1.5 Celsius

Nowadays, everyone wants to be eco-friendly: so let's cut out the B.S. Today, we're looking at greenwashing, and breaking down how corporations try to mislead customers into buying their products. Of course, we'll also talk about how you can avoid falling into companies' traps and put your money towards products that you care about.

Fun fact: the bugs at the bottom of the water can tell you a surprising amount about the health of a stream! This week, we're joined by certified stream monitor Evalynn Bogusz (who also happens to be Keerthi's close friend and classmate) to discuss all things stream monitoring. The two will also introduce their ongoing scientific research project, "A comparison of eDNA metabarcoding and Virginia Save Our Streams kick-seine sampling methods for stream health analysis," which won several awards at the 2023 Regional Science and Engineering Fair.

Today, we're heading back in time to look at some of the most pivotal events in climate change history. From the First Industrial Revolution to the Paris Agreement, this episode covers both scientific discoveries and environmental legislation. So if you're ready for an eccentric history lesson, then plug in your headphones and jump right in.

Quick, think of a pollutant. If plastic crossed your mind immediately, then you're in luck: today's episode is all about everyone's favorite petrochemical derivative. We'll be looking at the origin of plastic and what actually makes it so harmful to the environment, as well as some greener alternatives. 

Today, we're moving away from massive expanses of Earth and looking at the agricultural sector as a source of emissions. Although they are ubiquitous necessities, food and water both come with their price on our planet. In the third episode of 1.5 Celsius, we'll focus on specific problems, as well as the actions that consumers can take to help make a positive impact in terms of waste.

The atmosphere isn't the only place where carbon goes. The oceans end up absorbing a lot of our emissions, and it often has consequences that extend beyond just a lower pH for both humans and marine life alike. In this episode of 1.5 Celsius, we'll be diving into (no pun intended) some of the effects of ocean acidification and what we can do to help mitigate its effects.

What are greenhouse gases, and why are they actually bad for the environment? The media is constantly bringing in an influx of information about emissions-causing activities, but we seldom hear about what really goes on behind the scenes to cause global temperatures to rise so suddenly. In the very first episode of 1.5 Celsius, we'll be taking a look at the grand scheme of global warming and tackling some common climate change buzzwords.