORE CARBON THAN WE EMIT?

Is it possible to pull enough carbon out of the air to meet our emissions goals? Today on Animalia, we are talking Carbon Removal. We delve into the current state of the technology, the difference between Carbon Capture vs. Carbon Removal, and why we need clear, ambitious targets for both lower our emissions and removing carbon already in the atmosphere.

Joining us is Rory Jacobson from Carbon180.org, an awesome NGO that is pioneering advancements in carbon removal and capture at both public and private levels to reach a goal where we are removing more carbon than we emit. We encourage you to follow them on social via the links below and if you can, make a donation to their valuable work.

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Less than 2 weeks until our Live Retirement Party for the most famous rat in the world, Magawa. October 16th at Noon EST. That’s right, a rat! Not just any rat. A rat who has cleared more than 140,000 square meters of land mines in Africa. Join his team at APOPO to learn how they train rats to do this amazing work, as well as detecting tuberculosis! This 2-hour event will forever change your mind about rats. Tickets start at just a $5 donation to APOPO. You won’t want to miss it! Get yours today!

—————————————————————

Animalia
- Follow us on social @experienceanimalia on IG & TikTok, @expanimalia on Twitter

  • Join our free weekly newsletter where we send you 3 stories you can read in 10 minutes that will make you a more informed advocate for this planet

Carbon180

  • Follow them on social @carbon180
Oct 05, 202150:46
S2:E25 (5-Minute Summary) - HOW SAVING SEA STARS CAN SAVE OUR FORESTS

S2:E25 (5-Minute Summary) - HOW SAVING SEA STARS CAN SAVE OUR FORESTS

This, is the 5-minute (ish) summary of our episode How Saving Sea Stars Can Save Our Forests.

A couple weeks ago our Animalia newsletter (subscribe here if you have not yet) we surfaced a story about the devastating 2013 sea star wasting disease that killed upwards of 90%+ of some sea star species up and down the Pacific Coast of North America, how this sea star collapse has led to severe declines in critical kelp forests, and how scientists are battling to successfully breed sea stars in captivity for the first time to restore them into the wild.    Well.....we tracked down the scientist leading that work, and he's joining us today on the pod!

If you enjoy this summary, please go and check out the full version.

And please go support the work of Jason and his team with a donation of any size to their Stars of the Sea Fundraiser that is providing the resources for this Herculean effort.  

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Please join us on October 16th for a very special, live retirement party for the world's most famous rat, Magawa, who has saved many lives in Africa! That's right, a retirement party for a rat!  Need we say more?  Details and tickets are here.

Sep 21, 202110:11
S2:E25 - (Full Episode) HOW SAVING SEA STARS CAN SAVE OUR FORESTS

S2:E25 - (Full Episode) HOW SAVING SEA STARS CAN SAVE OUR FORESTS

A couple weeks ago our Animalia newsletter (subscribe here if you have not yet) we surfaced a story about the devastating 2013 sea star wasting disease that killed upwards of 90%+ of some sea star species up and down the Pacific Coast of North America, how this sea star collapse has led to severe declines in critical kelp forests, and how scientists are battling to successfully breed sea stars in captivity for the first time to restore them into the wild.  

Well.....we tracked down the scientist leading that work, and he's joining us today on the pod! 

Jason Hodin is his name, a metamorphosis scientist at the University of Washington.  So what is a metamorphosis scientist doing saving sea stars?  Find out in this episode and much more about the incredible sea stars and their vital role in marine ecosystems.

And please go support the work of Jason and his team with a donation of any size to their Stars of the Sea Fundraiser that is providing the resources for this Herculean effort.

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Please join us on October 16th for a very special, live retirement party for the world's most famous rat, Magawa, who has saved many lives in Africa! That's right, a retirement party for a rat!  Need we say more?  Details and tickets are here.

Sep 21, 202148:58
S2:E24 - (5-Minute Summary) THE BAD ASS WOMAN FROM BAD RIVER

S2:E24 - (5-Minute Summary) THE BAD ASS WOMAN FROM BAD RIVER

This is the 5-minute(ish) version of our episode, The Bad Ass Woman from Bad River.  

We sit down with Philomena Kebec, a Native woman from the Bad River Band in Norther Wisconsin, to discuss some of the experiences and philosophies she has about the world today, the climate crisis, and our relationship with the natural world.

If you are interested in some of the excerpts here, I encourage you to go listen to the full episode and discussion. It's really powerful. Please share this discussion and stand up for the rights of Native people in this country.  

Sep 14, 202107:41
S2:E24 - THE BAD ASS WOMAN FROM BAD RIVER

S2:E24 - THE BAD ASS WOMAN FROM BAD RIVER

In the production of our series The American War on Wolves, I met a really amazing person named Philomena Kebec.

Philomena is a member of the Bad River Band, part of the larger Anishinaabe community in Northern Wisconsin. When we first spoke, she shared some really powerful insights on the climate crisis and philosophies about how we exist within the natural world.

There is so much we can learn from Native people. And so much we need to do to better serve them, protect their cultural heritage, and address a system of violence, oppression and cultural assimilation going on for over 400 years in this country.

Philomena has many really powerful insights about what is going on in the world right now, way too many to put into one podcast episode, but in this episode, we talk through a few of them and everyone can really benefit from tuning in.

Creating a stronger, more inclusive society for Native people, ensuring Native people are represented in high positions of public and private office….not only are these the right and just things to do, but they would greatly help us in our fight to save this planet.

Every time I chat with Philomena, on or off the record, it leaves a positive imprint on me.  I hope this episode will do the same for you!

Here are some additional links Philomena wanted to share with everyone to check out on your own!

Sep 14, 202101:14:53
S2:E23 - (5-Minute Summary) GOING NUCLEAR

S2:E23 - (5-Minute Summary) GOING NUCLEAR

This is the 5-minute (in this case 8 minute) version of our episode on Nuclear Energy. Listen to this one if you want some quick takeaways while on the go, but then go check out the complete episode when you get a chance for a deep dive into all things nuclear energy and why it may be our only way to get off of fossil fuels.


Aug 31, 202108:11
S2:E23 - GOING NUCLEAR - THE FULL EPISODE

S2:E23 - GOING NUCLEAR - THE FULL EPISODE

Nuclear Energy! In today’s episode we give you a deep dive into nuclear energy and why it may be our only way off of fossil fuels.

Like many others, when you think of nuclear you probably think of large scale accidents, radiation, nuclear waste, and nuclear weapons. All bad things!

However it’s also a carbon-free, zero-emission energy source that produces more output at a more consistent pace than wind or solar, and is cheaper than coal or natural gas. And there are a ton of innovations happening to mitigate the historical challenges of accidents, radiation, waste, and threats.

It also may be one of the few things left that can get bipartisan support in DC. So let’s learn more about it and see where it fits into our clean energy future!

Joining us today is
Jason Herbert, Director of Government Affairs for Energy Northwest, a major energy agency in the state of Washington providing a lot of renewable energy to utility companies, including of course, nuclear. Prior to Energy Northwest, Jason spent a decade on Capitol Hill work in Congress with a focus on energy and environmental policy.

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Quick plug for our weekly newsletter - every week we curate and write about 3 important stories in the world of protecting this planet and send it to your inbox - all designed to be read in 5 minutes or less. It's the fastest and most efficient way to learn and spread effective climate communications. Sign-up today here. It's totally free.

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In This Episode

5:45 - Meet Jason

8:10 - A Political Orphan

23:00 - State of Nuclear in the US Today

28:00 - New Innovations

41:50 - Debunking Nuclear Critiques



Aug 31, 202101:05:54
S2:E22 - LET'S CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT SHARKS

S2:E22 - LET'S CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT SHARKS

What's the first emotion that comes to mind when you think of sharks?  For most people it's fear.  Fear of an open water attack.  A fear that has been culturally woven into our lexicon dating back thousands of years.  

That fear is justified - sharks are powerful predators.  However, it's also over blown.  300 times more people bite other people on subways each year than how many sharks who bite people globally each year!

Sharks are vital to our oceans. In fact, given every curveball we are throwing at our oceans right now - warming, acidification, plastic pollution - sharks are more critical than ever.  They've been around for over 400 million years, yet have never been so valuable to the survival of our oceans.

Find out why this week on Animalia.

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Quick plug for our weekly newsletter - every week we curate and write about 3 important stories in the world of protecting this planet and send it to your inbox - all designed to be read in 5 minutes or less. It's the fastest and most efficient way to learn and spread effective climate communications. Sign-up today here. It's totally free.

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Joining us today is Dr. James Sulikowski, a professor at Arizona State University where he leads a conservation lab focused on sharks, skates, and rays.  So what’s a sand shark scientist doing in the desert?  

Finally, we want to mention Dr. James' partnership with Earthly to promote conservation research of the spiny dogfish shark.  Earthly is a clean-ingredient dog treat brand known for their trademark dental chews that is supporting this important research initiative.  You can get 20% off your first order of their dental chews or other treats using the code "ANIMALIA" on their site here.  Thanks!

Aug 24, 202142:02
S2:E21 - How Composting Can Help Solve our Soil Health & Waste Crises

S2:E21 - How Composting Can Help Solve our Soil Health & Waste Crises

You’ve probably heard the disturbing stat before: we throw away 40% of our food here in the US.

And that’s a big problem on multiple fronts. For one, landfill waste is a major source, in fact our biggest source, of methane. A greenhouse gas that traps heat at a rate 25 times stronger than carbon.

In addition, that food waste could have otherwise been converted into nutrient rich soil, at a time when we are in a massive soil criss after decades of soil degradation spurned from an agriculture industry focused only on efficiency and scale.  

While there is no single silver bullet to any of our environmental and climate issues, there is a powerful elixir that can combat both our soil and waste crises.....composting.

Know doubt you know what composting is. Maybe you've tried it.  Maybe you compost regularly. Maybe you are one of the 75% of US Households that are not offered curbside composting.  

In this episode, you'll learn both why composting is so important in our fight against climate change AND all the ways it is become more and more accessible.

Joining us are the 3 Compost Commandos:

  1. Lauren Turk, aka The Marvelous Soil Maven - a founder at Fera Zero, an incredible organization bringing a variety of waste solutions to many different cities, including an app to find how, where and why to compostJoin their waitlist. 
  2. Charlie Pioli, aka Dr. O - founder of O-Town Compost, a for-profit composting venture in Orlando Florida. And host of The Community Compost Podcast.  Go check it out and subscribe!
  3. Dr. Lee Reich, aka The Farmdener - the O.G of composting going over 50 years strong and a renowned gardener, author, and teacher.

We are so thankful to all three for joining and we think you'll love this episode!

If you are looking for some tips on how to start composting yourself, there are hundreds of great videos on YouTube but here is one in particular that I love!


NOTE: IF YOU LOVE THE ANIMALIA PODCAST, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LEAVE US A RATING AND REVIEW!  IT HELPS A TON.  AND YOU'LL ALSO PROBABLY LIKE OUR WEEKLY EMAIL NEWSLETTER, WHERE WE WRITE ABOUT 3 TO 4 TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK IN CONSERVATION AND CLIMATE. SUBSCRIBE HERE.

Aug 17, 202157:50
Episode 4 of 4 - The American War on Wolves: The Battleground of 2021

Episode 4 of 4 - The American War on Wolves: The Battleground of 2021

Welcome to Episode 4 of Animalia’s The American War on Wolves.

In this 4th and final episode of the series, we dig into what’s been happening in 2021 so far since Federal protections for gray wolves were lifted in January. State by state, wolf protections are falling away and senseless killing is picking up steam.

In order to change this trend, we need to understand why it’s happening. So our focus in this episode will be to break down the justifications the anti-wolf community uses in their policies and programs to kill wolves, and look specifically at Wisconsin and Idaho as examples.

We will also look at two states still on the side of wolf advocacy, Oregon and Washington, albeit there are aspects of their programs that also feel like they are on shaky grounds.

Finally, we hear from the many experts and advocates throughout this series on what we can do to prosper coexistence with wolves and return them to their rightful range and habitat.

In so many ways, our relationship with wolves is symbolic of our relationship with the natural world overall. For far too long, it has been adversarial and exploitative, rooted in cultural disdain. We are seeing right now how this disdain, misinformation, and polarizing politics rear their ugly heads in causing us to go backwards, not forward.

In the series finale, we detail what is happening across 4 specific states, analyze the arguments given by the anti-wolf community, and talk through some different solutions for getting us to peaceful coexistence with wolves.

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As always, this series is dedicated to raising support and awareness for SaveOurWolves.org, put on by the Center for Biological Diversity. Please check out the page and sign the petitions going to state and federal policy makers to protect wolves. Every digital signature is incredibly valuable.

In case you missed them:

  • In Episode 1, we outlined some kay facets of wolf biology, sociology, and day to day life to lay a foundation of understanding
  • In Episode 2, we chronicled the historical extermination wolves have experienced here in the US dating back to the mid 19th Century
  • In Episode 3, we looked at Recovery & Reintroduction programs that have been successful and unsuccessful and why

A big thanks to all those who are featured in this episode:

Aug 05, 202101:58:54
Episode 3 of 4 - The American War on Wolves: Recovery & Reintroduction

Episode 3 of 4 - The American War on Wolves: Recovery & Reintroduction

Welcome back to The American War on Wolves, a 4-part series chronicling the historic extermination of the critical gray wolf in the United States culminating in the battle grounds of 2021 as states wrestle to determine the fate of this species.

If you didn’t get a chance to check out Episodes 1 or 2, please do so. Episode 1 provides an important foundation for understanding wolf behavior and sociology that serves as context for evaluating the policies aiming to control and manage them. Episode 2 is a walk back in time, taking us through the mid 19th century when Western Settlers ignited the wolf extermination process up through the modern day.

And here we are in Episode 3: Recovery & Reintroduction.

In this episode we are going to dissect 2 specific recovery and reintroduction programs, one that has gone quite well in Yellowstone, and one that has not gone well at all in the US Southwest for the Mexican gray wolf, also known as the lobo. It is important to understand what we can learn from each before we finish up in our 4th and final episode next week, The Battle Grounds of 2021.

As a reminder, please go support SaveOurWolves.org, our partners in making this podcast series possible. It’s a program created by The Center of Biological Diversity, an organization that has been fighting to protect wolves for decades. Please sign the digital petitions if you can, going straight to key state and federal policymakers. In addition, every listen of this podcast triggers a $1 donation to the cause. That’s right, all you need to do is listen and share it along and a donation will be triggered from the Animalia team.

Special thanks in this episode to both Michael Robinson, historian and author of Predatory Bureaucracy, as well as an active member of the Center for Biological Diversity himself. And to Rick McIntyre, renowned wolf expert and author of The Rise of Wolf 8 and The Reign of Wolf 21. You’ll be hearing a lot from both of them in this episode.

Also a shout out in this episode to Sustainable Human, a great YouTube channel who did a fantastic video on the positive impacts of wolves in Yellowstone we borrowed some audio from. Check out their full video here and please go subscribe to their channel.

In This Episode:

  • 2:45 - Quick update on Red Wolves
  • 4:45 - The challenges of the Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Program in the US Southwest
  • 39:00 - A 12-minute overview on how to set Recovery Targets
  • 51:21- The success of the Gray Wolf Recovery Program in Yellowstone National Park
Jul 27, 202101:21:34
Episode 2 of 4 - The American War on Wolves: An Historical Extermination

Episode 2 of 4 - The American War on Wolves: An Historical Extermination

Welcome back to Episode 2 in our 4-part series: The American War on Wolves.

In this episode we are going to go back in time to the mid-1800s when Western Settlers moved into the Great Plains, the Southwest, and the Northwest and began forever changing these ecosystems.  Native American communities and roaming bison would be replaced by Western outposts and grazing livestock.

What followed was a systematic extermination of wolves and other wild predators, led by the collaboration of private economic interest, namely the livestock industry, and government help, namely the US Biological Survey which would become the US Fish & Wildlife Service.

In order to better understand the state by state battleground for wolf recovery happening today, we must first know how we got here.

Two incredible guests join us for this episode.

The first is Michael Robinson, whose book Predatory Bureaucracy drives a lot of the information here.  He’s a historian and member of the Center for Biological Diversity, the organization again that this series is benefiting. Each time you listen or ask someone to do the same, we are donating $1 to their efforts at SaveOurWolves.org.

The second is Josh Specht, a professor at the University of Notre Dame and author of Red Meat Republic.

Thank you to Michael and Josh for their contributions and the work they do.

Enjoy this 2nd episode!  If you missed the first one, go back and give it a listen as it will ground you in some of the sociology, family structure, and behaviors of wild wolves.  Coming up in Episode 3 next week, we will look at modern Recovery and Reintroduction programs, both successful and unsuccessful and what we can learn from them.

And again, please please go to SaveOurWolves.org and sign the petitions to support the fight to protect this species.  And remember every listen of this podcast triggers a donation so spread the word!

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PS. We want to link as well to the Wikipedia page of Rosalie Edge, an amazing conservationist you’ll learn about in this episode.

Jul 20, 202158:44
Episode 1 of 4 - The American War on Wolves: Establishing a Foundation

Episode 1 of 4 - The American War on Wolves: Establishing a Foundation

We’re so excited to bring you our first ever mini-series here on Animalia.

The American War on Wolves

If you’re not already aware, 2021 has become a pivotal year, a year like no other, in the fight to save this species here in the United States. After the Trump Administration delisted wolves from Federal protection in January of this year, many states have returned to the horrific, sweeping legalization of killing wolves. The same programs and strategies that led to their near extinction from the mid 1800s through the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

It’s critical we bring more awareness to what’s happening, spread the facts, and share the love across the incredible community fighting for this species. Because the biggest threats to wolves continue to be a combination of misinformation and ingrained cultural disdain.

So here we go. We can’t wait to bring this to you.

The 4 episodes will take you through a journey starting with highlighting some of the many incredible traits of wolf behavior and sociology in order to lay a foundation of understanding and appreciation. In Episode 2 we’ll move into the historical extermination that began in the mid 19th century. Episode 3 will walk us through reintroduction efforts in the mid 90s through today, what has worked, and what hasn’t. Finally, the 4th and final episode will focus on the ideological and political war going on right now that may very well determine the fate of the species.

Throughout the series we will urge you to visit SaveOurWolves.org and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE sign the digital petitions pushing policy makers at state and federal levels to protect wolves. If you can also make a donation to their efforts, that would be amazing too. However, guess what, you already did that just by listening to this episode!

That’s because for every listen this series gets, Animalia is donating $1 to the Center for Biological Diversity, the organization behind SaveOurWolves.org. So please share with friends and urge them to do the same!

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As described above, this first episode delves into the behavior and sociology that makes wolves so special. We’ll learn what it’s like day to day for wolves, how their family structures work, how they interact with their ecosystem, and the value of play. We feel it’s important that before we get into the war on wolves, we first need to better understand them.

We think you’ll love this kickoff :)

Throughout the series you’ll here from some amazing guests. Biologists, conservationists, authors, and policy makers that were kind enough to contribute to this project.

In this particular episode, you’ll meet:

  • Rick McIntyre: One of the most celebrated wolf experts in America, Rick has been at Yellowstone National Park since 1994, the year before wolves were reintroduced in 1995.  He is also the author of The Rise of Wolf 8 and The Reign of Wolf 21, two books we HIGHLY recommend.
  • John Vucetich: A biologist, professor, and Primary Investigator of the Isle Royal National Park in northwest Michigan 

Enjoy!!!!

Jul 14, 202157:12
S2:E16 - Climate Migration hits the US Southwest Border

S2:E16 - Climate Migration hits the US Southwest Border

You’ve probably seen the “US Southern Border Crisis” plastered across news media the last few months. There is a surge of migrants coming from Central America, particularly what’s known as the Northern Triangle, highlighted by Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Only this surge is nothing new, it’s been building for over a decade. And the true cause of it is barely touched on in the news media, be it left or right leaning, and that’s climate change.

If terms like climate displacement, climate migration, and climate refugees are not too familiar, you’re not alone. And that right there is a big part of the problem. Of all the issues and problems climate change poses in the decades ahead, one of the largest and most overlooked is climate migration.

This is essentially when people are forced to move and change locations because climate issues, be it extreme weather or rising coastlines, have rendered their how and/or trade untenable.  It’s hurting those most who are marginalized and living in lower-income areas, and it’s only going to get worse.

In this episode, we dive deep into Climate Migration, what it is, how its being discussed globally, and specifically how it is impacting people in Guatemala as an example of what lies ahead.

We’re lucky to have two amazing guests joining us for this episode:

If you are moved at all by this episode, and we hope and think you will be, please go and support their two organizations in anyway you can.

You can donate to Climate Refugees Here

And you can and should subscribe to their amazing newsletter, which you can do here

You can donate to CARE Here

As always thank you for supporting our partners and guests in the work they do to save this planet and all the life on it.


IN THIS EPISODE

3:50 - Intro to Amali Tower & Climate Refugees

7:19 - Intro to Wilfredo

8:10 - Overview of AmalI’s Work

9:10 - Intersection of Climate Justice & Social Justice

19:20 - Those Impacted the Most Don’t Have a Seat at Policy Table

28:50 - Getting Consensus on what do to about Climate Displacement

43:30 - Florida Keys will soon be Underwater

45:20 - What’s happening in Central America

56:20 - Climate Crisis & 10 Year Drought in Guatemala

1:08:00 - The United State’s Role in Assisting Guatemalan People

Jul 06, 202101:18:16
S2:E15 - The Subcultures of Sperm Whales & How this is Changing Conservation Science, with Hal Whitehead

S2:E15 - The Subcultures of Sperm Whales & How this is Changing Conservation Science, with Hal Whitehead

Jun 14, 202150:39
S2:E14 - Farming Goes Indoors, with the Chief Science Officer of Bowery Farming
Jun 09, 202150:04
S2:E13 - Managing California's Natural Resources

S2:E13 - Managing California's Natural Resources

If you are not already aware, California is a big, complicated state.  It's home to over 40 million people and if it were an independent nation, it would be the 5th largest economy in the world!  From the lush forests of the north to the dry deserts in the south, from the historical Pacific coastline to the rural, agricultural Central Valley, California has some of the most diverse and wide ranging natural resources in the world.  Managing these is not easy.  From the ongoing water crisis to increasing wildfires to major drops in biodiversity in recent decades, we don't envy those who are in charge of making sense of it all.  We do however, want to talk to them.  So this week on Animalia, we chat with Angela Barranco, Undersecretary for Natural Resources for the entire state!


IN THIS EPISODE

2:30 Intro to Angela and Understanding her Role

9:20 Outside Access for All Initiative

14:00 What it means to live in a nature-deprive area

21:40 How to prioritize outdoor access vs. other critical needs for lower income communities

33:05 Role of Education in Outdoor Access

41:50 California’s Water Crisis

54:00 California’s Wildfire Crisis


SOME LINKS FOR FURTHER READING

Fed-CA shared forest stewardship agreement - https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/08/13/california-u-s-forest-service-establish-shared-long-term-strategy-to-manage-forests-andrangelands/#:~:text=Since%20the%20federal%20government%20owns,forest%20health%20and%20wildfire%20resilience.

CA wildfire and forest resilience action plan - https://www.fire.ca.gov/media/ps4p2vck/californiawildfireandforestresilienceactionplan.pdf

Early Action projects announcement from March - https://www.gov.ca.gov/2021/03/30/ahead-of-peak-fire-season-governor-newsom-announces-surge-in-firefighting-support-3-30-21/

Drought and water resilience package - https://www.gov.ca.gov/2021/05/10/governor-newsom-announces-5-1-billion-package-for-water-infrastructure-and-drought-response-as-part-of-100-billion-california-comeback-plan/

CA water resilience portfolio - https://waterresilience.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Final_California-Water-Resilience-Portfolio-2020_ADA3_v2_ay11-opt.pdf

May 25, 202101:11:16
S2:E12 - How Rats Are Saving People's Lives

S2:E12 - How Rats Are Saving People's Lives

This episode is hopefully going to forever change your prospective on rats!

Yes, the well known rodent that we often look at as pests in our day to day lives.

If you’ve ever had a rat problem in your home, you know how clever and smart they are, how easily they can outmaneuver you. They are natural problem solvers with such a keen sense of smell and a nose for food.

Well an awesome organization called APOPO, headquartered in Tanzania, has found a way to channel the abilities of rats to help people. To quite literally save lives. Today APOPO is working with Rats to detect land mines that have been buried for years, and to detect tuberculosis in humans, the most deadly disease in the world.

Joining us today is Dr. Cindy Fast, Head of Training & Innovation for APOPO who has a background in Behavioral Neuroscience that she is now applying to training these HeroRats.

As a bit of a teaser that will make your heart spin, check out this video about Magawa, one of APOPO’s most famous rats who won a medal of honor for clearing 141,000 square meters of land mines in just 4 years!

We promise you this - you will leave this episode with a whole new respect and appreciation for rats!

Please also check out APOPO’s website and if you can, adopt a HeroRat for yourself! It costs just $9 per month and as a non-profit, APOPO needs this support to continue to save lives. You will get regular updates on the work your rat is doing and the lives he or she is saving. It will be the best $9 you ever spent!


IN THIS EPISODE

2:45 - The story of APOPO

6:25 - Why rats are so well equipped for land mind detection

8:45 - How APOPO rats are trained

12:40 - People trusting their lives to rats

21:00 - How rats detect Tuberculosis

30:10 - Magawa, APOPO’s most famous HeroRat

32:40 - Do the rats feel pride?

38:50 - Future applications for APOPO rats




May 18, 202146:11
S2:E11 What is Happening to the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil?

S2:E11 What is Happening to the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil?

The deforestation crisis in the Brazilian Amazon has been making headlines globally dating back to 2019. In fact, the latest finding - that the Amazon in Brazil is now officially producing more greenhouse gas than it captures due to forest degradation and deforestation - is as alarming and concerning as it gets. Studies are now showing the Amazon is on the brink of a point of no return where it could mostly dry out and turn into a savannah like ecosystem, causing major negative ramifications globally in terms of climate change.

So what exactly is happening? Why is it happening? And what can be done to stop it? In this episode we sit down with Ana Ionova - an environmental journalist in Brazil who has been covering the Amazon issue for years. She gives us a first hand account of what is happening right now in Brazil, and we talk about everything from President Bolsonaro to the impact on indigenous people and dissect everything going on.

We really encourage everyone to listen to this episode and become well informed on this issue.

We also encourage you to read a couple of Ana’s past work on this topic and support her as the standout journalist she is!

Ana's Story on the Paracana people

Ana's Story on the Arrival of Palm Oil


IN THIS EPISODE

2:30  Current State of the Brazilian Amazon

11:10 Bolsonaro’s Impact & The Economic Argument Behind Deforestation

20:40  Impact on Indigenous Communities

33:10 Palm Oil’s Arrival in Brazil :(

39:20 Sentiment of Brazilian civilians

44:19  A Radical Solution

May 11, 202157:07
S2:E10 What Makes Food Organic & Where The Lines Get Drawn

S2:E10 What Makes Food Organic & Where The Lines Get Drawn

If you are like us, you probably try to buy and consume organic food whenever you can.  Sometimes it's not available, sometimes it's a bit too expensive, and sometimes you might just wonder, "what exactly makes food organic and where do those lines get drawn."  

You're not alone, we have those questions as well.  Which is why we sat down with Jessica Shade from The Organic Center to answer all these pressing questions for us!  She's the Director of Science Programs at The Organic Center, where she directs projects associated to communicating and conducting research related to organic agriculture.  Her full bio is below!

And a bit about The Organic Center.  Their mission is to bring together credible, evidence-based science on the health and environmental impacts of organic food and farming and to share the findings with the public. The Center is an independent non-profit research and education organization operating under the administrative auspices of the Organic Trade Association. For more information on The Organic Center, visit www.organic-center.org, and on the Organic Trade Association, see www.ota.com.


In This Episode

1:00 Introduction

2:15 What is the Definition or Organic?

6:00 Organic vs. Non-Organic GMO

12:30 Meet Jessica

17:45 Why is Organic Food So Expensive?

25:10 Clarifying Usage of Synthetic Pesticides

32:30 Where Organic Standards Stand on Wild vs. Domestic Pollination Services

42:15 A Discussion Around Organic Livestock

59:00 How Organic Industry Views Cell-Based Meats & Vertical Crop Farming


Jessica's Full Bio

Dr. Jessica Shade is the Director of Science Programs at The Organic Center where she directs projects associated with communicating and conducting research related to organic agriculture. During her tenure at The Organic Center Dr. Shade has collaborated on diverse research programs ranging from applied solutions to on-farm challenges to methods for improving environmental impacts of agriculture.  Some of her most recent collaborations include projects aimed at mitigating climate change, decreasing agriculturally-mediated nutritent pollution, increasing on-farm biodiversity, and developing integrated pest management solutions for organic growers.  Dr. Shade developed and leads the Center’s signature conference event, Organic Confluences, which brings together policy makers, researchers, farmers, industry members, and other non-profits to address and overcome challenges faced by the organic sector.  She has also been an invited speaker to a wide range of events including academic conferences, farmer meetings, industry expos, and TEDx.

Dr. Shade has been honored for her environmental accomplishments by the Audubon Women in Conservation through their Women Greening Food Special Recognition, the Ecological Society of America Student Section and Union of Concerned Scientists through their Ecoservice Award, and is a Switzer Environmental Fellow.  She received her PhD from the University of California, Berkeley.

If you want to email Jessica about her work: jshade@organic-center.org

Apr 27, 202101:08:15
S2:E9 Finally Answers to the Question "Are The Bees Dying?"

S2:E9 Finally Answers to the Question "Are The Bees Dying?"

You've heard this question a lot in the last few years.  What's killing the bees?  Why are they dying? How bad is this?
Well, while many articles share this headline, few actually explain it.

For starters, do you even know there is a difference between Wild & Domestic bees?  Or that the classic honey bee we are all so familiar with is not native to the US?

In this episode we sit down with Matias Viel, co-founder of Bee Flow, a technology company creating a new paradigm in pollination services that is showing Growers how much they benefit by putting bees first, and Mike Briano from Harris Woolf Almonds, a crop that relies on bees more than any other.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

  • The difference between farmed and wild pollinators
  • Why over reliance on farmed pollinators poses environmental challenges
  • How we need more growers to start measuring pollination
  • Why it has been challenging for growers to rely on wild pollinators
  • What the future of pollination services might look like


EPISODE BREAKDOWN

0:45 Episode Intro

3:25 Introductions for Team Bee

8:20 Breaking Down “The Bees Are Dying” Headline into what’s actually happening

13:30 How Almond Industry Monitors Pollinator Health Today

15:25 Threats to Wild Pollinators

17:20 The Relationship between Bees & Almonds

24:00 Balancing Restoring Biodiversity without Sacrificing Yield

29:20 Measuring Pollination

35:30 Wild Pollinators & Farmed Pollinators Can Help Each Other

39:40 Dialogue on Wild Pollinators Today

47:15 The Debate over Classifying Bumble Bees as Threatened

55:37 What is The Future of Pollination Services





Apr 13, 202158:33
S2:E8 Can a Snail Save an Entire Tropical Forest?

S2:E8 Can a Snail Save an Entire Tropical Forest?

Apr 06, 202125:29
S2:E7 Why Citizen Science is Important and How You Can Get Involved

S2:E7 Why Citizen Science is Important and How You Can Get Involved

Did you know that everyone uses the scientific method everyday, even when we don't realize it?  That's highly recommended when making any important decisions, however, it's not quite Citizen Science.  Citizen Science is when anyone, regardless of qualifications or training, can contribute to the collection of analysis of data in the natural world as part of a collaborative project with professional scientists. You may have heard of apps like iNaturalist as an example.  

In this episode, we sit down with Danni Washington to discuss the role and value of Citizen Science, and why everyone should give it a try.  Danni is a Science Communicator and big time ocean advocate. She has hosted multiple TV shows, and now a couple incredible podcasts as well.  She's a major believer in the need to make science more accessible to all, from citizen science work all the way up to evolving our higher education system around science to make it more inclusive.  Please go check out her site and enjoy her amazing work.

JOIN US IN COSTA RICA

Danni is also joining us on our Costa Rican Sea Turtle Adventure!  This is Animalia's first formal, IRL Citizen Science program.  We are taking 25 lucky people down to Costa Rica from May 25th to June 1st to work with the incredible Leatherback Sea Turtle!  It's an experience you won't want to miss so please get your ticket today here while they last!


In This Episode

2:35 - What is Citizen Science?

10:10 - Making Science more Accessible

16:00 - How can we make Citizen Science most effective?

20:00 - Info about our Costa Rican Trip!

20:45 - How the Smartphone has changed Citizen Science

21:30 - Will we one day all be participating in Citizen Science constantly via our live health data?

25:40 - Social Motivations in Citizen Science

29:50 - How to evaluate the Legitimacy of a Citizen Science project


Danni's Recommendations

A) Book - The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

B) Film/TV - Game Changers by Louie Psihoyos

C) Wildlife - Orcas!

D) Earth-Friendly Lifestyle Change - Eat more plant based food & know where your food comes from

Mar 23, 202143:57
S2:E6 Changing Culture in our Fight to Save this Planet with Vietnam's Climate Hero

S2:E6 Changing Culture in our Fight to Save this Planet with Vietnam's Climate Hero

The role of shifting our culture as citizens and consumers is incredible important in the fight to save this planet. That often starts with the Youth, as they are the shapers of culture going forward. We sit down to chat with Hong Hoang, founder of Change Vietnam, the largest environmental NGO in all of Vietnam to learn how she has been changing culture for the past 20 years. Joining us halfway through are two young adults who have gone through Hong’s program. Hong is one of the most incredible people on his planet in the world of climate action and climate justice. One of Hong’s favorite quotes is: “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it."  Thank you Hong for taking the time to join us!  And thank you Up & Son for doing the same! BTW - if you don't already get it, you'll want to subscribe to Animalia's Weekly Newsletter.  It's 100% free and gives you a weekly digest of some of the most important stories developing in conservation, climate justice, and sustainability. Subscribe here. In This Episode 2:38 - Meet Hong 3:50 - Importance of Changing Culture in the Climate Fight 9:00 - Creating Grassroots Climate Movements in Vietnam 12:30 - Why focusing on the Youth is so Important 15:27 - Chatting with two Youth Activists from Hong’s program 30:10 - Hong’s journey into the Climate Fight started in Antarctica 33:50 - Climate Literacy in Schools 37:35 - Political Spectrum on Climate in Vietnam 41:36 - Discussion on Clothing Manufacturing & Traditional Medicine 50:45 - Hong’s Incredible Quote
Mar 16, 202153:11